This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

Bro. Bruce's commentary for the book of Genesis is
now available for $7.50.

EXODUS
CHAPTER 14

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

At the end of Chapter 13 we saw the Israelites left Succoth and went to Etham.
They had been traveling SSE, but here God tells them to turn to Pihahiroth which
is located between Migdol and the sea. This place, the Bible says, is
"over against" - or opposite Baalzephon.
This is very interesting. Note the words in verse 2. "That they turn"
means to TURN BACK!
It was just a relatively short distance from Etham to Mt. Sinai (about 200 mi.).
And that was over land. Why would God now tell them to "turn back?"
He gives the reason in verse 3. God intends to fool Pharoah. And then in verse 4,
God intends to be sure that EVERYONE knows He alone is God.

There's been a lot of discussion about the direction the Israelites took, and
just what part of the Red Sea they crossed. There is very little in Egyptian
history to clarify any of those discussions. And I certainly have not learned
enough to dispute anyone's theory of where these towns are. However, since no
on knows where they are, my guess is probably as good as anyone else's.
Do you have a Bible map? Let me show you something interesting.

To "turn back" from Etham means to reverse direction. Now to reverse direction
and still maintain a southerly route, the Israelites only had to "turn back"
from traveling SSE and travel SSW instead.
Assuming they could travel about 20 miles a day (a good brisk walk), they could
easily make it from Goshen to Succoth in one day. Then they could make it to
Etham from Succoth in one day. Now, let's look at the NEXT leg of the journey.
It is about the same length; one day's travel.

If most scholars are correct, and Etham is on the NE corner of Bitter Lakes, then
Pihahiroth should be on the SW corner of that same lake. That would correctly
define this leg of the journey as "turning back." And traveling 20 miles
in a SSW direction from Etham, they would be right at the Red Sea!
By the way, most interpreters agree that the best meaning of Pihahiroth is
"mouth of canals."

This would now put Israel at the NW corner of the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds, or
what's known today as the Gulf of Suez. In fact, God says this place is
"by the sea" in verse 9.
Now some folk would like to say that this is a very narrow, and shallow place.
I heard about a little boy in school that heard his teacher say that very thing.
His response was, "Well, teacher, that must TRULY have been a miracle. 'Cause God
drowned Pharoah and his army in a SHALLOW place!"
And if the Israelites crossed the Red Sea here, it would take them to the East
fork of the Red Sea, and on the "backside" of Midian. That was country that
Moses was familiar with. And this is a good theory, since some amazing
archaeological discoveries have been made there.

It was here, Pihahiroth, "by the sea," that God would show the Egyptians, Phaorah
the Hebrews, and all the world that He alone is GOD!

5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

Pharoah just couldn't stand it! He wanted those slaves back. He was losing
productivity.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Notice how quickly the Israelites were to chastise Moses. Moses was being led
by the Lord, and the Israelites were following willingly. But NOW, all of a sudden,
it was Moses' fault. Now ain't that just like us? When things go bad, blame it on
the preacher, or Music Director, or deacons, etc.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

It COULD be that God is leading us into trouble to strengthen our faith!
Here is the lesson in these verses: "Stop being 'fraidy cats' and stand FIRM!"
If the Lord has called you, saved you, and is leading you,
He will also protect you!
Now look at verse 15 for a moment. Moses, though speaking to the nation of Israel,
was crying out to God in prayer through his heart! And God HEARD him!!
Moses' heart-prayer was heard by the Lord OVER the outcry of the people.

God seems to tell Moses to stop praying. However, we know that would be
inconsistent with the personality and Word of God. So what IS God saying?

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

what God IS saying is that prayer needs action on OUR part too!
God gives Moses a PLAN. Moses is to hold up his rod over the sea in faith, and
God will do the rest.
Moses' rod is symbolic of his whole life. On that rod was inscribed the story and
lineage of Moses' life. We, as Christians, are to pray and hold up our lives
before the world, and God will do the rest.

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 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.

There is a ton of information in these short verses. Note that the pillar of cloud
is called "the angel of God." THAT'S JESUS! There is only ONE "logos" of God!
He is God's ONLY Son (John 1:1-4, John 3:16). In Him is shown the "fullness
of the godhead bodily" Paul says in Colossians 2:9.
So we find then that the One Who was leading those Israelites to the "Promised Land"
is the same One Who is leading US to the "Promised Land" of heaven!
Also, He (pillar of cloud, fire; Angel of the Lord) separated the Egyptians from the
Israelites so that they could do nothing.
Notice that LIGHT was upon the Israelites, but a "darkness" was upon the Egyptians.

21 And 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 dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Moses held that rod out all "the night"!! Talk about diligent faith!!
The next morning the Israelites walked across the floor of the sea on DRY LAND!
The sea was raised on two sides and was a "wall" on each side as they marced.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

Those who say "I am as good as those Christians," have another think coming when they
try to presume upon the Almighty, Holy God.
Pharoah had said, "I know NOT the Lord." And here, it appears, he was truthful.
Had he known God, he wouldn't have presumed upon God's grace.
None shall enter the safety of God who do not fall in surrender to God.
A funny thing happened on the way to the war; their chariot wheels fell off!
Then they were made afraid by the Presence of God!

26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Now God instructs Moses to hold his rod back over the sea toward the Egyptians. And
the sea began to close in on top of them, and they were drowned!
But the Israelites were still in the sea, and continued to walk on dry ground until
they reached the Eastern bank.

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

God has indeed shown a great miracle here! He Who created the sea, can also
part the sea!
By the way, He can also WALK on the sea (Matt. 14:25). And He can also
CALM the sea (Mark 4:39).
God can divide the human "sea" to save HIS people.
God can come among the human "sea" for their sin.
God can bring peace to the human "sea" by His power.

And ONE DAY HE WILL!!! ((See Rev. 20:4))

Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.