Introduction: What a change! Pharaoh is now throwing the Hebrews out of Egypt, and ordinary Egyptians are paying them to leave. Do you recall when you took a new job, or moved to a new town? Your life took a new direction. But you also faced new challenges. Assume that the new direction is going from being a slave to a free person living in a fabulous place! You are now on a journey to your next home. Let’s plunge into our study of the Bible and learn about the challenges and opportunities for the Hebrews in this new life!

I. The Launch

A. Read Exodus 12:39. How is the food situation at the beginning of this new journey? Recall that Exodus 12:37 reports that there were 600,000 men. One commentary says that would mean about two million Israelites.

B. Read Exodus 12:38. What is the good and bad news here on the issue of having enough food? (The two million estimate numbered the Hebrews. We now find that there are others, a “mixed multitude” that went with them. While they might not have much bread, they have livestock to eat.)

1. Why would those who are not Hebrews want to go with them? (In our last lesson, God showed everyone that He was God over all others. They likely wanted to go with the winners!
2. Read Numbers 11:4. How is the “mixed multitude” later viewed? (As “rabble.”)

II. The New Government

A. Read Numbers 2:1-2. If you had two million (plus) people going on a journey, would you need to organize them? Is this what we see in these two verses? (Yes. We are not going to dive into details now, but this is the “secular” organization. If you are interested, the rest of Numbers 2 gives the details.)

B. Read Exodus 13:1-2 and Exodus 13:14-15. What does it mean to redeem the firstborn? Especially the firstborn of the sons? (Read Numbers 3:12 and Numbers 3:46-48. God claims all the firstborn sons as belonging to Him. God told the Hebrews that He would trade. The existing firstborn would be counted and then “traded” for an equal number of Levite males. For the rest of the firstborn, and those born later, a redemption tax was paid to the Levites. By this, God set up those in charge of the religious side of things (the Levites) and established their funding.)

1. Why does God claim the firstborn sons and animals? (This flows directly from the last plague that killed all the Egyptian firstborn. Of course, as we learned from the plagues, God is in charge of everything.)
2. Look again at Exodus 13:14. What is the first reason God gives for the sacrifice/redemption system? (It is to preserve the story of what God did to free His people from the Egyptians.)
3. How does this compare to Matthew 22:17-21?
4. Aside from educating the next generation, what point is God making? (This brings glory to God. It is a reminder of His authority. And it creates a practical way to organize and fund the ministry of the Levites.)

III. The Red Sea

A. Read Exodus 13:17-18 and Exodus 13:21-22. What do you think about the attitude of God toward His people? (He is trying to make the trip less challenging and way more obvious.)

1. Will God do that for you in your life path?

B. Read Exodus 14:4-7. God’s motivation is that His glory will increase. How do you reconcile that with God’s statement (Exodus 13:17)that He wanted the people not to be discouraged by war? They now have the entire Egyptian army after them!

C. Read Exodus 14:9-12. Recall I just asked you about your path in life and God’s help? If you thought, “My path has been neither plain nor easy,” does this turn of events seem more like your life?

1. What do you say about the attitude of the people?

D. Read Exodus 14:13-14. Recall my question about avoiding war yet bringing the Egyptians? What does Moses say is the answer? (The people do not have to fight, God will fight for them. God is protecting His people, and they should “be silent.”)

E. Read Exodus 14:15-16. Moses told the people to stand silent, and God asked the people to move forward. Let’s revisit the question about God’s past guidance in your life. If you did not see God’s hand in your life, is it because you did not “move forward” in the direction you thought God wanted you to take?

1. What is the assumption when God says, “Why cry to Me, move forward?” (The way forward seemed impossible. But God had just done the impossible with the Egyptians. God wants us to trust Him with the impossible!)

F. Read Exodus 14:19-22. I’ve read all sorts of “natural” explanations for the Red Sea dividing. What do you think is the reason for all these details being revealed to us? (God did use nature, the wind, to drive back the sea. But these details about the cloud, the dark, and the light show this was no accident of nature. Rather, it is God controlling nature.)

G. Read Matthew 8:24-27. What do those who claim a natural cause for the division of the Red Sea show? (Little faith.)

H. Read Exodus 14:23-28. If you were an Egyptian charioteer, would you be panicked? (The sea being walled up was an obvious danger when dealing with a God who could control water to the extent of turning it into blood.)

I. Read Exodus 14:29-31. How would you feel if you were one of the Hebrews who was saved? (Jubilant! My God demonstrated such extraordinary power!)

IV. The Details

A. Let’s go back and discuss some details. We learned in Exodus 13:18 that the Israelites were “equipped for battle.” They had 600,000 men, yet they feared the Egyptians. Why? (Exodus 14:7 says that Pharaoh brought 600 chariots. Chariots were a great breakthrough in battle technology. Imagine a foot soldier facing a running horse pulling a chariot with armed men inside. The Hebrews were slaves, not trained soldiers. And they had the women and children with them.)

B. Read Psalms 136:11-15 and Exodus 15:3-4. Also read Exodus 14:6-7. Did Pharaoh die in the water? (We are told that Pharaoh’s “chariots” and “chosen officers” were sunk, but Exodus does not tell us Pharaoh died. Psalms tells us “Pharaoh and his host” were overthrown. Again, the Bible does not explicitly mention that he died – which I think it would if “chosen officers” are mentioned. If you continue in Psalms 136, it names specific kings God killed, yet does not say Pharaoh was killed. At the same time, we know from Exodus 14:6 that Pharaoh’s chariot was in the group. We simply do not know.)

1. If Pharaoh was drowned, and we know that his firstborn son previously died, this might have created conflict in the Egyptian leadership.

C. Read again Exodus 14:4. Exodus repeatedly refers to God hardening the heart of Pharaoh. In this text it says God did this for His own glory. Does this seem fair to you? All these Egyptian soldiers who were fathers and husbands died because God made Pharaoh unrepentant? (Let’s read Exodus 14:5. This shows us that the decision was not only that of Pharaoh, but “his servants” agreed they should not have let the Hebrews go.)

D. Read Romans 1:21-25. How does Romans describe the advance of evil in a human heart? (It says that God “gives them up.” God did not make Pharaoh rebel or fight. Pharaoh rebelled and fought against God. Once Pharaoh set his course on rebellion, God let him do it. God let his heart be hardened.)

1. Does it sound like I’m making excuses for God? Does God require any excuses for showing His glory at human expense? (Read Ephesians 2:10. We are created by God to bring glory to Him. Pharaoh unwittingly managed to bring great glory to God. And that is the natural order of things.)

E. Read Exodus 14:13 and Exodus 15:14-16. How does this event, which brings glory to God, provide a very important blessing to His people? (This brought a final solution to the Egyptian problem. The nations that stood between the Hebrews and the promised land are now in “terror and dread” of God and His people.)

F. Friend, remain faithful. Trust God. Let Him fight your battles. But you must move forward in faith and trust. He is an absolutely amazing God, and we must trust Him. Will you decide, right now, to trust Him?

V. Next week: The Bread and Water of Life.

Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

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