This morning’s sermon continued the ‘Battles & Blessings’ series, looking at probably the most significant battle in all of Israel’s history: the Exodus from Egypt. After Joseph’s death, the new Pharaoh forgot the debt of gratitude owed to his people and Israel entered a period of slavery (see Ex 1:8). God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt (Ex 3:1-10), with the next chapters Moses’s reluctance and the innumerable meetings and plagues which resulted when Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go. The final plague, the death of the firstborn, was so dramatic that the Israelites were commanded to leave, but just when things seemed to be going well for them, Pharaoh had a change of heart (Ex 14:5-9) and pursued the Israelites. With the Red Sea in front of them blocking the way and the chariots of Egypt coming up behind them, this was one battle that seemed beyond God’s people! (Ex 14:10-12)
Moses’s response to this dire situation makesl us sit up in surprise: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”’ (Ex 14:13-14) This strategy seems doomed to failure, but as so often in history, we see that God’s ways are not our ways and victories only come when we do things God’s way.
Don’t Be Afraid
Moses’s first response to the terror and panic the people feel is reassurance. ‘Do not be afraid.’ This is so often God’s word to His people (see Gen 15, Gen 21:17, Josh 1:9, 1 Chron 28:20, 2 Chron 20:17, Is 41:14, Jer 46:27, Matt 1:20, Matt 10:31, Matt 14:27). ‘Don’t be afraid’ is God’s word to us which helps us to stop our terrified noise and paralysed panic and enables us to listen to what He has to say.
Stand Firm
We’re urged to stand firm, not doing anything actively ourselves to save ourselves, but trusting in God to be our deliverer and saviour. Ps 20:7-8 says ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.’ If we simply stand – in defiance of the enemies of God but trusting in God as our deliverer – we will be surprised at what we will see. The standing has to come first, but then we will see (see Mark 11:24, 1 Cor 15:58).
Receive the Promise
Moses promised, ‘The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.’ (Ex 14:13) We have to trust in God’s promises (see Josh 23:14), taking the long-term view (2 Cor 4: 17-18) and understanding that God is able to deal with our enemies. We don’t have to plot or take revenge; we simply trust God to fulfil His promises and pray for our enemies, as Jesus commanded us to. (Matt 5:44)
The Lord Will Fight For You
Moses repeatedly told the people that God would fight for them (see also Deut 1:30, 3:22; compare with 2 Chron 20:17). It’s a great thing to know that the battles we face do not have to be fought in our strength or with the weapons of the world. Instead, as we stand firm in faith, God fights for us.
You Need Only Be Still
Because God fights for us, we need only to be still. This is very hard for us to do. We are conditioned to be active, to be doing things from a young age. Activity is seen to be positive; resting and stillness are usually perceived as a kind of weakness, but Biblical not-doing, as Eugene Peterson reminds us, is neither sloth nor stoicism: it is a strategy. (Eugene Peterson, ‘Leap Over a Wall’) As we rest in God (see Ps 46, Hebrews 4), we stop trusting in our own works and look to see what God can do.
The result was God’s miraculous parting of the Red Sea and the Israelites’ deliverance from the hands of the Egyptians (Ex 14:15-31), resulting in a new song of praise and a new awareness of God in His majestic holiness (see Ex 15:11). The blessings that came from this battle still reverberate through history!