Les Feldick teaches that Pharaoh himself was drowned in the Red Sea, though the Exodus account itself focuses on the destruction of Pharaoh's army.
In Clip 6, Les states, 'Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea, and Israel came out on the other side untouched.' He likewise reads Exodus 19:4 — 'You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians' — as God having drowned the Egyptians in the sea (Clip 5). The biblical text in Exodus 14:28 records that the waters covered Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, and all his host, but it does not explicitly name Pharaoh among the drowned.
Exodus 14:28 — This verse records the destruction of Pharaoh's entire host in the sea and is the key text for answering whether Pharaoh himself was among the drowned.
Exodus 19:4 — God reminds Israel of what He did to the Egyptians — the verse Les Feldick cites to show the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea.
The Book of Exodus records the destruction of the Egyptians who pursued Israel. When the waters returned, they covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that had come into the sea after Israel — 'there remained not so much as one of them' (Exodus 14:28). Moses' song repeats the theme: 'Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea' (Exodus 15:4). These verses identify what was destroyed — Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, captains, and his entire host — but they do not state in so many words that Pharaoh himself was in the sea or that his own body perished there. Later, God says to Israel, 'Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians' (Exodus 19:4), speaking of the Egyptian people and army as a whole.
Les Feldick treats the Red Sea crossing and the destruction of the Egyptians as an undeniable miracle of God. He rejects naturalistic explanations that Israel crossed at a shallow reedy area or that a tidal wave drowned the chariots, insisting that God opened the deepest part of the sea so Israel crossed on dry ground (Clips 1, 2, 4). When it comes to the fate of the enemy, Les is direct. In Clip 6 he says, 'Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea, and Israel came out on the other side untouched.' He also takes Exodus 19:4 — where God says Israel saw what He did unto the Egyptians — and interprets it as God having 'drowned them in the Red Sea' (Clip 5). In Clip 3, he notes that DeMille's movie shows Pharaoh at the head of the army, but he emphasizes that the Egyptian army was engulfed in the Red Sea. Les uses this event as an analogy for the coming Tribulation, comparing the destruction of the Egyptian army to the future destruction of the Antichrist's forces when Israel flees to safety (Clips 3, 6). He also presents the Red Sea experience as a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, with Israel emerging as a redeemed people (Clip 7).
Exodus 14:28 says the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after Israel, and 'there remained not so much as one of them.' The song of Moses in Exodus 15:4 similarly speaks of Pharaoh's chariots and his host being cast into the sea and his chosen captains drowned. These verses make clear the destruction of the Egyptian forces, but they do not explicitly name Pharaoh as one of the drowned.
Les answers directly in Clip 6: 'Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea, and Israel came out on the other side untouched.' He reinforces this from Exodus 19:4, where God reminds Israel of what He did to the Egyptians — which Les interprets as God having drowned them in the Red Sea (Clip 5). He also clarifies in Clip 3 that although DeMille's film shows Pharaoh at the head of the army, the record emphasizes the army being engulfed in the sea.
Les argues the crossing could not have happened at the shallow, reedy end near the Mediterranean, because that would not take a miracle. He insists Israel crossed at the deepest part on dry ground, and that the drowning of the Egyptians was the powerful working of Almighty God (Clips 1, 2, 4). Les also sees the Red Sea experience as a picture of the death and burial of Christ, with Israel emerging redeemed on the other side (Clip 7).
Water Baptism vs. Spirit Baptism: What Places You in the Body of Christ?
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
The Egyptian Army at the Red Sea
Les sets the scene of Israel trapped with the Red Sea ahead and Pharaoh's chariots and army approaching from behind, and he argues the crossing must have occurred at the deeper portion of the sea.
A Miraculous Drowning
Les rejects the idea that the Egyptians drowned in eighteen inches of water due to a tidal wave, insisting that the drowning of the Egyptian chariots was the miraculous working of Almighty God.
The Army Engulfed, Not the Movie's Pharaoh
Les notes that Cecil B. DeMille's movie shows Pharaoh at the head of the army, but the biblical account focuses on the Egyptian army being engulfed in the Red Sea.
God's Power at the Sea
Les emphasizes that when Israel stood before the Red Sea with no way out, the power of God moved in, the sea opened, and Israel crossed on dry ground at the deepest point.
God Drowned the Egyptians
Les reads Exodus 19:4 — 'You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians' — as God having drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea.
Pharaoh Drowned in the Red Sea
Les explicitly states that Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea while Israel came out untouched, using the event as an analogy for the Tribulation destruction of the Antichrist's army.
A Picture of Death and Resurrection
Les describes the Red Sea experience as a picture of the death and burial of Christ, with Israel coming through as a redeemed people on the resurrection side.
Exodus 14:28: And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
The central verse describing the destruction of the Egyptian forces in the Red Sea.
Exodus 15:4: Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Moses' song reiterates the drowning of Pharaoh's chariots and captains.
Exodus 19:4: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
God's reminder to Israel of the Egyptians' destruction, quoted by Les in Clip 5.
Les Feldick teaches yes — in Clip 6 he says, 'Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea, and Israel came out on the other side untouched.' The Exodus account itself records that the waters covered Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, and all his host (Exodus 14:28), but does not explicitly name the king among the drowned.
It says the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after Israel, so that not one of them remained.
Les argues that crossing at the shallow, reedy end near the Mediterranean would not be a miracle. He insists God opened the deepest part of the Red Sea so Israel crossed on dry ground, making the drowning of the Egyptian army a miraculous act of God (Clips 1, 2, 4).
Watch the Teaching: Water Baptism vs. Spirit Baptism: What Places You in the Body of Christ?