Most of us have probably heard of the parting of the Red Sea, but have you ever stopped to think of the logistics?
There are a few things we know for a fact. First, Israel has essentially stopped to camp on the border of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:2). Second, Pharaoh has changed his mind about letting Israel go, so now he’s in pursuit. Third, the Egyptians have chariots and a sizable army, whereas the Israelites are a bunch of former slaves. That won’t end well.
Death is almost certain for the Israelites, and as real as the Israelites’ faith may have been, what nobody knew at the beginning of Exodus 14 was just how God would deliver Israel. I’m sure very few guessed that God would literally make the waters split in two to let them walk across on dry land.
The events of the Red Sea Crossing are almost more impressive the more you dive into them. As Egypt approaches Israel’s camp, Exodus 14:19 states that the “angel of the Lord” moved from it’s forward position, where it would be most of the time, to the rear guard. It stations itself between Egypt and Israel, providing a wall between the two camps.
But the pillar of fire isn’t just for physical protection, it’s also for physical concealment. Apparently, while the Israelite side was lit up by the angel, the Egyptian side was shrouded in darkness. Neither side “came near” the other, most likely because they couldn’t.
Despite dramatic interpretations to the contrary, it’s important to point out that Pharaoh was in no hurry to capture Israel. They believed Israel had been boxed in by the wilderness and the Red Sea, so why rush the process? They might as well wait until morning and hope the cloud clears out.
That places the Red Sea crossing sometime in the overnight hours. If the space that they cross wasn’t more than a mile or so, then it’s somewhat reasonable to assume that a couple million people could cover the distance in five to eight hours.
When Egypt awoke and saw what happened, they foolishly ran headlong into the middle of a miracle that was not meant for them. God caused the sea to fall back into place, leaving Pharaoh’s army at the bottom of the sea.
It’s a violent end to a violent story, and like everything else that happened to Egypt so far in Exodus, almost completely avoidable had they listened to God.
