Through Di Sea

For dia back, di noise of chariots dey sound like thunder. For dia front, na sea. Plenty-plenty families, no where to run again. And one man, wey hold shepherd stick, dey tell dem make dem no fear.

For many generations, di children-children of Jacob don dey live for Egypt. For di beginning, dem be welcome guests. But one new Pharaoh come power wey see dem as danger. E make dem slaves. Dem dey make bricks and build cities under wicked taskmasters. And dem cry to God. Moses na one of dem, one Hebrew wey grow up inside Pharaoh own house. But when e be young man, e run comot from Egypt, and now, many years after, e don be shepherd for wilderness, far from home, dey take care of im father-in-law animals.

One day, near Horeb, di mountain of God, Moses see something wey strange. One bush dey burn, but e no dey burn finish. E go near. And God call am from inside di bush. “Moses! Moses!” “I dey here.” “No come near. Remove your sandals, because di place wey you dey stand na holy ground.” Then God talk, “I don see di suffering of my people for Egypt. I don hear dia cry. I don come down to rescue dem. So now, go. I dey send you go meet Pharaoh.” Fear catch Moses. “Who I be,” e ask, “wey I go go?” And God answer, “I go dey with you.” When Moses ask God for im name, God talk, “I BE WHO I BE.”

So Moses go. Again and again e stand for Pharaoh front and talk, “Let my people go.” Again and again Pharaoh refuse, even as one plague dey follow anoda one for di land. Then di last night reach. God tell di Israelites make dem prepare one meal. Every house go take one lamb, roast am, and chop am quick-quick, with sandals for leg, stick for hand, ready to move. Dem go put some of di lamb blood for di frame of dia door. Dat night, judgment pass through Egypt, and di first born of Egypt die. But where di Lord see di blood, e pass over. Big cry rise for di whole land. And for di darkness, Pharaoh call Moses and talk, “Go.”

So dem go. Men, women and children, sheep and cows. God lead dem for day with one pillar of cloud, and for night with one pillar of fire. But Pharaoh change im mind. E gather im chariots, six hundred of di best, and e pursue dem. Di Israelites camp near di sea when dem look up and see Egypt army dey come. Fear catch dem well-well. “No grave dey for Egypt,” dem shout for Moses, “wey you come carry us come here make we die?” And Moses answer, “No fear. Stand strong, and una go see di deliverance wey di Lord go bring for una today. Di Lord go fight for una. Na only to dey still una need.”

Di pillar of cloud move go dia back, e stand between Israel and Egypt. Darkness for one side. Light for di oda side. Then Moses stretch im hand over di sea. And di whole night, di Lord use strong east wind push di sea back. Di water divide. And di Israelites waka for di middle of di sea on top dry ground, with wall of water for dia right and for dia left. Di Egyptians follow dem enter. But dia chariot tyres jam, and dem no fit move well. When day break, Moses stretch im hand again, and di sea flow go back to im place. Pharaoh army don disappear. For di oda side, Israel stand, dem dey safe. Dem see wetin di Lord do, and dem put dia trust for am, and for im servant Moses.

You fit don notice one tin. For Hebrew language, dem call di water for dis story yam suph. Plenty English Bible translate am Red Sea, as di old Greek translation do. But di word suph na di same word wey dem use for di reeds near River Nile, where dem hide baby Moses for im basket. So many scholars translate am Sea of Reeds. Exactly where dem cross, people still dey argue am. But wetin Exodus make clear well-well na who make di road.

Dis story come from Exodus, chapter three, and chapter twelve reach fourteen. One shepherd wey fear dey catch. One people wey dem trap, wey fear full dia body. And one God wey make road through di sea. So see one tin to think about. Wetin dey feel like sea for your front right now, and how e go look like to stand strong and trust God with am?