Reaching the Other Shore of Exile

An Echoing Song

Is the salvation at the Red Sea a one-off?  Thankfully not! Otherwise Israel would never reach its intended destination.

G-d makes a path through the depths of the sea. Pharaoh's army is drowned but Israel sings:

The L-RD is my strength and my song,
and He has become my salvation (Exodus 15:2).

The words of this song echo throughout the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 118:14) and prophets (e.g., Isaiah 12:2). They project them right into the messianic age and that gives hope: the crossing of the red sea is a template for more to come!

An Eluding Destination

In the Song of the Sea, Moses not only reflects on what happened but also looks forward. He also speaks prophetically about Israel’s final destination:

You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O L-RD, which You made for Your abode, the sanctuary, O L-rd, which Your hands have established (Exodus 15:17).

This description sounds like re-entering paradise. But, as we continue reading the scriptures, it looks like this goal keeps eluding us.

First, because of Israel’s unbelief, the goal is delayed by forty years of desert wanderings. But even when Israel enters the land, the people still aren't securely planted in G-d’s presence (compare Psalm 92:13).

Instead, because of sin, Israel is uprooted, separated from G-d in exile! “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your G-d” (Isaiah 59:2) is the judgment of the prophets.

Is the L-RD also able to deal with our “Red Sea” of sin – this barrier which keeps us from our final destination? If we remain stuck before the Red Sea of our sins we are more doomed than when Pharaoh once threatened to overtake the people.

A Passionate Plea

At one point in the book of Isaiah, the prophet passionately appeals to the One who took care of the monster which Egypt once was for Israel, and who split the sea to deliver His people. Please, L-RD act once more! Please deal now with the great problem of sin and exile:

Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the L-RD;
awake as in the days of old,
the generations.
Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces,
who pierced the dragon?
Was it not You who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to pass over?
So the ransomed of the L-RD shall return and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 51:9-11).

Seeing the Arm of the L-RD

This prayer didn’t remain unanswered. The L-RD’s arm woke up indeed. He came in the person of Messiah as our ultimate redeeming sacrifice and conquered over sin and death (Isaiah 53). By doing so He “split the Red Sea” of our sins.

See also Isaiah 53, the gate to Shalom.

G-d acted, but not everyone recognized it. The question is: have your eyes been opened for what G-d has worked through the Messiah? This is crucial for crossing over to the shore of safety.

Who has believed what we have heard and to whom has the arm of the L-RD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1).

Singing at Last

Tragically a large part of Israel has not yet recognized the arm of the L-RD. But that will change. At last Israel will safely arrive at the other side of exile and sing the Song of the Sea again, with some extra lines added:

You will say in that day:
I will give thanks to You, O L-RD,
for though You were angry with me,
Your anger turned away,
that You might comfort me.
Behold G-d is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid;
For the L-RD G-D is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation (Isaiah 12:1-2).

Literally the Hebrew text states “He has become for me salvation” (Yeshuah, ישועה). When reading this we cannot but think of the name of the Messiah: Yeshua (ישוע). Because in Him the L-RD really became salvation for us. Through Him we join the Song of the Sea at the other side of the exile.

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