By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith Israel went through the Red Sea as on dry ground, while the Egyptians who tried to follow were drowned. They believed the word of God given through Moses and marched down to the water and forward step by step when told to advance, doing all in their power while the way was still unseen, and only then did God divide the sea before them. God had purposely shut them in between the mountains and the sea so that He might show His power to deliver, humble their oppressors, and test and strengthen their trust. That faith is simple, implicit and unflinching trust that obeys all God commands without weighing consequences or judging by human reason whether it is possible, moving in God's strength rather than human power. The same faith can work in believers now, calling them to go forward, do their best, and trust God to open the way when they have done their part.
The Crossing by Faith
God shut Israel in between the mountains and the sea on purpose, though He could have rescued them in some other way, choosing that strait to display His power in deliverance, to humble the pride of their oppressors, and to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. Their faith was to believe the word of God spoken through Moses and to march down to the very water when bidden to advance. Moses led more than a million people forward step by step day by day at God's command though there was nothing ahead for their feet to tread upon, and the people did all that was in their power to do while danger still threatened and the way was yet unseen. Only then did God divide the sea to make a dry path for their feet, and if they had held back He would never have opened the path for them.
That passage displayed God's power, brought Israel out of peril, humbled their oppressors, tested and strengthened Israel's trust, and rid them of their enemies. God Himself led the way and made the path safe even through the sea. The cloud stood as a wall of darkness to the Egyptians while pouring a flood of light upon the Hebrews that lit the whole camp and brightened the path before them, showing that the same dealings of providence bring darkness and despair to the unbelieving and light and peace to the trusting soul.
The Egyptians pursued without regard for God and assayed to do the same, but were drowned, while Israel passed through as by dry land.
What Faith Means
By faith in Hebrews 11:29 means simple, implicit, ever-abiding, unflinching faith that presses through difficulties and overcomes obstacles that seem almost insurmountable by trusting the power and loving intentions of the Deliverer. That faith obeys all that the Lord commands without stopping to consider consequences and without judging by human reason whether it is proper or possible, acting as seeing the Invisible with whom all things are possible. It moves in the strength and wisdom of God and not in the ways and power of men, so deliverance came through trust and obedience to God rather than human ability or self-sufficiency. It acts on God's word before the obstacles are removed, advancing while danger remains and the way forward is unseen.
When Israel relied on God and did not trust to their own power, the mighty General of armies was faithful to them and delivered them from difficulties from which they never could have escaped if left to themselves. This faith worked through Moses only after he lost self-confidence and realized his own helplessness and inefficiency without God and put his trust in God. It was that faith, not the teachings of the schools of Egypt, that enabled him to triumph over all his enemies and made him a sanctified channel through which God delivered Israel. As part of the chapter on faith, the verse calls believers to turn the mind from visible, discouraging things to unseen things, pointing to the hope of a better country and a heavenly city built by God.
Example for Believers Today
Hebrews 11 belongs to the record of heroes of faith commended for firm principles and fidelity to God from age to age. Those who passed through the Red Sea are brought conspicuously before the world as part of that company, in order that their light might shine forth to those in darkness. Their obedience to the command to go forward made their light visible to the world so it could reach people in darkness and lead others to glorify God. Their examples serve as patterns for the Christian church.
The faith worked in God's servants of old can work in believers now. Sacred history teaches that God still works through people whose hearts trust Him. He works through faithful hearts as channels of His power no less markedly than He did then.
The crossing stands among the examples of the previous chapter that form the great cloud of witnesses. Those witnesses breasted evils and difficulties in their way and in the name of the Lord braced themselves successfully against opposing forces of evil. They were sustained and strengthened, and the Lord held them by His hand. They call runners in the race to lay aside evil habits and practices formed by following natural dispositions and the sin that easily besets, and to run with patience.
Their experience gives instruction to those working for God to go forward in faith, do their best, and watch, work, and pray, trusting that God will hear and answer them. This will give them valuable experience for later work, and it applies especially to city workers. God's people were to follow His command and go forward even when the way seemed impossible, trusting Him to open it. Faith and cheerful obedience can carry out God's purposes in difficult circumstances, as shown when the Loma Linda Sanitarium became the property of God's people despite great obstacles, which teaches the same trust in establishing the Lord's work.
Faith moves forward trusting God to make a way, as the Red Sea opened for Israel. The opening of the sea applies to the early work in America, where despite poverty and hardship believers denied themselves and advanced step by step relying on God's mercy and power. The same lesson applies to spreading the work among the people of Europe: make earnest efforts, persevere, pray, and trust God rather than relying on human strength. When people do their part, God will do His.
By faith Israel went through the Red Sea as on dry ground, while the Egyptians who tried to follow were drowned. They believed the word of God given through Moses and marched down to the water and forward step by step when told to advance, doing all in their power while the way was still unseen, and only then did God divide the sea before them. God had purposely shut them in between the mountains and the sea so that He might show His power to deliver, humble their oppressors, and test and strengthen their trust. That faith is simple, implicit and unflinching trust that obeys all God commands without weighing consequences or judging by human reason whether it is possible, moving in God's strength rather than human power. The same faith can work in believers now, calling them to go forward, do their best, and trust God to open the way when they have done their part.
The Crossing by Faith
God shut Israel in between the mountains and the sea on purpose, though He could have rescued them in some other way, choosing that strait to display His power in deliverance, to humble the pride of their oppressors, and to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. Their faith was to believe the word of God spoken through Moses and to march down to the very water when bidden to advance. Moses led more than a million people forward step by step day by day at God's command though there was nothing ahead for their feet to tread upon, and the people did all that was in their power to do while danger still threatened and the way was yet unseen. Only then did God divide the sea to make a dry path for their feet, and if they had held back He would never have opened the path for them.
That passage displayed God's power, brought Israel out of peril, humbled their oppressors, tested and strengthened Israel's trust, and rid them of their enemies. God Himself led the way and made the path safe even through the sea. The cloud stood as a wall of darkness to the Egyptians while pouring a flood of light upon the Hebrews that lit the whole camp and brightened the path before them, showing that the same dealings of providence bring darkness and despair to the unbelieving and light and peace to the trusting soul.
The Egyptians pursued without regard for God and assayed to do the same, but were drowned, while Israel passed through as by dry land.
What Faith Means
By faith in Hebrews 11:29 means simple, implicit, ever-abiding, unflinching faith that presses through difficulties and overcomes obstacles that seem almost insurmountable by trusting the power and loving intentions of the Deliverer.
That faith obeys all that the Lord commands without stopping to consider consequences and without judging by human reason whether it is proper or possible, acting as seeing the Invisible with whom all things are possible.
It moves in the strength and wisdom of God and not in the ways and power of men, so deliverance came through trust and obedience to God rather than human ability or self-sufficiency.
It acts on God's word before the obstacles are removed, advancing while danger remains and the way forward is unseen.
When Israel relied on God and did not trust to their own power, the mighty General of armies was faithful to them and delivered them from difficulties from which they never could have escaped if left to themselves.
This faith worked through Moses only after he lost self-confidence and realized his own helplessness and inefficiency without God and put his trust in God.
It was that faith, not the teachings of the schools of Egypt, that enabled him to triumph over all his enemies and made him a sanctified channel through which God delivered Israel.
As part of the chapter on faith, the verse calls believers to turn the mind from visible, discouraging things to unseen things, pointing to the hope of a better country and a heavenly city built by God.
Example for Believers Today
Hebrews 11 belongs to the record of heroes of faith commended for firm principles and fidelity to God from age to age. Those who passed through the Red Sea are brought conspicuously before the world as part of that company, in order that their light might shine forth to those in darkness. Their obedience to the command to go forward made their light visible to the world so it could reach people in darkness and lead others to glorify God. Their examples serve as patterns for the Christian church.
The faith worked in God's servants of old can work in believers now. Sacred history teaches that God still works through people whose hearts trust Him. He works through faithful hearts as channels of His power no less markedly than He did then.
The crossing stands among the examples of the previous chapter that form the great cloud of witnesses. Those witnesses breasted evils and difficulties in their way and in the name of the Lord braced themselves successfully against opposing forces of evil. They were sustained and strengthened, and the Lord held them by His hand. They call runners in the race to lay aside evil habits and practices formed by following natural dispositions and the sin that easily besets, and to run with patience.
Their experience gives instruction to those working for God to go forward in faith, do their best, and watch, work, and pray, trusting that God will hear and answer them. This will give them valuable experience for later work, and it applies especially to city workers. God's people were to follow His command and go forward even when the way seemed impossible, trusting Him to open it. Faith and cheerful obedience can carry out God's purposes in difficult circumstances, as shown when the Loma Linda Sanitarium became the property of God's people despite great obstacles, which teaches the same trust in establishing the Lord's work.
Faith moves forward trusting God to make a way, as the Red Sea opened for Israel. The opening of the sea applies to the early work in America, where despite poverty and hardship believers denied themselves and advanced step by step relying on God's mercy and power. The same lesson applies to spreading the work among the people of Europe: make earnest efforts, persevere, pray, and trust God rather than relying on human strength. When people do their part, God will do His.