The Crossing of the Red Sea
Long, long ago - about 3,000 years ago - the chosen people of God, called the Hebrews,
were living as slaves in the land of Egypt. The king of the Egyptian people, who was
called Pharaoh, was very cruel to his Hebrew slaves, and he made them work very, very
hard. For nearly 400 years, Pharaoh was very mean to the Hebrews, and they were sad
and tired.
But God heard the groans and cries of the Hebrew people, and God raised up a prophet
named Moses, whom God intended to be the one to lead the Hebrews out of the land of
Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go!” But Pharaoh said, “No!” So God
sent a plague on the land of Egypt. Once again, Moses said to Pharaoh, “Let my people
go!” And once again, Pharaoh said, “No!” So God sent still another plague upon the
land, and another, and another. In fact, nine times Moses said, “Let my people go!” and
nine times, Pharaoh replied, “No!” Finally, God sent one last and terrible plague upon
the Egyptians, and finally, Pharaoh said, “Go!”
Quickly, before Pharaoh could change his mind, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt.
They hurried out toward the east, headed for the land of Canaan. But not long after they
had started out, old Pharaoh changed his mind again! And he sent his Egyptian army
chasing after the Hebrews. Soon, the Hebrews came upon the Red Sea. They believed
that they would surely die there, for they were trapped between the deep waters of the
Red Sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other.
But just then, God told Moses to raise his staff above the water of the Red Sea. As
Moses did so, the waters of the Red Sea parted, and the Hebrews passed through the
waters on dry land. But when the Egyptian army was crossing through the waters, God
commanded Moses to drop his arms, and as he did, the waters of the Red Sea came
crashing back in on the Eqyptians, and they were swallowed up by the sea.
The people of God were free at last, and as they looked back at the Red Sea, they knew
that, by the power of the water, God had delivered them and set them free at last.
And the Hebrew people danced for joy. And the waters danced with them! And the
same God who came to the rescue of those people long, long ago still comes to us today,
helping us to provide pure, clean water, bringing freedom from water-borne disease to
God’s people everywhere.
So let all God’s people say, ‘Amen!’