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My wife and i are currently reading through the Bible in a year together with a group of friends in our faith community. We started midway through September and are now in the Book of Deuteronomy. Since we have spent the last several weeks reading about and discussing the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and their journey through the wilderness, we decided to all get together and watch the movie The Prince of Egypt.
You may recall the movie was produced by Dream Works back in the late 90’s and is an animated portrayal of the first fourteen chapters of the Book of Exodus—following the life of Moses from his birth to his God-appointed task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The movie concludes right after the dramatic crossing of the Israelites through the parted Red Sea, as they flee the approaching Egyptian army. Though fictional license is used in the telling of the story, the scene when the people make their journey across the dry sea bed in the path God has provided for their escape inspires thoughts of what the actual experience must have been like for them.
Whether or not they were able to see sea life swimming on the other side of the walls of water that bordered their path as the movie depicts, it is still a reminder of the awe they must have felt as the majestic hand of God parted the waters to make the way for their escape. There could be no denying the miraculous workings of God on their behalf. Imagine the silence of the million-plus people as they stood there on the east bank of the sea, probably with their mouths open, watching the sea come back together covering the path they had just walked and defeating their approaching enemy. It is a moment one could never forget.
And yet, three days later they did forget.(1) Scholars have different opinions as to the actual date/day of the week of the crossing, so let’s say it was Monday. The silence had turned to reverent praise of the One who had saved them as they sang, “Who is glorious in holiness like You – so awesome in splendor, performing such wonders?”(2) Then by Thursday they had turned against Him. On Monday they had experienced one of the greatest miracles of God, but by Thursday they had again lost hope. On Monday they had walked through walls of water without even getting their feet wet, but by Thursday they were crying out that they had been left to die of thirst.
As the people walked away from the Red Sea, they journeyed through the Shur Desert, or the Wilderness of Shur. The name “Shur” means walled enclosure. On Monday, God had led them through a walled enclosure of water; and for the three days thereafter He had led His people through a walled enclosure of wilderness. God’s way was straight; God’s way was sure. He provided the walls surrounding their way in order to direct them and protect them. As long as they walked in His way, they were assured of His presence, His protection, His provision, and His power.
They could be assured that though enemies and circumstances had entered their path and had threatened to defeat them, He had permitted the intrusion for the sole purpose that His glory be demonstrated through it. He had allowed the Egyptian army to enter the walls of water through the Red Sea so they might be defeated for His glory. And now He had allowed Marah (bitter waters) to enter the Israelites’ way through the wilderness for that same purpose. Was the God who was able to defeat the one enemy on Monday able to overcome the other on Thursday? Was the God who had declared Himself to be their God, who had promised to redeem them, deliver them and lead them able to see them through any and every hardship or trial? Did that include the bitter waters of Marah?
How quickly we too forget—that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who turned the bitter waters sweet, is the same God who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He is the same God who has promised to make our way straight and sure. He has ordered our steps before us and made a way in the wilderness. We can walk in His assurance that nothing can enter into our way that He has not permitted. And if He has permitted it, He has done so with the assurance that He will use it for His glory and for our good. There is nothing too minor and there is nothing too big. And that promise is not only for Monday; that promise extends to Thursday and every other day.
Let us remember that God took that bitter water, that bitter circumstance, and didn’t just make it drinkable or palatable – He made it good. You see, whatever God transforms, He reshapes in such a way that it is ultimately for our good. That is the assurance that Paul writes about in Romans 8:28. Everything that God ever created or transformed, He has declared to be good.
So, let us continue to boldly walk in the path that He has set our feet upon – His “Shur” way for us – with a confidence that as we walk in His way, our way is sure!
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You can read about the parting of the Red Sea and the Israelites’ travel through the Shur wilderness in the Book of Exodus chapters 14 and 15.
The post is taken from chapter 8 of my book, The Journey Begins. For more information about the book, click here.
(1) Exodus 15:22-25 (NLT)
Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the Shur Desert. They traveled in this desert for three days without water. When they came to Marah, they finally found water. But the people couldn't drink it because it was bitter. (That is why the place was called Marah, which means "bitter.") Then the people turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded.
So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a branch. Moses took the branch and threw it into the water. This made the water good to drink.
(2) Exodus 15:11 (NLT)
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