提要
以色列人在曠野走了三天後，法老聽說他們並非去獻祭，乃是從埃及逃跑了，他意識到這是個極大的損失，而想把這一大群寶貴的奴工抓回來。摩西聽從上帝的指示，將以色列民領到一個看起來毫無自衛能力的地步，他們面對曠野，背對大海，這種情勢誘使法老更想奪回他的產業；但法老的如意算盤不過是上帝更大計畫裡的一部分，因為上帝還有最後一個功課要教導埃及人。上帝使法老的心剛硬，好更進一步的審判他和他的軍隊，再次向他們顯示上帝的大能，使埃及人曉得上帝大過法老和任何埃及人的神祇。
上帝也有要以色列人學的功課。在這個事件中，以色列人看見耶和華上帝是全能、聖潔的審判者，審判一切不虔、不敬的事，所以他們對上帝心生敬畏。他們也親眼見到上帝是他們的保護神，這使他們的信心漸增，也有助於前面的旅程，因為他們將會碰到很大的困難。不過，此時當以色列人看到埃及追兵從後面趕來，他們嚇壞了，由於在埃及身為奴隸，他們根本手無寸鐵，所以他們開口向摩西抱怨。這就是詩人所說的「悖逆上帝」（詩106：7），從人的角度看來，他們鐵定被捕，而且可能會有很多人喪命。但他們必須學習相信上帝。摩西秉著他對全能上帝的大信心，勇敢的對他們說，上帝會為他們爭戰。今天當我們遭遇敵人時，我們仍能十分相信上帝會為我們爭戰並且得勝！
上帝使雲柱停在埃及人和以色列人中間，敵人那邊是黑暗，但上帝的百姓這邊有光明，能看見對岸的路。雲柱不僅使他們有上帝超自然的保護，也使埃及人看不見他們的動靜。以色列人並不是像一些自由派的批評家說，橫渡過一塊淺灘，而是走在乾涸的海底。海水被分開，也不是像那些企圖淡化此一事件超自然色彩的人而言，是潮汐造成的現象，因為在海水的兩側都成了牆垣。這真是上帝所行的奇蹟。當摩西向海伸杖，上帝就用大東風使海水分開，海底成了乾地。
一俟以色列人都平安渡過紅海後，摩西再次伸杖，上帝就使海水合在埃及人身上。當埃及人看見上帝幫助以色列人而想逃跑時，上帝使他們軍心大亂；又使「他們的車輪脫落」，這可能是上帝先奇蹟似的使海底乾涸，讓以色列人通過，然後再讓海底變得柔軟、泥濘，埃及人的車輪就被陷在泥裡，動彈不得了。聖經告訴我們，以色列的敵人沒有一個剩下的，這表示他們最大的敵人，法老，一定也死了（出14：28；詩106：11）。許多埃及士兵的屍體被沖到岸上，難怪以色列人得到大量的武器，那正是他們往後所需要的。
以賽亞書六十三章十二節優美的描述了上帝對祂百姓的慈愛、看顧、和保護：「祂榮耀的膀臂在摩西的右手邊行動，在他們前面將水分開，要建立自己永遠的名。」接下去的兩節繼續表達上帝的關注，祂帶領以色列人使他們不至絆跌。上帝藉祂的靈使他們得安息，引導他們；為要建立自己榮耀的名。上帝所行的奇蹟確實震驚了周圍的鄰國，他們都懼怕以色列的上帝（15：14~16）。
|
Overview
After the Israelites had traveled for three days, Pharaoh heard they had fled rather than making a pilgrimage to offer sacrifices. He realized the great loss and the great value of those slaves and wanted them back. Moses, following the instructions of the Lord, had led the people to a seemingly defenseless position, with the sea behind them and the wilderness in front. This enticed Pharaoh to recaptured them, but his plan was but a part of God’s larger plan, for He had one final lesson to teach Egypt. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart so that He may bring further judgment upon him and his army, to show them once again, His great power that they might know Him as greater than Pharaoh and any of their gods.
The Lord had a lesson for the Israelites to learn as well. In this event they saw God as the all-powerful Holy judge of the ungodly so they might grow in the fear of Him. They also saw Him as their protector; this gave them the added faith they needed for their journey since they would come against great odds. At this point, however, the people were terrified and as slaves they would have been without weapons, so they complained to Moses. This the psalmist called rebellion against God (Psalm 106:7). Humanly speaking they were faced with certain recapture and possibly many would be killed. They still had to learn to trust in God. Moses spoke boldly to them with great faith in Almighty God that the battle was His. Today, when we come up against the enemy, we can still be sure that our God will fight for us and be victorious!
The Lord put His pillar between the Egyptians and the Israelites. He made darkness for the enemy, but on His children’s side He gave them light to see their way across the sea. The pillar not only gave them supernatural divine protection, but it concealed their movements from the Egyptians. They did not cross a shallow swampy area as some liberal critics propose, but walked across on the dried sea bottom. The parting was not caused by a tide as some say in trying to explain away the supernatural, because there were walls of water on both sides of them. It was truly a miraculous event from God. When Moses held out his rod, God sent the east wind to part the water and dry the sea bed.
Once all the Israelites were across safely, Moses used the same motion and God let the walls of water fall in on the Egyptians. As they saw it was the hand of God and tried to flee, He confused them and sent him into panic. “He took off their chariot wheels”. This might have been because God, who had miraculously kept the sea bottom dry for the Israelites to cross, allowed it to become muddy and soft again, causing the wheels to get stuck and fall off. We read that not one of the Israelites’ enemies were left; this means that Pharaoh as well, their greatest enemy, must have died (14:28; Psalm 106:11). The bodies of many Egyptian soldiers were swept ashore, no doubt supplying Israel with a great quantity of weapons which they would need at a later time.
The Lord’s love, care and guidance of His people is beautifully described in Isaiah 63:12. “Who led them by the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm, dividing the water before them to make for Himself an everlasting name.” The next two verses continue to express the care and concern of the Lord who led them so they would not even stumble. He gave them peace and rest by His Spirit and in His leading made form Himself a glorious name. Indeed, the news of this miraculous act of God reached and alarmed the surrounding nations who came to fear the God of the Israelites (15:14-16).
|
