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Psalm 136: 13-15
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean. It lies between Africa and Asia. It is more than 1,300 miles long and its widest point is 220.6 miles. The average depth of the Red sea is over 1,500 feet with a deep trough running through the center. This information is taken from Wikipedia which also states that approximately 25% of this body of water is considered shallow, being under 164 feet deep.
Ps 136:13-15 To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, 14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; 15 But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
In these verses we continue to see the power and protection of God towards His children.
Ex 14:21-22 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. 22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Ps 78:13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through, And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
We see God’s power in directing the water. Can anyone you know cause a body of water to part, making a pathway to cross over and forming a wall of water on each side? Consider the scene. The children of Israel, finally being let go under Pharaoh’s rule in Egypt, take off into the desert, basically running for their life. Pharaoh’s army begins the chase and the Israelites come to an impasse – the Red Sea. They were tired, they were scared and now it seemed there was no way to continue their exit.
We see God’s compassion as He performs a miracle causing the deep waters to part. God not only provided a way of escape but, after all the Israelites had crossed, God then caused the waters to flow once again engulfing the entire Egyptian Army.
Read Spurgeon’s comments on this text, “Men deny miracles; but, granted that there is a God, they become easy of belief. Since it requires me to be an atheist that I may logically reject miracles, I prefer the far smaller difficulty of believing in the infinite power of God. He who causes the waters of the sea ordinarily to remain as one mass can with equal readiness divide them”. (Treasury of David)
God also gives His children the faith to walk through difficulties. Can you imagine stepping onto a path surrounded by high walls of water? The path set out for the Israelites was unknown. They were to walk down into the deep center of the great sea and then trek up again as they crossed to the other side. While they were stepping forward in faith, God kept a dark cloud between them and the Egyptian army.
In Christ, we can do whatever He deems necessary for His glory. Our God is great. Our faith needs to be great. We can step forward without fear in the paths set out before us. What we might see as an obstacle, God will use for His glory.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Isaiah 41:10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
Psalm 78:53 He led them safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea engulfed their enemies.
“…and thus the Lord makes his people willing to pass through afflictions, he being with them; and able to bear them, he putting underneath the everlasting arms, even when in the valley of the shadow of death. He carries them safely through them, so that they are not hurt by them; the waters do not overflow them, nor the flames kindle upon them; nor are any suffered to be lost: but all come safe to land.” --John Gill.
When we think of defeating an army, our mind conjures up pictures of a great battle and loss of life on both sides. Battles in the world begin with no guarantee of victory to either party. Strategy and strength and number and weaponry help to overcome the enemy.
Psalm 136:15 says God overthrew Pharaoh and his army, meaning He shook them off or tossed them up and down. Visualize a dog playing with a stuffed toy, shaking it from side to side as if it were nothing! God has no problem subduing His opposition.
Ex 15:4-5 "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; and the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 "The deeps cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone.
Ex 15:10 "You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
There is never a debate if God will win. Victory is easy for Him. In this specific reminder of His care, not one Israeli life was lost and the entire Egyptian army was eradicated. This is the God I trust. Is this the God you know? Have you placed your complete trust in the one true God of the Bible? Would you, by faith, follow Him through a path that was unknown and made no sense in your human understanding?
Again, each of these three verses ends with the words, “For His lovingkindness is everlasting”. God does shower His mercy upon those who love Him but He is also great in His judgement against those who reject Him.
In Psalm 136:13-15, God’s power is seen in His command over the Red Sea; God’s compassion is seen in giving the Israelites faith and courage to move towards something inexplicable; and His judgement is seen as He renders His sentence over the wicked. Although this account took place in mid-15th century B.C., we see God’s amazing attributes all around us today, working in our lives and the lives of others.
God commands all nature; compassion from God towards sinners is constant; and He will judge sin in complete righteousness. God is all-powerful and His protection is over those who follow Him. He will give to us the faith we need to step forward on the path He leads. Praise His Name!
