King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Tuesday, February 03, 2026
Chapters: Exodus 13-15
Message: Exodus: The Red Sea
Hello My Friend,
Yesterday we learned that God carried out His final judgment upon Egypt by sending the death angel to strike down all the firstborn, and that Pharaoh, broken by the devastation, drove the Israelites out of his land. Now, for the first time in four hundred and thirty years, the children of Israel are finally heading home. As we continue in the reading of Exodus, now freed from their bondage, they departed from Rameses and arrived at Succoth. It is here, that God issues His first command to consecrate every firstborn to Himself and establishes a feast.
[Exodus 13:1-5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.]
The parents of the first born child were not to look upon themselves as interested in their first born until they had first solemnly presented them to God and received them back from Him again. On them all was branded the one word, “Mine”. This is a reminder of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, who was not only sanctified through His immaculate birth, but dedicated as well, [Luke 2:22-24 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.]
This moment marks the beginning of the Law being set into motion. From this point forward, the people would no longer worship God according to what was right in their own eyes. Instead, there would be one Law, one standard of holiness, if they wanted to be one of His people, regardless of whether or not they were of the children of Israel. God goes on to explain this.
[Exodus 13:8-10 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.]
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was to be observed every year once Israel entered the promised land. For seven days leading up to the Passover meal, they were to remember how God, by the strength of His mighty hand, brought them out of Egypt and set them free. God goes on to appoint it as a yearly reminder that their deliverance was not their own doing, but the work of a faithful God who keeps His promises. This sanctification of the first born to God of all creatures, man and beast, signifies devoting them to the service of God. If the firstborn were of clean animals they were to be given as an offering, but if they were unclean they were to be redeemed with a price, and if they were not, they were to be destroyed.
[Exodus 13:13-15 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. 14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.]
The firstlings of any beast that could not be used in sacrifice were either to be exchanged for one that could be offered, or else they were to be destroyed. This principle illustrated a deeper spiritual truth: our souls are forfeited to the justice of God, and unless they are redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, they will surely perish. These ordinances served as continual reminders to Israel of their obligation to love the Lord and to serve Him with sincerity and devotion. In the same way, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, when rightly explained and faithfully observed, remind us of our own profession of faith.
[I Corinthians 11:23-25 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.]
Now that they were free and on their way to the promised land, they needed to move forward in faith and trust the Spirit who was guiding them, for without that trust they would never reach their destination. To test and strengthen that faith, God chose to lead them along a path that would be challenging, to say the least. Yet He also assured them that He would be with them every step of the way. His presence was unmistakable, for it appeared before them in the form of pillars, one of cloud by day and one of fire by night, constant reminders that they were not walking this journey alone.
[Exodus 13:17-19,21 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:]
With six hundred thousand men and women of Israel, along with their children and the mixed multitude that journeyed with them, you can imagine the sheer length of that procession. The distance from where Moses stood at the front to those at the very end must have stretched for miles. Yet even those at the farthest edge could see the pillar. That alone tells us just how massive and unmistakable God’s presence truly was. In truth, it is not difficult to see God, He is everywhere. But the ability to recognize Him, to perceive His hand and His guidance, comes through faith. Jesus expressed this truth plainly when He said, [Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.]
What God was truly doing was testing whether they believed that He was present among them, guiding them toward the promised land. Faith is not proven in comfort, but in crisis. So how did God test their faith? He allowed Pharaoh and his army to pursue them, driving the Israelites straight to the edge of the Red Sea with no visible escape. From a human perspective, they were trapped. But from God’s perspective, He was setting the stage to reveal His power, His presence, and His faithfulness in a way they would never forget.
[Exodus 14:1-6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so. 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:]
One way or another, everyone will honor and acknowledge God. Whether they know Him as Jehovah, the Great I Am, the Son of God, or the LORD, the day will come when all will recognize who He is. Every knee will bow, and even those who never knew Him personally will feel the strength of His hand through His judgments. All must look to Him for salvation, for apart from Him there is no salvation at all, [Isaiah 45:22-23 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.]
God knew that at the very first sign of trouble their hearts would turn back toward Egypt, and that is exactly what happened. The moment they saw the Egyptians pursuing them, panic seized them. Fear rose up, and instead of remembering the God who had just delivered them with a mighty hand, they looked back to the place of their bondage as though it could somehow save them.
[Exodus 14:10-12 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.]
The Israelites had lived as slaves in Egypt for four hundred years. Oppression had become normal, and harsh bondage was simply the life they knew. It is remarkable how easily we fall into the same pattern without even realizing it. In many ways, it mirrors what happened during Covid a few years ago, when we were suddenly confined to our homes, distanced from one another, and masked everywhere we went. After a few months, even that strange reality began to feel normal. But we cannot live in fear of what lies ahead, and we certainly cannot return to what God has delivered us from. The only direction is forward. That is exactly what God told Moses to tell the people: move forward.
[Exodus 14:13-16,18 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.]
There are simply some things that God must shake His head at, and refusing to trust Him when His presence is obvious is surely one of them. It does us no good to cry out to Him if we have no intention of believing what He says. Watch what happens as Moses lifts his rod at the command of God and they move forward.
[Exodus 14:19-22 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 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.]
The Angel of God, Jesus Christ Himself, not only goes before His faithful to lead them, He also stands behind them to guard them. He surrounds His people, interceding for their salvation and ensuring that no enemy can overtake what He has redeemed.
Do you see it? the Trinity of God, all three persons of God right here in all His omnipotence. Every saved born again Christian has the Almighty Father watching over them, as the Son sits at His right hand, interceding for us, all the while we have the Holy Spirit lighting the way for us, []
There was literally a wall of water standing on both sides of them, and the seabed beneath their feet was completely dry. It remained that way until every one of the million‑plus people crossed safely to the other side. The crossing took all morning, yet the path stayed firm, the waters stayed parted, and God held back the enemy until the very last person stepped onto dry land. But God was not done.
[Exodus 14:24-27 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, 25 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. 26 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. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.]
Many people try to discredit this miracle or claim that the waters were not truly that high, but I choose to believe exactly what God said. And beyond that, there is archaeological evidence, such as chariot wheels found in the region that supports the biblical account. But why did God command Moses to stretch out his hands over the sea when it was clearly God Himself who parted the waters with the breath of His power? Because the people were driven by sight. They were far more inclined to move forward when they saw Moses make a visible gesture. God was teaching them to trust Him, yet He also understood their weakness. Jesus, said this to Thomas when he would not believe that He arose from the death until he put his finger in the nail prints of His body, [John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.]
Our faith in Christ means nothing if we do not believe in all that He is—His virgin birth, His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His burial, and His victorious resurrection. As saved, born‑again Christians, we must stop resisting God in the very areas that matter to Him. We must trust Him fully and lay aside the sin, the attitude, the doubt, the fear, and the faithlessness that hinder our walk. In many ways, the challenges God allows in our lives serve to reveal who truly believes and who is merely along for the ride. Trials expose the heart. They separate genuine faith from empty profession. Now, when the Israelites saw the Egyptian soldiers swallowed by the Red Sea, they rejoiced. Their fear turned to praise, and they even composed a song.
[Exodus 15:1-2,20-21 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.]
They expressed their joy in God and their thankfulness to Him by singing, something they had never done before. And truly, it does come naturally to sing praises to God when we see His blessings unfold before our eyes. However, the true test of faith is not found in praising Him after He brings us through the trials, but in praising Him while we are still walking through them. They were rejoicing now, but the real question was whether they would still rejoice when the next challenge came. And it came quickly. They arrived at Marah, still singing and dancing, only to discover that the water there was bitter and undrinkable.
[Exodus 15:23-26 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.]
Notice what God says: none of the diseases He used to judge Egypt would come upon Israel if they listened to Him. Yet many Christians today fall into the same pattern as the Israelites. They quickly forget what God has already done for them the moment a new challenge appears. Has it ever occurred to them that this may be why they face so many challenges in the first place? I know I have been guilty of this myself, but after seeing God bring me through some truly unbelievable situations, I have no reason not to trust that He will see me through the next one. There are many things we will never fully understand about the way God works, but we must understand this: He knows exactly what He is doing. And if we want to move forward, the only wise choice is to lean on His understanding, not our own, [Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You truly for Your mercies, which led me to be redeemed when I trusted that Your Son alone can save me from death and hell. Jesus, thank You, for setting me free from sin and the bondage of the world when I trusted You as my Saviour. You know that life itself is a big leap of faith and has its own challenges, and while You are not the only one who tests our faith, You are the one who always sees us through them and helps us conquer them when we trust You, and let the strength of Your hand lead us through. Lord, Lead us and guide us, instill the power of the Holy Spirit in us to trust You while we do our part, knowing that Your Light and mercies redeem us. I will not fear, I will stand still, and see Your salvation. I pray these things in Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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