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David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Guzik - We could say that God set an ambush for Pharaoh. Even after the horror of the death of the firstborn, the change in Pharaoh’s heart was only temporary (he will pursue them). He was quick to strike at Israel when he had the chance. The wilderness has shut them in - "the desert has closed in on them." (NET). Jehovah predicts how Pharaoh will respond to Israel's departure, and here that he will think "they are trapped in the wilderness." (NLT). The NIV has Israel "hemmed in by the desert."
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Guzik - This was a strange question for Pharaoh to ask. It wasn’t difficult to think of at least ten good reasons—namely, ten powerful plagues—why Pharaoh let Israel go. This demonstrates how we are often quick to forget what God has done and demonstrated.. Perhaps Pharaoh thought that plagues were the limit of God’s power; that now he could successfully strike against Israel.. There is an analogy in this to the spiritual life. We sometimes think that Satan will let us go easily, or we think that that once we leave his kingdom he forgets about us. Yet just like Pharaoh after Israel, Satan pursues us, attempting to keep us at least on the fringes of his domain and hoping to destroy us if he can.
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Guzik - The idea behind the Hebrew words with boldness (ruwn yad) includes the idea of rebellion against authority (1 Kings 11:26–27). The rebellious nature of Israel was good when it was against Pharaoh and all it stood for; it was bad when it was against the LORD, Moses, and all they stood for. The trouble with most rebels is that they rebel against the wrong things.
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Guzik - Israel was not yet a week out of Egypt and they already distorted the past, thinking that it was better for them in Egypt than it really was. While the following are not the exact words, they reflect Israel's earlier antagonism toward Moses' attempts to appeal to Pharaoh for their release... They said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (Exodus 5:21+) The psalmist alludes to Israel's reaction by the Red Sea and refers to it as rebellion and associates it with two causes (1) they did not understand God's wonders and (2) they did not remember His abundant kindnesses (plural)! Ps 106:6 We have sinned like our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly. 7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name, That He might make His power known. 9 Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up, And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness. 10 So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 The waters covered their adversaries; Not one of them was left. 12 Then they believed His words; They sang His praise. 13 They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, 14 But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert. 15 So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them. Currid applies Israel's reaction to our lives - We may well feel disposed to judge Israel at the sea, and not be able to account for her lack of faith in the trial. However, the more we know of our own lack of resolve and our own cowardice, the more we shall see how like the Israelites we are! We must be aware of the sovereignty of God in all things. We too frequently lose sight of this great truth, and the consequence is that our hearts give way in time of trial. If we could only look upon each of our trials and persecutions as an occasion for God to be more greatly honoured and glorified, it would certainly enable us to endure any crisis. Thus, when we are put in the fiery furnace it is God who wills us there, and we can persevere because of him: ‘Who shall separate from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us’ (Ro 8:35–37). J
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Guzik adds that "When we see that our only help is God, we are more likely to trust Him. Sometimes it is the little things—the things we think we can do in our own strength—that get us down, not the big things that we know only God can do." Adrian Rogers - God will allow you to come to a place where there seems to be all kinds of things to fear, and then, He says, "Fear not." THOUGHT - I don't know where you may come to, but you're going to come to the place. And, God has to bring you to that place of desperation, that you may learn that there is nothing to fear. Three hundred-and-sixty-five times in the Bible—one time for every day of the year—the Bible has said, "Fear thou not," or its equivalent. "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:6) And so, God brings you to this place of desperation, that He might bring you to this place of dependence, that He may say to you, "Fear not." (Adrian Rogers) But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! - The Septuagint is slightly different using tharseo in the present imperative, a command calling for them to continually take courage! Currid explains that "Moses’ reply to the people’s complaints is somewhat harsh. He begins with a volitional statement: ‘Do not fear!’ The negative followed by an imperfect verb ‘constitutes the negative imperative’ in Hebrew. True imperatives cannot be preceded by a negative particle. Therefore, what we have here is the strongest possible form of expressing negation in the Hebrew language. It is followed by two imperatives: ‘Stand!’ and ‘See!’ Moses is ignoring, and refusing to sanction, the murmurings of Israel." (Ibid) Kaiser - The former quick-tempered Moses patiently answered the people’s hasty accusation with three directives to meet this emergency: (1) “Do not be afraid” (v.13; cf. the word to the patriarchs, Ge 15:1; Ge 26:24; and to Israel as they possessed the land, Josh 1:9; Josh 8:1); (2) Stand firm and see the salvation, i.e., the “deliverance of the LORD” for “the LORD will fight for you” (v.14; see Neh 4:20; Ps 35:1); and (3) “Be still,” i.e., stop all action and become inactive, for I the Lord will act by myself on your behalf (cf. Ge 34:5; 2 Ki 19:11; Ps 5:3; Ps 83:1). THOUGHT - FEAR NOT - A profitable study is to query (Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? questions) the 63 occurrences of "Fear Not" (based on the King James Version uses) - Gen. 15:1; Gen. 21:17; Gen. 26:24; Gen. 35:17; Gen. 43:23; Gen. 46:3; Gen. 50:19; Exod. 20:20; Deut. 1:21; Deut. 20:3; Deut. 31:6; Deut. 31:8; Jos. 8:1; Jos. 10:25; Jdg. 4:18; Jdg. 6:10; Jdg. 6:23; Ruth 3:11; 1 Sam. 4:20; 1 Sam. 12:20; 1 Sam. 22:23; 1 Sam. 23:17; 2 Sam. 9:7; 2 Sam. 13:28; 1 Ki. 17:13; 2 Ki. 6:16; 2 Ki. 17:34; 2 Ki. 25:24; 1 Chr. 28:20; 2 Chr. 20:17; Ps. 55:19; Ps. 64:4; Isa. 7:4; Isa. 35:4; Isa. 41:13; Isa. 41:14; Isa. 43:1; Isa. 43:5; Isa. 44:2; Isa. 54:4; Jer. 40:9; Jer. 46:27; Lam. 3:57; Dan. 10:12; Dan. 10:19; Joel 2:21; Zech. 8:13; Mal. 3:5; Matt. 1:20; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 28:5; Lk. 1:13; Lk. 1:30; Lk. 2:10; Lk. 5:10; Lk. 8:50; Lk. 12:7; Lk. 12:32; Lk. 18:4; Jn. 12:15; Acts 27:24; 1 Pet. 2:18; Rev. 1:17 Stand by - A command which conveys the intent "Hold your ground!" "Station yourself!" "Stand firm without fleeing." The point is this battle is out of our hands! There is nothing Israel could do. They were to "Be still and know I am God." (Ps 46:10KJV). THOUGHT - Adrian Rogers says "we hurry around. We're so busy manipulating, trying, conniving, scheming; but finally, we come to a place where God hems us in—the sea here, the mountain here, the mountain there, and the devil behind. And, there is no way out but up. Just stand still. "Be still, and know that I am God." We always think that we have to do something even if it's wrong, don't we? Sometimes, God places us in a place where there is nothing we can do. There is no counsel we can go to. There is no banker to help. There is no doctor to help. There is no one to help us. God just says, "Fear not; stand still. Be still, and know that I am God." And, the place, the dead-end that He brings us to—I mean, just the dead-end, a dilemma—and then, we just fear not and stand still." Guzik - Moses told the people of Israel to stop. This is often the LORD’s direction to the believer in a time of crisis. Despair will cast you down, keeping you from standing. Fear will tell you to retreat. Impatience will tell you to do something now. Presumption will tell you to jump into the Red Sea before it is parted. Yet as God told Israel He often tells us to simply stand still and hold your peace as He reveals His plan. Currid has an interesting interpretation - Moses is probably telling the people to choose with whom they stand—Yahweh or Pharaoh? How long will they limp between two opinions? (ED: This reminds us of the confrontation of the false prophets and the true prophet of God Elijah who "came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word." 1 Kings 18:21). And see - A command simply to watch. Watch what? Salvation of the LORD. Notice that this has not taken place, but he told them to see it. How would one see something that has not taken place? With eyes of faith. They say seeing is believing, but God says believing is seeing - another on of the paradoxical principles of the Christian faith! Notice also that the Israelites contribute nothing to this salvation. In a very real sense they are spectators at their own salvation! Is this not a clear picture that salvation is always by God's power and God's grace? Think about this for a moment. Did Israel deserve to be saved? What had they just said to Moses, the servant of God (1 Chr 6:49)? Indeed this event was a supreme example of God's unmerited favor (aka His amazing undeserved but freely bestowed grace)! THOUGHT - Don't ever say that "Grace is a New Testament truth and is not found in the Old Testament!" God's grace is virtually on every page of the Old Testament. We just need to have spiritual eyes to see and hearts to understand. Our fallen flesh attempts to put a veil over our spiritual eyes so that we don't see grace, because the flesh does not like grace, for it can do absolutely nothing to earn it! (cf Eph 2:8-9+ = "by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works," Titus 3:5+ = "not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness," 2 Ti 1:9+ = "not according to our works") What we do in the crisis always depends on whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties. --Anonymous The salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today - Note the emphasis is on the fact that this the saving work of Jehovah. This deliverance belongs to the Deliverer, the Author and Finisher! And then it is reiterated that Jehovah will do the "work" necessary to bring about this miraculous rescue. He Alone would provide the victory for Israel! THOUGHT - What is the victory God provides for believers today? John answers "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 Jn 5:4-5+) Alan
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Guzik - The idea behind this (you will never see them again forever) implies much more than at first look. Moses perhaps spoke in terms of eternity as well as their present time. Life Application Study Bible - The people were hostile and despairing, but Moses encouraged them to watch the wonderful way God would rescue them. Moses had a positive attitude! When it looked as if they were trapped, Moses called upon God to intervene. We may not be chased by an army, but we may still feel trapped. Instead of giving in to despair, we should adopt Moses' attitude to "stand still and watch the LORD rescue" us.
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Guzik - "God’s instructions to Moses: stop praying and start doing." Adrian Rogers on Stand still and Go Forward - There is no contradiction here, where it says, on the one hand, "Stand still," and then, on the other hand, where it says, "Go forward." We have to come to that place of rest and confidence, where, by faith, we see God in action, and then, again, we move in a way that we've never seen before. Prayer will accomplish many things but not everything. Moses at the Red Sea was praying when he should have been proceeding --- Vance Havner THOUGHT - Have you ever said “I will pray about it” when you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what God wanted you to do and you were hesitating to do it? We are at times like Moses!
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Guzik has an interesting application - God was not finished answering Pharaoh’s question from Exodus 5:2, when Pharaoh asked “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” God used the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea to speak to Egypt as much as He used it to speak to Israel.. This is an aspect of the spiritual life rarely reflected upon, yet Ephesians 3:10–11 tell us that God uses His people to teach angelic beings. When God delivers us from a temptation or crisis, it is as much a testimony to our invisible adversaries as it is to us. God uses each victory in our life to tell our unseen enemies of His power and ability to work in and through frail humanity. The Levites extol God declaring "“Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants and all the people of his land; For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them, And made a name for Yourself as it is this day. Nehemiah 9:10 Exodus 14:19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. angel of God - Ex 14:24 13:21 23:20,21 32:34 Nu 20:16 Isa 63:9 and the pillar - Ex 13:21,22 Exodus 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A THEOPHANY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PILLAR FOR PROTECTION The angel of God, Who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them - To Whom does this refer? The text equates the pillar with the angel, so God was clearly intimately related to the pillar. I believe that this was another manifestation of Angel of the LORD, a theophany, which I favor as a theophany of Christ. And why did He move behind them? Clearly to create a division between the Egyptians and the Israelites. God moves from leading to protecting. McGee agrees "I believe the Angel of God was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. It was God Himself who stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites." Currid - This is the same figure who appeared in the burning bush in Exodus 3:2. There he spoke and acted as if he was God. (The suggestion has already been made that perhaps this person is a pre-incarnate appearance of the Messiah. I agree with Guzik - We often have little idea how much God does to protect us from the attacks of our unseen enemies. We sometimes feel that we are overwhelmed in a present spiritual struggle, but we may not know what it would be like if the LORD pulled back His protection. Jehovah's protecting presence providing for their rearguard reminds me of the last phrase in Isaiah 58:8 which says "The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard." In Isaiah 52:12 we read similar words that "you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard." NET Note - Jacob (Exodus, 400–401) makes a good case that there may have been only one pillar, one cloud; it would have been a dark cloud behind it, but in front of it, shining the way, a pillar of fire. He compares the manifestation on Sinai, when the mountain was on fire but veiled by a dark cloud (Deut 4:11; 5:22). See also Exod 13:21; Num 14:14; Deut 1:33; Neh 9:12, 19; Josh 24:7; Pss 78:14; 105:39. C H McIntosh - The pillar of the cloud. “It was a cloud and darkness” to the Egyptians, but “it gave light by night” to Israel. How like the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Truly that cross has a double aspect, likewise. It forms the foundation of the believer’s peace; and, at the same time, seals the condemnation of the guilty world. The self-same blood which purges the believer’s conscience and gives him perfect peace, stains this earth and consummates its guilt. The very mission of the Son of God which strips the world of its cloak, and leaves it wholly without excuse, clothes the Church with a fair mantle of righteousness, and fills her mouth with ceaseless praise. The very same Lamb who will terrify, by His unmitigated wrath, all tribes and classes of earth, will lead, by His gentle hand, His blood-bought flock, through the green pastures, and beside the still waters forever. C. H. Mackintosh - “He has placed Himself between us and our sins; and it is our happy privilege to find Him between us and every one and every thing that could be against us.” Exodus 14:19-25 “Don’t Worry, Dad!” The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. —Isaiah 58:8 Last summer, my husband and I hosted a concert and fundraiser for childhood cancer research. We planned to have the event in our backyard, but weather forecasts were dismal. A few hours before the event, we began calling our 100+ guests to inform them of a change in venue. As our friends and family began feverishly toting food, decorations, and equipment from our house to our church gym, our daughter Rosie took a moment to give her dad a hug and remind him on behalf of the kids and grandkids that they were there for him: “Don’t worry, Dad! We’ve got your back.” Hearing that expression is comforting because it reminds us that we’re not on our own. Someone is saying, “I’m here. I’ll take care of whatever you might miss. I’ll be a second set of eyes and hands for you.” As the Israelites were escaping a life of slavery, Pharaoh sent his army of chariots and horsemen to give chase (Ex. 14:17). But “the Angel of God . . . and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them” (v.19). In this way, God hid and protected them throughout the night. The next day, He parted the Red Sea so they could safely cross over. God’s hand that holds the ocean’s depths Can hold my small affairs; His hand that guides the universe Can carry all my cares. —Anon. Our work is to cast care; God’s work is to take care! Exodus 14:20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night. NET Exodus 14:20 It came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp; it was a dark cloud and it lit up the night so that one camp did not come near the other the whole night. LXE Exodus 14:20 And it went between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and stood; and there was darkness and blackness; and the night passed, and they came not near to one another during the whole night. NLT Exodus 14:20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. KJV Exodus 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. ESV Exodus 14:20 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 without one coming near the other all night. NIV Exodus 14:20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. ASV Exodus 14:20 and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one came not near the other all the night. CSB Exodus 14:20 It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there in the darkness, yet it lit up the night. So neither group came near the other all night long. NKJ Exodus 14:20 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. NRS Exodus 14:20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. YLT Exodus 14:20 and cometh in between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and the cloud and the darkness are, and he enlighteneth the night, and the one hath not drawn near unto the other all the night. Ps 18:11 Pr 4:18,19 Isa 8:14 2Co 2:15,16 Exodus 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE PROTECTING PILLAR OF YAHWEH So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel - "It" refers to the pillar of God, the Shekinah glory cloud (cf Ex 19:9; Ex 33:9–10), clearly showing that God was going to protect and preserve those He had delivered from bondage. The Angel of God switched from guiding to guarding. Guzik - The Egyptians didn’t know it, but the same pillar that prevented their pursuit of Israel also protected their lives, at least for a while. If they had submitted to the LORD who blocked their way with His presence, they would have been spared their coming destruction. And there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night - NET = "it was a dark cloud and it lit up the night." NLT = "As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night." NIV = "Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side." Picture the somewhat eerie supernatural scene. It seems that the Egyptians were in darkness and could not perceive the light that was on the Israelites. How could this happen? There is no natural explanation. Once again as during the last 4 plagues, we see Jehovah putting a division between His people and the Egyptians. Currid - Verse 20 expresses the work of the cloud that night to bring both blessing and curse. One side of the cloud brought light; the other side gave darkness. The Egyptians were clothed in darkness, as they had been during the ninth plague; Pharaoh, the incarnation of the sun-god Ra, could not bring light to his people. But the Hebrews were bathed in the light of the pillar. Symbolically, one represents the children of darkness, and the other the children of light. Guzik - The pillar was a source of darkness to the Egyptians but a source of light to Israel. This is a vivid picture of how the glory of God or work of God can be light to one person yet seem dark to another. “Thus the double nature of the glory of God in salvation and judgment, which later appears so frequently in Scripture, could not have been more graphically depicted.” (Kaiser) The word of God has a dark side to sinners; as do also the gospel and even Jesus Himself. Thus the one did not come near the other all night - "so that one camp did not come near the other the whole night." (NET) The Egyptians could not attack the Israelites because of the protecting pillar of God. One would think that a few of the Egyptians would have thought "Maybe we had been re-consider attacking these people. Their God still seems to have power that we cannot match!" But remember that their hearts were hardened and hardened hearts do not think clearly, logically or wisely!
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Guzik remarks that "An oppressed people are slow to believe they are free while their tyrants still live. God wanted Israel to know that their oppressors were dead." Alan
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Guzik - This was just the result God intended. Sadly for Israel they did not stay in this place of respect and faith toward the LORD. This was probably more a circumstance of feelings than it was of true faith, because they left this place of respect for the LORD and Moses quickly.