The parting of the Red sea, or perhaps the Reed sea, is a major portion of the Exodus story. Trapped against the sea and facing the wrath of the Egyptian army, the people of Israel seem doomed. During the night however a strong wind blows and parts the sea, offering an escape route.
"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left." (Exodus 14:21-22)
Once the people of Israel had reached safety, the waters closed in on the Egyptians, thus ending the pursuit and the danger. There are two elements to the parting of the sea. The first is obvious, is it possible for a strong wind to push back the sea? Secondly, if the sea were parted, was it an act of God, or a freak of nature which took place at a very opportune time for the people of Israel? Surprisingly, the first answer is not as cut an dry as most Biblical critics would have you believe.
In 2010 researchers from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado used computer models to reconstruct the area in question. They studied maps of the area, archaeologically records and satellite measurements to pin point a location where such an event were possible. They found an area in the south Mediterranean where some believe the Nile River drained into an ancient lake called Tanis. The computer model showed a 63 mile per hour wind blowing across the region for a period of 12 hours would push back the water and create an effect very similar to the one recorded in Exodus. The area created by the model was three miles wide and up to two and a half miles long. Once the wind died down the waters quickly returned to their original levels.
Carl Drews headed the research and is quoted as saying; " People have always been fascinated by this Exodus story, wondering if it comes from historical facts," Drews says. "What this study shows is that the description of the waters parting indeed has a basis in physical laws."
Drews went on to say, "The Simulations match fairly closely with the account in Exodus. The parting of the waters can be understood through fluid dynamics. The wind moves the water in a way that's in accordance with physical laws, creating a safe passage with water on two sides and then abruptly allowing the water to rush back in."
Others will point to this as simply being a freak act of nature being interpreted as an act of God. While in all fairness this must be included as one possibility, if true it seems it would have been a remarkable act of luck and perfect timing for the Israelites. This extremely rare act of nature would have taken place exactly when it was needed and lasted the proper length of time. After all, if it had lasted just a little longer, the Egyptians would have made it through the sea as well. If this was simply an act of nature, it was an extremely well timed event.
Another possibility must also be considered for both the timing and location of these events. We have seen that what the Bible records is physically possible and is in accordance with the laws of nature, but just perhaps it is not a record of nature imitating God, but of God manipulating nature. Historical author John Bright had this to say on the subject. "If Israel saw in this the hand of God, the historian certainly has no evidence to contradict it!"
Is this absolute proof the events took place? No, but this does provide scientific evidence the events recorded were possible. This type of event offers no physical evidence, but they were recorded in the Bible which has proven over and over again through the centuries to be an amazingly accurate and reliable historical document. Critics have always pointed to the parting of the Sea as pure fiction. Now that science has proven this event possible, what will critics next find to dispute the events? At what point do these arguments loose all relevance and begin to be seen for what they truly are, a biased and narrow minded point of view regarding the Bible and the events it so accurately records.
Good info.
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