He Led Them By His Power

After Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, “the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea…. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.” The children of Israel feared greatly and complained to Moses that he had led them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness, but the prophet boldly declared to them: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” The Lord then gave Moses this instruction: “But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” Moses did as he was directed and “the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” The Egyptians pursued them but “Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:9-27). Pharaoh and the Egyptians had been warned over and over again by Moses and the signs he gave them that they should let the children of Israel go, but the did not heed the warnings and perished in the sea. The Lord showed the children of Israel that if they exercised faith in Him, He would deliver them.

                This powerful story is referenced many times in the Book of Mormon as the prophets sought to help people of their day and ours to understand the great things the Lord will do for His people. For example, Nephi used the story twice to try to inspire his brothers. When they were struggling to obtain the plates, said, “Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea. Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 4:2-3). Later as Nephi sought to inspire his brothers to help him build a boat, he declared, “Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground. But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh” (1 Nephi 17:26-27). Just as Moses was empowered to do a great work, so too could they perform whatever the Lord needed them to.

Alma (the Younger) and his great-grandson Nephi also used the story to teach others to believe in the power of God. As he exulted in the power of the Lord, Alma stated, “Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage” (Alma 29:12). He used the same story as he spoke to his son Helaman and sought to inspire him: “And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land” (Alma 36:28). Surely Helaman remembered this story of deliverance when he sought help as the commander of the stripling warriors and they struggled against an innumerable army of Lamanites. Helaman’s grandson Nephi declared, “Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?” (Helaman 8:11) This story of Moses and the children of Israel walking across the Red Sea on dry ground is a dramatic reminder to us that the Lord does have the power to help us in whatever great challenges we face. The Nephite prophets wanted their people and us to remember this magnificent story. If we have the faith to move forward like Moses, the Lord will indeed part the way miraculously before us.