Issue #1,130 – Parting the Waters – April 14, 2022
The midday sun reflecting off Lake Ontario brought to mind the Exodus account of the parting of the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds).
The parting of the waters is a story known even to non-believers. Picture it now; what do you see? The odds are that you see Moses standing in the bright day sun with his hands raised. The waters part instantly, and the people walk through, collapsing shortly after that on Pharaoh and the pursuing army. It’s a powerful image of a historical event.
The entirety of the Exodus is historical. You find the account in Exodus 14. I want to highlight a few things
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.”
Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
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. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. Exodus 14:15-27
The waters were parted at night. It wasn’t an instantaneous event; the Lord caused a strong wind from the East to blow, pushing the sea apart and holding them in place.
The people of Israel cross over the bottom of the Red Sea at night. The Pillar of Fire led the way, while the Pillar of Cloud stayed behind them to confound and confuse Pharaoh and his troops.
In the morning, the water receded. “So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared.”
Knowing that the events happening at night rather than the day and being prolonged rather than instant doesn’t change their historicity. The parting and closing of the sea is still a miracle of divine intervention.
What it does do is cause us to focus on what the text says rather than what images we have seen show us. Often, the mental pictures we have of biblical accounts are incorrect.
We look at the pictures of Noah and the Ark and see Noah surrounded by cute pairs of animals. The problem is that the animals didn’t only come in twos.
Our Christmas plays have the magi from the East at the manger. In truth, they didn’t come until Jesus was around two years of age.
We depict Mary riding on a donkey to Bethlehem. That’s a possibility, but the text doesn’t tell us that. It is also very conceivable that she walked.
I doubt any of those little inaccuracies will cause someone to lose faith in Christ. Yet, it highlights the need to put aside preconceptions and read the text.
Too often, we skim rather than read or tune out of a sermon because “I know that story” and miss out on profound truth.
When it comes time to engage the Word of God, may your mind and spirit be open to encountering it in its fullness.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
__________________________________________
Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Did you know that we have an email version? Same great content but in a different format. Subscribe today https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/ gleanings-1
_____________
We also have a website
https://gleaningsfromtheword.com
______________________________
All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
___________________________________________
#Gleanings #theWord #devotional #gospel #death #encouragement #Biblestudy #faith #dailyBible #verseoftheday #grace #KevinCorbin #god #life #GleaningsFromTheword #bible #Jesus #faith #christian #love #Christ #Father #Holyspirit #YHWH #yahweh #Jehovah #bibleverses #jesuschrist #bornAgain #church #RedSea #SeaOfReeds #Exodus #Moses #Noah #Ark #donkey #LakeOntario #miracle #pillarOfFire #PillarOfCloud #Magi #Exodus14