How many times have we seen this verse used to suggest that in a day of adversity, believers are to simply remain silent, sit back, and let the Lord work on our behalf?
Without a second of doubt, the Lord is working on our behalf. But, if we’re to be so passive in the day of tribulation, why was Israel sent into battle just a few pages later (Exodus 17:8-16)? Why did they have to take the Promised Land by conquest (Joshua 6 & following)? Why are we provided the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) or commanded to wage war against our flesh (1 Corinthians 10:3-6; Galatians 5:19-26) and the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9)?
Since Scripture does not contradict itself, how are we to then rightly understand this command to silence in Exodus 14? We place the verse back into the full context of the passage.
Moses is addressing a people in panic mode. Although exactly where God had led them, they are entrapped; a sea is ahead of them and Pharaoh’s army is encroaching behind. Jacob’s descendants catch sight of the Egyptians in pursuit and are seized by terror. In their fear, they resort to blame, anger, accusation, and insult.
They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:11-12).
They had seen the miraculous judgment of God against Egypt through ten plagues. They had been protected and preserved through 430 years of enslavement. They followed the visible, manifest presence of God in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night to arrive exactly beside the Red Sea for this moment. And yet, they panicked, which soon turned into a torrent of bitter and unbridled speech. Reckless words.
To this reckless panic, Moses speaks: “Be quiet.” Unofficial translation: “Stop talking right now, while you’re still ahead.” Fear is one thing. Attacking Moses is ungodly, but not fatal. But Israel needs to hush now before letting their mouths go too far.
Bitter and unbridled speech in the day of adversity is still for us a call toward caution. Following the admonition of Moses to Israel, we pray for Holy Spirit discernment to recognize when our words are sanctified or profane. And before we sin with our speech, we hold our peace.
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