The Last Night on Earth: The Red Sea Place

by Joe Crews

Think for a moment what would have happened at the Red Sea if the people had hesitated to go forward at the command of God! Suppose the leaders had pressed for a committee meeting to discuss the radical option of marching the entire encampment into an apparent death trap. The truth is that there was only time for action. Delay of any kind would have brought the pursuing Egyptian army upon them, and they would have been on their way back to the land of bondage in chains.

What does this experience have to teach us? It has much to say to those who have recently broken free from the slavery of sin. This parallels the escape from Egypt. And the Red Sea experience symbolizes baptism for the newborn Christian. How do we know that? In 1 Corinthians 10:2, we read that "they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." God set before them that golden opportunity which we talked about earlier and which may appear only once in a lifetime. The decision made within the next five minutes would settle their destiny for years to come. This was it. Either trust God and obey His command to step into that restless sea, or run the risk of capture by the enemy.

Have you come to that Red Sea place in your life? I've observed thousands struggle with that step of total surrender in baptism. It signifies a complete yielding of the entire life and a willingness to move forward in obedience - regardless of the consequences. It is not an easy decision to make. I know one lady whose baptism was set three different times, and she failed to show up at any of them. Her faith was not strong enough to take that final step which would place her wholly in the family of God. You can imagine the result of her procrastination. She was finally overtaken by the enemy, drawn back into smoking, and was soon back in total bondage of the flesh.

I'm just glad that somebody at the head of the line had strong faith when Moses gave the orders to go forward into the sea, and just as surely as the waters parted under their feet, so will the forbidding circumstances disappear as God's people today move forward in obedience to Him. It is interesting to note that the next move was up to the people in the days of Moses, and the same is true for those who have departed from spiritual bondage. God cannot and will not make the decision for us, but as soon as we take the first step in obedience, He fills us with the power to overcome every obstacle.

Some might object that I am pressing too hard upon those who are lingering in the twilight zone of indecision. You may get offended by my strong urging for you to act quickly to follow Jesus. But please remember that I am addressing those who may be living their last night on earth. I do not believe it is possible to obey God too quickly, and somehow I don't think anyone will ever chide me in heaven because I made the call to them clear, concise, and urgent. I'm very much in earnest about it because I have seen the results of waiting too long.

I could fill this book with emotional stories of those who postponed surrender until their hearts were cold and unresponsive. Further, I could give names and places where nightly attendees of the crusade meetings were taken in a moment by sudden accident or death. Time after time I have made calls for decision, not realizing that there were people in the audience listening to their last invitation to be saved.