33. Facing the Red Sea ahead, pursuers behind. Why did God deliberately let them into a desperate situation?

The Lord told Moses, “Command the Israelites to turn back and camp near the sea, between Mitten and the Sea.” Pharaoh will say, ‘They have gone astray, and the wilderness has trapped them.’ ‘ I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them; In this way, I may be glorified in Pharaoh and in all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. ” [Exodus 14:1-4]

At dawn, a swift horse shot into the imperial city like an arrow, galloping straight to the palace gates. The strong soldiers dismounted, quickly passed through the heavily guarded guards, and knelt before the Pharaoh on the throne: “Your Majesty, a confidential message has arrived from the border outpost. The fleeing Israelites seem lost. They have deviated from the eastward route, turned back, and then headed south to the shores of the Red Sea.” They are now blocked by the Red Sea, with mountains and deserts behind them, and the food they took should have been eaten up by now. They had been stuck there for several days, seemingly overwhelmed. ”

Pharaoh sat inside the throne, listened calmly, questioned a few questions, and then dismissed the soldiers. Then he turned to the ministers on both sides: “What do you think?” ”

The ministers were enraged and offered their advice, unanimously suggesting they seize the opportunity to exterminate the Israelites and take young men and women back to Egypt as slaves for generations. Pharaoh listened from above, calm and composed, his eyes witty and cautious, like a cobra awakening from its wake. After these Hebrews left, he seemed to suddenly awaken from a nightmare, almost unable to believe he had let them go for nothing.

他们烧了一半的窑砖如秋风扫过的落叶遍地都是，建了一半的城市如同长了疥癣的秃头，突然停工的采石场如同被扒开肚腹的鳄鱼，十灾留下的创伤如同大地上道道鞭痕。埃及每家每户的丧子之痛慢慢转化成对以色利人的彻骨仇恨，他们求法老为他们报仇雪恨，求法老追回以色列人拿走他们的金银珠宝。  自从以色列人走后，埃及的沿途哨所一直在向法老传报消息，法老天天得到以色利人动向的快报。

他们放弃北边沿海最短的大路不走，却一头扎到大漠荒野中，向东南逃去。最初法老及大臣们困惑不解，他们为什么不趁着我们心有余悸时快快离开埃及的疆域，反而绕路走向埃及的荒漠？困惑中，法老忌惮以色列的神，忍住仇恨，按兵不动，却一直如眼镜蛇盘附在洞中观察。

今天的情报如春风把法老心头猜忌的阴霾一扫而空，同时狠狠在心里自嘲：去他的以色利人和他们的神吧！他们的神简直还不如我的底层士兵懂得兵法，居然不懂兵贵神速，居然不懂远离生地死地，居然带领这群乌合之众扎到大漠中去。

我还以为他们有什么计谋呢？呸，算我高看了他们。今天他们自投天网，卡在红海和高山之间。这不是天然陷阱，天赐良机吗？我再不出手，岂不是天予不取，必受其咎？我杀子之仇不报，更待何时？此时此地，即使他们的神要救他们，难道要给他们生出翅膀不成？”  法老笑了，站起身来，走下王座，叫来军事统帅，眼镜蛇要做出致命一击：“你速速挑选600辆最佳战车，每辆车上安排精兵，做先锋快队，马上追赶并合围被困住的以色列人。我会亲帅埃及全部战车和步兵，随后压阵杀来。

我们要在海边赶尽杀绝这些腌臜的希伯来奴隶，雪我国耻，扬我国威！”  大漠深处，红海海边，夕阳西落，疲惫的以色列人如成群的蚂蚁散落在红海边的沙滩上。

连日的急行军，让习惯于成天劳作的这些奴隶都吃不消了，他们离开埃及得到自由后，心中短暂的兴奋被精疲力尽和担惊受怕取代。他们如惊弓之鸟，本能的屡屡回头，恐怕埃及军队追杀过来。

埃及人怎么可能不追过来呢？他们有世界上最精锐的军队，怎么可能眼巴巴让二百多万奴隶白白逃走？

随着行军路途延长，以色列人渐渐心生怨恨，但不敢直接埋怨神，只好对摩西撒气。摩西每作一个决定之前，都要独自祷告，求神的带领。

The Israelites first obeyed, but gradually began to doubt: Could Moses be using God’s guise to deceive us? If God really spoke to Him, why wouldn’t He let us hear it? Since God knows everything, how could He let Moses lead us into this barren land? Let us go, but a few days ago, Moses actually led us back the way we came, then suddenly headed south. We thought he was confident, but unexpectedly, he led us into this desperate situation! Could God also get lost? Does God want us millions of people and livestock to swim across this Red Sea, where the shore is almost invisible? The sunset rolled like a red ball, slowly about to reach the desert.

In the gentle breeze, the waves gently lapped the beach. Except for the Israelis on duty making dinner, everyone else lay sprawled on the sand, drowsy asleep. Amidst the snoring, a voice suddenly screamed: “Egyptian pursuers!” The Egyptian pursuers are coming! ”

The alarm bells set in the hearts of the lying Israelis all went off. Like a swarm of locusts, they suddenly prepared to take flight, all raising their arms and leaping up. That scream still seemed to linger in their ears, yet not a single person spoke. Instead, they instinctively set up a canopy to block the sunset and gaze westward.

At sunset, wisps of dust and ash rose like smoke from a wild fire. Moments later, the dust and smoke rose like dark clouds rising from the ground, thickening and thickening to obscure the setting sun.