Stretching or Kvetching?
Exodus 14:1-22
by Rev. Lorraine D. Coconato

The very word, “Exodus,” from the Greek word, “exodos,” speaks of a deliverance, a departure, a coming out, a walking through the years of enslavement in Egypt “to a land flowing with milk and honey,” (Ex. 3: 8), a place of healing, hope, prosperity, blessing and salvation! The Hebrew name of this book is “Shemoth” meaning “names,” from the first verse in Exodus that says, “Now these are the names of the children of Israel…” Anyone who ever endeavors to read Scripture quickly learns that names, places and events are very pertinent to God and the unfolding of His Story! (history!)

Exodus 14 finds the Israelites in a precarious situation. The ever-changing demeanor of Pharaoh, influenced by the supernatural intervention of God through the ten plagues is unsettling and frustrating to Moses, the children of Israel and the reader of Scripture! When the firstborn sons of Egypt were struck down by the hand of the Lord, even the first son of Pharaoh, the Egyptians were anxious for this people to leave their land, hastily, as the dread of the Lord had come upon the Egyptians because of this people and the plagues that they had experienced by the miraculous hand of their God!

A stark contrast between the One True Living God of Israel and the many gods of the Egyptians became apparent! Though the wise men, sorcerers and magicians of Egypt were able to duplicate some of the miracles that God had demonstrated through Moses with their enchantments, the evidence was made known that there was and is and is to come, a Living God and there is No One like Him in all the earth! His conquest of His enemies is sure and deliverance belongs to His beloved people, Israel and those who are grafted in the Vine! (His Church!)

Pharaoh finally succumbed to the pressure from the Lord, “to let God's people go,” as He led them faithfully in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to light their path to freedom!

Not unlike the Body of Christ today, the Israelites were known to “kvetch” from time to time, a Yiddish word meaning “to complain, murmur or fuss!” (Exodus 14: 11). The Body has opened to complaining and fussing and seemingly wants to remain in the bondages/slaveries of Egypt than to walk in the liberty where Christ has made them free! (Galatians 5: 1).

We have allowed the encroaching darkness of the age to over-shadow us causing a fatalistic stance to arise saying, “We have no recourse but to remain in this bondage and to permit the waters of adversity to swallow us up!”

Kvetching is sin and it is most noticeable in those who remain in a state of prayerlessness! Exodus 14: 15b says “…Tell the children of Israel (and the Body of Christ) to go forward!" (exclamation point added by the author!) But the solution to this dilemma is in verse 16 that commands, “But lift up your rod...;” this is the God-ordained authority delegated to His followers, that we can take authority over all the ways of the enemy!

Continuing in verse 16, “…and stretch out your hand…” A hand is an instrument meant to convey blessing. A hand stretched is seen as an action of deliverance, healing and a praise to God!

“…and divide it.” Our prayers divide the precious from the vile, the good from the evil, the pebbles of stumbling from the Rock of Defense, our Savior and Lord!

Verse 21 says that Moses stretched out his hand, in obedience to the Word of the Lord and the waters of the Red Sea divided!

Notice that the gem of deliverance is found in verse 22, “So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on the right hand on on the left.” That which was meant for evil, to crush and drown them, by the hand of the Lord, became a “wall” of protection around them as they walked through on dry ground!

There will always be Pharaohs and there will always be enemy forces, but the Lord promises that those who put their trust in Him can “stand still and see the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.” (Exodus 14: 13a). For He will fight for all of those who lift up their rod in prayer, stretch and divide on your behalf!

It's a season of stretching, not kvetching! The Captain of the Armies of Heaven is enlisting! Stretch up and catch the wave of deliverance!

Prayer: Father God, too often, we spend long seasons of complaining and groaning about the misfortunes of life, the trials and situations that overshadow us as a cloud! You, O God, are away to sweep away the clouds of adversity, and usher in a cloud of deliverance! Thank You, Lord, for stretching us, that we may become warriors of deliverance, that we may be freed from the bondages of Egypt and walk through this life on dry ground, holy ground, consecrated for Your purposes in Jesus Name, Amen!

>> Back to Messagess Page