Delivering Them from the House of Bondage

God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage (13:3, 14) by their eating the meat of the lamb with the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs (12:8-11). The blood of the lamb was for redeeming the children of Israel out of God’s death-judgment, and the meat of the lamb was for strengthening Israel to get out of Egypt. They also had to eat unleavened bread, indicating that from that day they should not live in sin, that is, should not live a sinful life. They also had to eat the lamb with bitter herbs, indicating that they should experience a bitter taste regarding sinful things. The bitter herbs were a reminder of the bitter taste of the sinful things of Egypt.

Through the Angel of Jehovah (Christ) and 
the Pillar of Cloud and of Fire (the Glory of God)

God came down to deliver Israel out of Egypt through Moses and through the passover. He also delivered them through the Angel of Jehovah (Christ) and the pillar of cloud and of fire (the glory of God) over Israel to protect them from the front to the rear of their army (14:19-20). The glory of God always goes together with Christ. Where Christ is, there is the glory of God, and where the glory of God is, there is Christ as the Angel of Jehovah to serve God’s people.

After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Pharaoh and his army pursued them. The Red Sea was in front of them, and Pharaoh and his armies were behind them. They had no way out. Christ as the Angel of Jehovah was in front of the children of Israel, facing the sea. But at the rear the Egyptian army was coming, so Christ turned from the front to the rear. The glory of God followed Christ from the front of the army of Israel to the rear to protect them. That glory, which was the pillar of cloud in the day becoming the pillar of fire in the night, became a wall to separate Israel’s army from the Egyptian army. Christ with God’s glory became a great protection to the children of Israel.

Through God’s Mighty Power 
to Divide the Red Sea for Israel

God delivered Israel out of Egypt through His mighty power by dividing the Red Sea for Israel to go through and by closing the Red Sea over Pharaoh and his army to destroy them (14:6-8, 21-31). Exodus 14:22 says, “The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” When Israel got over to the other side of the sea, God’s power closed the sea over Pharaoh and his armies. Through this miracle by God’s mighty power, God delivered Israel out of Egypt.

We can see the manifestation of God’s power in His working to deliver Israel out of Egypt and bring them into the wilderness. God gave His orders to the frogs, the lice, the flies, and the locusts to plague Egypt. These all became His armies. The flies and locusts were like the air force, the frogs were like the navy, and the lice from the dust were like the army. God sent three forces of His military power, and the Egyptians had no way to do anything against them.

Furthermore, the three of the Divine Trinity were working for Israel’s deliverance. The “I Am” who sent Moses to Pharaoh was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (3:6, 14). The Angel of God was Christ, and the pillar of cloud and of fire was the Spirit. God the Spirit is God’s glory.

God brought Israel out of Egypt through their observance of the passover. The children of Israel had to kill a lamb, to strike the blood, and to eat the meat of the lamb in haste with their loins girded, with their sandals on their feet, and with their staff in their hand (12:11). Without eating, they would not have had the energy to get out of Egypt. This picture shows us that the eating of the lamb was for moving out of Egypt to carry out God’s redemption and God’s salvation. The redeeming blood was for God’s redemption, and the satisfying and strengthening meat of the lamb with the unleavened bread was for God’s salvation to deliver them by enabling them to cooperate with God. They received the strength to move out of Egypt by eating the meat of the lamb and the unleavened bread.

God was very fine in His working to deliver the children of Israel in His using of Moses, the passover, the Angel of God, the glory of God, and His mighty power to divide the Red Sea for Israel and to close it over Pharaoh and his army. This part of God’s history helps us to know what kind of God He is.