Between The Devil And The Deep Red Sea Series

6. The pillar of fire at night and the pillowy cloud during the day led them to the Red Sea and then put on the brakes.

a. So that’s where they went and stopped.

7. Why would God want to lead them there? Exodus 14 answers that question.

D. The Bible says: 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So the Israelites did this. (Ex. 14:1-4)

1. Before the Exodus, the Israelites had lived in the land of Goshen, in a locality called Raamses.

2. When the Exodus occurred, the Israelites left Raamses and traveled as far south as Etham. It was there they camped.

3. And that is apparently where the Lord spoke to Moses and gave him the message we just read, “Go up as far as Baal Zephon.”

4. In other words, “I want you to backtrack. Retrace the steps you just took, back up to the north a ways.”

5. The trouble was, Baal Zephon formed a perfect geographical cul-de-sac; a dead end street.

a. Just to the north stood some formidable Egyptian fortresses.

b. To the south lay the vast Egyptian desert.

c. To the west lay the strength of Egyptian population.

d. To the east lay the Red Sea.

6. Have you got the picture? I’m sure they felt a little like this picture on screen.

a. They couldn’t go north, because there were strong enemy fortresses. They couldn’t go to the south, it was the desert. They couldn’t go to the west, Egypt was there, and they couldn’t go to the east, that was the Red Sea.

b. They literally had nowhere to go – they were boxed in.

c. This was like turning down a dead-end street when you’re begin chased by thieves.

7. Humanly speaking, this was a very foolish decision, but keep in mind it was God who had brought them to this very spot.

8. The trap that was being laid was not for Moses and the Israelites, but was for the Egyptians.

E. Now the plot begins to thicken. The Bible says: 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. (Ex. 14:5-9)