Scientist claims to explain parting of the waves

Ananova ^ | Wednesday 21st January 2004

[presidio9]

A Russian mathematician says he's come up with a logical explanation for Moses' parting of the waves.

Naum Wolzinger says it had more to do with the changing of the tide than divine intervention.

The scene where Moses parts the waves and leads the Israelites across the Red Sea is one of the most well known stories in the Bible.

But Mr Wolzinger, from St Petersburg, said it was not a miracle.

He says there is a riff six or seven metres under the water that runs from one bank of the Gulf of Suez to the other at the spot where the Exodus occurred.

He said depending on the movement of the tides and if there was a strong wind it was possible to cross the Red Sea keeping your feet almost dry.

A drop in the wind though and the water would flood back over the riff in large waves, explaining why they would have come crashing down on the Egyptians when they entered the seabed.

[My2Cents]

The low tide occurred just as the Egyptian army was about to slaughter the Hebrews. Good timing. Still a miracle.

[farmfriend]

ping

[CindyDawg]

So now we know how He may have done it. Nice try though.

[Voltage]

Wouldn't they get stuck in the mud, or does his theory explain why the bottom was nice and solid?

[Sloth]

#1.) This is hardly a new hypothesis, and #2.) "So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." -- Exodus 14:22

[presidio9]

[Ancesthntr]

The low tide occurred just as the Egyptian army was about to slaughter the Hebrews. Good timing. Still a miracle.

Yes, especially since it "fortuitously" followed the 10 plagues - all of which can be explained as natural events - and was itself followed by the Pharoah's army being swallowed up in the same sea. What we have here is several miracles.

The fact is that G-d oftentimes uses what we call "natural forces" to produce a miracle. It is the conjunction of those improbable events with the need for them by a faithful person or people that gives rise to a miracle.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Wouldn't they get stuck in the mud, or does his theory explain why the bottom was nice and solid?

His theory also states that they had early versions of mudbog derby jackasses to haul their possessions across the Red Sea.

[RiflemanSharpe]

God did it, it does not matter how. He just did.

[presidio9]

Digging Out The Truth Of Exodus

[RandallFlagg]

Sorry. I couldn't resist...


I'm just in one of those moods...

Carry on..

[RightWhale]

why the bottom was nice and solid?

Solid theology, can't get bogged down with the 72 names of God. The Muslims later with their 99 names of God tried to improve on that with the obvious results--schisms and sects and terrorists. Christians improved with the Trinity. Mess with the Father, mess with the Son, but don't even think of messing with the Holy Ghost.

[Williams]

I'm more interested in how "scientists" earn a living and get publicity by "studying" for the umpteenth time pointless issues with no practical application whatsoever. My favorite was the scientist on Animal Planet who rigged up a device stuck through a snake's head that "recorded" when the snake struck at a doll. The scientist said this was the first recorded signal from a snake strike. The culmination of SEVEN YEARS' WORK.

[My2Cents]

I once heard someone explain that low-tide on the "Sea of Reeds" (some people's identity of the Red Sea) often results in a water depth of two inches, making it easy for a large group of people to traverse. In response, another person said, "The entire Egyptian army drown in two-inches of water! It's a miracle!"

[Professional Engineer]

ping

[vetvetdoug]

Dr. Ruskie, now prove your hypothesis, especially with an Army on your butt.

[Elsie]

He said depending on the movement of the tides and if there was a strong wind it was possible to cross the Red Sea keeping your feet almost dry.

Ya need to polish that 'theory' just a tiny bit more........

---

Exodus 14:21-22
21. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,
22. and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

[r9etb]

The fact is that G-d oftentimes uses what we call "natural forces" to produce a miracle.

The argument is, apparently, that God is not allowed to use natural forces to do whatever He does. Very convenient for those who do not have eyes to see.

It is the conjunction of those improbable events with the need for them by a faithful person or people that gives rise to a miracle.

Precisely.

My own personal example is the time I was in a narrow, crowded, construction barrier-lined corridor on the freeway, in the left-hand lane. Some bozo came onto the freeway from an on-ramp, going about 20 mph, right in front of some other guy. Cars started to veer and skid, and there was a car coming toward me. I was trapped, and a wreck was unavoidable, involving me, the other car, and the barrier.

Suddenly, the barrier wall opened up to another lane, and allowed me to move over to my left. The new lane was just long enough for me to avoid the wreck, and pull back onto the freeway.

When I passed that spot a couple of weeks later, the opening was not there, and there was no sign it had ever been there.

Miracle? I think so. (Coincidentally, my wife and kids were praying for me at about that time to have a safe trip....)