Identifying with Exodus
[Israel fleeing, the parting of the Red Sea, a reading of Exodus 12–14]
So don’t freak out when I say the word myth. Much of the bible is a myth. Myth does not mean true or untrue, rather, it means stories people learn from. The word myth comes from the Greek word mythos, which means story of the people. In many cultures, myths contain both fact and fiction, and that is also the case with our scripture. Stories like Adam and Eve, Jonah being swallowed by a whale or fish, the flood of the whole earth, are all most likely fiction, though I never doubt the ability of God to be able to do anything that defies nature as we know it.
Whether or not Israel was actually enslaved in Egypt is a topic of debate among scholars. Many of the Old Testament kings named in the Book of Kings are found in literary work outside of the bible. David and Solomon do not appear to be. They may be fictional characters, they may be real. We simply do not know. I bring this up because myths are how ancient people learn. To them it wasn’t about how did something scientifically happen. The help people with hope and instruction. They are different from fairy tales, not only because they can contain facts, but because they do not always have happy endings. Myths follow the structure of life. They help us find meaning in suffering. Myths help us understand who we are in relation to the supernatural like the Bible does for who we are and who God is, the meaning and role of creation, etc. The bible is a myth that contains truth, regardless of the parts that may not contain facts.
For example, assuming Genesis 1, the creation of the world in six days, is fiction, the truth we gain from it is rich and deep. We learn about the rhythm of life, working six days and resting on the seventh, that humanity was created in the image of God, and that God is the creator. This is all true regardless of factual credibility.
The Exodus story is a classic myth to help people in bondage to understand who God is, what God will do, and what that means for us. It’s a shame that modern culture does not value myths more. Whether or not the ancient Jews were slaves of Egypt, we know Jewish people have suffered plenty of hardships throughout history. Exodus is something they lean on for survival and faith in God.
In the initial part of the Exodus in chapter twelve, after the Israelites left Egypt, they were guided by a pillar of clouds during the day and a pillar of fire during the night. This is a travel story, how God will provide and that God is the one leading them. Reading this helps us root ourselves in a similar way. God sent them in a specific direction to avoid conflict with other people groups in order to keep their spirits up. God provided them the cloud and flame, to guide them, but also to help them remember who is leading them
In the next part of the story, Pharoah and the Egyptians realize they made a mistake in letting their free labor go. They assembled the army and chased after the Israelites. Here, the stage has been set. The honeymoon is over and the trouble begins. The previous portion was New Years of 2020. As 2019 was a really difficult year for a lot of people, there was hope of something better. This part of the story with Egypt bearing down on the Israelites is late February through mid-March. The virus is coming to the US and fast. The stock market is crashing. People are wondering what is going to happen next. A threat is imminent, businesses are closing.
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?
Let’s put this in our context:
God, why is this happening across the world? What have we done to deserve this? To deserve watching loved ones get sick and die, to watch people lose their life’s work and their livelihood, to lose the importance of human to human bondage that is essential for human flourishing?
In this part of the story, Moses stands firm and reminds the people that God delivered them and that God will provide. That provision, however, requires both faith and action from the people. They must keep moving! Moses stands as the steady rock. Stand firm, God will provide.
The last part of the reading is the part most people know, the part where Moses lifts his staff, and by the power of God, the Red Sea parts, and the Israelites pass safely. After they pass, the sea comes back together washing away the army chasing them.
God delivers.
This time is a test of faith for us. I’m not saying God is intentionally testing our faith, but hard situations like this make such tests unavoidable. Jesus warned us to build our house on rock so that when the storm comes, the house will survive. This is not God’s punishment for anything any of us did, it’s just part of the ebbs and flows of life. The Israelites did not do anything to provoke the wrath of Pharoah and the Egyptians. Sometimes it is just what happens.
While I don’t believe God ordained this to bring us back to God, or as punishment, I do believe God can use this to guide us more closely. As we are in this period of wandering as we seek the promised land, or in this case, the promised normalcy of social interaction, getting back to work and finding meaning, we wrestle with God and God’s provision just like the ancient Israelites wandering the desert in Exodus. The Exodus is now the story of us.
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