Crossing the Red Sea - God's Deliverance

But back in Egypt, Pharaoh changed his mind AGAIN! "What have we done?" he cried. "We let our slaves go!" Pharaoh prepared his army - 600 of his best chariots with officers in each one, plus all the other chariots of Egypt! The whole Egyptian army chased after the Israelites!

Meanwhile, the Israelites were camped by the Red Sea. Suddenly, someone shouted, "Look! Behind us!" The people turned and saw dust rising in the distance. Then they saw it - Pharaoh's entire army racing toward them with horses and chariots!

The people panicked! They were trapped! The sea was in front of them, and the army was behind them! They cried out to Moses, "Why did you bring us out here to die? It would have been better to stay as slaves in Egypt!"

But Moses stood firm. He said, "Don't be afraid! Stand still and watch the LORD save you today! The Egyptians you see now, you will never see again! The LORD will fight for you. You just need to be still!"

Then God said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move forward! Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will walk through on DRY GROUND!"

God moved the pillar of cloud from in front of the people to behind them! It came between the Egyptian army and the Israelites. It gave light to the Israelites but brought darkness to the Egyptians! All night long, the cloud kept the armies apart.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea! All night, the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind! The water divided! The sea floor became dry ground! A wall of water stood on the right side and another wall of water on the left side!

Can you imagine? The Israelites could see fish swimming in the walls of water! The walls stood up like gigantic towers - 600,000 men, plus women and children, plus all their animals - walked through the middle of the Red Sea on DRY ground!

When the Egyptians saw this, they chased after them! Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed the Israelites right into the middle of the sea!

During the last watch of the night, the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army. He threw them into confusion! He made the chariot wheels come off so they had trouble driving! The Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!"

By now, all the Israelites had reached the other side safely! Then God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea again. The water will come back!"

Moses stretched out his hand, and at sunrise, the sea went back to its normal depth! The Egyptians tried to run away, but the water rushed back! The sea covered the chariots, the horsemen, and Pharaoh's entire army! Not one of them survived!

But the Israelites had walked through on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides! When the people saw the great power the LORD displayed against Egypt, they feared the LORD and trusted Him and His servant Moses.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang a song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted! The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea! The LORD is my strength and my song! He has become my salvation!"

This amazing miracle shows us that no problem is too big for God! When we face impossible situations, God can make a way! We don't have to be afraid - we just need to trust God and watch Him work!

Big idea: God is always with us and loves us very much!