11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land…(diebhsan, Aor Act Ind)
which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. The Egyptian army had faith also, but it was misplaced faith. They apparently trusted, either in Pharaoh or themselves that they would be able to cross on the dry land.
In contrast to the Egyptian army’s false and misplaced faith, Israel’s and Moses’ Faith at the Red Sea is classic.
Israel’s faith to cross the Red Sea is a classic example of the greatness of God’s fine-tuning of His people. In Egypt the Hebrews were slaves who had not believed that God sent Moses (until the plagues began…and even then were doubting), and now they are standing at the threshold of seeing God’s power and deliverance at the Red Sea. They are forced by God to learn from their failure and God’s sovereign power. They had to make a decision to cross the Red Sea. Imagine the scene as it is described in Exodus chapter thirteen.
First, God Sends Them by Command To A Specific Location at The Red Sea: 13:1-2 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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. Why would the Lord send them to a place of “no escape?” They had mountains on one side, the Red Sea in front of them, the open desert on the third side, and Pharaoh’s army approaching from the fourth side.
The Lord Already Knew All The Events That Would Take Place: 13:3-4 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
God Prepared The Stage For The Events Which He Was Orchestrating For His Honor: 13:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
Pharaoh Did All That Which Was Natural, As God Directed Him: 13:6-9 And he 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 the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
The Children of Israel Were Afraid, Called on God, But Still Lacked Faith: 13:10-12 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
A Man of Faith Led The People to Have Faith: 13:13-16 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy 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.
God’s Plan Was Unfolding, and Israel’s Faith Was About To Be Increased: 13:17-18 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
When Faith Grows, God Acts Miraculously: 13:19-20 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Moses And The Children of Israel Watched God Open The Sea: 13:21 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.
At The “Point of Faith” They Began To Cross The Red Sea: 13:22 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.
The End of All Acts of Faith is The Realization That God is Sovereign and in Control and Does All Things In Harmony With His Word: 13:23-28 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 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: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD said unto 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 sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 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.
The Final Test of All Areas of Faith is The Victory That Faith Brings, and the Subsequent Growth in Our Spiritual Lives: 13:29-31 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
Conclusion: *Red Sea: Place of demarcation between the old life and the coming out of the people of God in the promised life. Picture of an impossible barrier - the only way out was God's revelation and redemption. Water of the Red Sea: sin moved away, no more to walk in sin and failure, but in newness of life and into the rest of God.