Message: The Sea as God's Sanctuary
Exodus 14:19-31
Many of you may be familiar with the story from today's first Scripture reading, especially those who have seen the movies 'The Ten Commandments' or 'The Prince of Egypt.' At its surface, this text is about the story of God the Savior liberating the Hebrews who lived as slaves in the Egyptian Empire. However, upon closer examination, it reveals an inspiring narrative about God the Creator who cares for and protects the entire universe.
In today’s text, two words are the key to understanding: “מִצְרַיִם (mizrayim)” meaning Egypt and “יָם” (yam) meaning sea. Remarkably, both words occur exactly 12 times. In the Bible, the number 12 often symbolizes perfection, as shown in the fact that the Israelites are composed of 12 tribes and Jesus has 12 disciples. Given the Bible’s propensity for wordplay using numbers and pronunciation, it becomes evident that these two words are intentionally emphasized in today's text. So why are these two words important here, and what insights can we derive from these keywords?
First, let's look into Egypt (Mizrayim). In the Bible, Egypt is not solely depicted as an evil empire. According to Genesis, Mizrayim, the ancestor of Egypt, is one of the four sons of Ham who is a son of Noah (Genesis 10:6). Shem, another son of Noah, is the forebear of Israel. Therefore, Egypt and Israel share familial ties in the Bible. Moreover, during times of crisis, Egypt served as a vital refuge for the Israelites. When faced with severe famines, both Abraham and Jacob, along with their descendants, sought refuge in Egypt to overcome these challenges. Even the infant Jesus found sanctuary in Egypt, escaping the threat of death from King Herod.
However, in today's text, “Mizrayim” does not refer to Egypt as a nation but to the Egyptian army, symbolizing the violence and power of the Pharaoh. In the Book of Exodus, Pharaoh is depicted as a king who laid waste to God's creation with sword and spear. He enslaved the Hebrews, who had sought refuge in his land, forcing them into labour for the construction of two new supply cities named Pithom and Rameses along the Nile River. Like many dictators in agricultural societies throughout history, he also sought to control water, vital for agriculture, through massive irrigation projects.
As a consequence, Pharaoh encountered ten plagues, many of which had ecological connections rather than being accidental or supernatural. The first plague was related to water pollution (Exodus 7:14-25). When water becomes trapped in large urban irrigation systems, its quality deteriorates. In this case, the Bible describes the river turning into blood, causing the fish to die, and rendering the water undrinkable.
The second plague saw an influx of frogs (Exodus 8:1-15). This ecological outcome can be attributed to water pollution. Contaminated water likely forced frogs to seek refuge on land, where they eventually perished. The third and fourth plagues involved infestations of gnats (or mosquitoes) and flies (Exodus 8:16-32). The absence of frogs, their natural predators, allowed these pests to thrive.
The fifth and sixth plagues brought infectious diseases affecting both livestock and humans (Exodus 9:1-12), a consequence of the earlier plagues that caused pest populations to explode. The seventh plague, hail (Exodus 9:13-25), is somewhat challenging to link directly to water pollution.
The eighth plague involved a locust invasion (Exodus 10:1-20). Locusts' main predators were birds like the ibis, which were often found near rivers and depended on frogs and fish for their sustenance. Water pollution contributed to a decline in bird populations, resulting in a substantial increase in locusts. The ninth and tenth plagues possessed theological implications that were not easily explained through ecological theory.
In today’s text, God punishes Pharaoh’s army in the "yam" (Sea) for oppressing the weak and causing an ecological crisis. Another significant keyword, “yam,” is first introduced in Genesis 1:10: "God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called “Seas”. And God saw that it was good."
According to Genesis, the earth was initially covered by the "תְּהוֹם" (tehom), the primal sea. Since "tehom" also means flood or deep, Genesis describes the pre-creation world as a place of chaos, emptiness, and darkness (Genesis 1:2).
God gathered the waters of “tehom” and created “yam” (sea) as a blessed space where all living creatures and human beings could coexist in fruitfulness and harmony (1:22, 28). In short, God transformed “tehom,” the ocean of chaos, darkness, emptiness, despair and fear into “yam” the sea as God's sanctuary where all life including humans can live in peace.
However, Pharaoh defiled God's sanctuary. He was the one who caused the first plague, the pollution of the water, and this triggered a cascade of other disasters. Pharaoh did not hesitate to oppress the vulnerable and exploit nature for his selfish desires. This was an act of trampling on the love and dreams of the Creator God.
The Bible conveys God's sorrow upon seeing the increasing number of people like Pharaoh after the creation: “God regretted that He had made humankind on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:6). Jonathan Sacks, one of the most outstanding rabbis of the 21st century, describes this verse as “one of the most searing sentences in religious literature” in his book Not in God’s Name (2015).
Where do we stand today? Do you think you are Pharaoh's army or God's stewards? What is the sea, God's sanctuary, like today? Are all the creatures living in the sea experiencing peace?
Unfortunately, the seas are far from peaceful these days. One of the gravest threats to marine ecosystems today is plastic pollution. In fact, the invention of plastic was once considered a blessing to humankind. However, the light and durable stuff no longer bestows benefits upon all living creatures. The accumulation of plastic objects and particles threatens wildlife habitats and human well-being.
380 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. Shockingly, only 9% of this massive production is recycled, while 91% becomes incorruptible waste. Currently,150 million tonnes of plastics litter the seas, and 8 million tonnes are added each year. This grim reality results in the tragic deaths of around 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and approximately 1 million seabirds annually. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), if this trend continues, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.
Plastic pollution is not just an ecological concern; it's also a matter of justice because it inflicts greater harm on disadvantaged communities and individuals. First of all, vulnerable communities, including those who depend on wild seafood for their diet, are facing severe risks to their health and livelihoods due to plastic waste. Moreover, the global waste trade makes it worse in the Pacific region. In 2018, Malaysia imported 913,165 tonnes of waste, Thailand 471,724 tonnes, and Vietnam 443,615 tonnes. In contrast, the United States exported 961,563 tonnes of waste, Japan 891,719 tonnes, and Germany 733,756 during the same period.
Nevertheless, there is a glimmer of hope as some countries and organizations are actively combatting plastic pollution, with Canada at the forefront. In 2018, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment launched a strategy on zero plastic waste. Last year, the Government of Canada published The Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, a bold step towards achieving zero plastic waste by 2030. This legislation will ban single-use plastic products. For example, It will outlaw the sale of plastic checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware, stir sticks, and straws in Canada after December 20 this year. This legal initiative carries significant historical importance as it paves the way for other nations to address this crisis effectively.
It may be inconvenient to reduce our use of plastic, but the people of Canada have made these tough choices to protect the sea, God's sanctuary. As Christians, our calling is to support and make this movement successful, setting an example for others. God calls us His stewards, not Pharaoh's army.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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