What is the meaning of Exodus 14:31? When Israel saw the great power - The parting of the Red Sea and the complete defeat of Pharaoh’s army were visible, undeniable acts (Exodus 14:21-28). - God deliberately lets His people witness His might; similar patterns appear in Joshua 4:24 (crossing the Jordan) and 1 Samuel 17:46-47 (David and Goliath). - Such “seeing” builds concrete memory stones of faith, rooting their trust in facts, not feelings. that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians - The Lord Himself, not chance or natural phenomena, overthrew Egypt—confirming His earlier promise in Exodus 6:6-7. - This act completes a series of judgments (the plagues) that exposed Egypt’s gods as powerless (Exodus 12:12). - God’s supremacy over hostile powers is echoed later in Psalm 106:9-11 and Revelation 19:1-2, assuring believers that He handles every enemy in His timing. the people feared the LORD - “Fear” here is reverent awe, not cringing terror; it is the response God seeks after a manifestation of His holiness (Exodus 20:20). - Proper fear protects from idolatry and fosters obedience, as Proverbs 1:7 and Ecclesiastes 12:13 affirm. - This awe creates a moral boundary: if God can split seas, He is worthy of absolute loyalty. and believed in Him - Faith follows revelation; Israel’s trust now rests on what God has tangibly done, paralleling John 2:11 where Jesus’ sign at Cana causes His disciples to believe. - Belief here is corporate, uniting the nation in covenant solidarity (Exodus 19:4-6). - Hebrews 11:29 later celebrates this faith as exemplary, showing that genuine belief responds to God’s proven power. and in His servant Moses - Trust in God naturally extends to His appointed mediator; resisting Moses would now equal resisting God (Numbers 16:28-30). - Moses’ role foreshadows the greater Mediator, Christ, whom the Father likewise authenticates through mighty works (Acts 2:22). - Deuteronomy 34:10 marks Moses as unique “whom the LORD knew face to face,” underscoring why belief in him at this moment is pivotal for Israel’s future guidance. summary Israel’s firsthand encounter with God’s overwhelming power transforms their perspective: awe replaces anxiety, faith replaces doubt, and recognition of God’s chosen leader secures order for the journey ahead. Exodus 14:31 encapsulates the intended result of divine deliverance—reverence, trust, and readiness to follow. |
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