CROSSING
THE RED SEA
Key Passage: Exodus 14:19 –
15:27
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CHAPTER 13
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CHAPTER 14
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CHAPTER 15
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|
God’s Guiding
Cloud
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Israel’s Great
Crossing
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Moses’ Grateful
Chorus
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Direction
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Protection
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Jubilation
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OVERVIEW Things get worse for the
Israelites before they get better. God leads His band of three million refugees
to the intersection of Baalzephon and the Red Sea-a seemingly inescapable dead
end. Pharaoh, experiencing yet another change of heart, dispatches a crack
chariot division to bring the Israelite Exodus to an end. Instead, the Egyptian
army meets its end in the swirling waters of the Red Sea. Moses watches the people’s panic turn to
praise as they walk across the seabed dryshod and sing a great song of jubilation
to their Savior God.
The miraculous is absolutely basic to Christianity.
OUR DAILY WALK You are seated in church when you hear the words,
"Please bow your head and worship the Lord in the quietness of your own
heart." You put aside your bulletin
and close your eyes. Then you think to yourself, What am I supposed to do now?
Worshipping
God is a skill seldom taught and infrequently practiced. At its root, worship
involves recognizing the "worth-ship"
of another. It is a response to the greatness of God. People in the Bible worshiped
God for who He was (His person) and what He did (His works), for His actions
are always consistent with His character.
If
you had been standing with the Israelites on the far banks of the Red Sea as
the waters swallowed up the Egyptian army, you would have had no trouble responding
in an attitude of worship. Even today you can join in their chorus of praise.
Read through their song in chapter 15 again, making a list of God’s actions
(conduct) – which prompted worship from His people – and a second list of what is
proclaimed about God’s attributes (character). Now you too should be ready to "sing
the praise" of your God and Savior today.
INSIGHT Taking the Scenic Route
Israel’s God and Guide (in
the form of a cloudy pillar) steered the travelers away from the most direct
route to Canaan, the "way of the sea" for at least
two reasons: (1) to avoid certain warfare; and (2) to take Israel to the
mountain of God (3:12). The nation needed to learn to walk with God before learning to
fight for God.
Playwright Janet Irene
Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
info@biblestoriestheatre.org
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