Exodus 12:31-14:31 / Psalm 38

Read Exodus 12:31-14:31 / Psalm 38

Verse for meditation: Exodus 14:21 ESV

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.

Reflect

God was real serious in his plan to get the Israelites out of Egypt, the land of bondage, and bring them to the land of their inheritance. For that reason, he chose deliberately a longer but more secure route, one that would be unlikely for them to run off like clappers back to Egypt at the first sign of trouble. He even made it a point to remind the Israelites of who he is by putting in place the observance of consecration.

But for all the awareness of an impasse blocking their path, in the form of an uncrossable expanse of water, and at a critical junction at that, why did God still choose to lead them by that route?

As for the Israelites, despite all the effort by God to remind them of who he is, why did they still respond the way they did when confronted with a dire situation?

Relate

For many, the big question remains to this day, 'Is the crossing of the Red Sea a true event?' Depending on one's disposition, the answer may vary. To the atheist, it would be that there never was such a miraculous event. All the recording is but a product of brilliant human imagination. To a Christian scientist like Carl Drews, author of 'Between Migdol and the Red Sea: Crossing the Red Sea with Faith and Science', the event could actually be explained by an atmospheric or weather phenomenon known as wind setdown and storm surge. These were responsible for the parting of the sea, and not a miracle as thought. Besides, the exact location might not even have been the Red Sea, but the Sea of Reeds instead.

But I would like to argue that if it were true that it was a weather phenomenon, it only proves that God was in absolute control of the whole situation and even knew the exact time of its occurrence. Adding to that, he was able to arrange the entire dramatic sequence of events with such perfect precision, with nary even the need for a dry run (pun intended). Not mentioning the fact that he had to mobilise more than a million people, not including livestock. So, kudos to God all the more whether or not it was a miracle. The fact is that crossing and parting of the sea did happen in never - before - seen fashion that calling it a miracle is not wide of the mark either way.

This whole epic story is a sober reminder again that God is in complete control and fully cognizant of his plans for us. And as shown, his plan is not to harm us (Jeremiah 29: 11). Rather, his concern is that you and I would fall back or give up.

It reminds me also of a God who is constantly on a mission to let his people know that he is Lord by granting them 'opportunities after opportunities'. And to let others know him as well through his people if they would allow themselves to be used by him. In this whole epic drama, the stage was set for the Egyptians to know him as the Lord God through the Israelites. But first, his own people had to know him through their observance of consecration. The idea of consecration was for them to know him, not observing it as a mere practice. Sad to say, even with all the practice, the Israelites did not show that they really knew their God when encountering a situational impasse. For instinctively, they began to whine and complain, and even choose to go back to their old ways.

But what really strikes me most from the passage is the part where 'the waters were divided'. I couldn't still fully imagine the scene, that of the miraculous creation of a path through a massive expanse of water, which opened a way when it had seemed just moments earlier a hopeless dead-end. 

In life, there would be times when we may feel the same way, like when we're up against a wall, or when there's no possibility whatsoever of us getting through an ordeal whether it be a test, treatment, an interview, sale, negotiation, just to name a few.

This unenviable privilege of experiencing such a situation was mine, not once but twice, 5 and 25 years ago. When at the end of my wits, clutching desperately at straws, not knowing how to move forward if the deal should yet fall through, and feeling completely drained, I could only summon myself to cry out: "Lord, part the waters!"

And it did.

Rest

Lord, when I'm up against a wall; when I've run out of chances; when I've done all I could on my part; when I'm completely drained off strength, part the waters so that I may know you are Lord.

Naville Chia