Getting Ready for Something Good
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Text
" The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal." 3 Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving. 5 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your forefathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 6 For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. 7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. 11 "After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers, 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons. 14 "In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand." 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." 20 After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." (Exodus 13 NIV)
Review
What was the spiritual significance of Passover?
The night Jesus was betrayed, He celebrated Passover with His disciples. Taking the bread and the cup of that ancient, God-ordained ceremony, He used it as an object lesson which spoke of His coming death on the cross. Today, in order for us to understand the meaning and import of what we call, "The Lord's Supper," it is instructive to take a fresh look at the spiritual significance of the first Passover, celebrated the night God delivered His people from Egypt by smiting Pharaoh's heart through the death of every first-born man and beast.
· It marked a new beginning. (12:1-2)
· It involved relationships. (12:3-4)
· It provided cleansing from sin and deliverance from bondage. (12:12-13)
· It was an expression of grace. (12:16)
· It was a line of demarcation. (12:21-23)
· It was an act of worship. (12:28)
How To Get REady for Something Good
Last week, I talked to you about Passover. Two weeks from today, I am going to preach what I believe to be a prophetic message for you as an individual and for our church as a body entitled, "When God Parts the Waters" based on Exodus chapter 14.
Today, in preparation for next week's message, I want to share some important principles from chapter 13 about what the Israelites needed to do in order to be positioned for God to do what only He could do, "How to Get Ready for Something Good."
They went out "armed for battle" but God knew they were not yet ready for battle. He did not allow them to face the Philistines and they became terror stricken at the sight of the Egyptians.
1. Put God first.
Coming out of Egypt where God had judged the first-born of the Egyptians and spared the first-born of the Israelites, He called upon His people to forever consecrate their first-born to the Lord.
" The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal."… 11 "After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers, 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons. 14 "In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."" (Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16 NIV)
2. Separate yourself from sin.
No leaven…!
"7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand." (Exodus 13:7-9 NIV)
What do you tell your children about the reason they should live right?!?!
3. Remember past victories.
Took the bones of Joseph with them…!
Celebrating what God did and said yesterday builds your faith for today…! (God's judgment on Pharaoh and the Egyptians was about much more than Moses and the Israelites. It involved things God had said and done many, many years before.
What God does today always builds upon what God did yesterday and it always sets the stage for what God wants to do tomorrow.
Remember them but do not become bound by them (Hezekiah – brazen serpent; Num. )
"9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." (Numbers 21:9 NIV)
" In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) 5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him." (2 Kings 18:1-7 NIV)
4. Pursue God's presence.
When the cloud moves, then you move…even if it comes in the middle of the night…even if it takes you back the way you have already come (don't be so caught up in chasing after "new" things that you fail to walk in the "old" things that are "God" things…!
"Repent and do your first works again…"
Invitation
1. Are you at a place where there is no earthly way forward?
2. Do you need to separate yourself from some known sin?
Research Notes
Bible Knowledge Commentary
12:37-42. From Rameses, where apparently the people were concentrated (cf. 1:11), they journeyed to Succoth, present-day Tell el-Maskhutah near Lake Timsah. The number of Israelite men was about 600,000 (in 38:26 and Num. 1:46 the exact figure is 603,550). With women and children, the number of Israelites was about 2 million. With them were non-Israelites of an undesignated number, apparently a variegated group (a "rabble," Num. 11:4). In the wilderness they caused the Israelites to complain against Moses.
En route the people baked . . . unleavened bread (cf. Ex. 12:34). Moses concluded this section about the beginning of the Exodus with a historical notation, a reminder of God's faithfulness, and a call to remembrance. The length of Israel's time in Egypt is here said to be 430 years (cf. Gal. 3:17), while other passages state that it was 400 years (Gen. 15:13, 16; Acts 7:6) and "about 450 years" (Acts 13:20; cf. comments there). Apparently the total time in Egypt was 430 years (from 1876 b.c. to 1446 b.c.; cf. comments on Acts 7:6; Gal. 3:17). The fact of God's care over His people on the night of the Exodus should be remembered. Since He kept vigil over them they should keep vigil to honor Him. They were told to be careful and vigilant because He is.
12:43-51. At Succoth, Moses and Aaron were given regulations about celebrating the Passover (vv. 43-51) and instructions for the dedication of the firstborn (13:1-16). The several regulations for the Passover were apparently necessitated by the non-Israelites who joined the Exodus and had identified with the religion of the Hebrews. If a man did not identify with the covenant promises by the rite of circumcision he could not celebrate the Passover (12:44, 48-49). The feast was to be centered in the home and observed by the entire community (cf. vv. 3, 6, 19).
13:1-16. After an introductory statement about the Israelites' firstborn (vv. 1-2), who were to be dedicated for the service of the Lord (since they were spared in the 10th plague), Moses addressed the people again about the Passover and the Unleavened Bread feasts (vv. 3-10), and then returned to the subject of the firstborn (vv. 11-16).
Again Moses reminded the people of the importance of the day of their deliverance (cf. 12:24-27) from the land of slavery (lit., "slave house") by God's mighty hand (cf. comments on 3:19) into the land of promise. (On the Canaanites and other groups mentioned in 13:5, see comments on 3:17; and on the land flowing with milk and honey see comments on 3:8). This victorious event was to be remembered annually in the ceremony of the seven-day festival of Unleavened Bread.
Like the Passover (12:26-27), the Feast of Unleavened Bread had great educational value in the home (13:8-9). The feast was like a sign on their hand or forehead, that is, it was a continual reminder of God's mighty deliverance from Egypt. Some orthodox Jews today interpret that passage (and Deut. 6:8; 11:18) literally and bind passages of the Law (viz., Ex. 13:2-10; Deut. 6:4-9; 11:13-21) on their arms and foreheads in small pouches, so-called phylacteries, though this was probably not God's intention.
Once in the land of promise (Ex. 13:11), the firstborn sons and male animals were to be dedicated to the Lord (cf. v. 2; Num. 18:15). Animals were included because "they too benefited from the redemption which God provided in the 10th plague" (Davis, Moses and the Gods of Egypt, p. 154). Since donkeys were considered ceremonially unclean animals (Lev. 11:2-4) they could not be sacrificed, but they could be redeemed (pāḏâh, "to buy back for a price") by lambs sacrificed in their place. Of course since human sacrifice was unacceptable the Hebrews' sons were also to be "redeemed." This too would have teaching value in the home (cf. Ex. 12:26-27; 13:8). The Egyptian firstborn were slain, in judgment, and the Israelite "firstborn" were either slain (the animals) in substitutionary sacrifice or redeemed (the sons). Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 7-9) the consecration of the firstborn was a sign and symbol, a reminder of God's powerful deliverance (v. 16). Both were reminders of God's gracious deliverance from the land of bondage.
13:17-22. The shortest route to the land of Caanan was through the territory of the Philistines in the direction of Beersheba and the Negeb. It led along the Mediterranean Sea, the military road of the Egyptians. But the route chosen by God was southeastward toward the Sinai to avoid possible military confrontations with Egyptian guards who might encourage the people to return to Egypt. The exact location of the desert road is uncertain but it probably led to the Bitter Lakes (see the map "Possible Route of the Exodus," near Num. 33:1-5). Armed for battle probably means organized for march rather than equipped with armor, bows, and arrows for warfare.
Moses had heard of Joseph's request that his bones be taken from Egypt (cf. Gen. 50:25), so he honored that request. Later Joseph's bones were buried at Shechem (Josh. 24:32). Stephen indicated that the remains of other sons of Jacob were taken there also (Acts 7:15-16; see comments there).
After some time at Succoth the Israelites journeyed to Etham (see the map "Possible Route of the Exodus," near Num. 33:1-5). Supernaturally guided by a pillar of cloud in the daytime, which became a pillar of fire at night, the Israelites apparently traveled some distance every day. Besides guiding them, the cloud, symbolizing God's presence, assured them of His goodness and faithfulness. (There was one cloud, not two; cf. Ex. 14:24.) The people were brought to the edge of the desert (cf. Num. 33:6).
2. the crossing of the red (reed) sea (chap. 14)
a. The encampment by the Red (Reed) Sea (14:1-4)
14:1-4. After the Israelites had traveled for some days in a southeasterly path and camped awhile at Etham, the Lord told Moses to tell the people to turn back to Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the sea and opposite Baal Zephon (cf. Num. 33:7). These cities were east of Rameses. This change in direction would have led Pharaoh to think the Israelites were confused. As a result of God's hardening of his heart (cf. comments on Ex. 4:21) Pharaoh would attempt to enslave the people again and then God would demonstrate His awesome power through another great judgment.
The sea is called the Red Sea in 10:19; 13:18; 15:4, 22. "Red Sea" (yām sûp̱) is literally, "Sea of [Papyrus] Reeds." Several reasons indicate that this is farther north than the northern tip of the Gulf of Suez (the northwestern "finger" of the Red Sea between Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula): (1) The Gulf of Suez has no reeds. (2) The northern tip of the Gulf of Suez is much farther south than Pi Hahiroth and Migdol. (3) The area where the Israelites camped was marshy but this is not true of the land west of the Gulf of Suez. (4) From "the sea" the Israelites went east or southeast into the Desert of Shur (15:22), also called the Desert of Etham (Num. 33:8), in the northwestern part of the Sinai Peninsula. Possibly, then, the sea that the Lord dried up for the Israelites was Lake Balah (see the map "Possible Route of the Exodus," near Num. 33:1-5).
b. The pursuit by the Egyptians (14:5-9)
14:5-9. Realizing the implications of the release of the Hebrews (we . . . have lost their services; cf. 1:14) Pharaoh and his officers were determined to prevent the escape. Though the Israelite men numbered over 600,000, Pharaoh was apparently encouraged by their seeming indecisiveness and by his own superior military prowess. Pharaoh was probably informed immediately of the Israelites' departure from Rameses on the 15th day of the month. But no doubt he did not react immediately because the Egyptians were involved in burying and bemoaning their dead (cf. Num. 33:3-4) and because Moses had repeatedly referred to "a three-day journey" (Ex. 3:18; 5:3; 8:27). Later, realizing the Israelites' departure was not temporary, he got together 600 . . . chariots, charioteers, and troops and caught up with the Israelites near Pi Hahiroth.
c. The cry of the people and the faith of Moses (14:10-14)
14: 10-14. As Pharaoh's charioteers and armed troops approached, fear struck the encampment. They were trapped between the Red Sea (lit., "Sea of [Papyrus] Reeds"; see comments on v. 2) before them and a vicious foe behind them. The reaction of the Israelites here was much the same throughout the book (cf. 5:21) in times of duress and fright. Though they cried out to the Lord, they had no confidence He could help. Quickly forgetting the past, they bitterly accused Moses of deceiving them by leading them into the desert to die. . . . Didn't we say . . . in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? Moses, recognizing that fear was distorting their memories and arousing their passions against him, sought to reassure them that the Lord would deliver them by fighting for them (cf. 15:3; Neh. 4:20; Ps. 35:1) as they remained firm in confidence. Surprisingly, as they came to their greatest moment of deliverance, the people of God were full of distrust and fear.
d. The parting of the Red (Reed) Sea (14:15-22)
God communicated His intentions to Moses (vv. 15-18), the angel of God protected the Israelites (vv. 19-20), and they crossed on dry land (vv. 21-22).
14:15-18. God told Moses He would miraculously deliver the people through the sea. Moses only needed to raise his staff . . . over the sea and the water would divide and the floor of the sea would be dry ground. Pharaoh's charioteers would foolishly pursue the Israelites into the sea. There, as with the plagues, God would demonstrate His power and glory in the destruction of the Egyptian military. The Egyptians, God said, will know that I am the Lord.
14:19-22. Then the angel of God, perhaps a theophany (cf. comments on Gen. 16:9) or an angelic messenger, moved from the front of the Israelites to the rear to protect them from the charging Egyptians. The angel shifted from guide to guardian! All through that night the pillar of cloud, which also had moved to the rear to be between the two camps, brought such darkness that military advance was impossible for the Egyptians. That night God was performing another miracle: splitting the sea (cf. Ps. 74:13) by a strong east wind and drying the sea floor (cf. Pss. 66:6; 106:9). The sea was deep enough (cf. Ex. 15:5) that later it drowned the Egyptians (14:28). While the wind kept the sea floor dry and the sea split, the Israelites walked through the sea (cf. v. 16; Ps. 78:13). The passageway may have been wide in order to allow about 2 million people and their flocks and herds to walk through. This was a miraculous wind!
God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt pictures His mercy in delivering all His people from bondage. In a mighty display of His power He freed Israel.
e. The destruction of the Egyptians (14:23-31)
14:23-28. As the Egyptians pursued the Israelites into the dry sea bed, in the morning watch (sometime between 3 a.m. and dawn) the Lord slowed their progress and they were panic-stricken. According to Psalm 77:16-19 God caused a rainstorm, lightning, thunder, and an earthquake. Perhaps the rain quickly soaked the sea floor, which caused the wheels of their chariots to swerve. There was also the noise and buffeting of the wind that was banking the waters. The Egyptians sought to escape, realizing that the God of the Hebrews (the Lord) was fighting for Israel (cf. Ex. 14:14). At daybreak the sea water went together again and the Egyptians were swept . . . into the sea (lit., "thrown downward"). The crashing walls of water crushed the Egyptians in the sea so that not a single soldier survived.
14:29-31. God delivered His people through . . . dry land, while He destroyed the Egyptians in the sea; their dead bodies floating ashore were a grim reminder of the awesome power of God in judgment. As a result the Israelites . . . feared and trusted the Lord. The people often fluctuated between trust and complaining, between belief and unbelief (4:31; 5:21; 14:10-12, 31; 15:24; 16:2-4; 17:2-3).
3. the praise by moses and miriam for deliverance (15:1-21)
The groaning and crying of the Israelites (14:10-12) turned to worship as they were led by Moses (15:1-18) and his sister Miriam (vv. 19-21) in triumphal praise to the Lord.[1]
New Bible Commentary
13:17–22 First stage of the journey out of Egypt
Having announced his intention to bring the Israelites back to the land of Canaan, God proceeded to lead them in that direction. However, out of concern for their security, he piloted them by a longer, safer route, taking them around by the desert road towards the Red Sea. In fulfilment of the oath made by the sons of Israel to Joseph (Gn. 50:24–25), Moses took with him Joseph's embalmed remains. The narrator draws special attention to God's continual presence with the people, marked by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. As the ensuing narrative reveals, God remained in close proximity to the Israelites, indicating his special relationship with them.
Possible routes for the exodus.
Note. 18 Red Sea (Heb. yam sûp̄; lit. 'Sea of reeds') probably denotes the northern part of the Red Sea that is, the Gulf of Aqabah (the north-eastern branch) and the Gulf of Suez (the north-western branch) including the region now known as the Bitter Lakes (in antiquity this latter region may have been directly connected to the Red Sea). The exact location of the crossing is uncertain; most scholars, however, favour the region of the Bitter Lakes. For the possible route of the Israelite exodus, see map.
14:1–31 The destruction of the Egyptian army
The present passage has much in common with the cycle of episodes leading up to the Passover. We encounter again some familiar themes: the hardening of Pharaoh's heart (4, 17); the stretching out of the staff in Moses' hand (16; cf. vs 21, 26–27); and the distinction which God made between the Egyptians and the Israelites (19–20, 28–29). As we read of the departure of the Israelites and the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptian army we come towards the climax of the first half of the book of Exodus.
Although Pharaoh permitted the Israelites to leave Egypt after the death of the firstborn, there was to be one final demonstration of God's power. Consequently, God delayed the Israelites' departure for Canaan, and they remained in Egypt on the western side of the Red Sea (cf. 13:18; 15:4). When Pharaoh and his army encountered their former slaves, the Israelites, believing themselves trapped, were terrified (10–12). However, by stretching out his staff Moses provided a safe escape route for the people through the divided waters of the sea. When the Egyptians followed, Moses again stretched out his hand over the sea, this time with tragic consequences for Pharaoh and his soldiers: not one of them survived (28). Through repetition vs 4 and 18 draw attention to God's prime motive in destroying the Egyptian army: the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. Earlier Pharaoh had dismissively rejected Moses' request to let the people go by stating, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?' (5:2). Now he discovered why 'the Lord' should be obeyed. The narrative also highlights the changing attitude of the Israelites, from unbelief and fear in the face of the Egyptian threat (14:10–12) to faith and trust in the light of God's deliverance (14:31).[2]
Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary
13:17–15:21 Saved through the Red Sea
Exodus 13:17—15:21 records the first part of the three-month period from the exodus to Israel's arrival at Mount Sinai in the wilderness. This section is built around two acts of God: first, redemption from bondage—the Passover and the departure from Egypt; and second, God's provision in the wilderness—crossing through the Red Sea, manna, quails, water, defeating Amalek, and Jethro's confession of faith in God and his advice to Moses on running the camp.
In this section God honored himself by means of Israel's salvation through the Red Sea (14:21–22) and the destruction of the Egyptian army (14:23–28). These events caused the Israelites to fear the Lord and to trust him and his servant Moses (14:31). The psalm of praise and instruction that resulted from the Red Sea incident (15:1–21) has a threefold emphasis: (1) God is a warrior for his people (15:3); (2) God leads his people in loving-kindness (15:13); and (3) he brings them to his holy habitation and mountain of his inheritance (15:17). The journey from bondage to the promised inheritance would be long and dangerous, but God would be there to protect and care for them. That period of danger and risk would become an example in both the Old and New Testaments. Redemption, whether achieved by means of the Passover or the Cross, involves a long and hard journey before the believer attains God's full promises.
Israel's first camping place had been at Succoth, a location just to the east of Pithom (12:37). They traveled next to Etham on the edge of the wilderness (13:20), a place somewhere to the southeast, not far from the northern tip of the Red Sea. The next camp at Pi Hahiroth (14:2) has not been identified. Most of these place names mentioned in the record of Israel's journey to Sinai have not been identified with certainty. (See the introductory map for a general idea of the route that Israel followed.) God led Israel by a circuitous route so that they would not have to face war immediately, which might cause them to lose their courage and return to Egypt (13:17). Later God would let his people experience war (13:17), but only after one year of teaching them his laws at Mount Sinai and coming into their midst in power and by fellowship through the tabernacle. The Red Sea (13:18) may be more literally translated Sea of Reeds, referring to a large body of water in the vicinity of the Bitter Lakes near the modern Suez Canal.
The key issues in the account of 14:1–31 are: (1) the Israelites' fear (14:10–12); (2) Pharaoh's desire to return Israel to his service (14:5); and (3) God's inexorable sovereignty in making himself known both to Egypt and to Israel as he accomplished his great acts through his servant Moses (14:4, 17–18, 30–31). Naturalistic explanations of the crossing through the sea, such as calling it a shallow sea or saying it was at ebb tide, simply do not satisfy the text or explain the impact of this event on Israel's theology and literature.
These key elements in the psalm sung by Israel in 15:1–21 form the core of God's future redemptive revelation: (1) the Lord who is strong has become Israel's salvation (15:2); (2) the Lord is a warrior (15:3); (3) he is incomparable: "Who else among the gods is like you, O Lord?" (15:11); (4) he would plant Israel in his inheritance (15:17); and (5) the Lord is an eternal king (15:18).[3]
JFB
Ex 13:17–21. Journey from Egypt.
17. God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, &c.—The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, for between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (1Ch 7:21, 22); and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened, and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state, as the gracious Lord shows to His people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.
18. God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.—This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced. Some think it was given from its contiguity to the countries of Edom ("red"); others derive it from its coral rocks; while a third class ascribe the origin of the name to an extremely red appearance of the water in some parts, caused by a numberless multitude of very small mollusca. This sea, at its northern extremity, separates into two smaller inlets—the eastern called anciently the Elanitic gulf, now the gulf of Akaba; and the western the Heroopolite gulf, now the gulf of Suez, which, there can be no doubt, extended much more to the north anciently than it does now. It was toward the latter the Israelites marched.
went up harnessed—that is, girded, equipped for a long journey. (See Ps 105:37). The Margin renders it "five in a rank," meaning obviously five large divisions, under five presiding officers, according to the usages of all caravans; and a spectacle of such a mighty and motley multitude must have presented an imposing appearance, and its orderly progress could have been effected only by the superintending influence of God.
19. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him—in fulfilment of the oath he exacted from his brethren (Ge 50:25, 26). The remains of the other patriarchs (not noticed from their obscurity) were also carried out of Egypt (Ac 7:15, 16); and there would be no difficulty as to the means of conveyance—a few camels bearing these precious relics would give a true picture of Oriental customs, such as is still to be seen in the immense pilgrimages to Mecca.
20. encamped in Etham—This place is supposed by the most intelligent travellers to be the modern Ajrud, where is a watering-place, and which is the third stage of the pilgrim-caravans to Mecca. "It is remarkable that either of the different routes eastward from Heliopolis, or southward from Heroopolis, equally admit of Ajrud being Etham. It is twelve miles northwest from Suez, and is literally on the edge of the desert" [Pictorial Bible].
21, 22. the Lord went before them—by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (Ps 78:14; Ne 9:12; 1Co 10:1), called "the angel of God" (Ex 14:19; 23:20–23; Ps 99:6, 7; Ps 99:6, 7, Is 63:8, 9).
CHAPTER 14
Ex 14:1–31. God Instructs the Israelites as to Their Journey.
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp—The Israelites had now completed their three days' journey, and at Etham the decisive step would have to be taken whether they would celebrate their intended feast and return, or march onwards by the head of the Red Sea into the desert, with a view to a final departure. They were already on the borders of the desert, and a short march would have placed them beyond the reach of pursuit, as the chariots of Egypt could have made little progress over dry and yielding sand. But at Etham, instead of pursuing their journey eastward with the sea on their right, they were suddenly commanded to diverge to the south, keeping the gulf on their left; a route which not only detained them lingering on the confines of Egypt, but, in adopting it, they actually turned their backs on the land of which they had set out to obtain the possession. A movement so unexpected, and of which the ultimate design was carefully concealed, could not but excite the astonishment of all, even of Moses himself, although, from his implicit faith in the wisdom and power of his heavenly Guide, he obeyed. The object was to entice Pharaoh to pursue, in order that the moral effect, which the judgments on Egypt had produced in releasing God's people from bondage, might be still further extended over the nations by the awful events transacted at the Red Sea.
Pi-hahiroth—the mouth of the defile, or pass—a description well suited to that of Bedea, which extended from the Nile and opens on the shore of the Red Sea.
Migdol—a fortress or citadel.
Baal-zephon—some marked site on the opposite or eastern coast.
3. the wilderness hath shut them in—Pharaoh, who would eagerly watch their movements, was now satisfied that they were meditating flight, and he naturally thought from the error into which they appeared to have fallen by entering that defile, he could intercept them. He believed them now entirely in his power, the mountain chain being on one side, the sea on the other, so that, if he pursued them in the rear, escape seemed impossible.
5. the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, &c.—Alas, how soon the obduracy of this reprobate king reappears! He had been convinced, but not converted—overawed, but not sanctified by the appalling judgments of heaven. He bitterly repented of what he now thought a hasty concession. Pride and revenge, the honor of his kingdom, and the interests of his subjects, all prompted him to recall his permission to reclaim those runaway slaves and force them to their wonted labor. Strange that he should yet allow such considerations to obliterate or outweigh all his painful experience of the danger of oppressing that people. But those whom the Lord has doomed to destruction are first infatuated by sin.
6, 7. he made ready his chariot—His preparations for an immediate and hot pursuit are here described: A difference is made between "the chosen chariots" and "the chariots of Egypt." The first evidently composed the king's guard, amounting to six hundred, and they are called "chosen," literally, "third men"; three men being allotted to each chariot, the charioteer and two warriors. As to "the chariots of Egypt," the common cars contained only two persons, one for driving and the other for fighting; sometimes only one person was in the chariot, the driver lashed the reins round his body and fought; infantry being totally unsuitable for a rapid pursuit, and the Egyptians having had no cavalry, the word "riders" is in the grammatical connection applied to war chariots employed, and these were of light construction, open behind, and hung on small wheels.
10. when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes—The great consternation of the Israelites is somewhat astonishing, considering their vast superiority in numbers, but their deep dismay and absolute despair at the sight of this armed host receives a satisfactory explanation from the fact that the civilized state of Egyptian society required the absence of all arms, except when they were on service. If the Israelites were entirely unarmed at their departure, they could not think of making any resistance [Wilkinson and Hengstenberg].
13, 14. Moses said, … Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord—Never, perhaps, was the fortitude of a man so severely tried as that of the Hebrew leader in this crisis, exposed as he was to various and inevitable dangers, the most formidable of which was the vengeance of a seditious and desperate multitude; but his meek, unruffled, magnanimous composure presents one of the sublimest examples of moral courage to be found in history. And whence did his courage arise? He saw the miraculous cloud still accompanying them, and his confidence arose solely from the hope of a divine interposition, although, perhaps, he might have looked for the expected deliverance in every quarter, rather than in the direction of the sea.
15–18. the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? &c.—When in answer to his prayers, he received the divine command to go forward, he no longer doubted by what kind of miracle the salvation of his mighty charge was to be effected.
19. the angel of God—that is, the pillar of cloud [see on Ex 13:21]. The slow and silent movement of that majestic column through the air, and occupying a position behind them must have excited the astonishment of the Israelites (Is 58:8). It was an effectual barrier between them and their pursuers, not only protecting them, but concealing their movements. Thus, the same cloud produced light (a symbol of favor) to the people of God, and darkness (a symbol of wrath) to their enemies (compare 2Co 2:16).
21. Moses stretched out his hand, &c.—The waving of the rod was of great importance on this occasion to give public attestation in the presence of the assembled Israelites, both to the character of Moses and the divine mission with which he was charged.
the Lord caused … a strong east wind all that night—Suppose a mere ebb tide caused by the wind, raising the water to a great height on one side, still as there was not only "dry land," but, according to the tenor of the sacred narrative, a wall on the right hand and on the left (Ex 14:22), it would be impossible on the hypothesis of such a natural cause to rear the wall on the other. The idea of divine interposition, therefore, is imperative; and, assuming the passage to have been made at Mount Attakah, or at the mouth of Wady Tawarik, an east wind would cut the sea in that line. The Hebrew word kedem, however, rendered in our translation, "east," means, in its primary signification, previous; so that this verse might, perhaps, be rendered, "the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong previous wind all that night"; a rendering which would remove the difficulty of supposing the host of Israel marched over on the sand, in the teeth of a rushing column of wind, strong enough to heap up the waters as a wall on each side of a dry path, and give the intelligible narrative of divine interference.
22. the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, &c.—It is highly probable that Moses, along with Aaron, first planted his footsteps on the untrodden sand, encouraging the people to follow him without fear of the treacherous walls; and when we take into account the multitudes that followed him, the immense number who through infancy and old age were incapable of hastening their movements, together with all the appurtenances of the camp, the strong and steadfast character of the leaders' faith was strikingly manifested (Jos 2:10; 4:23; Ps 66:6; 74:13; 106:9; 136:13; Is 63:11–13; 1Co 10:1; Heb 11:29).
23. the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea—From the darkness caused by the intercepting cloud, it is probable that they were not aware on what ground they were driving: they heard the sound of the fugitives before them, and they pushed on with the fury of the avengers of blood, without dreaming that they were on the bared bed of the sea.
24, 25. Lord looked … through … the cloud, and troubled them—We suppose the fact to have been that the side of the pillar of cloud towards the Egyptians was suddenly, and for a few moments, illuminated with a blaze of light, which, coming as it were in a refulgent flash upon the dense darkness which had preceded, so frightened the horses of the pursuers that they rushed confusedly together and became unmanageable. "Let us flee," was the cry that resounded through the broken and trembling ranks, but it was too late; all attempts at flight were vain [Bush].
27. Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, &c.—What circumstances could more clearly demonstrate the miraculous character of this transaction than that at the waving of Moses' rod, the dividing waters left the channel dry, and on his making the same motion on the opposite side, they returned, commingling with instantaneous fury? Is such the character of any ebb tide?
28. there remained not so much as one of them—It is surprising that, with such a declaration, some intelligent writers can maintain there is no evidence of the destruction of Pharaoh himself (Ps 106:11).
30. Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore, &c.—The tide threw them up and left multitudes of corpses on the beach; a result that brought greater infamy on the Egyptians, but that tended, on the other hand, to enhance the triumph of the Israelites, and doubtless enriched them with arms, which they had not before. The locality of this famous passage has not yet been, and probably never will be, satisfactorily fixed. Some place it in the immediate neighborhood of Suez; where, they say, the part of the sea is most likely to be affected by "a strong east wind" (Ex 14:21); where the road from the defile of Migdol (now Muktala) leads directly to this point; and where the sea, not above two miles broad, could be crossed in a short time. The vast majority, however, who have examined the spot, reject this opinion, and fix the passage, as does local tradition, about ten or twelve miles further down the shore at Wady Tawarik. "The time of the miracle was the whole night, at the season of the year, too, when the night would be about its average length. The sea at that point extends from six and a half to eight miles in breadth. There was thus ample time for the passage of the Israelites from any part of the valley, especially considering their excitement and animation by the gracious and wonderful interposition of Providence in their behalf" [Wilson].[4]
