THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES
Lesson 6: Through the Red Sea
6.7 Questions
Learning to Trust Between Deliverance and Breakthrough
Introduction
The people of Israel had just experienced the impossible: God Himself had led them out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand. They had witnessed the ten plagues, the blood on the doorposts that caused the angel of death to pass over them. They were free—and yet soon they stood before the Red Sea, with Pharaoh and his army at their backs.
This scene repeats itself often in our lives: We have experienced God’s intervention, and yet shortly afterward we find ourselves facing a wall of fear and uncertainty. The following questions help us understand why this happens—and how we can remain steadfast in such moments.
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Answers to the Questions
Question 1 – Why do we so often find ourselves in the position of the Hebrews between deliverance and challenge—and still show a lack of faith?
People are forgetful, especially in crises. We tend to remember more what we see in the moment than what God has already done. The people of Israel had just witnessed God’s power—and yet they panicked when they heard the Egyptian chariots.
This behavior has several causes:
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Emotional short-sightedness – In moments of fear or stress, our hearts react to what is visible, not to memory. The present danger overshadows past experiences.
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False expectations of God – We often think that God’s guidance means we will never be seriously tested again. But God sometimes deliberately leads us into situations that challenge our faith so it can grow.
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Lack of spiritual exercise – Faith is like a muscle: if we don’t train it in daily life, we lack strength when it’s needed most.
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Self-focus instead of God-focus – The more we look at our own abilities, the less we see God’s possibilities.
Biblical example: Peter was able to walk on water as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. When he looked at the waves, he began to sink (Matthew 14:30).
Final thought: Faith lives not only from memories but from the daily decision to place God’s character above our circumstances.
Question 2 – Why did Pharaoh still pursue Israel—and what does this teach us about the danger of being hardened by sin?
Pharaoh had not only lost his army but also his own son. Humanly speaking, that should have been enough to stop him. But his heart was hardened. This is the nature of sin: it can take such deep hold that even painful consequences do not lead to true repentance.
Three marks of hardened hearts:
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Pride over reason – Pharaoh didn’t want to lose his power. Even divine signs couldn’t break his will.
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Being accustomed to wrongdoing – Those who live in sin long enough begin to see it as normal.
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Deception through false security – Pharaoh thought he could still control God and His people.
Warning for us today:
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Sin often begins subtly—with a small compromise.
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Every decision against God’s will dulls our conscience a little more.
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Unconfessed sin blinds us to God’s warnings.
Biblical parallel: King Saul lost his kingship not because of a single mistake, but because he repeatedly rejected God’s word and hardened his heart (1 Samuel 15:23).
Final thought: A soft heart remains moldable in God’s hands. A hardened heart, even in the face of catastrophe, no longer recognizes the opportunity for repentance.
Question 3 – Why should we see good times as evidence of God’s grace—and praise Him especially then?
In a fallen world, peace is no accident. If we wake up in the morning healthy, have a job, eat a meal, and our family is safe, that is not to be taken for granted. Each of these blessings is an expression of God’s grace.
Three reasons to consciously notice good times:
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Invisible protection – We often don’t know what God has protected us from. Perhaps He has kept away illness, accidents, or attacks we never knew about.
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Attitude of praise – Those who thank God in abundance can also praise Him in lack. Gratitude is a spiritual safeguard against bitterness.
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Witness to others – When we speak openly of God’s goodness in good times, we encourage others to seek Him in their crises.
Biblical example: David wrote many of his psalms not in danger, but in times of peace (e.g., Psalm 23). He knew that good times are just as much a gift from God as rescue from distress.
Final thought: Those who learn to praise God in the sunshine can trust Him in the storm.
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Spiritual Principles
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Faith must be nourished—through daily remembrance of God’s faithfulness.
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Sin blinds—and prevents us from recognizing God’s actions.
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Gratitude protects—a grateful heart sees grace even in the everyday.
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Trials are bridges—they connect God’s past acts to His future help.
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Practical Life Application
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Write down three specific things each week for which you can thank God.
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Ask God to show you where pride or unconfessed sin may be hardening your heart.
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Tell one person each week about a specific protection or blessing you’ve experienced.
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Train your faith by deliberately recalling past rescues when you face new challenges.
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Conclusion
Between deliverance and final resolution often lies a field where our faith is shaped. It’s there we decide whether to rely on God’s faithfulness or on our own perspective.
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Thought of the Day
“God not only wants to change your circumstances, but first your heart—so you trust Him before the sea parts.”
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Illustration – Between Highway and Heaven
A true deliverance begins in the heart
Chapter 1 – The Long Road
The October evening in Nebraska was cool and clear. The cornfields along both sides of Interstate 80 rustled gently in the wind. Daniel Reed, a 42-year-old trucker from Kansas, gripped the wheel of his gray pickup tightly. The past months had marked him: losing his job after 18 years, the death of his father, and a marriage that shattered like glass hitting the floor.
The GPS read 312 miles to Chicago. But for Daniel, the goal wasn’t the destination—it was surviving the next hour.
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Chapter 2 – The Call
His phone buzzed on the dashboard. His wife’s name lit up the screen. He hoped for a reconciliatory conversation, a sign that not everything was lost. Instead, he heard a flat voice:
“The divorce papers are signed. I thought you should know.”
No hesitation. No regret. Just finality.
He pulled over, turned off the engine, and stared into the setting sun. “Lord,” he whispered, “I’m free from my marriage, free from my job, free from everything—and yet imprisoned. Where are You?”
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Chapter 3 – Invisible Protection
Daniel didn’t know that just a few miles ahead, a major accident had blocked the highway. Sirens wailed in the distance. Had he kept driving, he might have been caught in the chaos. But all he saw was his defeat—not the hand that protected him.
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Chapter 4 – The Stranger
An old, battered Ford pulled up beside him. Out stepped a man in jeans and a plaid shirt, about sixty, with a weathered face and warm eyes.
“Truck broken down?” he asked.
“Just… life,” Daniel replied.
The man nodded knowingly. “You know, I used to be a rancher in Wyoming. Lost it all—cattle, land, family. Thought God had forgotten me. But He stopped me. Sometimes He does that before we reach a place we wouldn’t come out of whole—physically or in the heart.”
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Chapter 5 – Between Egypt and the Sea
The stranger sat on the truck bed and looked into the wide sky. “The Israelites once stood between Egypt and the Red Sea. Water before them, enemies behind. They thought they were lost. But they were exactly where God wanted them—so they would learn that He not only opens doors but parts seas.”
Daniel’s eyes blurred. For the first time in months, he prayed—not for a quick fix, but for a soft heart.
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Chapter 6 – Moving On
When he started the engine, the accident scene had been cleared. He drove on—not with a lighter load, but with a lighter heart. He knew: God’s presence on the journey is worth more than any shortcut to the destination.
