Dee Finney's blog
start date July 20, 2011
today's date November 10, 2012
page 370
TOPIC: MOSES RED HAND OF DEATH
11-28-12 - THIS IS THE AUDIO INTERVIEW OF JAMES MCCANNEY BY DR. BILL DEAGLE
TODAY ON 11-28-12
http://www.greatdreams.com/blog-2012-3/DEAGLE-MCCANNEY-1128123.mp3
It is James McCanney the astrophysicist who is calling the COMET 2012 S1
this title on his November 8th show:
http://www.jmccanneyscience.com/weeklyradioshowarchivessubpage.htm
make sure to listen to this show and all following shows.
We need to prepare for this comet passing because it is possible we will go
through its tail which will be full of sulfuric acid.
November 09, 2012 posting
... my weekly radio show archive is now posted on the archive sub-page ... the
main science topic deals with what the ancients called "the Red Hand of Death"
... this was just one of the plagues of
ancient Egypt
during the Moses event when the water turned to blood and all was poisoned ...
people and animals died ... prior to this there were plagues of insects that
poured out of the ground then the frogs ... then flies ... all the results of a
passing great comet ... on my show this week I talk about the Red Hand of Death
and the physics of this phenomenon ... and how the new comet C/2012/S1 will have
a possibility of putting on another effect like this on our cozy little planet
earth ... learn the details of when this may happen and what the physics of this
reaction are and what you should do to prepare ... also note that i have a 2part
CD with 18 hours of lectures entitled "Physics of Ancient Celestial Disasters"
on the secure ordering web page that deals with explanations of many many
ancient celestial disasters ... this is a must listen show so if you missed the
live show be sure to catch it on the archive sub-page ... jim mccanney
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS THE
RELIGIOUS/BIBLICAL VERSION.
YOU AND I ARE GOING TO BE PREPARING FOR THE 2012 PHYSICAL
VERSION OF THIS SIMILAR EVENT WHEN EARTH GOES THROUGH THE TAIL OF COMET 2012 S1.
ACCORDING TO JIM MACCANNEY, THIS IS STILL A SUPPOSITION BUT HE ALSO MENTIONS ON
HIS RADIO SHOW (LINK ABOVE) THAT NOSTRADAMUS HAS ALSO PREDICTED THIS, AND
SOME PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE NOSTRADAMUS BEFORE THEY BELIEVE THE BIBLE STORY.
READ IT AND PREPARE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEEP LATER.
QUATRAIN VI.6 BELOW IS THE ONE THAT MATCHES 2012 S 1 - THE
COMET COMING FROM CANCER
Nostradamus Concerning Comets in the future
Quatrain II.46
After great misery for mankind an even greater one approaches, when the great
cycle of the centuries is renewed. It will rain blood, milk, famine, war and
disease. In the sky will be seen a fire, dragging a tail of sparks.
Quatrain II.41
The great star for seven days will burn, The cloud will cause two suns to
appear: The big mastiff all night will howl, When the great pontiff changes
countries.
(Cheetham)
The great star will burn for seven days and the cloud will make the sun
appear double. The large mastiff will howl all night when the great pontiff
changes his abode.
Line 1 & 2: The great star is a comet, and the cloud the coma. The comet will
burn so brightly in the sky it appears that we have two suns. (Alternative
translation :'The great star for September days will burn'). Since it is visible
at the same time as the sun (a daylight comet such as the Great Daylight Comet
of 1910) we can conclude it approaches from the sun's sector of the sky. It's
brightness indicates a close approach. Line 3: Nostradamian scholars usually
identify the mastiff as representing Britain - so we have a period of national
distress in Britain. Line 4: Events necessitate the Papacy's relocation from
Italy.
Quatrain VI.6
(Paulus)
There will appear towards the North, Not far from Cancer the bearded star:
Susa, Siena, Boeotia, Eretria, The great one of Rome will die, the night over.
(Editor's Note, In May 2001
Planet
X was two years away and seen approaching from Orion.")
Line 3: Seismically active areas Line 4: Pope will die, along with many.
PROPHECIES Nostradamus Concerning Comets in the future
Quatrain I.69
The great mountain round of seven stadia, Afterwards peace, war, famine,
flood, It will roll far away sinking great countries, Even antiquities, and
great foundation.
Line 1: What type of mountain is round? A good reference here is to the
burning mountain of Revelations which John describes as being thrown into the
oceans - a clear reference to an
asteroid or comet [Revelations 8:8]. So it appears we have a
meteor or asteroid which AFTER (i.e. the hit) causes war, famines, floods, great
countries to be sunk.
Quatrain II.43
During the bearded star's appearance, The three great princes will be made
enemies: Hit from the sky, peace earth trembling, Pau, Tiber overflowing,
serpent on the brink placed.
OR
During the appearance of the bearded star, the three great princes will be
made enemies. The tremulous peace on earth will be struck from the skies; the
Po, the winding Tiber, a serpent on the shore
Line 1: Comets were called bearded stars. Line 2: Three great nations - only
3 possible major powers are USA, China and Russia. So they are possible
candidates Line 3: A strike from the sky shatters peace (asteroid in comets
tail) Line 4: Earthquakes in Italy/ France resulting from impact causing
flooding.
The months of confrontation and plagues have come to a close as an eerie calm
seems to exist between Pharaoh and Moses. After nine plagues, Pharaoh has told
Moses never to appear before him again. Moses knows that the tenth plague will
be the last and will result in Israel's freedom.
Now Moses seeks the Lord to get instructions for the final phase of the
deliverance from Egypt.
The Lord's instructions are very specific. A male lamb without defect is
indicated for every grouping that Passover night. Notice that these lambs are to
be selected from the flock several days ahead of time -- ten days after the
first day of the month, which began on a new moon.1
The evening of the fourteenth day of the month, then, will be the full moon,
characteristic of Passover ever since.
The animals are to be slaughtered and then prepared for the Passover meal.
But the blood is to be handled in a very special way on this night.
"7 Then they are to take some of the
blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where
they eat the lambs…. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the
houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you."
(Exodus 12:7, 13)
The word "Passover" is found in Exodus 12:11, 21, 26, 43, 48; 34:25. What
does it mean? The word is pesaḥ, is traditionally derived from pāsaḥ,
"to pass over," and interpreted as "the merciful passing over of a destructive
power."2
Just what kind of sacrifice is the initial Paschal lamb offered prior to the
Exodus? Five offerings were performed in the tabernacle and, later, in the
temple.3 Of these, the sacrifice
of the Passover lamb bears some resemblance to the peace or fellowship offering,
in which a piece of meat is offered before the Lord and to the priests. The
remainder of the sacrifice is eaten by the offerer and his family as a kind of
celebration meal -- similar to the celebration meal of the Passover. The initial
Passover offering seems to be a consecration or setting apart of the people
within each household who partook of the sacrifice.4
Israel's sin doesn't seem to be in the forefront; rather, the lamb seems to
be a kind of substitute or interposition for the firstborn males and animals in
the household. However, there may be some idea of expiation or purification
present, since hyssop is used to smear the blood (Exodus 12:22).5
Some Rabbinical writings refer to the redemptive effect of the blood of the
Passover lamb.6
The early church certainly saw Jesus as fulfilling the Passover lamb.
Paul: "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been
sacrificed." (1 Corinthians 5:7)
John the Baptist: "Look, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Peter: "You were redeemed ... with the precious
blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18-19)
We Christians are participants in Christ's blood through the Lord's Supper,
says St. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:16). And because our names are written in the
Lamb's book of life (Revelation 13:8), we are not condemned for our sins
(Revelation 20:12, 15). God's wrath "passes over" us! Hallelujah!
Passover is of particular interest to Christians because it is the basis of
the original Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples on the night in which he
was betrayed.7 While our focus
is on Moses himself, not all the institutions of Israel, let's look briefly at
the elements of Passover contained in our passage.8
- Passover Lamb. As noted above, the Passover or Paschal lamb is
sacrificed. In ancient times, before the institution of the Levitical
priesthood, each head of the household performed the sacrifice himself. By
Jesus' day the slaughter of the Passover lambs took place in the temple by
priests. The lamb is a sacrifice, a substitute for the firstborn who is
redeemed. In the language of Exodus, the Lord says, "Israel is my firstborn
son" (Exodus 4:22), so in a sense, the Passover lamb is a substitute given
for all of God's people, Israel. Christ is our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians
5:7), whose blood was shed to redeem us.
- Unleavened Bread. Since this was the Israelites' final meal prior
to fleeing from Egypt -- and took place at night before the day's bread was
made -- "the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried
it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing" (Exodus
12:34). So in commemoration, for a week called the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, the Jews remove yeast from their homes and eat unleavened bread
(Exodus 12:14-20).
- Bitter Herbs.9
Later Judaism associated the bitter herbs with the hardness of the
Israelites' oppression. "They made their lives bitter with hard labor … the
Egyptians used them ruthlessly" (Exodus 1:14).
Passover was to be celebrated year after year as a commemoration or
remembrance of the Lord's deliverance. Moses instructed the people:
"And when your children ask you, 'What does this
ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice10
to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and
spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" (Exodus 12:27)
To this day, every Passover, the youngest child in the household has the
responsibility to ask, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" Then
the story of God's deliverance is told once again to the next generation. In the
same way, the Lord's Supper is to be a feast of remembrance, so that we never
forget the Lord's great salvation through the cross.
The Lord had given Moses specific instructions for the Passover that he had
conveyed to the people. But now the time was at hand. Moses summons the elders
for the final instructions.
"21 … Go at once and select the animals
for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of
hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top
and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his
house until morning. 23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike
down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe
and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter
your houses and strike you down." (Exodus 12:21-23)
Fortunately, "The Israelites did just what the LORD commanded Moses and
Aaron" (12:28), as if their lives depended on it -- as they did!
Now came the final plague:
"29 At midnight the LORD struck down
all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the
throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the
firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his
officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud
wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead." (Exodus
12:29-30)
Arthur Hacker (English Pre-Raphaelite painter,
1858-1919), "And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt" (1897), oil on canvas,
90.2 x 153.7 cm, private collection.
Larger image. |
The slaughter was carried out by "the destroyer,"
11 elsewhere referred to as
the "angel of the Lord"12 or
the destroying angel.13 This
figure was later popularized in Judaism and Christianity as the "angel of
death."
No Egyptian household was untouched that night, not even Pharaoh's. Pharaoh
summons Moses and commands the Israelites to leave immediately with all their
flocks and herds. You can sense the pain in his poignant request, "and also
bless me" (12:32b).
Among the Israelites, no son had been lost. They were fed, packed, and ready
to leave. So when the word came, there was just one more thing to do.
"35 The Israelites did as Moses
instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for
clothing. 36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed
toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered14
the Egyptians." (Exodus 12:35-36)
It might seem crass to ask families in the middle of the night, families that
are in deep mourning for their sons, to give them jewelry, gold, and garments.
But to the Egyptians, that was a small price to pay to get rid of this people,
who were seen as the reason that Egypt was being ruined, and so they gave their
valuables and the Israelites left.
But this had been God's plan from the beginning when he had told Abraham
(Genesis 15:13-14) and later Moses (Exodus 3:21-22) that this would come to
pass. Perhaps the justice was that the Egyptians, who had bled the Israelites
dry with slavery and hard labor, now paid them back at the last. And God had a
use for the gold and silver, for it would later be given to decorate the
tabernacle in the wilderness!
Now the long-anticipated Exodus begins. Read carefully this paragraph:
"7 The Israelites journeyed from
Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides
women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, as well
as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds…. 40 Now the
length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41
At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left
Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of
Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for
the generations to come." (Exodus 12:37-42)
We learn several things from this paragraph.
- Route. The Israelites were primarily living in the area around
the store-city of Rameses and travelled to Succoth. We examine their what we
think was their route in greater detail in
Appendix 2.
- Number of Israelites. The text indicates 600,000 men, plus women
and children. That probably means upwards of 2 million people were involved
in the Exodus. While some have questioned the plausibility of this number,
we'll use it for our study.
- Time in Egypt. This completed 430 years from the time Jacob
entered Egypt, corresponding to the 400 years God had told Abraham (Genesis
15:13). Probably for about 30 years when Joseph was ruler, the Israelites
were treated well.
- God's army. In the phrase "all the LORD's divisions left Egypt"
we see a word that relates to armies (cf. Exodus 7:4;12:51).15
The narrator tells us, "The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for
battle" (13:18b). Their weapons may have been primitive compared to the
Egyptians -- probably mainly staffs -- but they went out with a warrior
spirit, not as slaves "with their tail between their legs."
- Heterogeneous group.16
Not only Israelites left Egypt, but with them large numbers of other
oppressed peoples. Later these "rabble" cause some trouble (Numbers 11:4;
Leviticus 24:10-11).17
- Night Watch. Notice how this paragraph concludes; "the LORD kept
vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt" (12:42).18
The Lord took great care to pass over or to guard his people from the
destroyer and bring them through what must have been a terrifying night!
Exodus chapter 12 ends with these two verses:
"50 All the Israelites did just what
the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the
LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions." (Exodus 12:50-51)
The people's deliverance is founded on two elements mentioned in verse 50:
- Moses and Aaron obeyed what God had commanded them.
- The people obeyed what Moses and Aaron commanded them.
The KJV renders the Hebrew quite literally:
"Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD
commanded Moses and Aaron, so did19
they." (Exodus 12:50, KJV)
Very often in the Pentateuch, the people are expected to act on, follow
through on, obey what God has said. It is the key to receiving God's blessing.
Leaders must listen to God for direction and then act on that direction. But
a real kind of "followership" is required of the people, too. When they
recognize and follow Moses, God blesses them. But when they bicker and balk and
refuse to recognize God's leadership behind Moses, disaster follows. We leaders
can blame ourselves for people not following us -- and sometimes it is
our fault from impatience and lack of skill in leading -- but ultimately,
following God-appointed leaders is the people's responsibility. We cannot do
that for them.
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Q2. (Exodus 12:50) Why was obedience so important to the people's
deliverance? Why is obedience so important to our deliverance from "sin,
the flesh, and the devil"? Is there any discipleship without obedience?
Does a person who says he believes in Jesus but doesn't obey him have
real faith?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1043
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Up until now the people of Israel saw the mighty plagues in response to
Moses' meetings with Pharaoh and they obeyed his commands for preparation, for
Passover, for asking for jewelry from their neighbors, and for the actual
embarkation. But for the next part of the journey, Moses is not their only
guide. There is a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
"21 By day the LORD went ahead of them
in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire
to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22
Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its
place in front of the people." (Exodus 13:21-22)
"Pillar" is ʿammûd, "pillar, column, post," a common word for the
pillars supporting buildings, from the verb ʿāmad, "to stand."20
We see it mentioned a number of places in the Pentateuch and referred to
elsewhere in the Bible.21
We'll discuss it more later.
You and I would often like the clarity of this pillar, to both authenticate
our ministry before others and to set the direction clearly for the people. But
as the story of the Exodus unfolds, we observe that the continual presence of
this pillar of cloud and fire in the camp of Israel doesn't mean that Moses'
leadership was easy. The people grumbling against Moses was actually a grumbling
against the Lord, whom Moses represented (Exodus 16:8; See 1 Samuel 8:7-8).
But God didn't lead them on the easiest path! By far the fastest and direct
route between Egypt and Canaan is north to the Mediterranean Sea, and then along
a well-developed road on the Philistine coast, technically, the north Sinai
Mediterranean coast road. If the Israelites were to travel 10 miles a day, they
could have reached Canaan in just a few days.
However, the well-traveled Road to the Philistines had two drawbacks:
- The presence of military garrisons. Since this road was the most
natural place that Egypt's enemies would use to invade the country, it was
heavily fortified.22 To
travel along the "easiest" route would guarantee that the Israelites would
"face war."
- Nation-building time needed. After 400 years in Egypt, and the
final years in forced slavery, Israel was not a unified nation, but a
loosely confederated group of twelve tribes led by elders. Before Israel
would be ready to enter the Promised Land and conquer its inhabitants, it
would have to meet God, submit to his leadership, and learn to work together
under the leadership of an overall leader: Moses and, later, Joshua. You
can't shortcut the time it takes to mature.
Proposed route of the Exodus and 'Reed Sea' crossing from
Rameses to the Red Sea.
Larger image. |
We just don't know the exact location of the body of water identified in the
text as the "Red Sea," since the Hebrew phrase yām sûp is a term used in
the Old Testament to identify a number of different bodies of water. Yām
is used in the Old Testament over 300 times to refer to "sea" and about 70 times
for "west" or "westward."23
The word sûp means "reed, waterplant," a general term for marsh plants.24
No doubt the "Red Sea" (literally "Reed Sea," yām sûp) refers to some
body of water east of the Nile delta, probably either at Lake Timsah or at the
Great Bitter Lake, both of which lie along the present route of the Suez Canal.
You can explore this further in
Appendix 2 - The Route of the Exodus.
"1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2
'Tell the Israelites to turn back.... They are to encamp by the
sea.... 3 Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around
the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' 4 And I will harden
Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them." (Exodus 14:1-4a)
It's fascinating to see Yahweh's strategy: to have the Israelites "turn back"
(NIV, NRSV), "turn" (KJV)25 in
order to appear that they are confused and directionless, a tempting target to
attract the ruthless and hardhearted Pharaoh and his armies.
If Moses were to use Israel as bait, we would call it irresponsible, since
his main task would be to deliver the people of Israel from Egypt in the fastest
possible way. But for Yahweh to do so, with his pillar of cloud and fire to lead
them, it is entirely appropriate. Yahweh is not risking the people, but he has
an additional objective: to humble Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt in the process
of delivering the Israelites.
As devastated as Egypt has become through the Ten Plagues, Pharaoh can't
resist bringing the Israelites back. He and his officials are greedy.
"The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of
Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.26
The Egyptians -- all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops --
pursued the Israelites and overtook them...." (14:8-9)
Rameses II and chariot at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC).
Relief inside his Abu Simbel temple, Nubia, Southern Egypt.
Larger image. |
A chariot army is a terrifying weapon of war in ancient Egypt. While chariots
aren't very useful in the Judean hills that the Israelites will eventually claim
as their homeland, they are chillingly effective in the flat delta plain of
Egypt, as well as the flat coastal plains bordering the Mediterranean.
In a field action, a chariot division usually delivered the first strike, to
be followed by infantry advancing to exploit a tactical success. The largest
chariot battle ever fought took place about 1274 BC at the Battle of Kadesh in
Syria, when Rameses II attacked the Hittites, a battle involving perhaps 5,000
to 6,000 chariots.
An Egyptian light chariot contained one driver and one fighter, usually armed
with a bow. The chariot is fast and deadly -- all of the fear factor of cavalry,
but with the added accuracy of a stable shooting platform, with room to store
additional arrows (and short spears when the arrows were exhausted).
Pharaoh's pairs of horses thundering towards the Israelites threw them into
panic.
"10 As Pharaoh approached, the
Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They
were terrified and cried out to the LORD.
11 They said to Moses, 'Was it because
there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What
have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn't we say to
you in Egypt, "Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians"? It would have been
better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'" (Exodus
14:10-12)
To their credit, the Israelites "cried out to the LORD" (14:10b) as they had
during their oppression in Egypt (2:23-24). But they make the mistake of blaming
their leader for the problem -- as if Moses is leading on his own, rather than
following carefully what the Lord tells him to do. They say:
- Since we have to die, we would rather die in Egypt where we were
comfortable, rather than in this desolate desert.
- We told you to leave us alone, but you wouldn't listen.
- It would have been better to remain slaves than die in the desert.
I learned a lesson very early in my ministry, that when people praise me I
must understand that they are praising God working within me -- and that I must
pass that praise onto him, rather than keep it for myself to puff me up. What it
has taken me much longer to learn is that, if I am leading for God, people's
criticisms of me are actually criticisms of God's leadership through me -- and
that I must pass that criticism on to him and not keep it for myself to eat at
me.
Moses doesn't waste his time answering their petty criticisms. Instead, he
reaffirms to them the Lord's victory and tells them how to respond:
"13 Moses answered the people, 'Do not
be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you
today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The
LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'" (Exodus 14:13-14)
This is one of the classic encouragements in the entire Bible! Notice that
Moses offers three commands (to direct their activity) and makes three faith
assertions (to bolster their faith).
Commands:
- Do not be afraid. Fear is their central weakness. We see this
command especially on the lips of angels and Jesus in the Gospels.
- Stand firm.27
The opposite would be to run from the opposing army's forces. Recall Paul's
command:
-
"Put on the full armor of God, so that when
the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then...."
(Ephesians 6:13-14a)
- Be still.28
Stop whining!
Faith Assertions:
- You will see the deliverance29
the Lord will bring.
- You won't see the Egyptians ever again.
- The Lord will fight30
for you!
Moses' ministry here is one of command and of reassurance -- making faith
statements in the hearing of the people so they would believe God rather than be
panicked by their situation.
Again and again we see this theme: the Lord does battle on behalf of Israel.31
What is unique here is that the Israelites themselves don't have to fight at
all -- all the fighting is done by the Lord. In most cases, however, the
Israelites fight, but have a power-assist from the Most High God. When the
Israelites have crossed the Red Sea, this theme is celebrated in a mighty song,
declaring, "Yahweh is a warrior" (Exodus 15:3).
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Q3. (Exodus 14:11-14) Why do the people blame Moses for the advancing
Egyptian army? What motivates their fear? Who are the people really
blaming? How does Moses respond to their blame and fear? Why doesn't
Moses defend himself from their unfair criticism? How do the people
respond to Moses' words?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1044
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After comforting and encouraging the people, Moses has been crying out to God
himself in intercessory prayer.
"15 Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Why
are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise
your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that
the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.'" (Exodus 14:15-16)
Dear friends, there is a time a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) -- a
time to pray and cry out to God, and a time to act decisively in order that the
prayer might be answered. A time to take your stand, and a time to move on. This
is such a time!32
James J. Tissot, "The Waters Are Divided" (1896-1900),
watercolor, Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger image.
When Moses lifts his staff, an extension of his hand (14:16, 21, 27), God
acts by moving the "angel of God" to a position between Israel and her enemies:
"19 Then the angel of God, who had been
traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar
of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming
between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought
darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the
other all night long." (Exodus 14:19-20)
An unseen angel33 of God
has been protecting them. Notice in verse 19 that the angel is differentiated
from the pillar of cloud and fire, though the pillar follows the angel. The
pillar effectively separates the two armies during the night, serving as
darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites.
At Moses' gesture with his hand (and staff, see verse 16), "a strong east
wind," presumably off the desert to the east, divides the water with a wall of
water on each side (14:21-22). How a normal wind could make a wall34
of water to the right and left, we just don't know. Perhaps this is a kind
of narrow, directed blast. If these were reedy salt marshes with a soft bottom,
the wind would serve to dry them out enough so that the Israelites could cross
without sinking into the muck.35
Like other miracles that are one-of-a-kind events that God brings about,
it's difficult to describe them in terms of things we understand.
One of the themes of this part of Exodus is God "gaining glory" or "getting
honor" over the Egyptians. It's a difficult concept for us to grasp, but since
it is central here and elsewhere in the Old Testament, let's spend some time to
understand it.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will
pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his
army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." (Exodus 14:4)
"17 I will harden the hearts of the
Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory
through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18
The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory
through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." (Exodus 14:17-18)
The Exodus may seem to us to be about delivering a large group of people from
slavery. But if that's all we see, we're missing an important theme -- the glory
of Yahweh. This verb "gain glory" (NIV, NRSV), "get honor" (KJV) is the verb
kābēd, here in the Niphal stem. The basic meaning of the root is "to be
heavy, weighty," extending to the figurative idea of a "weighty" person in
society, someone who is honorable, impressive, noteworthy, worthy of respect.
Common translations are to be "honorable, honored, glorious, glorified."36
Up to the time of Moses, the name Yahweh had been relatively unknown (Exodus
6:2-3). When Moses tells Pharaoh that Yahweh says, "Let my people go," Pharaoh
replies, "Who is Yahweh, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know
Yahweh and I will not let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2).
According to the Egyptian religion, Pharaoh himself is a god; why should he
give any regard to the supposedly inferior God of his slaves? Pharaoh mocked the
Lord! His heart was arrogant and hard towards God. But after his army's Red Sea
disaster, he mocked no more.
We humans often view the pursuit of glory as vain and unworthy; we must be
humble. However, God is divine! He is King of the universe! For a petty Pharaoh
to defy the Living God must be answered with power, or God's reputation will not
be respected among the nations.
More than that, unless Yahweh soundly defeats the Egyptian oppressors, he
cannot gain the full faith and allegiance of his people. They have lived under
slavery and oppression for hundreds of years. They have been beaten into
submission and have a low view of themselves and their God compared to their
respect for Egypt and its gods that seem superior. The revelation of God's glory
in defeating Egypt is important for the sake of the Egyptians and the
Israelites.
But seeing God's glory demands responsible action from the people. Later,
when the people of Israel balk at entering the Promised Land, God tells them.
"21 As surely as I live and as surely
as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of
the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt
and in the desert ... will ever see the land I promised on oath to their
forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." (Numbers
14:21-23)
God's awesome glory demands faith and obedience!
Leaders, too, have a responsibility in the face of God's glory. We must not
take it for ourselves. Through Isaiah, the Lord says:
"I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols." (Isaiah 42:8)
"For my own sake,
for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another." (Isaiah 48:11)
Twice, in Exodus, we see the term "my glory" (Exodus 29:43; 33:22). It is not
ours, but God's. When he acts powerfully through our ministries, we must
acknowledge that the power is his, not ours.
We ourselves are created to glorify God. That is our purpose.
"… Everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7)
"... in order that we, who were the first to
hope in Christ,
might be for the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:12)
"And I, because of their actions and their
imaginations,
am about to come and gather all nations and tongues,
and they will come and see my glory.
I will set a sign among them,
and I will send some of those who survive to the nations ...
that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.
They will proclaim my glory among the nations." (Isaiah 66:18-19)
"Father, I want those you have given me
to be with me where I am, and to see my glory,
the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the creation of the world." (John 17:24)
"What if he did this to make the riches of
his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for
glory" (Romans 9:23)
|
Q4. (Exodus 14:4, 17-18) Why is God's glory important in the Exodus?
How is recognition of his glory important to faith? To holiness? To
reverence? What happens when leaders take for themselves the credit and
glory that should go only to God? How can leaders keep themselves from
pride?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1045
|
James J. Tissot, "The Egyptians Are Destroyed" (1896-1900),
watercolor, Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger image.
Now the Egyptians' stubbornness and hard hearts cause their doom.
"24 During the last watch of the night
the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and
threw it into confusion. 25 He made the wheels of their
chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians
said, 'Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them
against Egypt.'
... 27 Moses stretched out his hand
over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The
Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea....
30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore." (Exodus 14:24-25,
27, 30)
Look what result this had on the Israelites:
"And when the Israelites saw the great power the
LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and
put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." (Exodus 14:31)
Why did the Lord wipe out so many Egyptian soldiers in this operation? Four
answers may help us:
- Protection. So long as Pharaoh's army is intact, the Israelites
are not safe from attack. God has crushed their enemy.
- Glory. Until now, Pharaoh and the Egyptians had acted
disrespectfully towards God. No more. Yahweh is now honored and glorified as
a great God who has defeated the gods of Egypt.
- Faith. The people of Israel themselves had believed in the might
of Egypt over Yahweh's ability to save them. Now they "feared the LORD and
put their trust in him" (Exodus 14:31). The Lord is engaged in
nation-building. To have people trust in their God is the first step in
making a covenant with him at Mt. Sinai.
- Leadership. Moses, too, benefits from God's visible power. As the
Lord's servant, the people trust in him, as well. He is now able to lead
more effectively than before.
Chapter 15 begins, "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the
LORD…."What follows is a poetic psalm, much like the psalms in our Book of
Psalms, that show all the elements of Hebrew poetry.37
We can't cover it all, but here are the main elements. It begins:
"I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.38
The horse and its rider39
he has hurled into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him." (15:1-2)
James J. Tissot, "The Songs of Joy" (1896-1900),
watercolor, Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger image. |
The next stanza praises Yahweh as a great warrior, and recounts his exploits
over Egypt's army. What follows is a reflection on this unique, one-of-a-kind
God who has given victory:
"11 Who among the gods is like
you, O LORD?
Who is like you --
majestic40 in holiness,
awesome41 in glory,42
working wonders43 ?
12 You stretched out your right
hand
and the earth swallowed them.
13 In your unfailing love44
you will lead the people you have redeemed.45
In your strength you will guide46
them to your holy dwelling." (15:11-13)
The song concludes looking forward to entering the Promised Land and arriving
at God's dwelling place. In its final line it praises the Lord who will reign
forever as the King of Israel:
"The LORD will reign47
for ever and ever." (15:18)
The section concludes with a song sung by the women and led by Moses' sister
Miriam, who is called "the prophetess" here, recapping the first two lines of
the Song of Moses (15:1-2)
20 Then Miriam the prophetess,
Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her,
with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:
"Sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." (Exodus 15:20-21)
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your amazing triumph at the Red Sea. It defied the power
of the most powerful nation on earth and formed a people who would trust and
follow you, even in deserts. Thank you for Moses' steady leadership through
intense pressure. Give me that kind of fortitude to lead your people as well. In
Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
References
Abbreviations
Moses Bible Study - Discipleship and Leadership Lessons
HERE IS A POSTING FROM THE 2012 FORUM
This is what J mccanney has to say about
the red auroras.
October 31, 2011 posting ... HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!
about
the northeastern
record snow storm ... 1)
the national weather
service did not see it coming !!! 2) as i always say ... "you can't predict
the weather
if you do not know what causes
the weather"
... 3) listen to my lecture
of october 20 regarding "the
Winds
of Jupiter" a term i coined to describe exactly what is happening to
earth ... jim mccanney
October 28, 2011 posting ... this past week
there was another
comet that hit
the sun october 21 with
the electrical discharge between
the comet
and sun (as
the comet approached
the sun ... remember "action at a distance" from my books
and lectures) ... massive explosions occurred on
the solar surface just as happened with
the october 03, 2011 comet ... about 3 days later ...
the time for
the solar wind particles from
these explosions to hit earth's upper atmosphere ... earth
experienced a rare aurora display with RED auroras as far south as alabama
...
these RED auroras are very rare but i wanted to link this to
the biblical
and historical accounts
of red auroras ... not
the least
of which was recounted by
the israelites during
the time
of moses ... remember
the "red hand
of death" spoken
of in
the 10
plagues
of egypt ... well here is what happens ...
the electron streams from
the discharge
of
the solar capacitor ignites earth into a comet state (using my
"Plasma Discharge Comet Model") which attracts oxygen ions to
the regions hundreds
of miles above earth's atmosphere ... where
they fluoresce in
the 6300
and 6340 angstrom lines
of oxygen ...
these are red lines
of oxygen ... so in
the ancient days when
the great comets
of old (the
huge comets witnessed
and reported by
the ancients ... not
the puffy little nothing comets we have seen in recent historical
times) ... when
these great comets lit up
the sky
and interacted electrically with earth ...
the only difference in
the moses story leading
the israelites was that
the comet also poisoned
the atmosphere with a pandoras
box
of lethal organic molecules as earth passed through
the comet tail ...
the Kolbrin also is very specific that
the poisonous gases burned
the throats
and lungs
of people at that time ... so once again ... we see scientific proof
of what
the ancients saw ... once again standard
science denies this by not reporting or identifying really what is going on
and to boot ... NASA once again cut
the feeds from
the solar observing satellites at
the critical moment that proves that
these comets are in fact interacting with
the solar surface
and causing
these massive explosions on
the surface
of
the sun ... NASA once again hiding data to protect its pet
theories
and misguided fairy tale science ... jim mccanney
link to site
and his weekly radio show.
http://www.jmccanneyscience.com
FROM:
http://2012forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26003
-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
emissions are also a precursor to particulates in
the atmosphere. Both of these impacts are
cause for concern over the environmental impact of
...
-
Sep 16, 2009 –
Sulfur dioxide is a gas. It is
invisible and has a nasty, sharp smell. It reacts
easily with other substances to form harmful
compounds, such as ...
-
wattsupwiththat.com/.../large-atmospheric-sulfur-dioxide-experiment...Cached
-
Similar
You +1'd this publicly.
Undo
-
volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/index.php
Jun 11, 2010 –
Eruptions of Kilauea Volcano
release large quantities of sulfur dioxide
gas into the atmosphere that can lead to
volcanic air pollution on the ...
-
www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/.../ff_geoengineering?...
Jun 23, 2008 –
One approach is to inject sulfur dioxide
into the stratosphere, where it ...
aggressive intervention, either in
the upper atmosphere or low Earth
...
-
pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie50272a006
by SW Griffin -
1932 -
Cited by 6 -
Related articles
of sulfur dioxide in the
atmosphere. Under usual jeld conditions the
method is chemically delicate to 0.02 part of sulfur
dioxide per 1,000,000 parts of air.
-
sulfur dioxide is fairy
reactive in air, it reacts with water in the air to
form sulfurous acid, which is acid rain, SO2(g) +
H2O(l) H2SO3(aq). Acid rain pretty much kills ...
-
Sulfur Dioxide is a
poisonous gas,When the fumes of sulfur dioxide
are released in the atmosphere it combines
with the normal rain to form Sulfuric acid(acid
...
-
[PDF]
www1.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/.../HandbookSulfurOxides.pdf?...
File Format: PDF/Adobe
Acrobat -
Quick View
Sulfur dioxide
dissolves readily in water present in the atmosphere
to form sulfurous acid (H2SO3). About. 30% of the
sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere is con-
...
-
Jan 11, 2005 –
Sulphur dioxide,
SO2, enters the atmosphere as a result of
both natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities,
e.g.: combustion of fossil ...
THE PREDICTION ALSO MENTIONS THE DEATH OF THE POPE AND IF
ANYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION THE POPE CAN NO LONGER WALK BY HIMSELF. HE IS NOT
LOOKING WELL AT ALL.
