by Mary Elizabeth Robertson
I've never been a person who reads the end of the book first. But the Bible is my exception. I know how it ends. I'm familiar with most of the stories. So, today, as I'm reading about the Israelite crossing of the Red Sea a few obvious things stand out to me, but I had to forget what I already knew about God in order to dig a little deeper and learn what this experience was beginning to teach the Israelites about our God.
At the point of Exodus 14:4, the Israelites have fled Egypt and God is giving Moses the next step of the plan. The verse says:
"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."
A few more times during today's passage it repeats that God's purpose through this is to be known as "the Lord," Yahweh, the One who redeems his people. A previous passage, Exodus 6:2-3, explains why this is such a big deal:
"God also said to Moses, 'I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them.'"
Prior to this experience, the Israelites had experienced God as El-Shaddai or "God Almighty," but here at the Red Sea, God wanted to introduce more of his character to his people. I love that wherever God is bringing me (and this text leaves no doubt that God is doing the leading), it is so that I can know him and experience him more than in the past. There is purpose to his plans for me. God is intentional in wanting me to know him.
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