Exodus 14:3-123For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. 5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. 10And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. 11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. (Exodus 14:3‑12)
THE NAME of the place where Israel first encamped by the Red Sea has beautiful significance. It is named “Pi-hahiroth,” and means “The opening, or gate, of liberty.” It was such to them. This chapter then has a remarkable position in the history of the people of Israel and of their typical redemption. It lies between the shedding of the blood of the passover lamb in Egypt, in chapter 12, and the song of redemption in chapters 15. We find the people here in great distress of soul; “sore afraid,” and crying out unto the Lord, who makes a way of escape for them from the bondage of Pharaoh and Egypt, into the liberty of complete salvation from every foe. They sing the song of victory in triumph with their feet on redemption ground.
God was aware of Pharaoh’s persistent intention to pursue after the Israelites, and so He informed His people, as they drew away from Egypt, just what was to happen in this first trial of faith. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying... Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in, and I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.”
There is a vast difference between trials and testings by the way and falling into sinful temptations and disobedience. God often brings rich blessings to His people through trials, but He must in faithfulness discipline every child of His who falls into evil ways. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.... But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” James 1:13,1413Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (James 1:13‑14). “God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?... But He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.” Hebrews 12:7,107If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (Hebrews 12:7)
10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10).
Israel were to learn early in their wilderness journey that God was indeed with them, and in order that His purposes might be fully and gloriously displayed God directed Moses to have the people in the precise spot He named. There, as Pharaoh accurately observed, they were “entangled in the land,” with the sea before them, the mountains beside them, and the army of Egypt coming up behind them. Their hearts failed them and they cried to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?... for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” vv. 11,12.
Alas, how quickly has many a child of God fallen into despair at the first sight of some circumstance that seems to intrude into his life. Had the Israelites so quickly forgotten the display of God’s might which had just delivered them from Egypt? It may be asked, “Why did God allow them to get into this great extremity? Why bring them into a place of such dreadful fears and terrors? Why is a soul often brought into this terrible extremity?” Because it was with them as it is with us a needed lesson. On the one side, to search our hearts out to the depths and make us learn ourselves, and the utter helplessness of man to deliver himself; the other, to learn God and His resources and delivering grace. God was not going to leave them, nor allow the enemy to touch them.
ML-06/22/1969