Faith Requires Next Steps: Part 2

Devotions for Monday, 9-5-2001

We continue with Exodus 14 starting with verse 21b.

• (21b) The waters were divided, (22) and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 

The Scripture becomes anti-climatic by telling us that because Moses stretched out his hand, "the waters were divided."  Through the act of stretching out his hand Moses in a sense 'consecrated' the waters.  To 'consecrate' something means to set it aside for God's purpose.  So here in the desert, escaping from the Egyptians... we see God's people entering into the waters of mass baptism.  Escaping the fears and concerns of this world and rushing to the other shoreline of hope and safety.  This path leads 'through' the waters.

Once again, the above passage is controversial.  I have heard believers fighting over the words 'dry land.'  Was it dry or just a little moist.  What a silly concern... it was at least 'dry enough' to walk on.  Verse 24 indicates God 'jammed' the wheels of the chariots, this could just as easily imply travel was too slippery for the chariot wheels.  After all, only those who enter the baptismal waters must do so in faith of God's future provision.  The Egyptian army had total disregard for the future provision of Israel's God.  The Egyptians were concerned about holding Israel back from her faith commitments.  What are the things in life holding you back from your commitments?  Where does God wish to take you?

Summary
In 1 Peter 3:20-22 we find the Scriptures making reference to the above metaphor of baptismal waters but in regard to Noah...

• ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

However, the Apostle Paul does not forget about the analogy when he writes in 1 Corinthians 10:1-3...

• ¹ For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 

It goes to show that even the sacramental steps of faith and indeed the demonstration of faith was not enough to save everyone for "God was not please with most of them; the bodies were scattered in the wilderness."  The Israelites crossed into safety only to complain and act as unbelievers.  In examining faith, we have to remember that faith is an on-going commitment that must be practiced every minute of everyday.  Faith is an active on-going process.  Faith is motion.  Faith is not something we can shelve as a past act.  We will continue to explore the needful activity of Faith in future postings.  Have a good day and love Jesus!



(23) The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. (24) During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. (25) He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”
(26) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” (27) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. (28) The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
(29) But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (30) That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. (31) And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.