Exodus 14:10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for 400 years. The Lord worked in their midst and sent plagues on the Egyptians. The deliverance of Israel was at hand, and they should have had joyful anticipation of what God would do. Yet they could see the army of Pharaoh on one side and the Red Sea on the other. They were hemmed in. In their fear, Israel cried out to God.

Their words betrayed the faith they should have had as they communicated a lack of confidence in God and a lack of hope in their situation. They complained and doubted the leadership of Moses. They had not been out of Egypt for a week and already had a blurred vision of their past.

Moses knew God would meet them at their point of need. He gave them several instructions on how to respond to and trust in God. First, he told them, “Fear not.” The command not to fear is repeatedly extended in the Scripture. We might fear many things, including the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are often tempted to fear because of our circumstances. There is no need for the children of God to be afraid. Psalm 91:5-7 “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” Trust in God provides the confidence not to fear the circumstances of life.

Second, he said, “Stand firm.” The command was to stop. This is often the guidance of the Lord in times of chaos. Fear will tell you to run. Impatience will tell you to solve your problem and be your own answer. The command to “stand firm” in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 15:58) also means to be steadfast. The idea focuses on stability and intense devotion. We must stand firm as we deal with temptations, trials, and opposition.

Third, he said, “See the salvation of the Lord.” Moses was confident God would deliver them and defeat the enemy. Salvation is used literally here and progressively is unfolded spiritually in the biblical narrative. Every aspect of our salvation depends on God. Salvation is sure because God has accomplished it on our behalf through His Son.

Fourth, he reminded them, “The Lord will fight for you….” The Israelites were not on their own; the presence and power of the Lord in their midst and God would grant them victory. What battle are you facing right now? Do you believe the Lord will fight for you?

Last, Moses said, “You have only to be silent.” Moses was seeking to calm the people. The Lord had already made it clear He was going to glorify Himself on the Egyptian army, and He had it under control. The word for “fight” leading up to this was a word that literally meant “to consume or devour.” God was going to wipe them out. No one would escape. The Israelites only had to be silent and watch the Lord work. Silence is not highly valued. Do we trust God enough to be silent and to fight on our behalf? Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This may be the most challenging part of these commands from the Lord. The human response in conflict is to fight for ourselves and defend ourselves. It is a test of faith to be silent and trust in the Lord. Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Lord is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; Your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair.” God did just that when He delivered the Israelites and decimated Pharaoh’s Army. He does the same for us in defeating our ultimate enemy.

Lord, help us to fear not, stand firm, see the salvation of the Lord, be silent, and trust you to fight for us!