Editorial note: This is a transcript of an audio recording of a Bible study session. It has been lightly edited by Claude AI for readability — paragraphs and sentences have been formed, misspellings corrected, and banter/interjections clearly marked. The content, theology, and wording otherwise remain faithful to the original spoken material. Scripture references are listed at the bottom of the document.
Bible Study: Exodus 14 — Fear, Faith, and the Army of God
Opening Prayer
[Fabio presents a Bible to the group.]
Thank you very much, Fabio. Very good. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. It’s a lovely Bible, by the way. Very, very nice.
All right, let’s pray together, shall we? Ask the Lord’s blessing.
Lord, we want to lift your name up high and say that you are God. We want to rejoice and be glad that you have given us your word, Holy Father. We thank you for it, Father. May we love it more and more and understand it more and more, and give us more and more of an appetite for it, and help us to see its value more and more. Help us to see it in our work and as we go around the house and do our chores, and help us to see its relevance at every point, Father.
Give us grace so to do, Father. Give us understanding, we pray, and give us grace to hear your word and to run in your ways, Father. Help us to love your Son. Help us to love the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit more and more, Father. Speak to us very specifically, and give us grace to understand and obey now, we pray in Jesus’ name and for his sake. Amen.
Comprehension: The Forces Against Israel
Okay. Now, let’s do some comprehension work first. Let’s fill things in a little bit before we go on to any sort of application. We’ve got very few verses, but let’s dig a little bit.
Now, the first question I want to ask — and you want to be looking at verses 6, 7, and 8 — is this: how many forces, or army groups, went against the children of Israel?
[Discussion in the group.]
The one title that is given here: Pharaoh. Of course — thank you. It’s not a name, it’s a title. Like Abimelech, it is not a name but a title. Pharaoh means something along the lines of “great house.” He is also called the King of Egypt.
Now, can you see the different groups? Let’s go through it carefully.
“And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.” (Exodus 14:6–7)
So there may be two or three groups. There is Pharaoh’s personal guard — these are the best of the best. They get the wheels that are rounder, the horses that are better; everything is better. Then there are the six hundred chosen chariots. And it may be a third group: “all the chariots of Egypt.” There is more than one group.
This is why it helps to slow down and read carefully. We ask what a detail means. We become like little children and ask, “What’s that? Why? Why? Why?” God wants us to get the detail. He wants us to luxuriate in it — to take our time over it, as if swimming in it, or drinking a nice butter chai.
[Banter: brief laughter and exchange about the chai.]
Now, the Hebrew suggests that “he made his chariot ready” means he got the bits and straps and harness and fitted everything on. Of course, it was not Pharaoh doing that literally — someone else did it. But the point is clear.
What does the fact that Pharaoh goes with the army, and leads the army, tell you about him?
[Group response: he is the general; he is a manly figure.]
He may well be the commander of the army. This is not an average politician. This is a formidable man with real courage. He has what might be called the virtue of courage. This gives us a clearer picture of who Pharaoh is.
”Overtook” and “Caught Up”
There is an interesting word in verse 9: and overtook them. Some translations say “caught up with them,” which makes more sense given the geography. The children of Israel were doing a circuitous route. They were hemmed in — mountains on two sides, the sea on the other — and so the Egyptians caught up with them and were opposite them.
What Problem Was Pharaoh Trying to Solve?
Now, what was the problem that Pharaoh was trying to solve? The Bible is a book with words and paragraphs and chapters. Did Pharaoh miss the Israelites? Did he want to give them a hug?
[Banter: coaxing the quieter members of the group to answer.]
[Response: they had lost their slave labour force.]
“And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” (Exodus 14:5)
That’s right — they lost a slave labour force. If they no longer had Israel to work for them, what were their options? They would have had to work their own people, or mount a military adventure further south into Nubia, or into Canaan to find a replacement workforce. It is interesting to consider that it is often easier to exploit foreign labour than to motivate native people to work. This has had its applications throughout history.
Application: Elites and the View of People as Labour
[Application section:]
If we consider how the civil government in the UK views its citizens, they are pagans, as Pharaoh was. It is very probable that they view us primarily as a source of labour — or data, since you can now monetise people by monitoring them for AI training and so on, as well as through taxation. These power elites do not see themselves as ministers — servants — of the people. They view the people as a resource. Pharaoh’s response reveals this very plainly.
What Were They Going to Do When They Caught Up?
[Question to the group:]
When they caught up with the children of Israel, what were they going to do?
[Response: take them back.]
Yes, very sensible. They wanted to bring them back as a slave workforce. We will see how that plays out.
And by the way, when it says “captains over every one of them” in verse 7, it is because the chariot was a three-man crew — rather like a tank with a tank commander. Those chariots were the tanks of the ancient world, comparable perhaps to fighter jets or drones. The kind of force they represented would have shaken the earth.
Why Did Pharaoh Think Israel Would Come Back?
Now, in verse 5 it says, “and it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled.” This is a curious thing — did he not notice they had left? What could that mean?
Well, for a long time Moses had been saying “three-day journey into the desert to sacrifice” — implying they would return. At some point the agenda changed on God’s side, as he made clear to Moses that this was to be complete liberation. Pharaoh, in his madness, thought they would come back. “They’re just going to come back — we’re Egypt. We’re too big to fail.” That kind of thinking.
It is also possible this is part of a longer pattern in Scripture where tyrants are deceived. Whether it is Abimelech — “say you are my sister” (Genesis 12:13; 20:2) — or even a domestic tyrant like Isaac trying to withhold the blessing from the right line, deception is often involved. This may be one of those moments.
It is also noteworthy that the Egyptian people as a whole were of a very different mind from Pharaoh. They said, in effect: “Get them out of here. Take our gold. Take our goods. Go. Just go. Never come back.” (Exodus 12:33–36) But Pharaoh was of another mind.
“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel.” (Exodus 14:8)
We spoke last week about how God drives tyrants to pursue his people, and sets a trap for them.
The Total Loss of Egypt’s Military
“And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army.” (Exodus 14:9)
Note the phrase: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh — every single one of them. So if this army were to be lost, what would that do to Egypt’s military capacity?
[Response: it would be non-existent.]
Exactly. This is important for what follows. It sets up the scale of what God is about to do.
Two Armies at the Sea
Now here is something worth pausing on. We have spoken about the Egyptian force — but was there another army present? Look at Exodus 12:51.
“And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.” (Exodus 12:51)
The children of Israel were not a rabble. They were an army. So what we have here is a clash between two armies. Everything that Moses says to the people in Exodus 14:13–14 is addressed to an army.
And do you remember why the LORD was taking them the long way round?
[Response: to avoid the Philistines.]
Correct — to avoid the Philistines, who were a warlike people. The LORD knew they were not ready to fight, even though they were an army in principle. They were not yet a functioning army. But he still gives them orders.
Rushdoony on Emotionalism and Slaves
[Theological and pastoral application:]
Rushdoony makes an observation about people who have had security all their lives: when faced with a crisis, they go to pieces. They have no emotional ballast. They are not steady.
The Israelites worked — that was the difference. But everything else was provided for them. They did not have to think about what their work would be. The taskmasters did that for them. Housing provided, food provided, no tax return to file. And then suddenly they are thrust into freedom — and everything is a crisis.
[Banter: “There was no Uber Eats in Egypt, but there was Uber Leeks…” — laughter — “Tiffany didn’t think that was funny either.”]
Rushdoony recounts the story of a young Native American boy, perhaps four years old, whose entire band of twenty was killed. His father and grandfather had told him stories — stories that contained survival knowledge. So this boy did not panic. He did not even cry. He hid in animal burrows. He knew where to find food. He played dead. He stayed downwind of another camp until he heard them speak in his dialect, and then walked in. Problem solved.
People not used to fending for themselves will struggle with freedom. Christians who have spent their lives in civil service jobs or corporate roles or on welfare — if they come to faith, or if those structures collapse, everything feels like a crisis. They have no character ballast yet.
This should produce in us great patience and grace toward people who are not yet ready. The LORD did not say, “Right, that’s it, back to Egypt.” He had patience and he understood their weaknesses. We should do the same — especially for those who are new to independence, new to faith, new to thinking freely.
The Cry — and What Kind of Cry
“And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.” (Exodus 14:10)
Is it a good thing to cry unto God? Yes, of course. But what were they crying?
The content of their cry is revealed in what they say to Moses:
“Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11–12)
That is very dark humour — almost Northern Irish in its flavour. “Were there no graves in Egypt? Did you bring us out here specifically to find a place to die?” They are not crying out in faith. They are complaining. They are whining at God and at God’s representative.
Now, were they right to fear death? No — not because death is not fearful, but because Pharaoh did not actually want to kill them. He wanted to bring them back. Their fear was real, but it was not well-reasoned. It was an emotional response, not a considered one.
They were saying, in effect, that serving the gods of Egypt was preferable to serving the LORD in a dangerous world. “It is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to serve God.” That is what is in brackets, as it were, behind verse 12.
The Orders Given to the Army
Now, with what grace did the LORD and Moses deal with these people who were slapping him in the face? With great grace. And here is Moses’s response, which contains the orders the LORD gives to his army — because this is an army being addressed:
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13–14)
There are three or four things being required of them:
-
Do not fear. We cannot be carried away by our emotions. We are God’s army, and that means getting a grip. No matter what we see coming toward us, we are required not to fear.
-
Stand still. Do not run away. Do not scatter. Wait until you are told to move.
-
Hold your peace. Stop the defeat talk. Stop saying, “England is finished.” “Europe is finished.” “We’re going to be defeated.” Stop entertaining that kind of talk, because we are God’s army, and God is the Lord of history.
(And then later in verse 15, the fourth thing: move forward — but that is outside our passage for today.)
Application: Defeat Talk and Historical Determinism
Here is what unbelieving Israel was really saying: “Pharaoh has decided to act. Therefore his plan will come to pass.” They were saying that man’s plans and actions determine history. He appears to want to catch us, therefore he will catch us.
The Christian alternative is to say: wait — this is God’s world. He is the determiner. Not just in heaven when we die, but Lord of heaven and earth right now. And we must believe that God is able to strike a foe so thoroughly that they simply disappear. Moses says in verse 13:
“The Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
We are required to believe this. No matter how great the forces arrayed against Christian civilisation may appear, we are asked — required — to believe that God can deal such a blow as to render them gone.
The same faith is asked of us today.
Tiffany’s Question: What Does Liberation Look Like Today?
[Tiffany asks: “You said God will liberate his people even when they don’t want to be liberated. What does that look like today?”]
What springs to mind is this: so many Christians have flocked into the civil service, the health service, and public sector jobs for security — pensions, maternity leave, predictable income. As financial pressure grows on these services, as AI and efficiency reforms take hold, as the UK becomes poorer, these people are going to be forced out of that security into something different.
And it is interesting to note that the three figures God most associates his name with — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — were businessmen. They were stockmen. Men in the marketplace. They did not have a government sinecure. They did not have a guaranteed income. They were free men operating under God’s providence in the real world.
That may not be the most exciting answer, but I think it is the right one.
Christine’s Question: How Do We Help Others Not to Fear?
[Christine asks: “I find it very difficult to persuade other people not to be afraid. They want to keep their eyes on these scary things.”]
It is interesting how the whole tenor and mood can change with a leader. We do not think Trump is a perfect man, but it seems that his coming to power has changed something. I think it is simply because God has ordained that leaders should lead — and when a leader leads, people move, even when there is grumbling in the camp. That is the mystery of the civil ruler. He is given the title Elohim in some places (Psalm 82:1, 6) — God, or representative of God. The civil ruler is imbued with special responsibilities.
We can try to be an example of faithful living — not trusting the state for provision, pressing on, building, labouring in faith. And the world is very different now than it was in 2020. Trends continue until they exhaust themselves, and the Lord is doing something. Momentum may build, and more people will be ready to leave Egypt.
”With a High Hand”
One more thing worth noting. Exodus 14:8 says the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
“And the children of Israel went out with an high hand.” (Exodus 14:8)
Now, “high hand” is not always good — a notorious sinner sins with a high hand (Numbers 15:30). But it can also mean bold, confident, unhesitating action in a right cause. The same underlying word can mean earnest desire or lust, depending on the object. Here it is positive.
In the Paleo-Hebrew, the word is rum yod — rum (high, lifted up) and yod (hand). There is something in the word that suggests heads held high, pushing forward, visible to all. And perhaps a wink from God to what is coming: they are going to walk through those waters with their heads above the flood.
[Banter: “You can ask ChatGPT to break down a Hebrew word in Paleo-Hebrew with a free subscription.”]
On Watchmen and Our Role
[Tiffany asks a follow-up: if God will liberate his people, what is our role? Are we to be watchmen? Are we supposed to warn people?]
God appoints watchmen — not everyone is one. And to the watchman he says: if you do not cry out, blood is on your hands. If you do cry out, you are innocent of their blood (Ezekiel 33:6–9). So if we are appointed watchmen by the Lord, we had better cry out. But if we are not, we may be making a life of frustration for ourselves, picking up dogs by the ears, meddling where we are not called.
Jesus also said: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). You can speak. If they do not want to listen, that is between them and God. But are not God’s appointed pastors, ministers, and teachers the ones primarily responsible? Yes. And the tragedy is that so many of them — from the Justin Welbys at one extreme to the evangelicals at the other — are either unbelieving or simply away with the fairies, concerned only with church attendance and going to heaven, with no vision for this world.
So if we have that calling, let us shout it from the rooftops. And we can all intercede in prayer.
Paul’s counsel applies: “If at all possible, be free” (1 Corinthians 7:21). If at all possible, break the chains of the job and try to live in freedom. And if you have done it, help others. Story and example are powerful things.
Closing Words
A final thought: just because you are not confronting the enemy right now does not mean you cannot obey orders. The orders are:
- Do not be afraid.
- Stand still.
- Stop the defeat talk.
The LORD knows when you are ready to advance. When you are, he will say: go. And you will go. But for now, be content to stand still, not to run, not to fear — and to silence the voice that says this is all over.
There is a big difference between the man who watches two hours of doom content and says, “The black helicopters are coming for all of us,” and the man who says: “The LORD shall fight for you.” (Exodus 14:14) Be the second man.
Closing Prayer
[Christine asks about the chicken. Laughter and banter about the hen digging up the flower bed — “Foul play suspected” — and about Nathan and Tiffany’s own chicken.]
Lord, we do rejoice in your kind providence to us, Lord, that you do not forget your people, Father. Thank you, Lord, that you are a kind and wise commander. Help us to hear your voice. If you say stop, help us to stop. If you say go forward, help us to go forward.
Help us to stop this negative talk, this defeat talk, and help us, Lord, to stop overreacting, and to be unafraid in the face of even very terrible calamities. Help us to believe that you are very much in control of all the world, Father, even now.
And we do ask that you will especially be with John Michael. Give him tremendous grace, Lord, and blessing and favour as he deals with the Chief. I pray for the landowner also as he engages in this negotiation. May your purposes prevail. Do be with the family without their father and husband, Lord. Prepare the way, Father, and grant favour to all concerned in the project, Lord, and pray for your abundant supply.
Be with Christine in Glasgow, Lord, as she presses on. Help us to be an encouragement to one another, we pray. Do bless us this week as we labour. Help us to remember the word you have given us here, and help us to labour in faith, knowing that our labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Be with us this week. Keep us from sin, keep us from evil, keep us from false doctrine, and help us to run on the way of your commands, meditating upon your word day and night. This we pray in Jesus’ name and for his sake. Amen.
[Closing banter: plans for next Sunday — a house full of guests, alternate arrangements needed. Goodbyes.]
Scripture References
| Reference | Context |
|---|---|
| Exodus 14:5 | The heart of Pharaoh and his servants turned against Israel; “Why have we done this?” |
| Exodus 14:6–7 | Pharaoh made ready his chariot, took 600 chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt |
| Exodus 14:8 | The LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart; Israel went out with a high hand |
| Exodus 14:9 | The Egyptians pursued after them — all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh |
| Exodus 14:10 | Israel feared greatly and cried out to the LORD |
| Exodus 14:11–12 | Israel’s complaint: “Were there no graves in Egypt?” — preferring slavery to freedom |
| Exodus 14:13–14 | Moses’s orders to the army: fear not, stand still, hold your peace; the LORD shall fight for you |
| Exodus 12:51 | The LORD brought Israel out of Egypt “by their armies” |
| Genesis 12:13; 20:2 | Abraham tells Pharaoh and Abimelech “she is my sister” (referenced in passing) |
| Numbers 15:30 | Sinning “with a high hand” (unrepentant, presumptuous sin) |
| Psalm 82:1, 6 | Rulers called Elohim — representatives of God |
| Ezekiel 33:6–9 | The watchman’s responsibility — cry out or bear the guilt |
| Matthew 11:15 | ”He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” |
| 1 Corinthians 7:21 | ”If thou mayest be made free, use it rather” |