"The Lord said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward. Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divided, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground'" (Ex 14:15, 16). SRme 1.484
The Lord wanted Moses to understand that He would work for His people. Their great need would be His opportunity. When the Israelites had gone as far as they could, Moses must tell them to keep going forward. He was to use the rod God had given him to make the waters open before. . .[the Israelites]. "'I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honor by My victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers. When I defeat them, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.' SRme 1.485
"The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night" (Ex. 14:17-20). SRme 1.486
The Egyptians could not see the Israelites because the cloud of thick darkness was in front of them. But the cloud provided light for the Israelites. God showed His power in this way to test His people. Would the Israelites trust Him after He had given them such signs of His care and love? God also wanted them to realize that they had been wrong in not trusting Him and in complaining? SRme 1.487
"Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind. . . .[The wind] blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides" (Ex. 14:21, 22, TEV). SRme 1.488
The water stood up as stiff walls on both sides while the Israelites walked across on dry ground in the middle of the sea. SRme 1.489
The Egyptian army rejoiced that night. They thought the Israelites were in their power once again and there was no way the Israelites could escape. The Red Sea was stretched in front of the Israelites and the large Egyptian armies were close behind. SRme 1.490
When the Egyptians came up to the sea in the morning, they found a dry path. The water was divided and standing as a wall on both sides of the path. The Egyptians saw the Israelites were halfway through the sea, walking on dry land. The Egyptians stopped and waited awhile, trying to SRme 1.491
decide what to do. They were disappointed and angry because just when the Israelites were almost in their power, an unexpected way of escape was opened for Israel in the sea. The Egyptian army decided to follow the Israelites. SRme 1.492
"The Egyptians pursued them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers. Just before dawn the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. . .]God] made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. The Egyptians said, 'The Lord is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let's get out of here!'" (Ex. 14:23-25). SRme 1.493
The Egyptians used the path God had prepared for His people. Angels of God went through the Egyptian army, taking off their chariot wheels. The Egyptian army was plagued. Their progress was very slow. They began to be troubled. The Egyptians remembered the judgments the God of the Israelites had brought on them in Egypt to make them let Israel go. They were afraid God might now deliver them into the hands of the Israelites. SRme 1.494
Deciding that God was fighting for the Israelites, the Egyptians became terribly afraid. They turned around, trying to escape from the Israelites. Then the Lord said to Moses, "'Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers.' SRme 1.495
"So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and . . . the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but the Lord threw them into the sea. The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea; not one of them was left. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides. SRme 1.496
"On that day the Lord saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore. When the Israelites saw the great power with which the Lord had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the Lord; and they had faith in the Lord and in His servant Moses." (Ex. 14:27-31). SRme 1.497
Having seen the mighty work of God in destroying the Egyptians, the Israelites sang together a glorious and inspired song that expressed their thanks and praise to the Lord. SRme 1.498