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Text: Exodus 14
Pharaoh is hardened against Israel (vss 1-9)
- The children of Israel leave Egypt and find themselves at the edge of the Red Sea. The trap is set for Pharaoh and Egypt here.
- The LORD says He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. But this is not in an internal, Calvinistic, fatalistic way. There is not internal work God does to Pharaoh to make him do anything. The LORD simply put Israel in a position of helplessness and drew out the wolf so to speak. As Israel appeared to be trapped, Pharaoh is encouraged by some of his cabinet members to go after them. This is the hardening process. Pharaoh, like a wild animal, sees helpless prey and is encouraged by voices within his group to hunt down Israel.
- As much as what Pharaoh saw hardened him against the Israelites, so too the Israelites were affected by what they saw.
Pains of death surround me (vss 10-18)
- The Israelites appear to be hopelessly cornered. Three things happen then.
- My eyes affect my heart
- Fear sets in.
- The wicked imagination takes over and starts connecting things that have nothing to do with each other, but in a cynical way.
- Solutions arise to imaginary problems.
- Faithfulness is the only thing that can rescue the mind from this death spiral of hopelessness.
- Moses must calm the fears of the people with God’s plan for deliverance based on his leadership.
- In verse 13 the problem is summed up, see the salvation of the LORD, not the fear!
- Moses, take the shepherd’s staff in your hand and make a way for the people through the impossible.
Protection from on high (vss 19-22)
- If you’re an Egyptian, then this cloud seems like one of those weird things that happen in war. It’s like you’re trying to catch up with the Israelites then suddenly you’re caught in a dust storm.
- Doing things God’s way gets God’s protection.
Power of God (vss 23-31)
- Punishment of the wicked in their own snare. The Pharaoh is bloodthirsty, so the LORD gives he and his army the sound of helpless prey in the wilderness.
- Pharaoh Thutmoses III, carried the namesake “Moses” for whom Moses was named. Remember, Moses was the Egyptian name given by an Egyptian princess. Her name was Hatshepsut. She found this Hebrew baby and called him Moses because her surname was Moses. It meant drawn out of the water and in Egyptian it also meant one who is born. This Pharaoh became known as the Napolean of Pharaohs.
- Up to this point in Thutmoses reign, he conducted 17 annual campaigns in 17 years to enlarge Egyptian territory. His army pursued the Israelites with sadistic hatred. After the army was buried alive under a tomb of water, Pharaoh himself apparently survives this because he is not leading the cavalry. His role is mastermind and architect of this warfare. But after this event, Thutmoses III will rule Egypt for another 15 years. But he will never wage another campaign. At this point in history, the Pharaoh’s war campaigns come to an abrupt end with little explanation from historians as to why. I believe we know why.
- After seeing the power of God the Israelites feared and believed the LORD. At least for a very short time.
