Bible Discussion Thread

.....continued.

The pillar kept the two peoples apart all night. God stood between His chosen and the enemy. He does this for us. He's "got our back", He is at our sides, and goes before us. He is above us covering us with His protection in every way. The next time I am in a fix I will remember what the Angel of the LORD and the pillar did here.

That night, Moses stretched out his rod and hands over the sea. God brought forth and strong wind from the east that caused the sea to stack up on two sides, exposing a land bridge for them to walk across. The wind was extremely strong and the land became dry for them to walk on. So, no mucking through mud or going down to the depths, but over a land bridge conveniently created by God in the past to be used at this specific time. The water was like tall walls on either side of the Israelites. God made a way where there seemed to be no way!

But there is more! In the early morning watch (2:00-6:00 a.m.) God looked out from the pillar and "troubled" the Egyptians, by making the wheels of their chariots fall off. The Egyptians were fearful, admitting the God of the Israelites fought for them. Ol' Zephon-god of the sea and storm was no match for YHWH! The Egyptians turned around to run back to the west shore from where they came. By now all of the Israelites had crossed onto the other shore. God told Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea once more so that the waters would return to its place and drown the Egyptians. The text says that the waters were returned to their normal depths from west to east, causing the Egyptians to flee right into it! Not east to west to push them back to the western shore, but from west to east to engulf them as they ran away from what God was doing with Moses.

It does not say that Pharaoh tried to cross after the Egyptians. Most likely he commanded from the shore. Every Egyptian that pursued them into the sea were drowned. The Israelites saw their dead bodies as they were washed ashore. Yeah!