The 10 plagues, culminating with the deaths of the firstborn of Egypt, resulted in the Exodus, the “exit” from Egypt:

At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”…And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. (Exodus 12.29 – 32…37, ESV)

And they’re off…but they don’t get very far:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. (Exodus 14.1 – 4, ESV)

Of course, when the Egyptian army came out, and the people saw they were trapped, they panicked, and God explains this fascinating division of labor:

The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 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. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” (Exodus 14.15 – 18, ESV)

The jobs:

• The people are to go forward.
• Moses is to lift up his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea.
• God…
  • Divides the sea (Moses’ staff doesn’t do anything!).
  • Hardens the hearts of the Egyptians to pursue them.
  • Gets the glory over Pharaoh.

A great story. A spectacular event. One that should help the Israelites keep their faith up…but, of course, it doesn’t. They sing a celebratory song in Exodus 15 (Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.), but before the chapter is over, the grumbling begins:

When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15.23, 24, ESV)

They could have said, “Wow! After the plagues and the Red Sea, I can hardly wait to see how God will handle this problem!”

I don’t know why God puts up with us…

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2.14 – 16, ESV)