“Submitting to God”
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon dry ground. —Exodus 14:22
Read Exodus 14:15-22
The Lord commanded that Israel go forward (v.15), but how could they? Entering the sea would mean drowning. And yet Moses gave them the command to begin walking forward. Then the Lord worked magnificently, as He still does today.
When you come to a dead-end street or things go wrong at home, life can seem meaningless to you. The enmity surrounding you is some-times so overwhelming that you see no way out. It is exactly then that you must hold fast to God’s Word, asking Him to fight for you in your helplessness. Listen to what the Lord tells you: “Go forward and enter the sea.” This means that you must obey Him, expecting His help while prayerfully considering His Word.
Something wonderful happened on Israel’s behalf: the pillar of cloud moved between them and the Egyptians, separating them. The Lord fought for them while they had only to watch with holy wonder. They were in a trap, with the sea before them, mountains on both sides, and the enemy pursuing from behind. But they had only to watch how the Lord took control of their circumstances: a path opened up before them through the Red Sea. As a mighty warrior, the Lord pushed the waters aside. This Mighty Warrior makes us think of another warrior, namely, the Lord Jesus. In Gethsemane and Golgotha He endured the sea of God’s wrath against sin. Israel entered the sea and the Lord opened a way, fulfilling His plan. Pharaoh entered in hot pursuit, never to exit it again. As a result, the Lord was exalted in the destruction of the ungodly while His people were led safely to the other side. There they raised a song of thankfulness and praise for their deliverance (Ex.15).
Why was Israel able to safely cross the Red Sea while Pharaoh and his army could not?