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Picture it. On one side, the sea. On the other sides, desert and mountains. Behind you, the dust cloud of Pharaoh's army: hundreds of chariots, getting closer. You have children, elderly parents and animals with you. No weapons. No boats.
Fight? You have no army. Run? There's no exit. Surrender? That means going back to slavery.
Just days after walking out of Egypt free, Israel was trapped. In this lesson you'll see why God led them into a place where only he could save them, and how they responded when he did.
What you'll learn
- Why God led Israel into a trap, and how he made a way through the sea
- What Israel's song in Exodus 15 teaches about God
- How Jesus leads an even greater rescue, sometimes called a "greater exodus"
Nowhere to run
Here's the surprise: God led Israel to this place on purpose. He said he would show his glory through Pharaoh and his army, so that Egypt would know that he is the LORD (Exodus 14:1–4).
Then Pharaoh changed his mind about letting the slaves go, and chased them with his chariots. The people panicked and turned on Moses. They said they would rather be slaves in Egypt than die in the desert (Exodus 14:5–12).
Only days after the Passover, how could they forget so fast? Fear does that. It makes us forget what God has already done. Moses answered them:
"But Moses told the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for 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)
| Moses says | What it means |
|---|---|
| Don't be afraid. | Fear is natural, but it doesn't have the last word. |
| Stand firm. | Don't run back to Egypt. |
| See the LORD's salvation. | Watch what God is about to do. |
| The LORD will fight for you; be still. | The rescue is God's work, not theirs. |
Being still isn't the same as doing nothing. It means trusting God to act instead of panicking.
A way through
What happened next is one of the most famous moments in the Bible (Exodus 14:15–31):
- The pillar of cloud that had been leading Israel moved behind them, between them and the Egyptians (vv. 19–20).
- Moses stretched out his hand, and all night God drove the sea back with a strong east wind (v. 21).
- The Israelites walked through on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides (v. 22).
- The Egyptians chased them, but their chariot wheels jammed and they couldn't drive (v. 25).
- The water returned and covered Pharaoh's army (vv. 27–28).
What did Israel do to save themselves? Nothing. They simply walked through. And the same water that saved Israel destroyed Egypt's army. God rescues his people and judges evil at the same time.
"When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses." (Exodus 14:31)
You might wonder: did the wind explain it? The Bible says God used a strong east wind. God can work through the things he has made as well as beyond them. Either way, Christians agree that this was a mighty act of God. (People also debate the exact place of the crossing: the "Red Sea" or the "Sea of Reeds".)
The song of the rescued
What's the first thing people do after a rescue like that? They sing.
"The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him." (Exodus 15:2)
"Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11)
Moses and the Israelites sang to the LORD, and Moses' sister Miriam led the women with tambourines and dancing (Exodus 15:20–21). If you read the whole song (Exodus 15:1–18), you'll find that it calls God their strength, their song, their salvation, a warrior, majestic, holy, full of loving devotion, the one who leads and redeems his people, and the King who reigns forever.
Imagine singing those words when, a week earlier, you were a slave. Worship is the natural response to rescue.
A greater exodus
Hundreds of years later, Moses appeared again: on a mountain with Jesus, along with the prophet Elijah.
"They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem." (Luke 9:31)
The word Luke uses for "departure" is the Greek word exodos, the same word that gives the book of Exodus its name. Moses and Jesus were talking about a new exodus that Jesus was about to lead, through his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. Paul describes it like this: God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his Son (Colossians 1:13).
| Exodus 14–15 | Jesus |
|---|---|
| Israel trapped, no way out | People trapped by sin and death |
| God makes a way through the water | Jesus makes a way through death by rising again |
| Pharaoh's army defeated | Sin, death and evil defeated at the cross |
| Israel walks through on dry ground | People are rescued by trusting Jesus, not by their own effort |
| They sing to the LORD | Christians worship Jesus as their rescuer |
The rescue road: sign 3
| Where? | What did God do? | How does it point to Jesus? |
|---|---|---|
| The sea (Exodus 14–15) | Made a way through the sea and defeated Pharaoh's army. | Jesus leads a greater exodus, through death into new life (Luke 9:31; Colossians 1:13). |
Key words
- Exodus: "way out" or "departure"; the name of the book that tells how God brought Israel out of Egypt.
- Salvation: rescue; being saved from danger, slavery or sin.
- Praise: telling God, or others, how great he is.
- Redeem: to buy back or set free.
How this points to Jesus
At the sea, Israel faced an enemy they couldn't beat and a barrier they couldn't cross. Christians believe that is what sin and death are like for us. Jesus went through death and came out the other side, and he leads everyone who trusts him through with him.
Think about it
Why do you think God led Israel into a place where they were trapped?Show answer
So that everyone, Israel and Egypt, would see that the rescue came from God alone. When there's no way out, only God can get the credit.
When people are afraid, why do they often want to go back to something that was bad for them?Show answer
Fear makes the familiar feel safer than the unknown, even when the familiar was harmful. The Israelites wanted slavery because at least they knew what it was like.
How is Jesus' rescue like the rescue at the sea?Show answer
In both, God's people are trapped and can't save themselves. God makes a way through: the sea for Israel, and death and resurrection through Jesus.
Take it further
Read the whole of Israel's song in Exodus 15:1–18. Which line would mean the most to someone who had been a slave a week earlier? Which line means the most to you? Your worksheet helps you put the crossing in order and dig into the song.
If you'd like to, you could pray:
LORD, thank you that you are strong and you save. Thank you that you make a way when there is no way. Thank you that Jesus went through death and came out the other side for us. Help me to trust you when I'm afraid. Amen.