Exo 14:30-31
Exo 14 is a monumental chapter in the Bible because it describes the actual departure of Israel out of Egypt. It also describes the very first challenge Israel faced immediately upon departure (i.e. crossing of the Red Sea). It marked the end of decades of pain; a start of a brand new life.

Besides the dramatic events of the Red Sea, the chapter is also full of human emotions. From the Israelites side: boldness to leave Egypt, fear in front of the Red Sea, joy when they were able to escape. From the Egyptians side: Pharaoh’s anger, fear of the Egyptians as the waters covered them.

Besides the dramatic events and the human emotions, there are 3 different extremes we can see - the polarising of wills, the contrast of hearts and the difference of paths.

1. Polarising of wills: will of God vs will of Pharaoh
   Will of God: release Israel from bondage
   Will of Pharaoh: keep Israel under bondage (Exo 14:5)

Clearly these two wills are at two extremes. And these two different wills continue to be played out in our lives today. Pharaoh/Egypt represent Satan who wants to continue to enslave the people of God under the bondage of sin. But God wants us to come out of the world to the heavenly kingdom. Clearly these two wills are different.

Even in the time of Jesus, these two different wills were played out. The devil tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The very three tricks that caused our ancestors to fall, and also the weaknesses we have today. We desire beautiful things and want to become something. The people of the world will resort to any means to get what they want. We’ve gotten affected too. We look at our smartphones for hours at night, watching videos that have nothing to do with getting to heaven. People aspire to have many LinkedIn connections, many followers on Instagram, to become an influencer. Being in the world, we have unwittingly become influenced.

1 John 2:16
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life; the desire for more things, the desire to have beautiful things, to become somebody, are all of the world.

Jesus proves that we can overcome all these things through the word of God.

John 17:16
Like Jesus, we need to rise above temptations of the world. Obey the word of God so we won’t be enslaved by sin and Satan.

1 John 2:17
“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
The world is passing away. To abide forever, we need to do God’s will. Between the extremes of wills, which one will we yield to?

1. The contrast of hearts: the heart of Pharaoh vs the heart of Israel
   Exo 14:6-8
   Heart of pharaoh: hardened
   Heart of Israel went through three different stages:
   1) heart of boldness when they went out of Egypt (v8)
   2) heart of fear (v10-13)
   Israel was able to come out of Egypt with boldness because they had witnessed the 10 wonders. But when they saw the Egyptians pursuing them, they murmured, doubted and were afraid.
   3) heart of rejoicing
   When they were saved, they feared God and rejoiced.

The heart of Israel reflects our hearts very much. We have a heart of boldness perhaps when we first believe, when we receive the Holy Spirit, after a theological seminar, after being saved from near death. This marks a high point in our faith/relationship with God. But there’re also low points in our faith and ask, “God, why me?” or “Where’re you God? Are You going to help me this time?” The speaker hopes that despite these fears and doubts, we continue to put our trust in God.

When we feel the solution is elsewhere, God tells us to stand still and know that He is God. The Lord will fight for us, we just need to hold our peace.

After the deliverance, we should have the fear of God in our hearts.

If the story of Exodus ends here and they end up in Canaan, what a beautiful story it’ll be! But in reality, it was not so. Indeed they feared and rejoiced in God here, but a majority of them didn’t make it to the land of Canaan. Why?

Heb 3:7-15
The heart of Pharaoh wasn’t the only heart that was hardened.
“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
The people who had been delivered; the ones who survived the Red Sea, rejoiced and feared God, hardened their hearts and tested God. Consequently, they weren’t able to enter His rest.

We must be aware of unbelief in us that can cause our hearts to harden. It’ll cause us to be insensitive to sin, to the advice people give us. Such a process won’t take a day but a period of time, years. The sin we have will eventually become a mortal blow in our spiritual lives. In some ways, it’s like diabetes. Diabetes is a silent killer. If you don’t go for a check up, you’d never know you have it. If left untreated, you’d die. Likewise, sin left unchecked in our hearts will cause us to die spiritually.

Was there any difference between Pharaoh and the people who left Egypt? Only 2 out of the Israelites entered Canaan! This is something sobering for us to consider.

Faith is a lifelong effort. Nobody knows if we’ll still be in church 10 years later.

Therefore, exhort one another daily while it is still today, lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. This exhortation comes about by gathering together. While there is still the opportunity, let us gather together! We must declare war on sin just like Singapore declared war on diabetes lol. That we may hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.

1. Differences of paths: path taken by Israel vs path taken by Egyptians
   Path taken by Israel: dry ground through the sea; an impossible path made possible by God (Exo 14:22)
   Path taken by Egyptians: read (Exo 14:23-25, 27-28)

While Israel crossed the sea on dry ground by God’s guidance, the Egyptians who attempted to take the same path were hindered by God. He took off the chariot wheels such that they said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.” As they fled, God covered them with waters. The path of the Egyptians was hence a path of doom, it led to their death. This also teaches us the enemies of God will eventually be doomed.

One path had God assisting. The other had God opposing.
One led to life. The other led to death.

Which path are we taking today?

Jesus says He’s the way, truth, and life.
John 14:1-6
Jesus begins by telling His disciples to not let their hearts be troubled. He tells them there are many mansions and that He goes to prepare a place for them. He said they know where He is going and the way there. Puzzled, Thomas said they didn’t know where He was going. In response, Jesus said, “I am the way, truth, life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” It is by the way of the precious blood of Christ that we can have life.

Are we on the path that obeys the word of truth and leads to truth? We need to be diligent to walk on the way and not go astray.

Phil 3:17-19
In Paul’s time, it was evident there were people whose hearts had gone astray. In the epistle of Philippians, he described the two paths people were taking. One group walked according to the pattern of sound words. The other group originally walked this path too, but became enemies of the cross of Christ, and walk towards death.

The path of truth is the ONLY way for us to get back to the Father. Let us make sure we stay on it.

Conclusion:
The polarising of wills, the contrast of paths, the difference of paths. Whose will will we submit to? How do we make sure our heart is right and not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin? And which way will we go?

May the Holy Spirit help us to submit to His will, to flee temptations of the world, to continue assembling together to exhort each other while it is still today, to resolve to walk on the path where truth sanctifies us and ensures we never go astray.