The Presence Of God Never Departed

The sixteenth reading from the Torah is named Beshalach, which means “When he sent.” The title comes from the first verse of the reading, which can be literally translated to say, “And it happened when Pharaoh sent out the people.” The reading tells the adventures of the Israelites as they leave Egypt, cross the Red Sea, receive miraculous provision in the wilderness and face their first battle.

This Parsha has one of the most spectacular stories in all the Bible. The crossing of the Red Sea. Who doesn’t remember Moses (Charlton Heston) stretching his staff across the water and seeing the wind begin to part the water. You can almost feel the sea breeze hitting you in the face. I was nine years old when I watched the Children of Israel excitedly cross over the sea on dry ground. (On the movie screen, not in real life). I’m not THAT old.

As exciting as that was, there were other events that led up to the crossing that, while they didn’t make the front page of the Israelite Gazette, they were important nonetheless.

The first event was really a non-event. Coming out of Egypt into the Promised land was only a few day’s journey. If they followed the main trade route along the Mediterranean Sea they could be been in Canaan in less than a week. However, there were some issues.

Exodus 13:17 After Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them along the road to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, “The people might change their minds if they see war and return to Egypt.”

The coastal highway was guarded by Egyptian garrisons as well as the road led through Philistine territory. God did not want the military confrontations to dissuade the people. Besides, He had some important things to teach them in the wilderness before they arrived at Canaan. He wanted to deliver them at the Red Sea, teach them about His provision and give them the Torah at Sinai before leading them to the land.

The non-event turned out to be a detour toward the desert. In that first week after leaving Egypt, the Children of Israel would experience a terrifying existential threat from the most powerful army in the world. God had led them in one direction only to bring them back to seemingly face utter destruction. But before the crossing, there are two verses that I want to bring to your attention.

Exodus 13:21-22 Adonai went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead the way and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. So they could travel both day and night. (22) The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never departed from the people.

In the following 49 days, the people would face annihilation, starvation, thirst, and war. But they seemed to have forgotten a very visible symbol of God’s presence. He said he would provide them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire to guide them. We don’t knw what the cloud or fire looked like. Perhaps the cloud was a huge cumulo-nimbus thunderhead with lightning flashing throughout it. Was the pillar of fire simply lightning? We don’t know. But there is one characteristic of the pillars of cloud and fire. They were ever present. The Bible says the pillars never departed from the people.

The cloud and fire were symbols of God’s presence with the people that was a precursor to when at Sinai, God made his dwelling place between the cherubim above the Ark of the Covenant. He was reminding them that He was there with them.

Of course B’nei Israel were slow learners. They saw the problems but didn’t look to the cloud and fire. The Egyptian army was about to strike and the people cried out to Moses. His answer? Stand still and witness your salvation. Stand still? With the whole Egyptian army poised to push them into the sea, God’s cloud came between the Egyptians and God’s chosen people. It must have been some kind of cloud, because the Egyptians could penetrate it. God was in that cloud. He didn’t abandon His people.

After crossing the Red Sea and watching the destruction of the Egyptian army, Israel soon ran out of provisions. They complained and God heard their cry. He provided quail and this strange stuff called Manna. The manna was a miraculous substance that fell with the morning dew. As the dew dried the flakes of manna remained. They were to gather the manna for their daily needs. It could be baked, boiled, roasted. If they tried to get lazy and keep some for the next day it spoiled overnight except for Shabbat. Then the manna lasted two days without spoiling. The daily outpouring of manna lasted until they crossed the Jordan River forty years later. In hunger, God did not abandon His people.