The People Delivered

Exodus 12:30, 31

GOD had fulfilled his promise to be with Moses and to direct and bless his effort to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. Pharaoh was not inclined to pay too much attention to Moses, and would not have done so except that the Lord worked with his servant and by the use of miraculous power imposed plagues upon Egypt, the last of which was the death of Egypt’s firstborn. This plague was very effective, for Pharaoh’s own firstborn was destroyed by it, and it proved to be the clinching argument to convince Pharaoh that it would be better for him and for Egypt to grant the demands of Moses and permit the Israelites to leave.

Having come to this definite conclusion, he wasted no time in taking action, for he rose up in the night and summoned Moses before him and gave directions for the Israelites to leave. The Lord, who knows the end from the beginning, knew that this would be the result of the death of Egypt’s firstborn, so had given the necessary instructions in order that the Israelites would be prepared to leave at once on the very first morning after the sacrifice of the passover lamb and the sprinkling of the blood upon the lintels and doorposts of their houses.

In this deliverance, we have an apt illustration of the rescue of all mankind from the thraldom of sin and death. In Hosea 13:14 God promises deliverance from death and from sheol, the condition of death. In this prophecy he promises to destroy sheol, and he tells us that he will “plague” death. It was in order to effect the deliverance of the Israelites that he plagued Egypt, so the Lord is telling us’ that he will bring about deliverance from the far worse prison house of death, saying, “O death I will be thy plagues.” This, of course, is symbolic language; but by reminding us of the plagues he had visited upon Egypt in order to deliver the Israelites, the Lord assures us that he will also deliver the dead and dying race from death.

Exodus 14:15-22, 31

UNDER the pressure of the tenth plague, the death of Egypt’s firstborn, Pharaoh willingly granted the release of the Israelites, but soon changed his mind; and after they had left and he learned that the Red Sea would block their passage, he sent his army in hot pursuit after them. The Israelites did not need to go by way of the Red Sea, but this was the route in which they were led by the Lord, who manifested his leadership by means of a cloud which went before them day and night.

Following this cloud, they were led to the edge of the Red Sea, where apparently further progress was blocked. Then they learned that Pharaoh’s army was pursuing them, so they lost their faith and courage and began to complain to Moses. They insisted that it would have been better to have remained in Egypt and to endure the hardships which had been imposed upon them than to attempt escape only to be destroyed. From their complaint it is apparent that this same argument had been presented by them to Moses even before they left Egypt. Evidently they had never been too enthusiastic about the venture.

It was a severe test upon Israel, but by Moses’ leadership under the direction of the Lord, they were delivered from the precarious situation. They were instructed to stand still and to see the salvation of God. Seemingly it was near the close of the day when the Egyptian hosts overtook them, so it was advisable that they make no further attempt to go forward until the morning of the next day.

Meanwhile, the cloud which had been leading them, spoken of as the “angel of the Lord,” changed its position to the rear of the camp. To the Egyptian army, encamped close by, this cloud was a pillar of darkness, keeping the Egyptians immobilized by their inability to see; while to the Israelites it was as a pillar of light illuminating their camp, enabling them to detect immediately any efforts of the enemy to move in on them. The result of this was that the one came not near the other all the night.

This in itself was a wonderful demonstration of God’s ability to protect and deliver the Israelites. Following the instructions of the Lord, Moses stretched out his rod over the sea and during that night there was a strong east wind which apparently blew with sufficient intensity to push the shallow water away from a sand bar, permitting the Israelites to pass over in safety. By the time the Egyptians attempted to follow, the direction of the wind had changed, the waters rushed back to their normal level, and they were all drowned.

The account states that the waters were as a “wall” to protect the Israelites. Some have taken from this that the waters stood perpendicular on either side of the passageway through which the Israelites crossed. But this is not the correct thought. Rather, the word “wall” is used merely as a symbol of protection, and thus did the waters serve, for they prevented any flanking movement which might have cut off the escape of the Israelites. See I Samuel 25:16, where the term “wall” is also used symbolically to represent protection.

Spiritual Israelites may well take an encouraging lesson from this experience of the typical people of God. From the human standpoint it did look like a hopeless situation. There seemed to be no way of escape from their enemies, but they found that God was able to make a way, and did so, thus delivering them. No wonder they, sang so jubilantly the song of deliverance when they reached the other side of the Red Sea in safety!

In our experiences we often are confronted with situations which likewise seem to offer no way of escape. But we should remember that the; Lord is still able to make a passage across our “Red Seas,” and will do so. The promise is that he will not permit us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear, and that when the test becomes too great he will provide a way of escape.—I Col. 10:13

Let us have confidence, then, that God is both willing and able to guide, protect, and deliver us. May we, then, go on our way, following the “angel of the Lord,” no matter how difficult the way may be in which we are thus led. It is not in our own strength that we walk in the narrow way, but in his strength, and he is able to make all grace abound toward us.

QUESTIONS

What is one of the ways in which God fulfilled his promise to be With Moses and help him in the deliverance of Israel?

Of what was the deliverance of the Israelites a type?

Is it necessary to conclude that the waters of the Red Sea stood in a perpendicular position to form the passage through which the Israelites passed?

How do we know that the Lord will deliver us in time of trial?

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