Dear Friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. We
give thanks to Rev. Richard Giesken, associate lecturer, for writing this
devotional.
You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
Exodus 14:19-31
19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Devotional
This is one of the most dramatic and iconic moments in the Bible. From Charlton Heston’s classic portrayal to Prince of Egypt’s visually stunning animation, it is hard not to be captivated by this scene.
Yet at the core, this passage recounts the destruction of human lives. We may be inclined to take the stance that they deserved what was coming to them, or gloss over the human tragedy and focus on the spiritual victory it represents. However, Jewish traditions acknowledge this tension between the joy and celebration of liberation, and the realization of the human tragedy that unfolded that day. During the Passover ceremony, drops of juice are spilled on the ground before drinking the second cup of the seder as a reminder that even in our celebrations of life we must not forget the misery of others - including our enemies.
Jesus challenges us to love our enemies, and the Apostle Paul advises us to leave vengeance to God. This is not an easy thing to do by any stretch of the imagination, but to get caught up in in cycles of judgement and revenge plunges us all into darkness.
When the people of Israel stood on that Red Sea beach, they did not prepare for battle against enemies; they trusted God to open a way of rescue which turned out to be beyond their imagination. As we face challenging circumstances (and sometimes people) may we, too, discover God’s way of rescue. Sometimes, it requires us to take a step of faith into the unknown and seemingly impossible.
Prayer
Lord, as we face a new week we face new challenges, and some nagging problems that don’t ever seem to go away. We often feel pressed into a corner with nowhere to run. Please make a way forward for us this day. Rescue us from our enemies and those circumstances that weigh us down. Open for us a way of rescue and give us the courage to step into the path that you have provided.
Rev. Richard Giesken
Associate Lecturer (Biblical Studies and Missiology)