"STAND STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF CHRIST!" (1)
Exodus 14:13

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The experiences of Israel commencing with their exodus from Egypt and concluding with their entrance into Canaan were typical of the Christian's experience commencing with his exodus from the snare of the devil and concluding with his entrance into heaven. Israel's experiences therefore serve as examples to the Christian (1 Corinthians 10:1-11). These typical experiences of Israel included their passage through the Red Sea (Exodus 14). For example, Paul the apostle identified it as a type of Christian baptism (1 Corinthians 10:3).

We will here observe the typology found in the declaration of Moses just prior to Israel crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14:13): "Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah."

I. Here is typified the salvation of Jehovah's elect from their sins.

1. Jehovah's people are saved by His grace alone – by His unmerited favor, not for any goodness found in them.

i. This was true of Israel. They constantly manifested their sinful natures by murmuring and rebelling against the Lord and provoking Him to wrath. Moses cited many such instances in the second chapter of Deuteronomy and then declared "You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you" (v.24). They consequently deserved death (Numbers 14:26-29), not salvation. They would have to be saved by grace alone.

ii. This is true also of God's elect. They constantly manifest their sinful natures by rebelling against the Lord and His law (Romans 3:23): "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (cp. Romans 3:10-18; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Job 15:16). They consequently deserve death, not salvation (Romans 6:23): "For the wages of sin is death" (cp. Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

2. Jehovah's people are saved through His own mediating means. His work of salvation, like that of creation, is miraculous in nature. But whereas the work of creation was performed by the mere word of God's mouth (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24; Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3), the work of salvation is performed by the use of natural means.

i. This was true in the salvation of Israel (v.21): "the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided."

ii. This is true also in the salvation of God's elect (Galatians 4:4f): "God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." The Mediator of God's elect assumed their human nature, perfectly kept God's law (Matthew 5:17; Hebrews 4:15), and paid all their penalty (Isaiah 53:4-12).

3. Jehovah's people are saved through faith alone. They receive salvation through merely believing in what God has done for them, not by any work they themselves have performed.

i. This was true of Israel. They obeyed the command to "Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah." And in full confidence and trust in the One who performed their salvation, "by faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land" (Hebrews 11:29). Their own works had nothing to do with their salvation.

ii. This is true also of God's elect. They acknowledge "Salvation is of Jehovah" (Jonah 2:9) from first to last, and are therefore assured "by grace you have been saved through faith [in Christ], and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8f).

Suppose there was an Israelite standing on the shore of the Red Sea who had just witnessed the way of salvation God had performed. But he says, "Let us not cross the sea through faith in this means. Let us instead try to ford the sea, or swim across it, or build boats for crossing it." We would call him a fool. Such fools are in great abundance today. They have witnessed the means of salvation wrought by Christ at Calvary. But they say, "We cannot be saved through faith alone in Christ. We need to be saved instead through baptism / law observance / sabbath-keeping / good deeds ...." To such persons, and to all others, gospel preachers say