Crossing the Red Sea

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 23 July 2023

Sermon Text: Exodus 14:1-31
Sermon Series: “Exodus Chs. 1-19” (#19)

Main Points:
Introduction
I. God’s salvation plan disclosed (vs. 1-9)
II. God’s salvation plan explained (vs. 10-18)
III. God’s salvation achieved (vs. 19-29)
IV. God’s salvation affirmed (vs. 30-31)
Conclusion

This story of crossing the Red Sea is one of the best-known Bible stories. Like many other best-known Bible stories, its storyline is full of suspense and surprises. An ember for conflict starts glowing, and the situation soon grows into a disorder then a disaster, and everything seems to be in a deep trouble. Then, an unexpected and dramatic unfolding of God takes place and peace is restored for God’s people at last. For example, in David’s story, the whole army of Israel was afraid of a heavily armoured Palestine giant warrior, then a stone thrown from a boy’s sling hit the giant’s forehead and that brought a great victory to Israel. Another example goes like this – a man was thrown overboard from a ship and into the great stormy sea to save everyone else. But a big fish engulfed him and delivered his life, then, the whole population of a great city was delivered from sin and an impending punishment. In this story we’ve just read, the Red Sea is opened wide and Israel escaped from the swords of the Egyptian army.

This is a great story. This is great because it visualises one important truth of the whole universe. What is this truth? The truth of ‘God saves.’ More specifically, ‘God saves His people.’ Elaborating it further, ‘God saves His people according to His good and perfect plan.’ So, everyone on earth should hear and know this great story.

What about Christians like us who have known this story for years? Should we hear it again? Would it be necessary as most, if not all, of us know this story well? The answer is, ‘Yes, of course!’ We must hear it again and again because we believers often forget this important Christian truth of God’s salvation. We ought to be reminded of Him who saves His own people. Moreover, He saves His people according to His good and perfect plan. Every time we hear this story, we’re challenged to not only remember God’s salvation but also live in this truth of God’s salvation. So, let us hear this truth of God again and gladly face its gracious challenge.

I. GOD’S SALVATION DISCLOSED (VS. 1-9)
The beginning of Israel’s story of crossing the Red Sea is truly important. It displays to us God’s plan for Israel. It means that God has a good and perfect plan for His people, that is, firstly, the OT Israel and, secondly, His Church in the time of the NT. In a word, this whole story of crossing the Red Sea is about God’s good and perfect plan for His people, how the Lord accomplishes it and brings His peace to His beloved.

Vs. 1-2 say that God spoke to Moses to tell Israel to move to a specific place called Pi-hahiroth which was between Migdol and the sea. We don’t know the exact locations of these places but it was not on the shortest and desirable way toward Canaan. Rather, this was an odd place on a strange detour. Moreover, according to v. 3, camping at this place would’ve been a disaster because, at this place, Israel was shut in between the sea and the desert.

But in v. 4, God says that He has a plan, that is, He will get glory over Pharaoh and his army, and all Egyptians shall know God. Simply put, God’s plan was to place His people Israel at, strategically speaking, a defenceless spot, and by drawing Israel’s enemy into it, He would triumph and get glory over the enemy. By His triumph, Israel would enjoy its benefit. A good and perfect plan of God for Israel, His people.

Having said, let me remind you that you’ve heard about the same plan elsewhere. I mean, in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. God led Jesus to Gethsemane, then, to Golgotha which meant Place of a Skull. He was shut in between two sinners; moreover, His body was shut in between the outstretched arms of a cross. Right there at Golgotha, God faced the enemy, and death was defeated! Jesus triumphed in order that all God’s elect could have full benefits of His victory!

On His way to that hill, everyone was against it. Jesus’ disciples hated to hear of it. But that was the way God together with Jesus His Son proceeded. That was the plan which was good and perfect for all God’s elect. When Jesus was hung on that hill, most of His disciples had departed in despair, and all of Israel mocked the Saviour, sneering at His coming glorious kingdom. But His death was the good and perfect plan of the Triune God for all God’s elect!

Israel’s story of crossing the Red Sea pictures this ultimate victory of Jesus over the enemy and death, thus, portrays to us God’s perfect plan for His Church, that is, you and me. Like the way God told Moses where to go and what to expect in faith, we were told to come to Jesus and expect His saving grace. Coming to Jesus, His flawless plan, perfect in every way, is disclosed to us and we rejoice in its goodness, don’t we?

II. GOD’S SALVATION EXPLAINED (VS. 10-18)
This plan of God is, then, explained to Israel in a simple but amazing way.

Before we consider this, you need to pause and look around and check the people of Israel out as described in vs. 10-11. Simply put, they are in a panic mode. Having seen the approaching chariots of the Egyptian army, all of them are frightened and terrified. They turn to Moses and cry out, saying, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” I think, they don’t know what they say in these words. In panic, their minds have gone blank. I believe you could easily picture in your mind these Israelites shivering violently in fear and in despair.

I believe this would surely be the immediate reaction of every human being toward death. At the face of death, every man and woman would surely panic. Realising death as the result of one’s sin, the sinner would dread. And the death is dashing violently to each one!

In panic, people try to do everything they can to avoid the approaching death. People quickly look around in search of an escape plan. They bow to trees or stones or mountains or deep waters. They too worship the sun or the moon or the stars. They carve stone and wood and seek their salvation from what their hands have made. They also do various works that seem to be good to their own eyes. They regard their works as merits for a pardon or amnesty for their impending death and punishment. They spend their time and materials to accumulate more merits, and they’re serious about it as they panic at death!

To the panicked Israel, God explains His salvation plan as in v. 13 and following. Listen to the words Moses delivers to the ears of Israel: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.” To a restless and troubled people, this message is given, ‘Stop fearing, stop searching a way for your own, and see the salvation of the great and only Saviour God!’

God has a plan for each of us, and His plan is good and perfect. He has led you this far according to His spotless plan. All He wants is that you may see how He saves you and delivers you from death and brings you into His marvellously glorious home, which is yours in Christ.

Because of this, God’s people can do nothing other than simply standing still and beholding what God in His mighty power does to save us. Moses explains this by saying in v. 14, “you have only to be silent.” ‘You keep silent.’ This is, in fact, the best explanation of the Reformed faith. I mean, our salvation is not what we do, but what God through Jesus has done for us. What you and I do as worshippers and followers of Jesus is the result of what has been done already by Jesus for us. ‘You keep silent’ means that. Not your works, but Jesus’ cross and His empty tomb is your salvation.

To explain this, God led Israel to the shore of the Red Sea. There’s nothing Israel could do, being shut in between the unbreakable Egyptian army and the impassable sea. Then, God spoke, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.’ And it’ll bring a great joy to your eyes and hearts and souls, and to your lips a never-ending praise to the glorious grace of the Saviour!

III. GOD’S SALVATION ACHIEVED (VS. 19-29)
Then, God’s plan is achieved! Israel’s crossing the Red Sea by walking its dry bed is God’s plan accomplished. Your conversion was God’s plan achieved. And His plan will continually enable many of His elects to cross over from death to life. It will surely be done.

This God achieves in His sheer power. His almighty power in action is why we must stand firm and see His salvation. His vigour and zeal for His people are too great and awesome, and there’s no room at all for any man’s meagre and scanty contribution.

Look at what God did for Israel by the Red Sea. First of all, He moved the pillar of cloud from before Israel to behind them. This pillar was exceedingly great in size and power. This pillar blocked the Egyptian army from reaching the people of Israel. Moreover, this pillar kept the side of Egyptians in darkness while providing light to Israelites all night. God’s finger stopped the enemies of His beloved while showing Israel His favour that night.

Meanwhile, God drives the sea back by a strong east wind all night and makes the sea dry land, and the water are divided. The water stands on both side of the path like walls. God’s people walk the dry seabed across the sea! How great God’s power is in achieving His plan! So, Israel crosses the Red Sea that night.

Many people have denied this historical fact and, in objection, tried to rationalise Israel’s crossing the Red Sea. A typical example is that Israel crossed not the Red Sea but a ‘sea of reed’ or ‘the Reed Sea.’ They claim this based on the Hebrew word used for the Red Sea which could also be interpreted as ‘reed sea.’ The advocates of this view say that the depth of the water would’ve been ankle deep. Although we reject their idea, I’d say that their effort does not eliminate a biblical truth but exaggerate or inflate it. What I mean is that they try to tell us that God made that ankle deep water to rise on both sides of Israel’s path like walls, don’t they? Moreover, they mean the whole Egyptian army with their horses and chariots were drowned in a water that was ankle deep, don’t they? Wouldn’t that be a greater miracle? By denying God’s work, they contradict themselves.

Another group of people argue that the water was not really divided but receded with a combination of low tide and wind. But, guess what. God says in v. 21 a ‘strong east wind blew all night.’ A strong easterly wind would, in fact, work against the declining water than helping its retreat because the Red Sea gets deeper in the east and in low tide the water would move eastward. Again, this view does not explain the walls of water stood on both sides of the dry seabed.

The point is that God’s mighty power that achieves His zeal for His people is beyond our imagination. Like the size of the universe is unfathomable, His power is measureless and limitless, and the unbelieving human mind cannot and will not comprehend it nor contain it. Only through faith in Jesus is this understood.

Moreover, God saves His beloved from their former master, severing the tie completely like what He did in v. 28. All the host of Pharaoh were lost in the great water and not one of them remained. Israel’s former master is removed once and for all from the eyes of Israel. Moses spoke about this earlier in v. 13, saying, “the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.”

This again describes the power of God and His zeal for saving His elect. When God rescues His beloved, He surely brings him/her to His Son’s eternal kingdom. The Apostle Paul in Phil. 1:6 proves it by saying, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” In another place – that’s 1 Thess. 5:23-24 – Paul says the same in these words, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” These are just a couple of examples in the Bible that univocally talk about God’s zeal and powerful hand in saving and keeping His own, like you and me.

IV. GOD’S SALVATION AFFIRMED (VS. 30-31)
The end of this great story of God’s salvation is not lengthy. It has to be brief because the result of God’s salvation is simple and clear – God’s people are saved and their enemy is destroyed. Read v. 30 once again, “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.”

What you read in this verse is what has happened to you and to me. When God in His grace led us to repentance of our sins and granted us faith in Jesus, we were saved that day and we saw our enemy dead to us. Although you might not recall seeing Satan dead to you, that was what exactly happened that day. Israel’s vision was what your born again spirit saw that day of your salvation.

As Israel saw that day the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, thus, feared Him the LORD and believed in Him, you and I on the day of our conversion saw God’s saving power against our enemy. Ever since, we fear our Father God and believe in Jesus our Saviour and Lord. In a word, God’s salvation is affirmed in us, as was in Israel on the other side of the Red Sea on that day of great salvation!

CONCLUSION
So, the conclusion for us to take is simple and straightforward. Know that God in His mighty power has brought you to Christ who is the head of all rule and authority. So, fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD! And seeing it, praise God and enjoy the blessings of God’s salvation that is achieved through Jesus’ cross and His empty tomb! ***