Meet Me At The Red Sea

Many of you know the story of Moses and the miraculous salvation of Gods glory that was revealed at The Red Sea. For others that isn't knowledgeable of this story, lets cut right to the chase and reflect back to what I believe to be one of the greatest manifestation of Gods power and might of the Old Testament.

Moses was born during the time when the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt. The Pharaoh at the time was afraid of the growing numbers of the Israelites so he ordered all the born males to be killed. "Then Pharaoh commanded all of his people to throw into the Nile River every Hebrew boy that was born, but to let every girl live." (Exodus 1:22) Moses Mother, Jochebed hid Moses for three months, afterwards she put him in a basket and sent him down the flow of the Nile River. Pharaohs daughter, while bathing, spotted the basket and sent for it. Finding a Hebrew baby boy in it, the daughter of Pharaoh had compassion on him and reared him in Pharaoh house as an Egyptian.

Grown, Moses commits murder by killing an Egyptian overseer, for the harshness that he was showing to a Hebrew slave, which was Moses own kind. After such news get back to The Pharaoh, Moses flees from Egypt to Midian. Living the good and unbothered life, married, with a family of his own, Moses is visited by God through a burning bush one day. God tells Moses to return to Egypt and command The Pharaoh to let his people, the Israelites, go. After a back and forth between God and Moses, Moses finally accepts the call on his life, gather his family and head back to Egypt. Back in Egypt, Moses gets right to work, he tells Pharaoh to let Gods people go. Of course Pharaoh refused to hear anything such. The word states that God intentionally made the Pharaohs heart hardened, just so he could show out with miracles and wonders from on high.

Lets take a look at the ten plagues that hit the land of Egypt, because of Pharaohs refusal to let Gods people go.

First, God turns every stream of water that flowed in Egypt into blood. Every river had a stench of death to it, from the decay of the animals that lived in it. The Egyptians were forbidden to drink from it. However, Pharaoh still would not let Gods people go.

Secondly, God cause frogs to leap from the waters of Egypt into the shelter of the Egyptians. Can you just imagine every where you looked, there goes a green, slimy frog jumping on your dinning table, out of your closet into your bed. Pharaoh then tells Moses to tell God to remove the frogs and he would let his people go. However, Pharaoh still would not obey the command of The Lord. Third, "Then The Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron to stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the ground; and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats." (Exodus 8:16) Annoying gnats flying everywhere. Pharaoh tells Moses to call off the gnats and he would let the Israelites go. However, Pharaoh still refuses. Fourthly, God is forced to unleash the next plague, flies. The Word states that the swarm of flies corrupted the land of Egypt so that their livestock was affected by them. Fifth, a pestilence that attacked the livestock of the Egyptians was released, causing some of their chickens, cows, and pigs to die. I can only imagine the effect this judgement must have had on the economics in Egypt. When God afflicts ones money, you should know its real. However Pharaoh didn't think so, 'cause he still refused to let the Israelites go. Sixthly came boils on men and their livestock. Sores and boils came on all the men and animals. It even hit the Pharaohs house. STILL, Pharaoh refused to give in and let the Israelites go. Hail mixed with fire hit the land of Egypt during the Seventh plague. Every beast that wasn't bought inside was strucked by this flaming hail. Of course Pharaoh told Moses to call it off and he would let the people, however, he did not. Next, locusts swarmed the Earth. It was so many locusts that men could not see the ground from the Eighth plague. For the Ninth, darkness fell on Egypt. "Then the Lord said to Moses, stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over Egypt, a darkness to be felt. (Exodus 10:21) The darkness settled in Egypt for three days, while the Israelites still had light.

One would think that after God had showed himself in such ways, that Pharaoh would surrender. But nooo not Pharaoh. He was wealthy, every command answered in an instant. Mercy or death came at his very signal. Only the hardness of the heart would cause one to become so prideful and wise in their own eyes, which The Word calls a fool. After lice, a pestilence, locusts, hail, darkness you would think God was done, but he was just getting warmed up if you ask me. I like to call this next judgement, the Dagger In The Heart of Pharaoh.

In this last move of God, he instructs his people to sprinkle blood of a blemish free lamb on the outside of their doorpost ( look at Jesus playing peek-a-boo). He permitted a death angel to strike the firstborn of all of the Egyptians. This move of God breaks the heart of Pharaoh, FINALLY he relents, and let the Children of Israel go. Here, you have the Israelites jumping with joy, for they are delivered, but they haven't witnessed Gods salvation just yet. Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, comes to magnificent Red Sea. And not only is the Red Sea sitting great and wide before them, Pharaoh in rage with his army, is closing in on them from behind. Panic began to rise in the hearts of the Israelites and they began to complain to Moses. I can imagine Moses praying in his heart to our Heavenly Father, trying to keep his cool, calling upon "The God of Abraham, The God of Isaac, and The God of Jacob" to do just what he does best, in the face of impossible and doubt, when all hope seem lost, show up and show out. And how does our Heavenly Father responds? Like He always does, in his own way, a way that is higher than our thoughts as the heavens is above the Earth. In a way that reveals his Glory, his great strength, and majesty. In a way that leaves forever impressions on hearts of many that says "I Am is truly I Am" In a way that I'm sure not only stunned the Israelites but Pharaoh and his men as well. God spoke to Moses, "But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the Red Sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go forth on dry ground in the midst of the sea. (Exodus 14:16) And there, you have it, as promised, freedom to the Israelites after being in bondage for over 400 years.

There's sooo many teaching moments from the book of Exodus and The Story of Moses and The Red Sea, however, I will like to end this blog post with this, your Red Sea moment is not a time to wave or doubt, but a time to be still and see the Salvation of the Lord, for it is sure to come.

Jesus Is Just That Good,

Pamelia Walker