When Belief Finally Dawns: Learning from Israel at the Red Sea

Good morning!

It’s interesting to think about the Exodus story. You'd imagine that after ten incredible plagues in Egypt, the children of Israel would be fully convinced of God's power, his willingness to save them, and his ability to see them through anything. But if we turn to Psalm 106, it tells a different story about that very generation.

A Stubborn Heart?

Psalm 106, reflecting on what the generation coming out of Egypt was like, says in verse 7: > “Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.” Psalm 106:7

Isn't that something? The psalmist, through the inspiration of the Spirit, confirms that this generation, which had just seen the ten miraculous plagues, didn't really understand those wonders. And they rebelled by the Red Sea.

This rebellion is vividly pictured in Exodus 14. After all the incredible signs in Egypt, they find themselves at the Red Sea, and they see Pharaoh’s army approaching.

The Cry and the Complaint

Take a look at Exodus 14:11: > “Then they said to Moses, 'Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt so with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?'” Exodus 14:11

So, within just a few days of leaving Egypt, where all those amazing things had happened, they had already forgotten God’s miracles. Their memory seemed so short.

God's Faithful Deliverance

But the Psalm doesn't end there. It highlights God's unwavering character. Despite their rebellion, God still acted: > “Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known.” Psalm 106:8

He then rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up Psalm 106:9. He saved them from their enemies and redeemed them Psalm 106:10. And now comes the pivotal moment. It’s in the incredible destruction of the Egyptian army that this generation, who moments before doubted, finally believes in God.

Verse 11 of Psalm 106 tells us: > “The waters covered their enemies; There was not one of them left. Then they believed His words; They sang His praise.” Psalm 106:11

This is a huge turning point. Psalm 106 pinpoints the exact moment this generation truly believed God, even though the ten plagues hadn't been enough. This is echoed in Exodus 14:30-31:

“So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.” Exodus 14:30-31

Notice the wording here. It wasn't just the miracle of the Red Sea parting and returning that did it. It was that they then remembered what the Lord had done in Egypt. In other words, they hadn't truly understood the ten plagues and what they signified – God's power and willingness to save them – until the Egyptians were destroyed and they saw them dead on the seashore. At that point, the meaning of the plagues clicked. They realized it had all been for their salvation.

Lessons for Us Today

Thinking about this, we might look back over our own lives and see – or perhaps even not yet see – the ways God has been working to bring about our help and salvation. It might be in a very definite, undeniable act of answered prayer that we suddenly realize how God has been acting for us and looking after us all along.

Let’s take a lesson from the children of Israel, and strive to be quicker to believe in God than they were. Let’s be more attentive to His workings, even before the big, dramatic conclusions. His care is continuous, even when our understanding is not yet clear.