How does Deuteronomy 11:4 demonstrate God's power over Israel's enemies?

Setting the scene: Moses reminds a new generation

- Moses is speaking to Israelites who will soon cross the Jordan.

- He re-lives a moment they all know—the collapse of Pharaoh’s elite army—so they will trust God for the battles ahead.

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Key verse (Deuteronomy 11:4)

“what He did to the army of Egypt, to its horses and chariots—how He caused the waters of the Red Sea to engulf them as they pursued you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day.”

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Layers of God’s power revealed

• Supreme over the strongest military

– Egypt’s horses and chariots were the ancient world’s cutting-edge weapons. One act of God rendered them useless.

• Master of creation

– He “caused the waters of the Red Sea to engulf them.” Nature obeys Him instantly (cf. Exodus 14:21-28).

• Instant judgment, lasting effect

– “Destroyed them to this day.” The wreckage remained as a standing reminder; God’s victories are decisive and irreversible.

• Protector of His covenant people

– The same sea that opened for Israel closed on Egypt, underscoring Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you.”

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How this shapes Israel’s view of future enemies

1. No army is too large (Joshua 10:42).

2. No weapon is too advanced (Psalm 20:7).

3. No pursuit is too desperate—God can turn a path of escape into a trap for the pursuer (Isaiah 43:16-17).

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Echoes across Scripture

- Exodus 14:13-31 – the original event in detail.

- Psalm 136:13-15 – Israel’s worship anchors on this victory: “for His loving devotion endures forever.”

- Joshua 2:9-11 – even Rahab in Jericho trembles because she’s heard “how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea.”

- Nehemiah 9:9-11 – centuries later, the remnant still recounts it to celebrate God’s faithfulness.

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Living under the same powerful hand

- Remember past deliverances; they fuel present obedience (Deuteronomy 11:7-8).

- Obedience invites ongoing victory (Deuteronomy 11:22-25).

- God’s power is not confined to one era; Christ’s triumph at the cross dwarfs Pharaoh’s defeat, disarming “the rulers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15).

Deuteronomy 11:4 is more than history; it is a standing testimony that the God who once drowned chariots still reigns, still defends His people, and still overturns every force raised against His purposes.