When Pharaoh finally let the people
go, God did not lead them on the road that runs through Philistine territory,
even though that was the shortest way from Egypt to the Promised Land. God
said, "If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their
minds and return to Egypt." So God led them along a route through the
wilderness toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites left Egypt
like a
marching army.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with
him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear that they would take his
bones with them when God led them out of Egypt—as he was sure God would.
Leaving Succoth, they camped at
Etham on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord guided them by a pillar of cloud
during the day and a pillar of fire at night. That way they could travel
whether it was day or night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or
pillar of fire from their sight.
Then the Lord gave these
instructions to Moses: "Tell the people to march toward Pi-hahiroth
between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, opposite Baal-zephon.
Then Pharaoh will think, 'Those Israelites are confused. They are trapped
between the wilderness and the sea!' And once again I will harden Pharaoh's
heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this so I will receive great
glory at the expense of Pharaoh and his armies. After this, the Egyptians will
know that I am the Lord!" So the Israelites camped there as they were
told.
When word reached the king of Egypt
that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days,
Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. "What have we done, letting
all these slaves get away?" they asked. So Pharaoh called out his troops
and led the chase in his chariot. He took with him six hundred of Egypt's best
chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with a commander.
The Lord continued to strengthen Pharaoh's resolve, and he chased after the
people of Israel who had escaped so defiantly. All the forces in Pharaoh's
army—all his horses, chariots, and charioteers—were used in the chase. The
Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were
camped
beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.
As Pharaoh and his army approached,
the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The
people began to panic, and they cried out to the Lord for help.
Then they turned against Moses and
complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness?
Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn't
we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian
slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!"
But Moses told the people,
"Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you.
The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself
will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"
Then the Lord said to Moses,
"Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Use your
shepherd's staff—hold it out over the water, and a path will open up before you
through the sea. Then all the people of Israel will walk through on dry ground.
Yet I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will follow the Israelites
into the sea. Then I will receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh and his
armies, chariots, and charioteers. When I am finished with Pharaoh and his
army, all Egypt will know that I am the Lord!"
Then the angel of God, who had been
leading the people of Israel, moved to a position behind them, and the pillar
of cloud also moved around behind them. The cloud settled between the Israelite
and Egyptian camps. As night came, the pillar of cloud turned into a pillar of
fire, lighting the Israelite camp. But the cloud became darkness to the
Egyptians, and they couldn't find the Israelites.
Then Moses raised his hand over the
sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind.
The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people
of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each
side! Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and
charioteers—followed them across the bottom of the sea. But early in the
morning, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and
cloud, and he threw them into confusion. Their chariot wheels began to come
off, making their chariots impossible to drive. "Let's get out of
here!" the Egyptians shouted. "The Lord is fighting for Israel
against us!"
When all the Israelites were on the
other side, the Lord said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the sea again.
Then the waters will rush back over the Egyptian chariots and
charioteers." So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the
sea. The water roared back into its usual place, and the Lord swept the
terrified Egyptians into the surging currents. The waters covered all the
chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who
had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.
The people of Israel had walked
through the middle of the sea on dry land, as the water stood up like a wall on
both sides. This was how the Lord rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day.
And the Israelites could see the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the
shore. When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had
displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord and put their faith in
him and his servant Moses. (NIV)
This reading is taken from Thirty Scripture Readings on God's
Amazing Power. The complete book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HEHSNQ
HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
All rights reserved.
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