SUMMARY: The release of the new film, Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle is just around the corner. The film marks the third installment in the Patterns of Evidence series. Here, we provide a glimpse of the opening personalities and questions that will engage viewers.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” 26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. – Exodus 14:19 (ESV)
New Patterns of Evidence Film to Explore One of the Biggest Miracles of the Bible
The Exodus event is the greatest story of redemption in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical narrative has captured the imagination of filmmakers and inspired countless numbers of people throughout history. Of all the Exodus miracles, there is one that is especially dramatic and punctuates not only God’s deliverance of Israel, but God’s judgement of Egypt. This miracle is the Red Sea crossing.
But was this event the large-scale miracle depicted by Cecil B. DeMille in his epic film, The Ten Commandments? Could it be that the Red Sea crossing was actually the small scale experience of tens of thousands of oppressed Hebrew slaves, near Egypt, and resulting from naturalistic forces such as an ordinary wind? Or, was the Red Sea crossing more along the lines depicted by DeMille in The Ten Commandments where an impossible deliverance of millions of people, through an untraversable deep sea, miraculously occurred?
On February 18th, 2020 the new Patterns of Evidence film, The Red Sea Miracle, will be featured in over 800 theaters across the US. This much anticipated film is the third installment in the Patterns of Evidence franchise, produced by Thinking Man Films under the direction of filmmaker Tim Mahoney. The contribution of this installment to the Patterns of Evidence series is that it addresses key questions related to the most significant event of the Exodus journey – the Red Sea crossing.
The film opens by introducing some of the challenges involved in the investigation, as well as some of the key players in the discussion. Filmmaker Timothy Mahoney stated, “I landed in Cairo, Egypt in April of 2002 with a small film crew. I was there to investigate the route Moses and the Israelites would have taken in the exodus out of Egypt. I thought this would be a one-year project, but here it is 20 years later. The story continued to grow year after year as I interviewed archaeologists, theologians and scientists with many different theories. Now, I’m eager to share all I’ve learned during that time.”
One important voice that Tim Mahoney interviewed was Hershel Shanks, founder of the Biblical Archaeology Society and Biblical Archaeology Review. When asked about the parting of the Red Sea, Shanks stated, “There are many miracles in the book of Exodus. Whether the Red Sea parted is a miracle. Whether the ten plagues happened is a miracle. Archeology cannot prove or disprove a miracle.”
Mahoney realized that this investigation would be filled with miracles. Not just the parting of the Red Sea, but bringing up questions such as, “What is the definition of a miracle, does God work within the normal laws of nature or do miracles go outside of the laws of nature?”
Jim Phillips, Curator of Egyptian and Near Eastern Anthropology at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, comments, “I am happy for the people who are trying to quote “prove the Exodus,” in the sense that it’s an adventure. It’s a goal that in my opinion is unachievable in one’s lifetime. No one else has been able to do it over the last 2000 years.”
Mahoney also interviewed British Physicist Sir Colin Humphreys, Director of Research at The University of Cambridge and founder of the Cambridge Centre for Gallium Nitride. He stated, “When I look at the Exodus story through the eyes of a scientist, then it contains a lot of observations, which just make sense to modern science.” Austrian Egyptologist Manfred Bietak also makes a return appearance after being seen in Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus.
During the making of The Red Sea Miracle, Mahoney made contact with Cece DeMille, granddaughter of epic film producer Cecil B. DeMille, Mahoney asked her, “Why did he spend so much of his career making those types of films?” She responded “Because he loved the Bible. He thought the greatest stories were in the Bible. You don’t have to make them up, they’re there.”
Two geographers are featured in the production. Barry Beitzel, author of the New Moody Atlas of the Bible declares, “It isn’t any wonder that the prophets constantly hark back to the land of Egypt, and to the Exodus event as it becomes a paradigm of God’s miraculous saving power.”
Glen Fritz is author of The Lost Sea of the Exodus: A Modern Geographical Analysis. He further explains, “The first question most people ask is where is Mount Sinai? My first question as a geographer is where was the sea of the Exodus? Where was this sea that was parted and crossed?” These personalities inject diversity of perspective, and keep the film charged with a point and counterpoint energy throughout, as others join in the debate along the way.
Major Questions in The Red Sea Miracle
Important issues that arise are related to the location and logistics of the Red Sea crossing, such as: “Was the crossing through a small body of water such as a shallow lake, or was it across an incredibly deep area, such as the Gulf of Aqaba?” Other intriguing questions include, “If a wind powerful enough to part the waters of the Gulf of Aqaba was involved, how could humans pass through and not be blown away?” Or, “If normal wind parted the waters, what does this mean as far as the supernatural character of a miracle is concerned?”
The Film Release – One Night Only – February 18, 2020
When asked about upcoming film release, Mahoney explained that The Red Sea Miracle is a Fathom Event with a one night only showing Tuesday, February 18, 2020. “What is unique about this showing in a theater setting is that you can bring friends who might not go to church with you, but will come to see a film in a theater,” he said. ”Afterwards you will have a lot to talk about. And you also can bring your family to see this faith-affirming film with powerful evidence matching the Bible.”
Here is an important endorsement just received:
“I’ve worked in a ministry that deals with the Bible’s history for 30 years. So, it is rare that I get a shot of excitement when I watch a film that attempts to cover such topics. This movie genuinely surprised me. It is scholarly, but thoroughly engaging at the same time. But most of all it tries to be faithful to Scripture. One of the best documentaries I’ve seen on the Bible’s history in years.”—Gary Bates, CEO, Creation Ministries International; CREATION.com
How You Can Help
Mahoney continued, “I want to challenge Thinkers to join our team in getting people out to The Red Sea Miracle Fathom Event. If you are a person who realizes that the Bible has changed the world and wants to share in that mission, then bring everyone you know to see this upcoming film. Here is a link to the resource page for The Red Sea Miracle where you can download posters and photos, and see the shareable trailer.
The Red Sea Miracle is the first film of a two-part release. It will give special attention to the journey from Egypt to the sea, searching the biblical narrative, ancient maps and geographical landmarks to understand the different crossing options and the miracle each would require. In this film, viewers will not only be introduced to the issues involved, but will be treated to the kind of epic cinematography and biblical recreations only now available to filmmakers. Invite friends and family to this inspiring and enlightening film that will help us all to Keep Thinking!
Top Image: Moses watching the Israelites pass by in Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle. (© 2019 Patterns of Evidence, LLC.)
