HOW wonderful are God’s ways! Israel was under His care and guidance, and none could pluck them out of His hand. Never was the Cloud to be removed from them till the land of promise was reached. But Israel had to learn lessons concerning both Jehovah and themselves. The moment we are sheltered by the blood of Jesus we are really safe forever—no one shall ever pluck us out of the hand of Jesus, or of the Father. But there are very many solemn and searching lessons which we have to learn in our souls, and perhaps, as Israel did, we may begin to doubt whether after all God will guide us safe home!
The Lord God bade Israel to turn and encamp by the sea, before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. How strange to their unaccustomed eyes must have been the deep blue waters! How the little children must have looked upon the rippling waves and the sparkling foam with wonder and delight!
But Israel had a searching lesson to learn in the sea, and little did they dream what that lesson would be when they pitched their tents over against Baal-zephon.
As far as we can understand, the encampment was upon a narrow plain, having mountains on either side, and open at the rear to the country whence they came; before them was the wilderness, whither they would go, but between it and them the sea. The people had turned from the direct path towards Canaan by Jehovah’s orders, and they encamped, with the sea in front of them, and with the mountains hemming them in.
Pharaoh heard this, and imagined that they had lost their way and were entangled in the wilderness, and shut up to his power. He and his repented of the loss of so many thousands of slaves, and, despite his former fears and wounds of heart, Pharaoh gathered his six hundred chosen chariots and the numerous chariots of Egypt together, the number of which is not given, and swept down upon the helpless mass of Israel. The chariots of Egypt were renowned in war. The little picture on the next page indicates the way in which the chosen warriors in them, with their furious steeds, wished to plow through the untrained host of Israel. Then Israel lifted up their eyes and trembled as the dust of Pharaoh’s host drew nigh. They cried out unto the Lord, though not in faith, for they knew not His strength and His salvation. He was leading them on, but they feared that the enemy would reach them from their rear. “It had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness!” groaned they.
The cruelty of the oppressor was awfully familiar to them: the very pictures upon the temples told how captives were treated, and what would be their lot, should the bloodthirsty enemy overtake and satisfy his vengeful lust upon them! The way in which those who were spared in the day of battle were carried away captive, tied and tortured, is shown in the illustration below, for, though educated and instructed, the Egyptians were abominably cruel.
As Israel cried aloud in their extremity the Lord God showed to them, and through them to us, what His salvation is. “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward,” was the Lord’s word, and the Cloud of God’s presence which went before removed and went to the unguarded rear of Israel, and with the angel of God stood behind them, so hindering the enemy from approaching them all that night.
It was the custom amongst ancient nations to have huge torches raised upon poles, the blaze of which was apparent by night—the smoke by day; and there seems reason for believing that as far back as the time of the fiery pillar protecting Israel must have had a peculiar import to them, and also to the Egyptians.
The Lord caused a mighty east wind to cleave a pathway through the broad, deep sea, and He made it dry land for Israel; its waters, as it were, ice-bound, became a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. The sea walled them in on either side, and Jehovah was their rear guard.
Such was their path through the way God made. Never before had there been a wonder like it; and as we contemplate this marvelous way, we are constrained to say, How blessed to know the shining light of God’s presence, illuminating His own great salvation, and the wonders of the death and resurrection of His Son for us, when Satan seeks to harm us. The Lord Jesus is our way, He has passed through death, and by His exodus a flame of fire was carried by the Egyptians in the van of their army. If such were the case, the magnificent glory of the resurrection the path to liberty is made for God’s people. The power of the Lord’s resurrection relieves us from our fear of the enemy. The Lord’s death and resurrection have completely cut off the enemy from pursuit, and faith sees behind us only the shining light of the pillar of Cloud.
On the other side of that pillar all was darkness. On that awful night, the voice of God’s thunder shook the heavens, and His lightning lightened the world, and the earth quaked. (See Psa. 77)
“Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Have you then been led by God? Are you one of His sheep, safe and saved forever; never to be plucked from His hand by the enemy? We are all on one side or other of the cloud, on the bright side, or on the dark side; on Israel’s side, or on the Egyptian’s side.
When the morning watch came, and the night was nearly over, the Lord looked through the dark side of the cloud upon the chariots of Egypt. They had driven on after His flock. Did they know whither they were going in the darkness? Did Pharaoh know that in his pursuit he was driving on into the midst of the sea? Surely he knew, when it was too late, that death was his doom, and that there was no escape! It was vain to turn and flee. The Lord took off their chariot wheels. As the morning was breaking, and the light of day was beginning to shine, the great walls of water were visible plainly enough to Pharaoh and his hosts. Israel had seen those crystal walls during the night, shining in the glory of the light of the pillar of Fire. Israel had rejoiced in them in that light; but the enemy and his army saw and believed when it was too late that the Lord fought for Israel.
Then the word of the Lord went forth, and Moses stretched out again his rod of judgment, and the sea returned to his strength, and swept down upon the hosts of Egypt, and not one remained.
As we think over this solemn story, let us each inquire, Is God for me? Am I delivered from all enemies by the death and resurrection of Christ, or am I going on in the dark right down into the waters of death to meet the just judgment of God? It is one or the other with all of us. Our portion who believe is to rejoice in the death and resurrection of the Lord in the light of God, and to know ourselves freed from all foes, and to be assured that there is for us now no condemnation.
H. F. W.
Thou art the God that doest wonders;
Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people.
Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people.