1. Specific Focus is God s Victory over the Oppressor A new stage in the life of God s people.

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1 The Song at the Sea Exodus 15:1-21 I. God s Victory over the Egyptian Army (1-10) A. God the Warrior 1. Specific Focus is God s Victory over the Oppressor A new stage in the life of God s people. Man of war (v 3); Right hand, glorious in power (v 6), shatters the enemy (v 6); Fury (v 7); Blast of nostrils (v 8); Your wind (v 10) [word can mean smell, breath, spirit, wind often used for the Spirit of God, who rushes upon someone] 2. The Breath of God over the Chaotic Sea We see another Genesis connection in verses 5 and 8. The deep waters are a translation of t e homot, which is the plural form of the rod used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the primordial deep (t e hom). the Read Seas is described in a manner reminiscent of the chaotic waters that God tamed at creation (Enns, 298). Reminiscent of Creation: And the Spirit of God was hovering (fluttering) over the face of the waters (Gen 1:2) Also very like the flood: the waters overtake all living flesh except those whom God has selected for salvation. His breath then dries up the flood to bring dry land. a) God Creates by his Word Psalm 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. b) God Recreates by his Breath/Word/Wind John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. c) God Defeats his Enemies by his Word Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Num 11:31 God s breath brought the locusts and took them away, God s breath brought the quail later. Revelation 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations 1

2 YLT Genesis 6:17 'And I, lo, I am bringing in the deluge of waters on the earth to destroy all flesh, in which is a living spirit, from under the heavens; all that is in the earth doth expire. B. Man s Schemes are Useless The power of Egypt was in their iron chariots. Often used later as the temptation of Israel to turn to the horses of Egypt. Speaking of Israel s eventual king, for example, Moses instructs that Egypt s boasting: he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, You shall never return that way again. (Dt 17:16) The enemy boasted, I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them I will draw my sword And my hand will destroy them (v 9) Very like Judges 5: Are they not finding and dividing the spoils? A womb or two for each man? Or Like Psalm 2: The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire against the Lord and against his Anointed One. C. God Wars to Save His People My strength, my song, my salvation, my God, my father s God Song sung by Moses and the people (corporate my ; individual my ; generational my ) ESV Deuteronomy 4:7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? Moses teaches another song at the end of Exodus verbal people, memorization through song. II. Who is Like You, Oh God? (11-13) Hinge Passage between the slavery in Egypt and the home to come, God s holy mountain A. A Mighty God Majestic in Holiness: Other, set apart a Two-ist world Awesome in Glory: The Cloud by Day; the Pillar of Fire by Night Working Wonders: ESV Deuteronomy 4:34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 2

3 B. Loving God 1. Redeemer My salvation (v 2) People you have redeemed (v 13) (people you have purchased) (v 16) 2. Guide Led the people you redeemed (v 13) Guided them by strength to holy abode (v 13) III. The Nations (14-18) Some uncertainty as to verb tenses. Is this the past or the future? Exact same verb patterns as in the earlier section. Some translators have present, some past and some future! Some argue that the song was written much later and inserted into this event in a final format. However, there is no reason to think that the surrounding nations would not have heard of the events that occurred in Egypt. Even though Moab does not immediately capitulate to the Israelites some forty years later when they are approaching the promised land, the Moabites of that era may have been trembling already. News got around! A. Impotent 1. Fear and Trembling Edom (descendants of Esau, living between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea) Philistia (basically present day Gazah Strip) Moab: Descendants of Lot by his older daughter (territory just north of Edom, to the east of the Dead Sea) Canaan (Descendant of Noah s son Ham, living in the land promised to the Israelites) The nations trembled before God s people because they could see what God did to rescue them and to fight for them. Remember the way the Philistines were afraid of the ark, because they remembered what happened to the Egyptians. And Remember Rahab s words in Jericho: I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because ofyou. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt our hearts melted and everyone s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. (Judges 2:8 11) 2. Nothing will Prevent God from Establishing His People Preview of what will happen the nations as still as stone until all the people pass by. Stone like the warriors of Egypt who sank like stones to the bottom of the river. There is a certainty about the victory of Israel! The Lord will reign forever and ever. 3

4 B. A Sanctuary for Israel 1. Physical Land NIV Exodus 15:17 You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance-- the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established. 2. Spiritual Land More on this in later chapters, but the dwelling of God is the mountain, but also his people. They are getting far more than land! They are getting the presence of God among them. God is their inheritance and they are God s inheritance. An amazing, overwhelming thought! (See lessons on 1 Peter) ESV Exodus 34:9 And he said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance." God s dwelling! IV. Myriam s Song A. Role of Women in the Praise of God Miriam called a prophetess (like Deborah, Huldah, the wife of Isaiah) Wicked prophetesses No-adiah (Neh 6:14), Jezebel (Rev. 2:20) Judges 5 Deborah s song similar a victory song for Barak s battle (remember that the waters swept down the mountain to make the chariot wheels stick in the mud and the enemy soldiers were overturned, perhaps even drowned the Kishon River swept them away ) B. Role of Music in the Praise of God Priests were given the job of maintaining music. Later King David, a musician, would develop the choirs that Moses had already begun. 1 Chronicles 9:33 Now these, the singers, the heads of fathers' houses of the Levites, were in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. In the procession accompanying the ark to Zion, the Levites led by Chenaniah, "master of the song," played cornets, trumpets, cymbals, psalteries, and harps, accompanying David's psalm composed for the occasion (1 Chr. 15; 16; 2 Sam. 6:5). Of the 48,000 in the tribe 4,000 praised Jehovah on David's instruments (1 Chr. 23:5,6). Heman led the Kohathites, Asaph the Gershonites, and Ethan or Jeduthun the Merarites (1 Chr. 15:17; 25:1-8). This whole chapter is a song. Moses writes another long song and teaches it to the people (Deuteronomy 32) 4

5 Praise and song are natural responses to God s victories and run throughout the Old and New Testaments. After describing the many mentions of music and singing in the Old Testament, Ryken says, Then God sent his Son into the world, and all the angels sang for joy, with Mary, Zechariah, Simeon, and others joining the chorus. Now in the church we are singing all the time praising God for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. We are singing a song that will never end. The Bible ends with Holy, holy, holy, Worthy is the Lamb, and other lyrics from Heaven s Hymnal. (Ryken, 402-3) But praise is also an antidote to grumbling! The children of Israel often forgot to praise God, as do we. Feeling miserable? Sing! Revelation 15:3 the saints around the throne are singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (Rev 14:3) Was this a quote from Moses? I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. No, because look at the verse before: Hebrews 2:11-12 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. As with all our worship, our music needs sanctifying, but it is sanctified by the perfect singer! Next time you re having trouble singing with a full heart as you worship the Lord in the congregation, remember that your song has already been sung by Jesus and that by his Spirit, it is perfected so that it rises as a pleasing aroma to the throne of the King of Kings, the Creator of the music of the heavens and the earth. Questions: What place does music play in your praise to God? Could it play a larger role? How? 5

6 Enns, Peter. The New Application Commentary: Exodus Fausset s Bible Dictionary, Bibleworks. Ryken, Philip. Exodus. Crossway