It is so amazing to me to see different people in the world reject the needs they have. People come into the Salvation Army for financial support because they have lost their jobs, but when we give them a couple of employers that are hiring, they seem to back away. When we get into some sort of tangle, we tend to try to get out of it ourselves before we ask for help. Why are humans so stubborn? Is it because we are comfortable? Not ready to step out of our comfort zone? You know, it’s been like this for a long time.
The Israelites were comfortable being slaves to the Egyptians. As you might know, God called upon Moses and his brother Aaron to try and set these Israelites free, God’s people. As they tried, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt kept telling them no. God sent many plagues to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but nothing happened to the Israelites. Yet the Israelites kept trying to stay in their comfort zone, Egypt. Finally God got His people out of there and the journey to freedom was starting to get a little uneasy. God’s path isn’t always the straight and narrow, but when we’re on His path He will guide and protect us as He did for the Israelites when Egypt was in pursuit. We learn from this exact account three encouraging things God does for us when the enemy is closing in on us.
1. When the enemy plans God comes before (Exodus 14:1–18).
God comes in to take control. God sees all things. He is omnipotent, all-powerful, and always present. He sees what the enemy is about to do before we even experience it. You see, God isn’t just our counselor. He isn’t just our Savior. God is also our protector. He is our deliverer. God protects us without us even knowing. Now when I say he protects us, I’m talking about His people. The people that have given God full control of their lives. They have given Him their all. Not just their hearts and souls, but their lives. God is there to protect His people. Are you one of His people today?
God saw what Pharaoh was planning. As a matter of fact verses 4 and 8 says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This means He encouraged or strengthened (Vines) Pharaoh to plan and attack. Pharaoh’s plan was to recapture the Israelites. He thought this was going to be an easy task because he had the upper hand. One, the Israelites was afraid of him and his army. Two, the Israelites were headed toward the sea, and even if they headed the other way they would run into mountain ranges, so they were blocked in. Three, the Israelites had no weapons. So, Pharaoh thought he had the advantage. And rightfully so, he did…except one thing, God was against him. You see, it doesn’t matter how prepared and how organized or how powerful you are. If God is not for you, you will not win! You will lose the battle. Is God for you today?
Now it seems Pharaoh still did not realize that God was against him. He either didn’t grip the reality of everything that was happening, or he just simply did not care. When all his planning was finished he had assembled his army with 600 hundred of his best chariots along with his other chariots and he started the pursuit. Of course it didn’t take him long to catch up with the Israelites since they were at a stand still having a camp out by the sea. Verse 10 and 11 says, “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ’Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” They were no longer having fun. They were scared out of their minds. Who cares about all the miracles they witnessed. Who cares about God protecting them before. All that is irrelevant at this time. Does this sound familiar? Is this how you and I act every time we get into a “bind”? Where is our faith in times of peril? Why do we have to be so childish?
So the Israelites were afraid, but Moses stays calm and tells them what? Verses 13 and 14 say, “Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Praise the Lord! Let me tell you brother’s and sister’s that when you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you! And the next time the enemy attacks, God will deliver you! You only need to be still! “You mean I don’t have to fight against the enemy?” No. You still need to fight by being faithful to God and asking for God’s help! Not just when incidents happen, but daily. If you are faithful and you ask for God’s help daily, God will then take control. It’s up to you to give Him that control. Are you giving God control today? Once you give Him control, God will fight on your behalf. This brings us to my second point.
2. When the enemy attacks God comes between (Exodus 14:19–28).
God is there! He becomes our shield of protection and our secret weapon. All this time, if you remember, the Israelites were following a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night that God had placed for their guidance. God told Moses to stretch out his hands over the sea in order to part it, so the Israelites could walk over to the other side. Just before he did this the cloud moved from the front to the back coming between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Now check this out. Verse 20 says that the cloud brought darkness to one side or army, the Egyptians, and brought light to the other side, the Israelites all through the day? No! Night! Now wait a minute, a cloud brought light at night? John 8:12 says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” God is the light of life! God, the light separates us, His people from the enemy, the darkness. The Israelites were following Him, which is why there was light for them to see the path God had laid before them. When you are on God’s path, you will be able to see clearly. Are you following God today, or are you walking in darkness? Have you accepted the light God wants to share with you? Now, remember this light.
God came between the enemy and His people, and as Moses stretched out his hands over the sea, the Israelites walked through on dry ground. Picture this. A great sea that has been there for who knows how long has just been split into two. A wall of water on one side and a wall of water on the other side and nothing holding the water up. Logic tells me that this is not possible. But to go beyond this impossibility, this illogical happening, the Israelites pass through on dry ground. How? Even if you take a wet vac to a soaked concrete floor, some water will remain. Or how about when it rains outside? It takes days for the ground to dry after it rains. How was this ground dry? This is not possible. Well let me tell you that God is God, and impossibilities are possible for Him! There is no logic when it comes to Gods power. Do you believe that God can make your impossibilities possible?
The Egyptians followed in pursuit once again. It’s strange to think that they would still try to capture the Israelites after seeing this miraculous impossibility, but did they even take notice of it? Were they so consumed with capturing the Egyptians that they didn’t even notice what just happened? Do we sometimes get so caught up in our goals that we miss the miracles God has done before our very eyes?
As the chariots of men follow verse 24 says, “During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.” Verse 25 continues “He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And, are you ready for this? “The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” This confirms what Moses said to the Israelites in verse 14, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” God will protect you when you are faithful to Him! Finally, after everything these Egyptians had gone through, the plagues, the darkness they realize that they are fighting against God! How often do we fight against God without realizing it? Or how often do we fight against God with realizing it? How much does it take for us to realize that God is in control? How many obstacles does God need to lye upon our paths before we realize we’re on the wrong path? Folks let me tell you something. If the path you’re on right now seems a little dark, then you better stop and pray and believe so the lights can be turned on! Don’t you dare stay on that dark path! Let God shed a little light on things for you today!
Verse 26 to 28, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen-the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.”
The power of God wins every time! He came between the enemy and His people and won the battle. This is why this book is called Exodus, because God delivered His people in such a miraculous way from the enemy. This is the Exodus of God’s people. Has there been an Exodus in your life? Has He delivered you?
Third point.
3. When the enemy falls down God comes behind (29–31).
Isaiah stated that, “the God of Israel will be your rear guard (52:12).” God brought victory for His people. He came and He protected. God will protect when we believe He will, but it’s up to us to keep up that persistent faith. 1 John 5:4 states, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” When you have faith in God, you better know that God is behind you ready to guard you from anything the enemy might throw your way. God is there watching your back, so to speak. He becomes your bodyguard. He becomes your protector. Are you allowing God to protect you? Do you have faith in God?
Verse 31 ends this chapter with a good example of what faith is. It says, “That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” We need to fear God and put our trust in Him. This is true faith. Do you have true faith?
Conclusion:
The people of Israel never forgot this victory. Psalm 66:6 says “He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot-come, let us rejoice in him.”; Psalm 106:9 says, “He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.”; and Psalm 136:13–14 says, “to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever. 14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.” “The past is redeemed, the present makes sense and the future is secure (Unknown)” when we have faith in God! God will come before when there seems to be something coming our way. God will come between when there is an attack. And God will come behind to protect and keep watch over us. The key word is ‘will’. He will do these things if we have the faith in Him; if we accept His light in our lives. It’s hard to see when you’re surrounded by darkness. You might end up drowning if you can’t see. Will you move away from your comfort zone and take His light today? The girl said, “It’s so warm.” His light is warm, come feel the warmth right now.
