Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

God had just saved the Israelites through a plague in which blood protected their firstborn. The firstborn was important and God drove the point home by claiming the firstborn He had saved (totally fair and justified since without His mercy they wouldn’t have them). The firstborn male of every beast was to be sacrificed – except the donkey, they should be replaced by a lamb. The firstborn male sons would be redeemed by money. And the idea that the sons should be redeemed was so important the remembrance of it should be on their hands and foreheads (later codified into Law – Deuteronomy 6:8).

God also talked specifics about the Feast of Unleavened Bread (during which Jesus later was crucified, becoming the lamb that redeemed us all – which He qualified for many ways, but one was that He was doubly firstborn {God and man}). Both the Feast and the Law of the Firstborn were tied with remembrance of what God did getting them out of Egypt and the promise of where they were headed. Every Israelite alive in this group was intended to walk free and enter the Land of Promise, remembering this supernatural deliverance annually so that even thousands of years later it would still be talked about.

God led them out, but they didn’t go the quick way (through Philistine territory). They had been slaves for a long time. They weren’t prepared for war, and if it came on them too soon they would probably turn around and go back. They went to Succoth (possibly one of the cities they had built), and then out into the wilderness. It would be a hard road, but not as hard as it could have been – needing to fight for every step. As they went they fulfilled the promise of their ancestors and took the bones of Joseph with them (Genesis 50:24-25). It must have been a great reminder of Joseph’s faith they would get home and the promise to Abraham that Joseph was so sure of. It was a VISIBLE reminder of God’s faithfulness. It should have been inspiring, but these people had issues with remembrance.

It took a few days to get to the Migdol which was at the bottom of the Sinai Peninsula, across the east fork of the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba). They were crossing here to get to Arabia where Mt. Sinai was located (Galatians 4:25). As they travelled, there was a pillar of clouds in front of them during the day, and a pillar of fire by night (or possibly the cloud had fire inside making it which wouldn’t be seen during the day but would glow at night, either or both is possible). They camped there. It was a fine area, but surrounded by mountainous hills. Great to keep them together on this their first few days of freedom – and the worst possible place to avoid what was coming next. They were in an area only God could save them – He was really drumming into them the need to trust and rely in Him (as well as His undeserved Mercy and Grace).

Back in Egypt Pharaoh was told they were really gone. They had gone three days out (as agreed), but showed no signs of returning. Suddenly, Pharaoh and his servants got mad. Why did they let the Israelites go?  They just lost a huge workforce! This is classic hardheartedness. Their country was in ruins. They had no crops. They had no livestock. There was no trust in the natural systems. They had just lost thousands of firstborn. These were the same people begging Pharaoh in Exodus 10:7 to let the Israelites go before everyone died. But here, they were determined to get the Israelites back. Pharaoh got all his chariots and his army and took off (figures as high as 200,000 foot soldiers and 50,000 horses have been recorded for Egyptian armies of the period). It took them days to get there. They did not rethink their decision.

The Israelites – who recently saw the plagues and how they had been supernaturally spared – saw Pharoah and started C-3POing ‘we’re all gonna die’. They had no remembrance of God’s ability to save them (Psalm 106:7-8). They were surrounded by bad hills and trapped like rats against the Red Sea with NO escape. Moses declared God’s ability. Hr reminded them that if they stood on the ability of God, they had no reason to fear. He must have inquired of God because God said ‘why cry to me?’ Moses already had the Rod of God and the right to use it. God told him to tell the Israelites to move forward. For Moses to raise his rod over the water and tell the Israelites to walk. And he did.

“and the Egyptians said, “We must flee away from Israel because Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt.”” (Exodus 14:25b)

Now an interesting thing. It says the angel of God who went before them went behind them. And THEN the pillar of cloud moved behind them as well. God’s angels are ministering spirits on our behalf (Hebrews 1:14) and He sends them to lift us up (Psalm 91).

The cloud blocked the way so Pharaoh couldn’t pass. All the Egyptians got was darkness. The Israelites, however, got the benefit of light. This had to be daytime because of the cloud, but when night happened only the Israelites got the light. A wind kicked up and the waters divided, and the seabed dried up. It took all night for the Israelites to walk over to Arabia. It wasn’t until morning that the cloud moved after the Israelites and Pharaoh moved after the cloud and the Egyptians ended up in the middle of the Red Sea.

Once the Israelites were out, Moses had to cooperate with God again for anything to happen. He had to stretch his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to normal. The whole army died. Although some scholars argue this is not the location of the crossing (they prefer the reed sea, but it has only six inches of water which would make the dry land less impressive but the total drowning more impressive), divers in the water at this point (Gulf of Aqaba) have found the remains of Egyptian style chariots in the seabed.

It says at this point, as they witnessed Egyptian bodies washing up on shore, that they revered the Lord and believed in Him. Remember this.

Moses led the people in a song commemorating God’s great works and wonderful deliverance. Miriam (Moses’ older sister) joined in. It must have been a great celebratory moment.

However…

They travelled into Arabia, into the Wilderness of Shur for three days (this is SIX DAYS after leaving Egypt. Less than a week since Passover). They got to Marah and there was water, but it was BITTER water. They couldn’t drink it. So… They complained about Moses. What are we going to drink? You know what happens when you don’t drink? Etc etc. Where is the celebratory song of God’s might? Where is the memory of the plagues and their supernatural deliverance? Nowhere to be found. Short on remembering. Long on woe-is-me-what-have-you-done-for-me-today?

Moses didn’t even bother with them. He went to God and God pointed out a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the waters lost their bitterness. God told them that if they diligently listened (hard to do without remembering who God is and what He’s done) and did what was right from God’s point of view, and put His commandments into their ears (to listen to them with obedience as proof they have listened), then the plagues that had hit Egypt would NEVER hit them. As New Covenant believers, our trust in Jesus accomplishes the same. And God named Himself Yahweh Rapha: He Who Heals (Psalm 147:3).

They moved on to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees (the number of tribes and the number of the members of Israel’s family that entered Egypt 254 years before). That’s where they camped. And I have to wonder, would they ever have had to stop at Marah for any length if they hadn’t complained and started to give up?

Summary

Key Players: Moses, Pharaoh, God

Key Themes: Deliverance, Judgment, Remembrance

Key Verse(s): Exodus 13:1-2, 8-10, 11-12, 19, 21-22; 14:5, 13-14, 19, 27-31; 15:22-24, 26