STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD
Anita Clark – PastorGrace Chapel, Carbondale, Kansas
In Exodus 14, we read the story of the people of God being delivered from Egypt and traveling in the desert to go to their ancient place back to Israel. In verse 2 God said to Moses, who was leading the mass of Israelites who had just left Egypt. “Speak unto the Children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.”
Note that God told them exactly where to go. Note he said, “turn and encamp before Pihahiroth.” The meaning of this place is “a place of liberty.” They were to be “between Migdol and the sea.” Migdol was a “tower or fortress.” Baal-zephon when interpreted means “Lord of the North.” The road north lead to their homeland, Israel, away from the bondage of Egypt.
Verse 3 tells of Pharaoh’s human reasoning. He said, “The children of Israel are entangled in the land and the wilderness hath shut them in.” Psalms 48:1-2 gives us understanding of what our God declares, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.”
Verse 9 tells of the Egyptians pursuing after Israel with horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, overtook them encamping by the sea...” Vs. 10 tells us that the Israelites “were sore afraid.”. Vs.4 tells us why God allowed this problem of the Egyptians following Israel, God speaking says, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that he shall follow after them, and I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.”
Verses 9 &10 tells us that Israel was sore afraid, and they “cried out to the Lord.” Moses said unto the people, (Vs. 13) “”Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will shew to you to day, for the Egyptians ye have seen today; ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
These words “fear not” are repeated many times in the Bible. Gen.15:1 Abraham was told by God, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.” Joshua was fearful and God spoke to him in Joshua 8:1, “”Fear not neither be thou dismayed: I have given into thy hand the king of AI and his people and his city, and his land.” King David spoke to his son Solomon and said in I Chronicles 28:20, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it, fear not, nor be dismayed; for the LORD, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work of the house of the LORD. Isaiah 35:4 says, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you.” In the book of Luke, Jesus spoke to His disciples, “Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Unbelief magnifies or creates difficulties and then sets about to remove them by our own bustling, fruitless actions. Faith on the contrary raises the soul above difficulty, straight to God Himself and enables us to stand still! We don’t gain anything by our restless anxious efforts. Israel’s murmurings of unbelief could never change their situation. 1. Couldn’t dry the Red Sea up. 2. Couldn’t level the mountains. 3. Couldn’t annihilate the armies of Egypt. We learn the words of Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Come and see “The Salvation of the Lord.” Hebrews 11:29 “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land; which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.” Faith is spiritual sight not physical sight. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Salvation brings “deliverance” all the way from the new birth to our bodily deliverance, where we will be translated up to heaven. Romans 8:23 says, “...waiting for the adoption to wit, the redemption of our bodies.” This will bring our eternal deliverance to us forever with the Lord..
Believe and press forward. He is coming very soon.
