"The children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of
the sea."--_Exodus 14:16._
ALL the Egyptians were weeping over their dead first-born sons, and the
Israelites were set free, and going gladly out and away from their hard
masters.
But Pharaoh's hard heart turned again, and he got all his chariots and
horsemen together, and went after the children of Israel to drive them
back to Egypt. And when he came in sight of them, there they were all
upon the shore of the sea called the Red Sea. They could not go on,
for the sea was straight before them; they could not go back, for the
Egyptians were behind. They were sore afraid. But God spoke to Moses
and told him not to fear. They had only to stand still and see how God
would save them.
And God Himself showed that He was with them, for the pillar of cloud
went behind them, instead of before, and made it dark to the Egyptians,
but gave light by night to the Israelites: so the Egyptians could not
get near them all night.
[Illustration: PHARAOH'S HOST DESTROYED IN THE RED SEA.--Ex. 14:30, 31.]
Then God bade Moses stretch out his rod over the sea. And then there
was a great wonder. The waves of the sea parted, and stood up on each
side in a heap, and in between there was a wide open space, where the
children of Israel might walk safely dry-shod, through the very midst
of the sea. Through it they went, men, women, and children, through the
depths of the sea, with the waves standing still on each side of them.
Pharaoh saw that they were all gone over. He chose to follow after
them. But when his host was in the midst, the sea returned in its
strength again and came down on the Egyptians, and every one of them
was drowned--"they sank like lead in the mighty waters"--and the
Israelites were freed from their enemies, quite away from all their
trouble and all their slavery; and they sang hymns of joy to God, who
had been so good to them and now had set them free.
And we read about them being set free because this is the great Easter
Day when we give thanks to our Blessed Lord for having set us free.