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Passing Through the Red Sea: Living Faith
February 25, 2012

Imagine you have lived all of your life in the desert and the largest body of water you have seen is a river. You know the river turns the desert around it green and that the water from it is used to irrigate farm crops. During certain times of year, the river runs high creating minor flooding problems and you know these floods leave behind river silt that can be used by the farmers to fertilize their crops. You also know that at certain times the river runs lower than at other times. However the river is, you also know that you have to be careful when you are in the river. You never know when a crocodile or hippopotamus might be in the river, so all of your life you are raised with great caution when around water. Then imagine you find yourself in a weird situation. You have been kicked out of your home along with all of your neighbors by the rulers of the country. They tell you to leave. And then after you leave, they decide to come and take you back. They look mean like they want to hurt you and everyone you know. To your back is the desert with the great army of the country ready to attack and in front of you is the sea, filled with water and unknown danger. And then, a strong wind comes along and cuts a pathway in the sea so deep that the floor of the sea is exposed. Would you stay on the dry land and risk your fate with the country who wants you back and whose army looks like they want to hurt you, or would you move forward through the unknown waters wondering if the waters are filled with crocodiles and hippopotamuses? Sometimes life gives us very few choices and sometimes none of these choices look good to us on first glance. You may not have to fact this situation today but thousands of years ago the children of Israel faced this situation and were noted for this in the Faith Chapter.

Hebrews 11:29
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

This scene is dramatically portrayed in the movie The Ten Commandments. So the children of Israel entered this dry pathway through the Red Sea, and could see walls of water on their left and right. Who knows what they might have seen in the water. Some might look at what they did and think they were foolish. The Egyptians looked on them and saw them as easy prey. The Egyptians were angry because they had been humiliated just days earlier by the God of the children of Israel. They waited until the brilliant military tacticians knew the children of Israel would be most vulnerable, and then they decided to attack. And they would attack with speed because they had the advantage of their chariots, and so in they went, and then something happened they did not expect. At first, the chariots rolled easily through the pathway, and then the chariots started to slow down. The ground was soft and it became harder and harder for the horses to pull the chariots through the mud. They slowed down so much, they realized the children of Israel were getting away on the other side of the Red Sea. Then something happened the Egyptians did not expect. The walls of water on their right and on their left started to close in on them. They wanted to run to escape the water, but the muddy ground kept them from running at all. All of the Egyptians and all of their horses died. The chariots were all smashed by the water. The strength and pride of Egypt was no more.

Exodus 14:1-31
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry groundthrough the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

Sometimes the choices that are before us all seem bad. But we need to remember that God can make anything happen, and will do so if it fits into his will. The children of Israel had a hard time seeing what was being given to them and many thought it might be better to return to Egypt. Having these types of thoughts are common for many. In the end, the children of Israel acted in faith by doing what they needed to do, and they showed they trusted God. As we face situations where all the choices looks bad, we can take remember this true story from the Bible, and we can remember advice that was given thousands of years later by the Apostle Paul.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God can make all things work out, even situations like the parting of the Red Sea. But just like only the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea and the Egyptians were killed in the Red Sea, God only works things out when it is according to his purpose, and only for those who love God. And at another time, we can look at verses that explain we show love to God by obeying God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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