Bible Study Lessons from Exodus 14:1-31
The big one! Yet another miracle. The Scripture where God parts the Red Sea is probably one of the best known miracles of the Old Testament.
Learn from Exodus how Moses raises his staff and God rolls back the mighty waters of the Red Sea with one breath.
This is also a lesson of fear and faith.
The Red Sea Parting in Exodus
The Egyptian chariots of Pharaoh are bearing down. The people of Israel are trapped against the Red Sea. What can they do?
A hopeless situation, wouldn’t you say? Hopeless to us perhaps but not for God.
Pharaoh Chases the Israelites – God Parts the Red Sea
The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.
So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.
The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.
At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.
He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses. – Exodus 14:19-31 NASB
The Egyptians in Pursuit – God Defeats the Egyptian Army
One of the most well-known miracles of the Old Testament is the parting of the Red Sea.
I don’t know of anyone who has never seen the Ten Commandments movie with its cast of thousands. It was directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
Even though the movie is not an accurate translation of Biblical events, it is definitely entertaining.
I can still envision the water parting and the mighty walls of the sea being held back by the breath of God, can’t you?
How Do You Have Faith When You Don’t Know the Outcome?
The people of Israel didn’t see the glamor of this event. They weren’t advantaged by the hindsight we have through reading the Bible.
They were fenced in by the Egyptian soldiers in their chariots ( the big guns of the day).
The people of Israel were afraid for their lives. They had no faith that God could prevail although they had witnessed all the miracles God provided which led them out of Egypt.
It’s easy for us to tell the people to have hope when we’ve read the end of the story, isn’t it?
We Are Like the Israelites
Aren’t we prone to answer life’s challenges with the same response?
The Israelites saw the Egyptian army coming at them.
Instead of trusting God Israel cried out to Moses that they were about to die in the dessert. They would rather go back into slavery under the Egyptians.
God is in Control of the Red Sea – And Everything Else!
Now, I have never had a powerful army chasing me. I most likely would react in much the same way as Israel. But, no matter what happens, we must always remember that God is in control.
Things do not always happen the way we plan. We cannot see the overall scheme of things to come – God can!
What is the Final Plan of God?
Remember the Lord’s Prayer; “… His will be done ..”?
We are just pawns in the final goal and plan God has and so we have to trust Him, no matter what the circumstances.
The next time something happens in your life talk to God through prayer. Trust in His ability to work it out. You just might find the fear is not as menacing.
I realize this is easy to say but difficult to do. I’ll try also.
Love in Christ
– Bob
Learn how you can freely receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 for more information.