The Right Kind of Fear
Exodus 14:1-31
From Slavery to Freedom
The story of the Exodus is more than just a historical account of the Israelites escaping Egypt. It's a powerful metaphor for our own spiritual journey - one that takes us from slavery to sin into the freedom found in Christ. This ancient narrative serves as a framework for understanding the Gospel message and our path to salvation.
Imagine standing at the edge of the Red Sea, the thundering hooves of Pharaoh's army growing ever closer. The Israelites found themselves trapped between certain death and an impossible obstacle. It was in this moment of crisis that God revealed His power and His plan. "Do not be afraid," Moses told the people. "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today... The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Exodus 14:13-14)
This command to "be still" flies in the face of our natural instincts. When faced with danger or difficulty, we want to take action, to do something. But in matters of salvation, our efforts are futile. Christianity stands apart from all other belief systems in its insistence that we cannot earn our way to God. Our deliverance comes not through our own works, but through faith in what Christ has already accomplished.
The Apostle Paul, reflecting on this truth, wrote in Romans 4:5, "However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." It's as if Jesus' perfect report card gets applied to our permanent record. We don't earn our salvation - we receive it by grace through faith.
As the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, there were likely two types of responses. Some may have crossed boldly, taunting Pharaoh as they went. Others probably trembled in fear with each step. Yet both groups were equally delivered. It wasn't the quality of their faith that saved them, but the object of their faith. They trusted in the God who had proven Himself faithful, and He brought them through.
This journey from slavery to freedom isn't a one-time event, however. Even after their miraculous deliverance, the Israelites faced the temptation to return to what was familiar. Pharaoh's pursuit of the freed slaves serves as a picture of sin's relentless attempts to reclaim us. We may be new creations in Christ, objectively freed from sin's power, but we're still in the process of being sanctified.
The Apostle Paul addresses this struggle in Romans 6, urging believers not to offer themselves as instruments of wickedness, but rather as instruments of righteousness. "For sin shall no longer be your master," he writes, "because you are not under the law, but under grace." We have a choice in how we respond to sin's attempts to regain control over us.
Our battles with sin are often lost when we take our eyes off the Lord. The Israelites, seeing Pharaoh's approaching army, immediately fell into despair and began to question God's goodness. They were living by sight, not by faith. When we focus on the obstacles and dangers around us, we too can become overwhelmed and anxious.
The antidote to this fear is to continually remind ourselves of the Gospel. We must "re-evangelize" ourselves daily, waking up each morning with the realization that we are loved because of what Christ did on the cross. This constant reorientation towards God's grace transforms our fear. Instead of being terrified of the world around us, we develop a healthy fear of the Lord - a deep reverence and awe for His holiness, power, and love.
This transformation is beautifully illustrated at the end of the Red Sea crossing. After witnessing God's mighty act of deliverance, the scripture says, "The people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." Their fear was no longer directed at Pharaoh or his army, but at the One who had proven Himself infinitely more powerful.
Jesus himself spoke about the importance of fearing the right thing: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." This isn't a paralyzing terror, but a reverent acknowledgment of God's holiness and justice that leads us to worship and obedience.
Living with this right kind of fear is like driving on a winding mountain road with proper guardrails. When we have an appropriate respect for the potential danger, we stay in our lane and follow the rules of the road. It's only the fool who disregards the guardrails and flirts with disaster.
As we navigate our spiritual journey, we're called to live by faith, not by sight. This means constantly reminding ourselves of God's faithfulness in the past and trusting in His promises for the future. It means re-telling ourselves the story of God's redemption and allowing that story to shape our perspective on the world around us.
The Exodus story, viewed through the lens of the New Testament, reveals a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still in the business of delivering His people, transforming our fears, and leading us into freedom. As we face our own "Red Sea" moments - times when we feel trapped between impossible circumstances and encroaching dangers - we can take comfort in knowing that the God who parted the waters for the Israelites is the same God who works on our behalf today.
Our challenge is to keep our eyes fixed on Him, to live by faith rather than sight, and to allow our fear to be transformed from a paralyzing terror of the world into a reverent awe of our mighty God. As we do this, we'll find ourselves empowered to walk in the freedom Christ has won for us, resisting the pull of our old slave masters, and pressing on toward the promised land of God's presence.
May we, like the Israelites on the far shore of the Red Sea, find ourselves in awe of God's power and putting our trust fully in Him. For He is the same God who freed the captives then and is freeing hearts right now. He is the same God who touched the lepers then and whose touch we can feel today. In every circumstance, may our hearts cry out, "Oh God, my God, I need you now. Oh Rock of Ages, I'm standing on your faithfulness."