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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, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exodus 14:21-22 NIV)
The story of Israel’s deliverance in Exodus 14 was really noisy. Just listen! There was the sound of horses’ hooves pounding the dirt with the rattling of chariot wheels as the army pursued them. The wind was howling, and the waters churning as it formed vertical walls on both sides of the path, roaring like a waterfall. Hear the sound of the Israelites crying out in fear and the Egyptians warriors screaming in panic as they drown. Add to all of that noise some pyrotechnics – the pillar of fire that led them by day, or the cloud by night. It was one big, loud, chaotic mess!
How exciting and terrifying it must have been to be there. Remarkably, Moses gave the Israelites these instructions: “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.” (Ex 14:13-14)
As they were being chased down by the most technologically advanced fighting force of their day, the Israelites had a choice: fight or flight! But keep still? What good will that do?
Moses’ command wasn’t to fight or flee, but to witness! To witness God’s power and might. You see, God was going to do all the fighting for them, just as he’d done with the ten plagues, and now with the crossing of the Red Sea. It was to be the LORD’s victory alone.
Through this victory, Israel and the Egyptians both see that the Lord could destroy an army with a wave of water and defeat the gods of Egypt with horrible plagues. Even Pharaoh, who thought himself to be a god, is impotent against the God of Israel. Finally, the contest is over in this showdown at the sea, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has won!
What is the result of God’s actions? Faith, they believed! We read in verse 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.”
This once-in-a-lifetime miracle story is perhaps the greatest of the entire Old Testament. The Old Testament is full of many more stories of deliverance for God’s people, foreshadowing our deliverance that comes through Jesus Christ. We, too, pass through the waters of baptism toward a promised land. We eat and drink of the body and blood of Christ, which sustains us like the manna and quail in the wilderness, until we are welcomed into the promise land of heaven through faith. The victory is not ours, but the Lord’s!
This Sunday, I invite you to come, witness God’s victory: stand, see, keep still, and believe!
Pastor Dan
ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Please join us after worship for a delicious lunch in the Fellowship Hall.
· The 100th Anniversary Committee will meet in the Fellowship Hall today.
· We are having Vacation Bible School on June 24-25-26 from 6:30-8:00 pm. We need volunteers - contact Kaitlyn Hallett to sign up. Registration for youth 1st to 5th grade (ages 6-12) will open at a later date.
· Join us this Wednesday, April 9th as we finish our video teaching series on the story of the Exodus. Soup Supper is at 6:00 pm and Exodus Study at 7:00 pm, both in the Fellowship Hall. Please read Exodus 33-40.
· Watch the podcast interview with Pastor Baker on @starsmileymusic3747.
· First Evangelical Church Council meets next Sunday after worship.
· Join us for Holy Week Services, bring a friend or neighbor:
o Sunday, April 13 at 10:00 a.m. Procession of Palms, Palm Sunday
o Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Worship
o Friday, April 18 at noon. Good Friday Tenebrae Worship
o Sunday, April 20 at 10:00 Easter Resurrection Worship, EasterEgg Hunt following worship!
