Bible Trivia Saturday: Parting The Waters (Answer)

QUESTION:

How many times did God part the waters in the Scriptures and who did He use to do so?

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ANSWER:

Moses

Exodus 14:21

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.

Joshua

Joshua 3:7-8, 16-17

7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”

16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

Elijah

2 Kings 2:8

Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

Elisha

2 Kings 2:14

Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

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Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha were used by God to part the waters to help God’s people cross over by dividing it and to show that they were chosen by God to carry out His will. All four men also pointed to Jesus.

Moses: The giver of God’s Word (the law)

Jesus is the Word of God and giver of the good news.

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Joshua: The name means savior, who brought the Israelites into the promised land and through his leadership defeated all of their enemies because of his obedience to God’s Word.

Jesus is the Savior of the world. By placing our faith in Him, He will give us eternal life and take us after physical death to the promised land (heaven).

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Elijah: A mighty prophet who confronted the demonic forces who were behind the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel and destroyed them there. Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind.

Jesus confronted Satan in the wilderness and overcame his temptations. Jesus ascended into heaven in the presence of 500 people after His resurrection.

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Elisha: A prophet who succeeded Elijah after his departure from earth, who God used to resurrect the Shunammite’s son.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life, whoever puts their trust in Him shall never see death but have everlasting life. Even though we physically die we shall live.