Moses - episode 4

We continue Moses’ story with the Hebrews’ going out of Egypt (Exodus 13 and following). The prophecy that Joseph, Jacob’s son, made many years before is fulfilled: Egypt is not the land that the Lord has promised to their Fathers, so the permanence of Israel in that place can not last forever. «God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea of Suf; and the children of Israel went up in five [divisions] out of the land of Egypt. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.” They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, did not depart from before the people». Pharaoh, however, repents of having let them go and chases them with his army. The Israelites are trapped between the Sea of Suf and the Egyptian soldiers and complain to Moses: «“Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall be still.” The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”». This situation gives us a foretaste of what will be the journey to the Promised Land. There is a whimpering and disobedient people that regrets their past of slavery, under Moses’ patient guidance and tireless intercession before God (from the Lord’s answer we sense that there must have been a harsh dialogue between Moses and him, even if it is not reported in the text).

The sea actually opens, the Israelites go, and the Egyptians are overwhelmed.

 

 

I invite you to read the beautiful praise that the freed people devotes to his Lord (Exodus 15):«I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him […]».The euphoria of the moment does not last long: the journey in the desert is hard and the people constantly complain about the lack of food and water. The Lord provides sending the Manna (a sort of seed that every morning, except on Saturdays, deposited on the ground) and quails that they can hunt. The Lord even makes sweet the undrinkable waters of Marah. The manna in particular urges a daily act of faith, trusting that God’s Providence will be constant: it can be collected in the mere necessary amount of the single day, otherwise it rots. The only exception is on Friday, when they have to take even the portion for the Saturday (day of the holy rest of Sabbath). The Manna also foreshadows another Bread which came down from heaven: Jesus himself (see John 6).

During their journey the Israelites have to fight against the people of Amalek: «Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset. Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword». In this story the Scripture emphasizes that we can win the toughest battles only by maintaining an attitude of praise and thanksgiving to God (hands up), without losing courage, helped by the community of believers (Aaron and Hur supporting Moses).

Unfortunately a large part of the people lacks the faith in the God who freed them and who will provide for them with love throughout the journey (they disobey the requirements on the Manna, causing its rot). Moses and his brother Aaron are in a very awkward position: they are the Lord’s representatives who suffer the anger and the fickleness of Israel as soon as something goes wrong. The Lord does not punish the people because Israel is not yet officially engaged in a pact with them: this will happen on Mount Sinai and we will narrate it in the next post.