“And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.”
My Notes
What Does Exodus 14:31 Mean?
After the Red Sea crossing, this verse captures Israel's response in three ascending verbs: they saw, they feared, and they believed. The progression is important — visual evidence leads to reverent awe, which leads to trust. Faith here isn't blind; it's a response to witnessed reality.
"That great work" (literally "the great hand") refers to the visible evidence of God's power in drowning the Egyptian army. The Hebrew word for "work" includes the nuance of "hand" — God's active, personal involvement. This wasn't abstract providence; it was a hand that parted water and closed it.
The verse also links faith in God to faith in "his servant Moses." Trust in God's appointed leader flows from trust in God's demonstrated power. Moses' authority isn't self-generated — it's ratified by the Red Sea. The people believe Moses because they first believed the God who empowered him.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What 'Red Sea moment' in your life built your faith through direct experience?
- 2.Is your faith currently more based on seeing or on believing without evidence — and are you comfortable with that?
- 3.What role does reverent fear play in your relationship with God?
- 4.How does trusting God's demonstrated power help you trust his appointed leaders?
Devotional
Saw. Feared. Believed. That's the order, and it matters. Israel didn't believe and then see confirmation. They witnessed God's overwhelming power, felt the appropriate awe, and then — only then — did belief take root.
We sometimes pressure ourselves to believe without seeing, as if that's the only valid faith. And while Jesus does bless those who believe without seeing (John 20:29), the Bible is full of people whose faith was ignited by experience. The Red Sea crossing wasn't a failure of faith — it was the foundation of it. Seeing God's hand move built the belief that would sustain Israel through the wilderness.
The fear that sits between seeing and believing is worth noting. It's not the fear of danger — the danger has passed. It's the fear of reverence — the response of a creature who has just witnessed its Creator's unrestrained power. Healthy fear is what keeps faith from becoming casual. You saw what God did. Now you know what he's capable of. That knowledge should produce both trust and trembling.
Where has God shown his hand in your life in a way you can't explain away? Let yourself see it clearly. Let yourself be awed by it. And let that awe become the foundation for deeper trust.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And Israel saw the great work,.... Or "hand" (l); the hand of the Lord, the mighty power of God, and took notice of it,…
The people feared the Lord - They were convinced by the interference of Jehovah that his power was unlimited, and that…
We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture