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Exodus 14:21
Verse
Context
Parting the Red Sea
20so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,22and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
Sermons
Oswald J. Smith
C.H. Spurgeon
Don Courville
Carter Conlon
Art Katz
Jim Cymbala
Wesley DuewelSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The Lord caused the sea to go back - That part of the sea over which the Israelites passed was, according to Mr. Bruce and other travelers, about four leagues across, and therefore might easily be crossed in one night. In the dividing of the sea two agents appear to be employed, though the effect produced can be attributed to neither. By stretching out the rod the waters were divided; by the blowing of the vehement, ardent, east wind, the bed of the sea was dried. It has been observed, that in the place where the Israelites are supposed to have passed, the water is about fourteen fathoms or twenty-eight yards deep: had the wind mentioned here been strong enough, naturally speaking, to have divided the waters, it must have blown in one narrow track, and continued blowing in the direction in which the Israelites passed; and a wind sufficient to have raised a mass of water twenty-eight yards deep and twelve miles in length, out of its bed, would necessarily have blown the whole six hundred thousand men away, and utterly destroyed them and their cattle. I therefore conclude that the east wind, which was ever remarked as a parching, burning wind, was used after the division of the waters, merely to dry the bottom, and render it passable. For an account of the hot drying winds in the east, See Clarke's note on Gen 8:1. God ever puts the highest honor on his instrument, Nature; and where it can act, he ever employs it. No natural agent could divide these waters, and cause them to stand as a wall upon the right hand and upon the left; therefore God did it by his own sovereign power. When the waters were thus divided, there was no need of a miracle to dry the bed of the sea and make it passable; therefore the strong desiccating east wind was brought, which soon accomplished this object. In this light I suppose the text should be understood.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
When Moses stretched out his hand with the staff (Exo 14:16) over the sea, "Jehovah made the water go (flow away) by a strong east wind the whole night, and made the sea into dry (ground), and the water split itself" (i.e., divided by flowing northward and southward); "and the Israelites went in the midst of the sea (where the water had been driven away by the wind) in the dry, and the water was a wall (i.e., a protection formed by the damming up of the water) on the right and on the left." קדים, the east wind, which may apply either to the south-east or north-east, as the Hebrew has special terms for the four quarters only. Whether the wind blew directly from the east, or somewhat from the south-east or north-east, cannot be determined, as we do not know the exact spot where the passage was made. in any case, the division of the water in both directions could only have been effected by an east wind; and although even now the ebb is strengthened by a north-east wind, as Tischendorf says, and the flood is driven so much to the south by a strong north-west wind that the gulf can be ridden through, and even forded on foot, to the north of Suez (v. Schub. Reise ii. p. 269), and "as a rule the rise and fall of the water in the Arabian Gulf is nowhere so dependent upon the wind as it is at Suez" (Wellsted, Arab. ii. 41, 42), the drying of the sea as here described cannot be accounted for by an ebb strengthened by the east wind, because the water is all driven southwards in the ebb, and not sent in two opposite directions. Such a division could only be produced by a wind sent by God, and working with omnipotent force, in connection with which the natural phenomenon of the ebb may no doubt have exerted a subordinate influence. (Note: But as the ebb at Suez leaves the shallow parts of the gulf so far dry, when a strong wind is blowing, that it is possible to cross over them, we may understand how the legend could have arisen among the Ichthyophagi of that neighbourhood (Diod. Sic. 3, 39) and even the inhabitants of Memphis (Euseb. praep. ev. 9, 27), that the Israelites took advantage of a strong ebb, and how modern writers like Clericus have tried to show that the passage through the sea may be so accounted for.) The passage was effected in the night, through the whole of which the wind was blowing, and in the morning watch (between three and six o'clock, Exo 14:24) it was finished. As to the possibility of a whole nation crossing with their flocks, Robinson concludes that this might have been accomplished within the period of an extraordinary ebb, which lasted three, or at the most four hours, and was strengthened by the influence of a miraculous wind. "As the Israelites," he observes, "numbered more than two millions of persons, besides flocks and herds, they would of course be able to pass but slowly. If the part left dry were broad enough to enable them to cross in a body one thousand abreast, which would require a space of more than half a mile in breadth (and is perhaps the largest supposition admissible), still the column would be more than two thousand persons in depth, and in all probability could not have extended less than two miles. It would then have occupied at least an hour in passing over its own length, or in entering the sea; and deducting this from the largest time intervening, before the Egyptians also have entered the sea, there will remain only time enough, under the circumstances, for the body of the Israelites to have passed, at the most, over a space of three or four miles." (Researches in Palestine, vol. i. p. 84.) But as the dividing of the water cannot be accounted for by an extraordinary ebb, even though miraculously strengthened, we have no occasion to limit the time allowed for the crossing to the ordinary period of an ebb. If God sent the wind, which divided the water and laid the bottom dry, as soon as night set in, the crossing might have begun at nine o'clock in the evening, if not before, and lasted till four of five o'clock in the morning (see Exo 14:27). By this extension of the time we gain enough for the flocks, which Robinson has left out of his calculation. The Egyptians naturally followed close upon the Israelites, from whom they were only divided by the pillar of cloud and fire; and when the rear of the Israelites had reached the opposite shore, they were in the midst of the sea. And in the morning watch Jehovah cast a look upon them in the pillar of cloud and fire, and threw their army into confusion (Exo 14:24). The breadth of the gulf at the point in question cannot be precisely determined. At the narrowest point above Suez, it is only two-thirds of a mile in breadth, or, according to Niebuhr, 3450 feet; but it was probably broader formerly, and even now is so farther up, opposite to Tell Kolzum (Rob. i. pp. 84 and 70). The place where the Israelites crossed must have been broader, otherwise the Egyptian army, with more than six hundred chariots and many horsemen, could not have been in the sea and perished there when the water returned. - "And Jehovah looked at the army of the Egyptians in (with) the pillar of cloud and fire, and troubled it." This look of Jehovah is to be regarded as the appearance of fire suddenly bursting forth from the pillar of cloud that was turned towards the Egyptians, which threw the Egyptian army into alarm and confusion, and not as "a storm with thunder and lightning," as Josephus and even Rosenmller assume, on the ground of Psa 78:18-19, though without noticing the fact that the psalmist has merely given a poetical version of the event, and intends to show "how all the powers of nature entered the service of the majestic revelation of Jehovah, when He judged Egypt and set Israel free" (Delitzsch). The fiery look of Jehovah was a much more stupendous phenomenon than a storm; hence its effect was incomparably grander, viz., a state of confusion in which the wheels of the chariots were broken off from the axles, and the Egyptians were therefore impeded in their efforts to escape.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Moses stretched out his hand, &c.--The waving of the rod was of great importance on this occasion to give public attestation in the presence of the assembled Israelites, both to the character of Moses and the divine mission with which he was charged. the Lord caused . . . a strong east wind all that night--Suppose a mere ebb tide caused by the wind, raising the water to a great height on one side, still as there was not only "dry land," but, according to the tenor of the sacred narrative, a wall on the right hand and on the left [Exo 14:22], it would be impossible on the hypothesis of such a natural cause to rear the wall on the other. The idea of divine interposition, therefore, is imperative; and, assuming the passage to have been made at Mount Attakah, or at the mouth of Wady Tawarik, an east wind would cut the sea in that line. The Hebrew word kedem, however, rendered in our translation, "east," means, in its primary signification, previous; so that this verse might, perhaps, be rendered, "the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong previous wind all that night"; a rendering which would remove the difficulty of supposing the host of Israel marched over on the sand, in the teeth of a rushing column of wind, strong enough to heap up the waters as a wall on each side of a dry path, and give the intelligible narrative of divine interference.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,.... With his rod in it, as he was directed to, Exo 14:16. What the poet says (z) of Bacchus is more true of Moses, whose rod had been lift up upon the rivers Egypt, and now upon the Red sea: and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night; and the direction of the Red sea being nearly, if not altogether, north and south, it was in a proper situation to be wrought upon and divided by an easterly wind; though the Septuagint version renders it a strong south wind. No wind of itself, without the exertion and continuance of almighty power, in a miraculous way, could have so thrown the waves of the sea on heaps, and retained them so long, that such a vast number of people should pass through it as on dry land; though this was an instrument Jehovah made use of, and that both to divide the waters of the sea, and to dry and harden the bottom of it, and make it fit for travelling, as follows: and made the sea dry land; or made the bottom of it dry, so that it could be trod and walked upon with ease, without sinking in, sticking fast, or slipping about, which was very extraordinary: and the waters were divided; or "after the waters were divided" (a); for they were first divided before the sea could be made dry. The Targum of Jonathan says, the waters were divided into twelve parts, answerable to the twelve tribes of Israel, and the same is observed by other Jewish writers (b), grounded upon a passage in Psa 136:13 and suppose that each tribe took its particular path. (z) "Tu flectis amnes, tu mare barbarum--" Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 19. (a) "quum diffidisset se aqua illius", Piscator; so seems to be used in ch. xvi. 20. (b) Pirke Eliezer, c. 42. Targum Jon. & Hieros. in Deut. i. 1. Jarchi, Kimchi, and Arama in Psal. cxxxvi. 13.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before the children of Israel. It was the terror of the Canaanites (Jos 2:9, Jos 2:10), the praise and triumph of the Israelites, Psa 114:3; Psa 106:9; Psa 136:13, Psa 136:14. It was a type of baptism, Co1 10:1, Co1 10:2. Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls (Isa 11:15), and the Egyptians' perdition in it was typical of the final ruin of all impenitent sinners, Rev 20:14. Here we have, I. An instance of God's almighty power in the kingdom of nature, in dividing the sea, and opening a passage through the waters. It was a bay, or gulf, or arm of the sea, two or three leagues over, which was divided, Exo 14:21. The instituted sign made use of was Moses's stretching out his hand over it, to signify that it was done in answer to his prayer, for the confirmation of his mission, and in favour to the people whom he led. The natural sign was a strong east wind, signifying that it was done by the power of God, whom the winds and the seas obey. If there be any passage in the book of Job which has reference to the miracles wrought for Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, it is that in Job 26:12, He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smileth through Rahab (so the word is), that is, Egypt. Note, God can bring his people through the greatest difficulties, and force a way where he does not find it. The God of nature has not tied himself to its laws, but, when he pleases, dispenses with them, and then the fire does not burn, nor the water flow. II. An instance of his wonderful favour to his Israel. They went through the sea to the opposite shore, for I cannot suppose, with some, that they fetched a compass, and came out again on the same side, Exo 14:22. They walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, Exo 14:29. And the pillar of cloud, that glory of the Lord, being their rearward (Isa 58:8), that the Egyptians might not charge them in the flank, the waters were a wall to them (it is twice mentioned) on their right hand and on their left. Moses and Aaron, it is probable, ventured first into this untrodden path, and then all Israel after them; and this march through the paths of the great waters would make their march afterwards, through the wilderness, less formidable. Those who had followed God through the sea needed not to fear following him whithersoever he led them. This march through the sea was in the night, and not a moon-shiny night, for it was seven days after the full moon, so that they had no light but what they had from the pillar of cloud and fire. This made it the more awful; but where God leads us he will light us; while we follow his conduct, we shall not want his comforts. This was done, and recorded, in order to encourage God's people in all ages to trust in him in the greatest straits. What cannot he do who did this? What will not he do for those hat fear and love him who did this for these murmuring unbelieving Israelis, who yet were beloved for their fathers' sake, and for the sake of a remnant among them? We find the saints, long afterwards, making themselves sharers in the triumphs of this march (Psa 66:6): They went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in him: and see how this work of wonder is improved, Psa 77:11, Psa 77:16, Psa 77:19. III. An instance of his just and righteous wrath upon his and his people's enemies, the Egyptians. Observe here, 1. How they were infatuated. In the heat of their pursuit, they went after the Israelites into the midst of the sea, Exo 14:23. "Why," thought they, "may not we venture where Israel did?" Once or twice the magicians of Egypt had done what Moses did, with their enchantments; Pharaoh remembered this, but forgot how they were nonplussed at last. They were more advantageously provided with chariots and horses, while the Israelites were on foot. Pharaoh had said, I know not the Lord; and by this it appeared he did not, else he would not have ventured thus. None so bold as those that are blind. Rage against Israel made them thus daring and inconsiderate: they had long hardened their own hearts; and now God hardened them to their ruin, and hid from their eyes the things that belonged to their peace and safety. Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird (Pro 1:17); yet so blind where the Egyptians that they hastened to the snare, Pro 7:23. Note, The ruin of sinners is brought on by their own presumption, which hurries them headlong into the pit. They are self-destroyers. 2. How they were troubled and perplexed, Exo 14:24, Exo 14:25. For some hours they marched through the divided waters as safely and triumphantly as Israel did, not doubting but, that, in a little time, they should gain their point. But, in the morning watch, the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians, and troubled them. Something or other they saw or heard from the pillar of cloud and fire which put them into great consternation, and gave them an apprehension of their ruin before it was brought upon them. Now it appeared that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and that God has ways to frighten sinners into despair, before he plunges them into destruction. He cuts off the spirit of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the earth. (1.) They had hectored and boasted as if the day were their own; but now they were troubled and dismayed, struck with a panic-fear. (2.) They had driven furiously; but now they drove heavily, and found themselves plugged and embarrassed at every step; the way grew deep, their hearts grew sad, their wheels dropped off, and the axle-trees failed. Thus can God check the violence of those that are in pursuit of his people. (3.) They had been flying upon the back of Israel, as the hawk upon the trembling dove; but now they cried, Let us flee from the face of Israel, which had become to them like a torch of fire in a sheaf, Zac 12:6. Israel has now, all of a sudden, become as much a terror to them as they had been to Israel. They might have let Israel alone and would not; now they would flee from the face of Israel and cannot. Men will not be convinced, till it is too late, that those who meddle with God's people meddle to their own hurt; when the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment, the mighty men will in vain seek to shelter themselves under rocks and mountains from the face of Israel and Israel's King, Rev 6:15. Compare with this story, Job 27:20, etc. 3. How they were all drowned. As soon as ever the children of Israel had got safely to the shore, Moses was ordered to stretch out his hand over the sea, and thereby give a signal to the waters to close again, as before, upon he word of command, they had opened to the right and the left, Exo 14:29. He did so, and immediately the waters returned to their place, and overwhelmed all the host of the Egyptians, Exo 14:27, Exo 14:28. Pharaoh and his servants, who had hardened one another in sin, now fell together, and not one escaped. An ancient tradition says that Pharaoh's magicians, Jannes and Jambres, perished with the rest, as Balaam with the Midianites whom he had seduced, Num 31:8. And now, (1.) God avenged upon the Egyptians the blood of the firstborn whom they had drowned: and the principal is repaid with interest, it is recompensed double, full-grown Egyptians for newborn Israelites; thus the Lord is righteous, and precious is his people's blood in his sight, Psa 72:14. (2.) God reckoned with Pharaoh for all his proud and insolent conduct towards Moses his ambassador. Mocking the messengers of the Lord, and playing the fool with them, bring ruin without remedy. Now God got him honour upon Pharaoh, looking upon that proud man, and abasing him, Job 40:12. Come and see the desolations he made, and write it, not in water, but with an iron pen in the rock for ever. Here lies that bloody tyrant who bade defiance to his Maker, to his demands, threatenings, and judgments; a rebel to God, and a slave to his own barbarous passions; perfectly lost to humanity, virtue, and all true honour; here he lies, buried in the deep, a perpetual monument of divine justice. Here he went down to the pit, though he was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, Eze 31:18. IV. Here is the notice which the Israelites took of this wonderful work which God wrought for them, and the good impressions which it made upon them for the present. 1. They saw the Egyptians dead upon the sands, Exo 14:30. Providence so ordered it that the next tide threw up the dead bodies, (1.) For the greater disgrace of the Egyptians. Now the beasts and birds of prey were called to eat the flesh of the captains and mighty men, Rev 19:17, Rev 19:18. The Egyptians were very nice and curious in embalming and preserving the bodies of their great men, but here the utmost contempt is poured upon all the grandees of Egypt; see how they lie, heaps upon heaps, as dung upon the face of the earth. (2.) For the greater triumph of the Israelites, and to affect them the more with their deliverance; for the eye affects the heart. See Isa 66:24, They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me. Probably they stripped the slain and, having borrowed jewels of their neighbours before, which (the Egyptians having by this hostile pursuit of them broken their faith with them) henceforward they were not under any obligation to restore, they now got arms from them, which, some think, they were not before provided with. Thus, when God broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, he gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness, Psa 74:14. 2. The sight of this great work greatly affected them, and now they feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses, Exo 14:31. Now they were ashamed of their distrusts and murmurings, and, in the good mind they were in, they would never again despair of help from Heaven, no, not in the greatest straits; they would never again quarrel with Moses, nor talk of returning to Egypt. They were now baptized unto Moses in the sea, Co1 10:2. This great work which God wrought for them by the ministry of Moses bound them effectually to follow his directions, under God. This confirmed their faith in the promises that were yet to be fulfilled; and, being brought thus triumphantly out of Egypt, they did not doubt that they should be in Canaan shortly, having such a God to trust to, and such a mediator between them and him. O that there had been such a heart in them as now there seemed to be! Sensible mercies, when they are fresh, make sensible impressions; but with many these impressions soon wear off: while they see God's works, and feel the benefit of them, they fear him and trust in him; but they soon forget his works, and then they slight him. How well were it for us if we were always in as good a frame as we are in sometimes!
Exodus 14:21
Parting the Red Sea
20so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,22and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
A Message for New Christians
By Oswald J. Smith10K47:36New ChristiansEXO 14:21In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of four steps to reach the Promised Land. The first step is separation from sin, where individuals must distance themselves from their besetting sins. The second step is dedication, where one dedicates their life to Jesus Christ upon reaching the Promised Land. The third step is feeling with the Holy Spirit, as separation and dedication are incomplete without being filled with the Spirit of God. Lastly, the fourth step is faith, which is necessary to overcome challenges and enter the Promised Land. The preacher also mentions the story of Caleb and Joshua, who were the only two men over 20 years old to successfully enter the Promised Land, highlighting the importance of following these steps to achieve victory in the Christian journey.
Comfort Proclaimed
By C.H. Spurgeon3.7K39:45EXO 14:21PSA 23:1PSA 34:18PSA 66:10ISA 43:2ISA 53:51PE 5:7The sermon transcript emphasizes the importance of comforting others in times of sorrow and distress. It encourages believers to find solace in God's presence and to share the message of hope and redemption with those who are hurting. The transcript also highlights the power of God's past actions and miracles in providing comfort and assurance to His people. It concludes by acknowledging the disappointment that can arise when the preaching of the word does not bring the desired comfort, but encourages believers to continue seeking solace in God and to share His comforting message with others.
What Holds Back Revival
By Don Courville3.4K14:07RevivalEXO 14:21PSA 85:6ISA 57:15ISA 58:1HOS 10:12MAT 6:33MRK 6:5In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of doing kind deeds as a way to open doors for sharing one's testimony. The preacher also highlights the need for personal salvation and staying excited about Jesus throughout one's life. The lack of care for the lost and neglect of spiritual input and concern for family members who are not saved are identified as reasons why God may not be blessing. The sermon also addresses sins of commission, such as worldly mindedness, pride, envy, bitterness, slander, lying, and cheating. The preacher calls for repentance, remembering the days when God's glory was present, and a renewed love for souls and sharing the gospel with neighbors.
Taking Back Your Song in the Night
By Carter Conlon3.0K20:45DeliveranceEXO 14:21PSA 29:3In this sermon, the speaker begins by expressing gratitude and praise to Jesus. They emphasize the importance of thanking and praising God. The speaker then shares a personal story about someone in their choir who lost their job on the same day as the 9/11 attacks. They highlight the belief that the steps of a righteous person are ordered by the Lord and that God's plans are being accomplished in every aspect of life. The speaker encourages listeners to trust in God's guidance and to see obstacles as opportunities for God's power to be manifested.
On Reading the Scriptures
By Art Katz2.6K47:08ScripturesEXO 14:21In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of quality of spirit in our relationship with God, rather than just focusing on the passage of time. He highlights the significance of sacred history as a means of understanding righteousness and humility through God's acts. The speaker also discusses the value of reading scripture consecutively, as it allows us to immerse ourselves in the experiences of our ancestors and learn from their doubts, unbelief, punishment, repentance, and God's faithfulness. The sermon concludes with a reference to the Passover tradition and the importance of understanding and participating in the story of our ancestors for our own spiritual growth.
When Things Don't Make Sense
By Jim Cymbala2.1K19:26ConfusionEXO 14:21EXO 15:23EXO 16:4EXO 16:20EXO 17:2EXO 32:1EXO 32:4In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of worshiping God in the invisible, rather than relying on physical signs and experiences. He warns against seeking tangible proof of God's presence and instead encourages the congregation to praise and worship God regardless of what they see or feel. The sermon references the story of Moses and the Israelites, who became impatient and built an idol in the form of a calf while waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain. The preacher highlights the consequences of their impatience and urges the congregation to wait on God's timing and not rush ahead in their own desires.
The Prayer That Prepares the Way
By Wesley Duewel1.8K49:03PrayerEXO 14:21ISA 40:1ISA 63:11ISA 65:1MAT 6:33MAT 23:37LUK 11:9In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance and comfort of revival for God's people, the Church, and the community. He prays for the spread of revival news through ministries like the Canadian Revival Fellowship. The preacher shares examples of how revival can transform lives and bring glory to God. He encourages the audience to study the Word of God and to prevail in prayer for revival to sweep over their countries and the world. The sermon is based on Isaiah 40:1-5, where God calls for the preparation of the way for His coming and promises that His glory will be revealed to all mankind.
Sat. Healing and Communion Service (2002 C&ma Council)
By Jeffery A Valentine1.6K00:00Communion ServiceEXO 14:21MAT 26:29In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of feeling unable to articulate his thoughts due to a speech impediment. Despite this, he had prepared four sentences to speak, but felt prompted to offer a sacrifice of praise instead. He sang a song of worship and rest in God's control and deliverance. The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in difficult situations, as they fade away in the presence of God. The sermon also references Moses' frustration in leading the people of Israel and how God assured him of His presence and glory.
Victory or Survival - Part 3
By Winkie Pratney1.5K21:17EXO 14:21JOS 6:20JDG 16:281SA 14:6MAT 6:33ROM 8:311CO 12:7In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of trusting in God and putting our faith into action. He uses the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer to illustrate this point. Jonathan and his companion bravely attack the Philistines, even though they are outnumbered. Through their courageous act, God brings confusion and fear upon the enemy, causing them to fight amongst themselves. The preacher encourages the audience to seek fresh revelations of God's power and greatness, and to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus as the ruling and reigning king.
Thy Way Was in the Sea
By T. Austin-Sparks1.5K20:26Christian LifeEXO 14:21PSA 77:2PSA 77:14PSA 77:16PSA 77:18The video is a sermon about the way in which the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. The speaker reflects on how he had previously written a song about this mighty work of God and now finds himself needing to apply the same message to his own life. He emphasizes that just as God made a way for the Israelites when there seemed to be no way, God has a way for us today in our own difficult circumstances. The speaker encourages the audience to lift up their heads and have hope, as heaven always has a way out and a solution to our problems.
Go Forward
By G.W. North1.3K1:26:41Christian LifeEXO 3:18EXO 12:15EXO 13:2EXO 13:21EXO 14:21EXO 15:22ECC 4:9In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of leaders taking initiative and leading by example. He uses the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea as an example of this principle. The speaker highlights how Pharaoh and his servants were determined to bring the Israelites back into slavery, but God declared that Israel was His chosen people. The Israelites, however, were initially reluctant and fearful, questioning Moses' decision to lead them out of Egypt. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of trust in God and the triumph that comes from going through tests with Him.
(Clip) Full Throttle Prayer
By Shane Idleman1.2K06:07EXO 14:21
This sermon emphasizes the power of prayer by recounting various instances in the Bible where fervent prayer led to miraculous interventions from God, showcasing how prayer can demolish strongholds, overcome obstacles, and bring about divine protection and deliverance. It highlights the importance of seeking God's face, humbling ourselves in prayer, and using prayer as the ultimate weapon in spiritual warfare against the enemy.
Spiritual Awakening
By Carter Conlon1.1K52:11Spiritual AwakeningEXO 3:7EXO 14:21MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the power of God's spirit over human strength. He uses examples from the Bible, such as David facing Goliath and Moses confronting Pharaoh, to illustrate how God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. The speaker encourages the audience to step out of their own abilities and rely on God's power. He also emphasizes the importance of faith and surrendering to God's will. Overall, the sermon emphasizes the idea that when we realize our own weakness and trust in God, He can work through us to accomplish great things.
Passing Over the Smitten Waters (Compilation)
By Compilations77104:54CompilationGEN 1:1EXO 14:212KI 2:14PSA 119:105EZK 36:25MAT 6:33JHN 7:38In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not treating the Word of God as a dead letter, but as a living and powerful force. He uses the example of Elijah and the Jordan River to illustrate the need for believers to cross over from death to life and from barrenness to the promises of God. The preacher encourages listeners to cry out to God and seek a deeper understanding of His Word, just as the great men and women of faith throughout history have done. He emphasizes the need to trust in God's provision and to make the choice to cross over into the impossible places that the Spirit of God wants to lead us to.
(Keswick) 1959, Ministry From 2 Timothy - Part 2
By Paul S. Rees72634:26Keswick ConventionEXO 14:21MAT 5:16MRK 16:15ROM 1:16EPH 6:102TI 1:71PE 3:15In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the need for the whole church, including laymen, to be active witnesses of Jesus Christ. They acknowledge that the task of evangelizing the world is too big for ministers alone, and that laymen must be enlisted as productive witnesses. The speaker shares a personal experience of witnessing a powerful movement of the Spirit in a church congregation, where individuals made a dedication to be God's witnesses to others. They highlight the importance of not just speaking a testimony, but living a life that reflects the gospel. The sermon also addresses the need for discernment in choosing battles and not wasting energy on unnecessary controversies within the faith.
Old Testament Survey - Part 13
By Dick Woodward58627:38EXO 14:21
This sermon delves into the book of Exodus, highlighting the theme of deliverance from slavery, both physical and spiritual. It emphasizes the power of God displayed through the ten plagues, showcasing the need for divine intervention for salvation. The sermon draws parallels between Moses' deliverance of the Israelites and Jesus Christ's deliverance of believers from sin, emphasizing the importance of not compromising with evil. It underscores the necessity of miracles for salvation, divine guidance, and sustenance, culminating in the significance of the Passover sacrament as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross for humanity's sins.
The Cross
By David Wilkerson58454:46CrossEXO 14:211TH 1:5HEB 6:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of God's right hand in destroying the works of the devil. He refers to the manifestation of the Son of God to destroy the devil's works and the future binding and imprisonment of the devil. The preacher then shifts to the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 14, highlighting the victory of the cross in this chapter. He invites the congregation to experience freedom from the hold of the devil by trusting in Jesus' power to overcome the enemy.
Oily Feet and Brassy Shoes
By Jack Hyles56435:59Christian LifeEXO 14:21In this sermon, the preacher talks about how God provides for his people in miraculous ways. He shares a story of a Jewish lady who hadn't bought new clothes in 40 years, and God assured her that her clothes wouldn't wear out. The preacher emphasizes that God knows our needs and will provide for us, just as he did for the Israelites in the wilderness. He encourages the congregation to trust in God's provision and have faith that he will make a way even in seemingly impossible situations.
Revelation 1
By Shane Idleman50750:02EXO 14:21
This sermon emphasizes the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit and engaging in full throttle prayer. It highlights the power of prayer in demolishing strongholds, the need for a revival of passionate worship, and the impact of encountering God's presence. The message calls for a return to God, seeking His face, and being led by the Spirit to overcome spiritual battles and experience transformation.
Palm Sunday (The Stones Sing Out)
By Thaddeus Barnum45027:41Palm SundayGEN 3:23EXO 14:21JOS 4:22PSA 23:4PSA 118:22PSA 118:25MAT 21:9MAT 21:42In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of Joshua chapter 4 in the Bible. The passage describes the Israelites' journey from captivity in Egypt to the promised land. The speaker emphasizes the significance of the stones that were set up as a memorial for future generations. These stones were a reminder of God's faithfulness and the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing and proclaiming God's work in our lives, even if it means that inanimate objects like stones would sing His praises.
Progressive Miracles
By David Wilkerson0Faith in God's TimingMiraclesEXO 14:21David Wilkerson emphasizes the distinction between instantaneous miracles and progressive miracles in his sermon 'Progressive Miracles.' He illustrates that while the Old Testament showcases dramatic, immediate miracles, many of God's works today unfold gradually and quietly, often unnoticed. Wilkerson points out that both types of miracles were evident in Christ's ministry, particularly in the feedings of the multitudes, where the miracle of provision occurred progressively. He encourages believers to recognize and trust in the subtle, ongoing work of God in their lives, even when it is not immediately visible. Ultimately, the sermon calls for faith in God's ability to perform miracles in ways that may not align with our expectations.
The Greatest Test of All
By David Wilkerson0True WorshipFaith in TrialsEXO 14:21PSA 23:4PSA 56:3ISA 41:10JHN 14:27ROM 8:28PHP 1:212TI 1:12HEB 13:51PE 5:7David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of unwavering faith in God during trials, using the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea as a powerful example. He illustrates how God desires His people to trust Him completely, even in the face of danger and uncertainty, reminding them that He is always working for their good. Wilkerson contrasts shallow worship, which celebrates only after victory, with true worship that remains steadfast in the storm. He shares a personal story of his granddaughter Tiffany, who exemplified unshakeable faith and peace in her final days, demonstrating that true worshippers are those who trust God with their lives and deaths. Ultimately, he encourages believers to rest in God's faithfulness, regardless of their circumstances.
God Works in the Dark
By Charles E. Cowman0EXO 14:21PSA 30:5PSA 139:12ISA 45:3JHN 11:10Charles E. Cowman preaches about the comforting message in Exodus 14:21, highlighting how God works in the dark and unseen moments of our lives. Just as God caused the sea to go back 'all that night' for the children of Israel, He continues to work in our lives even when we cannot see or understand His ways. The darkness of the night symbolizes times of struggle, doubt, and uncertainty, but it is during these times that God is actively working to make a way for us.
Deliverance in the Stormy Winds
By Charles E. Cowman0EXO 10:13EXO 14:21EXO 15:10PSA 107:29REV 15:2Charles E. Cowman reflects on the story of the Lord bringing an east wind to bring locusts upon Egypt, and how the stormy winds were used by God to deliver Israel from the cruel Pharaoh. He emphasizes the mysterious ways in which God's power and protection are displayed through the stormy winds, leading to ultimate triumph and deliverance. Cowman encourages trust in God's sovereignty, even in the midst of wild and unleashed storms, knowing that He is in control and working all things for our good.
"They Sing the Song of Moses"
By Robert Murray M'Cheyne0God's DeliveranceFaith in TrialsEXO 14:21Robert Murray M'Cheyne reflects on the journey of the Israelites through the Red Sea, emphasizing the miraculous deliverance by God as they faced overwhelming odds. He draws parallels between their experience and the struggles of believers today, highlighting the importance of faith and reliance on God as our guiding light through life's dark moments. M'Cheyne encourages the faithful to mix their fears with joy, knowing that God's grace leads them safely through trials. Ultimately, he envisions a future where believers will rejoice in the victory of salvation, singing praises for the journey they have endured. The sermon serves as a reminder of hope and the power of faith amidst life's challenges.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The Lord caused the sea to go back - That part of the sea over which the Israelites passed was, according to Mr. Bruce and other travelers, about four leagues across, and therefore might easily be crossed in one night. In the dividing of the sea two agents appear to be employed, though the effect produced can be attributed to neither. By stretching out the rod the waters were divided; by the blowing of the vehement, ardent, east wind, the bed of the sea was dried. It has been observed, that in the place where the Israelites are supposed to have passed, the water is about fourteen fathoms or twenty-eight yards deep: had the wind mentioned here been strong enough, naturally speaking, to have divided the waters, it must have blown in one narrow track, and continued blowing in the direction in which the Israelites passed; and a wind sufficient to have raised a mass of water twenty-eight yards deep and twelve miles in length, out of its bed, would necessarily have blown the whole six hundred thousand men away, and utterly destroyed them and their cattle. I therefore conclude that the east wind, which was ever remarked as a parching, burning wind, was used after the division of the waters, merely to dry the bottom, and render it passable. For an account of the hot drying winds in the east, See Clarke's note on Gen 8:1. God ever puts the highest honor on his instrument, Nature; and where it can act, he ever employs it. No natural agent could divide these waters, and cause them to stand as a wall upon the right hand and upon the left; therefore God did it by his own sovereign power. When the waters were thus divided, there was no need of a miracle to dry the bed of the sea and make it passable; therefore the strong desiccating east wind was brought, which soon accomplished this object. In this light I suppose the text should be understood.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
When Moses stretched out his hand with the staff (Exo 14:16) over the sea, "Jehovah made the water go (flow away) by a strong east wind the whole night, and made the sea into dry (ground), and the water split itself" (i.e., divided by flowing northward and southward); "and the Israelites went in the midst of the sea (where the water had been driven away by the wind) in the dry, and the water was a wall (i.e., a protection formed by the damming up of the water) on the right and on the left." קדים, the east wind, which may apply either to the south-east or north-east, as the Hebrew has special terms for the four quarters only. Whether the wind blew directly from the east, or somewhat from the south-east or north-east, cannot be determined, as we do not know the exact spot where the passage was made. in any case, the division of the water in both directions could only have been effected by an east wind; and although even now the ebb is strengthened by a north-east wind, as Tischendorf says, and the flood is driven so much to the south by a strong north-west wind that the gulf can be ridden through, and even forded on foot, to the north of Suez (v. Schub. Reise ii. p. 269), and "as a rule the rise and fall of the water in the Arabian Gulf is nowhere so dependent upon the wind as it is at Suez" (Wellsted, Arab. ii. 41, 42), the drying of the sea as here described cannot be accounted for by an ebb strengthened by the east wind, because the water is all driven southwards in the ebb, and not sent in two opposite directions. Such a division could only be produced by a wind sent by God, and working with omnipotent force, in connection with which the natural phenomenon of the ebb may no doubt have exerted a subordinate influence. (Note: But as the ebb at Suez leaves the shallow parts of the gulf so far dry, when a strong wind is blowing, that it is possible to cross over them, we may understand how the legend could have arisen among the Ichthyophagi of that neighbourhood (Diod. Sic. 3, 39) and even the inhabitants of Memphis (Euseb. praep. ev. 9, 27), that the Israelites took advantage of a strong ebb, and how modern writers like Clericus have tried to show that the passage through the sea may be so accounted for.) The passage was effected in the night, through the whole of which the wind was blowing, and in the morning watch (between three and six o'clock, Exo 14:24) it was finished. As to the possibility of a whole nation crossing with their flocks, Robinson concludes that this might have been accomplished within the period of an extraordinary ebb, which lasted three, or at the most four hours, and was strengthened by the influence of a miraculous wind. "As the Israelites," he observes, "numbered more than two millions of persons, besides flocks and herds, they would of course be able to pass but slowly. If the part left dry were broad enough to enable them to cross in a body one thousand abreast, which would require a space of more than half a mile in breadth (and is perhaps the largest supposition admissible), still the column would be more than two thousand persons in depth, and in all probability could not have extended less than two miles. It would then have occupied at least an hour in passing over its own length, or in entering the sea; and deducting this from the largest time intervening, before the Egyptians also have entered the sea, there will remain only time enough, under the circumstances, for the body of the Israelites to have passed, at the most, over a space of three or four miles." (Researches in Palestine, vol. i. p. 84.) But as the dividing of the water cannot be accounted for by an extraordinary ebb, even though miraculously strengthened, we have no occasion to limit the time allowed for the crossing to the ordinary period of an ebb. If God sent the wind, which divided the water and laid the bottom dry, as soon as night set in, the crossing might have begun at nine o'clock in the evening, if not before, and lasted till four of five o'clock in the morning (see Exo 14:27). By this extension of the time we gain enough for the flocks, which Robinson has left out of his calculation. The Egyptians naturally followed close upon the Israelites, from whom they were only divided by the pillar of cloud and fire; and when the rear of the Israelites had reached the opposite shore, they were in the midst of the sea. And in the morning watch Jehovah cast a look upon them in the pillar of cloud and fire, and threw their army into confusion (Exo 14:24). The breadth of the gulf at the point in question cannot be precisely determined. At the narrowest point above Suez, it is only two-thirds of a mile in breadth, or, according to Niebuhr, 3450 feet; but it was probably broader formerly, and even now is so farther up, opposite to Tell Kolzum (Rob. i. pp. 84 and 70). The place where the Israelites crossed must have been broader, otherwise the Egyptian army, with more than six hundred chariots and many horsemen, could not have been in the sea and perished there when the water returned. - "And Jehovah looked at the army of the Egyptians in (with) the pillar of cloud and fire, and troubled it." This look of Jehovah is to be regarded as the appearance of fire suddenly bursting forth from the pillar of cloud that was turned towards the Egyptians, which threw the Egyptian army into alarm and confusion, and not as "a storm with thunder and lightning," as Josephus and even Rosenmller assume, on the ground of Psa 78:18-19, though without noticing the fact that the psalmist has merely given a poetical version of the event, and intends to show "how all the powers of nature entered the service of the majestic revelation of Jehovah, when He judged Egypt and set Israel free" (Delitzsch). The fiery look of Jehovah was a much more stupendous phenomenon than a storm; hence its effect was incomparably grander, viz., a state of confusion in which the wheels of the chariots were broken off from the axles, and the Egyptians were therefore impeded in their efforts to escape.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Moses stretched out his hand, &c.--The waving of the rod was of great importance on this occasion to give public attestation in the presence of the assembled Israelites, both to the character of Moses and the divine mission with which he was charged. the Lord caused . . . a strong east wind all that night--Suppose a mere ebb tide caused by the wind, raising the water to a great height on one side, still as there was not only "dry land," but, according to the tenor of the sacred narrative, a wall on the right hand and on the left [Exo 14:22], it would be impossible on the hypothesis of such a natural cause to rear the wall on the other. The idea of divine interposition, therefore, is imperative; and, assuming the passage to have been made at Mount Attakah, or at the mouth of Wady Tawarik, an east wind would cut the sea in that line. The Hebrew word kedem, however, rendered in our translation, "east," means, in its primary signification, previous; so that this verse might, perhaps, be rendered, "the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong previous wind all that night"; a rendering which would remove the difficulty of supposing the host of Israel marched over on the sand, in the teeth of a rushing column of wind, strong enough to heap up the waters as a wall on each side of a dry path, and give the intelligible narrative of divine interference.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,.... With his rod in it, as he was directed to, Exo 14:16. What the poet says (z) of Bacchus is more true of Moses, whose rod had been lift up upon the rivers Egypt, and now upon the Red sea: and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night; and the direction of the Red sea being nearly, if not altogether, north and south, it was in a proper situation to be wrought upon and divided by an easterly wind; though the Septuagint version renders it a strong south wind. No wind of itself, without the exertion and continuance of almighty power, in a miraculous way, could have so thrown the waves of the sea on heaps, and retained them so long, that such a vast number of people should pass through it as on dry land; though this was an instrument Jehovah made use of, and that both to divide the waters of the sea, and to dry and harden the bottom of it, and make it fit for travelling, as follows: and made the sea dry land; or made the bottom of it dry, so that it could be trod and walked upon with ease, without sinking in, sticking fast, or slipping about, which was very extraordinary: and the waters were divided; or "after the waters were divided" (a); for they were first divided before the sea could be made dry. The Targum of Jonathan says, the waters were divided into twelve parts, answerable to the twelve tribes of Israel, and the same is observed by other Jewish writers (b), grounded upon a passage in Psa 136:13 and suppose that each tribe took its particular path. (z) "Tu flectis amnes, tu mare barbarum--" Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 19. (a) "quum diffidisset se aqua illius", Piscator; so seems to be used in ch. xvi. 20. (b) Pirke Eliezer, c. 42. Targum Jon. & Hieros. in Deut. i. 1. Jarchi, Kimchi, and Arama in Psal. cxxxvi. 13.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before the children of Israel. It was the terror of the Canaanites (Jos 2:9, Jos 2:10), the praise and triumph of the Israelites, Psa 114:3; Psa 106:9; Psa 136:13, Psa 136:14. It was a type of baptism, Co1 10:1, Co1 10:2. Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls (Isa 11:15), and the Egyptians' perdition in it was typical of the final ruin of all impenitent sinners, Rev 20:14. Here we have, I. An instance of God's almighty power in the kingdom of nature, in dividing the sea, and opening a passage through the waters. It was a bay, or gulf, or arm of the sea, two or three leagues over, which was divided, Exo 14:21. The instituted sign made use of was Moses's stretching out his hand over it, to signify that it was done in answer to his prayer, for the confirmation of his mission, and in favour to the people whom he led. The natural sign was a strong east wind, signifying that it was done by the power of God, whom the winds and the seas obey. If there be any passage in the book of Job which has reference to the miracles wrought for Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, it is that in Job 26:12, He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smileth through Rahab (so the word is), that is, Egypt. Note, God can bring his people through the greatest difficulties, and force a way where he does not find it. The God of nature has not tied himself to its laws, but, when he pleases, dispenses with them, and then the fire does not burn, nor the water flow. II. An instance of his wonderful favour to his Israel. They went through the sea to the opposite shore, for I cannot suppose, with some, that they fetched a compass, and came out again on the same side, Exo 14:22. They walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, Exo 14:29. And the pillar of cloud, that glory of the Lord, being their rearward (Isa 58:8), that the Egyptians might not charge them in the flank, the waters were a wall to them (it is twice mentioned) on their right hand and on their left. Moses and Aaron, it is probable, ventured first into this untrodden path, and then all Israel after them; and this march through the paths of the great waters would make their march afterwards, through the wilderness, less formidable. Those who had followed God through the sea needed not to fear following him whithersoever he led them. This march through the sea was in the night, and not a moon-shiny night, for it was seven days after the full moon, so that they had no light but what they had from the pillar of cloud and fire. This made it the more awful; but where God leads us he will light us; while we follow his conduct, we shall not want his comforts. This was done, and recorded, in order to encourage God's people in all ages to trust in him in the greatest straits. What cannot he do who did this? What will not he do for those hat fear and love him who did this for these murmuring unbelieving Israelis, who yet were beloved for their fathers' sake, and for the sake of a remnant among them? We find the saints, long afterwards, making themselves sharers in the triumphs of this march (Psa 66:6): They went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in him: and see how this work of wonder is improved, Psa 77:11, Psa 77:16, Psa 77:19. III. An instance of his just and righteous wrath upon his and his people's enemies, the Egyptians. Observe here, 1. How they were infatuated. In the heat of their pursuit, they went after the Israelites into the midst of the sea, Exo 14:23. "Why," thought they, "may not we venture where Israel did?" Once or twice the magicians of Egypt had done what Moses did, with their enchantments; Pharaoh remembered this, but forgot how they were nonplussed at last. They were more advantageously provided with chariots and horses, while the Israelites were on foot. Pharaoh had said, I know not the Lord; and by this it appeared he did not, else he would not have ventured thus. None so bold as those that are blind. Rage against Israel made them thus daring and inconsiderate: they had long hardened their own hearts; and now God hardened them to their ruin, and hid from their eyes the things that belonged to their peace and safety. Surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird (Pro 1:17); yet so blind where the Egyptians that they hastened to the snare, Pro 7:23. Note, The ruin of sinners is brought on by their own presumption, which hurries them headlong into the pit. They are self-destroyers. 2. How they were troubled and perplexed, Exo 14:24, Exo 14:25. For some hours they marched through the divided waters as safely and triumphantly as Israel did, not doubting but, that, in a little time, they should gain their point. But, in the morning watch, the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians, and troubled them. Something or other they saw or heard from the pillar of cloud and fire which put them into great consternation, and gave them an apprehension of their ruin before it was brought upon them. Now it appeared that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and that God has ways to frighten sinners into despair, before he plunges them into destruction. He cuts off the spirit of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the earth. (1.) They had hectored and boasted as if the day were their own; but now they were troubled and dismayed, struck with a panic-fear. (2.) They had driven furiously; but now they drove heavily, and found themselves plugged and embarrassed at every step; the way grew deep, their hearts grew sad, their wheels dropped off, and the axle-trees failed. Thus can God check the violence of those that are in pursuit of his people. (3.) They had been flying upon the back of Israel, as the hawk upon the trembling dove; but now they cried, Let us flee from the face of Israel, which had become to them like a torch of fire in a sheaf, Zac 12:6. Israel has now, all of a sudden, become as much a terror to them as they had been to Israel. They might have let Israel alone and would not; now they would flee from the face of Israel and cannot. Men will not be convinced, till it is too late, that those who meddle with God's people meddle to their own hurt; when the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment, the mighty men will in vain seek to shelter themselves under rocks and mountains from the face of Israel and Israel's King, Rev 6:15. Compare with this story, Job 27:20, etc. 3. How they were all drowned. As soon as ever the children of Israel had got safely to the shore, Moses was ordered to stretch out his hand over the sea, and thereby give a signal to the waters to close again, as before, upon he word of command, they had opened to the right and the left, Exo 14:29. He did so, and immediately the waters returned to their place, and overwhelmed all the host of the Egyptians, Exo 14:27, Exo 14:28. Pharaoh and his servants, who had hardened one another in sin, now fell together, and not one escaped. An ancient tradition says that Pharaoh's magicians, Jannes and Jambres, perished with the rest, as Balaam with the Midianites whom he had seduced, Num 31:8. And now, (1.) God avenged upon the Egyptians the blood of the firstborn whom they had drowned: and the principal is repaid with interest, it is recompensed double, full-grown Egyptians for newborn Israelites; thus the Lord is righteous, and precious is his people's blood in his sight, Psa 72:14. (2.) God reckoned with Pharaoh for all his proud and insolent conduct towards Moses his ambassador. Mocking the messengers of the Lord, and playing the fool with them, bring ruin without remedy. Now God got him honour upon Pharaoh, looking upon that proud man, and abasing him, Job 40:12. Come and see the desolations he made, and write it, not in water, but with an iron pen in the rock for ever. Here lies that bloody tyrant who bade defiance to his Maker, to his demands, threatenings, and judgments; a rebel to God, and a slave to his own barbarous passions; perfectly lost to humanity, virtue, and all true honour; here he lies, buried in the deep, a perpetual monument of divine justice. Here he went down to the pit, though he was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, Eze 31:18. IV. Here is the notice which the Israelites took of this wonderful work which God wrought for them, and the good impressions which it made upon them for the present. 1. They saw the Egyptians dead upon the sands, Exo 14:30. Providence so ordered it that the next tide threw up the dead bodies, (1.) For the greater disgrace of the Egyptians. Now the beasts and birds of prey were called to eat the flesh of the captains and mighty men, Rev 19:17, Rev 19:18. The Egyptians were very nice and curious in embalming and preserving the bodies of their great men, but here the utmost contempt is poured upon all the grandees of Egypt; see how they lie, heaps upon heaps, as dung upon the face of the earth. (2.) For the greater triumph of the Israelites, and to affect them the more with their deliverance; for the eye affects the heart. See Isa 66:24, They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me. Probably they stripped the slain and, having borrowed jewels of their neighbours before, which (the Egyptians having by this hostile pursuit of them broken their faith with them) henceforward they were not under any obligation to restore, they now got arms from them, which, some think, they were not before provided with. Thus, when God broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, he gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness, Psa 74:14. 2. The sight of this great work greatly affected them, and now they feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses, Exo 14:31. Now they were ashamed of their distrusts and murmurings, and, in the good mind they were in, they would never again despair of help from Heaven, no, not in the greatest straits; they would never again quarrel with Moses, nor talk of returning to Egypt. They were now baptized unto Moses in the sea, Co1 10:2. This great work which God wrought for them by the ministry of Moses bound them effectually to follow his directions, under God. This confirmed their faith in the promises that were yet to be fulfilled; and, being brought thus triumphantly out of Egypt, they did not doubt that they should be in Canaan shortly, having such a God to trust to, and such a mediator between them and him. O that there had been such a heart in them as now there seemed to be! Sensible mercies, when they are fresh, make sensible impressions; but with many these impressions soon wear off: while they see God's works, and feel the benefit of them, they fear him and trust in him; but they soon forget his works, and then they slight him. How well were it for us if we were always in as good a frame as we are in sometimes!