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Let us pray. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8, 37. Dear Lord Jesus, in you there is freedom. Freedom from fear, anxiety, sin, and shame. Because of what you accomplished on the cross, we are not victims of circumstance, but conquerors.
Teach us every day how to walk in victory. Empower us to press forward boldly, proclaiming your truth and being a force for good in the world.
We trust that your truth will guide us and your spirit will abide in us. Lord, we also ask that you free us from anything holding us back, whether they be habits, toxic relationships, or anxieties. Remove any barrier between us and the victory you've won for us. In your precious name we pray. Amen.
Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider. Freedom! The Hebrew slaves were finally free from the whips and chains of Pharaoh. A cloud of dust followed the sons and daughters of Israel as they fled Egypt towards the Promised Land. Centuries of cruelty and oppression were finally behind them. They sang liberation songs and dreamed of their new lives apart from beatings and hunger.
They approached the shores of the Red Sea, ready to walk around the coast and into their freedom. Yet their celebration was short-lived, deep in the darkest corners of his palace. Pharaoh's heart became as hard as granite,
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Stories of the Messiah podcast.
I'm your guide through this journey, Rabbi Kurt Schneider, with Discovering the Jewish Jesus. If you've been following this podcast and found it a blessing, follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. And remember to download Pray.com to hear the Bible come to life. We've been traversing the peaks and valleys of the Bible's greatest stories. Stories of tragedy, triumph, faith, and failure.
Each episode has showcased a different biblical hero whose life ultimately points to the greatest hero of all, Jesus. We have learned how Jesus is the greater Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and Joseph. Now, we're about to immerse ourselves in one of the Bible's most iconic stories where the enslaved people of Israel have finally escaped the death grip of Pharaoh. But they aren't safe yet. Pharaoh has returned to get them back.
This story has hundreds of images and parallels to our lives and the mighty work God wants to do in and through us. We will unpack some of those together. Let's immerse ourselves now in a cinematic retelling of Exodus 14. After, I'll connect the story to the life of Jesus and we'll discover profound truths to reinforce our faith. Let's begin. The sound of horses and chariots shook the earth.
The people of Israel turned to see a tidal wave of soldiers fast approaching. They screamed in fear and cried out to the Lord. Then they turned their anger towards Moses, who had led them to the shore. We don't have graves in Egypt, so you decide to kill us here and save them space? They shouted. Didn't we tell you to leave us alone? It would have been better to serve the Egyptians than die here in the wilderness. The people were clamoring, and Moses knew they were running out of time.
Fear and hopelessness whirled within them. Why would God lead them into certain doom? Moses looked out at the vast Red Sea. The winds were picking up violently. Then he looked back at Pharaoh's army. They were fierce and primed for bloodshed. Moses stood before the people and shouted, "Fear not! Have faith!"
Moses turned back to the water and listened intently for the voice of God. Speak, Lord!
What are you going to do? With an even mightier force than the howling wind, God spoke to Moses, saying, Why do you cry to me as if I have not already planned your salvation? Tell the people to march forward towards the water. Then lift your staff and stretch out your hand.
I will part the seas, and my people will walk on dry land to safety. There was a pause as the wind shifted around Moses. Then the Lord continued, declaring war. As for the Egyptians, they will know that I am and will have glory over Pharaoh. Then the clouds split, and a pillar of smoke descended onto the ground near Pharaoh and his chariots, blocking their view from the Israelites.
Moses and the people stood in awe as the smoke's smoldering heat kept Pharaoh's men at bay. Then they turned to the sea. Moses stepped forward and waded waist-deep into the water. The wind carried scents from the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. God promised them liberation, so Moses stepped forward in faith and raised his staff high.
The strong east wind bellowed against the water, and everyone stood in awe as it bowed to the whim of God. The seas parted, creating a path for Israel to run towards their redemption. Tears streamed down Moses' face as he saw the course before him. The wind and the waves obeyed their Creator and made way for his people to be free. The children of Israel walked through with walls of water towering over them on their right and their left.
They walked until the break of dawn. When the last of God's people went through, the pillar of smoke keeping Pharaoh at bay disappeared. Pharaoh wasted no time. With the Egyptian army following close behind, Pharaoh flew down the hill towards the sea with rage in his eyes.
When Moses reached the other side of the Red Sea, he heard the voice of the Lord again. "Stretch out your hand, Moses, and behold my power." Moses stretched out his hand, and the torrent of wind and waves ceased instantly. The pillars of water crashed down with incredible force, consuming Pharaoh and his army. Israel watched as their oppressors were locked away in a tomb of water and stone.
The wind had ceased raging, and the water's surface was glassy and calm. The wind and waves obeyed their master. Could you imagine being in Moses' shoes? The raging sea is at his front, and the armies of Pharaoh at his back. The people are afraid, blaming him for leading them to their death. And now he is left with no other option but to listen to God and wait. These are some of the best places to be.
stripped of our choices, no way out, and utterly reliant on God. Moses and the children of Israel had only one option, cry out to the Lord. And man, oh man, did he answer.
God displayed His power and part of the sea so the people could go free. We can't miss the profound imagery in this story. The Bible is filled with images and motifs that reinforce essential themes. One of those reoccurring images of the Bible is the stormy seas. Anytime you read about a rough sea or a storm in the Bible, it usually represents darkness, chaos, and judgment.
For the Israelites, the sea was an image of the chaos and darkness of Egypt. God, in heroic fashion, made way for the Israelites to walk through that darkness and into freedom. For the Egyptians, however, the sea represented judgment. Pharaoh drowned under God's authority, but the people of Israel were safe. Although Exodus closely follows Moses' story,
We often see that Moses was less of a hero and more of a conduit of God's heroic acts. God is the one who protected Israel with the pillar of smoke. God is the one who made the wind and waves bend to his will. Moses was a spectator, or at most a helper, of God's redemptive acts.
God is the real hero who brought Israel out of slavery. He alone was the master of the wind and waves. The story reminds us that we are all helpless to save ourselves from the chaos and darkness of sin. Like the Israelites, we desperately want freedom, but our sins pursue us like Pharaoh's chariots. The entirety of the Bible paints this picture. God wants to bring light, order, and redemption out of darkness, chaos, and sin.
He alone can tame the seas that would otherwise overcome us. At discovering the Jewish Jesus, I have passionately pointed out that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are not different. Their roles do not contradict each other. We will see that God's power is displayed in the same fashion. Let's fast forward to the time of Jesus, to the Sea of Galilee. A storm rages around him and his disciples, and the disciples wonder if they'll perish under the storm's power.
But there's someone greater than the storm in the boat with them. The disciples are about to behold the same power Moses saw. Let's go to the other side, Jesus said to his disciples. The men looked out at the water. The winds above were shifting and the waters below began to stir. They knew a storm when they saw one.
Nevertheless, they did as their master commanded. Andrew and Simon took their positions, hoisting the sail and gripping the rudder firmly while James and John set the course, lifting the anchor with a well-practiced grace. However, it did not take long for them to feel the water become hostile.
John's eyes strayed towards the horizon, where jagged mountain ranges loomed ominously. Exhausted from a day of teaching, healing, and ministering, Jesus sought refuge beneath the stern's underhang. Despite the brewing storm, Jesus slept soundly.
Simon exchanged anxious glances with Andrew as the storm clouds transformed into a looming black dome above them. In the blink of an eye, the tranquility was shattered by a violent gust of wind, causing the disciples to scramble for cover. The winds from the east and west engaged in a fierce duel, their roars echoing over the raging waters. In a desperate attempt, Simon and Andrew maneuvered against the storm's pull, battling to keep the course.
Yet the storm's fury was relentless. The rain descended like a volley of arrows, and the winds shredded their sails. Peter shouted over the storm's wails, "Bail the water out!" With a sense of dread creeping in, Simon glanced at the sleeping figure of Jesus. Fear and hopelessness whirled within him. Why would God lead them into certain doom?
He yelled at Jesus. "Master!" The wind chopped at his face as he yelled. "Master, don't you even care that we're perishing!" Awakened by Simon's plea, Jesus emerged from his slumber. He turned his gaze upward towards the storm. Jesus promised them they would make it to the other side, so he stepped forward and raised his hand. The strong east wind bellowed against the boat, yet Jesus remained resolute.
His voice echoed through the chaos. "Be still!" The command resonated with a primal force, halting the storm. Within moments, the once raging tempest fled and the sea was once again tranquil, mirroring the starlit sky above. The wind had ceased raging and the water's surface were glassy and calm. The wind and waves obeyed their master.
Jesus stood amidst the awe-stricken disciples, his countenance bathed in a celestial glow, his voice soft yet firm. "Where is your faith?" At his question, Simon released his death grip on the rudder, falling to his knees, his heart echoing with the undeniable truth: Jesus, their teacher, held the reins of the very nature they had once feared. The same voice that split the seas for Israel had calmed the waters for them.
The seas bowed to his command, the wind listened to his decree, and even the stars bore witness to his authority. For he was more than just a man. He was the Creator, the Sovereign, the Lord. The same power that parted the seas and delivered the Israelites from the groups of Pharaoh also calmed the storm on that day. Jesus, captain of the wind and waves, made the storm bow to his will.
I love moments like these in Scripture, moments when we see Christ's epic and powerful nature on full display. Jesus showcased his authority over the stormy seas and reminded us that he also has power over darkness and chaos. What are the storms you face in your life? What wind and waves have rocked your boat and caused you to tremble? Brothers and sisters, I'm here to tell you that Jesus is in the boat with you.
Just as God parted the Red Sea and defeated Israel's oppressors, and just as He has calmed the raging storm, the Lord wants to give you deliverance and speak peace into your life. Romans 8 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. No oppression, anguish, persecution, famine, vulnerability, or danger can keep us from His love. We are more than conquerors through Him.
And the scriptures declare that neither death, life, angels, demons, powers, high depth, or any other created thing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. It was Moses who stood in front of the sea and watched it split. But make no mistake, it was God who parted those seas. Moses was a vessel of God's power, but he had his own set of problems.
He dealt with a checkered past, familial drama, and a hot temper. On top of that, he had to endure the constant complains of the people and bear the burden of leadership. He was just a man, a great man, but a man nonetheless. Like you and me, he was a human with sins, shortcomings, and fears. He was not the one who could bend the wind to his command. Jesus, however, could command the storm.
He tamed the chaotic waters and restored peace. He wants to do that in your heart as well. Bring him your anxieties, fears, doubts, and the jumbled mess you're in. Submit it all to him for he's the master of your storms. In this way, you could be confident that Jesus will be your savior. He is your great deliverer. He is the greater Moses. In our next episode,
We'll be introduced to Moses' successor. Although Moses led the people out of slavery, he could not lead them into the promised land. Joshua, however, led God's people to the land flowing with milk and honey. But there were obstacles to overcome, walls to topple, and armies to defeat. Join us next time to see how Jesus is the greater Joshua.
To dwell deeper into Jesus' Old Testament appearances, you're welcome to visit discoveringthejewishjesus.com. I'd also like to recommend my new book, Messianic Prophecy Revealed, Seeing Messiah in the Pages of the Hebrew Bible. It's available to purchase on my website.
If this podcast blessed you, be sure to follow and subscribe so you don't have to miss a single episode. And remember to download Pray.com to hear more great stories and make prayer a priority in your life.
