Exodus 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Hollywood 2, the sequel. Surely if the original was a hit, the sequel will be a money maker. Perhaps yesterday’s devotional wasn’t exactly a hit movie, maybe more like a preview. Here we see the execution of God’s word to Moses from 14:16. While yesterday I teased you with verses 17 and 18, I have left out verses 19 and 20 today.  A good sequel follows the premise of the original.

So what are we missing here? What wasn’t in the movie that was in the Word? Let us look and see for ourselves.

¹⁹ And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

²⁰ And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Egypt is kept in the dark while Israel is shown the light. This point is lost on Hollywood. Can you see separation and protection? We call that sanctification. Please note that this occurs before the east wind blows and makes a way to escape. Egypt cannot see salvations plan while Israel in the light gets to witness God’s mercy and grace extended towards them.

Is this what caused the hardening of the hearts of the Egyptians? Is there anything there for us to understand? Nothing hardens the heart of a person faster than being excluded. We are hated among all the other beliefs on earth because we say that there is no other name by which you must be saved but Jesus. They ignore the fact that the offer is extended to all who will say yes.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Be the light for those in darkness.

Exodus 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

What do you picture this verse in your mind? How does your mind play out this scene? Pause this reading here and do that. What happens next?

Ready?

Now see God’s word.

¹⁷ And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

¹⁸ And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

Chances are you thought the hardening of the hearts of the Egyptians came earlier. Don’t feel bad, most perceptions of what happened are not derived from the bible, they are the conveniences of the Hollywood script. Hollywood has made many epic movies about bible stories. You have to remember that Hollywood is about making a profit. You have to finance and have a large return on investment to set up the financing of your next project. It isn’t about the story, it’s about the money.

How many unbelievers do you think are swayed by the visual imagery of the movies and open up a bible to read the Word of God? Do you go to the Word to see the truth of the matter? Tomorrow I will continue this story from the Word. In the mean time I will quote my wife. I had given her the Robert Ludlum book the Bourne Identity after she had enjoyed the movie. She said this!

“The book is so much better.”