Thank you, Silas! We really appreciate it! As you probably know by now, we are well passed Exodus (January to February), but we discussed your question on an upcoming episode. In the meantime, here is a response to your questions:

When did the Israelites regain yeast in their bread?  

Israel always had yeast in their bread, even after the Exodus. Israel was only commanded not to use leaven/yeast for the Passover only in order to remember how they left Egypt in haste (Exodus 12:18; Deuteronomy 16:3), which later became a festival that lasted seven days (on the first month from the 14th to 21st). However, once Israel crossed the Red Sea and reached Mount Sinai, they would have time to allow their bread to develop yeast.

Did the Middle East have yeast cells in the air as we do in the U.S.?  

Yes, absolutely. Yeast cells are in the air, everywhere in the world. The process, however, was not like the store-bought yeast like we buy today, it was more like sourdough, just letting the air do the work. I did not know this, but my wife bakes, so that is that 🙂

Did the crossing of the Red Sea take months? Thousands of Israelites and their herds.

The Bible doesn’t clearly indicate an exact length of time, but the fact that they left in haste suggests that it happened rather quickly. Israel left Egypt at nighttime after Passover, so they left sometime after midnight when God killed the firstborn (Exodus 12:29-32,42,51). It also says that Pharaoh drew near and Israel, presumably the tail end of line, saw them marching and so thought they were going to die (Ex.14:10). (Granted, this can be pretty far; on certain hills I can see up to a thirty-minute drive away, which is quite the hike without a car). Moses lifts up his arms and the Lord splits the sea. After that, it says verse 24, “in the morning” the Egyptians chariots were all clogged and stuck in the mud of the Red Sea (verse 29 indicates that Israel miraculously walked on dry ground). So, because it took Egypt longer to get across, God tells Moses to raise his hand again and the sea will close on the Egyptians. then it says, “Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore”. In a nutshell, it reads like it happened over night!

That said, Josephus states that it took Israel three days to reach the Red Sea: “But as they went away hastily, on the third day, they came to a place called Baalzephon, on the Red Sea.” (Antiquities, 2.15. 1) And Jewish tradition holds that the Israelites crossed the Red Sea seven days after the Passover. So, historically, the length of time has never been months but within a week at absolute most. However, Josephus and tradition do not contradict the text necessarily. It could have taken Israel a night to cross the sea itself, but a week or less to get there.

Regarding the number of people who crossed the sea, it was certainly more than thousands! Ryan wrote an interesting piece regarding this, too. I recommend you read it here.

Either way, whether it happened over hours, a day, or a week, God superintended the event.

I hope that helps, Silas! God bless!