Pharaoh’s last struggle was a type of the struggle of Satan and his world over the believers who are to be baptized. When Satan and the world struggle over a new convert, we should not be disappointed. Rather, we should realize that this struggle will prepare the environment for the converts to have a thorough baptism.
We have pointed out that Pharaoh was tempted by Israel’s wandering in the wilderness (14:1-3). Thinking that Israel was wandering aimlessly, Pharaoh was tempted to pursue them.
Pharaoh was tempted to pursue the children of Israel, and God hardened his heart. Because his heart had been hardened by God, Pharaoh made the decision to pursue the people of God. Exodus 14:4 says, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will glorify myself through Pharaoh, and through all his army; that the Egyptians may know that I am Jehovah” (Heb.).
Some may think that God would never do such a thing as harden Pharaoh’s heart. This is altogether contrary to their concept. But when we are in eternity, we may be surprised to learn that God has done a great many things that are not in keeping with our concept. In particular this is true of the way God uses Satan. Although we hate Satan, God continues to use him. This is proved by the fact that the doors of heaven are still open to Satan. We see from such portions of the Word as Revelation 12 and the book of Job that Satan has access to God’s presence in heaven. If we were God, we would use our power to immediately cast Satan into the lake of fire. At the very least, we would force him to stay out of heaven. God’s way, however, is higher than ours. According to His way, He uses Satan for the accomplishment of His own purpose. In the same principle, God used Pharaoh for His glory, hardening his heart and the hearts of the Egyptians (14:8, 17).
Regarding Pharaoh, 9:16 says, “But for this cause have I made thee stand in order to show thee my power; and in order to declare my name throughout all the earth” (Heb.). Paul refers to this verse in Romans 9:17. God used Pharaoh not only at the time of the plagues, but also during the exodus of His people from Egypt.
As 14:5 says, “The heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people.” According to 14:1 and 2, God commanded the children of Israel to “turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon.” They were to encamp there by the sea, at a place that was virtually a dead end. In the eyes of Pharaoh, the children of Israel were trapped in the wilderness, and they had no way of escape. According to Pharaoh’s concept, this was an excellent opportunity to get the children of Israel back under his control. Hence, he pursued them.
Exodus 14:6-9 reveals that Pharaoh and his army pursued the children of Israel to the shore of the Red Sea. When the children of Israel looked backward, they saw the army of Pharaoh, and when they looked forward, they saw the Red Sea. Immediately, they cried out to the Lord and said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (vv. 11-12). In their complaint, the faithless children of Israel were very eloquent. They expressed their feeling with excellent utterance. We should not laugh at them, though. If we had been there, we probably would have acted in the same way.
Moses did not argue with the people or fight against them. Instead, he told them, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Jehovah shall fight for you, while ye keep silent” (vv. 13-14, Heb.). As soon as Moses spoke these words, the Lord came in and told him not to cry unto Him, but to tell the children of Israel to go forward. Then the Lord said to Moses, “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” (v. 16). At that juncture, Pharaoh and his army must have been very close to the camp of the children of Israel. If we had been there, we would have been terrified, just as the children of Israel were. The Egyptians had six hundred chariots; all Moses had was a staff in his hand.