Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14-18)

"And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.'"
"The LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.  Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.  And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.  And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.'"  (Exodus 14:13-18; emphasis mine)

What a mighty God we serve!  I hope you enjoyed reading about the powerful arm of the LORD who delivered His people out of slavery.  

About a year ago a friend shared the following video with several moms so we could let our children see the power of our great  God...just as God told His people to do with future generations.  So, for your enjoyment and for the passing on of this incredible story to your children and grandchildren, I would like to share it with you.  The scientific research behind this presentation shows just how intentional and detailed is our God. He did not randomly choose the Red Sea for the children of Israel to cross.  He planned it in His foreknowledge and wisdom.  Take a look...  (open it full-screen so you can read it)

 Blown away?  I was.

I love Moses' song!  This was actually made into a praise song years ago, and I found a simple version of it to share with you.  The Horse and Rider Song

Some of my favorite words for praising God are found in this song:

"Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"  (Ex. 15:11)

"The LORD is my strength and my song,  and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him."  (Ex. 15:2)

I personally think all us girls need to bring some tambourines and our dancin' shoes to church and help out the praise team this Sunday the way Miriam did.  :)

Then we come to the beginning of what will be the norm for the children of God for the next 40 years...and really for the rest of history up to this very day.  The Israelites forget what God has done for them and begin to grumble against Him, thinking they were better off in slavery.  Yea, right.  Sure you were.  But don't we do the same thing?

The first time this happens after the crossing of the Red Sea is when they have gone three days without finding water.  God shows Moses a log and tells him to throw it into the bitter water, and the water turns sweet.  What a lesson!  If we'll wait for God and do what He shows us, He will turn our bitterness into something sweet and refreshing!

At this time God also calls Himself by a new name:  I am the LORD, your Healer (Ex. 15:26).  The Hebrew name is Jehovah-Rapha, which means "the God who heals you."  That is a wonderful name to use for God when you are crying out to Him for healing for yourself or someone else.  He is our Jehovah-Rapha!

The next time they grumble, God gives them quail at night and manna (bread) in the morning.

1. How much manna were they to collect?
2. How often were they to collect it?
3. What was the exception to this each week?
4. What happened if they collected too much and kept it until the next day?
5. Why didn't that happen on the Sabbath?

There is much to learn about obedience and about keeping the Sabbath holy just from this section alone. The Sabbath is a gift from God:  "See!  The LORD had given you the Sabbath."  (Ex. 16:29)  Who are we to refuse God's gift and disobey?

1. What else did God tell Moses and Aaron to do with the manna in Ex. 16:33-34?  Are you fascinated that it lasted all those years, yet the extra they collected for themselves when they disobeyed His command went bad and had maggots?  This jar will later be placed inside the Ark of the Covenant when it is built.
2. How many years did the Israelites eat manna?

I hope you took special note of the battle that God told Moses to have Joshua fight in Ex. 17:8-16.

1. In verse 9b, what did Moses tell Joshua he would do?
2. Who went up the hill with Moses?
3. What happened when Moses' hand and staff were lifted, and what happened when they were lowered?
4. What did these men do to solve this problem so Joshua and the Israelites could prevail?

This is a beautiful example of the importance of a leader having other men around him to support and encourage him.  This image is used by Focus on the Family for their ministry to pastors

How thankful I am that my husband Michael has his "Aaron" and "Hur" to hold up his arms!

After this victory, Moses called God by the name "the LORD is My Banner"--Jehovah-Nissi.

Moses is blessed with a wonderful father-in-law who brings Moses' wife and two sons back to him (he must have sent them away during the plagues in Egypt).  Jethro celebrates with his son-in-law the victory of God and says, "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods."  (Ex. 18:11)  Yes indeed--that is exactly why God allowed all of that to happen for 430 years, why He hardened Pharaoh's heart, and why He performed miraculous signs and wonders.  God did it so that all men might know He is the one true God.

While visiting with Moses, Jethro notices that Moses has taken on a job way too big for one man.  In his fatherly wisdom, he advises Moses to do something very smart.

1. What does Jethro say in Ex. 18:17-18?
2. What does Jethro tell Moses to do in vv. 19-20?
3. What further advice does he give in v. 21?
4. What are these men to do, according to v. 22.

"If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."  (Ex. 18:23)

Moses was blessed with a wise father-in-law, and he was smart enough to listen to him.  May we also be willing to listen to the wise counsel of our elders when it comes from God.

"Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.  They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."  (Titus 2:2-5)

May those of us older in years share much wisdom in mentoring the young according to God's Word, and may those of us who are younger receive their wisdom and mentoring eagerly and put it into practice.  Also realize that you might be younger in years but spiritually more mature (as Elihu was).  Seek God's wisdom in this.  He longs to bless you with wisdom and use you for His glory.