Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Exodus Chapter 14
Metaphysically Interpreting Exodus 14:1-25
14:1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 14:2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon: over against it shall ye encamp by the sea. 14:3And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. 14:4And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host: and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so. 14:5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 14:6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 14:7and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them. 14:8And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel went out with a high hand. 14:9And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
14:10And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto Jehovah. 14:11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? 14:12Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 14:13And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14:14Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
14:15And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. 14:16And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. 14:17And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 14:18And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
14:19And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them: 14:20and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one came not near the other all the night.
14:21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 14:22And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 14:23And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 14:24And it came to pass in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians. 14:25And he took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
June 16, 1907: Exodus 14:13-27
When the Word of Truth has worked in the mortal subconsciousness to a certain point, there is a breaking up of the fixed conditions and a separation between the higher and lower. There is often a season of great commotion in the body, when this takes place, and fear is very apt to sweep through the whole consciousness. Then the understanding of the working of the One Mind comes to our aid, and we mentally realize that we are to “fear not,” but “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” At such times there is little the individual can do except hold fearlessly to the truth that the Spirit is doing its perfect work, and there is no cause for alarm.
The “sea” is the negative consciousness, and the “rod” of Moses is the power of the I Am on the universal plane. The Lord, or Higher Law, works in regeneration similar to electricity in a dynamo. Make yourself a willing instrument by observing the Divine Law, then turn on the current by centralizing your thought upon God as the One Source of life and intelligence, and the forces of Being itself will raise your soul and body to a higher vibration and separate the material from the spiritual.
Spiritual forces are within. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Our bodies are the outer of a number of layers of mind emanations, at the very center of which is the formless energy called Spirit. This inner is called “east” in Scripture symbols. So when we read of the Lord causing the east wind to blow, we know that a current of life was sent forth from the center to the circumference, opening the way for the escape to higher planes of manifestation of the Is-real thoughts that have been oppressed there. The destruction of the Egyptians is the natural result of the new order of life established in the organism.
These experiences may occur many times in the life of the individual, but at each engulfment there is a destruction of the lower, or material phase of consciousness, and a realization ot the higher, which means more force, life and intelligence in every direction. But we should remember that this new freedom, and the powers that are opened to the Is-real children, must be disciplined. We do not jump into heaven at a single bound. The “promised land” must be conquered.
– UNITY magazine.
April 22, 1923: Exodus 14:10
Under the regenerative law, what does Moses represent in the development of the soul? The Hebrew meaning of the name “Moses” is “drawn out.” This meaning of the name is usually identified with the incident in which, as an infant, Moses was drawn out of the water by Pharaoh’s daughter. Metaphysically, Moses represents the progressive law of evolution working in the soul, drawing out and restoring to their rightful place, spiritual energies (Israel) that have been enslaved by sense.
[Unreadable question maybe about Why was Jacob’s family originally:] compelled to go down into Egypt? Egypt metaphysically represents a combination of substance and life in body consciousness. Substance and life are essential to the rounding out of man’s perfection. A union of life and substance with imagination (Joseph) and spiritual I AM (Jacob) and Joseph’s brothers, or real thoughts, is essential to the wellbeing of the spiritual family. Without substance and life the higher faculties come to want; there is a famine in their land.
When man listens to the call of the soul to separate the real thoughts from sense consciousness, through what experiences do those thoughts have to pass? The soul and its thought children have to pass through the experiences symbolized in the journey of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land.
What step in that journey is represented in this lesson? Today’s lesson represents the crossing of the Red Sea.
What does the Red Sea represent? The Red Sea represents the sum total of all the thoughts about life, with which the race has impregnated the universal ether. In the mythology of the Greeks and Romans this is symbolized by the river Styx, over which souls were ferried by Charon. It is familiar to metaphysicians as the psychic realm or race thought which has to be overcome by the progressive soul.
Is it necessary for the soul to enter into this psychic race stream in order to gain the solid ground of spirituality beyond? No. The soul does not need to become saturated with the “psychisms” of the race in this phase of its evolution.
How may the soul escape adverse psychic experiences? The soul, with all its true thoughts, may go through the midst of the turbulent sea and land upon dry ground, by trusting in the Lord. This trust should include fearlessness, steadfastness, peace, purity, and praise for the supremacy of the divine law.
August 1, 1926: Exodus 14:10-16
The Israelites were “sore afraid” when they were about to be overtaken by the Egyptians. Explain. When man is working with the elemental thoughts of the natural man, he sometimes seems to be nearly overwhelmed by them. At such times, instead of whimpering and giving up to the slavery of materiality, he should stand firm and declare: “I stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for me today. All darkness is dissolved forever.”
What is the meaning of Jehovah's command to Moses that he should lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the sea and divide its waters, so that the children of Israel might go over on dry ground? Moses is the power in us that proclaims the higher law in the name of Jehovah. The rod represents the power of the Word. Isaiah said, “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth.” Moses' stretching his hand over the sea symbolizes realization of the power of man over the sea of mortal thought. Thus the way is opened for one to pass out of bondage into freedom.
July 24, 1932: Exodus 14:10-16,21-22
The Israelites were “sore afraid” when they were about to be overtaken by the Egyptians. Explain. When one is working with the elemental thoughts of the natural man, he sometimes seems to be nearly overwhelmed by them. At such times, instead of whimpering and giving up to the enslavement of materiality, he should stand firm and declare: “I stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he now works for me. All darkness of doubt is dissolved forever before my faith.”
What is represented by the sea through which the Children of Israel passed on their way to the Promised Land? There is a universal life force which sets in motion a universal substance. This combination of life and substance is the matrix in which all mind force works. Symbolically, it is the Red Sea, or life sea. Human thoughts have impregnated this sea with the race consciousness, and it reflects our common life.
Why do our spiritual ideas, represented by the children of Israel, have to pass through this sea on their way to the higher consciousness or Promised Land? All our thoughts are related one to another, like the drops of water that make the sea. In the regeneration our spiritual ideas separate from the material thoughts and pass to higher realms of consciousness, in a way similar to the action of a chemical process in which the finer particles rise to the surface and the coarser sink to the bottom.
What law does man us to enable him to pass through this sea of life without being engulfed in its material waters? The first step in passing through the sea of mortal thought is to establish oneself in the power of the Christ mind, represented in this Scripture by Jehovah. The next step is to speak the word of authority and to command that the thoughts of materiality stand aside, until spiritual thoughts can pass through unharmed.
What is the meaning of Jehovah's command to Moses that he lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the sea and divide its waters, so that the Children of Israel might go over on dry ground? Moses is the power in us that proclaims the higher law in the name of Jehovah. The rod represents the power of the Word. Isaiah said, “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth.” Moses' stretching his hand over the sea symbolizes the realization by man that through his word of command he has power over the sea of mortal thought. Thus the way is opened for him to pass out of bondage into freedom.
Did Jesus demonstrate this power of man over the turbulent sea of life? Yes. In the Gospel of Mark, it is recorded that Jesus rebuked the wind “and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.”
August 1, 1937: Exodus 14:10-15
When the Children of Israel saw Pharaoh and the Egyptians pursuing them, they “cried out unto Jehovah” and at the same time accused Moses of taking them into the wilderness to die. How could deliverance come to people whose minds were so divided? Deliverance came through Moses, their leader, who looked to Jehovah in full faith that He would not fail His people. One true believer holding fast to the law can turn defeat into victory; “One among a thousand, to show unto man what is right for him,” can ransom him from destruction.
What is meant by the commandment “Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day”? We stand still when we refuse to yield our faith to the onslaught of fear. To stand still is to be confident, assured of the ultimate triumph of right, and to look for it and watch it come into manifestation.
Why did Jehovah say to Moses, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward”? The law of life is that victory comes from within man, not from without. Fear is therefore conquered finally through action, never through faltering or drawing back. The Children of Israel were to test their courage by advancing; toward what appeared to be certain death. When they did this, deliverance came.
November 11, 1951: Exodus 14:15-22
What is signified by Jehovah's saying to Moses, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward”? Victory comes from within man, not from without. Each step of our inner or spiritual unfoldment must be expressed in outer activity so that it becomes a part of our equipment for living, and thus a part of our preparation for the next step we are to take.
In what state of mind must we become established before we can go forward fearlessly? In faith and confidence that God is with us. When our faith is in the Most High, we have nothing to fear, and can go forth to do all things.
What is the Red Sea, interpreted metaphysically? It is the “sea of life,” the universal substance that is acted upon by the universal life force. The race thought does not understand it ,and looks upon it as a barrier.
What is signified by the Children of Israel's having to pass through the Red Sea? When we take the first uncertain steps of escape from sense consciousness, and seek to become spiritual minded, we soon come to the “Red Sea,” the race belief that life is separate from God. Before we can continue our progress, we must go “into the midst of the sea on dry ground,” that is, gain the realization that our life is divine, that it is firmly grounded in God, Spirit, and that we dwell in Him as He dwells in us.
What opens the way for us to pass safely through the Red Sea of our experience? Faith in the Spirit of the Christ, here represented by Jehovah acting through Moses.
What is symbolized by the rod of Moses, and by Jehovah's command to him to stretch out his hand over the sea and divide it? Moses represents here our unfolding consciousness of our divinity, and his rod represents the power of the Word. Moses' stretching his hand over the sea symbolizes the realization by man that through his word of command spoken in true understanding he has authority over the “sea” of life and the race beliefs in mortality.
What is represented by the “strong east wind” that Jehovah caused to blow all night? It is out of the inner life (“east”) that the spiritual power proceeds that makes our spoken word effectual. When we speak the word of Truth under the authority of Spirit, we pass safely through and out of the race beliefs in mortality on the solid ground of spiritual understanding (“dry land”).
Metaphysically Interpreting Exodus 14:26-31
14:26And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 14:27And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and Jehovah overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 14:28And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them. 14:29But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 14:30Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. 14:31And Israel saw the great work which Jehovah did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah: and they believed in Jehovah, and in his servant Moses.
January 27, 1924: Exodus 14:21-31
What is represented by the sea through which the Children of Israel passed on their way to the Promised Land? There is a universal life force which moves upon a universal substance. This combination of life and substance is the matrix in which all mind force works; symbolically, it is the Red Sea, or life sea. Human thoughts, which form part of the race consciousness, have impregnated this sea.
Why do our spiritual ideas, represented by the children of Israel, have to pass through this sea on their way to the higher consciousness or Promised Land? All our thoughts are related one to another, like the drops of water that make the sea. In the regeneration our spiritual ideas separate from the material thoughts and pass to higher realms of consciousness, in a way similar to the action of a chemical combination in which the finer particles rise to the surface and the coarser sink to the bottom.
What law does man us to enable him to pass through this sea of life without being engulfed in its material waters? The first step in passing through the sea of mortal thought is to establish oneself in the power of the Christ mind, represented in this Scripture by Jehovah. The next step is to speak the word of authority and to command that the thoughts of materiality stand aside, until spiritual thoughts are established in consciousness.
Did Jesus demonstrate this power of man over the turbulent sea of life? Yes. In the Gospel of Mark it is recorded that Jesus rebuked the wind “and said unto the sea. Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).
What is represented in the return of the waters, covering the chariots and the horsemen and the hosts of Pharaoh? Man himself does not destroy material thoughts. Jesus said: “The words which I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father [Jehovah] abiding in me doeth his works.” When man affirms the unreality of matter and material conditions, those conditions are engulfed in the universal life, and, like the devils that Jesus drove into the swine, and the swine carried into the sea, error thoughts are finally engulfed and dissipated in the universal sea of life.
What is the strong east wind that blew all night and divided the waters and made the sea dry land? The night represents the state in which a certain work goes on in the subconscious. The wind from the east (within) represents life moving upon substance, and placing it according to the word of the will. Job said: “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee.”
When we see the great works which the mind may do in conjunction with the Cosmic Mind (Jehovah), what follows? “And Israel saw the great work which Jehovah did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah; and they believed in Jehovah, and in his servant Moses.”
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 02-03-2014
