Did God really divide the Red Sea, so
allowing the Israelites to flee the pursuing Egyptians on dry ground?
Yes. There are many who will renew their interest
in this question with the release of the new movie The Prince of Egypt.
I do not know how the makers of the movie will handle the subject, but
have heard one reviewer say something about removing the miraculous.
Whether that is true in this instance or any other I am not aware.
What I am aware of is an attempt by many people to do just that.
Some claim that the Israelites skirted the Red Sea altogether, others say
that they actually crossed in an area known as the Sea of Reeds.
I will attempt to show that they crossed where the Bible said they crossed:
Through the Red Sea itself. I will add that if you look on most maps
of the Exodus there is a loop around the Red Sea not supported by the text
which shows that on one side was the sea and on the other the Egyptians,
and only one would give safe passage: The sea.
In 1879 a man named J. W. McGarvey took a trip to
the Bible lands with the purpose of studying the land itself to get a better
picture of the things which he had read and taught. On his return
he published an authoritative book, Lands of the Bible (1880), which
will serve as our major source for this study. By the way, the book
is still available, and I will gladly share the materials that I have with
any interested parties.
McGarvey noted that there were 7 features demanded
by the Bible text with regard to the land (I will quote exactly, with my
own notes in italics as I see fit):
-
The place was so situated as to require Israel to turn from the direct
route toward Canaan in order to reach it (Ex. 14:2). The Bible
therefore demands something of the land that is the opposite of the loop
seen in most modern maps.
-
It was such that when Israel reached it they were “entangled in the land,”
so that Pharaoh was encouraged to pursue them (14:3). This requirement
shows that there was no way to skirt the waters of the sea.
-
It was such that when Pharaoh overtook them there was no escape for them
except by going through the sea (14:10,13,16). As with above,
this requirement is not fulfilled on maps which show a complete skirting
of the sea, although it does not directly contradict the Sea of Reeds theory
(of which we will read more below).
-
It was such that in opening a passage the waters were divided, not driven
away to the one side, and that they were “a wall on the right hand and
on the left” (14:16,21,22,29). Some say that there was a sufficient
wind to just “blow” enough water aside that the Israelites would be able
to cross. The text says that much more was necessary.
-
The distance across was sufficient to allow 600 chariots and the horsemen
of Pharaoh to be within it at one time, and the water was deep enough to
prevent the escape of a single person when the two walls of water rushed
together (14:7,9,28). You would be hard pressed to drown an army
in a foot of water, furthermore the width of the division would have to
be enough to allow the many Israelites (Numbers 1 shows that there were
603,550 men who were among the children of Israel (that number swells with
women and children added)) to cross in a short amount of time.
-
The place was near enough to Marah, now Huwarah, 33 miles below Suez, to
allow Israel to march thither in three days (15:22,23). Many would
have the Israelites march roughly 70-90 miles in those three days by saying
they crossed many miles to the north of what is actually the most reasonable
spot.
-
It was where Israel, after crossing, could find an immediate supply of
drinking-water, so that they did not suffer for water till they came to
Marah (15:22,23). He later added that there were seven natural
fountains within a mile of the most reasonable spot of crossing.
It is not only a mistake, but rather an injustice, to
take away the miraculous element for Bible accounts, indeed it is wrong!
Our concern then is not to try to justify things based on human reason,
but rather to look at the evidence that is before us in light of what the
Bible says (not only about the crossing of the sea, but about the power
of God as well) and what the land allows (as McGarvey himself sought out
and found miles below where Bible critics feel the children of Israel must
have crossed).