(Background Reading: Exodus 13:17-22; 14 and 15)

Nehemiah 9:8b For thou art righteous:

9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;

10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.

11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

12 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

Psalm 106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

MEMORY VERSE: By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. —Hebrews 11:29

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The children of Israel left Egypt and camped by the Red Sea, entrapped by mountains, the sea and the pursuing Egyptians. At Moses’ cry, God sent an east wind and divided the sea, allowing the children of Israel to pass through on dry land; after which He destroyed the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.

LESSON BACKGROUND

The scriptures from Nehemiah are from the words of the Levites as they stood on the stairs before an assembly of fasting, repentant Jews, after having read the book of the law of the Lord for three hours and offered confession and worship another three hours. In this prayer, given with a loud voice, they repeated the story of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the Red Sea.

Psalm 106 is thought to be a prayer of the captives in Babylon as the Jews gathered to confess their sins and ask God to restore them to their own land. They also recounted the history of their deliverance from Egypt and the triumph at the Red Sea. The writer of Hebrews added this to his account of heroes of faith.

The story is told in full in Exodus, chapters 13, 14 and 15. As soon as Pharaoh let them go, God was right there to lead them. He furnished a constant, visible pillar of cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire at night to go before them. First, He led them around the land of the Philistines because He knew they would immediately return to Egypt if they were met with a military obstacle. Carrying Joseph’s bones, as he had commanded years before, they camped that night at the edge of the wilderness by the sea. God communicated continually with Moses, preparing him for what was ahead.

The murmuring that went up from the Israelites when they saw the approaching Egyptians was the first of many times in their journey to Canaan. “Didn’t we tell you back in Egypt? You should have left us to serve the Egyptians rather than die out here in the wilderness!” Moses was bolstered by his preparation from the Lord. He knew God was in control! His words to Israel have cheered many a weary pilgrim through the years. “Stand still and see the salvation of the LORD! The LORD will fight for you!”

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea. He moved the pillar of cloud to a position between the camp of Israel and the Egyptians. All night long, the Israelite side of the pillar was a glowing fire, the Egyptian side was thick darkness, and a strong east wind blew, making a dry path through the middle with walls of water on either side. In the early morning, God’s people—men, women, children, belongings, flocks and herds—marched between the walls of water to the other side. Immediately, the Egyptians followed. The unique way Exodus 14:24 describes this is “the Lord looked through the pillar…and troubled the host of the Egyptians.” His presence was on Israel’s side! Beware to all those on the opposing side!

The Lord so disturbed the Egyptians that the wheels fell off their chariots, and they began to flee on foot. At that moment God caused the waters to fall back upon the fleeing army. As their dead bodies began to wash up on the shore, the Israelites were filled with awe.

Chapter fifteen is the inspired song of Moses and the people; Miriam also took a timbrel and led the other women in a triumphant dance. “Sing ye to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exodus 15:21).

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. Tell of other scriptures which mention the victory at the Red Sea.
2. Describe the special way God led His people by day and night.
3. What detail is included in Exodus 13 that was the fulfillment of a request by Joseph?
4. God predicted what Pharaoh would think and say. What words in Exodus 14 describe the difficult place about which Pharaoh gloated?
5. What promise did God make to the Israelites about the Egyptians, and did He fulfill it?
6. In Exodus 15:3 Moses calls God a _______ of ________.

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

It really touches my heart to see how tenderly God led His people. He made sure they avoided a war situation. He knew and pitied their fragile faith! He gave them a physical sign of His presence. He proved that He is the God of the day and the God of the night. He stood between the faltering Israelites and their enemy who said, “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). On His children’s side, He was light to them. “When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me” (Micah 7:8). On the enemy’s side, He was darkness and trouble (Exodus 14:24). The word “troubled” in this passage is described in Psalm 77:16-20. “The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

Friend, this is the God who cares for you! This is what He does when we cry to Him when we are being pursued by the enemy. Stand still, even if you feel “entangled in the land” and the wilderness has shut you in; see the salvation of the LORD, who will fight for you.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

REFLECTIONS

How frightening it must have been for the children of Israel to face the Red Sea with no hope of crossing. They heard the hoof beats of the Egyptian horses and the grinding of the chariot wheels coming rapidly behind them. The Israelites were no match for the battle that would surely ensue. But, the Lord commanded Moses to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” The Red Sea was parted by a strong wind which dried up the sea bed so that the people of God could pass safely through. No doubt there was still great fear as they witnessed their enemies take advantage of crossing the Red Sea on dry land! However, those circumstances quickly changed for the Egyptians. Their chariot wheels came off and the horses would not budge. The deliverance God gave the Israelites in crossing the Red Sea also proved to be the complete destruction of their enemies. There was no need for a bridge to be built or a sword to be raised. What a mighty God we serve!

“Enemies may strive to injure, Satan all his arts employ; He will turn what seems to harm me, Into everlasting joy.”

—Sis. LaDawna Adams