Syrian refugees take part in a demonstration this year at the Zaatari camp… (Khalil Mazraawi / AFP/Getty…)

There are many places in the world experiencing an exodus of sorts. More than 2.5 million Syrians have fled their homes since the beginning of the civil war there in March 2011.  Syrians have dropped everything and left at a moment’s notice, taking only what they can carry. They have been set up in refugee camps, facing overcrowding, crime and despairing conditions. I wonder if the Israelites cut a similar spectacle as they fled out of Egypt. Dropping everything, leaving for an uncertain future, unsure of just how they are going to get away from their pursuers. It must have been dusty, smelly, and scary as heck. I’m willing to bet that anxiety mixed with adrenaline posed a dangerous combination and things were not as peaceful and calm as they always appear in our modern adaptations. The logistics of leading 600,000 people out of one of the most powerful nations of the time and out into the wilderness of the dessert must have been astounding. That’s 12x the capacity of Floyd Casey Stadium (with the tarp taken off).

Baylor University’s Floyd Casey Stadium

They had no pop-up tents, no GPS, traffic cops or Siri to help guide them on their way. To me that seems an ultimate test of faith. Leaving a place of desolation for one of uncertainty but with hope of freedom. To me this brings thoughts of all the refugees in our world today, people with no homes, no idea what the future holds. They are facing a very different set of circumstances but I wonder what we can learn about the Exodus of the Israelites by looking at the refugees of today.