The Fight

OPENING PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, guide me today in Your way, lead me in the truth, and grant me the life everlasting.

READ: Exodus 14:10–31

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 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? 12 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!”

13 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. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 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. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 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.

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

REFLECT:

What challenges are you facing today? Remember God is greater than anything you face today.

Have you noticed that, when we take our eyes off God, we begin to grumble and complain? When we forget that he is sovereign and can be trusted, we lose sight of true reality.

The Israelites began to look at their circumstances as they saw the Egyptian army again and – quickly forgetting God’s deliverance – complained (vs 10–12). Like us, they wanted to sort out their own problems, but God wanted them to trust him and allow him to fight for them (v 14). As Moses follows God’s instructions, he obeys by holding up his staff over the sea (vs 16,21) – and God shows his power. The Israelites needed to exercise faith as they walked through the divided sea and as the water sprayed on their faces (v 22). The Egyptians followed after them, but failed as God fought for the Israelites, destroying the entire Egyptian army (vs 14–28).

The Lord delivered his people, and they saw him fighting for them (v 31). Today, we can also know that God fights for us. Jesus intercedes for us, having won the victory through the cross and resurrection (Romans 8:34). Death has lost its sting because of Jesus. If we are facing trials and troubles, we can turn to him.

APPLY:

‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus, / Look full in his wonderful face, / And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, / In the light of his glory and grace’ (Helen Howarth Lemmel, 1863–1961).

CLOSING PRAYER:

Now unto You, O lord, who loves me, who has loosed me from my sins by Your blood, and has lifted me to be priest to my God, be all praise.

WORSHIP:

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