Overcomers in Him
Print ViewExodus 14
God has said that in this life we will face trials and difficulties. We as His children, however, need not fear. We can trust that the Lord is always with us and that in Him we are overcomers. The Lord says to us in John 16:33b, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
The Israelites, God’s Old Testament people, were facing a very difficult and frightening situation. Pharaoh, ancient king of Egypt, had released them from slavery after 10 horrendous plagues. Pharaoh had changed his mind, however, and was now pursuing God’s people. The Israelites found themselves with the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians behind them. With no visible means of escape the Israelites responded with fear and complaining to Moses. (Exodus 14:11-12) Moses answered the people’s fears by saying, "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." (Exodus 14:13-14) God’s Old Testament people had to be still and calm in their spirits. They had to trust that the Lord would deliver them and that a victory would be won that day by the Lord. Victory would happen only because the Lord was on their side and was fighting the battle for them. So we too as believers today must not respond in fear when a new and frightening trial enters our lives. Instead the Lord directs us to "be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10a) We need to rest our anxieties with the Lord and cast all our worries on the Lord, because He truly cares for us. (I Peter 5:7)
God’s Old Testament people, the Israelites, were not only instructed to "be still" and trust in the Lord; but they were also commanded to "move on" in obedience. (Exodus 14:14b-15) God first caused the pillar of cloud to move from in front of His people to behind them so that it came between the armies of the Israelites and the armies of the Egyptians. In this way there was darkness on the side of the Egyptians and light on the side of the Israelites. This was a beautiful and visible reminder to God’s Old Testament people of His presence with them. So also God lights the way for us, His people today. He is our guide and the light on our path through this life and to eternity.
Next God instructed Moses to raise his staff over the Red Sea "and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry ground." (Exodus 14:21) The Israelites then rested their fears in the Lord and moved out in obedience and trust in the Lord. They "went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exodus 14:22) May it be our passion as well to rest our fears with the Lord and to persevere in obedient trust when we face the difficult and frightening trials of life.
When the Egyptians decided to try to pursue the Israelites into the Red Sea the Lord God caused the waters to come down again upon the Egyptians, and "not one of them survived." (Exodus 14:28b) That day the Lord God was truly fighting for His Old Testament people against the Egyptians. (Exodus 14:25b) "When the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant." (Exodus 14:31) This was a reverential trust and awe of the Lord God and involved a commitment to the Lord’s will. The Lord works in our lives today also in many ways. He is the One who fights for us and is our strength, song, and salvation in the trials of life. (Exodus 15:2) May we trust His perfect plan and will, and may we praise Him for His many answers to prayer in our lives!
