2026.03.15 Sermon Notes. STAND STILL AND SEE – Exodus 14.1-31
William Akehurst, HSWC
SCRIPTURES: Exodus 14:1-31, John 8:12, Romans 8:31-39
KEY WORDS: Fear, Salvation, Deliverance, Presence, Power, Separation, Miracle, Faith
BIG IDEA
The GOD who leads us will sometimes lead us into impossible situations so that HIS power, not ours, receives the glory.
INTRODUCTION
Israel has left Egypt.
But Egypt has not yet released Israel.
Chapter 14 records one of the greatest miracles in Scripture.
This is not merely a story of escape.
It is a story of total deliverance.
I. GOD LEADS THEM INTO A DEAD END (14:1–4)
Exodus 14:1-4 The Red Sea Crossing
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
GOD instructs them to camp by the sea.
From a human standpoint:
• Mountains on both sides
• Sea in front
• Pharaoh behind
GOD says, “I will be honored upon Pharaoh.”
Sometimes GOD leads us into tight places to display His power.
Not every closed-in place is a mistake.
Some are appointments.
II. REDEEMED PEOPLE CAN STILL PANIC (14:5–12)
Exodus 14:5-12
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. 9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
Pharaoh pursues.
Israel fears.
They cry:
“Were there no graves in Egypt?”
Fear makes free people speak like slaves.
Redemption does not instantly mature faith.
Faith must grow under pressure.
III. MOSES’ DECLARATION OF FAITH (14:13–14)
Exodus 14:13-14
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD.”
Salvation here means deliverance.
Israel could not engineer this miracle.
They could not fight this battle.
GOD says:
Stand still.
There are moments when obedience means action.
There are moments when obedience means stillness.
This was a stillness moment.
IV. WHEN GOD SAYS MOVE (14:15–18)
Exodus 14:15-18
15 And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
After Moses declares:
“Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…”
The LORD responds:
“Why criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.”
This is striking.
Moses says “Stand still.”
GOD says “Go forward.”
There is no contradiction.
Here is the balance:
• Standing still is an inward posture of trust.
• Moving forward is an outward act of obedience.
Faith is not passivity.
Faith trusts GOD - and then walks where HE commands.
1. “Why criest thou unto me?”
GOD is not rebuking prayer.
HE is correcting hesitation.
There is a time to pray.
There is a time to move.
They had already cried out in fear.
Now it was time to step forward into the impossible.
How do you move forward when there is a sea in front of you?
You move because GOD said so.
2. “Lift thou up thy rod…”
The rod again appears.
This rod:
• Confronted Pharaoh.
• Turned water to blood.
• Brought plagues.
Now it becomes the instrument that opens the sea.
The rod represents delegated authority.
GOD does the miracle - but HE requires obedient participation.
This is consistent throughout Scripture:
• Noah built the ark.
• Moses lifted the rod.
• The priests stepped into the Jordan.
• The disciples distributed the loaves.
GOD’s power meets obedient action.
3. “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians…”
Notice something profound:
GOD allows the enemy to pursue one last time.
Why?
“And I will get me honour upon Pharaoh…”
The purpose is glory.
Deliverance is not merely for comfort.
It is for GOD’s reputation.
Egypt would know who the LORD is.
Israel would know who the LORD is.
History would know who the LORD is.
4. Divine Sovereignty on Display
Verses 17-18 repeat:
“And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD…”
The Red Sea is not primarily about Israel’s escape.
It is about GOD’s revelation.
GOD orchestrates circumstances so that HIS supremacy becomes undeniable.
Sometimes GOD allows pressure to intensify so HIS glory becomes unmistakable.
THEOLOGICAL POINTS of 14:15-18
1. Faith moves forward.
2. Obedience precedes miracles.
3. GOD uses human instruments.
4. Deliverance ultimately glorifies GOD.
5. The enemy’s pursuit becomes the stage for GOD’s triumph.
SELF-REFLECT
• Am I waiting when GOD has said move?
• Have I confused fear with spiritual caution?
• What “sea” is in front of me that requires obedient stepping?
• Do I believe GOD can turn my tight place into HIS testimony?
INSIGHT
This is a powerful preaching moment:
Stand still in your heart.
Move forward with your feet.
Trust inwardly.
Obey outwardly.
GOD opens seas for people who step when HE speaks.
V. GOD MOVES BETWEEN THEM AND THE ENEMY (14:19–20)
Exodus 14:19-20
19 And the Angel of GOD, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
The angel of GOD moves.
The pillar shifts from front to rear.
To Egypt:
Darkness.
To Israel:
Light.
The same presence.
Different experience.
GOD protects HIS people by placing HIMSELF between them and their enemy.
VI. THE SEA OPENS (14:21–22)
Exodus 14:21-22
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Moses stretches out his rod.
The LORD sends the wind.
The waters divide.
They walk on dry ground.
This is supernatural intervention.
The same GOD who divided the blood on the doorposts now divides the sea.
Salvation by blood.
Now deliverance by power.
VII. THE ENEMY IS DESTROYED (14:23–28)
Exodus 14:23-28
23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. 25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.
Egypt pursues.
Wheels fall off.
Waters return.
The enemy is drowned.
GOD does not partially defeat bondage.
HE ends it.
Complete deliverance.
VIII. FAITH IS STRENGTHENED (14:29-31)
Exodus 14:29-31
29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.
Israel sees the dead Egyptians.
They fear the LORD.
They believe the LORD.
They believe Moses.
Miracles are meant to deepen trust.
Flow of Exodus 14
1. GOD positions them (1-4)
2. Fear erupts (5-12)
3. Stand still = trust (13-14)
4. Go forward = obey (15-18)
5. GOD separates (19-20)
6. GOD divides (21-22)
7. GOD destroys (23-28)
8. GOD is feared and believed (29-31)
REFLECT & APPLY
1. Am I interpreting tight/difficult places as abandonment or divine positioning?
2. When fear rises, do I complain or trust?
3. Do I know when to stand still?
4. Do I believe GOD can permanently defeat what once enslaved me?
PRAYER
FATHER, when we stand at impossible seas, teach us to stand still.
When fear rises, anchor us in YOUR promises.
Place YOURSELF between us and every pursuing enemy.
Show us again that YOU alone are our deliverer.
In JESUS’ name, Amen.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Bill
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Romans 8 :31-39
God’s Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HYMNS
BC How Great Thou Art
1 A Mighty Fortress Is Our GOD
293 My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less
Victory in JESUS
