John Calvin Commentary Exodus 14:31

"And Israel saw the great work which Jehovah did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah: and they believed in Jehovah, and in his servant Moses." — Exodus 14:31 (ASV)

And Israel saw. After the biblical author has stated that the Israelites saw the dead bodies spread upon the seashore, he now adds that in this spectacle God’s hand,¹⁶⁰ that is, His power, appeared. This was because there was no difficulty in distinguishing between God’s wrath and His fatherly love, in preserving so miraculously an unwarlike multitude, and in destroying in the depths of the sea an army formidable in every respect. Moses, therefore, does not unreasonably conclude here that the Divine power was conspicuous in the deliverance of the people.

He afterwards adds that it was not without benefit to them that the Israelites saw God’s hand, because they feared Him, and believed Him and His servant Moses. “Fear” is used here for that reverence which kept the people in the path of duty, for they were not only affected by dread but also attracted to devote themselves to God, whose goodness they had so sweetly and delightfully experienced.

But although this pious feeling was not lasting, at least for the greater number of them, it is still probable that it took root in a few of them, because some seed always remained, nor was the recollection of this blessing entirely destroyed.

By the word “believed,” I think the principal part of fear is indicated, and I understand it to be added explanatorily, as if to say, “that they reverenced God and testified to this by faithfully embracing His doctrine and obediently submitting themselves to Moses.” I understand that they were all generally affected in this way, because the recognition of God’s hand bowed them to obedience, making them more tractable and docile, and more inclined to follow God.

But this ardor soon passed away from the greater number of them, as hypocrites¹⁶¹ tend to be influenced only by what is visible and present. However, I maintain what I have just said: that in a small number, the fear of God, which they had once conceived from a sense of His grace, still persisted strongly.

Meanwhile, let us learn from this passage that God is never truly and properly worshipped without faith, because incredulity betrays gross contempt of Him. And although hypocrites boast of heaping all kinds of honor upon God, they still inflict the greatest insult upon Him by refusing to believe His revelations.

But Moses, who had been chosen God’s minister for governing the people, is not unreasonably united with Him here. For although God’s majesty manifested itself by conspicuous signs, Moses was still the mediator from whose mouth God willed that His words should be heard, so that the holy man could not be despised without God’s own authority being rejected.

A profitable doctrine is gathered from this: whenever God presents His word to us through men, those who faithfully deliver His commands must be listened to as attentively as if He Himself openly descended from heaven. This recommendation of the ministry should be more than sufficient to refute the folly of those who despise the outward preaching of the word.

Let us, then, hold fast to this principle: only those obey God who receive the prophets sent from Him, because it is not lawful to put asunder what He has joined together. Christ has more clearly expressed this in these words:

“He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me” (Matthew 10:40).

But it is more than absurd that the Pope, with his filthy clergy, should claim this for himself, as if he were to be heard whenever he uses God’s name. For (to pass over many other reasons I could mention) it will, first of all, be necessary for him to prove himself God’s servant—from which, I wish, he were not so far removed. For here the obedience of the people is praised on no other grounds than because they believed the Lord, and, along with Him, His servant Moses.

¹⁶⁰ So in margin, A.V.

¹⁶¹ This word, added in the Fr., seems necessary to complete the sense., seems necessary to complete the sense.