Summary of crossing the Red Sea

LOOK at what is happening! That is Moses with his stick stretched out over the Red Sea. Those with him safely on the other side are the Israelites. But Pharʹaoh and all his army are being drowned in the sea. Let’s see how this came about.

As we learned, Pharʹaoh told the Israelites to leave Egypt after God brought the 10th plague on the Egyptians. About 600,000 Israelite men left, as well as many women and children. Also, a large number of other people, who had become believers in Jehovah, left with the Israelites. They all took their sheep and goats and cattle with them.

Before they left, the Israelites asked the Egyptians for clothes and for things made of gold and silver. The Egyptians were very much afraid, because of that last plague upon them. So they gave the Israelites everything they asked for.

After a few days the Israelites came to the Red Sea. There they rested. In the meantime, Pharʹaoh and his men began to feel sorry that they had sent the Israelites away. ‘We have let our slaves go!’ they said.

So Pharʹaoh changed his mind once more. He quickly got his war chariot and his army ready. Then he began to chase after the Israelites with 600 special chariots, as well as all the other chariots of Egypt.

When the Israelites saw Pharʹaoh and his army coming after them, they were very much afraid. There was no way to flee. The Red Sea was on one side of them, and here the Egyptians were coming from the other direction. But Jehovah put a cloud between his people and the Egyptians. So the Egyptians were not able to see the Israelites to attack them.

Jehovah then told Moses to stretch his stick out over the Red Sea. When he did, Jehovah caused a strong east wind to blow. The waters of the sea were parted, and the waters were held up on both sides.

Then the Israelites began to march through the sea on dry ground. It took hours for the millions of people with all their animals to get safely through the sea to the other side. Finally the Egyptians were able to see the Israelites again. Their slaves were getting away! So they rushed into the sea after them.

When they did, God caused the wheels of their chariots to fall off. The Egyptians became very much afraid and began to cry out: ‘Jehovah is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let’s get out of here!’ But it was too late.

This is when Jehovah told Moses to stretch his stick out over the Red Sea, as you saw in the picture. And when Moses did, the walls of water began to come back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots. The whole army had followed the Israelites into the sea. And not one of the Egyptians got out alive!

How happy all God’s people were to be saved! The men sang a song of thanks to Jehovah, saying: ‘Jehovah has won a glorious victory. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.’ Moses’ sister Mirʹi·am took her tambourine, and all the women followed her with their tambourines. And as they danced with joy, they sang the same song as the men were singing: ‘Jehovah has won a glorious victory. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.’

The people of Israel left Egypt, rejoicing that they were free from slavery! God had used many miracles to deliver them. They had seen God’s great power and love for them. But now they were being led by Moses into the unknown.

Moses led the people out of Egypt through the wilderness to the Red Sea. But it was really God who was leading them. God provided a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night to guide them.

After several days they camped near the sea.

The people must have been fearful when they saw how wide and deep the sea was. They may have wondered, How are we going to cross over all this water to the other side? They probably thought they would drown trying to cross over the sea.

Meanwhile, God still had another plan for Pharaoh. He said, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart one more time so he will go after Israel. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

So Pharaoh got his army ready and chased after them. He was sorry that he had let them leave. He wanted them back so they could continue to serve the Egyptians as slaves. He caught up with them camped by the sea.

Don’t be afraid

As the Egyptian army came close, the Israelites saw them. They were very afraid. They cried out to God to save them. They said, “It would have been better if we had stayed in Egypt and served them.”

But Moses told them, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still and see how God will save you. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.”

Then God told Moses, “Lift up your rod over the sea and divide it. The people will cross over on dry ground through the sea.”

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. God caused the sea to divide. Soon there was a path of dry ground all the way across the sea to the other side.

The people of Israel were still afraid, but they had to walk into the middle of the sea on the dry ground. The walls of water were way over their heads, on their right side and on their left.

There were so many people with all their herds and flocks, it would take a long time to get to the other side. So God moved the pillar of cloud behind them. Then the Egyptians couldn’t come near them.

Stopping the Egyptians

But as soon as they could, Pharaoh’s army, horses and chariots also went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground. They tried to hurry to catch up with the people of Israel.

God saw what the Egyptians were doing. He caused their chariot wheels to fall off. They were stuck in the middle of the sea, not able to go forward or backward.

After the Israelites walked safely to the other side of the sea, God said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand again over the sea. The waters will come back and cover up the Egyptians, their chariots and their army.”

As Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, the water returned to its full depth. The high walls of water closed together. The Egyptians struggled to try to get out of the sea. But the water returned quickly and covered the chariots, the horsemen and all of Pharaoh’s army that had come into the sea after Israel.

Not one of the Egyptians was left alive. All of them drowned.

So God saved the people of Israel that day from the Egyptians. Now the people feared God and believed Him and His servant Moses.

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang a song of praise. They thanked God for delivering them from the Egyptians. Though they soon forgot, they knew God had brought them safely through the Red Sea. They were now free to go and worship God.

Questions

Here are some questions to think about or talk about as a family:

1. What do you think the people of Israel thought when they saw the Red Sea?
2. Do you think they were afraid to go into the sea even though God had made a path of dry land for them? Would you have been afraid, seeing the walls of water on both sides of you?
3. What do you think the people were thinking when they saw the Egyptian army chasing them?
4. What did Moses and the people do when they saw the waters return and drown all the Egyptians?

Read more about God bringing Israel through the Red Sea in Exodus 14 through 15.

About the Author

Shelby Faith

Shelby Faith served as a faithful deaconess for many years in the St. Louis, Missouri, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, until her death in 2021.

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