Red Sea Chariots

Science and the Bible: The Crossing of the Red Sea

The Biblical Account of the Red Sea Crossing

The Bible (Exodus Chapter 14) offers some specific meteorological information on the crossing of the Red Sea. After Moses stretched out his arm, ‘the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land.’ The Israelites were then able to pass through the sea, ‘the waters forming a wall…on their right and on their left.’

For the pursuing Egyptians, however, there was no such convenient dry route. When the Israelites, safe and dry, reached the other side, Moses once again raised his arm, with devastating effect.  ‘At dawn the sea returned to its normal depth…the waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers…not one of them remained’ (Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version).

Examining the Possibilities

In 1992, a paper by Doron Nof and Nathan Paldor looked at possible scientific explanations for the parting of the Red Sea as set out in the book of Exodus. They considered two options – a tsunami generated by an earthquake or other event (such as landslide or volcanic eruption) and a mechanism called ‘wind setdown’ in which winds drive back the sea.

Although the Red Sea region is highly seismically active, Nof and Paldor rejected the tsunami as the most likely explanation in favor of the wind setdown, which fits better with the description of the event laid down in Exodus.  Wind setdown is the opposite of a storm surge, and occurs when wind (sometimes in combination with tides) drives water abnormally far from the coast.

Nof and Paldor concluded that the Biblical description of an overnight easterly wind at a (not excessive) speed of 20ms-1 would have generated a sea level drop of over 2.5m at the northern end of the Red Sea. Combined with the possible existence of a submarine ridge, this would have allowed the Israelites a land bridge and time to cross.

The destruction of the pursuing Egyptians (a shortcoming of the tsunami model) is also explained by wind setdown. A sudden drop in the wind speed, or a change in the wind direction, would have allowed the waters to rush back rapidly. Nof and Paldorf’s calculations suggest that the dry area could be completely flooded in as little as four minutes, leaving no hope of escape for anyone still on the dried-out ridge.

CHARIOT WHEELS FOUND IN THE RED SEA at Catch The Fire Ministries

The hope for future expeditions is to explore the deeper waters with remote cameras or mini-subs. (ABOVE GILDED CHARIOT WHEEL - Mute witness to the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews 3,500 years ago. Found with a metal detector.) Coral-encrusted chariot wheel, filmed off the Saudi coastline, matches the chariot wheels found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.

Mineralized bone, one of many found at the crossing site (above center). This one tested by the Department of Osteology at Stockholm University , was found to be a human femur, from the right leg of a 165-170cm tall man. It is essentially ‘fossilized’, i.e., replaced by minerals and coral, hence cannot be dated by radiocarbon methods, although this specimen was obviously from antiquity. Chariot wheel and axle covered with coral and up-ended.  (Exodus 14:25) ‘And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily…’ Solomon’s memorial pillars.      When Ron Wyatt first visited Nuweiba in 1978, he found a Phoenician style column lying in the water.  Unfortunately the inscriptions had been eroded away, hence the column’s importance was not understood until 1984 when a second granite column was found on the Saudi coastline opposite –  identical to the first, except on this one the inscription was still intact!      In Phoenician letters (Archaic Hebrew), it contained the words: Mizraim (Egypt ); Solomon; Edom ; death; Pharaoh; Moses; and Yahweh, indicating that King Solomon had set up these columns as a memorial  to the miracle of the crossing of the sea.  Saudi Arabia does not admit tourists, and perhaps fearing unauthorized visitors, the Saudi authorities have since removed this column, and replaced it with a flag marker where it once stood ..  

How deep is the water? The Gulf of Aqaba is very deep, in places over a mile (1,600m) deep.  Even with the sea dried up, walking across would be difficult due to the steep grade down the sides. But there is one spot where if the water were removed, it would be an easy descent for people and animals.  This is the line between Nuweiba and the opposite shore in Saudi Arabia.

We, as Christians, are wondering why not a single TV station has reported this important, ancient discovery. The lame-stream media seems only to pick and choose the things they report and obviously dismisses anything and everything to do with spiritual or Biblical discoveries. What it all boils down to IS THAT THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF PHARAOH’S ARMY DROWNING IN THE RED SEA WHILE PURSUING MOSES AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IS T R U E!!!!!!!!!! I just sent the article to my local TV station and asked why this was not reported, asking what else has happened in our world which never made the press?

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