TODAY’S MESSAGE
Exodus 13:17 - 14:31 YeHoVaH Fights for Us
Ex 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that Elohim led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for Elohim said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
The people were led out in battle array, but Father was concerned they would repent to do battle when faced with the Philistines. However, YeHoVaH could have destroyed the Philistines.
Ex 13:18 But Elohim led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
The Philistines were Hamitic people, descendants of Mizraim (Egypt), living in Canaan.
Philistines – 06430 פְּלִשְׁתִּי Pelishtiy {pel-ish-tee'}
Meaning: Philistine = "immigrants" 1) an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
Usage: AV - Philistine 287, Philistim 1; 288
Harnessed – 02571 חַמֻשׁ chamush {khaw-moosh'}
Meaning: 1) in battle array, arrayed for battle by fives, armed
Origin: pass. participle of the same as 02570; TWOT- 688a; adj
Usage: AV - armed 2, armed men 1, harnessed 1; 4
- The people were armed for war, but it would be YeHoVaH who would fight for them.
- The people of Israel are armies of YeHoVaH.
- The people of YeHoVaH, true Israel, are soldiers.
- The people of YeHoVaH, true Israel, are soldiers at war.
- Soldiers at war do not entangle themselves in worldly or civilian affairs.
Paul wrote:
- 2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- 2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
- Ex 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, Elohim will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
- Ex 13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
- Ex 13:21 And YeHoVaH went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Pillar – 05982 עַמּוּד `ammuwd {am-mood'} or עַמֻּד `ammud {am-mood'}
Meaning: 1) pillar, column 1a) pillar 1b) column, upright 1c) column (of smoke)
Usage: AV - pillar 109, apiece + 0259 1; 110
Cloud – 06051 עֲנָן `anan {aw-nawn'}
Meaning: 1) cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass 1a) cloud-mass (of theophanic cloud) 1b) cloud
Usage: AV - cloud 81, cloudy 6; 87
Fire – 0784 אֵשׁ 'esh {aysh}
Meaning: 1) fire 1a) fire, flames 1b) supernatural fire (accompanying theophany) 1c) fire (for cooking, roasting, parching) 1d) altar-fire 1e) God's anger (fig.)
Usage: AV - fire 373, burning 1, fiery 1, untranslated variant 1,
A theophany (thee AH' fuh nee) is a physical appearance of God to a human being. ... To avoid such fatal encounters, God appeared as a man, angel, burning bush, and a pillar of cloud or fire.
The Psalmist wrote:
- Ps 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
- Ps 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
- Ps 104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
- Ps 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire
- Ex 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
- Ex 14:1 And YeHoVaH spake unto Moses, saying,
YeHoVaH had Moses go a way that he knew not. Apparently, this was not the way Moses or Israel came into the land of Egypt
- Ex 14:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
- YeHoVaH, the Lord of Hosts, Captain of the Hosts, is the ultimate military strategist.
- Jacob/Israel saw YeHoVaH’s army:
- Ge 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
- Ge 32:2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
- Gahazi saw YeHoVaH’s army:
- 2Ki 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
- 2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Joshua met the Captain of the Army of YeHoVaH:
- Jos 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
- Jos 5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
- Jos 5:15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
- Isaiah, the prophet, called Him the YeHoVaH of Hosts:
- Isa 13:4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
- The prophet Samuel could say:
- 1Sa 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.
The Levite, Jahaziel, prophesied:
2Ch 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
The Psalmist, King David, wrote:
Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Ps 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The Prophet Zechariah proclaimed:
Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Ex 14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
YeHoVaH made Pharaoh think the people of Israel were confused in order to lure Pharaoh to follow after them.
Entangled – 0943 בּוּךְ buwk {book}
Meaning: 1) to perplex, confuse, be confused 1a) (Niphal) to be confused, be in confusion
Usage: AV - perplexed 2, entangled 1; 3
- Ex 14:4 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 YeHoVaH. And they did so.
- Ex 14:5 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?
- Ex 14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
- Ex 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
- Ex 14:8 And YeHoVaH 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.
- Ex 14:9 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 Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
- Ex 14:10 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 YeHoVaH.
This most likely would have been their response facing the Philistines. YeHoVaH wanted Israel to see what He would do to their known enemy so that they would no longer be concerned about Pharaoh or Egypt again.
Ex 14:11 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?
The people contended with Moses to leave them be and were content to serve the Egyptians, but they were also discontented to be slaves. This was perplexing.
- Ex 14:12 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.
- Ex 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of YeHoVaH, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
- Ex 14:14 YeHoVaH shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
- Moses has faith in YeHoVaH , yet the fear of the people caused him to cry out to YeHoVaH for help.
Ex 14:15 And YeHoVaH said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
YeHoVaH instructs Moses what to do.
The very path YeHoVaH leads you down, if you are obedient, can be the very path that He destroys your enemies who pursue you.
YeHoVaH makes an example out of the Egyptians for Israel’s sake.
Ex 14:16 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.
Ex 14:17 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.
Ex 14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am YeHoVaH, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Ex 14:19 And the angel of Elohim, 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:
Ps 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
The Hebrew writer reminded the Hebrews of this Psalm:
- Heb 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
- Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
- Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
After Israel saw its enemy pursue them, which caused them fear, YeHoVaH put a separation of darkness between them and their enemy. This stopped the pursuit, giving Israel time to put distance between themselves and Egypt.
Looking back can cause fear. When we look back to see those who pursue us, we take our eyes off the One who goes before us.
When we focus on those who want to do us harm, we lose focus on Him who leads us.
- Ex 14:20 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.
- Ex 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and YeHoVaH 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.
- Ex 14:22 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.
- Ex 14:23 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.
- Ex 14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch YeHoVaH looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
- Ex 14:25 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 YeHoVaH fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
- Ex 14:26 And YeHoVaH 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.
- Ex 14:27 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 YeHoVaH overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
- Ex 14:28 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.
- Ex 14:29 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.
- Ex 14:30 Thus YeHoVaH saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
YeHoVaH saved Israel!
Saved – 03467 יָשַׁע yasha` {yaw-shah'}
Meaning: 1) to save, be saved, be delivered 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered 1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious
Usage: AV - save 149, saviour 15, deliver 13, help 12, preserved 5, salvation 3, avenging 2, at all 1, avenged 1, defend 1, rescue 1, safe 1, victory 1; 205
YeHoVaH caused Israel to see the dead bodies of their enemies to assure Israel that they no longer had to be concerned about being pursued by them.
Ex 14:31 And Israel saw that great work which YeHoVaH did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared YeHoVaH, and believed YeHoVaH, and his servant Moses.
This was not the first time the people feared YeHoVaH and believed. Exodus 4:31
- Ex 4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
- Ex 4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
This event would go down in Israel’s history to be remembered and recalled for thousands of years, even to this day, as a reminder of Who fights for us!
The battles against our enemies are not ours, they are YeHoVaH’s!
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Last Updated on October 19, 2021 by