#LENT2019 Day 11: Exodus 13-14

(For our lent devotional, we’ll be going through the book of Exodus with the rest of our church and be looking at the hand of God carrying the Israelites through their captivity and oppression as well as their sin and unbelief. Keep up with us as we look at how much God loves His people and never leaves us alone.)

First, read: Exodus 13-14 (focus on 14).

Are you willing to step in faith toward God today?

These two chapters are hard to put side by side because in chapter 13, God instructs the Israelites to commemorate the day they are saved from Egypt by the Passover. God instructs the Israelites to consecrate to Him all the firstborn, since their lives have been paid for and belong to Him. The feast of the Passover will be a way for the Israelites to remember the Lord always and the salvation they have received, as a “sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes.”

With that, Moses takes Israel and the bones of Joseph and leaves the land of Egypt. A pillar from God, cloud by day and fire by night, keeps Israel safe and okay. The presence of God is with them continually.

But right when Israel thinks the worst is over, another curveball is thrown by God. God instructs Moses to encamp the Israelites by the water in a specific place so that they are facing the sea. He then lets Moses know that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened again and will pursue the Israelites so that God can “get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” Moses’ response wasn’t recorded here, but the response of Israel is simple in the Exodus narrative:

“They did so.”

And sure enough, Pharaoh starts coming for the Israelites. He and his servants realize all at once that Israel has been set free, and they ask themselves,

“What were we thinking?”

With six hundred chosen chariots, Pharaoh goes after the Israelites. And when the Israelites see Pharaoh coming back for them, they are filled with fear. They cry out to the Lord and to Moses, saying,

“What have you done in bringing us out of Egypt?… For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the wilderness.” And Moses says this:

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation fo the lord, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

And the rest is history. The Lord instructs Moses to lift up his staff and stretch his hand over the sea and divide it so that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. Moses does this, and the sea truly splits. The angel of God who was going before Israel moved and goes behind them, and the pillar of cloud moves from before them and stands behind them too. The Egyptians go in after Israel, but the Lord puts them in a panic and their chariot wheels get clogged. They start to flee as they realize they aren’t up against Israel, but the Lord who fights for them. But by then, it’s too late. God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea again, Moses complies, and the waters covered the chariots and horsemen. It says at the end of chapter 14 that:

“Not one of them remained.”

Throughout this narrative thus far, God has utilized natural elements to show His presence to Israel. In many ways, God has stayed close to signs and wonders with the building blocks of nature. However, of the signs and wonders, this point of crossing the Red Sea is the climax of it all.

Now, in the Old Testament, water is mainly used to show chaos. God, using the small, limited hand of Moses, splits and reigns over chaos to uncover and “create” dry ground for Israel to walk on. He uses a limited, sinful human agent to bring about his supernatural wonder of creating a way for the Israelites when there was no human way to escape. He uses cloud and darkness to cover over Israel and create distance between Israel and Egypt before covering and wiping out the enemy with the chaos He had set aside for His people to be able to walk to safety.

But what is most intriguing about this narrative is God’s invitation to faith and relationship with Him throughout this miracle of parting the Red Sea. When a curveball is about to be thrown, God tells Moses all that he plans to do. In his words of things to come, there is an invitation extended to the Israelites to trust God.. Will Israel be able to believe that God is behind this move of Pharaoh and that God will prevail? This comes to light when Pharaoh comes storming at the Israelites— they are struck with deep fear and cry out to God, wailing to Moses about how they were going to die anyway. The Israelites doubt God’s victory in the moment.

But God extends himself to Israel once again. He looks to Moses and instructs him to lift his staff and raise his hand over the water. Just one solitary hand. And Moses complies in obedience. At Moses’ obedience, the most amazing, terrifying thing happens: The Red Sea splits. in. two.

But see, here’s the catch: after the Israelites doubt God again, after the Egyptians come running at them, God invites them again, as He always has, to trust him, trust that the Red Sea won’t fall on them, and walk through. The key about the miracle of the Red Sea is that even with this wonder, Israel won’t be free unless they walk through on their own.

And in this invitation, in this crazy situation, I hear God’s invitation for us to trust in Him. After God comes to earth (!!) to die (!!!!!!) for us to be reconciled to Him, after God flips the world upside down in His LOVE, after He leads us through every season and day of our lives, we look at our situations in front of us and still have a hard time responding to God’s invitation to step forward in faith towards what He has for our future.. We have a hard time trusting that the waters won’t fall on us, that God will carry us through. We have a hard time believing that the land He’s prepared for us is better than the sliver of land we’re on right now, where we’re facing the Red Sea with the Egyptians hot at our heels.

Just as He had extended his hand, his love, and his presence to Israel, asking them to just trust Him and His plan for them, I feel that God is extending that invitation to us as well.

Can you trust God? Do you trust that He is with you and that He’s got you covered?

Can you walk towards the uncertain future in trust that God will take care of you, regardless of what you’ve seen?

Today, let’s remember the God behind the miracle of the Red Sea that extends his hand to us and asks us to take it.

God has us in His hands, and He’s got something big planned for us, so let’s learn to love Him and walk with Him in life. Today, let’s try to take a step of faith towards everything that God has for us. Happy Thursday, everyone.

So much love for you all,

janedo