Rescue and Ruin: The Crossing of the Red Sea

After the Israelites had lived in Egypt for more than four hundred years, God heard their cries and sent Moses to rescue them. Through the miraculous ten plagues, He secured their release. More than two million Israelites then left Egypt with a triumphant spirit. During the day, the Lord led them with a pillar of cloud, and at night, with a pillar of fire to give them light so they could travel day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never left its place in front of the people.

A few days later, the Israelites arrived at the Red Sea. By this time, Pharaoh and his officials regretted letting the Israelites go. So Pharaoh changed his mind again. He quickly prepared his chariots and army, taking 600 of his best chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt to pursue the Israelites.

When the Israelites saw Pharaoh and his great army coming after them, they were terrified. They had nowhere to go. The Red Sea was in front of them, and the Egyptians were behind them. But the Lord positioned the pillar of cloud between His people and the Egyptians. This prevented the Egyptians from seeing the Israelites or attacking them. Then, the Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his staff over the Red Sea. As he did, the Lord sent a strong east wind. The waters of the sea parted, and the water stood up like walls on both sides.

The Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea. It took several hours for millions of them, along with their livestock, to safely cross the Red Sea to the other side. The Egyptians rushed into the sea to pursue them. God caused the wheels of their chariots to come off. Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea again. Moses did so, and the walls of water returned to their normal state, completely drowning the Egyptians and their chariots. Not a single person escaped! This event happened on the third day after the Passover lamb was slaughtered. On the third day after the death of the Passover Lamb, the Israelites were saved and finally freed from Pharaoh’s grasp forever.

The crossing of the Red Sea prefigures baptism. Paul said that the Israelites were baptized into Moses in the Red Sea, but we believers are baptized into Christ. Their crossing of the Red Sea is a wonder that is equivalent to your baptism. We will encounter one “Red Sea” after another on our life’s journey. We must look to God in complete faith. By His word and through His salvation, we can entrust our future to Him and experience the same salvation that God provided when He led the Israelites out of Egypt.

(Compiled and edited based on the Chinese Union Version and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.)