16 TIME-LIFE MIRACLES OF FAITH
PARTING THE SEA
MOV I NG
WA T E R
Intheculminatingmiracleofthe
Hebrews’ escape from Egypt,
God partsthewatersandMoses leads
his people throughA
s Exodus unfolds, the Hebrews have suf-
fered more than four centuries of bondage
under the Egyptians. But with Moses as
his messenger, God finally beats down the
Hebrews’oppressors with a succession of
plagues. He curses them with frogs, flies, locusts, and boils,
and ends with the most devastating punishment: the death
of the oldest boy in every Egyptian family. Pharaoh sum-
mons Moses and his brother and gives the Hebrews their
freedom. Together, they set outon foot, bound for what God
has called the Land of the Canaanites.
The group makes its way to an area in northeast Egypt
referred to as either the Sea of Reeds or the Red Sea, which
will be the final and most serious obstacle to the Israelites’
exit from Egypt.
But while the Hebrews have been traveling, Pharaoh
has changed his mind about releasing his entire popula-
tion of slaves. He is now riding with his army in pursuit
of the Hebrews. With the water in front of them and the
advancing army behind them, the Hebrews are terrified.
Moses tells them to have no fear, and the Lord com-
mands Moses to lift his staff and hold it over the water.
When he does so, a strong wind arises from the east and
blows all through the night. It splits the water, creating a
dry path across which the Israelites travel. Once they are
safely on the other side, the waters engulf and drown their
Egyptian pursuers.
As recounted in Exodus, “Israel saw the great work that
the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people... be-
lieved in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” ▪OLD TESTAMENT