God Sets His People Free (Exodus 13:17-14:31)

Bible Passage: Exodus 13:17-14:31

These verses take place with the Israelites having just been set free from their captivity. The final plague and judgement on the firstborn has taken place, and the people are on their way out of Egypt by the desert road. Pharaoh’s change of mind did not last long, however, and his heart is once again hardened. He sends troops to pursue the Israelites as far as the Red Sea, where God delivers them from captivity once and for all. This story of the early days of Israel’s salvation can be a picture of what the early days of salvation can be like for a Christian today.

God’s Guidance: As the people leave Egypt, it is clear that the route they are taking is not one that they are choosing themselves, but one that God is guiding them on. In 13:17-18, we hear how God did not lead them on one route but on another instead. A little later we get a picture of what this leading looked like, as God went ahead of them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (13:20-22). At the beginning of chapter 14, God spoke directly to Moses and told him to turn back to a particular place and set up camp. God was not leading them in an arbitrary route, but he had a plan for them, and intended to draw Pharaoh into a battle and defeat him. It is striking how obedient to this direction the Israelites are here. He has saved them and now has their trust to guide them. The pattern of these ancient Israelites of responding to where God is leading is the same as the pattern of the Christian life today. As we look to discern what God is saying and where he is guiding us, then we can follow in his way with full confidence that he has a plan and the way he is leading is for our good.

Salvation Contested: When God saves somebody, this doesn’t usually mean the battle stops. Salvation can be contested, and this is what we see here. Though the Israelites have been freed from slavery, their former masters pursue them and are looking to bring them back into bondage. Seeing the Egyptian army marching after them terrified the Israelites, and they began to question whether their freedom was a good thing after all (14:10-12)! When Jesus told the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9) he spoke of some seed that fell on rocky ground and was quickly snatched away because of a lack of foundation. Like for the Israelites, our salvation is often contested, and there are many who seem to respond to the gospel, but who fall away before long and return to bondage. We should know that our salvation is a fight, and just like Moses urged the Israelites in 14:13, we need to “stand firm and see the deliverance that the Lord will bring”.

God Delivers…: The story ends with God delivering the people once more, through miraculous means. He instructs Moses to hold his staff up and stretch his hand over the sea, and the waters part in order to create a path through for the people. This is a strong echo of the creation story (Genesis 1:7) where God divided water from water. The waters stayed separate for long enough for God’s people to cross through to safety, but collapsed in again when the Egyptians attempted to pursue them. The crossing of the Red Sea is a story of God bringing his people to freedom. It is a vivid picture of how he delivers us. It has an echo of baptism, as we are brought through the waters of death to our new life in Christ. It is also a picture of how God delivers us from many sins, habits and addictions that we may struggle with. Seeing this story can give us faith for how God might work to bring us freedom in our own circumstances.

Potential Applications:

• You could spend some time listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There may be some prophetic words for some people.
• You could offer prayer for any who resonate with the idea of needing to be set free. Ask for God’s deliverance in their life.
• There is an encouragement to keep going and to trust God when we face opposition, particularly for those recently saved.