Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
Hebrews 11 says:
By faith the Israelites passed through the Red Sea as on dry land
but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell,
after the army had marched round them for seven days.
By faith the prostitute Rahab,
because she welcomed the spies,
was not killed with those who were disobedient.
– Hebrews 11:29-31
The passage tells us the Israelites passed through the Red Sea by faith. And that the Egyptians, lacking faith, were drowned.
This sounds like a different story than the Old Testament tells. Exodus highlights the Israelite’s fear and doubt, not their faith. They complained that Moses should have left well enough alone, instead of leading them to certain death, caught between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army. If there was faith, it was not the people, but Moses, who stretched his rod over the sea and parted it. And stretched it again to drown the pursuing army.
Did Rahab have faith when she hid the Israelite spies? Her explanation was that she heard about the plagues God sent on Egypt, and about the military victories he gave the Israelites. She wanted to place her bet on the winners and their God, instead of siding with her local team. Which, judging from her occupation, wasn’t treating her all that well anyway.
Did the Israelites have faith when they marched around Jericho? They were obeying Joshua’s instructions, but did they really expect the walls to fall down?
Let’s pray.
Our father, our prayers often feel like an endless march around Jericho, but the walls we circle don’t fall in seven days.
Our prayers often feel like Rahab. In uncertain times, we place our bet on the party we think will win.
Our prayers often feel like the Israelties by the Red Sea, caught between an impossible ocean and Pharaoh’s army.
Lord, we invite you to accept our fears, our calculations, and our marching round and round. We do it in your name, trusting that you will hear us and answer our prayers.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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