RED SEA CROSSING (EX.14)
THE PHARAOH’S GRAND PURSUIT
After burying their dead for many days, the Egyptians knew that Yisharal were not returning, just as Moses and Aaron had said, and word reached the Pharaoh that Yisharal had fled deeper into the wilderness (more than the initial 3 day journey) and that they had no intention of returning. And the Pharaoh ‘saw red’ and was beside himself with rage, and all his officials went off their faces at each other and the Pharaoh, “What have we done, letting all our Yisharalite slave work-force get away, there is no one to serve us anymore and we are doomed”.
So the Pharaoh harnessed his chariot, called up his troops, and armed 600 of Egypt’s best soldiers, along with horses and chariots. And YAHUSHA hardened the heart of the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Yisharal, who had left with fists raised in defiance of his ‘divinity’ and authority. The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in the Pharaoh’s army, all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops and they caught up with the people of Yisharal as they were camped beside the shore near PiHakiroth across from Baal-Zephon.
And as the Pharaoh approached, the people of Yisharal went pale and freaked out when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to YAHUSHA, and they said to Moses, “Why on earth did YOU bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have YOU done to us? Why did YOU make us leave Egypt? We told you this would happen while we were still in Egypt, remember? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”
But Moses stood up and, keeping a brave face he said “Are you all finished being petrified little princesses? Just chill will you! Stop being sooooo afraid. Just stand still and watch Yahuah rescue you today. These wicked Egyptians just don’t get the hint do they? But relax, you‘ll never have to see them again, because today Yahuah Himself will ght for you. So just stay calm OK.”
And the children of Yisharal divided themselves into four divisions, because they were all divided in their opinions, and terrified of the Egyptians.
The First Division was of the children of Reuben, Simeon, and Issachar, and they decided to throw themselves into the sea, for they were terrified of the Egyptians. And Moses said to them, “Don’t be stupid, stand still and see the deliverance of Yahuah today”.
The Second Division was of the children of Zebulun, Benjamin and Naphtali, and they decided to surrender and go back to Egypt with the Egyptians. And Moses said to them, “After everything Yahuah has shown you already? Don’t be afraid, for you won’t see the Egyptians ever again after today”.
The Third Division was of the children of Judah and Joseph and they decided to go meet the Egyptians and wage war against them. And Moses said to them, “Just stand in your places, for Yahuah will ght for you today, and you are to be silent”.
The Fourth Division was of the children of Levi, Gad, and Asher, and they decided to go into the midst of the Egyptians to confuse them, and Moses said to them, “Stay exactly where you are and don’t be afraid, and call to Yahuah that He may save you from their attack today”.
After this Moses turned aside to Yahuah and (with great fear and nervousness himself) he said “O my Master Yahuah, mighty Alahim of the whole earth, please deliver Your chosen people who You’ve brought up out of the land of Egypt, so that the Egyptians never have the opportunity again, to boast that all the power and might is theirs”.
MOSES WAS MAINTAINING HIS COMPOSURE IN THE EYES OF THE ELDERS OF YISHARAL WHO WERE POINTING THEIR FINGERS AT HIM AND REMINDING HIM WHY THEY NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE EGYPT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY HAD ALREADY FORGOTTEN THEIR LIFE OF MISERABLE SLAVERY. THEY WERE LOOKING TO A MAN, BLAMING HIM INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO YAHUSHA AND TRUSTING - CAN WE RELATE ?
Then YAHUSHA replied to Moses, “Are you for real son? After all the wonders I’ve shown you already? What’s with the negativity man? Quit crying to Me and tell the people to move their arses. Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea and divide the water so Yisharal can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. What? Do you really think I don’t have a plan? Or maybe I just brought you all the way out here to amuse Myself? I told you that I’ve hardened the hearts of the Egyptians so that My true power and esteem will be made known throughout the earth. Now hurry up and get go’in ‘cause they’re about to charge you all. But trust Me, after this, all of Egypt will see My power and know that I am the only living Alahim Yahuah!”
Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and YAHUSHA opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. Then a messenger of YAHUSHA, who had been leading the people of Yisharal, moved to the rear of the camp and the column of cloud moved from the front of Yisharal and stood behind them. And the cloud settled between the Egyptians and Yisharalite camps. And as the sun disappeared and darkness fell, the column of cloud ignited into a mammoth fire, lighting up the night-sky, and the Egyptians and Yisharalites didn’t dare approach each other all night long. And the mighty wind blew all that night, turning the seabed of the Red Sea into hard, dry land. And the next morning the children of Yisharal walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground as a man would pass through a prepared road, with walls of water on each side!
RED SEA ESCAPE
Then all of the Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and soldiers chased Yisharal into the middle of the sea. But just before dawn YAHUSHA looked down on the Egyptian army from the column of fire and cloud, and He threw their forces into total confusion, twisting their chariot wheels and making it hard for them to drive. “Let’s get the hell out of here and away from these people for Yahuah fights for them against us!” the Egyptians shouted.
And when all the Yisharalites had reached the other side, Yahuah said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again and the waters will rush back in and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and soldiers.”
So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand up over the sea, and the waters fell back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but Yahuah swept them into the sea as the waters returned and covered all the chariots, soldiers and the entire army of the Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who chased Yisharal into the sea, not a single one survived. But the people of Yisharal had walked through the middle of the sea on hard, dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides.
That is how YAHUSHA rescued Yisharal from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Yisharalites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore and when they saw the mighty power that YAHUSHA had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with fear and awe before Him. And they put their trust and belief in YAHUSHA and in His servant Moses.
THE SINAI PENINSULA (DESERT) WAS EGYPTIAN-HELD TERRITORY. ALTHOUGH IT WASN’T ACTUALLY A PART OF EGYPT, IT WAS CONTROLLED BY EGYPT. SINAI WAS IMPORTANT TO EGYPT BECAUSE IT WAS A GOOD SOURCE OF COPPER AND SERVED AS A STRONG GEOGRAPHIC BUFFER BETWEEN THEM AND THE SURROUNDING MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS WHO WERE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO WAGE WAR, SO THE PHARAOH WAS FREE TO SEND HIS SOLDIERS AFTER YISHARAL BECAUSE TECHNICALLY THEY WERE STILL IN EGYPTIAN TERRITORY. IF THE SINAI PENINSULA HAD BEEN CONTROLLED BY SOME OTHER NATION, THE PHARAOH, BY SENDING HIS SOLDIERS THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN DECLARING WAR ON WHICHEVER NATION HELD CONTROL. SO, UNTIL YISHARAL CROSSED OVER THE SINAI EITHER ONTO THE ARABIAN PENINSULA TO THE EAST (THROUGH THE RED SEA) OR THE LAND OF CANAAN TO THE NORTH, THEY WERE STILL NOT YET 100% FREE FROM EGYPT.
