Exodus 13:17-22; 24; 25:1-22.
THE children of Israel had begun their journey to Canaan. But they had to travel a long way before they could reach that pleasant place. How would they find their way?
God Himself showed them the way. He went before them in a dark cloud. The cloud moved, and they moved after it. But a black cloud could not be seen at night, so at night God made the cloud shine like fire. In the day the cloud was a shade from the sun, and in the night the fire gave light to the Israelites. When the cloud or the fire stopped, then Moses desired all the people to set up their tents on the ground. This was called "encamping.”
And as soon as the cloud moved, the people folded up their tents, and placed them on the backs of their camels and asses, and went on their journey.
The children of Israel went very fast till they came to the seaside. Then the cloud stopped, and they set up their tents close by the sea. The sea was called the Red Sea. Perhaps you think that the water of this sea was red like blood; but the water was like other water, though it was called the Red Sea.
They had not been long in their tents before they heard a great noise; it was a noise of wheels, and a noise of horses. They looked, and saw, a great way off, Pharaoh and a number of soldiers in chariots and on horses. Pharaoh had been sorry that he had let them go, and he was coming after them to bring them back.
The Israelites were very much frightened. What could they do? They could not get over the sea, for they had no ships; yet if they stayed where they were, Pharaoh and his men would soon overtake them, and fight against them, and Pharaoh's men could fight far better than they could. What could they do? They cried to God to help them. This was right; but they did something else that was not right; they began to speak angrily to Moses. "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? We would rather have died there than come here; for we shall certainly be killed.”
It was ungrateful to say this to Moses; but he answered them meekly. "Do not be afraid; God will fight for you, and you shall never see the faces of Pharaoh and his men again.”
Then Moses went and prayed to God; for Moses knew that God would save the children of Israel.
Then God said to Moses, "Lift up your rod over the sea, and I will make a dry path for the Israelites to walk upon.”
So Moses lifted up his rod, and the waters obeyed him; and part of the waters were lifted up on one side, and part on the other, and seemed like two walls of water, while a dry path was seen between.
The Israelites walked in the path, and all their cattle with them. It was the 'evening when they began to cross the sea, and they were walking across all the night; yet it was not dark.
I will tell you why it was not dark. You know that the cloud in the sky shone brightly in the night, and gave light to the Israelites. But God did not choose that Pharaoh should see the light; so God made the bright cloud move backwards; and it stood in the sky between the Israelites and Pharaoh; the bright side was turned towards the Israelites, and the 'dark side towards Pharaoh; so the Israelites saw a bright light; but the armies of Pharaoh were in the dark, and they could not go fast because it was so dark. But the Israelites walked quickly along the dry path, and by the morning they got to the land that was on the other side of the sea. They had not yet got to Canaan, but they had got over the sea, and they were on their journey to Canaan.
Now, I will tell you whether Pharaoh and his men got over the sea or not. When they came to the edge of the sea, they saw a dry path through the sea, and the walls of water on each side; so they went along the dry path. When they had gone about half-way across the sea, and were hoping soon to overtake the Israelites, God looked at them through His' cloud. Pharaoh and his men heard dreadful noises, and they were very much frightened. It was God who made them afraid.
They could not make their chariots go on, and they thought that God was going to help the Israelites to kill them; so they said to each other, "Let us turn back.”
Ah! it was now too late; was going to destroy those wicked men; they rove as fast as they could, that they might get out of the water, but it was too late; for the walls of water fell down and covered them all, and they lay like stones at the, bottom of the sea.
This was the end of Pharaoh and of his wicked servants. The Israelites had got safely over to the other side of the sea. As soon as they had got over, God had desired Moses to lift up his rod, and to make the walls of water fall down and cover the dry path. Moses had done as God told him; and so Pharaoh and his men, who were in the middle of the sea, had been drowned.
In the morning the Israelites heard no sound of chariot wheels coming after them, but they saw some of the dead bodies of Pharaoh's men lying on the edge of the sea; for the sea, which moves up and down, had tossed them upon the land.
Now the Israelites saw that the cruel men could hurt them no more; God had punished them for their wickedness, and had saved the poor children of Abraham as He had promised.
This was a happy morning for the Israelites. They thanked God for His goodness in saving them, and they sang together a beautiful song of praise.
The song began with these words: " I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea." This sea was called the Red. Sea.
The women made sweet music, and sang these same words. Moses' sister, Miriam, who had watched him when a baby, played the music, and the women sang with her.
How pleasant it must have been to have seen the poor' Israelites singing and rejoicing! A little while before they had been working hard in the sun, they had been beaten by cruel men, and had cried and groaned; now they were slaves no more, but they were on their way to a sweet land, where they might live happily.
Dear children, there is a sweeter land than Canaan. I hope we shall live there someday. Ought not we to praise God for telling us how we may get to that sweet land? God will help you, dear children, to get there, if you ask him very often. Satan, you know, is trying to get your souls; but God is stronger than Satan. God did not let Pharaoh hurt the Israelites, and God can prevent Satan from hurting you."
Hymn 22
In deepest gloom of darkest night,
Between two walls of wondrous height,
Pharaoh, with all his men of might.
Poor Israel's host pursue.
The wind is high—the path is dry,
Horsemen and chariots swiftly fly;
"We'll overtake," they loudly cry,
" And kill that slavish crew."
But sudden drag their chariot wheels,
A sudden horror o'er them steals,
While God on high His wrath reveals
From yonder fiery cloud.
The lightnings play-the thunders roar,
The skies a mighty torrent pour:
Were e'er Such lightnings known before,
Or thunderings so loud?
The sound, the sight o'erwhelm with fright,
Horsemen and chariots take to flight.
"Does not their God for Israel fight?”
The horsemen trembling cry.
But while with furious Speed they go,
God makes the western wind to blow,
And o'er their heads the waters flow:
Like stones the horsemen lie.
Beneath the deep their bodies sleep—
And they shall rise to wail and weep,
And God upon their heads shall heap
Hailstones, and coals of fire.
What piercing cries shall rend the skies,
When all who were God's enemies
Shall meet the Judge's angry eyes,
Flashing with terrors dire!
How vain to try from Him to fly,
Who made the sea, the earth, and sky,
Whose arm can reach the mountains high,
And deepest pits beneath
How vain to try from Him to fly,
Who can all secret things descry,
Whose power no angel dare defy,
Whose word can blast with death!