Exodus 14:22-26 "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. 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. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 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 the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD 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."
The children of Israel had no way to go but forward in order to escape Pharaoh’s host. Although the way forward seemed impossible, God made a way. In obedience to the LORD, Moses stretched his hand over the sea. When he did, God sent a strong east wind to blow all night. This accomplished both the parting of the water and the drying of the ground.
It is logical to assume that the first steps between those walls of water were hard for the children of Israel to make. Would the water collapse back in on them? Were they about to see the destruction of their families and their flocks? However, with each step I am sure their confidence grew in the One who was making a way for them.
By the time the Israelites were fully committed to the crossing, Pharaoh and his army would have been feeling confident in their ability to overtake and overpower Israel. After all, they had plenty of time to see that the ground was dry under Israel’s feet and the walls of water were holding firm. The fact that they so willingly pursued God’s people showed they had already forgotten about the power of the God of the Hebrews. God soon corrected that lapse in their judgement.
God did not just drown the Egyptians in the sea. First, He confounded their efforts so that they knew judgement was coming. The LORD caused the wheels to come off of the Egyptian chariots. What had been a swift and smooth pursuit turned into a dragging of dead weight. Then He caused the Egyptians to remember that it was not Israel they were fighting against.
As the Egyptians turned to flee, God again showed them His mighty hand of judgement. The very way that was an escape for the children of Israel was the death of the Egyptians. God buried them and everything they trusted in (horses, chariots, etc.) in the sea. Nothing was left to pursue His people.
Beloved, the LORD still delivers us today by His amazing grace. He sealed our eternal destiny by the death of Jesus on the cross, but He did not leave us to stumble along in this world on our own until we get there. The Holy Ghost directs and comforts us here in times of trouble. We learn to trust Him who opens impossible paths in our lives. God is still in the business of causing the chariot wheels of our enemies (whether that enemy is other people, or our own doubts, fears, and