4# Beshalach (Ex. 13:17-17:16) (STAND STILL AND SEE JESUS!) (1-30-21)

(IN THE FACE OF DANGER AT THE RED SEA: ‘SHUTUP, QUIT COMPLAINING AND MOVE FORWARD’!)

(Exodus 14:13,14)

And Moses said to thepeople, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the ‘Salvation of the Lord’,which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today,you shall see again no more forever.

As the Children ofIsrael stood trapped be-side the sea, they had good reason for crying out.Pharaohs army hemmed them in to one side, the uncrossable water of the sea onthe other. Moses told the people not to fear. "You will see theDeliver¬ance of the LORD," he told them.

The Hebrew word for"Salvation/Deliverance" in Exodus 14:13 is: ’Yeshuah’. Moses promisedthem the Yeshuah of the LORD.

That night, by thelight of the burning cloud, Moses lifted his hand over the sea. From across thewater came a cool breeze. It quickly strengthened into a calm wind at first,and still it grew stronger. Ripples on the water parted, etching out the linesof a path across the surface. There was an excited murmuring among the peoplewhile the wind increased. It quickly became hard to even stand facing the East.Still the wind grew stronger. It felt as if the very breath of God was blastingacross the water. Waves were crashing. Miriam picked up her tambourine.Suddenly, shooting across the water like the wake behind a speedboat on a lakecame a line, a mark of division. With a roar like many waterfalls, the watersplit to the left and to the right. It mounted and climbed, frothing andspraying, churning and splashing until it had formed a passage. It came torest, a wall of water on the left, and a wall of water on the right. TheChildren of Israel passed through the Yeshuah of the LORD.

(IN THE FACE OFTROUBLE, SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE ‘PRO-ACTIVE’ OR WAIT AND BE ‘RE-ACTIVE’?)

(Exodus 14:15)

“The Lord said toMoses, Why do you cry to me? Speak to the people of Israel, that they goforward.”



Even if this story isold, some of you may not have heard it. There is a horrible rainstorm and a Christian man is praying andpraying, “God, rescue me!” A car comesby to take him to higher ground, but he answers, “I am a Christian man; Godwill save me.” The water rises higherand a boat comes by. Again, he answers,“I am a Christian man; God will save me.” The water rises still higher and he climbs on the roof.” A helicopter comes by but again he says, “Iam a Christian man; God will save me.”

Finally, the waterrises above his head and he drowns. Hegoes to heaven and confronts God. “God,I have always been a Christian man. Iprayed to you. Why didn’t you saveme?” God answers, “What do youwant? I sent you a car, I sent you aboat, I sent you a helicopter.” Thestory has a powerful message. Passivityis not the Biblical way. Waiting for Godto act is not the Biblical way. Movingforward and taking action is the Biblical way.

(BUT DIDN’T MOSESTELL ISRAEL ‘IF THEY WOULD ‘STAND STILL’, THEN THEY WOULD SEE SALVATION?)

(Exodus 14:14)

And Moses said to thepeople, “Do not be afraid. ‘STAND STILL’, and see the ‘Salvation of the Lord’,which He will accomplish for you today.



The phrase be stillin Exodus 14:14 is translated from the Hebrew word חָרַשׁ (charash) doesn’tmean to ‘Stand Completely Motionless’, it means to be silent, to keep quiet, toremain silent, to be deaf, to let alone, speak not a word, hold your peace,leave off speaking.

In essence, Mosestold the Israelites to ‘SHUT UP’!.

On the contrary, Godtells Moses to command the people that even in The Face Of Danger, ‘SHUT UP,QUIT COMPLAINING AND MOVE FORWARD’!

(Exodus 14:15)

And the Lord said toMoses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel ‘TO GO FORWARD’.

The best examplecomes out of this week’s portion. TheIsraelites are caught between the sea on one side and the pursuing Egyptians onthe other side, and immediately, they began to ‘Complain Against Moses andAgainst The LORD’! The Egyptians are held back by a pillar of fire. But the Israelites are truly stuck, and Mosesstands in prayer. Finally, God calls tohim, why do you cry to me? Moveforward. At that moment the prince ofthe tribe of Judah, Nachshon ben Aminadav, jumps into the sea. When the water is up to his neck, the waterspart. The sea only parts after theIsraelites ‘Take Action’ (PRO-ACTIVE FAITH)!

Jesus Himself tellsus that ‘In This World We Will Have Tribulation’! Therefore, instead of ‘Complaining,let’s learn from this week’s Torah Portion: (The Face Of Danger, ‘SHUT UP, QUITCOMPLAINING AND MOVE FORWARD’!)…(WE WIN!)…