Exodus 14:20, commentary and pictures

The cloud that had led Israel moved from before them to stand behind them between the Egyptian camp and the camp of Israel, with the angel of God and Christ Himself present in it as their Leader. To the Egyptians it was thick darkness and a concealing wall so they could not see or reach the Hebrews and were forced to halt. To Israel that same cloud was bright light by night that lit the camp and the path through the sea and gave protection and hope of deliverance. All night the barrier held so one army did not come near the other while Israel crossed safely on dry ground and the waters afterward drowned the pursuers. The deliverance required Israel to trust God's word and go forward by faith into the water without waiting to see the opened path, teaching that God's providence brings light and peace to those who trust Him and darkness to the unbelieving, yet makes the way safe even through sea or desert.

Night Before the Crossing

Israel was trapped at the Red Sea with the sea before them and Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and men fully equipped for war behind them, seeing no way of escape and greatly terrified as helpless slaves and a helpless terrified multitude facing the mightiest army of the mightiest nation, while the Egyptians shouted in triumph at having them in their power. God opened a way through the sea so Israel crossed on dry ground and passed over dry shod, and the returning waters drowned Pharaoh and his host when in hardened blindness they rushed in, freeing Israel from servitude to a tyrannical, idolatrous people. That deliverance followed God's laying Egypt desolate with plagues and slaying the firstborn of the Egyptians, opening a path through the sea and then at His word of command rolling the sea back on the pursuers while Israel sang songs of triumph and praise, given in order that they might keep holy the Sabbath day and fulfill the precepts of His law.

The pillar of cloud that had led Israel from the front rose, passed over them, and stood behind them between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, moving grandly over their heads to follow instead of going before. It came between them to hide Israel from the pursuing army and to shield them from sight all night while they walked through on dry land as they started by faith upon the path Providence marked out and prepared to cross. The angel of God led and stood in that cloud, and Christ Himself was Israel's invisible Leader enshrouded in it by day and by night, communicating the will of God, with God Himself present in the pillar as a wall of protection. The angelic host was on the battlefield keeping Israel safe under its divine Leader, standing as their defense against the vast army of Pharaoh with armies, chariots and horsemen.

Though God was directing events and would fight for them while they waited for His deliverance, Israel in fear mistook the cloud and the angel of God for a harbinger of disaster and questioned whether their guidance had become a sign of calamity. The cloud kept the two camps apart as Israel prepared to cross, and no Israelite perished.

Darkness and Light Barrier

The pillar took its stand between the two camps as a wall that hid the Hebrews from sight, bringing thick darkness upon the Egyptians so they could not see Israel nor discern the camp. That darkness forced the pursuers to halt and kept them from reaching the Israelites, so that one army did not come near the other all the night. The cloud concealed the escape, hiding Israel while the people prepared to cross and holding the Egyptian army at a distance until its hosts entered the sea.

The same cloud was all light by night to Israel, flooding the encampment with radiance like day. It illuminated the camp and the path and shone through the night to protect them, giving hope of deliverance. What had frightened them when it moved behind them became their protection.

The barrier held all night, and shut off from sight the Egyptians could only follow the sound of marching, moving slowly with heavily driving chariots while expecting to break through the cloud. To Israel the great light flooded the encampment and shone upon the foam-capped billows to light the road cut through the sea. So the separation continued until the shadows passed and morning dawned with the pursuers almost within reach.

The concealing cloud was a bright white cloud, looming and rolling like billows of the sea and like mountains of snow in sunlight. Some of its forms were shaped like thrones, like white mountain clouds. It served as a refuge and friendly shelter that hid God's people from the sight of their persecutors so they could escape.

Why God Interposed

God set His power on display in the cloud that stood between the camps to test whether His people would trust Him after such tokens of His care and love for them, and to rebuke their unbelief and murmuring. The deliverance came when escape seemed impossible in order to teach Israel their utter helplessness and their need for divine aid. By rescuing them from Egypt and binding them to Himself as their deliverer from temporal bondage, He revealed His power and mercy to lead them to love and trust Him.

Though utterly helpless in themselves, a terrified multitude of slaves stood against the mightiest army of the mightiest nation on the globe by trusting the word of God. Their withstanding a power far greater than their own proves the power of God's word against human power and policy in support of evil, showing that those who trust Him can withstand overwhelming worldly power. That faith marks them as part of the world's true nobility and royal line. The night-long protection that guided Israel while holding back the Egyptian army displayed God's rule over the nations and His superiority to the Egyptians' gods.

As the cloud brought darkness to the Egyptians yet flooded the Hebrew camp with light and illuminated their path, so God's providence brings darkness and despair to the unbelieving but light and peace to those who trust Him. The path He leads may pass through desert or sea, yet it is safe. Its contrasting effects, giving light to Israel while making Egypt's darkness deeper through the night, illustrate God's law, which guides those who obey it like a pillar of fire but is darkness to those who disregard it. The same divine presence that was terror and darkness to the Egyptians but fire and light to Israel will bring darkness and judgment to unbelievers while giving light and glory to God's commandment-keeping people. For those who receive Him and keep His commandments, God provides shelter and protection until the indignation has passed.

Christ Himself, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, was Israel's invisible Leader, communicating to them the will of God and standing as their defense against the vast army of Pharaoh. That defense, together with food provided when hungry, springs of cool water made to flow from the Rock when they murmured, and manifestations of His glory, was part of the great light and precious opportunities given them. Their later unbelief and rebellion in the face of such light passed the boundary of God's forbearance and patience.

Echoes in Other Scripture

The pillar of fire stood through the night separating the camp of Israel from the camp of the Egyptians, giving darkness to the Egyptians and light to Israel. Its light and protection made God's presence and power known to Israel. The fire that fell on Elijah's altar and sacrifice resembled that pillar, showing a comparable divine display of power.

The cloud that stood between the camp of Israel and the camp of the Egyptians was a bright white cloud like white mountain clouds, some forms shaped like thrones. It served as a refuge and friendly shelter that hid God's people from the sight of their persecutors. Standing there between the camps, it pictures Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

God's presence standing between His people and danger through the night means that those hanging upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour are surrounded by angels as a wall of fire. The claimed righteousness of Christ goes before them, and the glory of God guards behind them. That guarding fortifies them to dwell on heavenly themes and to impart light to others.

Going Forward by Faith

Deliverance at the sea required Israel to trust God's word and move forward into the water at the command to go forward. They obeyed without waiting until they distinctly saw the opened path before them in the sea. As their feet stepped into the very waters and Moses stretched out the God-given rod, the sea was rolled back and parted to make a dry, plain path over which they went safely.

The verse teaches to discern and follow closely the opening providence of God and to move forward by faith rather than waiting for certainty that the undertaking will succeed. Refusing to move in unbelief hinders the work and loses a precious blessing. In building up His work God does not always make everything plain beforehand but tries the confidence of His people by bringing them into strait and trying places where He bids them go forward in faith when their feet seem to be touching the waters of the Red Sea. At such times when His servants pray to Him in earnest faith He opens the way before them and brings them out into a large place, so they are not to wait to move until money is in hand to complete the work.

The same opening of the way against Satan's hindering difficulties will happen in present work when obstacles seem to block it. God gives His people light to shine so the world can see it, and light unseen is of no value, so vision must reach to things nigh and afar off. Going forward trusting in Israel's God brings safe passage through the water even when the way looks blocked, dangerous, and impossible by human judgment and despite warnings that crossing cannot be done, and that safe crossing calls for united praise to the Lord. That night protection, with angels around as a wall of fire and the claimed righteousness of Christ going before and the glory of God guarding behind those hanging upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, fortifies believers to dwell on heavenly themes and impart light to others.