Pharaoh's Revenge

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. 00:00:04 Speaker 2: At midnight, the Lord will descend upon Egypt, every first born in the land, every first born from your own son upon this throne to the lowliest slave, and the mill will die. There shall be a cry throughout the land of Egypt, a cry unlike any heard before, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against the people of Israel. You will know, Rameses, You will know who the Lord's chosen people are. 00:00:41 Speaker 1: A shadow passed through the streets of Egypt, unseen yet felt. It was not the wind, though the curtains moved and the candles flickered in its wake. 00:00:52 Speaker 3: Why my son, Heba mine, come with what bring my child back to life? 00:01:05 Speaker 1: Beyond the palace walls, the whales began to rise, one by one, like the growing roar of the sea in a storm. In every house untouched by the blood of the lamb, the first born were found cold in their beds, from the eldest son of the lowliest farmer to the first born calf in the fields. 00:01:26 Speaker 4: Go go and take your people, leave this land, take your floss, your hearts, your children, and be gone. 00:01:48 Speaker 5: And when you. 00:01:48 Speaker 4: Go, speak to your gone, play to him for me. 00:01:58 Speaker 1: For my people. The children of Israel moved as one, a tide of humanity, surging into the unknown wilderness. For days, they traveled, their spirits buoyed by the knowledge that they had left Egypt behind. 00:02:16 Speaker 4: Step with hope. 00:02:17 Speaker 2: Children of Israel puts to freedom. 00:02:21 Speaker 6: When Pharaoh refused to bend our God broke him. The Lord killed every first born son in the land of Egypt. 00:02:32 Speaker 3: For you. 00:02:33 Speaker 7: It is for this reason we redeem our sons. 00:02:39 Speaker 8: It is for this. 00:02:40 Speaker 6: Reason we will sacrifice to the Lord. We are a free people. We are redeemed people. We are the Chosen People. 00:03:00 Speaker 9: Pharaoh's wrath surged like the tide, but God parted the waters, carving a road of redemption. Schello, my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel. I'mya l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the Chosen People. What is freedom worth if it can be taken away in the blink of an eye. Let's journey back to the ancient sands of Egypt, where the cries of a nation echoed against the walls of Tyrony, where Pharaoh and his quest for revenge pursued the children of Israel with a vengeance fueled by pride and fury. The scene is said in Exodus thirteen and fourteen, chapters of Escape, Deliverance, and a plot for revenge. 00:03:48 Speaker 7: If we cut through the valley beside the Great Sea will make better time. 00:03:53 Speaker 1: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam stood over a crude map, drawn hastily in charcoal on a strip of light leather. The lines were jagged and uncertain, reflecting the wild unknown that stretched before them. Aaron's finger traced a path along the coastline, skirting the edge of the Great Sea, his eyes flicking to Moses. 00:04:16 Speaker 7: There will be towns on the way to restore our provisions, But what of those towns who occupies them? 00:04:23 Speaker 1: Her brow furrowed with concern. She had lived long enough to know that not all men were kind, and the Israelites were a wandering people, vulnerable to the swords of others who would welcome them a vast horde of displaced slaves. Her eyes turned to Moses, seeking his wisdom. Moses stared at the map, but his mind was elsewhere, listening. The wind stirred faintly, carrying with it the faint whisper of the Lord. A voice only he could hear speaking not to his ear, but to his soul. 00:05:02 Speaker 2: We can't take that route. It's the land of the Philistines. They're an unnecessarily violent brood of people. Their brutality is a matter of faith soaked in blood of they They worshiped through war, through slaughter. It's in their nature. 00:05:23 Speaker 7: The only other way is to go through the wilderness on the banks of the Red Sea. 00:05:28 Speaker 5: It's risky, Moses, we'd. 00:05:30 Speaker 7: Be pinned between the hills and the vast sea. 00:05:33 Speaker 2: Are you sure the Lord has spoken? He doesn't want the people to see the violence of Philistia and return to Egypt in fear. 00:05:42 Speaker 6: Very well, I shall rally the people. We will leave succors and immediately head to Ethan. 00:05:49 Speaker 2: Tell each man to be equipped for battle. There's no telling what perils will face on the white of Canaan. The wilderness is treacherous, the path is Longriam has heard done what I've asked. 00:06:03 Speaker 1: Moses had instructed her son, her and a dozen others to secure the bones of Joseph. Long ago. Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to bury him in the land of his forefathers. 00:06:17 Speaker 5: I am about to die. 00:06:19 Speaker 10: But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Swear to me that you will carry my bones from this place when God visits you. When you return to the land, promised to us to take me with you. 00:06:46 Speaker 1: Miriam nodded. 00:06:47 Speaker 3: Her and his sons are keeping his bones in a safe place. 00:06:50 Speaker 8: Joseph will reach the promised land. 00:06:52 Speaker 2: Good good. We want to honor his memory. 00:06:57 Speaker 3: He was the one who let our people into Egypt. 00:07:00 Speaker 2: Oh, you are leading us out, not I. The Lord is leading us. 00:07:05 Speaker 1: Moses gestured behind him. The pillar of fire that had guided them by night was a pillar of smoke. During the day. Its dark plooms swirled in a powerful, other worldly force. Moses drew a deep breath and nodded to dismiss Aaron and Miriam. They rallied the people. The Lord was before them, guiding them through the wilderness towards the Red Sea. Day and night. He didn't depart from his people. He was present, powerful and purposefully guiding them toward the Red Sea. It was there where God would make his judgment final and seal his deliverance once and for all. That night, Moses heard the Lord whisper in the wind, a warning, a command, a promise. 00:07:57 Speaker 11: Tell the people of Israel to turn back and camp in front of pie Hathoth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Bay al Zaphar. You shall camp facing it by the sea. 00:08:11 Speaker 2: Why would I have them facing the sea? 00:08:14 Speaker 11: My works have hardened Pharaoh's heart. He will perceive you are vulnerable and pursue you. 00:08:21 Speaker 2: You bringing us to him on purpose? 00:08:23 Speaker 11: Why I will have my glory of a pharaoh. He will know that I am the Lord. 00:08:33 Speaker 1: The halls of Pharaoh's court were empty, save for the oppressive darkness that clung to every corner. The only light came from the faint glow of oil lamps, casting flickering shadows on the statues of the gods, the defeated gods, who now stood silent and powerless, their eyes blank, their mouths mute. Pharaoh sat upon his throne, his fingers gripping the edges of the stone seat until his knuckles turned white. His blood boiled with rage, and the fire of humiliation smoldered in his chest. From the shadows, Nebermund entered his tongue was careful. 00:09:17 Speaker 8: The Israelite slaves have. 00:09:19 Speaker 10: All left, Lord Pharaoh. 00:09:23 Speaker 8: May the scourge of their god leave with them. 00:09:27 Speaker 4: Dogs, every last one of them. I hope they die in the wilderness, abandoned by their god. 00:09:37 Speaker 8: You may be speaking prophetically, Lord Pharaoh. They've encamped at Suko. Our spies say they're following the red Sea coast by Pihirot, and the jagged coast is a foolish place to travel. If the gods recover from this madness, they will ensure the Hebrews meet an early grave. 00:10:02 Speaker 4: Do you mean to tell me the Israelites I'm taking the long route between the hills and the sea. 00:10:08 Speaker 11: Yes, Lord Pharaoh. 00:10:11 Speaker 4: They're scarrying into the narrows. This will only be a method of time before they're stuck, trapped like fish caught in a jetty. 00:10:24 Speaker 8: What are you thinking, my king? 00:10:28 Speaker 4: I'm thinking that we were foolish to let these slaves go. 00:10:33 Speaker 5: They were meant to beat. 00:10:34 Speaker 4: The bricks upon which I built the greatest dynasty this nation has seen. 00:10:41 Speaker 5: I was too swift to let them. 00:10:43 Speaker 8: Go, My king, Surely you don't mean to pursue them after all that's happened. 00:10:52 Speaker 1: But Pharaoh's eyes were already burning with renewed purpose. He was Pharaoh, the living and dament of Ra. No god of slaves would defy him and live to tell the tale. 00:11:07 Speaker 4: My forefathers all fought in the wars to expand this mighty kingdom. Some battles were won and some were lost. 00:11:17 Speaker 5: But the might of Rah. 00:11:19 Speaker 4: And the brightness of his sons never dulled. 00:11:23 Speaker 5: I am Pharaoh, the image of Ra. 00:11:27 Speaker 12: Their unnamed god may have bested me in a battle, but he will not win the war. Commander's cards ready, my best charioteers. 00:11:39 Speaker 1: The attendants and soldiers hiding in the throne room's shadows leaped into action. Pharaoh's orders sent ripples through the palace, and the sound of armor and weapons clashing filled the air. His eyes gleamed with dark excitement, his breath quickening like that of a predator about to strike. 00:12:00 Speaker 9: Lay. 00:12:00 Speaker 12: The six hundred chawes and chariots armed them with beards, bows and swords. 00:12:06 Speaker 5: Yes, Lord Pharaoh. 00:12:08 Speaker 13: That will not be best of my god of slaves. This will not be my legacy. I will return the Israelites, either bound in the rope or with their heads on bikes. The desert will drink their blood, and the name of Ramses will be feared for generations. 00:12:40 Speaker 1: Moses, Lord Moses Her tripped down the rocky hill and crashed onto the coarse, sandy ground. The young man stumbled forward and sprinted through the multitude of people to get to Moses. The people of Israel were marching the shores of pie Her High wrath Her was sent any to scope the planes ahead of them. Judging by the look on his face, he didn't like what he saw. 00:13:07 Speaker 7: Moses, it's the Egyptians. 00:13:09 Speaker 2: Pharaoh has gathered as chariots in pursuit of us. 00:13:12 Speaker 7: They're encamped on the other side. 00:13:13 Speaker 8: Of the canyon. Did you count the number of chariots hundreds, five, maybe six by my estimation, All seemed armed with an archer and charioteer. 00:13:22 Speaker 1: Aaron cried out in frustration. He pointed at Moses, and then at the Red Sea. 00:13:28 Speaker 6: I told you marching to the Red Sea was unwise, but you didn't listen. We are bottlenecked on the shore with no means of escaping. 00:13:36 Speaker 7: What are we going to do? 00:13:39 Speaker 1: Moses didn't match his brother's fear. He responded calmly and with assurance. 00:13:46 Speaker 2: We press on as plaire. Don't trouble the people by telling them about Pharaoh. He will not overtake this. 00:13:54 Speaker 6: Oss are tempting fate. If we turn back now, we may be able to beat him to the. 00:14:01 Speaker 5: We remain on our course. 00:14:04 Speaker 2: This is the will of the Lord. 00:14:06 Speaker 5: I you ah very well, Miriam. 00:14:14 Speaker 2: We make sure the women and children make their way to the front. Her join your mother and help her erin. Remain here with me. 00:14:23 Speaker 1: Moses turned to the canyon that separated the Pharaoh's encampment and the shoreline. There was a wide enough break for all of Pharaoh's armies to come and descend upon them. If Pharaoh marched soon, they would most certainly be trapped. Yet the words of the Lord echoed in Moses's mind. 00:14:44 Speaker 5: I will have my glory over Pharaoh. 00:14:48 Speaker 1: Moses held his staff tightly, his heart beat swiftly in his chest. He had seem too much to doubt God's power, But he was also just a man. He would be a fool to not fear six hundred chariots commanded by a mad king thirsty for his blood. The air inside Pharaoh's tent hung thick with the acrid scent of sweat and incense, swirling in the humid breeze that slipped through the parted flaps of rich linen. Outside the clamor of warriors, and the grating sound of grinding stone on bronze signaled a growing storm, an army coiled and tents ready to strike. But here in the inner sanctum of the pharaoh's command, all was focussed deadly. 00:15:39 Speaker 5: Calm. 00:15:40 Speaker 1: Ramses stood tall in the center, his bare chest gleaming under the soft flicker of lamplight. His skin, bronzed by the relentless sun of camet, glistened with the sheen of sacred oils applied moments before by a trio of servants, each moving with practiced reverence. Their hands trembled slightly as they slipped golden clasps over the fine linen kilt that hung at his waist, fastening it with intricate knots over his muscle torso. The ceremonial cirass of hammered bronze was being strapped into place. 00:16:20 Speaker 12: Clas them, what are you're done? 00:16:23 Speaker 5: The turning of the ages? 00:16:25 Speaker 12: What do you mean to let those dogs slip further into the midncks wad like an old gulf. 00:16:31 Speaker 1: The servants froze for a breath, afraid to move lest they incur the wrath that simmered beneath the Pharaoh's words. He scowled at their hesitation, his sharp eyes narrowing, and they scrambled to finish their work, buckling the last pieces of armor with haste. Pharaoh turned his rage, not yet spent. 00:16:53 Speaker 5: His hawk like. 00:16:54 Speaker 1: Gaze cut through the gathered captains of generals that lied the chamber, each armored embraced for his command. He towered over them, taller the first, his presence heavy with the weight of millennia of the bloodline of gods. In his hand, he clenched the crooked flail. 00:17:14 Speaker 4: Six hundred sis, six hundred of the finest, the fastest, the most ruthless, chosen from the best. I want them armed and ready. Within any hour. 00:17:32 Speaker 5: Will be done, Divine one. 00:17:34 Speaker 6: Your charioteers are the swiftest in all of Egypt. 00:17:38 Speaker 10: They will tear across the sands like a storm. 00:17:44 Speaker 5: They had better the. 00:17:46 Speaker 4: Hebrews flee while we idle here, And each moment they ran their insolence crows. I will see them brought back in chains or dead in the sand. Their bones will bleach under the sun, a warning to all who think they can defy a god's will. 00:18:14 Speaker 1: Pharaoh's eyes glinted like obsidian, dark and filled with bloodlust. 00:18:20 Speaker 5: I cannot bind them as slaves. 00:18:23 Speaker 12: I shall bury. 00:18:24 Speaker 5: Them beneath the dunes. 00:18:27 Speaker 4: No trace of their rebellion will remain. 00:18:32 Speaker 1: The captain bowed once more, withdrawing, as Pharaoh turned his gaze toward the open tent flap beyond it, the sounds of soldiers preparing for war rumbled like distant thunder, the grinding of chariot wheels, the clatter of spears and shields, and the guttural chants of war songs rising into the night air. Pharaoh's hands clenched around the crooke and flail, the wood creaking under the force of his grip. His thoughts burnt hotter than the midday sun, swirling with visions of punishment, of retribution. 00:19:09 Speaker 12: By ras placing lights, I will crush their god and the rebel crophet. Moses, fetch my watch chariot. I will ride at the head of the army. 00:19:20 Speaker 1: Rameses stalked across the encampment, each step heavy with intent, eyes gleaming under the golden asp of his war crown. He mounted his chariot and shouted back to the men behind him. 00:19:35 Speaker 12: We ride to retrieve what is ours. And if we find them on the edge of the Red Sea, let them pray to their god. 00:19:48 Speaker 14: It will do them no good. 00:19:50 Speaker 12: When we have them trapped between our. 00:19:53 Speaker 14: Chariots and the abyss, none shall save them from my wrath. They will know that I am fair. 00:20:06 Speaker 1: Thunder clapped behind Pharaoh. He turned, seeing the heavens churning above. In its rumbling, Pharaoh could feel the God of Israel challenging him, beckoning him for one final battle. 00:20:32 Speaker 9: What an astonishing tale, the clash of chariots, the cries of a people caught between a relentless sea and a pursuing army. My heart raised with the footsteps of my ancestors, fleeing bondage and cornered by what seemed an inevitable fate. It's a reminder of the impossible situations that we face and the unexpected ways in which God intervenes. I'm left in awe the might of our God, God, who can cause the sea to split and turn despair into deliverance. And I'm left with the deep gratitude for the faith of the chosen people who trusted in God's promise even when faced with the impossible. And facing the impossible, the moment of truth was upon Moses and the Israelites. The entire Egyptian army was about to overtake them, and the sea lay in front of them. Moses began to pray. But then in verse fifteen, something strange takes place. It reads quote then the Lord said to Moses, why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on? What did God mean by move on? A deep blue sea stretched out in front of the Israelites. The Great Bible commentator Rashi gives two possible explanations. The first, God is saying, Moses, this is no time for lengthy prayer when the Israelites are in deep trouble. Let them just move forward. I'll take care of the rest. 00:22:01 Speaker 4: Okay. 00:22:02 Speaker 9: That's the first explanation of this strange verse, and it makes sense. But here's the second. It says that God is asking Moses, why are you crying out to me? It's not up to me, it's up to them. It's up to the people of Israel. Just get them moving. The lesson really is the same with both explanations, and that is that, yes, there is a time for prayer, indeed, but there's also a time for action. God is saying it's up to us, and of course when we act, God listens to us. Of course, when we act, God helps us, and of course God will save us. But first we must act in order that God can do that. My friends, the short little verse has helped me so many times during my life. Whenever I found a deep threatening sea in front of me, I always say, what can I do? And of course I pray, But what I learned from this verse is that I also must act. We can't pray and expect God to do miracles if we're not even willing to take the first, bold and brave step. It reminds me of this. When my Abba, my father, Rabbechel Eckstein, suddenly passed away, was the hardest time of my life, and I prayed so hard to God for comfort, and I prayed for strength. But I also found myself thrust into leading the fellowship on having the millions of people in need who depend on our aid now depending on me. And so yes I prayed, and yes, I remembered that it was only through God's help that I would be able to lead the fellowship to help even more needy people. 00:23:51 Speaker 2: But I also. 00:23:51 Speaker 9: Recognize that God called me not just to pray, but to act. I heard God saying, yell, I will lead your footsteps, but you have to walk them. I heard God saying, I will bless this ministry, but you have to lead it. And so I acted. I took brave, bold steps that were very very hard in leading the fellowship immediately after my father died. And then I saw very clearly that God blessed me, that God blessed this ministry, that God blessed the actions that I was willing to take. And I look around and I see that this is still true now for the Chosen people here in the Holy Land of Israel, as we face so many enemies who want to destroy us. Of course we pray to God for help. We need his help. Nothing we do will succeed unless we help. But praise God, he has blessed us with a strong nation, a strong military, so that we can obey God's command in this special verse, that we can move on as Israeli soldiers would go into Gaza or go into Lebanon to face head on the threats that were trying to destroy Israel and the Jewish people. Before they went into the enemy territory, every single soldier would get together and pray for God's deliverance and blessing. Before they went in. They would stand in a circle, arms around one another and pray for God's mercy. But then they moved on. They went into enemy territory and bravely faced Israel's enemy face to face, making sure that they eliminated any threat to God's chosen people. Now, let's talk about Pharaoh's stubbornness. Proverbs twenty nine one says whoever remained stiff necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy. Now that certainly describes Pharaoh, doesn't it. Time and time again, God gave Pharaoh another chance. He sent warnings and plagues, and even struck the firstborn children of his nation. You would think that Pharaoh would have learned from the carcasses of dead frogs, destroyed monuments, and weeping families. But Pharaoh stiffened his neck. He refused to be corrected, and in his pride, Pharaoh pressed deeper and deeper into his stand against God. You see, when our wills clash with gods, we're going to lose one hundred percent of the time. God's will always wins. But Pharaoh was still caught in this delusion that he was somehow a match for the God of all creation. Pride can be pretty blind, and can't it When we are so convinced that we are right, we invite disaster into our lives, our relationships, our hearts. How often do we all, when face with correction, immediately go on the defense. How quick are we to defend our case instead of stepping back and considering where have we been wrong? Don't get me wrong, sometimes we need to defend ourselves, but we must also find the humility and flexibility to listen to God's correction. Another proverb says this quote. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. End quote. Those are harsh but wise words, you know. When I leave the fellowship, this is my strategy. I have a meeting, and before I speak on any topic, I listen to everyone around the table. I ask them what they think, what they would suggest. Only after I took all of their suggestions into account do I make the final decision. Being able to listen and be corrected is one of the most important Godly things that we can do. Pharaoh couldn't see the Israelites as deserving a freedom because as his heart was hardened by his own tyranny. This blindness led to his downfall. These stories of the Exodus make me think of another time the Chosen People faced tyranny, impossible destruction, the Holocaust. I find so much strength in the faith of the elderly Holocaust survivors that the Fellowship helps every day with food and medicine and heating. I find inspiration to do good in the stories of those who chose to do what was right during the Holocaust, even when it meant facing potential death themselves. I often quote the righteous gentile Dietrich Bonhaffer, and I'll quote this German pastor once again, who was executed for standing with the Jewish people. Bonhuffer wrote, quote, the ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children. End quote. Pharaoh's actions created world of slavery and suffering, not just for the Israelites, but ultimately for his people as well. And God wasn't merely defeating an enemy of the Chosen People. When he dealt with Pharaoh, he was setting a divine standard that oppression and tyranny cannot stand in the face of God's justice. So how do we apply these ancient lessons to our lives. Well, just as the Israelites were led through the sea to a new life with God's help, we too can also walk through our own seas of struggle into a place of freedom. Think about the areas in your life where you feel trapped or oppressed. Maybe it's a toxic relationship, a suffocating job, or even your own internal fears and doubts. Just remember that God didn't leave the Israelites stranded when they were stuck at that sea. He made a way where there seemed to be no way, and He will do the same for you. And what I want you to remember, my friends, is that we are not on this journey alone. Just as the Israelites cross the seat together, we two must support one another through life's challenges in our communities, our families, our homes, our churches, our synagogues. Let's share our burdens and celebrate our victories together. 00:30:30 Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with isle Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Sea Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.