Tsunamis In The Bible?

By Author: Thomas Yoon
Total Articles: 33
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I have always wondered how the Red Sea parted as described in the
Exodus story of Moses.

The recent Tsunamis that happened in West Sumatra and the
tremendous destruction that came with it got me thinking - was
this what really happened to the Egyptian army when they were
pursuing the Hebrew people while they were led out of Egypt by
Moses?

On the internet, many eyewitness accounts can be obtained very
fast. Pictures taken by amateurs appeared on the news channels
within hours of the event. Many people were able to witness the
destructive effects of gigantic waves through these movies. Death
just happens in an instance with the pounding of 700 kph waves that
destroyed everything in its path.

Ironically, just a few hundred meters away, people were busy with
their shopping, eating, laughing, as if nothing happens. Nobody
had expected such fury and destruction. It was just like a monster
coming in and swallowing its victims.

On that eventful Sunday of 26th December 2004, I was attending
Mass at our local ...
... church. At approximately 0900 hrs, I could feel
a very slight tremor while I was listening to the homily delivered
by our Parish priest.

The tremor was so slight that at first I thought I was not feeling
well and felt a bit dizzy. Then I noticed that many other people
were looking around them as if they also felt something. My neighbor
sitting next to me could not even feel anything.

Everybody went home without even suspecting anything amiss.

My family and I even went over to a shopping complex very near to
the seaside where the tsunami hit. That was at about 1300 hrs.

Back to the event of the Exodus. About 4 thousand years ago, there
was a report in the bible that the Red Sea parted, and the Hebrew
people led by Moses were able to walk through the sea as if it were
dry land.

After they had cross over the seabed, the pursuing armies of the
Egyptian pharaoh followed in their trails. The wheels of their
chariots got stuck in the mud, and the water came back, swept and
destroyed them. None of them survived.

I was wondering. The waters must have come in very fast! How come
none of the soldiers were able to escape? The recent Tsunami,
triggered by an undersea earth tremor seems to provide a living
example of what can cause the water to rise so high and so suddenly
that none of them could survive.

The recent tsunami was caused by an earth tremor. Was it likely to
occur at the Red Sea? Sure enough, some areas in the Mediterranean
were well known for volcanic activity.

Was it possible that 4 thousand years ago, something like this
happened?

I have never seen such destructive forces at work before. Houses,
people and buildings were swept out of the way like match sticks.
It's so swift and sudden. It brought to mind the words Jesus Christ
spoke, "On that night, I tell you, there will be two people sleeping
in the same bed: one will be taken away, the other will be left
behind. Two women will be grinding meal together: one will be taken
away, the other will be left behind" (Luke 17:34-35). This sobering
passage was referring to the final days of the coming of the Kingdom.
But it does dawn on me that nothing is impossible with God. It's only
we who do not believe such a thing can happen.

This tsunami event left a lasting impression on me to never
underestimate the power of God. The bible is so full of such events,
God bringing in locust, bees, flies, plaque and many other natural
phenomenons to show His power. The story of how Gideon with his 300
men defeating 120,000 enemies, and many other stories tell us that
seemingly unimportant people led by the power of God was able to
conquer impossible odds.

Actually it does not matter to me anymore whether a tsunami really
parted the Red Sea or not although I wonder how it happened. It does
not matter to me anymore how the sun is able to shine, how the weather
behaves, how the many different species of plants and animals come to
inhabit the earth. How the minute cells of living things are able to
grow... The wonders of God are really too much to comprehend. It's
simply awesome!

But there is something I do know. The bible is God's chosen medium of
communication with humans. In every situation of our lives, God is
able to communicate with us if only we allow Him to.

Unfortunately, many people find it difficult or boring to read the
bible. They are missing a lot in their lives.

How can we encourage them? The book of Proverbs provides wisdom on
right living. Our compilation of "50 Secrets of Truth and Life" might help. Done in pictorial form, it is a lighthearted way of looking at the Bible Proverbs. Perhaps that might open our hearts...

About the Author The author stays in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia and has many years of working experience in Marine, Facilities, Construction. Subscribe to Facworld Ezine
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