Don’t “Be Still” If God Says Go! (Exodus 14:14, Part 1)
It’s possibly the most misquoted verse in the Bible. I often see it on coffee mugs and t-shirts and pretty plaques. But it’s time we talk about Exodus 14:14. Many of you know it by heart. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Let’s do a deep dive and find out why it’s so important to know what God says and not just those around us. And why it can save your life to press in a little further in prayer. Don’t be still if God says go!
The Israelites had just witnessed the power of God on a level that’s hard to even comprehend or imagine. They say a show-down between Pharoh and the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites witnessed their households spared from death because of the blood of the lamb. They heard the wails and weeping and gnashing of teeth and death that came to all households who weren’t covered by the blood. They saw deep waters pushed aside to make a path for them. They saw the pillar of God lead them by day in a cloud and by night in fire.
The Trust Triangle
Throughout Exodus, we read “The Lord said to Moses…” So He entrusted Moses with a huge responsibility, to be a spokesman for the Lord and to give His guidance to the people. God had to trust Moses. Moses had to trust God. The people had to trust God and Moses. A ton of trust is involved in this situation. And maybe that was part of the purpose behind the ten plagues. It gave the people ten times to see that what God told Moses came to pass. It built trust, much needed trust. Because the freedom of all of Israel depended on this trust relationship triangle here between God, the anointed leader, and God’s people.
There’s a big responsibility placed on leaders, pastors, prophets, and teachers. And they’re warned, they’ll be judged more heavily. But as followers, our responsibility is to make sure that ultimately we follow the voice of the Lord, our Shepherd.
Many times “The Lord said to Moses…” And Moses faithfully relayed the message. But here, in Exodus 14:14, we see Moses speaking of his own accord. And honestly, it sounds awesome and comforting! It’s one of the best pep-talk speeches in Scripture! But it wasn’t what the Lord said.
Freaking Out
The people are crying out at this point, terrified that the way God positioned them between the land and the sea was actually going to position them for their final doom. They said, “It would’ve been better to stay slaves in Egypt than to die in this wilderness!”
A Great Response
And Moses replies to the people on his own accord:
“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NIV).
Honestly, it sounds really good! And the people were used to trusting what Moses was saying. Here’s Exodus 14:14 in other translations…
“The Lord will fight for you, and you won’t have to do a thing.”
“The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Doesn’t that sound like it would make a great t-shirt? Keep Calm and Camp On. Just sit pretty. You don’t need to do anything. God’s got this. That’s what Moses said. It sounds great to me!
A God Response
But should we press in to the Lord and His Word a little further and see what God has to say about the situation in Exodus 14:15?
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”
Whaaaaaaaaa?!? We have to do something? We have to act in obedience in order to get the promise land of our freedom?? I like the idea of chilling out and keeping calm and not doing anything better!
What Moses said sounds like milk and honey to me. But God’s like, Hey, if you just sit there, the Egyptians are on their way and it won’t be pretty! MOVE ON! MOVE FORWARD! Tell the people to GET MOVING!
In other words, Moses said just take a chill pill but God said, “Hustle! It’s go time!” Please take a minute and read different translations of this moment for yourself right here: Exodus 14:13-15.
Sometimes gaining our freedom means trusting God even if it looks like the way He is positioning you is going to get you killed. Seriously. But if we trust Him, we can know with assurance that His positioning is always to set us more free. He’s patiently waiting to show us mercy and to fulfill promises. But yes, he requires an act of obedience and faith to get there. This grows our trust and our relationship with God the Father, and it matures us as His children in the faith.
Til next time… Toodle-loo, and Peace be with you.
If you want to walk in full forgiveness and the full power of the Holy Spirit, here’s a prayer to ask Jesus to wash you clean and lead you in a new life.
If you decided to give your life to Jesus today, please let us know so we can share in your new joy! And seek out someone in your area who loves Jesus and walks in humility who can help show you the way.
If you have any questions, you can drop in comments below. That’s what I’m here for!
