4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.
One of the funny controversies of the Exodus is where it took place. Those who want to deny that any miracle happened say that it took place in the Reed Sea, a shallow marsh north of the Red Sea. During certain periods of history that marsh can partially dry up allowing the Israelites to walk of the firm sections and escape. The Egyptians with their chariots and horses sunk and couldn’t make the crossing. There are many things about this revision of history that just doesn’t fit. One of them is found in today’s verses. The very foundation of our faith is at stake. If we can’t trust the Scriptures, then it is up to us to discover God for ourselves. If the Scriptures are not true, then we are searching in the dark for answers that may or may not exist. Notice what the text says. These were deep waters that covered them. They sank like a stone. The imagery is clear. They did not die because of a miracle of mud, but a miracle of water. They drown in the water that had walled up on each side of the Israelites. They didn’t get stuck in the mud and sulk away in embarrassment. The miracle was not the Egyptian Army drowning in a few feet of water. That would be a miracle, but that is not what happened. We can trust the Scriptures. They are true, not just spiritually, but historically as well. When the waters that had built up on each side of the Israelites as they pass through the Red Sea returned to their previous location, the Egyptian Army was swept up in the torrent of water. The churning and swirling would have made it impossible for them to ride it out. They were clothed in their fighting gear. They would have been swept off their feet and spun around in the ensuing torrent. But the Israelites walked over on dry ground and remained safe. Trust the Scriptures. The following verses expand the description of this destruction. We can trust the Scriptures.
The Arnold Journey 