Saw... Feared... Believed. Exodus 14:19-31 Salvation is God's work. The lamb slain in Egypt and the blood applied came from a sinless, innocent life given as a substitute for the firstborn who would die without that sacrifice. It symbolizes the love, the heart, and the inner being of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, shed His blood for us, and offers safety when the blood is personally applied to the door of our hearts. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness."
Salvation is the work of God. The cloud moved between the Egyptians and Israelites, providing darkness for the Egyptians while fire gave light to the children of Israel. Then, a strong east wind came. The waters receded, and the muddy ground became dry, allowing the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea easily. According to Psalm 77:17-18, a storm also overtook the Egyptians as they tried to cross behind Israel. Then the tide turned, and the water swept over the Egyptians, drowning them all. The crossing of the Red Sea during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt is a symbol of the salvation we experience through God's grace by faith.
It was clear to the Israelites that they were powerless to save themselves. Their confidence had turned into fear, and they could do nothing for themselves. When God’s people realize their complete dependence on God, His “strength is made perfect.” We must admit our weakness before God’s strength can be appreciated. Once that happens, there is only one way to move forward, just like it was for the Hebrews. There are no other options.
From “the nostrils” of God, the east wind pushed the waters of the sea aside, creating a clear path straight ahead. More than that, the Lord made the ground dry so there were no obstacles for them to move forward, even though the water was supernaturally like a wall on each side. Faith in God allows us to do what we normally would fear. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
The Angel of God, Theophanes, kept the Egyptians in darkness while the Israelites crossed the sea on dry land with God's light guiding them. Then, when the Angel of God moved to the front of the Israelites as they reached the far side of the sea, the Egyptians, overconfident in their strength, chased them right into the sea bed, thinking they could do the same as God's people. When the chariot wheels stopped for any reason, they realized and openly admitted it was “the Lord” they were opposing. But it was too late to recognize Him because they had passed the point of repentance, and all perished then as the Lord swept them into the sea.
The children of Israel saw the bodies of Egyptians from their position on the salvation side of the Red Sea. The Lord overthrew the Egyptians and rescued His people. God's salvation is based on the sacrifice of Christ, and His salvation ends the power of the god of this world over us. We are empowered to "resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh unto you."
Remarkably, habits and sins that characterized the people of God when they "were on the other side of the flood" no longer have dominance over us. "Thanks, be unto God who giveth us the victory." Deliverance has occurred. We are able to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." Now we can see "the Egyptians dead upon the seashore." Sin is no longer part of our new nature. It is an intruder whom we are to cast out of our new life in Christ. We have been "made free from the law of sin and death."
When "Christ was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," there was a profound fear of God's holiness, who was willing to "lay upon Him the iniquity of us all." This was not a casual overlooking of sin and guilt. It represented the full force of God's wrath against sin, placed on the sinless Substitute. When God "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," we became participants in His death on the cross. We were crucified with Him, buried with Him, and raised with Him, now standing on the side of the resurrection. Sin and the world (Egypt) no longer control us. We live in Christ. No wonder we "fear the Lord."
The Israelites were “baptized unto Moses, in the cloud, and in the sea.” The cloud was above them, and the sea through which they passed surrounded them. They were immersed and recognized as a new nation when they came out of the Red Sea as a sign of the redemption provided for them by God alone. For the first time, the Israelites “feared the Lord” and “believed in Him.” There was no misunderstanding on their part that they had been delivered by God's power alone. Nothing of themselves was involved in their salvation.
Those Israelis "saw... feared... and then believed" the Lord. This first real step of faith changed everything. The toils of Egyptian bondage were behind them. The world has surrendered its power to God's power. We are now alive to God in reality. As we journey through these years of service for the Lord, there are things that relate to life and godliness. Those who believe in the Lord grow in faith, love, purity, and patience. These qualities, which define the new nature and, consequently, the believer's new life in the Lord, continue to enrich us.
Those who see, fear, and believe remember "the hole of the pit from whence we were dug, and the rock from which we have been hewn." We remember we "were bondmen" in slavery to sin and its claims. Now, we are free in Christ. There is gratitude, humility, and sensitivity towards those who are set at liberty. It is part of the new life; we must also desire to see those still captives set free. We reach out to them so they may "see, fear, and believe."
Sometimes, those who have been set free can become entangled again with the yoke of bondage. It is our duty to restore them, carry their burden, and seek to bring them back to a place where they can enjoy the freedom we have in Christ. The children of Israel also trusted in Moses, the servant of the Lord. We need to remember what it means for us to serve the Lord. This is helpful when we review the Lord's salvation during the weekly remembrance of the Lord's Supper. Additionally, when we sing our songs of deliverance and faith, the unity of God's people strengthens us. In our devotional communion with God through reading the scriptures and prayer, we are again led to "see... fear... and believe the Lord."