Scripture Daily

Context No. 875 of 4322 · Exodus

Context · Reflection

Exodus 14:15-20: in context

15The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. 16Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. 18The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.” 19The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. 20It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

Israel is trapped: the sea in front, Pharaoh's army behind. God tells Moses to stop crying out and tell the people to go forward, to lift his staff over the sea and divide it. Then the angel of God and the pillar of cloud move from in front of Israel to behind them, standing between the two camps, dark to the Egyptians and light to Israel through the whole night.

Two things stand out. First, God's command in an impossible spot is go forward. There is no path yet; the sea has not parted; and the instruction is to move toward it anyway, with the parting happening as they go. Faith here is not waiting for the way to appear and then walking; it is walking so the way appears. Second, the same pillar is darkness to one camp and light to the other. God's presence stands between his people and what pursues them, and the very cloud that hides and confuses the Egyptians gives light to Israel. What blocks one is guidance for the other. The night that should have been Israel's undoing becomes the night God fights for them without their lifting a hand.

Where is God telling me to go forward before I can see the path, and am I still standing still, waiting for proof first?

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