The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-21
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.
Dec. ID, 1901: The Passage of the Red
Sea-ExOdus xiv, 1927.


Israel made no hasty or clandestine departure
from Egypt. Theirs was no attempted escape or
f~ugitives from justice. They had a royal fir
man. The Egyptians fairly loaded them with
gifts in hopes Of placating the wrath Of their
offended Deity. The store Of raw materials and
metals they carried with them enabled them
TO make in the wilderness the tabernacle and us
furniture and all their armor. offensive and de-
fensive. . . Theirs was an orderly march.
They advanced in tribes, each under its re-
spective commander, Moses in the van, wonder
working rod in hand. In the midst. as a veri-
table palladium, Joseph's mummied form, in
closed in its straightforward casket. was
carried according to his dying request. For sake
OF pasturage by the way for the myriad iocks
and herds, the advancing hosts must needs de-
ploy widely to right and left. To direct a gen.
eral course for these somewhat widely-sundered
detachments, God unfurled his pennon in the
sky. That banner served a three-fold purpose
signal. shield and lantern. q " To Israels
dismay, Jehovah's ensign moved in the very
| opposite direction from that which would have
been expected. Instead Of indicating a course
toward Suez, the bridge between the conti-
nents, it moved southwark along the western
shore of the Red Sea, thus placing an ever-widen-
ing barrier between the pilgrim caravan and the
country which they sought. . . . When the
ever-alert Pharaoh saw this tactic blunder, this
march into a cul de sac, the hope of recovering
lost power revived in the despot's heart. Or
possibly it was the hope Of revenge for the
death of his son and heir, whose recently-dis-
covered epitaph CD he was even then coming.
He believed that the hapless Hebrews had un-
Willingly strayed beyond the Jurisdiction Of their
God, who at best was only a local divinity. and
would fall an easy prey. At sight and
sound of pursuing chariots, Israel was COM
pletely panic-stricken. They raised a querulous
cry about there being plenty of graveyards In
Egypt. and no need Of coming to the wilderness
to find one. On the dark background OF this
faithless and irascible conduct of the multitude
the noble bearing of Moses shines with aug
mented luster. His stand still and see the
salvation of God!' is an Incompatible. inspiring
bugle-note that has kept ringing through the
ages. . " . A moment later and the captain
OF the Lords hosts stands on the edge OF the
comparatively shallow western arm OF the sea.
He waves his oft-tried rod. In response there
comes from the east a violent wind which, in
conjunction with an ebbing tide. leaves the
bed Of the sea uncovered. Deep pools to right
and left formed a perfect defense (walD, rem
dering a flank movment on the part Of the
enemy impracticable. In the meantime the
pillar of cloud went to the rear. and spreading
out and hanging low like a curtain, completely
screened Israel from the observation of their
foes. The same cloud cast it's powerful search
light forward, revealing the way through the
sea in it's entire length. " . . Forward,
march," was now the inspiring command that
rang along the whole column. Across the bridge
which Jehovah had provided, the host, a thou
sand abreast. marched. and no little child. not
even a lamb, was lost. The temerity of
sinners has no more striking illustration than
in the rash holiness with which the Egyptians
| essayed to use in pursuing them the very bridge
u-bich Cod had mazda for His peopla pharaoh
soon found that he, not Moses, was in the cul de
sac. God Numbered and lightened out Of his
cloud, phenomena so rare in Egypt as to strike
terror to man and beast. Progress of the Egyp-
tian host was delayed until food-tide. when the
wind abated, and the conditions which favored
Israel being exactly reversed, the Egyptians were
whelmed in the deep.
THE TEACHERS
The inveterate character of sin is exemplifed
in Pharaoh. Ten plaques were not enough to
kill It. The sight of Israel once more apparently
within his grasp made the despot forget all his
sufferings. Like the sinner who supposed him
self to be dying. and had promised the ~restitu-
ton Of certain things, but added, Remember,
Lord, this don't count If 1 get well." so
Pharaoh's consent to let Israel go was given
under the supposition that their departure was
Inevitable. &" " . Lapse in faith disgraced
Israel in his very exodus from Egypt. Sea TO
AA0AA aAA NAo ca ~ NN0A go 49,
signs and wonders God had wrought in Egypt.
A timid and querulous spirit took possession Of
him. The church of to-day and individual Chris
tians need TO pray to be saved from a similar
lapse. The wonder-paved way God has led US
should confirm our faith that He will still lead
us on, though He divide seas to do II. David
argues well when he says: The Lord hath been
mindful Of US; he will bless US" . . Shriv-
ing the Bible OF the miraculous is a gratuitous
task. The Bible is shot all through with the
supernatural. one miracle. more or less. cuts
a small figure. But the very terms OF the Scrip
ture account. in this instance, lead us to believe
that the means used to make q way for Israel
through the sea were largely natural. Moses
rod did not divide the food. IL evoked a strong
wind; that. in conjunction with the ebb-tide. did
the rest. . " Pharaoh's mummy is a most
convenient find for strictly literal interpreters
OF Scripture. Does the record force the con-
clusion that Pharaoh himself was drowned? II
ia not the custom for commanding officers 20
put themselves in positions Of peril. but the
contrary. When Pharaoh's host was overthrown
in the Red Sea. Pharaoh's self was overthrown
practically, though not literally.
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.