Today God is revealing His treasures in the desert
to increase faith in His Word
and as hard evidence for those who doubt
Israel’s Deliverance
One of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of our day is the Red Sea crossing, where Moses and the children of Israel were delivered from the Egyptians.
It was a dramatic act of God to part the waters and His people walk a dry pathway through the sea to safety on the other side.
“He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up… so He led them through the depths… and the waters covered their enemies; there was not one of them left.” Psalm 106:9-11.
Lifting the Veil
Sadly, literal Israel is blind “for when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:15. This is also true of men and women of many creeds and races.
They can not see beyond the story of Israel’s experience in Egypt and at the Red Sea. To such it is mere history, and of no consequence to men and women living in the 21st century.
But to spiritual Israel, it is the living Word, and Christ is the key that unlocks the understanding.
Christ is the way through the Red Sea.
Christ is the bridge to take spiritual Israel from the bondage of this world to the “new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”. 2 Peter 3:13.
Men and women who refuse to fully surrender to Jesus Christ remain in darkness. They cannot see any significance in the discovery of the route of the exodus, and often words are spoken, “I can’t see what’s so important about the Red Sea crossing.”
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
”Until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament, which veil is done away in Christ…” 2 Corinthians 3:14.16.
What a blessing to be able to see….
Preparing to Leave
It was midnight and Israel was safely behind blood-stained doors. Suddenly, they heard the sound of wailing from the homes of the Egyptians, “for there was not a house where there was not one dead”. Exodus 12:30.
All the firstborn of Egypt were dead.
Why?
What had happened?
After the death of Joseph, and of Levi (the last of the children of Jacob), a new Pharaoh arose who had not known Joseph. As he surveyed his kingdom, he became concerned that the strength of the Hebrew people in Goshen might overtake that of Egypt, so he made them his slaves.
For one hundred and sixteen years, Israel suffered under the hand of taskmasters, building cities for Pharaoh.
(Many people believe Israel was in bondage for 400 hundred years, but this is not so. First of all one must realise that the promise of a new land was given to Abraham (then called Abram) while he lived in Ur of the Chaldees. This was when he was 70. He left Ur and travelled to Haran, when he stayed 5 years.
Then God called him again, and told him to go to Canaan. He was then 75. After waiting another eleven years, Abram asked God when he would receive the promise. The reply was, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years, and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance.” Genesis 15:13.14.
This may appear that Israel would be in bondage for four hundred years, but in actual fact, it says that they would be strangers in a land not theirs, and they will be slaves in a land not theirs; the total will be four hundred years. No doubt the Hebrew is clearer. But we can confirm this by working on the genealogies and time periods given in the Bible.
Abram 70 called from Ur. In Haran… 5 years.
Abram 75 left for Canaan. They lived there 215 years.
Hebrews went to Egypt. Lived in Goshen… 94 years.
Became slaves after death Joseph and.Levi… 116 years.
Total: 430 years.
The time period of 400 years (Gen 15:13. Acts 7:6) is taken from when Isaac was born. Abraham was 100 years old. The 430 time period (Exodus 12:40) is taken from when Abraham was first called from Ur to go to the promised land)
In fulfilment of the prophecy given to Abraham, God called Moses to deliver His people.
“And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, ‘Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn, and I say unto thee, Let my people go, that they may serve Me, and if thou refuse to let him go, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.” Exodus 4:22.23.
But Pharaoh refused to deliver Israel, and instead made their bondage more bitter. In despondency and pain, the poor slaves cried out to God for deliverance. Exodus 1:11-14.
Under direction of God, Moses warned Pharoah that unless he allowed Israel to leave Egypt as a free nation, God would bring plagues upon his people that would bring the kingdom to ruin.
Pharaoh could have repented at any time, but he refused to humble his heart, and ten plagues were poured out upon the land of Egypt, the last one being the death of the firstborn.
Israel was commanded to kill a lamb and to place some of the blood on the lintel and the doorposts of their homes. It was to be done on the 14th of the month of Abib, which was to be the first month in the Jewish calendar. (It was “in the evening” [‘ben-ha-arbayim’ meaning ‘between the two evenings’], which would be between sunset and dark)
When the angel of the Lord saw the blood of the slain lamb on the homes of the Israelites, he passed over, and the firstborn rested in peace.
This was the Passover – ‘pass-over’ – a feast ordained by God to remind Israel of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
But not only was Passover a reminder of past deliverance, it was also a prophecy of the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of the whole world.
All who accept JESUS as their Saviour, and apply His blood to the ‘doorposts’ of their heart, will be safe when the angel of the Lord passes over again during the seven last plagues to be poured on an unrepentant world.
In that future time of trouble, the whole world will feel the stroke of death, the firstborn and every other family member included. All mankind who have not applied the blood of the supreme sacrifice – Jesus Christ – will die under the wrath of divine justice.
When will the plagues fall upon this world?
Just before the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. (See Revelation chapter 16)
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
Jesus will come, but maybe He is waiting for you to repent.
You have the choice to be like Pharaoh and “harden your heart”, or you can be like the Israelites, who obeyed God and applied the blood.
(Even some Egyptians were spared the death of their firstborn because they placed the blood on the doorposts of their homes. When Israel left Egypt, this mixed multitude went along with them. God is no respecter of persons – if they are obedient to His commandments. Exodus 12:38)
When Pharaoh realised the awful truth that his son, heir to throne, was dead, he called for Moses and Aaron and said,
“Rise up,
and get you forth from among my people…
and be gone, and bless me also.”
Exodus 12:31.32.
Of course Israel was ready to go. They had packed their bags, eaten the Passover in haste, and when the signal was given, they were on the move. As they passed by, “the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out of the land in haste, for they said, ‘We be all dead men’.” Exodus 12:33.
As Israel encountered the Egyptians urging them to leave, they asked for gold, silver, precious jewels, clothing, and these were readily handed over. Exodus 12:35.36.
It was a century of backpay in one night!
The Bible says there were “six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children”. Exodus 12:37.
Assuming there were as many women as men, and allowing two children per couple, we can estimate that at least two and a half million men, women and children left Egypt, not counting the mixed multitude of Egyptians who went along with them.
Can you imagine one of the large cities of the world all moving to a destination some miles away, most of them on foot? As well as “flocks, and herds, even very much cattle”. Exodus 12:38.
Over three million people, plus animals!
During the early hours of the morning, the 14th Abib (later called Nisan), “the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth…” Exodus 12:37. Numbers 33:5.
(A Bible day begins with the night part of the twenty four hour period; “the evening and morning were the first day…” Genesis 1:5.8.13. So, when Israel left, the night of the 14th had passed, and now it was daylight, but still the 14th)
Succoth was on the southern edge of Egypt, and known as Tharu (and Tjeku), a place outside the boundary of Egypt, “where the Egyptian army assembled in preparation for their military expeditions to the north”. It was.a wide open plain, and called in Egyptian documents as “a border station”. Update International No.6.
It was at Succoth Israel must stop, as it was necessary Moses organise them for travel. God could not take an unorganised people into Canaan, not only because He is a God of order, but also because it is far easier to move a group of people who are arranged into some kind of order, than a scattered mob.
The Bible says the children of Israel were “harnessed”, which can mean ‘to be armed’, or it can mean ‘to be arranged as an army in order’. Exodus 13:18. 12:17.
Remember that Moses, “as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter”, was once heir to the throne of Egypt, and as such, underwent training with the priesthood and the military. So Moses was well able to organise the people.
The Bible says he was “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds”. Acts 7:22. Israel left Egypt a well-organised body of people, not a mob of fleeing fugitives.
Before they left Egypt, they had prepared unleavened bread as commanded by God, but it had not been cooked. “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.” Exodus 12:18. (The word ‘even’ in this text is ‘ereb’, which means ‘the setting of the sun’. So, Israel was eating the Passover in the evening of the 14th, ‘at night’, according to Exodus 12:8)
At Rameses, their dough and kneading troughs were “bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders”, and when they reached Succoth after receiving the spoil from the Egyptians, “they baked their unleavened cakes of the dough”. Exodus 12:34.39. They probably would have been hungry after the excitement of their flight, and it is probable they cooked enough unleavened bread for the next few days, as they were going to be fleeing, “in haste” and “pressing on”.
Then “on the selfsame day (the 15th Abib), the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies”. Exodus 12:51. (They arrived at Succoth, which is out of Egypt, on the first day of unleavened bread, which was the 15th)
Their journey had begun.
Across the Desert
After leaving Succoth in rank and file, the Bible says they “journeyed to Etham and encamped in the edge of the wilderness.” Exodus 13:20. Number 33:6.
This very brief description appears to be a short distance from Succoth, but it was actually about two hundred and fifty kilometres to the east. Definite routes can still be seen, and we know Israel would have travelled right across the desert from west to east in an almost parallel line.
You will notice on the map that there is a route right at the top. This was “the way of the Philistines”, which the Bible says God did not take them along “lest the people repent when they see war and return to Egypt”. Exodus 13:17. There is another route called ‘the way of Shur’, which runs fairly close to the Philistine route. Then there is another route known as ‘the southern route’ which goes almost parallel across the desert hills and plains into Etham.
(Etham was not a singular location but a region, because Israel was in Etham before they crossed the Red Sea as well as after they had crossed it. See Exodus 13:20 and Number 33:8. You can see clearly on the map that the southern route goes across mainly desert area, with a few smaller mountains. The dark lower area commonly called the Sinai Peninsular is actually ‘the wilderness of the Red Sea”, a mass of high mountains with rivers winding in and out of the mountain valleys. In the dry season, these beds would be passable)
Israel’s journey led them “over barren hills and desolate plains”. It led them “across a dreary, desert-like expanse…” 4 Testimonies p21. Patriarchs & Prophets p282.283.
The way was toilsome, and they began to wonder whither their course would lead. In some hearts began to arise a fear of pursuit by the Egyptians.
How did they know which direction to take?
“The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night…” Exodus 13:21.22. When the cloud went forward, they followed.
(In the New Testament, we are told that Christ led the children of Israel, and as this was before the incarnation, we understand that He veiled His glory by the cloud, leading Israel all the way. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. Moses and Aaron were God’s spokesmen and earthly directors, but the Saviour led the way.)
The Bible is True
There are the remains of an ancient Egyptian fortress on the beach, which was possibly Migdol, a name meaning ‘fortress’.
The name Pihahiroth, means ‘mouth of the gorge’, and it could have been the name of the area at the entrance of the beach. Israel was to camp “before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea”. Baalzephon was “over against”, or opposite from, possibly on the other side of the Red Sea.
As Israel turned from the great desert expanse, the Lord predicted that Pharaoh would say, “They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in”, and it is no doubt this fact helped influence the king to pursue ‘his escaped slaves’, for he would know that it led to the Red Sea, and there would be no escape.
Pharaoh “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 he pursued the children of Israel”. Exodus 14:6-8.
“To secure the favor of the gods, and thus ensure the success of their undertaking, the priests also accompanied them. The king was resolved to intimidate the Israelites by a grand display of his power.” Patriarchs and Prophets p283.
Pharaoh’s pursuit of the liberated children of Israel is a message to all who have made a decision to apply the blood of Jesus Christ to their lives.
Repentance of one soul sends inexpressible joy through all the host of heaven, but it spreads consternation among the fallen angels, and humiliates the great leader in the rebellion against God’s holy law.
“The prince of darkness, seeing a soul whom he has counted his own escaping from under his control… works with hellish intensity to again entrap the one escaped…
“Alarmed because he is losing his prey, Satan will first seek to deceive, next to oppress and persecute. Evil men, rebuked by the precept and example of those who come to the light of Bible truth, will become agents of the great adversary of souls and will leave no means untried to draw them away from their allegiance to God and induce them to leave the narrow path of holiness.” Our High Calling p89.
Although it seemed Israel was trapped, and that soon they would be marching back to the slavery of Egypt, it was to be a lesson of trust, for God was leading them to the promised land.
Trapped at Nuweiba
The beach at the end of the Wadi Watir is a beautiful sandy expanse, seven kilometres wide and three kilometres deep. To the east is the Red Sea of Aqaba, to the north and south are the mountains of the wilderness, and to the west is the Wadi Watir along which Israel had travelled during the third day of their flight. God said, “I bare you on eagle’s wings”. Exodus 19:4. Jeremiah 4:13.
What a blessing in having a huge cloud ahead of Israel while they travelled east, towards the sun! And at night, the pillar of fire would not only give Israel light, it would also provide warmth during the cold desert night.
Change of Direction
Israel expected the cloud to continue along that same route, as it gradually veered north in the direction of Palestine. But when they arrived in Etham, the Lord gave instructions to turn south! This must have caused consternation to Israel, but to Moses and Aaron, it was the will of the Lord.
God told his earthly leaders, “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.” Exodus 14:2.
[Text Box: The Hebrew word for turn is ‘shuwb’ (Strongs 7725) meaning ‘to turn back (not to start), to break away, to retreat’. Obviously the place where the instructions were given was an obvious turn off the main route.] From the “desertlike expanse”, they now entered ‘the wilderness’, “a rocky defile”. “They found themselves walled in on each side by mountain ranges”, with dry, rocky watercourses, known as wadis, running throughout the valleys between the mountains. 4 Testimones p21.
“The way grew strange and perplexing, and night found them walled in right and left by ranges of impassible mountains, while directly in front was the Red Sea”. Signs of the Times 3.10.1881. ‘God’s Care for Israel par 5.
Israel was walking through the Wadi Watir, following the line of the river bed.
(It is quite flat, and has been made into a sealed road today, as the picture shows. Note the width of the wadi, and the narrow road. You can see the Red Sea in the distance, and the mountains of Arabia on the other side)
Israel’s journey through the mountainous wadi ended up at the beach of Nuweiba in the Gulf of Aqaba.
Found: Red Sea Crossing
“The Hebrews were encamped beside the sea, whose waters presented a seemingly impassable barrier before them, while on the south a rugged mountain obstructed their further progress”. Patriarchs and Prophets p283.
But God did not want them to go further south; He wanted them to be in a position where they were completely helpless, and needed to trust in Him.
Then He could show them His glory.
When Israel arrived at the beach, they set up temporary camp and settled down for the night. A few days later, the scouts suddenly shouted, ‘The Egyptians are coming. Pharaoh’s army is in the Wadi. Look at the cloud of dust. We are doomed. They will take us back to Egypt’.
“Terror filled the hearts of Israel. Some cried unto the Lord, but far the greater part hastened to Moses with their complaints, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?…” Patriarchs and Prophets p283.4.
Moses was greatly troubled that Israel would show such a lack of faith in God.
How could they charge him with their difficulties when He had obeyed the express command of God? Had they not all followed the cloud by day and by night?
Moses felt no fear of the consequences, but calmly placed himself in a position where all could see him, and said, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13.14.
As the people stood listening, the “cloudy column rose majestically into the heavens, passed over the Israelites, and descended between them and the armies of Egypt. A wall of darkness interposed between the pursued and their pursuers. The Egyptians could no longer discern the camp of the Hebrews, and were forced to halt.
But as the darkness of night deepened, the wall of cloud became a great light to the Israelites, flooding the entire encampment with the radiance of day.” Patriarchs and Prophets p284.285.
Then the voice of God was heard directing Moses to lift his rod, “and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” Exodus 14:16. (It is possible Moses reorganised the people prior to this direction, so they were ready as soon as the escape was made)
Suddenly a strong east wind sprang up. The waves began to beat upon the beach, and the people shrank back from its waters. Spray washed into their faces, and the people wondered what was happening.
Nuweiba was no longer a peaceful beach, and its occupants could not hear themselves speak.
But as they watched under the brilliant light of the cloudy pillar, they could see in the distance that something was happening. It was hard to see thirteen kilometres away, but gradually, whatever was taking place was getting closer and closer.
What was it?
Soon it became clear, and one by one, the people began to exclaim, ‘Look the sea is opening up. God is going to save us after all’.
The Bible says, “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.” Exodus 14:21.
At first reading, this text appears to say that it took all night for the waters to divide, but if you bracket (by a strong east wind) you will see that God caused the sea to go back… all that night. It must be, because Israel was across by morning.
We do not know how long it took for the sea to open, but it was most likely a short time, such as half an hour or an hour. No doubt the Hebrew reads clearly, but the English must be read as follows:
“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.”
It was the waters that stood back all night, not the blowing of the east wind. But it was the east wind that God used to divide the Red Sea. This is important for the timing of events.
When Israel had been once again organised into ranks, they moved forward “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.” Exodus 14:22.
The Bible mentions this dramatic event in many places, and in the Psalms it says, “He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.” Psalms 106:9.
And so Israel moved on to victory! Praise God for His deliverance!
Christians should remember the exodus when they are hemmed in by difficulties, for if God led them there (and not their own disobedience or neglect), He will lead them on to victory.
“When by faith we take hold of His strength, He will change, wonderfully change, the most hopeless, discouraging outlook. He will do this for the glory of His name”. Prophets and Kings p240.
“The light from God’s pillar of fire shone upon the foam-capped billows, and lighted the road that was cut like a mighty furrow through the waters of the sea, and was lost in the obscurity of the farther shore.” Patriarchs and Prophets p287.
(It is possible that the waters of the Red Sea became ice, as the verse says “the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea”, but it is also possible that invisible hands held them back as a wall of liquid water. Exodus 15:8. Both views are possible, and both are the miracle of God)
Isaiah speaks of the crossing in these words, “Art thou not it (the arm of the Lord) which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?” Isaiah 51:10.
In another place he says that God made “a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters”, and also that He “led them through the deep”. Isaiah 43:16.17, 63:11-13.
These texts make it clear that the Red Sea was deep water. It was not a few metres, and it was not a few centimetres as some have suggested. It was not ‘a sea of reeds’ as many Christians believe. At some places, the depth is almost 920 metres (at the southern end), and almost 1600 metres (to the north).
With such depths, the children of Israel would have had to descend at a very difficult angle, and instead of walking on dry sand, they would have been climbing down a sand hill at 45 degrees!
It would have been impossible, and this is where another miracle of God is seen.
At the very point where Nuweiba meets the water, there is a natural land bridge, and instead of slopes like giant buildings, the ‘bridge’ has a gentle slope of 6 degrees at the edge, gradually descending to 300 feet in the midst of the sea.
Can anyone doubt the leading of God?
Perhaps the texts have two meanings when they say, “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters… thou leddest Thy people a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Psalms 77:19.20.
It was already “a path in the mighty waters”, even before God divided the sea. Isaiah 43:16.
“All night long sounded the tramping of the hosts of Israel crossing the Red Sea; but the cloud hid them from the sight of their enemies. The Egyptians, weary with their hasty march, had encamped upon the shore for the night… The night was intensely dark, the clouds seemed to encompass them like some tangible substance. Deep sleep fell upon the camp; even the sentinels slumbered at their posts.” 4 Testimonies p24.
The next event mentioned in the Bible is, “And the Egyptians pursued”. Exodus 14:23.
Again, the closeness of the verses between Israel’s escape, and Pharaoh’s pursuit, does not give a picture of the time it took for Israel to cross thirteen kilometres of sand.
Suddenly a ringing blast arouses the Egyptian army! The cloud is passing on! Voices and the sound of marching come from toward the sea.
“It is still so dark that they cannot discern the escaping people, but the command is given to make ready for the pursuit. The clatter of arms and the roll of chariots, the marshalling of captains and the neighing of steeds, are heard. At length the line of march is formed, and they press on through the obscurity in the direction of the escaping multitude.
In the darkness and confusion they rush on in their pursuit, not knowing that they have entered upon the bed of the sea and are hemmed in on either hand by beetling (jutting out) walls of water. They long for the mist and darkness to pass away and reveal to them the Hebrews and their own whereabouts.” 4 Testimonies p24.
The Egyptians began their pursuit while it is yet dark.
But they find the going hard, “as the wheels of the chariots sink deep into the soft sand, and the horses become entangled and unruly. Confusion prevails, yet they pass on, feeling sure of victory.” 4 Testimonies p25.
Then God says, “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…” Exodus 14:24.25.
This is a very interesting concept. “The Lord took off the wheels of the chariots”. v25 . He probably had His angels do this work as they are His helpers.
Notice, it is in the “morning watch”, so it is close to morning, possibly around 5.00am.
Israel may not have been completely over at this stage, and even though the enemy was having a hard time making progress, God slowed them down even more.
As the Egyptians saw the wheels falling from their chariots, they realised they were no match for God, and in their consternation cried out,
“Let us flee from the face of Israel,
for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians”. Exodus 14:25.
When Israel was safely on the other side, “the Lord said to 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 Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.” Exodus 14:27.
In the middle of this text it states that “the sea returned when the morning appeared”, so we know at what time it took place.
The Egyptians could have been struggling on the pathway for an hour or so, when suddenly, the “mysterious cloud changed to a pillar of fire before their astonished eyes. The thunders pealed and the lightnings flashed.” Patriarchs and Prophets p287.288.
The Psalmist records it this way, “The waters saw thee O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid; the depths also were troubled. The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound; thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea… Thou leddest Thy people… by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Psalm 77:16-20.
“The Egyptians were seized with confusion and dismay. Amid the wrath of the elements, in which they heard the voice of an angry God, they endeavoured to retrace their steps and flee to the shore they had quitted.
But Moses stretched out his rod, and the piled-up waters, hissing, roaring, and eager for their prey, rushed together and swallowed the Egyptian army in their black depths.” Patriarchs and Prophets p287.288.
“Proud Pharaoh and his legions, gilded chariots and flashing armor, horses and riders, are engulfed beneath a stormy sea.” 4 Testimonies p25.
“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.” Exodus 14:28.
- Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was dead.
- The army was lost. The chariots were destroyed.
- The priesthood had drowned, together with the golden chariots of Egypt.
All was lost, and the power of Egypt went down into oblivion that day. Never again did that nation rise to its former glory.
Moses had said, “the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever”. Exodus 14:13.
Of course, Moses meant that they would never be able to touch God’s anointed again, as they would be dead. This was wonderfully fulfilled, and to make absolutely certain Israel would never think that somehow Pharaoh and his army were able to swim to shore, “Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.” Exodus 14:30.
God had made provision for Israel to believe beyond doubt that He had delivered them.
Obviously, Israel saw the dead soldiers washed up on the shores of the Arabian beach where they now stood. In the distance they would only be able to see the sandy shore, and not able to make out such detail.
From which direction did the sea return to have the Egyptians washed up in Arabia?
Of course you know the answer. It was from west to east, to safeguard any possibility of retreating soldiers being swept along by the mighty walls of water to safety on the Nuweiba shore.
1. Israel’s deliverance 2. Egypt’s destruction
from the east. from the west.
“That vast, helpless throng – bondmen unused to battle, women, children, and cattle, with the sea before them, and the mighty armies of Egypt pressing behind – had seen their path opened through the waters and their enemies overwhelmed in the moment of expected triumph. Jehovah alone had brought them deliverance, and to Him their hearts were turned in gratitude and faith.” Patriarchs and Prophets p298.288.
The Spirit of God rested upon Moses, and he led the people in a triumphant anthem of thanksgiving.
“I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and song and He is become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will… exalt Him…”
Exodus 15:1-17.
This song of Moses is a song of victory for a deliverance that was a ‘type’ (a miniature example) of the end of the world, a time when spiritual Israel will have been delivered from spiritual Egypt. It will involve the beast and his image, the mark, the name, and the number of the beast, which at that time, will encompass the whole world in its fast-approaching New World Order.
When Jesus returns, and the redeemed are ‘safe on the other shore’, they will “sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and marvellous are Thy works,
Lord God Almighty;
just and true are Thy ways,
Thou King of saints.”
Revelation 15:1-4.
Learn well the lesson of the Red Sea crossing, for we all must make a choice where we will be at the final deliverance – on the other shore, or at the bottom of the sea.