The Red Sea And The Wilderness

by J. Drain, Belfast | Category: Moses A Man Of God | May 1975

The joy with which the children of Israel must have left Egypt and its tyranny was soon lost. Dismay and murmuring took its place. The Lord had commanded the departing Israelites to take a particular route, and His declared purpose was to bring about a situation in which He would get honour upon Pharaoh and his host, and would also establish in the minds of the Egyptians that the God of the Hebrews was indeed the LORD, the living and true God. The outworking of this purpose brought an early test to the leadership of Moses.

As the children of Israel began to take stock of their position they saw themselves faced and flanked by physical obstacles. Behind them closed in the army of Egypt. They were trapped. Panic began to grip the people. Cutting sneer was hurled at Moses, but that noble man rose supremely above the crisis. His faith was in God and in the triumph of His purpose. "Fear ye not", he said, "Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today... the LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace" (Exod. 14:13,14). Moses saw the Lord rather than the difficulties, the Lord who had promised and who was able to perform. Hence the good words which stilled the people.

It often happens that in the experiences of life we become obsessed with the problems which confront us. We look everywhere but to God. Our great Leader says to us, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.... These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 14:1; 16:33).

God's way for His people was a forward way. It was neither deviation nor retreat: "Thy way was in the sea" (Psa. 77:l9). By divine command Moses lifted up his rod, the symbol of authority and power, and stretched his hand over the sea. There followed an amazing miracle. The Lord "caused His glorious Arm to go at the right hand of Moses". He "dried up the sea" and "made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over" (see Isa. 63:12 and 51:10). Into this way poured the many thousands of the redeemed Israelites. They went down into the place of death, and, in resurrection-like experience, they rose triumphantly on the wilderness side of the sea. From this vantage ground they surveyed the manifestation of God's authority and power, His goodness and His severity, His salvation and His judgement. The effect was salutary: "Israel saw the great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD: and they believed in the LORD, and in His servant Moses" (Exod. 14:31). The leadership, of Moses was confirmed. His authority was established. The historical record of the happenings at the Red Sea would undoubtedly have encouraged in readers a profound appreciation of the power of God. But something of the spiritual significance of what happened would have been missed but for the inspired statement in 1 Cor. 10:1,2, "Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea". The cloud was a visible token of the presence of God, particularly for the purpose of leading and protecting. Moses was the appointed leader of the people. In the purpose of the Lord the children of Israel had died to Egypt and to its king. They were buried and raised again to be under new authority and to enter into the possibilities of a new life and the privileges of new service. God's chosen leader Moses was to be acknowledged as their leader.

New Testament scriptures indicate very clearly that the great Leader of God's people today is the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom full divine authority has been vested. In the baptism of disciples in water there is an acknowledgement of this authority and a pictorial demonstration that believers in Christ have died with Him, are buried and raised to walk in newness of life. They have been baptized unto Christ, henceforth to live in subjection and obedience to Him.

With a newborn joy of deliverance in their hearts the children of Israel, now separated from Egypt by the rolling waters of the Red Sea, burst

forth in singing. An inspired song was on their lips. The leader of the praise was Moses. It must have been an amazing experience when the song of the redeemed rent the air in that desert setting. But that song went far beyond the vault of the skies. It reached the throne of heaven. It reached the heart of God. Great indeed must have been His joy as He looked upon that vast assemblage of men and women whom He loved and whom He had redeemed from bondage, and as He heard the song of praise. And there, leading the praise of the congregation, was Moses, the man of God. This song of victory will yet again be heard, sung, perhaps, with greater fervour born out of deeper appreciation. We refer to the time yet future when there will be heard the singing of them that come victorious from the bondage and oppression of the beast. "They sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are Thy works, 0 Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the ages" (Rev. 15:3). What a day that will be for the Lamb! And what a day it will be for Moses!

In the epistle to the Hebrews we have an illuminating exposition of the privileges of service extended to those in the present dispensation who, in response to the conditional side of the New Covenant, are gathered to be God's people, God's house. One very profound revelation in this exposition is found in the words, "In the midst of the congregation will I sing Thy praise" (Heb. 2:12). There can be no doubt that this quotation from Psalm 22 applies specifically to Christ. The conception is entrancing. God the Son is the great Leader in the song of praise raised to God by His people. The realization of this is delightful. But it bows our hearts in holy, solemn awe.

Israel's song was short-lived. In a few days' time a spirit of murmuring, like a heath fire, swept through the people. In the wilderness there was no water supply. One possible source seemed useless because its waters were bitter. Very quickly the people's reliance in the Lord crumbled. Again the brunt of the murmuring fell on Moses. What could he do? Once more we see the wisdom and strength of this leader. He cried unto the Lord. The Lord heard. The Lord answered. What a lesson for times of difficulty!

Refreshed by the springs and palm trees of Elim the Israelites, halfway through the second month after their departure from Egypt, set forward on their march. A fresh crisis arose. There was no food. Again faith in God perished. Again the plague of murmuring smote the people. Again Moses was the special target. "Ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exod. 16:3). The man's patience must have been sorely tried. Would he give up? Was the task worth the trouble? Was there not a legitimate limit to what he should take in abuse and insult? But Moses was a meek man. And he lived close to the Lord. Once again God intervened to meet the need by miraculous provision.

Shortly after this experience the people reached Rephidim. A new test came to prove them. There was no water. The recollection of previous gracious and powerful provision by their God did not influence the people. The floodgates of murmuring were again opened. Moses had to endure another spate of abuse and threat. As he cried to the Lord he said, "They be almost ready to stone me" (Exod. 17:4). In meeting the need of the people on this occasion the Lord committed to His servant Moses one of the most solemn and significant tasks of that godly man's activities. The Lord said, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water of out it, that the people may drink". The One who gave the bread from heaven gave also the water from the rock. The provision was miraculous and supernatural. The Lord stood upon the rock. Moses smote with his rod. The water gushed out. The people drank of a spiritual rock, "and the rock was Christ". It is through Christ, the smitten One of Golgotha, that all the blessings of divine favour have reached mankind.

Murmuring is a pernicious scourge. Where it exists there is destruction. It will destroy an individual. It will destroy a nation. It breeds a discontent which will soon lead to lawlesness and rebellion. And it opens doors for hostile forces to attack. As we reflect on the murmuring which characterized the attitude of the Israel people during the first few weeks after their leaving Egypt we feel the force of the words, "THEN came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim" (Exod. 17:8).

The attack of Amalek presented to Moses a situation of fresh difficulty. War had come. This was a new experience. Moses, who looked to the Lord for bread and meat and water, now looked to the Lord for victory. Two important activities emerged from Moses' disposition of his resources. To a young man, Joshua, would be given the responsibility of leading the fighting men against the attackers. Moses himself, with Aaron and Hur, would climb the hill to hold aloft the rod of God. There was a definite relationship between the sword in the hand of Joshua and the rod in the hand of Moses. Moses raised his hand to the throne of God calling down authority and power for the hand of Joshua which was raised against Amalek. The task which Moses assumed was most arduous. But there were others to help him. He had partners. The battle swayed backwards and forwards. It was tense. But the Lord gave victory.

We are grateful for One on the throne of heaven who, without intermission, without fatigue, pleads our cause. We are grateful too for One who is in us to fight the enemy. Human resources are valueless. On the other hand we have our responsibilities. In the power of the Spirit the enemy must be opposed. But let us all, those who lead and those who are led, take the point. Victory in conflict comes from victory in prayer.

In Exodus 18 we read the moving story of the arrival of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, in the camp of Israel. Moses might have seized this opportunity to pour out a tale of woe as to what he had suffered from the people. But no, he was above that. His sincere and glowing testimony to what the Lord had done for Israel led the man Jethro to say with great joy, "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods" (Exod. 18:11). It is distressing to think that the public witness of the people of God can be besmirched and weakened by unnecessary exposures of the failures which, sad to say, beset us. What God in grace and power has done should more frequently be our theme. It will be more convincing and attractive.

When Jethro learned that Moses had undertaken the mammoth task of hearing alone the causes of all the people, and of delivering judgement and teaching he offered sound advice. But he qualified its acceptance by Moses with the words, "If ... God command thee so". The counsel submitted proposed the devolution and distribution of authority and responsibility. Thus the basis of judicial administration and rule was broadened. Great men have big hearts, but there are human limitations which must be recognized. Moses learned this. It is good for the people of God when there are men fitted and ready to share the burdens of rule, and to do so in the spirit of true subjection to one another, in a common subjection to the Lord.

J. Drain, Belfast | May 1975
Moses A Man Of God