God Parts the Sea (Ex 14:15-31)

The?Lord?said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.?16?Lift up your staff, and?stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.?17?And?I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and?I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.?18?And the Egyptians?shall know that I am the?Lord,?when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

19?Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them,?20?coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night[a]?without one coming near the other all night.

21?Then Moses?stretched out his hand over the sea, and the?Lord?drove the sea back by?a strong east wind all night and?made the sea dry land, and the waters were?divided.?22?And?the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being?a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.?23?The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.?24?And in the morning watch the?Lord?in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic,?25?clogging[b]?their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the?Lord?fights for them against the Egyptians.”

26?Then the?Lord?said to Moses,?“Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.”?27?So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea?returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the?Lord?threw[c]?the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.?28?The?waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea,?not one of them remained.?29?But the?people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30?Thus the?Lord?saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.?31?Israel saw the great power that the?Lord?used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the?Lord, and they?believed in the?Lord?and in his servant Moses.

1.?????God directed Moses to stretch out his hand and God divided the sea. God chose to work through Moses. What are some reasons why God chose to perform miracles through the obedient actions of Moses? ow How How is this like how the Holy Spirit works within born-again Christians?

2.?????God created humans for his pleasure. Humans are to serve and worship him which gives God glory, honor, and joy. (Ex 15:1-2; Ps 149: 1-5; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 5:11-14)

3.?????God stood between the armies of Pharoah and the Israelites in the form of clouds and fire. The clouds shrouded the Israelites so the Egyptians could not see them. The light of the fire was directed towards the Israelites at night so they could see while the Egyptians were in darkness. How is this an example of how God chooses some for salvation while others are not?

4.?????God parted the sea so the Israelites could pass through on dry ground. The Egyptians pursued them but were drowned when the sea returned upon them. The Israelites were saved through the miraculous intervention of God. They passed through the waters by the grace of God while the Egyptians were punished. How is this like what happens to Christians when they are born-again?

5.?????The Egyptians saw the waters parted but they stubbornly pursued the Israelites. Their anger, frustration and pride drove them to destruction. What are some examples of destructive behaviors that people choose even though they know they are bad decisions?