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Presented, October 16, 2005 am

FAITH – THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR (8)

Faith Crossing the Red Sea – 11:29

As we resume our study of the examples of faith in Hebrews 11, we now come to those examples associated with Israel leaving Egypt and some 40 years later inheriting the Promised Land once and for all.  Thus far we have noted the great faith of various mean and women who trusted and obeyed their Lord completely.  It was not just a faith that believed in God but one that believed God.  We have seen faith in worship, in their daily walks, in the choices they made and even facing death.  May we fully understand the depth of faith as we turn to these God given examples.  In our lesson today we want to examine one pivotal event – Israel crossing the Red Sea.  It is an act filled with lessons about faith.

I.                     Crossing the Red Sea – Faith Trusting God

a.        The crossing of the Red Sea was a pivotal event in Israel’s History.  Recorded in Exodus 14 it is described as “the salvation of the Lord” (13).   Some liken it to the Christian crossing from the bondage of sin to a pilgrimage in this world that will eventually lead to our heavenly city which God has prepared for us.  (See chart). 
There are many lessons concerning faith to be found in this event alone.

b.       The account – After the 10^th plague, the death of the firstborn, Israel has escaped the bonds of Egypt completely.  However, not long after the exodus, Pharaoh changes his mind realizing he has lost his work force and sends his army to bring the Israelites back (14:5-9).  As Israel approaches the Red Sea, the Egyptians begin to catch up with them.  In their classical fashion, Israel begins to complain to Moses accusing him of bringing them into the wilderness to die because there were no graves in Egypt (14:10-12) and they are ready to return to Egypt.
   Moses, BY FAITH, assures them that the Lord will fight for them.  Moses is then instructed to raise his rod and stretch his hand over the sea.  As he does, it begins to part.   We are also told the Angel of the Lord went behind the camp of Israel and prevented the Egyptians from moving forward – it was dark on the Egyptian side and light on the Israelite side. (19-20)
All night the waters separate and the ground is dried up.  In the morning, Israel crosses through the Red Sea on dry land. 
    As they are all safely across, the Egyptians are finally released and they proceed through the waters of the sea, pursuing Israel.  The Lord sees this and causes their chariot wheels to fall off.  Some realize that God is against them and begin to flee, but the Lord commands Moses to wave his hand in the morning which caused the sea to return to normal.  The Egyptians, ALL of them drowned.  Then we read, “So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt, so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.” (30-31)
LET US NOW discuss the faith of crossing the Red Sea.

c.        It required faith to stand still as instructed by Moses (13). 

                                                   i.      Israel sees their enemies approaching and panic.  As noted, they are ready to return.  Moses tells them to “stand still” or “WAIT!”  It is a call for them to trust Moses and God.  Israel had every reason to do so – considering the signs they had witnessed and the power of God they had seen.  But it still required them to TRUST Moses instead of acting hastily.  They do.

                                                  ii.      Why stand still? Because God had not spoken yet.  Considering everything God had done to bring them to that point, they should have known that He was NOT going to abandon them.  But what do they do now?  WAIT for further instructions.

                                                iii.      We need to respect the silence of God.  Understand that IS an act of faith.  Far too many today do things the way they want to because they are not willing to wait for God’s way to work.  They are like King Saul in 1 Samuel 13 who faced with the threat of the Philistines instead of waiting on Samuel the prophet to come and offer the lawful sacrifice, takes the law into his own hands and offers it himself.  As soon as he finishes, Samuel appears and condemns his presumptuous actions.
DO WE TRULY TRUST GOD’S WORD?  If so, we need to respect not only what it says, but also what it does NOT say.
Instrumental music is a rejection of the silence of God
Human organizations and denominational superstructures (organizations larger than the local church) are a rejection of God’s silence because man reasons, he can accomplish the will of God HIS OWN way.

                                                iv.      That leaves one question – How long do we wait?  Simply answered – UNTIL GOD ANSWERS!  Since His word is complete, we must respect its boundaries in all we do –
1 Corinthians 4:6 – “that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written”
In the mean time, TRUST Him!

d.       It required faith to cross the Red Sea – after all, its walls were being held up by the power of God. 

                                                   i.      Imagine for a moment that sight.  Walking on a path with a wall of water on both sides, probably looking up several feet (maybe the height of a small skyscraper depending on where they crossed) to see the top on either side.  The distance is at a minimum, several hundred yards and possibly miles long.  As you are crossing, they look ahead and see the other side in the distance with a clear, straight path – and it is ALL possible because they are witnessing a miracle by their God and Savior.  

                                                  ii.      They HAD TO trust God.   They had to believe God. But it was NOT a blind faith – God had proven Himself to them over and over as we have pointed out.

                                                iii.      Here we find faith in God as He fulfills His will in our lives.  As Christians there are many things we are expected to do as we serve Him.  Ours is a life of total service.  But our hope depends on God doing that which we are not able to do.

1.        Our salvation is dependent on Him.  We cannot ever earn our salvation – Ephesians 2:8-9.  We HAVE TO trust Him to remove our sins as we submit to His will.  We MUST do our part – but ultimately, it is His action that saves us.

2.        Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

3.        When we pray to God – it MUST be in faith – James 1:5-7.  How can God increase our wisdom?  We may not fully understand it, but we must trust Him as we do our part.

4.        How will a rich man enter heaven?  Matthew 19 says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (19:23-24).  While, “with men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (26)

e.        It was a faith builder.

                                                   i.      The last verse of Exodus 14 says, “Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.”  (31)

                                                  ii.      The wonderful thing about faith is that it builds upon itself.  The more you put your trust in God, the stronger that trust will become.
We have seen that in the life of Abraham where he eventually reached a point that he was even willing to sacrifice his son at God’s command.

                                                iii.      2 Peter 1:5 speaks of faith as the foundation upon which our character is built.  The way the various “graces” are described are such that as each one increases (1:5-7), it naturally increases all those characteristics upon which it is built.  I.e. - While you incorporate virtue into your faith – as that virtue grows your faith expands along with it.  As your knowledge builds – your virtue and faith expand proportionately.

                                                iv.      The more we trust God and let Him work in our lives, the stronger our faith in Him will become.  We just need to stand back and notice what He has done for us.

                                                 v.      That’s why at the end of Paul’s life he could say – “I KNOW whom I have believed and am persuaded…” (2 Tim. 1:12) and later in that same letter, speaking of persecutions he said, “out of them all the Lord delivered me” (3:11), then in his concluding thoughts he says, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” (4:18)

f.         It was a faith that burned bridges to their past. 

                                                   i.      An interesting thought to consider as Israel crossed the Red Sea was that it was an event that meant no turning back.  There was a great sea that separated their former lives from where they now were.   I am not saying it was impossible for them to go back – on several occasions, because of their ingratitude they said they wanted to return to Egypt to their former lives of misery and slavery.  How tragic to even consider such a thing.  I am convinced that when they acted that way they were not truly considering their past misery.  But one thing is sure - that sea they crossed made it more difficult for them to return.

                                                  ii.      True faith in our lives will help us to burn the bridges of the past and move forward toward our Promised Land.  Why is it that many who obey the gospel only remain faithful for a short while and then they fall away, returning to their old ways? It is because they NEVER REALLY LET GO of their past.  They dwell on “the good old days” forgetting about the misery and evil they went through along with those “good times.”

1.        Jesus spoke of such in the parable of the Sower - The stony ground and the thorny ground – Luke 8:13-14.  Some have no root and soon fall away.  Others are chocked by the cares of the world and become non productive.

2.        On another occasion Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  Luke 9:62

3.        Paul in Philippians 3:7-8, 13 forgot about his past accomplishments, even counting them as rubbish and he pressed forward toward the goal of heaven.  He burned the bridges and had no desire to rebuild them.  That needs to be our attitude.

4.        Don’t forget the warning of Peter in 2 Peter 2:20-22 – he who returns to his former ways is like the dog returning to his own vomit and the washed sow returning to its filthy mud pit.

g.       Finally, crossing the Red Sea was a saving faith.

                                                   i.      Like the faith of the Passover, this was an act of obedience that saved them.   Once and for all, it delivered them from the bondage of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

                                                  ii.      We have already noted Exodus 14:13, 30-31 which says the Lord saved them.

                                                iii.      We must understand the part faith has in our salvation.  Without faith we CANNOT be saved.

1.        Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16, etc.

                                                iv.      Baptism is an act of faith.

1.        It is interesting that crossing the Red Sea is referred to as a baptism - Consider 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 – They were immersed in Moses, being SAVED from Egypt.

2.        Baptism as an act of salvation based upon our faith.  1 Peter 3:20-21 speaks of baptism now saving us.  But it also notes it is, “not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”  In other words, baptism is an act of faith.  We believe God and trust Him to remove our sins AS we obey Him.

3.        Acts 22:16 says that baptism washes away our sins.

                                                 v.      So, just as Israel was saved by faith as they crossed the Red Sea (in obedience), so we are saved by faith through baptism.

What remains is our pilgrimage.  For the next 40 years, Israel wandered in the wilderness until they reached the Promised Land.  They entered that land the same way they entered the wilderness, by crossing the Jordan River.  In our next lesson we will note two events associated with inheriting the Promised Land.  What about you?  Have you crossed over from the bondage of sin into your pilgrimage toward the land of Canaan?  Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins?  If not, let me urge you to become a Christian today, while you still have opportunity.