This picture brings back a lot of memories of upstate New York. I especially liked the Autumn season, where the brilliant mix of colors astounded the eyes with its complexity. Often, there would be a mist in the morning and when it cleared even more color greeted the eyes. Mornings were a special time, a time of possibilities, when the day unfolded and hope was in the air. The following passage from the book of Exodus was one such morning.
Exodus 14:15-31 (WEB)
15) Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16) Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
17) I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18) The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
19) The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20) It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one didn’t come near the other all the night.
21) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22) The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23) The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24) It happened in the morning watch, that Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25) He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
26) Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
27) Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28) The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29) But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
30) Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31) Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh, and in his servant Moses.
Slaves, they were mostly slaves. And Egypt was the mightiest nation of its era. Yet God was victorious over them. This episode gave courage and hope to God's chosen people and helped them coalesce into the nation of Israel. What a beautiful morning that must have been!!!