Desert Desperation and Divine Deliverance

Exodus 14:13-14 “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.'” (NIV)

How do you respond when the things God does do not seem to make sense? It is easy in difficult situations to become angry, confused, afraid, or even doubtful. Often we may even try to “fix” what we think is wrong.

Illustration courtesy of www.ubdavid.org.

The Israelites had this very problem. They had suffered in slavery under the Egyptian Pharaoh for 400 years. God heard their cries and sent Moses to lead them out of their bondage. After witnessing God’s working in Pharoah’s heart through ten supernatural plagues, they rejoiced that they were finally free to go.

Joyfully they followed Moses down the desert road toward the Red Sea. Yet if there had been anyone familiar with the layout of the land they would have immediately noticed that God did not take them along the shortest route to their destination. God chose the longer, more difficult path through the desert. This may have seemed very strange and unnecessary – who wants to traipse through a desolate terrain when you could take the shorter way? But God had a purpose in His plan.

First, God knew that traveling the shorter way would put them face-to-face with the mighty Philistines. Although the Israelites were armed for battle, they were not prepared to fight. If they had to face the neighboring army so soon after their release from slavery, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.Second, God knew the fickleness of Pharoah’s heart and resolved to give full victory to His children by completely destroying the whole Egyptian army.

Third, God determined that He would be honored through Pharaoh and all His army, and that all of Egypt would know that He was the Lord.

None of these former slaves understood God’s plans, and I don’t believe they truly understood God’s heart. For 400 years they had served a tyrannical master and it was hard for them to trust. God was beginning to show them patiently that He was a different kind of master – One who would care, protect, and provide for every need.

As the great entourage camped at the edge of the Red Sea, Pharoah’s heart was hardened and he called up his army to pursue the Israelites and bring them back. As the enemy approached, the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. Then they turned on Moses and blamed him for what they saw as their impending doom.

What was happening to them did not make sense and their response showed their lack of trust. Moses assured the terrified people with these words. “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.'”

As the fearful crowd watched, Moses stretched his staff over the sea. God divided the waters, making a dry path between the walls of water on either side. The angel of the Lord and the pillar of cloud that had been guiding them went behind and stood between them and the Egyptians, allowing all the Israelites to cross the sea on solid ground.

The Egyptians pursued them into the water, but God threw the army into confusion. At God’s command Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the water went back to its place drowning  the entire Egyptian army.

Everything that didn’t seem to make sense suddenly made a lot of sense. God kept His children from war with the Philistines, delivered the Israelites in a miraculous way, and completely destroyed the Egyptian army. And in seeing God’s great power the Egyptians acknowledged that the Lord was fighting for His people, (Exodus 14:25) and Israel believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses. (14:31)When you find yourself struggling through a lonely desert and you feel hemmed in with the enemy breathing down your neck, don’t become angry, confused, afraid, or doubtful. Stand firm, trusting in the God Who knows exactly what He is doing, and you will experience His deliverance. He will do the fighting – all you need to do is be still.

Love,

Mama