February 2, 2025
Exodus 14:1-31
“Faith over Fear”
Service Overview: Exodus 14 reveals God’s unparalleled power to save His people when all seems lost. Through the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, we see His deliverance, His power over creation, and the faith required to follow Him. This message reminds us that God makes a way where there seems to be no way.
Memory Verse for the Week:
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14)
Background & Technical Insights:
- No sooner, then, was Israel out of Egypt than a threat arose from their past: Pharaoh promptly regretted his decision to dismiss his slaves and wanted them back (14:5). The contest was, therefore, a matter of ownership. Who had the right to claim ownership of Israel – the enslaving, genocidal king who had long been their master, or their divine Lord who had come to Egypt to claim, redeem and deliver them? (J. Alec Motyer, The Message of Exodus, 150)
- The route they take is a terrible military strategy, and as soon as they hear of it, Pharaoh and his officials regret their decision to let God’s people go (v 5)—just as God had known they would (v 3). So now, Israel are caught between the advancing Egyptian army and the Red Sea (v 6-7, 9). As so often happens in the Bible, things get worse before they get better. But God was in control even over his enemy’s actions (v 8)—and things would get much, much better, in an unforgettable way. By parting the sea, says Nehemiah 9:10, God “made a name for [himself], which remains to this day”. What happened at the Red Sea would bring the God of Israel “everlasting renown” (Isaiah 63:12). (Tim Chester, Exodus for You, 100)
- The form of the sentence in verse 19 probably implies not that the angel and the pillar of cloud were two different entities, but rather that they were essentially the same—both represented the manifest presence of God himself, whether in front leading his people or behind protecting them. Throughout that night the supernatural and paradoxically fiery darkness kept each side from contact with the other. (Christopher J.H. Wright, Exodus, 270)
- Pharaoh’s change of heart shows that he never truly repented of his sin. He had been given every opportunity to set his captives free. Time after time Moses had told him to let God’s people go. First he refused. Then as the plagues started to come, he began to negotiate. He bargained and bickered. He asked for prayer, even begging Moses to give him God’s blessing. But he never let go. When, finally, he said that he would do what God wanted, he immediately changed his mind and went right back to his sins. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 384)
- A city-wall sized wall of water on either side of them implies the division of a deep body of water, not merely the drying out of a shallow one or the drying out of wet terrain” (Douglas Stuart, Exodus, 342)
What points does the crossing of the Red Sea drive home about the Lord?
- His complete command over creation.
(vv. 21-22, 27-29)
Having stood between the Israelites and the Egyptian army, God disables the Egyptians’ chariots before closing the waters over them. This further underlines God’s extraordinary power to control the natural environment. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 119)
Imagine what Moses’ human reaction might have been to these instructions! Those of us who have heard this story miss the shocking nature of it. Pharaoh is coming, the people are complaining, and God says, “Hold out your stick, and I will part the waters!” Why? Once again the theme of God’s glory is repeated: there is no one like Him (vv. 17-18). (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 84)
- His power to protect and save his people.
(vv. 13-14, 19-20, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30)
In verse 10 God’s people saw the Egyptians, and they were afraid! The Egyptians were superior soldiers. They had “weapons of mass destruction,” so to speak. But what is the real problem? Israel was forgetting that it was God who brought them to this place. They needed only to fear God and trust in His love (cf. Ps 106:1-10). (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 83)
If God has the power to control the wind and the water, this should engender confidence in his people that he has the power to care for them in all circumstances. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 121)
- His goal in gaining glory for himself.
(vv. 4, 17-18, 31)
The term “glory” refers to the visible splendor or moral beauty of God’s manifold perfections. The “glory” of God is the exhibition of His inherent excellence; it is the external manifestation of His internal majesty. To “glorify God” is to declare, draw attention to, or publicly announce and advertise His glory. (Sam Storms, Pleasures Evermore, 83-84)
The crossing of the Red Sea brought glory to God by convincing the Israelites to believe in God, which may have been the greatest miracle of all. The Israelites must have had some faith already, because they were willing at least to follow God between two great walls of water. Indeed, Hebrews says, “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land” (11:29a). But they made an even firmer faith commitment when it was all over. Exodus 14 ends on this triumphant note: “And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant” (v. 31). (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 397)
Conclusion… What does a passage like this prompt us to do as God’s people in Jesus?
- Submit all our fears to the God who fights for and protects his people.
(Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 41:10; John 14:27; Romans 8:31; Philippians 4:6-7)
Courage is that quality of mind which enables people to encounter danger or difficulty firmly, without fear or discouragement. (Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, 59)
God hath in Himself all power to defend you, all wisdom to direct you, all mercy to pardon you, all grace to enrich you, all righteousness to clothe you, all goodness to supply you, and all happiness to crown you. (Thomas Brooks, A Puritan Golden Treasury, 126)
Faith and fear can’t live together in the same heart, for one will destroy the other. True faith depends on what God says, not on what we see or how we feel. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 83)
To be occupied with our circumstances and surroundings is fatal to our peace. (Arthur Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, 3598)
- Stand firm in our trust of the God who saves.
(Psalm 46:10; Isaiah 30:15; Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 6:13; Hebrews 10:23)
Trusting God does not mean believing that He will do all that you want, but rather believing that He will do everything He knows is good. (Ken Sande, The Peacemaker, 72)
It is hard to be still and wait for God. Our temptation is to run away, cry out in fear, or try to fix things on our own. Instead, God orders us to stand our ground. He is our defender, our champion. When we are caught between the desert and the sea, all we need to do is be still and look for his salvation. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 388)
- Step out in faith wherever the Lord leads.
(Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 41:13; Luke 1:37; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:8; 12:1-2)
Moses not only told them to stand still, but also to “be still” (v. 14 NIV). How easy it would have been to weep, complain, and keep criticizing Moses, but none of those things would have helped them out of their predicament. Unbelief complains, but faith obeys and brings glory to the Lord. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 82)
The great difference between faith and unbelief is that one brings in God, the other shuts Him out. With God all things are possible. (Arthur Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, 3539)
Gospel Connection…
We who were slaves to sin have been delivered by faith in Jesus, who rescued us from the grip of our enemy Satan.
(John 8:34-36; Romans 6:6-7; Romans 6:17-18; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 3:3-5; Hebrews 2:14-15)
The story of God is the story of salvation, centered on the One whose name means “Yahweh is salvation,” and here is what that looks like: deliverance from slavery and certain death, announced by faith, and received as a gift through trust and obedience. That is biblical salvation , as provided by God and seen by his people. (Christopher J.H. Wright, The Story of God Bible Commentary: Exodus, 270)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- God led Israel into a “trap” in order that he might show his own glory. How does this give us a helpful perspective on the difficulties of our own lives?
- Why is it good that God acts for the sake of his name, rather than in response to our merit?
- Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” What does it mean to “be still” in the face of trials? How can we apply this to our daily lives?
- What are some ways people try to ‘save themselves’ instead of relying on the salvation that comes from the Lord? How does this passage point us to Jesus as our ultimate Deliverer?
- God’s ultimate goal was not just Israel’s rescue but also His own glory (Exodus 14:4, 17-18). How should this truth shape our understanding of salvation and our purpose as believers?
Quotes to note…
Israel’s exodus is a picture of our own deliverance from captivity to sin. The Bible says that “these things” — meaning the events in Exodus — “occurred as examples” (1 Cor. 10:6). This particular example shows what happens whenever God rescues his people from bondage: Satan tries to grab us before we can get away. No sooner do we make a commitment to follow Christ than we face doubt and discouragement. Satan is riding furiously after us, tempting us to give up and turn back. Jesus taught about this in the Parable of the Sower. He said that when some people hear the message of salvation, “the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown” in their hearts (Matt. 13:19). Others fall away when they suffer persecution or when they are worried by the troubles of life. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 385)
God does what He does for His own glory. He said, “I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” This is central in Exodus. Know that He is God and that He gives His glory to no other. God is passionate about His glory. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Rom 11:36). (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 82)
Moses stresses that God alone will defeat the Egyptians, for the Israelites will take no part in the battle. They will merely be spectators. All the glory will go to the Lord. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 118)
When you forget God’s promises, you start to imagine the worst possible scenario. The Jews were sure that they and their children would die in the wilderness as soon as Pharaoh’s army caught up with them. The frightened people reminded Moses that they had told him to leave them alone (Ex. 5:20–23), but he had persisted in challenging Pharaoh. Israel was now in a terrible predicament, and Moses was to blame. Unbelief has a way of erasing from our memories all the demonstrations we’ve seen of God’s great power and all the instances we know of God’s faithfulness to His Word. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Delivered: Exodus, 81)
Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well. (Joni Eareckson Tada, Is God Really in Control, 9)
Trials always change our relationship with God. Either they drive us to Him, or they drive us away from Him. The extent of our fear of Him and our awareness of His love for us determine in which direction we will move. (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, 179)
The cross was not a defeat for Jesus but a victory. By making atonement he was able to gain eternal victory over sin, death, and Satan. Thus the Bible says that “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he [Jesus] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15). (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 384)