2025 Exodus 14, Between Pharaoh And The Red Sea, God Is Our Defender and Way-Maker
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2025-02-09 17:33
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Between Pharaoh And The Red Sea, God Is Our Defender and Way-Maker
Exodus 14
Not long after the Israelites left Egypt, their path was blocked by the Red Sea. To make matters worse, the Pharaoh of Egypt mobilized his entire army to chase to take them captive again. But a miracle happened. The Red Sea parted, and Israel crossed it as if on dry land. We left Egypt, the land of slavery to sin and devil by the grace of God, but in order to enter the land that God has promised, you and I must cross this Red Sea. How could the Israelites cross this Red Sea? How could we experience this miracle?
First, interpret it well.
The Israelites were blocked by the dead-end Red Sea. There were cliffs on both sides, and the Egyptian army was chasing after them. There were neither bridges nor boats. They could not swim.
Now, there are two interpretations of this situation. Pharaoh’s interpretation is, Verse 3 says, “Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’”
“Hey, look at such stupid slaves. They are trapped wandering having no any strategy. They are foolish.” However, God’s interpretation is different. Verse 4 says, “But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” According to verse 1, the One who led them to the Red Sea was God. He would let them cross the Red Sea so that they might completely cut the tie of Egypt and reveal His glory to the whole world. This is the difference in interpretation.
Let’s ask ourselves. What if you encounter this situation? There is a Red Sea in front of you. Behind you, the Egyptian army is chasing to capture you. A SFU student lost his job. His parents divorced. Another student suddenly became gravely ill. His parents opposed him to come to church. This kind of reality is too difficult and scary.
You have to interpret the reality by faith. However, the problem is that we interpret it from Pharaoh’s perspective, falling into despair.
They said, “Life is war. What kind of war? A war of interpretation.
As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The disciples interpreted his ill human condition with human point of view. So, they became fatalistic and powerless. Now, listen to Jesus’ interpretation. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the glory of God might be displayed in him.
Do not listen to Pharaoh’s interpretation in the midst of life’s hardship and crisis. Instead, trust in God and keep walking on the path of the word of God.
Yes, the Israelites are on the right path now. Whether the Egyptian army is chasing them or not, whether there are cliffs on either side or not, whether there is the Red Sea in front of them or not, they are going well under God’s guidance. When they looked to God through the ten plagues, they became strong and filled with confidence, gratitude and hope.
However, when they saw the Red Sea and the Egyptian army approaching, they were terrified. They forgot about the strong hand of the Lord who had executed his judgment on Egypt in the mighty acts. They reacted like slaves again.
Out of fear and despair they said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (V 11, 12)
When people face difficulties, their true nature is revealed. The Israelites were grateful to Moses, their leader, as if he were their savior. However, when they faced the Red Sea, their slave mentality was revealed and they complained to Moses. Although they had physically escaped Egypt, their inner nature was still full of slave mentality.
In fact, it was not Moses but God who had liberated them from their 400 years’ slavery for a new life as kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
But now, look at their resentment and complaint. Look at their attachment and affection to their life! This is their motto ad philosophy; “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
Man was created by God to worship God with a mission. However, when they faced a hardship, they gave up serving God. They wanted to go back to the slavery land. They should have remembered God and looked at Him who had saved and guided them. They should have trusted in Him and learned faith in that crisis. Indeed for them, it was a golden opportunity to learn faith and experience God Almighty. For this purpose, God had led them to the Red Sea.
Who wouldn’t feel difficulty to come to church when they have time or everything is going well? But would you keep the Sabbath day when you are busy or when you have exams on Monday or when you are not feeling well? Would you devote your time to join prayer meeting and do gospel work while you are busy? Would you willing to die in God when you face a Red Sea instead of going back to the slavery land of sin and devil? But you will never die if you trust in God because it is God who leads you with his good purpose.
There are times when great problems come into our lives. We have followed God’s leading and as a result, trouble comes. One may lose his job. Another gets sick. Someone else must give up a girl friend.
Many students in SFU are worried a lot. “Oh, how can I survive now?” The anxiety the world gives us is tremendously big. We feel like we will starve to death.
However, don’t read yourself by Pharaoh’s interpretation. Instead, read yourself by the word of God. Faith is this training. Keep your eyes on God and His word.
Now Canada is facing a 25% tariff. The government, politicians and every media interpret it as if Canada will perish. But we live not by sight but by faith. Now, this is a golden opportunity for Canada to wake up from lukewarm attitude and spiritual sleeping to come back to God and see God’s glory. This is the time for revival. If we listen to the interpretation of the world, we will be paralyzed by fear. However, if we look at God and interpret it with His word, we will be bold and we will cross the Red Sea by faith.
My message for you today is, reject to hear the interpretation of the world. Instead, listen to God’s interpretation. “I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”
Rom 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Faith is to trust in God, “God gives me good things.” Here ‘good’ is ‘tov,’ meaning the end is good. Even if the path I am taking now is difficult, I interpret that my end will be good because God loves me. This is faith.
However, the end is not good for everyone. After Adam’s failure, man is blocked and surrounded by thistles and thorns. So life is so painful. And the end for everyone is death and judgment. But here is good news. The end is good for those who love God and are called by Him for His purpose. So, here is the question we must ask ourselves. “Do I love God?” and “Do I live by God’s will?” If you love God and live by His will, your end is always good.
During the American Civil War, a soldier asked President Lincoln, who was on the front lines, "President Lincoln! Do you believe that God is on our side?" Lincoln said, "That is the wrong question. We should not ask whether God is on our side. Instead ask whether we are on His side or not."
Brothers, do not ask God, "God, please be with me and give me what I need.” Instead, pray, "Lord, help me be on Your side. Help me seek your kingdom and your righteousness." If we stand on God’s side and live according to His will, God works for the good of us in all things.
Today, even though many people know what God’s will is in their lives, they do not even obey the most basic will of Him to keep the Sabbath day. If we live according to God’s calling, no matter how deep and rough the Red Sea is and how powerful the Egyptian army is, we interpret it that God will work together for good of us. Do not be deceived by the world’s interpretation. Trust in God and continue to be led by God through worship, prayer and gospel work.
Second, be still.
When the Israelites looked only at the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they are controlled by their emotions and thoughts. Then they complained.
No one can avoid the Red Sea in their life. No one can avoid suffering in life. At that time, what we must not do is “complain.”
What did Moses do in that situation? Look at verses 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.” Therefore, when you meet the Red Sea, be silent and pray. If you can't pray, don't complain. When suffering and complaining meet, it's the worst, that is destruction.
It's better not to marry someone who complains when he faces hardships. If you decide not to complain when you suffer, you won't fall. While Job suffered, he was agonized to know the reason ‘why.’ He continued to argue with his friends, “Why?” But he couldn’t find the answer. Here is the answer in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” God has a secret that no one knows, but He reveals it to those who cry out to Him. Because Moses knew this, he made a bold declaration of faith. "Do not be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." Moses was not shaken. He believed in God Almighty. He planted faith in Israelites who were in panic. I pray that among us there will be servants of prayer and faith like Moses.
Third, move on
People struggling with fear do not move. When asked, “What are you doing?” they say, “I am thinking.” Israel stopped at the Red Sea. And Moses prayed to the Lord fervently. However, it was not enough. Look at verse 15. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” When you face a Red Sea, pray to the Lord. Then move on. This is the solution.
In John 2, during the wedding banquet, wine was gone. Mary prayed, but there was no answer. Did she give up or just wait doing nothing? Mary took action by telling a few servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water,” so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so. Then the washing feet water turned into the choicest wine.
Look at verse 15, 16. “Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” God commended the Israelites to move on. This command was truly difficult to obey without faith. Commending them to go forward was like telling them to drown in the Red Sea. However, they will not drown when they move on by faith. God did not want them to retreat and become slaves in Egypt again just because there was a Red Sea ahead. God wanted his people to move forward though they would have to fall into the Red Sea. Faith is moving forward. Hebrews 10:38-39 says, ““But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
God wants his people to cross the Red Sea by faith. God wants us to overcome obstacles and challenges by faith by moving forward. We must cross the Red Sea by faith.
Verse 21 says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.” Then LORD divided the Red Sea. The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground.
When you meet a Red Sea, pray first. Raise your staff. Then move on. God will make a way in the Red Sea. He is a Way-Maker. Obey God. I believe that a miracle will happen on SFU if the Lord gives raises a few young men who obey like the servants.
Look at verse 28. “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea by faith, the water flowed again. Then the entire army of Egypt perished in the Red Sea. God completely eliminated the potential threat to Israel.
Brothers, if you do not cross the Red Sea, you cannot break away from the past. There are people who live in the wounds, pain and shame or unhealthy habits of the past and cannot move forward. Some people do not cross the Red Sea because they still attach themselves to the pleasures of Egypt. But the Israelites closed the door to their past by crossing the Red Sea. God made them cross the Red Sea in order to completely bury their past wounds, pain and sins.
The Red Sea is always before us. The Red Sea of sin and disease are flowing. There are so many thorns and thistles of curse, blocking our path. There are many times when life is so hard and fearful. And the Red Sea of death and judgment are waiting for us. Now, is there any way to divide this Red Sea of curse and live a victorious life in our body, mind and spirit?
God said to Moses, "Stretch out your staff. Then I will divide the Red Sea." When Moses stretched out his staff, God's power came and the Red Sea was divided.
Where is Moses' staff today? God gave you and me the staff of Moses that is the cross of Jesus. Today, you and I can divide the Red Sea with the staff of the cross. When you meet hardships and crises, come unconditionally to the cross of Jesus. Understand with your head who Jesus is and why he shed his blood, believe his blood with your heart and confess with your mouth. And obey the word of God. Then, a path will open in the Red Sea.
Exodus 14
Not long after the Israelites left Egypt, their path was blocked by the Red Sea. To make matters worse, the Pharaoh of Egypt mobilized his entire army to chase to take them captive again. But a miracle happened. The Red Sea parted, and Israel crossed it as if on dry land. We left Egypt, the land of slavery to sin and devil by the grace of God, but in order to enter the land that God has promised, you and I must cross this Red Sea. How could the Israelites cross this Red Sea? How could we experience this miracle?
First, interpret it well.
The Israelites were blocked by the dead-end Red Sea. There were cliffs on both sides, and the Egyptian army was chasing after them. There were neither bridges nor boats. They could not swim.
Now, there are two interpretations of this situation. Pharaoh’s interpretation is, Verse 3 says, “Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’”
“Hey, look at such stupid slaves. They are trapped wandering having no any strategy. They are foolish.” However, God’s interpretation is different. Verse 4 says, “But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” According to verse 1, the One who led them to the Red Sea was God. He would let them cross the Red Sea so that they might completely cut the tie of Egypt and reveal His glory to the whole world. This is the difference in interpretation.
Let’s ask ourselves. What if you encounter this situation? There is a Red Sea in front of you. Behind you, the Egyptian army is chasing to capture you. A SFU student lost his job. His parents divorced. Another student suddenly became gravely ill. His parents opposed him to come to church. This kind of reality is too difficult and scary.
You have to interpret the reality by faith. However, the problem is that we interpret it from Pharaoh’s perspective, falling into despair.
They said, “Life is war. What kind of war? A war of interpretation.
As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The disciples interpreted his ill human condition with human point of view. So, they became fatalistic and powerless. Now, listen to Jesus’ interpretation. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the glory of God might be displayed in him.
Do not listen to Pharaoh’s interpretation in the midst of life’s hardship and crisis. Instead, trust in God and keep walking on the path of the word of God.
Yes, the Israelites are on the right path now. Whether the Egyptian army is chasing them or not, whether there are cliffs on either side or not, whether there is the Red Sea in front of them or not, they are going well under God’s guidance. When they looked to God through the ten plagues, they became strong and filled with confidence, gratitude and hope.
However, when they saw the Red Sea and the Egyptian army approaching, they were terrified. They forgot about the strong hand of the Lord who had executed his judgment on Egypt in the mighty acts. They reacted like slaves again.
Out of fear and despair they said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” (V 11, 12)
When people face difficulties, their true nature is revealed. The Israelites were grateful to Moses, their leader, as if he were their savior. However, when they faced the Red Sea, their slave mentality was revealed and they complained to Moses. Although they had physically escaped Egypt, their inner nature was still full of slave mentality.
In fact, it was not Moses but God who had liberated them from their 400 years’ slavery for a new life as kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
But now, look at their resentment and complaint. Look at their attachment and affection to their life! This is their motto ad philosophy; “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
Man was created by God to worship God with a mission. However, when they faced a hardship, they gave up serving God. They wanted to go back to the slavery land. They should have remembered God and looked at Him who had saved and guided them. They should have trusted in Him and learned faith in that crisis. Indeed for them, it was a golden opportunity to learn faith and experience God Almighty. For this purpose, God had led them to the Red Sea.
Who wouldn’t feel difficulty to come to church when they have time or everything is going well? But would you keep the Sabbath day when you are busy or when you have exams on Monday or when you are not feeling well? Would you devote your time to join prayer meeting and do gospel work while you are busy? Would you willing to die in God when you face a Red Sea instead of going back to the slavery land of sin and devil? But you will never die if you trust in God because it is God who leads you with his good purpose.
There are times when great problems come into our lives. We have followed God’s leading and as a result, trouble comes. One may lose his job. Another gets sick. Someone else must give up a girl friend.
Many students in SFU are worried a lot. “Oh, how can I survive now?” The anxiety the world gives us is tremendously big. We feel like we will starve to death.
However, don’t read yourself by Pharaoh’s interpretation. Instead, read yourself by the word of God. Faith is this training. Keep your eyes on God and His word.
Now Canada is facing a 25% tariff. The government, politicians and every media interpret it as if Canada will perish. But we live not by sight but by faith. Now, this is a golden opportunity for Canada to wake up from lukewarm attitude and spiritual sleeping to come back to God and see God’s glory. This is the time for revival. If we listen to the interpretation of the world, we will be paralyzed by fear. However, if we look at God and interpret it with His word, we will be bold and we will cross the Red Sea by faith.
My message for you today is, reject to hear the interpretation of the world. Instead, listen to God’s interpretation. “I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”
Rom 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Faith is to trust in God, “God gives me good things.” Here ‘good’ is ‘tov,’ meaning the end is good. Even if the path I am taking now is difficult, I interpret that my end will be good because God loves me. This is faith.
However, the end is not good for everyone. After Adam’s failure, man is blocked and surrounded by thistles and thorns. So life is so painful. And the end for everyone is death and judgment. But here is good news. The end is good for those who love God and are called by Him for His purpose. So, here is the question we must ask ourselves. “Do I love God?” and “Do I live by God’s will?” If you love God and live by His will, your end is always good.
During the American Civil War, a soldier asked President Lincoln, who was on the front lines, "President Lincoln! Do you believe that God is on our side?" Lincoln said, "That is the wrong question. We should not ask whether God is on our side. Instead ask whether we are on His side or not."
Brothers, do not ask God, "God, please be with me and give me what I need.” Instead, pray, "Lord, help me be on Your side. Help me seek your kingdom and your righteousness." If we stand on God’s side and live according to His will, God works for the good of us in all things.
Today, even though many people know what God’s will is in their lives, they do not even obey the most basic will of Him to keep the Sabbath day. If we live according to God’s calling, no matter how deep and rough the Red Sea is and how powerful the Egyptian army is, we interpret it that God will work together for good of us. Do not be deceived by the world’s interpretation. Trust in God and continue to be led by God through worship, prayer and gospel work.
Second, be still.
When the Israelites looked only at the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they are controlled by their emotions and thoughts. Then they complained.
No one can avoid the Red Sea in their life. No one can avoid suffering in life. At that time, what we must not do is “complain.”
What did Moses do in that situation? Look at verses 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.” Therefore, when you meet the Red Sea, be silent and pray. If you can't pray, don't complain. When suffering and complaining meet, it's the worst, that is destruction.
It's better not to marry someone who complains when he faces hardships. If you decide not to complain when you suffer, you won't fall. While Job suffered, he was agonized to know the reason ‘why.’ He continued to argue with his friends, “Why?” But he couldn’t find the answer. Here is the answer in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” God has a secret that no one knows, but He reveals it to those who cry out to Him. Because Moses knew this, he made a bold declaration of faith. "Do not be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." Moses was not shaken. He believed in God Almighty. He planted faith in Israelites who were in panic. I pray that among us there will be servants of prayer and faith like Moses.
Third, move on
People struggling with fear do not move. When asked, “What are you doing?” they say, “I am thinking.” Israel stopped at the Red Sea. And Moses prayed to the Lord fervently. However, it was not enough. Look at verse 15. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” When you face a Red Sea, pray to the Lord. Then move on. This is the solution.
In John 2, during the wedding banquet, wine was gone. Mary prayed, but there was no answer. Did she give up or just wait doing nothing? Mary took action by telling a few servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water,” so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so. Then the washing feet water turned into the choicest wine.
Look at verse 15, 16. “Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” God commended the Israelites to move on. This command was truly difficult to obey without faith. Commending them to go forward was like telling them to drown in the Red Sea. However, they will not drown when they move on by faith. God did not want them to retreat and become slaves in Egypt again just because there was a Red Sea ahead. God wanted his people to move forward though they would have to fall into the Red Sea. Faith is moving forward. Hebrews 10:38-39 says, ““But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
God wants his people to cross the Red Sea by faith. God wants us to overcome obstacles and challenges by faith by moving forward. We must cross the Red Sea by faith.
Verse 21 says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.” Then LORD divided the Red Sea. The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground.
When you meet a Red Sea, pray first. Raise your staff. Then move on. God will make a way in the Red Sea. He is a Way-Maker. Obey God. I believe that a miracle will happen on SFU if the Lord gives raises a few young men who obey like the servants.
Look at verse 28. “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea by faith, the water flowed again. Then the entire army of Egypt perished in the Red Sea. God completely eliminated the potential threat to Israel.
Brothers, if you do not cross the Red Sea, you cannot break away from the past. There are people who live in the wounds, pain and shame or unhealthy habits of the past and cannot move forward. Some people do not cross the Red Sea because they still attach themselves to the pleasures of Egypt. But the Israelites closed the door to their past by crossing the Red Sea. God made them cross the Red Sea in order to completely bury their past wounds, pain and sins.
The Red Sea is always before us. The Red Sea of sin and disease are flowing. There are so many thorns and thistles of curse, blocking our path. There are many times when life is so hard and fearful. And the Red Sea of death and judgment are waiting for us. Now, is there any way to divide this Red Sea of curse and live a victorious life in our body, mind and spirit?
God said to Moses, "Stretch out your staff. Then I will divide the Red Sea." When Moses stretched out his staff, God's power came and the Red Sea was divided.
Where is Moses' staff today? God gave you and me the staff of Moses that is the cross of Jesus. Today, you and I can divide the Red Sea with the staff of the cross. When you meet hardships and crises, come unconditionally to the cross of Jesus. Understand with your head who Jesus is and why he shed his blood, believe his blood with your heart and confess with your mouth. And obey the word of God. Then, a path will open in the Red Sea.