To support the goal of reading the Exodus story, some of the daily readings are longer than typical for the GPS. We encourage you: have an extra cup of coffee, use your lunch break—find a way to hang in there and read this defining Biblical story.
The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "The sea parted—the LORD fought for Israel" for Friday, 2 September 2016
Exodus 14:1 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el to turn around and set up camp in front of Pi-Hachirot, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Ba‘al-Tz’fon; camp opposite it, by the sea. 3 Then Pharaoh will say that the people of Isra’el are wandering aimlessly in the countryside, the desert has closed in on them. 4 I will make Pharaoh so hardhearted that he will pursue them; thus I will win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will realize at last that I am Adonai.” The people did as ordered.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people. They said, “What have we done, letting Isra’el stop being our slaves?” 6 So he prepared his chariots and took his people with him — 7 he took 600 first-quality chariots, as well as all the other chariots in Egypt, along with their commanders. 8 Adonai made Pharaoh hardhearted, and he pursued the people of Isra’el, as they left boldly. (ii) 9 The Egyptians went after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, with his cavalry and army, and overtook them as they were encamped by the sea, by Pi-Hachirot, in front of Ba‘al-Tz’fon. 10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Isra’el looked up and saw the Egyptians right there, coming after them. In great fear the people of Isra’el cried out to Adonai 11 and said to Moshe, “Was it because there weren’t enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out to die in the desert? Why have you done this to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you in Egypt to let us alone, we’ll just go on being slaves for the Egyptians? It would be better for us to be the Egyptians’ slaves than to die in the desert!” 13 Moshe answered the people, “Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how Adonai is going to save you. He will do it today — today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! 14 Adonai will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!”
(A: iii) 15 Adonai asked Moshe, “Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! 16 Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two. The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground. 17 As for me, I will make the Egyptians hardhearted; and they will march in after them; thus I will win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and cavalry. 18 Then the Egyptians will realize that I am Adonai, when I have won myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots and his cavalry.”
19 Next, the angel of God, who was going ahead of the camp of Isra’el, moved away and went behind them; and the column of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Isra’el — there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that the one did not come near the other all night long.
21 Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and Adonai caused the sea to go back before a strong east wind all night. He made the sea become dry land, and its water was divided in two. 22 Then the people of Isra’el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians continued their pursuit, going after them into the sea — all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and cavalry. 24 Just before dawn, Adonai looked out on the Egyptian army through the column of fire and cloud and threw them into a panic. 25 He caused the wheels of their chariots to break off, so that they could move only with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Adonai is fighting for Isra’el against the Egyptians! Let’s get away from them!”
(A: iv, S: iii) 26 Adonai said to Moshe, “Reach your hand out over the sea, and the water will return and cover the Egyptians with their chariots and cavalry.” 27 Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and by dawn the sea had returned to its former depth. The Egyptians tried to flee, but Adonai swept them into the sea.
14:30 On that day, Adonai saved Isra’el from the Egyptians; Isra’el saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. 31 When Isra’el saw the mighty deed that Adonai had performed against the Egyptians, the people feared Adonai, and they believed in Adonai and in his servant Moshe.
15:1 Then Moshe and the people of Isra’el sang this song to Adonai:
“I will sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted:
the horse and its rider he threw in the sea.
2 Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
This is my God: I will glorify him;
my father’s God: I will exalt him.
3 Adonai is a warrior;
Adonai is his name.
-------
Many of us have heard that this story happened at the Red Sea. But the original Hebrew said “Reed Sea,” a place we cannot readily identify (but not today’s Red Sea). God gave the Israelites, trapped between the Sea and the Egyptian army, a dry path on which to cross. When the army tried to follow in order to take the Hebrews back to slavery, the waters returned to their place, and the pursuers drowned. Moses and the Israelites sang one of the first hymns in the Bible in honor of God’s deliverance.
• Methodist scholar Maxie Dunnam wrote, “The meaning of the story is not found in the
drowning of the Egyptian soldiers. No one should rejoice at the death or defeat of another human being. Rather, the story symbolizes the death of evil—God’s victory in ‘the struggle between good and evil.’”1 How can you, like Jesus, learn to rejoice in the defeat of evil without hating or rejoicing over the bad fate of the people who’ve gotten caught up in evil?
• Even after all that had happened, the Israelites were still human. When they saw the Egyptian army coming, they were terrified. Moses said, “Don’t be afraid…. The LORD will fight for you. You just keep still.” Do you believe those words apply even in situations in which deliverance is not as instantaneous and “this worldly” as it was for the Israelites? How can you grow in your ability to trust that Israel’s God is firmly on your side, too?
Prayer: O Lord, I thank you that, in the end, your victory is sure. Good will win, and evil will be defeated. Help me to face each day in that Exodus-born confidence. Amen.
1 Maxie Dunnam, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 2: Exodus. General Editor: Lloyd J. Ogilvie.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987, p. 163.
-------
Insights from Ginger Rothhaas
Ginger Rothhaas is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology and is serving in Congregational Care at The Church of the Resurrection.
When we read biblical stories like the parting of the Red Sea, I think we have to look beyond logic and history. Instead, we have to look for the bigger meaning and what lesson it offers to us. Parting the sea is a story of good overcoming evil. It is a theme that shows up over and over again in our favorite movies, literature, and fairy tales.
While watching movies with my children, they naturally pull for the good character to win in the end. They are hoping that something will stop the bad people and reward the good people. We all hope for that–that’s how the world should work, isn’t it? As a mother, I so want it to be true. I want my kids to have faith that the good person who does the right thing is always rewarded.
For Christians, the fundamental truth is that God will reverse evil. The resurrection, not the crucifixion, is the end of the story.
My son and daughter love Harry Potter books and movies. They are stories of good versus evil, as are all great epic tales. As you read through the Harry Potter series, evil often wins the interim battles. Good people get hurt, good people underestimate their power and give up, and some times good things happen to the evil people. It is hard to reconcile and it appears that evil is going to overtake Harry Potter, who is pure love and goodness.
I hope this doesn’t spoil it for you, but Harry Potter wins the final battle over evil Voldemort. But it is an ugly finish and lots of people get hurt along the way. Team Harry takes away Voldemort’s power bit by bit. Finally Harry recognizes the power he has over evil and trusts his faith to make the final blow. It appears to the audience that Voldemort gets what he deserves.
There was a part of me that felt sorry for Voldemort. I’m guessing he had a hard childhood, he was betrayed along the way, he made bad decisions…but he chose to continue his downward spiral toward evil and repeatedly chose hurting people over helping people. Voldemort could have stopped the evil. But he didn’t. My kids didn’t feel sorry for Voldemort. He scared them. He was evil. Harry is good. Good should win. Simple as that. Don’t over-complicate it, Mom!
So let’s keep this simple. Moses had courage to follow God’s direction. Moses was good and knew the right thing to do. He trusted the power that God would provide. He led the Israelites to freedom. The slave-seeking Egyptians were swept away by seawater. God saved the good people.
You are good people. Choose to do good things. Be love. Show God’s unconditional love to others. God will lead you to freedom. Good ultimately wins. Always.
-------
Join us for worship today - click here for information on worship times and locations. If you are not in the Kansas City area, you can take part in our worship via live Web stream at rezonline.org.
Download a printable version of this week's GPS.
-------
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people. They said, “What have we done, letting Isra’el stop being our slaves?” 6 So he prepared his chariots and took his people with him — 7 he took 600 first-quality chariots, as well as all the other chariots in Egypt, along with their commanders. 8 Adonai made Pharaoh hardhearted, and he pursued the people of Isra’el, as they left boldly. (ii) 9 The Egyptians went after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, with his cavalry and army, and overtook them as they were encamped by the sea, by Pi-Hachirot, in front of Ba‘al-Tz’fon. 10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Isra’el looked up and saw the Egyptians right there, coming after them. In great fear the people of Isra’el cried out to Adonai 11 and said to Moshe, “Was it because there weren’t enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out to die in the desert? Why have you done this to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you in Egypt to let us alone, we’ll just go on being slaves for the Egyptians? It would be better for us to be the Egyptians’ slaves than to die in the desert!” 13 Moshe answered the people, “Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how Adonai is going to save you. He will do it today — today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! 14 Adonai will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!”
(A: iii) 15 Adonai asked Moshe, “Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! 16 Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two. The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground. 17 As for me, I will make the Egyptians hardhearted; and they will march in after them; thus I will win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and cavalry. 18 Then the Egyptians will realize that I am Adonai, when I have won myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots and his cavalry.”
19 Next, the angel of God, who was going ahead of the camp of Isra’el, moved away and went behind them; and the column of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Isra’el — there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that the one did not come near the other all night long.
21 Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and Adonai caused the sea to go back before a strong east wind all night. He made the sea become dry land, and its water was divided in two. 22 Then the people of Isra’el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians continued their pursuit, going after them into the sea — all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and cavalry. 24 Just before dawn, Adonai looked out on the Egyptian army through the column of fire and cloud and threw them into a panic. 25 He caused the wheels of their chariots to break off, so that they could move only with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Adonai is fighting for Isra’el against the Egyptians! Let’s get away from them!”
(A: iv, S: iii) 26 Adonai said to Moshe, “Reach your hand out over the sea, and the water will return and cover the Egyptians with their chariots and cavalry.” 27 Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and by dawn the sea had returned to its former depth. The Egyptians tried to flee, but Adonai swept them into the sea.
14:30 On that day, Adonai saved Isra’el from the Egyptians; Isra’el saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. 31 When Isra’el saw the mighty deed that Adonai had performed against the Egyptians, the people feared Adonai, and they believed in Adonai and in his servant Moshe.
15:1 Then Moshe and the people of Isra’el sang this song to Adonai:
“I will sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted:
the horse and its rider he threw in the sea.
2 Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
This is my God: I will glorify him;
my father’s God: I will exalt him.
3 Adonai is a warrior;
Adonai is his name.
-------
Many of us have heard that this story happened at the Red Sea. But the original Hebrew said “Reed Sea,” a place we cannot readily identify (but not today’s Red Sea). God gave the Israelites, trapped between the Sea and the Egyptian army, a dry path on which to cross. When the army tried to follow in order to take the Hebrews back to slavery, the waters returned to their place, and the pursuers drowned. Moses and the Israelites sang one of the first hymns in the Bible in honor of God’s deliverance.
• Methodist scholar Maxie Dunnam wrote, “The meaning of the story is not found in the
drowning of the Egyptian soldiers. No one should rejoice at the death or defeat of another human being. Rather, the story symbolizes the death of evil—God’s victory in ‘the struggle between good and evil.’”1 How can you, like Jesus, learn to rejoice in the defeat of evil without hating or rejoicing over the bad fate of the people who’ve gotten caught up in evil?
• Even after all that had happened, the Israelites were still human. When they saw the Egyptian army coming, they were terrified. Moses said, “Don’t be afraid…. The LORD will fight for you. You just keep still.” Do you believe those words apply even in situations in which deliverance is not as instantaneous and “this worldly” as it was for the Israelites? How can you grow in your ability to trust that Israel’s God is firmly on your side, too?
Prayer: O Lord, I thank you that, in the end, your victory is sure. Good will win, and evil will be defeated. Help me to face each day in that Exodus-born confidence. Amen.
1 Maxie Dunnam, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 2: Exodus. General Editor: Lloyd J. Ogilvie.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987, p. 163.
-------
Insights from Ginger Rothhaas
Ginger Rothhaas is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology and is serving in Congregational Care at The Church of the Resurrection.When we read biblical stories like the parting of the Red Sea, I think we have to look beyond logic and history. Instead, we have to look for the bigger meaning and what lesson it offers to us. Parting the sea is a story of good overcoming evil. It is a theme that shows up over and over again in our favorite movies, literature, and fairy tales.
While watching movies with my children, they naturally pull for the good character to win in the end. They are hoping that something will stop the bad people and reward the good people. We all hope for that–that’s how the world should work, isn’t it? As a mother, I so want it to be true. I want my kids to have faith that the good person who does the right thing is always rewarded.
For Christians, the fundamental truth is that God will reverse evil. The resurrection, not the crucifixion, is the end of the story.
My son and daughter love Harry Potter books and movies. They are stories of good versus evil, as are all great epic tales. As you read through the Harry Potter series, evil often wins the interim battles. Good people get hurt, good people underestimate their power and give up, and some times good things happen to the evil people. It is hard to reconcile and it appears that evil is going to overtake Harry Potter, who is pure love and goodness.
I hope this doesn’t spoil it for you, but Harry Potter wins the final battle over evil Voldemort. But it is an ugly finish and lots of people get hurt along the way. Team Harry takes away Voldemort’s power bit by bit. Finally Harry recognizes the power he has over evil and trusts his faith to make the final blow. It appears to the audience that Voldemort gets what he deserves.
There was a part of me that felt sorry for Voldemort. I’m guessing he had a hard childhood, he was betrayed along the way, he made bad decisions…but he chose to continue his downward spiral toward evil and repeatedly chose hurting people over helping people. Voldemort could have stopped the evil. But he didn’t. My kids didn’t feel sorry for Voldemort. He scared them. He was evil. Harry is good. Good should win. Simple as that. Don’t over-complicate it, Mom!
So let’s keep this simple. Moses had courage to follow God’s direction. Moses was good and knew the right thing to do. He trusted the power that God would provide. He led the Israelites to freedom. The slave-seeking Egyptians were swept away by seawater. God saved the good people.
You are good people. Choose to do good things. Be love. Show God’s unconditional love to others. God will lead you to freedom. Good ultimately wins. Always.
-------
Join us for worship today - click here for information on worship times and locations. If you are not in the Kansas City area, you can take part in our worship via live Web stream at rezonline.org.
Download a printable version of this week's GPS.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment