THIRD QUARTER 2025
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #6
AUGUST 9, 2025
"THROUGH THE RED SEA."

 

The crossing of the Red Sea is one of the most important and dramatic symbols of salvation found in the entire Bible. It is a lesson in the history of Israel that deserves our study and meditation until the close of time. It is intended to remind us in a poignant and emphatic fashion that what God accomplishes for us in the plan of redemption is as impossible as it would have been for the children of Israel to deliver themselves from Egyptian bondage. The memory text for the week includes the command to the children of Israel to "Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today" (Exodus 14:14, emphasis supplied).It is striking that the verse includes instructions for what the children of Israel were to do as well as a declaration of what God would do. Alec Motyer, an Old Testament scholar, says there are at least two dozen direct references to the crossing of the Red Sea in the Bible and many other allusions to it. It cannot be overstated that the children of Israel made no contribution whatsoever to their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. And it cannot be overemphasized that our gratitude and appreciation for what God has done in Christ for us depends upon our being constantly reminded that our service and sacrifice, dedication and devotion have no merit.  

Sunday

Under Sunday's outline the subject of repentance is mentioned and the fact that although Pharoah consented to let the children of Israel go, his "repentance" was not genuine as evidenced by his later actions. An entire chapter of Steps to Christ is dedicated to the subject of repentance, which underscores how important it is. The lesson author explains that true repentance is not merely sorrow or regret for the consequence of our sin but sorrow for the sin itself. Genuine repentance considers the rupture in our relationship with God, the violation of our consciences, the weakening of our will and the ultimate results of sin—the necessity of the cross. It is the repentance of David recorded in Psalms 51 in which he says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." "Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." "Against thee and thee only have I sinned." This was a true repentance. David acknowledges the egregious nature of his sin and does not merely regret or seek only to escape the consequences of his sin. The most important thing to remember regarding repentance is that genuine repentance is beyond human ability or capacity. We do not have it in ourselves to truly be sorry for our sin or to recognize the real nature and character of sin. Genuine repentance is always a gift from God. Acts 5:31 says of Christ, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. We must not confuse what the Bible calls repentance with merely regretting our sins due to their attendant results. 

Monday

Under Monday's outline the lesson author states the children of Israel needed not only to believe but to act on those beliefs. One might say that if we do not act on our beliefs then this is evidence that we do not really believe. James 2 makes it clear that our conduct and behavior is the outflow and evidence of our faith. Our good works are the fruit or result of faith—never the basis of our salvation. We are not saved by faith plus works but by a faith which works in the heart and life. Our faith increases with exercise, but we must even be careful about placing merit on faith. Faith is only a vehicle through which we receive the gift of the righteousness of Christ. In other words, Christ is our Savior. Faith is not our Savior. 

The perpetual importance of the firstborn was to be a reminder of the deliverance God effected for Israel and also of God's ownership of everything. It is significant that Jesus is called the "firstborn of creation" in Colossians 1:15. The phraseology of Exodus 13:16 is repeated in one of my favorite Old Testament passages in Deuteronomy 6:8 where God tells Israel regarding His commands, "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." The point was that the children of Israel were to rehearse their history to their children in such away that they would never forget the goodness and grace of God once they entered the promise land and begin to focus on the gift rather than the Giver. God is not a cosmic Santa Claus, a supernatural bellhop, a genie in a bottle. He is the Sovereign of the universe, and to treat Him in such a fashion is the essence and nature of idolatry.

Tuesday

Tuesday's lesson is a reminder that just as the children of Israel had forgotten the numerous miracles God performed in Egypt we also are prone to forget God's goodness in our past experience and lose faith when we are facing challenges. It is ironic that Joseph had faith in God's promise to establish the children of Israel in Canaan and thus requested that his bones be taken there when (not if) Israel would leave Egypt. Meanwhile the children of Israel who saw all of the plagues on Egypt, experienced the crossing of the Red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptian armies, the pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, bread from heaven and water from a rock still murmured complained and often doubted God's promise. Each time we are facing new challenges, we may feel that our prayers are not heard, that our circumstances are unique and that God does not care. These are the times we are instructed to look at our past experience and also that of others recorded in the Bible to gain strength and encouragement when we are tested, just as Jesus did in the wilderness of temptation and on the cross.

Wednesday

Wednesday's lesson reminds us that God is faithful even when we are unfaithful. The apostle Paul asks a rhetorical question in Romans 3:3: Shall man’s unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? The obvious answer is a resounding NO. God worked for the children Israel time and time again in spite of their lack of faith. Upon reaching the Jordan River shortly before entering the Promised Land, it was not until the children of Israel put their feet into the water that the Jordan river parted and the children of Israel were able to cross and ultimately enter. Faith is a muscle that is strengthened each time we put our trust in God. We create a new frame of reference and a new experience to draw upon and motivate us to trust God for the future. I am convinced that sometimes we perhaps misunderstand the verses of scripture in the Bible that tell us to "fear not.” We tend to apply this to our feelings and emotions as opposed to our actions in spite of our feelings. God is instructing us not to be paralyzed by our feelings and emotions. It is in the acting upon His promises that we overcome those feelings, which is the essence of true faith.

Our expectations of God depend upon our concept of His character, which is why searching the Scriptures to see how gracious and merciful and kind He is becomes so important to our spiritual development. Our lesson author indicates that “Calvary is the ultimate proof” that God is always for us, caring and providing what we need. It is interesting that even the Egyptians at the end of Exodus 14 recognized that the Lord was fighting for Israel.

We should also recognize that ultimately the scriptures teach that Jesus is the true "Israel" and where God's chosen people failed, Christ would ultimately succeed. Matthew 2:15 is a quote from Hosea 11:1, but it applies the passage to the flight of the child Jesus and his family to Egypt to escape the decree of Herod.

Thursday

The stunning Defeat of the Egyptians and the victory the Lord provided to Israel reminds me of the experience of Gideon who with only 300 men defeated the Midianite armies of 135,000. The Bible says that when Gideon’s 300 blew their trumpets and broke their jars that the Midianites began fighting amongst themselves. It was the fulfillment of God's promise "I am going to deliver you with the 300 soldiers who lapped by giving the Midianites into your control” (Judges 7:7). 

The song of Moses is a song of praise to God. It is a song of gratitude and worship. It is a song acknowledging His might and power and love. There are few things that can lift our spirits, encourage our hearts, or remind us of God's goodness and mercy as can a song. This is why in Revelation 15 the redeemed sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. And what a song that will be!

Friday

It is encouraging to know that God worked mightily for the children of Israel though they repeatedly exhibited a lack of faith. Exhibiting the patience of a loving parent, God tenderly guides and directs all of us through our doubts and fears, and even rebellion and misunderstandings—through a thousand mid-course corrections he is ultimately leading us to a heavenly Canaan. 

Our lesson author ends by pointing out that though we all face terrible trials at times, many of us have had many very good days when nothing bad happens to us. He then follows with the excellent and thought provoking question, “Why do we find ourselves so often in the position of the Hebrews after their incredible deliverance from Egypt, but before the challenge of the Red Sea? That is, in the face of so much evidence for God’s goodness toward us and of His power, why do we still find it so easy to show, and even express, a lack of faith?”

The apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 10:11. "These things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come." Truly we have nothing to fear for the future except as we forget God's leading and His teaching in our past history. 

 

~ Michael Duncan