Difficult by Design: Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29 - 19th Sunday after Pentecost

When there’s an emergency, time is of the essence. Every second can mean the difference between life and death. The quicker the rescue, the greater the odds of survival.

The Old Testament Book of Exodus tells the story of God’s rescue of his chosen people from slavery in Egypt. This could be, however, the slowest rescue in history.

For 430 years, the Israelites groaned beneath the yoke of slavery—and God was not unaware. The last eighty of those years marked the beginning of God’s rescue plan with the birth of Moses. It wasn’t until Moses was 80 years old that God appeared in the burning bush and sent him to Pharoah, demanding that he “let my people go.” Pharoah refuses, and the plagues unfold over the course of about a year until the tenth one, down all the Egyptian first-born males and livestock. Pharoah finally lets them go, and the Israelites set out. But Pharoah changes his mind, and his armies go after him. 

Parting of the Red Sea by Iforce on flickr. CC0 1.0

In today’s reading, the Israelites are trapped with the Red Sea in front of them and Pharoah’s armies behind them. They cry out against Moses, whom they accuse of taking them out of Egypt only to be cut down in the desert.

It’s not hard to understand why the people are so angry. After Moses first demanded the Israelites’ release, Pharoah retaliated by forcing them to make bricks without straw—thus making their work significantly more difficult—while keeping the quota the same. Then God sent the plagues—which the Israelites suffered through, too (except for the deaths of the firstborn). Thus, they had good reason to believe they were doomed.

Then Moses stretches his hand out over the Sea. The Lord sends a powerful east wind that turns the sea into dry land. The way of God’s salvation led out onto the sea floor, with the waters on their right and on their left, the hurricane-force winds behind them, and the pillar of fire before them.

This begs the question: why did God make this so complicated and dangerous?

We know that God hardened Pharoah’s heart so that he refused to let God’s people go. Why didn’t God soften it, then? Perhaps Moses could have hypnotized him, instead of risking his life going to Pharoah, over and over again.

If God wanted his people out of Egypt, he could’ve raptured them out, like in the Left Behind novels.

But God had his reasons. The plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the destruction of Pharoah and his armies sent a powerful message to the Israelites and the Egyptians: the Lord is God, and Pharoah is not.

Furthermore, God’s rescue of his people from slavery and the sea was small part of an eternally greater plan.

God made a covenant with Abraham and Sarah to make of them a great nation that would be a blessing to the world. God is acting in the world through his chosen people.

Unfortunately, for 430 years, God’s people were not a people. They were Pharoah’s property. Pharoah was their god, and the Lord was a stranger. They didn’t know how to be God’s people, because they’d always been Pharoah’s people.

They also didn’t know how to live as free people. There’s a reason why they’re so fussy and rebellious before Moses: slavery was miserable, but at least it was predictable. Now, everything’s uncertain and unknown.

If God had done everything quickly and easily for the Israelites, then the Exodus would’ve been little more than a magic show, and its significance would’ve been lost to history.

God’s creative and redeeming work isn’t easy. If it were, we could do it ourselves. But the human heart is not easily changed—and a fallen world is not easily changed.

Salvation is not an easy answer or a quick fix. Salvation is difficult by design, because the life of Jesus Christ in you can only be forged in fire.  As it is written, “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

There will be times of joy and jubilation, but the real growth and transformation happen in the struggle. God’s work is a struggle, and God draws us into that struggle and keeps us in the struggle until it comes to its completion.

There will be times when you pray for God to free you from bondage to something or someone—and God takes a really long time. You’re right there on the shore with the Red Sea before you and Pharoah’s army behind you. But God will make a way when there is no way. God will show you his glory as you walk in that way.

So don’t fret when the path gets difficult, or your trials linger on with no end in sight. Whatever trials or dangers or perils or enemies you face, God is greater. There is more to God’s salvation that what you see and know now. God hasn’t brought you to this moment to abandon you. God is here to lead you. God is mighty to save.

Click here to read the Scripture text.