Exodus 14:26-31

This miraculous deliverance produced fear (reverential trust) in Yahweh among the Israelites (Exodus 14:31). Their confidence in Moses as well as in God revived (cf. Exodus 14:10-12).

". . . whenever confidence in Moses increases, as here and at Sinai, it is because of an action of Yahweh." [Note: Durham, p. 197.]

"In view of the importance of the concept of faith and trust in God for the writer of the Pentateuch, we should take a long look at these verses. Just as Abraham believed God and was counted righteous (Genesis 15:6), so the Israelites, under the leadership of Moses, also believed God. It seems reasonable that the writer would have us conclude here in the wilderness the people of God were living a righteous life of faith, like Abraham. As they headed toward Sinai, their trust was in the God of Abraham who had done great deeds for them. It is only natural, and certainly in line with the argument of the book, that they would break out into a song of praise in the next chapter. On the negative side, however, we should not lose sight of the fact that these same people would forget only too quickly the great work of God, make a golden calf (Psalms 106:11-13), and thus forsake the God about whom they were now singing." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 270.]

"Here [Exodus 14:31] the title of ’servant’ is given to Moses. This is the highest title a mortal can have in the OT-the ’servant of Yahweh.’ It signifies more than a believer; it describes the individual as acting on behalf of God. For example, when Moses stretched out his hand, God used it as his own (Isaiah 63:12). Moses was God’s personal representative." [Note: The NET Bible note on 14:31.]

Many critics who have sought to explain away God’s supernatural deliverance of Israel have attacked this story. They have tried by various explanations to account for what happened in natural terms exclusively. It is obvious from this chapter, however, that regardless of where the crossing took place enough water was present to drown the army of Egyptians that pursued Israel (Exodus 14:28). Immediately after this deliverance, the Israelites regarded their salvation as supernatural (Exodus 15:1-21), and they continued to do so for generations (e.g., Psalms 106:7-8). The people of Canaan heard about and believed in this miraculous deliverance, and it terrified them (Joshua 2:9-10; Joshua 9:9). The critic’s problem may be moral rather than intellectual. Some of the critics do not want to deal with the implications of there being supernatural phenomena so they try to explain them away. The text clearly presents a supernatural deliverance and even states that God acted as He did to prove His supernatural power (Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:18).

"From the start of the exodus, it becomes clear, Yahweh has orchestrated the entire sequence." [Note: Durham, p. 198.]

The Lord finished the Israelites’ liberation when He destroyed the Egyptian army. The Israelites’ slavery ended when they left Egypt, but they began to experience true freedom after they crossed the Red Sea. The ten plagues had broken Pharaoh’s hold on the Israelites, but the Red Sea deliverance removed them from his reach forever. God redeemed Israel on the Passover night, but He liberated Israel from slavery finally at the Red Sea. [Note: See William D. Ramey, "The Great Escape (Exodus 14)," Exegesis and Exposition 1:1 (Fall 1986):33-42.] In Christian experience these two works of God, redemption and liberation, occur at the same time; they are two aspects of salvation.