This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for June 28
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

The theme for this summer’s lessons, “Call Sealed with Promise,” is based on the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy. This month we have looked at Exodus, seeing God call his people out of the land of Egypt. Today’s text shows the Israelites finally escaping Egyptian bondage, their faces set toward the promised land.

Their release came neither quickly nor easily. The Hebrews lived in this foreign land for some 400 years. They came there when Joseph was still living. From his position of power and influence, he saw to it that they were well treated. Eventually, however, a ruler who did not know Joseph came to power. He began to mistreat and abuse the Israelites. God chose the reluctant Moses to lead them back to Canaan. With Aaron by his side, he eventually accepted the assignment.

God Directs/Exodus 14:15-18

God reassured Moses and the Israelites that he would deliver them with his “mighty hand” (Exodus 6:1). This led to God’s sending a series of plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians (7:14–12:30). With the final plague—the death of every firstborn child—Pharaoh at last relented. “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me” (12:31, 32).

Rather than leading the people on the most direct route, however, the Lord had them go “around by the desert road toward the Red Sea” (13:18). They took with them the bones of Joseph, so that he could be buried in his homeland (13:19). Led by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night, they headed back home to the promised land. After a short time, however, Pharaoh had second thoughts. What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services! (14:5). Quickly he ordered his troops to pursue them.

As a result, the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord (v. 10). “Why didn’t you leave us where we were, instead of bringing us out to the desert to die?” they asked the Lord through Moses. God’s answer was simply, “Move on,” and so they did—heading directly toward the Red Sea.

God Delivers/Exodus 14:19-22

As the people obeyed, God acted. The angel of the Lord had been traveling in front of Israel’s army. This heavenly messenger, closely identified with God, had been leading them. The same messenger first told Moses of his role in the deliverance of the people (see Exodus 3:2). Now the angel of the Lord changes location, going to the back of the multitude, forming a barrier between the Hebrews and the Egyptians. The pillar of cloud served as protection (see Psalm 105:39).

Then Moses raised his hand over the sea and the Lord sent a strong east wind. By God’s mighty power, he divided the waters, turned the riverbed into dry land, and prepared the way for the Israelites to cross the Red Sea. The Song of Moses (sung after their crossing) described what happened like this: “By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood firm like a wall” (Exodus 15:8).

God Defeats/Exodus 14:23-25, 30a

The Egyptians, still overconfident, charged on after them. “Since the Israelites got through there safely, let’s follow them!” Bad idea! The Lord . . . made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving (vv. 24, 25). Peter Enns points out, “This tactic hits the Egyptians at their symbol of power—their mighty chariots—which earlier struck fear into the Israelites. It is precisely that element that God mockingly derails. There they are, stuck in the middle of the sea, unable to proceed or retreat, and it finally dawns on them that they are, literally, in over their heads.”

Moses stretched forth his hand again and the waters flowed back to their normal place, covering the entire army of Pharaoh (vv. 26-28). The people of God found protection in his power and presence.

The crossing of the Red Sea provides a symbolic lesson. Paul used this incident to teach what happens when one trusts and obeys Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). “They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,” he explained. Just as the people of Israel were surrounded by water, covered over with the cloud of God’s presence, so the believer is immersed into Christ, completely covered, leaving his sinful past behind, and rising to walk in new life into the promised land (see Romans 6:3-7). We trust in Jesus, submitting to him as Lord over everything in our lives, just as the Hebrews trusted in Moses. Following Christ, we find our protection as well. |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.