EXODUS 14:22-28 — And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily.
And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.
In light of what was laid-out in Monday’s post (‘Things Fall Down…’), especially with regard to tar (‘bitumen’) I’m stunned to learn of this event, which took place late Tuesday night, just as America’s biggest travel day was getting underway.
A flood of gooey black muck dropped from a tanker truck disabled about 150 cars and damaged an unknown number of other vehicles along a nearly 40-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania* Turnpike, officials said on Wednesday. A leaking valve on a tanker spread driveway sealant over the eastbound lanes of the turnpike between New Castle and the Oakmont Service Plaza on Tuesday night. Some State Police and turnpike maintenance vehicles had to be towed away after getting stuck in the tarlike substance, according to the turnpike operations center.
The Wall Street Journal (subscription access only) adds:
Laura Frick told WTAE-TV she was traveling from Cleveland to New Jersey for the holiday. “Now we have to turn around and go back home,” Ms. Frick said. “It’s horrible.” Retired firefighter Bob King told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review the experience was harrowing. “It caught us off guard,” said Mr. King, who lives near Chicago. “It didn’t seem like anyone knew what it was or what to do. It had to be an incredible amount of tar. It’s still piled on my tires.”
My take-away: A separation is underway. God’s people are being called out from the land of death and, even more importantly, called to trust His guidance totally just as things appear to be at their bleakest. That which was used by Babylon to hold things together (‘bitumen’ = petroleum tar) will ultimately be the downfall of the world of death. Those forces, in hot pursuit of God’s people, will be surprised, thrown into a panic, and consumed as the proverbial waters of the sea (markets) rush back in and over them.
*Pennsylvania of course, is the original site of the Continental Congress (at Philadelphia). The fact that the goo stretched over forty miles is also interesting.
I have hitchhiked through Pennsylvania many times over the years. When travelling east to west, the Lord would have me hitchhike on U.S. 30 which runs parallel with the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Now if these drivers that got stuck in the sticky tar had been listening to the Lord, He probably would have had them drive on U.S. 30 to avoid the big mess.
People always shoot themselves in the foot and get tar stuck on their tires (get stuck in their own sin).
It pays to obey the Lord.
By: Tim Shey on January 6, 2012
at 4:04 pm
Was traveling ourselves when we heard about this. What struck us is that the turnpike is a TOLL road that you must pay to drive on. We have driven on that road on several occasions in the past. We personally wondered why it took so long for someone to stop the tanker. We also heard conflicting results in the same report… slick roads, but sticky tires, etc.
[Indeed... why does it take so long to stop a force this destructive? -Art]
By: gibby62 on November 28, 2011
at 10:23 am
40 mile stretch of road in America blocked on Thanksgiving Eve. 40 years in the desert for Israel for their disobedience in the desert after their miraculous deliverance. Some have said that our ( Americas) probation started in 1971. Is that about to end? America has been assisting the Muslim Brotherhood, The Egyptians aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo have now said that they will kill all Jews. Sayin’ it is usually the the step just before doin’ it ( or trying). And America is indirectly assisting. After all the miracles the Egyptians saw God do, they still went after Israel. They will do it again, and God will deliver His people praise His name.
[Most people think of the 1960's as a time of tumult and change and it was, however in doing some research for a novel, a few years ago, I was startled to discover how much of that was brought to fruition in the year 1970, across a huge swath of society. (If one were to take the Hebrew calendar, that would be the year which ran from February 6, 1970 to February 26, 1971.) To use a more current phrase, it seems to have been a major "tipping point" year.
Just as one little illustration, the song at the top of the pop charts going into 1970 was the light and innocent "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head," whereas by August, it was the ugly, in-your-face song, "War (What is it Good For?)" The first Earth Day, bombing Cambodia, etc. A forty year construct for our probation? Yeah, I'd buy that one. It should be obvious to all that we failed. -Art]
By: jeff on November 26, 2011
at 4:42 pm
My dear brother in our Christ,
Saw your comment …’about to sit down and give thanks with my family’.
Could picture your wife calling to you, and the girls…..you…trying to get this last post in, and uploaded, before your wife would sound a different tone.
Thank you for writing…..Thank you for making it always about The EverLasting Father & the Prince of Peace.
The sun has 7 minutes of shine remaining here on the river as the world spins madly at 1000 miles an hour. What a wonderful day. What a wonderful day the Lord has made.
Alas, 7 minutes has run and the sun has now been vanquished. ….quando la dia es no la dia, y la noche estas no venir.
Bless you, bless you, bless everyone of you.
By: YosoY Chilqiyyah חִלְקִיָּה on November 24, 2011
at 6:20 pm
Isn’t that something! One report stated it to be ‘roofing sealant’ [Roofing sealant gums up Pennsylvania Turnpike - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]. Which if you recall is smelly, very difficult to clean off and binding. Their tires are ruined and some of the gummy residue will be evident (esp. the undercarriage).
Interesting too that a retired fireman was ‘caught off guard’ and not know really “what to do.” You’d think with all his training and ‘experience’ he wouldn’t have been so rattled. But, he was … just like the chariot drivers.
One thing ‘new’ I saw in the reading above “… the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” You’d think that the water running downstream would just be gone – an expanse opened on that rundown side. But, it was contained (stopped – like in time) where it was and didn’t drain off or away. Even coming back on itself, when the Egyptians were to far in to retreat.
Like the sealing tar after the tires went thru, it receded back again … reminding me of your Tsunami analogy. Hummm.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention Art!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU! God Bless.
(good to see McRib is back – background in photo!)
[Re. McRib: I just noticed this... Recall how Eve (a 'type' for the church) was created out of Adam's side (his RIB), just as the water and blood flowed from the side of Y'Shua, on the cross, upon his death. Thus we have in ONE picture, an image of those REDEEMED and those 'stuck'. Also note that, the Egyptians, passing over the very same ground as the Israelites, got their wheels stuck (presumably in mud, though we can't be sure) whereas God is at pains to make clear, in the text, that the Israelites passed on "dry ground". Miraculous! -Art, about to sit down and give thanks with my family before eating.]
By: Dianne on November 24, 2011
at 11:51 am