Israel’s Long-awaited Exodus and a Short-lived Celebration (Exodus 14; Exodus 15)
Heart of a Shepherd
Jun 02, 2023
Translations
German
Israels lang erwarteter Exodus und eine kurzlebige Feier (Exodus 14; Exodus 15)
Russian
Долгожданный исход Израиля и недолгое празднование (Исход 14; Исход 15)
French
L'exode tant attendu d'Israël et une célébration de courte durée (Exode 14; Exode 15)
Portuguese
O tão esperado êxodo de Israel e uma celebração de curta duração (Êxodo 14; Êxodo 15)
Urdu
اسرائیل کا طویل انتظار شدہ خروج اور ایک مختصر مدت کا جشن (خروج 14؛ خروج 15)
Italian
Il tanto atteso esodo di Israele e una celebrazione di breve durata (Esodo 14; Esodo 15)
Spanish
El éxodo largamente esperado de Israel y una celebración de corta duración (Éxodo 14; Éxodo 15)
Spanish
El éxodo largamente esperado de Israel y una celebración de corta duración (Éxodo 14; Éxodo 15)
Israel’s Long-awaited Exodus and a Short-lived Celebration (Exodus 14; Exodus 15)
Scripture reading: Exodus 14; Exodus 15
Exodus 14
Showdown on the Seashore (Exodus 14:1-10)
With the cloud overshadowing Israel by day and the pillar of fire giving the people light by night, Moses led a nation of more than one million souls to freedom. But to find liberty in another land, they had to travel according to the LORD’s command, bringing Israel to a seemingly precarious place encamped by the Red Sea (Exodus 14:2).
In his grief, Pharaoh thrust the children of Israel out of the land. Yet, the LORD hardened the proud king’s heart (Exodus 14:3-4), and Moses learned his conflict with Pharaoh was not yet ended. Spies of the king followed the movement of Israel and saw the multitude encamped by the sea. News of the encampment was sent to Pharaoh, who then set his army in array to pursue and overtake Moses and the people (Exodus 14:5-7).
Having witnessed how God brought Pharaoh and Egypt to her knees, the people had departed “with an high hand” and were bold, triumphant, and rejoicing in their freedom (Exodus 14:8). Yet, the celebration soon ended when Israel saw a great cloud of dust formed by the approach of six hundred chariots and soldiers. When Pharoah and his army drew near Israel’s encampment, “the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and…cried out unto the Lord” (Exodus 14:10).
Celebrations turned to Protestations (Exodus 14:11-12)
With the Red Sea before them and Egypt’s army behind them, the people derided Moses, saying: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11)
Take a moment and consider the fickle nature of sinners. Though Israel departed Egypt “with an high hand” (14:8), their delight was suddenly turned to moaning and despair. The people complained with a sentiment they would express on many occasions in the future and said: “For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:12).
Moses’ Undaunted Faith (Exodus 14:13-18)
Disappointed but unshaken by the people’s murmuring and the approach of Pharaoh’s army, Moses challenged the people saying, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever” (Exodus 14:13). Then, Moses assured them, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:14).
Moses cried to the LORD, Who questioned him, saying, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward” (Exodus 14:15).
For Moses, the time for prayer was over, and it was time to step out on faith and trust the LORD, who commanded him: “Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:16).
The LORD commanded Moses to be prepared, for when the waters of the sea opened, Pharaoh and his chariots would surely pursue the people into the midst of the sea (Exodus 14:17), and Egypt would know the LORD when the king and his army are drowned in the sea (1Exodus 4:18).
The Provision and Providence of God (Exodus 14:19-31)
The cloud that guided Israel out of Egypt moved rearward and became a barrier of darkness between the people and Pharaoh’s army (Exodus 14:19-20). Then, Israel passed through the midst of the waters of the sea on dry ground (Exodus 14:21-22). When the Egyptians pursued Israel into the midst of the Red Sea, the LORD brought the waters down and drowned them. “Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore… and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:23-31).
Exodus 15
A Celebratory Song of Deliverance (Exodus 15:1-21)
Standing triumphantly on the far shores of the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel broke into a song of praise and rejoicing (Exodus 15:1-19). Moses led the song, and the men sang the refrain (Exodus 15:1), while his sister Miriam “took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances” (Exodus 15:20) and singing the chorus (Exodus 15:21).
Moses' song celebrated and memorialized the great victory the LORD gave Israel over Pharaoh and Egypt. The news of Israel’s triumphant crossing of the Red Sea preceded them and struck fear and awe in the hearts of the enemies they faced in the wilderness and the Promised Land (Exodus 15:14-16). What a grand celebration, and indeed one that should have continued for days and weeks; however, such was not the case.
A Crisis of Faith (Exodus 15:22-25)
Israel was only three days journey into the wilderness when the people “found no water” (Exodus 15:22) and “murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15:24). Sadly, whispering and grumbling became a sinful pattern that haunted Israel’s journey for forty years, and became a great sorrow to Moses and the LORD. Finally, Moses “cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet” (Exodus 15:25).
Why did the LORD test Israel? (Exodus 15:25)
The LORD “made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them” (Exodus 15:25). To “prove” is to test and thereby reveal what manner of people Israel was. So they witnessed a great demonstration of God’s power and deliverance at the Red Sea, only to be found complaining and murmuring three days later.
What was the “statute” and the “ordinance” God wanted Israel to learn? (Exodus 15:26)
If Israel would “diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord… [and] do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,” the LORD promised, “I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26).
Questions to consider:
1) How did Pharaoh respond when he heard Israel was encamped by the waters of the Red Sea? (Exodus 14:5-8)
2) How did Israel respond when they saw Pharaoh and his chariots approaching? (Exodus 14:10-12)
4) How did Moses and Israel celebrate their victory over Egypt? (Exodus 15:1-21)
5) Three days after their victory over Egypt, how did the LORD test Israel, and what spiritual lesson did He want the people to learn? (Exodus 15:22-27).
Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith
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