The Israelites complain

Exodus 14:10-14;   7/5/2026; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

This is life!  One moment we’re standing boldly without fear, and the next we’re overwhelmed by panic and fear.  I think this is exactly why we must remain humble before God.  Now, let’s look at the first point.

Because of fear

In itself, there’s nothing unusual about feeling afraid when we face difficult situations.  The reality of life is not pretending we have no fear, but acknowledging it and facing it honestly. Would you agree?  First, a shift in the cause.  What do I mean by that?  Let’s look at the previous verse: “The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly” (Exodus 14:8).  In that verse, Israel’s boldness is presented as the reason Pharaoh pursued them.  But when we come to today’s passage, Exodus 14:10,”As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.”  The focus has shifted. The reason is no longer their boldness, but their fear. Human beings are changeable.  Courage and fear don’t always have an obvious cause, nor can they always be explained.  Yet they leave behind visible evidence in the way we live.  That’s why, when we ask, “Why?”, we so often find ourselves without an answer.

Secondly, crying out to God is a good thing.  In Exodus 14:8, we read that the Israelites went out boldly and fearlessly.  When we hear that, we naturally feel encouraged and thankful for them, don’t we?  But what is different when we compare it with verse 10?  This time, even though they were afraid, the Israelites began to cry out to the LORD.  And in fact, this is far better than the previous situation—when they were bold and confident, yet proud and no longer seeking God in prayer.  When people think they are sufficient on their own, when they feel they no longer need God or no longer need to pray,  they are actually drawing very close to danger.  Regardless of the circumstances, people should always, in everything, by prayer, petition, and thanksgiving, draw near to God—rather than using every possible reason to distance themselves from Him. Wouldn’t you agree?  This is where the line between wisdom and foolishness is clearly drawn.

 

Finally: fear gives birth to complaint. The Israelites were, in a sense, acting out of panic, weren’t they?  Just moments earlier, out of fear, they cried out to God—and that was a good thing.  But right after that, they turned around and began to complain against Moses, completely losing direction.  We can clearly see how fear brings confusion among the Israelites. Wouldn’t you agree?  The same mouth can produce two completely different kinds of speech.  One moment, in a prayer meeting, someone is crying with tears and emotion before God; the next moment, at home, that same person may explode in anger at their children.  I’m not here to judge or criticize, but to encourage us to honestly face and accept the less attractive parts of ourselves.  We need to examine our hearts and ask: where do these complaints really come from?  Now, let’s move on to the second point.

 

Moses stops the escalation in time

This is the noble character Moses demonstrates to us: calmness, courage, encouragement, and leading people back to God.  So what does he do in the face of the Israelites’ bitterness, complaints, and emotional outbursts?  Does he fight back?  Moses could have said, “Why are you blaming me?  The exodus was God’s grace—and it was also your choice!”  But he didn’t.  Instead, he chose to de-escalate the situation in time.  First, choose calmness.  When others are emotional, what should you do?  This is something we all encounter in life, isn’t it?  If we read verse 11 carefully, we can easily sense the tension in their words.  All responsibility and blame are thrown onto Moses,  as if he were the criminal who brought harm upon Israel—completely unforgivable.  And on top of that, there is a sense of grievance: “Why have you treated us like this?”  One person’s emotions are not the real problem; what is truly dangerous is emotional escalation between people.  One disagreement turns into a full-blown argument, and things quickly spiral out of control.  In moments of emotional conflict, the one who chooses to stop first is often the one who has the strength to remain calm.  And Moses is exactly that kind of person—one who has the ability to stay calm, and one we are called to imitate.

 

Secondly, encouraging the congregation.  When a person becomes calm, he is able to see what options are actually available.  Moses’ calmness allows him to speak words of grace—so much so that he is used by God and chosen to declare God’s heart: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm.”  To “stand firm” does not simply mean standing still.  It means to stand strong—to have conviction, principles, hope, and faith.  Moses is the spiritual leader chosen by God to lead Israel out of Egypt.  But what about you?  Aren’t you also called by God to different roles at home—as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, or children?  To live according to God’s calling is to fulfill His purpose for your life.

Finally, looking to God.  The Holy Spirit continues to move Moses to speak, and he says: “See the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.”  This is the mark of cooperation between God and man—to lead people into the presence of God.  If Moses had only said, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm,” that alone would not be enough.  After all, if someone tells you not to be afraid, does that automatically remove your fear?  If a pastor tells you not to speak evil words, can you simply stop?  No. Not by yourself—and not anyone can.  Because the power to produce life, self-control, and true transformation can only come from God.  By nature, human beings tend toward sin and wrongdoing, and we have no power to fully overcome it on our own.  Unless we truly depend on God, know Him, and love Him, there is no real hope.  Now, let’s move on to the third point.

God fights for you

People complain because they do not truly know God. What does it mean to know God?  “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).  First, He is the eternal Lord.  The greatest difference between God and man is perspective—wouldn’t you agree?  God always views things from an eternal standpoint.  Why is that?  Because, as the Scripture says, “The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.”  Everything we experience in this world, whatever it may be, will one day pass away.  There is a way that seems right to a person, and even appears valuable, but in the end it leads to death.  It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.  The great Pharaoh you see before you will soon be gone forever—you will never see him again.  Why let fear dishonor God and rob you of the confidence He wants you to have?  Don’t you know that the LORD is the eternal God?

Secondly, the LORD will fight for you.  When the Bible says, “The LORD will fight for you,” these are not empty words. They are a testimony to God’s great faithfulness.

The Israelites could look back and remember the experiences of their forefathers.  Abraham led just 318 trained men from his household, pursued the four kings all the way to the region of Damascus, defeated them, and rescued Lot.  More than six hundred years later, God called Moses back to Egypt.  The ten plagues they had just witnessed, and the crossing of the Red Sea they were about to experience, were all clear demonstrations that God Himself was fighting for Israel.  If the testimony of our spiritual forefathers strengthens our faith, then we can ask with confidence, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35).  If we have the Son of God, we have life.  And if we have the love of Christ, what is left for us to fear?

 

Finally, be still before God.  As Moses brings his message to a close, he says, “Be still, and do not speak.”  In other words, as Scripture says, “Be still, and know that I am the LORD.”  Being still before God may be one of the most difficult spiritual disciplines to practice.  Wouldn’t you agree?  Our hearts are often so busy and restless that it is not easy to become still.  There are three simple ways to test whether we are able to be still before God: reading His Word, praying, and singing praises to Him. These are like a spiritual litmus test that reveals the condition of our hearts.  Or we can simply look at ourselves in the mirror.  Is there a smile on our face?  Or are our brows always furrowed, unable to smile?  Over time, when we fail to rest in God, His peace quietly departs from our hearts, and His joy disappears from our faces.

 

Conclusion

Praise the Lord!  Let me ask you: Christ has already gone to the cross for you and for me. Are you still living in fear?  When Pharaoh and his army are behind you, and the Red Sea is right in front of you, what will you do?  Can you remain still?  Do you believe that the LORD will fight for those who belong to Him?

 

Let us pray together……

 

 

¹⁰ When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.

¹¹ They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?

¹² Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

¹³ And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”