Sola Scriptura: In The Beginning Ch.12

EXT. WILDERNESS OF THE RED SEA - DAWN

Israel journeys from Succoth to Etham, where they encamp in the edge of the wilderness. The red sun rises, and a new day lights the sky. Before the desert sun beams too hot, a pillar of swimming cloud descends at their lead. It gives shade and a cool breeze as well. Moses approaches the friendly tornado and the Lord speaks to him.

VOICE
Turn now toward Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon, and encamp by the sea so that the wilderness shuts you in. Pharaoh will pursue and I shall be honored upon Pharaoh and his host, that the Egyptians may know I am the Lord.

EXT. RED SEA - DUSK

Israel camps by the Red Sea, shut in by the surrounding jagged mountain terrain with slim passes pouring them onto the open seashores. Their Guide stands aside to let the people fill the banks. The valley moves with the shuffling of the swarms upon it. People turn their heads to the west. A slight drone turns to a steady pounding. The horizon begins to glimmer. A long line of coming chariots and soldiers spills forth. The unarmed people start crying to Moses and Aaron who stand before the Guide.

PEOPLE
Pharaoh’s armies! Pharaoh is come to destroy us!

ELDER 1
Were there no graves in Egypt for us? Did we not tell you to leave us alone? Better to slave at the king’s gardens than die most miserable in the free desert.

MOSES
Good people! Stand still! Look to me! To me!

AARON
Be silent! Be silent!

The mountain walls reverberate Aaron’s cry along the valley. The people place their hopeful faces upon their leaders. The leaders look to Moses and Aaron. Moses stands alone on a rock looking up at the Guide.

MOSES
Sons of Israel, hold your peace! Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord! You set your eyes on men too much: the yonder for fear, the hither for hope, but you are forty-five degrees too low. But those Egyptians whom you see this day, you shall never see them again. The Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace!

VOICE
(beat)
Why cry to me? Set them forthwith to the sea that I may have my honor.

MOSES
Have you not seen how the Lord is in the earth? “Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, This far you may come, no farther? Here is where your proud waves halt!”

The whirlwind sucks up into the skies and stomps behind the camp, quaking all the people to the ground. It is now a violent tornado spanning a mile wide and sweeping up all visibility between the two peoples. The proud Egyptian wave is halted. Pharaoh tests the strength of the whether, but his chariot is thrown into the air. Pharaoh’s guards help him back up on his chariot. The overshadowing cloud consumes the daylight, and bursts of lightning flash forth. It is a black cloud to Pharaoh, but to Israel, a pillar of light in the darkness. The Egyptians must rest from their march.

Moses steps forward and waves his staff across the sea. A majestic sight besets the masses: a strong east wind hurls the waters into heaps locked up as with doors. The host of Israel makes safe passage onto the exposed land bridge. The river is a wall at the north and south, and at its gate stands the great tempest Guardian. Israel is untouchable.

Soon, the tempest follows Israel’s tail into the sea. Pharaoh charges the still open seafloor. The tempest of the Lord fights with brute force. Chariots crack. Horses sprain ankles. Even so, the whole of Pharaoh’s force pushes forward into the gaping riverbed. Those that fall run on foot.

The gate of the sea births the host of Israel on the eastern shore. God stands guard at the exit of the sea. The commanders of Egypt lose morale.

COMMANDER
Let us hide from the face of the Lord! Flee! Flee for your lives! Pharaoh is lost in madness. Save yourselves!

Pharaoh defies the appeal. Moses approaches the pillar of light once everyone is cleared from the seafloor.

VOICE
Stretch out your hand across the sea that the waters may swallow the Egyptians.

Moses obeys with gratefulness. The east wind comes to a quick halt. With Pharaoh’s host surrounded, none survives the wrath of the elements and their God. The whether clears, and the morning star shines through. All the host of Israel takes a moment to consider all that the Lord has just done for them.

Certain doubting elders examine many mangled Egyptian corpses that wash upon the shore. Off in the northern distance, nomads and merchants point and draw near to witness to the great deeds done. Moses soon begins to sing and everyone sings along while the men of Israel arm themselves with the Egyptian supplies.

MOSES
“Have you ever ruled the morning, causing Dawn to know her place that she might grasp the ends of Earth and shake the wicked out of grace? It all like clay takes to my seal. They boast their hues in fashion show and from the wicked hide their light, the high arm broken by my might. Have you journeyed there to seaward springs or walked recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you?”

Yes! I will sing unto the Lord
For he hath triumphed glorious
The horse and his rider
Are thrown into the sea.
The Lord’s a Warrior
Yehovah is his name
For all of Pharaoh’s host
Yehovah overcame

By nostrils’ blast upon the sea
the raging waters came to heap
Amid the ocean heart
The great I AM congealed the deep
“Then Pharaoh said Pursue!
Let’s kill and take our spoils!”
The depths have covered them
They sank as weighty stones.

O, Who is like unto thee, Lord,
Among the gods so glorious,
Fearful, doing wonders
Marvelous in holiness?
The people, they shall hear
The enemy shall fear
By the greatness of Thy arm
They sit as stones dismayed.

Till we pass over, Lord
Till we pass over (thy people)
Whom Thou has purchased
Bring them, plant them
In Thy inheritance
In the place that you have made
In your sweet haven (the place of rest)
You have established
Amen, Amen. The Lord reign forever.

Miriam takes up a tambourine and leads all the women with song and dances.

MIRIAM
I will sing unto the Lord
For he hath triumphed glorious
The horse and his rider
Are thrown into the sea.

Some travelers join the throng while others trade food, water, tools and other supplies for the golden spoils of Egypt. Israel takes flight along the eastern coast of the Red Sea. They travel down the Arabian Peninsula a free and happy people armed for battle.

Screenplay by: Tim Seaton