At the Edge of Deliverance: From Passover to the Red Sea

When we celebrate Passover, our focus tends to be on the way that God broke down the mental, physical, and spiritual chains of the Israelites that were holding them captive in Egypt. We recount the bitterness of slavery, the tears shed, the physical strain of brickmaking, the haste with which the Israelites had to prepare, and the miraculous and terrible plagues. And once we've reviewed all of those trials and tribulations, our seder generally ends with a celebration song that repeats Miriam's song in Exodus 15.

“Then Moses and Bnei-Yisrael sang this song to ADONAI: I will sing to ADONAI, for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea.”
— Exodus 15:1 TLV

But just before this great and unparalleled victory is the tension and anxiety of Exodus 14. Exodus 14 is one of my favorite parts of the Exodus telling. In this one short chapter, we get to see the breadth and width of human insecurity contrasted with the faithfulness and infallibility of God's might.

“When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, ‘What is this we have done, that we let Israel go from serving us?’ So he prepared his chariots and took his people with him. He took 600 of the finest chariots, along with all other chariots of Egypt, and captains over them. ADONAI hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so he pursued Bnei-Yisrael, for Bnei-Yisrael went out with a high hand. But the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, as well as his charioteers and his army, and overtook them as they were encamped by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth opposite Baal-zephon.

When Pharaoh drew near, Bnei-Yisrael lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them! So they were terrified, and Bnei-Yisrael cried out to ADONAI. They said to Moses, ‘Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt? Why have you dealt this way with us, to bring us out of Egypt? Did we not say to you in Egypt, “Let us alone, so that we may serve the Egyptians?” It was better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!’”
— Exodus 14:5–12 TLV

So, after seeing all the wonder of the ten plagues, the release from Egypt, and being given riches on their way out, the Israelites are so accustomed to their slavery that even when they're just past the edge of freedom, fear still takes hold of them. In hindsight, this seems foolish or silly. How could anyone be afraid after seeing how spectacular the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had proven Himself to be? Well, the answer is actually pretty simple: When your wellbeing has been dependent on "doing", it's impossible to believe that just "being" is enough to keep you safe.

For 400 years, the Israelites had been enslaved. Generation after generation kept working, kept surviving, kept their heads down and carried on. It became a part of their DNA. Fear settled into their bones. Which is why it took so many miracles for them to believe that the God of their Forefathers had actually heard their cries for salvation! But even at the edge of freedom, they panic. And what does Moses instruct them?

“Don’t be afraid! Stand still, and see the salvation of ADONAI, which He will perform for you today. You have seen the Egyptians today, but you will never see them again, ever! ADONAI will fight for you, while you hold your peace.”
— Exodus 14:13–14 TLV

From this verse we can draw out three main points that we can use for our own deliverance today.

1. Don’t Be Afraid – Take hold of your emotions and control them instead of letting them control you! Fear has more to do with the absence of knowledge than anything. So find the information you need in order to dispel the fear and then regulate your physical self into letting go of the stress associated with being afraid.
   
   
2. Stand Still – Stop moving and doing in order to make yourself feel better! Just doing more, cleaning one more thing, running one more errand, hosting one more dinner, volunteering for one more activity... it's all keeping you too busy to fix your eyes on the miraculous thing that God is about to do in your life! So take advantage of God's instruction: Be still and know that He is God!
   
   
3. Hold Your Peace – Once you're settled in body and heart, hold onto your newfound peace while God takes care of the fight on your behalf! The only fighting you have to do in this season is the battle to hold onto your peace. Once you've found peace, do whatever it takes to keep it. Whether it's declining invitations, ordering dinner instead of cooking, turning your phone off, or choosing to not think about work, it takes active participation on your part to hold your peace.

During this season of deliverance, it's important to take these three instructions to heart. We need to embrace stillness and peace in order to be able to watch God destroy whatever is coming after you and give you safe passage to freedom! So today, I encourage you to hold your peace. Try to still your mind and body. Focus on watching what God is doing around you. Look for the wonderous and aim your destination towards freedom! There's so much that God wants to do on your behalf—to rescue and redeem you! You just have to stop flailing around and fighting Him at every turn because you're scared.

Remember what Yeshua teaches us:

“Then Yeshua said to the Judeans who had trusted Him, ‘If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s children and have never been slaves to anyone! How can you say, “You will become free”?’ Yeshua answered them, ‘Amen, amen I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now the slave does not remain in the household forever; the son abides forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!’”
— John 8:31–36 TLV

So! Here's to the season of deliverance!

L’Chaim!