Why is it that most people seem to think that the Old Testament narratives, such as that of Joseph and his brethren, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan, and others, are merely stories for children? The reason is that these things are looked upon as mythical, or at best, even if historically true, as events too far in the past to be of any practical importance at the present time. They forget that God does not tell stories to amuse His children, and that "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
Among the faithful and true records of the past there is none more full of practical instruction and encouragement than that of the crossing of the Red Sea. The reason why it is of such importance for us to know this history, and to have all the details well fixed in our mind, is that God has set His hand the second time to gather the remnant of His people, (Isaiah 11:11) and He has told us that when He does this: "There shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." (Isaiah 11:16)
If we truly believe God, our journey to the promised land will be just as full of marvelous deliverances as was that of God's people in the days of Moses; yes, and far more so: for God says that: "The days will come ... that they shall no more say, The Lord lives, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord lives, which brought up and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries where I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land." (Jeremiah 23:7-8)
The deliverances which God will work for His people in these days will be so much greater than that of the children of Israel from Egypt, that the former event will be lost sight of.
We do not need to repeat the narrative; but every one, no matter how familiar with it, should read it again and again; for it is the best possible tonic for whoever reads it in faith. Let us set ourselves at once to study some of the lessons that it has for our comfort.
With Us in Difficult Times
In the first place we may learn that when we get into a tight place, surrounded by the enemy, it is no sign that God has forsaken us. The children of Israel thought that it was. They even declared that God had not had anything to do with them leaving Egypt, but that it was all a scheme of Moses to bring about their destruction.
How quick people are to judge by appearances. When there is a prosperous outlook, and everything goes on swimmingly, they rub their hands with satisfaction, sing hymns, and exclaim: "How good the Lord is to us!"
But let a reverse come, let their way be suddenly blocked, and they at once conclude that they were mistaken, and that God was not leading them. Such human reasoning is very childish. If we always had God's word in mind, we should not be guilty of it.
It was the Lord himself who led Israel into the narrow place between the sea and the mountain where it was so easy for the Egyptians to shut them in. It seemed a veritable trap, and so it was; but it was a trap for the enemies of God and His people. God knew that Pharaoh would say: "They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in," and would pursue them into the trap. As the whole army of Egypt, with all the chariots and horsemen that the country contained, came exultingly after the Israelites who were huddled together like a flock of sheep, their language was: "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them." (Exodus 15:9)
Ah, "A brutish man knows not;
Neither does a fool understand this:
When the wicked spring as the grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity do flourish,
It is that they shall be destroyed for ever;
But You, O Lord, are on high for evermore.
For, lo, your enemies, O Lord,
For, lo, your enemies, shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered."
(Psalm 92:6-9)
Then let us lay to heart this lesson: that whenever it seems as though we were about to be overwhelmed, it is certain that we are about to have a most wonderful deliverance and a glorious victory. Then instead of murmuring in time of trial, that will be when we shall shout for joy.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord." (Psalm 27:1-6)
God led the Israelites into a trap, and their enemies rushed in after them; then God delivered His people from the trap, and left the enemies there. Thus the pursuers were really self-destroyed.
Light Out of Darkness
Another lesson is set for us in the fiery, cloudy pillar. Our text reads: "And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these." (Exodus 14:19-20)
But if you look in your Bibles you will see that the words "to them" and "to these" are in italics; they have been inserted by the translators. Without any additions, the Hebrew text reads: "And the cloud was darkness, but it gave light the whole night."
How much more striking this is! It reveals the presence of the same power that in the beginning "commanded the light to shine out of darkness." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
"If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from You; but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." (Psalm 139:11-12)
Who can fight against a Being who hides himself in the light, and to whom the darkness in which His enemies would hide, shines like noonday? and what is impossible to such a God? "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all," (1 John 1:5) neither is there any darkness to Him. Now it is possible for us to see light in His light; (Psalm 36:9) For with You is the fountain of life: in your light shall we see light. And when we do this we shall find that: "[all] the darkness is past, and the true light now shines." (1 John 2:8)
The Breath of the Lord
By what means was it that God delivered Israel from the Egyptians? It was by the very same means by which He made the heavens in the beginning.
"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." (Psalm 33:6)
It was by His breath. Read the following verses of Scripture, and let them tell the story: "And the Lord caused the sea to go by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on the right hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. ... And the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea." (Exodus 14:21-23,27) "You blew with your wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters. ... In the greatness of your excellency You have overthrown them that rose up against You: You sent forth your wrath, which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of your nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea." (Exodus 15:10,7-8)
The wind, whether it be the gentle zephyr or the mighty blast of the hurricane, is the breath of the Almighty, life-giving or death-dealing, according as it is directed. With a breath God created the heavens, and gave life to man; with a breath He delivered Israel from their enemies; "with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked." (Isaiah 11:4)
And with that same breath God is able and anxious today to free us from all the enemies that beset our souls for as He breathes upon us moment by moment, He says: "Receive the Holy Ghost." (John 20:22)--Present Truth, December 12, 1901--Exodus 14:13 to 15:10.
E.J. Waggoner