Picture: The Israelites Leave Egypt 1TC 183.1
This chapter is based on Exodus 12:34-51; 13 to 15.
Before daybreak, the people of Israel were on their way. During the plagues the Israelites had gradually assembled in Goshen. In order to make some preparation for the necessary organization and control of the moving multitudes, they had already been divided into companies under appointed leaders. 1TC 183.2
And they went out, “about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went up with them also”—not only those motivated by faith in the God of Israel but also a far greater number who only wanted to escape from the plagues. This group was a constant problem and danger to Israel. 1TC 183.3
The people took with them “flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock.” Before leaving Egypt, the people claimed compensation for their unpaid work, and the slaves went out with many treasures from their oppressors. 1TC 183.4
“And it came to pass ... that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.” The Israelites carried with them the bones of Joseph, which, during the dark years of bondage, had reminded them of Israel’s promised deliverance. 1TC 184.1
Instead of taking the direct route to Canaan through the country of the Philistines, the Lord directed their course southward toward the shores of the Red Sea. “For God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’” The Philistines thought of them as slaves escaping from their masters and would not have hesitated to make war on them. The Israelites had little knowledge of God and little faith in Him, and they would have become terrified and discouraged. They were unarmed and not used to war, their spirits were depressed by long slavery, and they had the added responsibility of women and children, flocks and herds. In leading them by the Red Sea, the Lord showed Himself to be a God of compassion. 1TC 184.2
“So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” The psalmist says, “He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night” (Psalm 105:39). (See also 1 Corinthians 10:1, 2). It served as a protection from the burning heat, and its coolness and moisture provided welcome refreshment in the parched, thirsty desert. By night it became a pillar of fire, illuminating their encampment and constantly assuring them of the divine presence. 1TC 184.3
They journeyed across a dreary, desert like region, and were already becoming weary with the difficult terrain. Some began to be afraid that the Egyptians would come after them, but the cloud went forward, and they followed. Now the Lord directed Moses to turn off their path into a rocky gorge and set up camp beside the sea. God revealed to him that Pharaoh would pursue them but that God would be honored in their deliverance. 1TC 184.4
Pharaoh’s counselors told the king that their slaves had fled, never to return. Their great men, recovering from their fears, claimed that the plagues were the result of natural causes. “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” was the bitter cry. 1TC 185.1
Pharaoh collected his forces, “six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt,” horsemen, captains, and foot soldiers. The king himself, attended by the great men of his realm, led the attacking army. The Egyptians were afraid that their forced submission to God would make other nations ridicule them. If they could now go out with a great show of power and bring back the fugitives, they would redeem their glory as well as recover the services of their slaves. 1TC 185.2
The Hebrews were camped beside the sea, which seemed an impassable barrier in front of them, while on the south a rugged mountain blocked their further progress. Suddenly in the distance they saw flashing armor and moving chariots. Terror filled the hearts of Israel. Most of them rushed to Moses with their complaints: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? ... It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” 1TC 185.3
True, there was no possibility of deliverance unless God Himself intervened for their release; but since they had been brought to this position by obeying the divine direction, Moses felt no fear of the consequences. His calm, assuring reply to the people was, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” 1TC 185.4
Lacking discipline and self-control, the hosts of Israel became violent and unreasonable. Their wailings and laments were loud and deep. They had followed the wonderful pillar of cloud as the signal of God to go forward, but now had it not led them on the wrong side of the mountain, into an impassable way? To their deluded minds the angel of God appeared as an omen of disaster. 1TC 185.5
As the Egyptian army approached them, the cloudy column rose majestically into the heavens, passed over the Israelites, and came down between them and the armies of Egypt. The Egyptians could no longer see the camp of the Hebrews and were forced to stop. But as night deepened, the wall of cloud became a great light to the Hebrews. 1TC 185.6
Then hope returned to the hearts of Israel. “And the Lord said to Moses ... ‘Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.’” 1TC 186.1
As Moses stretched out his rod, the waters divided, and Israel went into the middle of the sea on dry ground, while the waters stood like a wall on each side. The light from God’s pillar of fire lighted the road cut like a groove through the waters. 1TC 186.2
“The Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.” 1TC 186.3
Thunders pealed and lightening flashed. The Egyptians became confused. They tried to turn around and go back to the shore, but Moses stretched out his rod, and the piled-up waters rushed together and swallowed the Egyptian army in their black depths. 1TC 186.4
As morning broke, Israel could see all that remained of their mighty foes—armor-clad bodies thrown up on the shore. From the most terrible danger, Jehovah had brought complete deliverance, and their hearts were turned to Him in gratitude and faith. The Spirit of God rested on Moses, and he led the people in a triumphant song of thanksgiving, the earliest and one of the most magnificent known to humanity. 1TC 186.5
Then the women of Israel continued the song. Miriam, the sister of Moses, led the way as they went forward with timbrel and dance. Far over the desert and sea rang the joyful chorus, and the mountains re-echoed the words of their praise, “Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously.” 1TC 186.6
That song does not belong to the Jewish people alone. It points forward to the destruction of all the enemies of righteousness and the final victory of the Israel of God. The prophet of Patmos saw the white-robed multitude that “have the victory,” standing on the “sea of glass mingled with fire,” having “harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:2, 3). 1TC 186.7
In freeing us from the bondage of sin, God has worked a deliverance for us greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like them, we should praise the Lord with heart, soul, and voice for His “wonderful works to the children of men!” What compassion, what matchless love, God has shown in connecting us with Himself, to be a special treasure to Him! What a sacrifice our Redeemer has made, that we may be called children of God! 1TC 187.1
“Whoever offers praise,” says the Creator, “glorifies Me” (Psalm 50:23). All the inhabitants of heaven unite in praising God. Let us learn the song of the angels now, so that we may sing it when we join their radiant ranks. 1TC 187.2
God brought the Hebrews into the mountain strongholds beside the sea that He might show His power and unmistakably humble the pride of their oppressors. He chose this method to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. If the people had held back when Moses called them to go forward, God would never have opened the path for them. It was “by faith” that “they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land” (Hebrews 11:29). In marching down to the very water they showed that they believed the word of God spoken by Moses—then the Mighty One of Israel divided the sea to make a path for their feet. 1TC 187.3
Often life is plagued by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. We imagine that we are on the verge of ruin, yet the voice of God speaks clearly, “Go forward.” We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot see through the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. Those who put off obeying until every uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat will never obey at all. But faith courageously urges us to go forward. The path where God leads may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path. 1TC 187.4
