Wisdom to Understand: Seeing God's Hand in Judgment

The Red Sea But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger, for God knew in advance even their future actions, that, though they themselves had permitted thy people to depart and hastily sent them forth, they would change their minds and pursue them. For while they were still busy at mourning, and were lamenting at the graves of their dead, they reached another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart. For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end, and made them forget what had happened, in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked, and that thy people might experience an incredible journey, but they themselves might meet a strange death. God Guides and Protects His People For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew, complying with thy commands, that thy children might be kept unharmed. The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves, where those protected by thy hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvelous wonders. For they ranged like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who didst deliver them. For they still recalled the events of their sojourn, how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats, and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs. Afterward they saw also a new kind of birds, when desire led them to ask for luxurious food; for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea. The Punishment of the Egyptians The punishments did not come upon the sinners without prior signs in the violence of thunder, for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts; for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers. Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them, but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors. And not only so, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former for their hostile reception of the aliens; but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations, afflicted with terrible sufferings those who had already shared the same rights. They were stricken also with loss of sight— just as were those at the door of the righteous man— when, surrounded by yawning darkness, each tried to find the way through his own door. A New Harmony in Nature For the elements changed places with one another, as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm, while each note remains the same. This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place. For land animals were transformed into water creatures, and creatures that swim moved over to the land. Fire even in water retained its normal power, and water forgot its fire-quenching nature. Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, nor did they melt the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food. Conclusion For in everything, O Lord, thou hast exalted and glorified thy people; and thou hast not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.

Wisdom 19:1–20 — The ungodly Egyptians, despite granting Israel permission to leave, soon pursued them in foolishness. The whole creation is reshaped for the protection of God's children: the cloud shades the camp, dry land emerges from the sea, and quail arrive from the sea to feed them in the wilderness. God's foreknowledge and righteous judgment frame the passage, contrasting the fate of the wicked with the wonders granted to the redeemed.