How does Psalm 66:6 connect with Exodus 14:21-22 and Joshua 3:14-17? Setting the Scene: Reading the Three Texts Together Psalm 66:6 — “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.” Exodus 14:21-22 — “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.” Joshua 3:14-17 — “So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them … the waters flowing downstream stood still, rising up into a heap … and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. … The priests … stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, and all Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” Key Connections and Themes • Repeated Miracle, Same God • Psalm 66:6 telescopes both events—Red Sea and Jordan—into one line: “He turned the sea into dry land.” • Exodus 14 and Joshua 3 record two separate yet parallel acts: waters pushed back, dry ground provided, nation walks across. • The psalmist treats them as one continuous testimony of God’s power, showing His consistency across generations. • Deliverance and Entry • Exodus: deliverance out of bondage (Egypt). • Joshua: entry into promise (Canaan). • Psalm 66 celebrates both—God not only frees but also leads to fulfillment (cf. Deuteronomy 6:23). • Dry Ground as Symbol of Certain Salvation • God doesn’t merely reduce the crisis; He removes it, creating solid footing where none existed (Isaiah 43:16-17). • Walking “on foot” underscores the total accessibility of salvation to every Israelite, from child to elder. • Corporate Joy and Worship • Psalm 66:6 ends, “there we rejoiced in Him,” capturing the proper response to both crossings—communal celebration (Exodus 15:1-2; Joshua 4:23-24). • The memory of God’s past acts fuels present praise and future trust (Psalm 77:11-14). Echoes Forward to the Gospel • Water parted = pathway of redemption; Christ opens a greater way through death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Hebrews 10:19-20). • Just as Israel followed the ark into Jordan, believers follow the presence of God in Christ into new covenant life (John 14:6). Take-Home Truths • Same Lord, same power: what He did at the Red Sea and Jordan remains His character today. • Salvation is both rescue from slavery and entrance into promise; God completes what He begins (Philippians 1:6). • Remembering specific historical acts strengthens present faith; recount them, rejoice in Him. |
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