Exodus 16:9-20 
World English Bible
​
9 Moses said to Aaron, “Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come close to Yahweh, for he has heard your murmurings.’” 10 As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, Yahweh’s glory appeared in the cloud. 11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.’”

13 In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp. 14 When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground. 15 When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: ‘Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, you shall take it, every man for those who are in his tent.’” 17 The children of Israel did so, and some gathered more, some less. 18 When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They each gathered according to his eating. 19 Moses said to them, “Let no one leave of it until the morning.” 20 Notwithstanding they didn’t listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, so it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them.

The passage last time focused in on was the LORD talking to Moses, but the message still has to get to the people, and, remember that Moses said he was "slow of speech" (probably meaning he had a stutter) and did not want to be the LORD's mouthpiece.  Instead, Moses must give the LORD's message to his brother Aaron so that Aaron can speak the words of the LORD to the people.  Aaron tells the people all the the LORD has promised--bread every morning (except for the Sabbath day when no bread will be given because none is to be collected) and quail every evening (I assume the same restrictions apply--none would be provided at the time when it would be sinful for it to be harvested).  Every evening, they will eat meat, and every morning they will eat bread and they will be filled.

The LORD wants them to know that He has heard their complains and that those complaints were a personal attack against Him.  He knows that, and He has told Moses and Aaron not to bother listening to the grumblings of the people because He knows the people ultimately have an issue with Him as LORD.  The LORD said that by Him doing this for them (feeding them miraculously every morning and evening) they will know that He is the LORD and there is none like Him.  He alone is worthy of their worship and obedience.  He is their God and they are His people, no matter what they think about that.

In the evening, quail came just like the LORD said they would.  There were so many of them that they covered the camp.  In the morning, manna (which literally means "What is it?" because they had never seen anything like it) was on the ground waiting for them.  Wherever they went, there was manna every morning until they entered the Promised Land and it had the sustenance of the Land to live off of (something else the LORD would miraculously provide for them).

​Instructions were given to each household about how much should be gathered for each member of the household (one omer per person).  Only on the day before the Sabbath were they to gather an additional omer per person (2 omers total on Friday morning) so that they would have enough on Saturday.  On any other day if they tried to gather extra, it would spoil and be filled with worms the next day because they were to have faith that the LORD was going to provide enough for each day.  There was just enough there for everyone to have exactly what they needed for that day.

The main focus here is on the bread from heaven, and we'll talk more about it next time as we discuss the special rules around collection and preparing it for the Sabbath.  I already talked about that a little bit this time, but we'll cover it specifically in tomorrow's text.  It should not surprise us that today's text ends with the people putting Gods' rules to the test.  They wanted to see if it would really go bad after just one day or not, and despite the warnings that Moses and Aaron gave the people, some people still tried to leave some until the next morning (probably thinking they would need to gather less or they would have a little or extra, or maybe they were just trying to be rebellious, I'm not sure).  It went bad just like the LORD said it would--by morning it was full of worms and they had to collect new bread for the new day.  We too need "daily bread" (to feast on the LORD's Word) every single day.  We should not depend on what we got yesterday (or at church on Sunday) to last us beyond that day.  We should not have the mindset that we are going to church and taking up a collection of manna for the entire week.  If we try that, it will spoil and be filled with worms (figuratively) when we go back and try to "eat" it.  Jesus even instructed us to pray for the our daily bread in His model prayer for the disciples.  We need just enough for each day--not too little and not too much, but just the right amount and the LORD knows exactly what that is for each of us and He can and will miraculously provide to supply the physical and spiritual needs of His people.

Exodus 16:1-8 
World English Bible

16 They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3 and the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by Yahweh’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”

6 Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening, you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt. 7 In the morning, you shall see Yahweh’s glory; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?” 8 Moses said, “Now Yahweh will give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you, because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.”

They stayed at Elim (the oasis with 70 palm trees) until one month after Passover (the full moon in the month of Iyyar).  They entered the wilderness that was between Elim and Sinai (probably the very area that Moses lived in when he was a fugitive).

As soon as they get into the wilderness (remember, the LORD is leading them by way of the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire) they grumble and complain that they are being led out into the wilderness to die and that they would have been better to stay in Egypt.  This seems to be a common refrain like they realized that slavery in Egypt is what they really deserved and that they also deserve death, and they can't wrap their heads around how a holy God could live among them and not destroy them.  What is it that makes them long to go back into slavery in Egypt?  They desire to fill their bellies with meat (I'm not really sure they were living lives of luxury in Egypt, but in their minds, they would be living high on the hog if they returned to slavery in Egypt).

The LORD hears their grumbling and complaining and gives them manna (bread from heaven) each morning and quail to eat in the evenings.  Though the LORD is not pleased with their grumbling and complaining and Moses and Aaron correctly identify that they know the target of their complaints is not in their human leaders, but is truly against the LORD Himself--He is the one leading them and providing for them.  This will be a common theme, especially through the book of Numbers.  The parents will teach their children to be grumblers and complainers.  The question then is "Are we any better?"  Do we too see to go back to our old lives because we favorably remember the things that satisfied our appetites and we'd rather live and die in slavery? Before we point fingers, let's examine ourselves. 

Daily Readings

•    Day 1: Exodus 15:22-27
•    Day 2: Exodus 16:1-8
•    Day 3: Exodus 16:9-20
•    Day 4: Exodus 16:21-30
•    Day 5: Exodus 16:31-36
•    Day 6: Psalm 13

Exodus 15:22-27 
World English Bible

22 Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah. 24 The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

27 They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They encamped there by the waters.

It didn't take long before the provisions they packed when leaving Egypt (specifically their provisions of drinking water) ran out.  They were now in the desert, and, though they just crossed the Red Sea, they could not gather water from there for their journey since that was salt water.  They could not go all the way back to the Nile River to gather fresh water, and the only source of water they found was "bitter" (non-potable).

After three days in the wilderness, it is likely their stores of water were gone and it is reasonable that they cried out to Moses (their leader who had lived in that region for 40 years) to tell them where they could get water so that they didn't die, but the LORD had led them to this place for a reason.  He has put them in another impossible situation--this time facing death from natural causes instead of from an advancing army, but the treat is just as real.  Could the LORD who saved them from the Egyptians also save them from starvation and dehydration? No one even considered to ask the LORD for help besides Moses.

Moses cried to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a tree (this tree would point forward to the cross of Christ) and when Moses threw the tree into the "bitter" water, it became "sweet" (potable).  The LORD is able to change the nature of something that brought death to make it bring life and to change the state of a person from "bitter," useless water to "sweet," refreshing, life-giving water.  This is done by the power of the cross of Christ alone.

​Then the LORD made a special conditional covenant with the people of Israel:
“If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

Up to this point, we have not really seen conditional covenants from the LORD--they are actually pretty rare as the Bible typically shows Him making unconditional covenants that have to do with redemption and salvation with His people because He does all the work necessary to save and redeem His people.  There is no indication that the people swore to follow all of the LORD's instructions this time, but we will see other times they will swear, but we know they cannot keep this conditional covenant.  The whole point of making such a covenant with them is to bring them to the point where they realize that they can never be good enough to deserve His blessings.  They are going to instead of have to ask for grace (unmerited favor) and mercy (not getting the wrath and punishment they deserve to have poured out on them--the curses and plagues and diseases mentioned here).

The LORD then leads them to a place of many pools of fresh water and seventy palm trees.  Seventy is an interesting number in the Bible as there will be 70 elders of the people of Israel who will later from the ruling body known as the Sanhedrin and Jesus would send out 70 envoys as advance teams in 35 teams of two to go out into all the countryside of Galilee and preach the gospel, heal the sick, and make Him known to everyone who would listen.  It carries with it the meanings of both the number 7 and the number 10 (its factors).  Seven is a number of perfection and holiness (the seven days of creation and the seventh day being called holy)  Ten is a number of completeness, specifically in regards to the Law of God (the Ten Commandments), so together the number 70 may symbolize "God's perfect spiritual order carried out with perfect power and authority that comes from God's holy presence dwelling among (and later within) His people."  They would live here for nearly two months (we'll see this in the beginning of our next passage).  We'll pick up the narrative there next time.

Psalm 106
 World English Bible

106 Praise Yahweh!
    Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh,
    or fully declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are those who keep justice.
    Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people.
    Visit me with your salvation,
5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen,
    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
    that I may glory with your inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers.
    We have committed iniquity.
    We have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt.
    They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses,
    but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake,
    that he might make his mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up;
    so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
    and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their adversaries.
    There was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed his words.
    They sang his praise.

13 They soon forgot his works.
    They didn’t wait for his counsel,
14     but gave in to craving in the desert,
    and tested God in the wasteland.
15 He gave them their request,
    but sent leanness into their soul.
16 They envied Moses also in the camp,
    and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
18 A fire was kindled in their company.
    The flame burned up the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb,
    and worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory
    for an image of a bull that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22     wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
    had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach,
    to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
24 Yes, they despised the pleasant land.
    They didn’t believe his word,
25     but murmured in their tents,
    and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26 Therefore he swore to them
    that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
27     that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations,
    and scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also to Baal Peor,
    and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds.
    The plague broke in on them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment,
    so the plague was stopped.
31 That was credited to him for righteousness,
    for all generations to come.
32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,
    so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
33 because they were rebellious against his spirit,
    he spoke rashly with his lips.
34 They didn’t destroy the peoples,
    as Yahweh commanded them,
35     but mixed themselves with the nations,
    and learned their works.
36 They served their idols,
    which became a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38     They shed innocent blood,
    even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
    whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
    The land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they were defiled with their works,
    and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people.
    He abhorred his inheritance.
41 He gave them into the hand of the nations.
    Those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them.
    They were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 He rescued them many times,
    but they were rebellious in their counsel,
    and were brought low in their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress,
    when he heard their cry.
45 He remembered for them his covenant,
    and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
46 He made them also to be pitied
    by all those who carried them captive.

47 Save us, Yahweh, our God,
    gather us from among the nations,
    to give thanks to your holy name,
    to triumph in your praise!

48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting even to everlasting!
Let all the people say, “Amen.”
    Praise Yah!

God was good to His people--we see a refrain in Psalm 106 that is throughout the Psalms--"His love endures forever!"  However, we quickly move to a time of confession about how sinful and rebellious His people have been.  When they were being redeemed from their slavery in Egypt, they did not understand the significance of what was going on--that this was all about their sins and wanting to free them from their slavery to sin and breaking the Curse of the Law and bringing them from Death to Life.  Even so, He saved them, though they in no way wanted or deserved His salvation.  He did so for the sake of His Name and because that is who He is and what He does.  He is in the business of redeeming and saving people who aren't even looking for (and maybe even are actively resisting) salvation.

Even with so great a salvation, the people of God soon forgot about Him and turned to other gods.  They desired to be just like all the other nations around them instead of being called apart to be separate and holy--the LORD's treasured people that He chose for His very own.  He would be their God and they would be His People.  They would bear His Name and be his ambassadors to the world.  That was the plan, but they despised that plan and desired to give into their sinful lusts and passions.  If it were not for Moses constantly interceding for them, the LORD certainly would have destroyed them all, and it was the zeal of Phineas that saved them from destruction as they were on the border of Canaan.  They were within eyesight of the Promised Land and gave into idolatry and sexual immorality so that the LORD's anger burned against them and He was ready to destroy them.

They sacrificed their sons and daughter to the demons (idols and false gods), they called evil good and good evil, and though the LORD rescued them from the consequences of their sins many times, they continued to rebel.  They wanted His blessing and protection, but did not want His Law or a relationship with Him beyond that they wanted Him to serve them and give them everything they wanted (even things that were not good for them).  They wanted a "god" they controlled.  This led to them being taken into Exile.  Even then, the LORD remembered His covenant with them and did not destroy all of them, and He allowed them to return.  Yet, they are still the same wicked people.

The Psalmist cries out for the LORD to save them from themselves because they are their own worst enemy.  Only the LORD can gather all His people from where they were scattered among the nations and turn them into the people He wants them to be.  The LORD will do this and all His people--people from every tribe, tongue and nation--will praise Him for it forever and ever.  May the Name of the LORD be praised both now and forevermore!

Exodus 15:1-21 
World English Bible

15 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said,

“I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.
    He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.
2 Yah is my strength and song.
    He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him;
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3 Yahweh is a man of war.
    Yahweh is his name.
4 He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea.
    His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
5 The deeps cover them.
    They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power.
    Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.
7 In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you.
    You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.
8 With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up.
    The floods stood upright as a heap.
    The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder.
    My desire will be satisfied on them.
    I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them.’
10 You blew with your wind.
    The sea covered them.
    They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods?
    Who is like you, glorious in holiness,
    fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out your right hand.
    The earth swallowed them.
13 “You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed.
    You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.
14 The peoples have heard.
    They tremble.
    Pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed.
    Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab.
    All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 Terror and dread falls on them.
    By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone,
    until your people pass over, Yahweh,
    until the people you have purchased pass over.
17     You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance,
    the place, Yahweh, which you have made for yourself to dwell in:
    the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.
18 Yahweh will reign forever and ever.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea. 20 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 21 Miriam answered them,

“Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.
He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.”

We are told in Revelation 15 that all of heaven will one day sing The Song of Moses (which may refer to this song or possibly Psalm 90--a Psalm written by Moses, but this song from Exodus makes more sense in the context of that passage in Revelation where we singing of the salvation that is about to come to God's people by way of the destruction of His enemies).

This song is in response to the way in which the LORD has saved a people that seemed like they didn't even want to be saved.  For the sake of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (and looking forward to the cross of Christ), He saved them, even though they wanted to turn back and go back into slavery in Egypt.  The LORD triumphed gloriously that day because He alone threw the horse and rider into the sea and drown all of Pharaoh's army.  

The LORD is my strength and song.
    He has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him;
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

​We love to quote this verse without looking at the other verses around it that say things like, "The LORD is a man of war" and that he dashes His enemies to pieces.  He consumes them like stubble.  The same breath that gives us life and that blew to open up the passage of the Red Sea is the same breath that made the waters fall on them and destroy them.

Moses asks "Who among the gods is like you, LORD?" (The answer is there no one like Him).  It is His lovingkindness (also translated as mercy, longsuffering, and many other words that speak of His covenant love for His people) that caused Him to redeem them and make them a people unto Himself that would forever bear His name.

The LORD's wrath on Egypt has made the hearts of the Edomites and Philistines afraid.  Though they are mighty warriors, they are afraid to take up arms against the LORD and His people (for now)--eventually, these peoples will also be destroyed because they chose poorly and did not submit to the LORD and went to war against Him and tried to annihilate His people.

Moses points forward to an even better Passover and an even better "crossing over" one day that will happen when all of the people that God has redeemed pass over from this world into the new heavens and new earth that He has prepared for us.  This is why we sing this song in the book of Revelation, because we are ready for the final judgment that will bring about the culmination and consummations of the Kingdom of God on earth--heaven and earth will be one and the Father and the Son will dwell among the people of God once again and we will see them face to face and know them as we are known by them.

Miriam, the sister of Moses, and Aaron, Moses' brother, led the people in worship with the sound of the tambourine.  “Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously.  He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.”

Exodus 14:23-31
Christian Standard Bible
​
23 The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. 24 During the morning watch, the Lord looked down at the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian forces into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea. 28 The water came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, plus the entire army of Pharaoh that had gone after them into the sea. Not even one of them survived.

29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

Once the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, the LORD allowed the Egyptian army to see that they were gone and had crossed the Red Sea on dry ground.  They decided to pursue.  The LORD Himself went to war against them.  From the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire that represented His presence, He confused the Egyptians and He caused the wheels of their chariots to be stuck in the mud (what was once dry ground for His people became a quagmire for their enemies).  Some of the soldiers realized that the LORD was fighting for Israel and tried to sound the retreat, but it was too late.  Most of them were stuck in the mud and could not escape--their fate was sealed.

The LORD commanded Moses to stretch out his hand over the Red Sea so that the waters of the Red Sea that had opened for the children of Israel might crush and drown the Egyptian army that had tried to pursue them.  If any of the Egyptian army did manage to escape getting stuck in the mud, the LORD Himself threw their horses and riders into the Red Sea.  The entire Egyptian army was destroyed in a single day.  Not one of them survived.

The LORD saved His people from the Egyptians that day.  This caused the Israelites to worship the LORD and fear Him in a good way and for their enemies (the Canaanites and others who would try to go to war against Israel) to hear this and realize they too would be marked for destruction, but only one of the Canaanite tribes would fear the LORD and surrender to the Israelites (albeit by deceptive means), but the rest also hardened their hearts and showed the LORD was correct in command to destroy all of them.

Exodus 14:15-22
World English Bible
​
15 Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. 16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.” 19 The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. 20 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

The LORD wants to know why Moses (and it would seem Moses alone) was crying out to the LORD to save the people.  The LORD makes it sound like the answer should be clear and obvious--just tell them to walk through the Red Sea and it will get out of their way and they will cross on dry ground.  Moses and the people did not doubt--they had already seen what the LORD could do with the Ten Plagues.

The LORD also states His purpose is not only to save His people, the children of Israel, but to destroy their enemies, the Egyptians, that are pursuing them.  He will harden their hearts so that they will try to cross behind the Israelites, but what was dry ground for the Israelites will become mud that the chariots and soldiers will get stuck in.  The waters that parted for the Israelites will crush and drown the Egyptians and the LORD Himself will hurl the horses and riders into the Red Sea to drown them.

By this, the LORD will give Himself honor over Pharaoh and all of his army.  The nations of the world will hear about this and will fear the LORD.  What was a mighty nation that the world feared was destroyed because they chose to try to go to war with the LORD and the LORD's people, and though the kingdom of Egypt was not completely destroyed, we see in history and archeology that their genetic makeup changed after this event because it appears there was a "extinction-level event" that killed all or nearly all of the Egyptian males which is ironic because of where the story of Exodus started with the Pharaoh ordering the death of all the Hebrew male children.  The Egyptians of today are not the same people group as they Egyptians at the time of Moses--the LORD destroyed that king and his kingdom, just as He will destroy the kingdom of Antichrist and all the wicked people of the kingdom of this world that follow after him.  The parallels are amazing when you put the book of Exodus side-by-side with the book of Revelation.  In fact, the saints in heaven will sing the Song of Moses in that day of the LORD's declaration of war against the kingdom of Antichrist, for His victory is sure and He will receive all the glory both now and forevermore.

“Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!
    Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.
4 Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
For you only are holy.
    For all the nations will come and worship before you.
    For your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3b-4, WEB)

The pillar of cloud came between the camp of Israel and the advancing army of Egypt so that the Egyptians could not see what the LORD was doing to part the waters for His people and to give them time to safely cross.  The Presence of the LORD confused the minds of the Egyptian army.  The LORD also hardened the hearts of the Egyptians so that they would want to purse the children of Israel, even to the point of certain death.  Once all the Israelites were safely on the others side, the LORD moved His Presence out of the way of the Egyptians to let them see what had happened.  The Israelites had escaped!  They gave chase, thinking they too were going to cross the Red Sea, just as the children of Israel did, but the LORD caused them to get stuck in the mud and He told Moses to stretch out his rod and the LORD closed the passage He had opened for His people.  The army of the largest empire at that time was crushed and drowned by the walls of water crashing down on them.  Their chariots are still at the bottom of the sea to this day (we have found some of them).  There are also monuments marking the place of the crossing of the Egyptians and evidence of the tower that was mentioned in the text.  This is not just something mythological made up after the fact.  This is real history and it is really how the LORD chose to save His people so that is was obvious that He was Lord, Savior, and Redeemer to them.  He alone is mighty to save with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm--His love endures forever!  (see verses 10-15 of Psalm 136 below)

Psalm 136
World English Bible
136 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
8 the sun to rule by day,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule by night,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
10 to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
11 and brought out Israel from among them,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
12 with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea apart,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
14 and made Israel to pass through the middle of it,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
17 to him who struck great kings,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
20 Og king of Bashan,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
22 even a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
23 who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
24 and has delivered us from our adversaries,
    for his loving kindness endures forever;
25 who gives food to every creature,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
26 Oh give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.