By Kimberlee Hauss
Moses lifted his hand over the waters and the Lord sent an east wind and parted them. The Israelites walked across on dry land until Moses stretched his hand out again.
The waters returned to their place, drowning the entire Egyptian army that had been pursuing the Israelites. So goes the Old Testament story from Exodus 14:21-22, 27-28.
We have probably all heard this story in Sunday school or vacation Bible school countless times. In fact, you may have just skimmed over this story thinking, “I already know what happens.” But how many of us have stopped to ponder the miracle that took place when Moses led God’s people out of Egypt? It was nothing short of impossible. At least that is what many have always thought.
But CNN reported in September that researchers have discovered through computer simulations that the parting of the waters recorded in Exodus is, indeed, possible. A team at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado at Boulder studied maps of the region, archaeological records and satellite measurements. They found a place south of the Mediterranean Sea where a branch of the Nile River drained into the ancient Lake of Tanis.
Computer simulations of a 63 mph east wind blowing across the area for 12 hours show the 6-feet-deep waters parting, exposing a mud flat 2-to-2.5 miles long and 3 miles wide for four hours. The simulations predict when the winds die down, the waters flow back with a force great enough to drown anyone on the mud flat. Researchers concluded the evidence proves the biblical account of Moses and the Israelites is possible according to physical laws.
As often as scientists try to prove the Bible false, God’s creation continues to testify otherwise. The complexity of the eye, the marvel of the galaxies and countless archaeological findings of ancient places recorded in the Bible give evidence to the truth of God’s Word. This research reinforces the validity of a biblical account that many skeptics have probably read and discounted as impossible.
However, as encouraging as the findings may be for Christians, we must remember God is not limited by human explanations or scientific proof. If researchers never found a way to physically explain the phenomenon that took place when the waters parted, I would still believe the Israelites walked across dry land and escaped the Egyptian army.
God is capable of doing the impossible and performing miracles we as mere humans cannot explain.
Job 5:9 says, “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
After the Israelites escaped the Egyptians and were wandering in the desert, God showed Moses his glory and gave him the Ten Commandments. He then told Moses in Exodus 34:10: “Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you today.”
God displayed his power to Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world at that time, through the Israelites so his name would be known throughout the Earth. God performs seemingly impossible miracles so he alone gets the glory and the credit because we cannot explain them apart from him.
