The Power of God to Save

The Power of God to Save. Exodus 14:19- 23.

Fear had gripped the Israelite camp for the Egyptians were perusing the Children of Israel with over six hundred Chariots. Thoughts of dying in the dessert and the extinction of their race were spilling out of every mouth and accusations were hurled towards Moses.

The elders came to Moses demanding to know if he had set them up; took them out into the dessert so the Egyptians could kill and leave their bodies to rot in the distant sand.

Moses stared into their unbelieving eyes and announced with a loud voice, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Their fear had become a terrible display of their unbelief in God. Where God is love and wants people to come to Him, God wants a person’s complete devotion and trust. He does not want to see His people faint, complain, or murmur, at the sign of trouble.

God wants all people to believe in His saving power and with a dynamic courage stand still and watch God deliver them.

And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. Exodus 14:19-20 (NKJV)

When trials come your way, how do you react? Many say they are trusting God, but the words coming out of their lips are more of an incantation in hopes God will hear them and act. Inside they are fearful, complaining, and murmuring as they doubt their delivery. This is not faith.

In our passage, God does not rebuke their unbelief. As a caring parent, God is dismissing their child like fear and delivering them to strengthen their faith. They were in the early stages of a relationship with Him; however, as time goes on, God would grow tired of the way they grasp and hold on to unbelief.

When a Christian has seen the delivering hand of God and seen His goodness; to fear a circumstance becomes a way of disrespecting God.

Would Moses have coward at the accusations of the people, God would have had stern words with Moses. Yet Moses stood strong in faith that God was able to deliver.

God is able to protect His people in every situation they face. What is hard to understand is when God allows a trial to come into our life and become so dominating.

People lose their homes, suffer financial collapse, face physical problems that get the best of them and they often lose loved ones to death.

These problems tear at their very fabric of our beings; yet, God knows what we need in our lives to ready us to enter into His kingdom.

God could have stopped the Pharaoh at the gates of the treasure city. He could have taken their lives with a single word from His lips. However, God allowed Israel to see their pursuers and witness His love for them by His saving hand.

The trials were not over; the Israelites were expected to take great steps in faith. Their lessons were mounting before them; for God was building the character of His people trough trials.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Exodus 14:21-23 (NKJV)

The cloud behind them glowed with great light; they could see the salvation of the Lord. Word spread through the camp that the cloud was protection and then it began to get windy.

Moses had lifted his arms to part the sea and though none understood the effect it would have, the tremendous wind began to blow over their camp and towards the sea.

It would make sense that many took cover and the sands carried in the wind may have blocked their view of the waters parting. It would not be until morning that they would see two great walls of water held back by the power of God.

Then the word came through the camp that they were again moving forward into the sea. God expected each to muster the faith to walk into the paths of danger. Yet, as they entered it became clear that God salvation had come.

Millions of Israelites had entered and were walking across the sea and once they had all entered and developed some distance, God allowed the Egyptians to see them and in arrogance the Egyptians pursued them.

In this we see that trials are often allowed to be very dramatic events. Building the faith in sinful people must be like trying to get the attention of a donkey.

It often takes a great trial to cause people to cry out for God and we have to ask, “What does it take for a person to daily speak to God?”

It is amazing that people can go to church on Sunday and not take their Bible. Some who do, will take it home and set it down, not to open it till the following Sunday.

People pray over their food, thanking God for providing for them; however, they do not pray for their neighbor.

Some see the need of others and walk away. Others are in need and then do nothing about it. Where is faith in God? Where is the need for God? What is God worth?

Trials happen to get our attention and dramatic trials are allowed to get our attention so that God is not forgotten in our lives. Trials remind us that we need God and that is why trials are to be welcomed for they are times God wants us to watch Him at work.

What if a trial takes a close loved one and we are left alone? Could it not be that God wants to fill the void in your life by His own self? He wants us to draw to Him for comfort, love, and protection. God loves us and all things work together for good to them that know God and are called according to His purpose.

Israel was walking on dry ground and would soon be on the other side. Any fear had been unwarranted and rethinking how they approach trials was in order.