On September 21, 2010 the web site Our Amazing Planet published an article which reported on a recent study by the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Focusing on a particular location on the Red Sea, scientists have come to the conclusion that ideal storm conditions, consisting mainly of a strong east wind blowing at least 63 mph, could have reproduced the scenario described in Exodus 14. The text says:
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So 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” (verses 21-22).
The following statement was made by one of the NCAR researchers, Carl Drews:
People have always been fascinated by this Exodus story, wondering if it comes from historical facts. What this study shows is that the description of the waters parting indeed has a basis in physical laws.
While this would seem to be a wonderful vindication of the Exodus account, it is nothing of the sort. It is important to note that the article does not endorse the Biblical account of the Exodus. The writer of the article, Brett Israel, clearly distanced himself from the Exodus narrative as being historically plausible. He wrote, “While archaeologists and Egyptologists have found little evidence that any events described in Exodus actually happened, the study outlines a perfect storm that could have led to the 3,000-year-old escape.” Without disputing the actual accuracy of his claims, we note that he does not believe in the Exodus narrative.
In fact, the introductory words of the article show the bias. Instead of attributing the event to God’s intervention, the article begins, “Mother Earth could have parted the Red Sea, hatching the great escape described in the biblical book of Exodus, a new study finds.” This blasphemy is often repeated among the skeptical. Perhaps we can find some natural phenomenon, (they think), which can supply a plausible, naturalistic explanation of claimed events, written by an obviously ignorant and superstitious people.
Years ago this was a common practice in such magazines as Popular Science, as scientists sought to give a natural explanation for the star that shone above the bed of Jesus after his birth (cf. Matthew 2:9), the events following His death (cf. Matthew 27:50-53), and the Ten Plagues which preceded the Exodus out of Egypt (Exodus 7-11).
Such attempts are actually injurious to faith, as they seek to give natural explanations for what the Bible claims to be miraculous events. Christians should be careful to not embrace or endorse such attempts. They do not help our cause!
Read again the Exodus account. First, the angel of God came between the Israelites and Egyptians, protecting His people through the night (14:19-20). Then, as Moses stretched out his hand, “the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land” (14:21). Later, “the Lord” took the wheels off the Egyptians’ chariots, and “overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (14:25-27). The Lord did it, not Mother Earth. It happened as described in His word. And, it needs no scientific study to make it plausible. He who spoke the universe into existence is more than capable of parting the sea, regardless of whether such a parting “has a basis in physical laws.”
