The Lord Will Fight For You

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:5-14 ESV

At some point, it dawned on Pharaoh that the Israelites had no intentions of returning from their 3-day trek into the wilderness. Verse 5 states that “word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled.” The Hebrew word translated as “fled” is בָּרַח (bāraḥ), which carries the idea of running away. It seems likely that Pharoah had sent spies to keep an eye on the Israelites and to ensure that they kept their end of the bargain and returned after worshiping their God in the wilderness. Instead, Pharaoh was informed that the Israelites were attempting to make a break for it but had become lost and confused in the process.

Upon receiving the news of the somewhat circuitous route the Israelites had taken, Pharaoh concluded that they had become lost. He immediately regretted his previous decision to allow them to leave and was determined to do everything in his power to get them back.

So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. – Exodus 14:6-7 NLT

Twice, Moses emphasizes that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Once again, this is meant to emphasize God’s sovereignty over all that was taking place. But it does not absolve Pharaoh of guilt in the matter. He was not being forced to do what he did. This arrogant king was being motivated by the wickedness of his own heart but all according to the divine plan of God.

The very fact that God had ordered Moses to have the Israelites begin their journey out of Egypt headed in one direction and then had them reverse their course, is a clear indication that God had something else He had planned to do. He was not yet done humiliating Pharaoh and was about to enact one more irrefutable demonstration of His superior power and authority.

God had told Moses in advance exactly what He was going to do and why.

“…once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” – Exodus 14:4 NLT

The Lord of Hosts(Jehovah Sabaoth) was about to do battle with the elite troops of Egypt. One of the most powerful and feared armies in the world was going to find itself going up against God Almighty.

As the Israelites sat in their makeshift camp along the shore of the Red Sea, waiting for directions from Moses, they were unaware that Pharaoh and his troops were headed their way. And Pharaoh was motivated by what he believed to be was a blatant display of arrogance on the part of the Israelites.

…he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. – Exodus 14:8 NLT

He had been given time to reconsider his earlier decision and came to the conclusion that the Israelites needed a healthy serving of humble pie. So, mounted in his royal chariot, Pharaoh led his crack troops in hasty pursuit of a fleeing mob of confused and defenseless Israelites. But the Israelites weren’t running; they were sitting quietly by the shores of the Red Sea awaiting instructions from Moses. The pillar of cloud, a manifestation of God’s presence, still hovered nearby, and they had been instructed not to break camp until the cloud began to move. By all indications, they were right where God wanted them to be. 

But, in time, the Israelites heard the sound of the approaching army and could see the large sandstorm stirred up by the horses’ hooves and the chariot wheels. And as the Israelites watched in horror, the 600 chariots of the Egyptian army came into view, barrelling toward them with unbridled abandon. And the hearts of the Israelites sank in despair.

Almost as if in unison, the people cried out to God for help. Others directed their fear and anger at Moses, shouting, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11 NLT). These questions, among others, poured out in a torrent of rage and abject terror as the people considered their doomed fate. They began to hurl accusations against Moses and Aaron, questioning their leadership an demeaning the failed nature of their strategy. From their perspective, Moses and Aaron had blown it. Their promise of deliverance had turned into a guarantee of certain destruction. And the Israelites began to regret having ever left Egypt in the first place.

“It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!” – Exodus 14:12 NLT

As far as they could tell, listening to Moses and Aaron had been a huge mistake. And as they vented their frustration, fears, and anger at these two elderly men, the Israelites failed to notice that the pillar of cloud had never stirred or left their sight. It remained right where it had been all along, signifying that God was still with them.

But Moses must have seen the cloud and gained renewed confidence. He withstood the verbal onslaught and responded with a powerful call to faith.

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:13-14 ESV

While the eyes of the Israelites were fixated on the 600 chariots headed their way, Moses must have fixed his sight on the pillar of cloud, remembering the words of the Lord.

“I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army.” – Exodus 14:4 NLT

Moses gave the people three simple instructions.

Fear not – he encouraged them to cease fearing because he knew that uncontrolled fear can turn to flight. If they ran, they were as good as dead. They could not outrun chariots.

Stand firm – rather then run, they were to stand their ground because God had them right where He wanted them. He had led them to this very spot, and it would be on this ground that they would see the deliverance of God.

See the salvation of the Lord – whether they realized it or not, they had ringside seats to what would be the greatest show on earth. Moses was inviting them to stand back and watch their God perform a miracle of epic proportions. When they thought all was lost and their lives were in the balance, God was ready to provide them with salvation.

The army bearing down on them looked formidable. The fate awaiting them appeared to be unavoidable. Though they greatly out-numbered the Egyptians, they were no match for chariots, swords, and spears. Yet, God wanted them to trust Him. The army they feared would soon be gone. The deadly outcome they expected would not be forthcoming. All because Jehovah Sabaoth was on their side and He was about to display His omnipotence on their behalf.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I, the Lord…I Am He

1 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;
    let the peoples renew their strength;
let them approach, then let them speak;
    let us together draw near for judgment.

2 Who stirred up one from the east
    whom victory meets at every step?
He gives up nations before him,
    so that he tramples kings underfoot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
    like driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursues them and passes on safely,
    by paths his feet have not trod.
4 Who has performed and done this,
    calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first,
    and with the last; I am he.

5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid;
    the ends of the earth tremble;
    they have drawn near and come.
6 Everyone helps his neighbor
    and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
7 The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,
    and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good”;
    and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

8 But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
    and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
    shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
    shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
    but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
    shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
    hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.”

14 Fear not, you worm Jacob,
    you men of Israel!
I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
    your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge,
    new, sharp, and having teeth;
you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,
    and you shall make the hills like chaff;
16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,
    and the tempest shall scatter them.
And you shall rejoice in the Lord;
    in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

17 When the poor and needy seek water,
    and there is none,
    and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
    I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers on the bare heights,
    and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
    and the dry land springs of water.
19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
    the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive.
I will set in the desert the cypress,
    the plane and the pine together,
20 that they may see and know,
    may consider and understand together,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
    the Holy One of Israel has created it. – Isaiah 41:1-20 ESV

Judah was in an unenviable position, in both a physical and spiritual sense. It seems that they were located in the very epicenter of a region that attracted conquering nations like honey draws bees.

If you look at any maps that reveal the extent of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, you find Judah positioned precariously in the middle of all the action. The threat of defeat at the hands of more powerful nations was a constant reality. If it weren’t the Assyrians, it would be the Babylonians.

And God has already warned Hezekiah that Jerusalem would eventually fall to the Babylonians, who weren’t even a major player on the scene at the time. 

But even more unenviable than Judah’s geographic location was its position in respect to Yahweh. They had been unfaithful to the Faithful One. They had repeatedly disobeyed Him and dishonored His name by worshiping false gods. And God, by virtue of His holiness and righteousness, was obligated to punish His people for their serial spiritual adultery. 

And yet, God has provided His rebellious people with a somewhat surprising message of assurance, saying, “Comfort, comfort my people” (Isaiah 40:1 ESV). In spite of all that the people of Judah had done to offend a holy God, they would find Him to be compassionate and gracious. He promised to one day restore them.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31 NLT

It would have been easy for the people of Judah to look at their circumstances and lose heart. They were a seemingly insignificant nation surrounded by more powerful enemies who were intent on their destruction. What was Judah when compared to the world-dominating power of Assyria? What hope did they have when the ten tribes of Israel to the north had fallen to Sennacherib and his forces? But in chapter 41, God assures His people that they have nothing to fear from these other nations. They were mere pawns in His hands, and their power was insignificant when compared with His.

God summons as witnesses all the Gentile nations of the world. Like a prosecuting attorney in a court of law, He addresses them, delivering in no uncertain terms a defense of His sovereignty.

“Who has stirred up this king from the east,
    rightly calling him to God’s service?
Who gives this man victory over many nations
    and permits him to trample their kings underfoot?
With his sword, he reduces armies to dust.
    With his bow, he scatters them like chaff before the wind.
He chases them away and goes on safely,
    though he is walking over unfamiliar ground.”– Isaiah 41:2-3 NLT

In response to these questions from God, the Gentile nations would have most likely stated that the pagan gods of the Assyrians and Babylonians were responsible for their victories. But God’s questions are intended to be rhetorical, and He provides the only correct answer: “I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he” (Isaiah 41:4 ESV).

And yet, the pagan nations continue to place all their hopes in their false gods. They attempt to manufacture some semblance of security just as they manufacture the idols they worship.

The idol makers encourage one another,
    saying to each other, “Be strong!”
The carver encourages the goldsmith,
    and the molder helps at the anvil.
    “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.”
Carefully they join the parts together,
    then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over. – Isaiah 41:6-7 NLT

But these man-made totems will prove no match for the Lord of Hosts. They have no power. And any power that the kings of these pagan nations wield has been given to them by God. As God revealed to Daniel in a dream:

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.” – Daniel 2:20-21 NLT

So, God turns His attention to the people of Judah, reminding them of their unique position as His chosen people. Of all people on the earth, they were to be envied, despite all that was happening around them. The nations beyond the seas had no god to save them. Their idols would prove powerless in the face of the Assyrian and Babylonian armies. But Judah had no reason to fear because they belonged to God.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 NLT 

If they looked at their circumstances, they were bound to experience fear and discouragement. But, as God’s people, they were to look to Him. They were to trust in Him. Because He had promised to do what no other god could do: To strengthen them, help them and hold them up. They had nothing to fear, even though they were surrounded by more powerful enemies because God was in control and was on their side.

Those who attack you
    will come to nothing.
For I hold you by your right hand—
    I, the Lord your God.
And I say to you,
    ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” – Isaiah 41:12-13 NLT

Notice what God tells them. They would be attacked. Their enemies were real, and the prospect of warfare was as well. God didn’t promise them freedom from warfare, but the assurance of His help. And the apostle Paul reminds us that we can expect warfare in our lives as well.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. – Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT

God promises the people of Judah that a day is coming when the tables will be turned. They will become the victor rather than the victim. The lowly “worm” will become the aggressor, wreaking havoc on its enemies and gladly glorying in the greatness of God.

Then you will rejoice in the Lord.
    You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. – Isaiah 41:16 NLT

God tells them that, just when things are looking like they couldn’t get any worse, He will show up.

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none,
    and their tongues are parched from thirst,
then I, the Lord, will answer them.
    I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.” – Isaiah 41:17 NLT

At their greatest moment of need, their great God will show up. And He will provide for them in ways that are beyond their imaginations. He will work a miracle that leaves no doubt that their salvation was divinely ordained and orchestrated. And God tells them why He is going to act on their behalf.

“I am doing this so all who see this miracle
    will understand what it means—
that it is the Lord who has done this,
    the Holy One of Israel who created it.” – Isiah 41:20 NLT

God’s greatest works always appear at our greatest moments of need. It is in our periods of most intense crisis that God reveals His power and proves His faithfulness to us. It is when we need Him most that God tends to show up best. It is in those times that He intervenes and says, “I, the Lord…I am He.”

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Misplaced Fear.

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 10:26-33 ESV

In His address to His disciples, as He prepares to send them out on their first independent ministry mission, Jesus uses a number of proverbial statement that must have sounded confusing and even a bit contradictory to His audience. There were already reeling from His announcement that they were going to face persecution and even death as His emissaries. Of course, they didn’t understand that much of what He had told them was prophetic in nature and dealing with events far into the future, long after they were gone. Jesus was addressing not only the twelve but all those who would become His disciples after His death and resurrection. Future Christians would face persecution and difficulties of all kinds, including martyrdom. And the greatest period of persecution will happen during the period known as the Great Tribulation, just prior to Jesus’ second coming. 

So, in light of His announcement that the disciples would face difficulty and possibly death, Jesus encouraged them “fear not.” Three separate times, Jesus emphasizes that they were to have no fear of those who would harass and harm them,

So have no fear of them… – Matthew 10:26 ESV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul… – Matthew 10:28 ESV

Fear not, therefore… – Matthew 10:31 ESV

And knowing that His disciples would find these words difficult to obey, Jesus provided them with the reasoning that should motivate and alleviate their fears. First of all, using a proverbial statement, Jesus told them, “nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Matthew 10:26 ESV). The news that they were to share regarding His Kingdom was going to become known. They could allow their fears to silence their tongues, but the message would still become known. The news about the arrival of the Messiah would be spread one way or another, so they might as well speak up. All that they had seen Jesus do and heard Him say was to be broadcast to their fellow Jews. The Messiah had come and they were to let everyone know. And they were not to let their fear of man silence them.

And Jesus was realistic, acknowledging that there was always the real chance of death associated with their mission. Not only was there the potential for people to reject their message, there was the distinct possibility that they could take their lives. But Jesus tells them “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” His words were meant to focus the attention of the disciples on the eternal rather than the temporal. All men could do to them was kill their bodies. They could not touch their souls or impact their future destiny. Men could eliminate the disciples’ physical lives but do nothing to influence eternal life.

But while Jesus clearly told His disciples to “fear not,” He was not telling them to fear nothing. They were to have a healthy fear of God.

…fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. – Matthew 10:28 ESV

Too often, we live with a misplaced fear, caring far more about men think of us or might do to us, rather than fearing the power and holiness of God. We are eternal creatures, whose souls will last long after our bodies have died and decayed. Men can harm our bodies, but they cannot touch our souls. And yet, the afterlife is far more important than our earthly life. Where we spend eternity is of greater importance than how we spend out lives on this planet. The disciples could allow their fear to keep their mouth’s shut, in hopes that they could avoid possible suffering, but Jesus wanted them to focus their attention on the future – on eternity.

The judgment of God is far greater and more devastating than anything man can do to us. He has authority over the physical bodies and the eternal desitinies of all men. So, it is much more important that we fear Him, rather than wasting our time worrying about what men might do to us. Jesus was not suggesting that a believer could lose their salvation if they failed to remain faithful. He was simply reminding the disciples that God was the ultimate determiner of men’s fate, and the eternal destiny of men was of greater importance than any temporal suffering they may face or attempt to avoid.

Jesus summarized the need for their fear of God by trying to get them to recognize His sovereign care for them.

Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:31 ESV

The God who cares for the physical well-being of birds, cares far more about the souls of men. He feeds the birds and even knows the fate of each and every one of them. But He cares more about men. Birds and animals have no souls, but men do. And God cares deeply about the souls of every man and woman He has created. And the whole reason He sent His Son to die on the cross was in order that men and women, whose souls are condemned to hell because of sin, could be restored to a right relationship with Him. God knows us so intimately, that He has the hairs of our heads numbered. He is closely aware of every one of the billions of human beings on this planet, and He longs that their souls be preserved through faith in His Son.

But the fate of the souls of men is tied directly to their acknowledgment of Jesus as the Christ. Those who faithfully acknowledge Him as their Savior, in spite of persecution and opposition, will be acknowledged by Jesus as one of His own when they stand before God. Their willingness to face possible rejection and death on this earth for their faith will result in full acceptance by God when they stand before Him. The disciples were to take the message of the Kingdom to their fellow Jews, knowing that they would face opposition. They were to shout their message from the rooftops, refusing to remain silent even in the face of persecution. All because they trusted that their eternal destiny was in the hands of God Almighty.

The apostle Paul would later write, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 ESV). That is what Jesus is calling us to do. And it is not to be a one-time event. Our confession of Jesus as Lord is to be ongoing, and it is something we should be willing to do before men. Our faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ should be something we are willing to broadcast to all those around us. The good news of Jesus Christ was not meant to be kept secret or hidden from others. It is to be shouted from the rooftops and proudly proclaimed to any and all. Yes, we will face rejection and ridicule. We might even face bodily harm and death. But we will be saved. Our souls are preserved by God. Our eternal destiny is secure. We have nothing to fear.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson