God Speaks & Creation Listens (3/12)- God Parts the Red Sea

When God speaks through Moses, creation obeys. This truth is powerfully demonstrated in Exodus 14:21-22, where it is written:

"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left."

Picture the scene: an enslaved nation stands trapped between an approaching army and an uncrossable sea. But with one command from the Creator, the laws of nature bow in submission. The sea parts, creating dry ground where moments before there was none. Walls of water rise as if to salute the sovereign voice of God. This is not a mere natural phenomenon; it is creation responding to its Maker.

The parting of the Red Sea is echoed throughout Scripture as a testimony of God’s authority over all creation. In Job 38:8-11, God declares His dominion over the sea, saying, "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb... when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” Similarly, Psalm 77:16 says, “The waters saw You, God; the waters saw You and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.” 

These verses remind us that the created world is not autonomous; it listens and responds to the voice of its Creator.

The obedience of the sea in Exodus 14:21-22 is a mystery that points directly to the authority of God over His creation. The text says, "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided." At a surface level, it appears Moses is the one commanding the sea, but a closer look reveals that Moses is merely the instrument. The true power comes from the voice and will of God.

While the text does not explicitly state that God spoke audibly to the sea in this instance, Scripture often describes creation as responding to God's commands as though it hears and understands His voice. For example, in Psalm 33:9, we are reminded, "For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm." Whether God spoke directly to the sea or simply willed it, the result is the same: creation, bound to its Creator, obeyed immediately.

This dynamic is consistent throughout the Bible. At creation, God said, “Let there be…” and it was so (Genesis 1). In Mark 4:39, Jesus rebuked the storm with the words, “Peace! Be still!” and the wind and waves obeyed Him. These passages reveal that God’s authority is intrinsic—when He speaks, even the forces of nature respond as though they were designed to recognize and obey His voice.

What Role Did Moses Play?

Moses was the vessel of obedience, but the power behind his actions was entirely God’s. When Moses stretched out his hand, it was not a magical gesture or a display of his own authority. Rather, it was Moses acting in faith and obedience to God’s instruction. Earlier, in Exodus 14:16, God commanded him, "Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground." Moses’ act of stretching out his hand signified his trust in God’s word, but it was God who caused the waters to part.

In this way, Moses served as an intermediary. His action demonstrated God’s power to the people and invited their faith, but the miracle itself was wholly divine. Moses did not command the sea; God did.

The sea responded because it was created to obey its Maker. The phrase “The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind” suggests that God used natural elements to accomplish His will, but this should not be understood as a mere coincidence of weather. The precision of the event—the timing, the dry ground, and the walls of water on either side—points to supernatural intervention. In Psalm 114:3, the Psalmist declares, “The sea looked and fled; the Jordan turned back.”  This poetic language suggests that the sea, in some mysterious way, recognized the authority of its Creator and responded accordingly.

The obedience of the sea reveals a deeper truth: all of creation is subject to God’s authority. It serves as a reminder that God’s power is not limited to human affairs but extends to every corner of the universe. The sea parting wasn’t simply a natural event; it was creation aligning itself with God’s redemptive purposes.

If even the sea responds to God’s command, it asks the question: how much more should we, as beings made in His image, trust and obey Him?

Whether the sea "heard" an audible voice or simply responded to His will, it obeyed because it exists within the order God established. If creation itself responds to the Creator, it challenges us to reflect on our own faith and obedience.

The sea’s obedience reminds us of this profound truth: the same God who commands the waters commands our lives. When He speaks, creation listens. Why, then, would we ever doubt or hesitate to trust Him?

If the wind and waves obey Him, if the waters part at His command, why do we ever doubt His ability to care for us? The God who orchestrates the cosmos speaks with the same authority into our lives. Jesus reinforced this truth in Mark 4:39 when He rebuked the storm, saying, “Peace! Be still!” Immediately, the wind ceased, and there was great calm.

Creation does not resist the voice of its Lord; it surrenders completely.

And here lies the staggering truth that should arrest our worry and ignite our faith: the same God who speaks to creation speaks to us. The One who commands the Red Sea to make way is the One who whispers, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). The seas obey, the winds listen, and even the stones stand ready to cry out in worship if humanity remains silent (Luke 19:40). How much more, then, should we trust Him who calls us His children?

This narrative forces us to consider the question: if creation itself recognizes and responds to God’s voice, can we not trust His word in our lives? To worry is to forget that the God of all creation is the God who loves us intimately. Let the Red Sea be a mirror reflecting God’s faithfulness in impossible circumstances. Let it remind us that the One who commands the waters also holds us in the palm of His hand.

If the Creator of all things can part the mighty Red Sea, commanding the waters to rise and the seabed to appear, what can He not part in your life? Consider the barriers you face—fear, doubt, circumstances that seem immovable. The same God who split the sea with a word has the power to part the obstacles that stand in your way. What if the walls of impossibility in your life are waiting, not for your strength but for your faith in the One who commands creation? Shift your perspective: the God who governs the cosmos is not distant but deeply invested in your story. If He can carve a highway through the sea, what new paths might He be ready to create for you? Ask and you shall receive!

The Red Sea’s testimony is clear: God speaks, creation obeys, and His promises never fail.

Why, then, should we ever worry?

Amanda Allen, the author of Kingdom Revelations, holds the copyright to her works and art. Copyright © Amanda Allen, Kingdom Revelations, 2025. All rights reserved. This article may be shared with acknowledgment of the author and the original source.