The Song of Salvation

Transcription

1 Bible Basics Conference 2014 The Song of Salvation Michael Hardt 1

2 :1-2 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to Jehovah, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. My strength and song is Jah, and he is become my salvation: This is my *God, and I will glorify him; My father's God, and I will extol him. 2

3 Singing has to do with joy This is the first song recorded in the Bible No song before Not even in Gen 31:27 Why didst thou flee away covertly, and steal away from me, and didst not tell me, that I might have conducted thee with mirth and with songs, with tambour and with harp? Singing is connected with joy (Ja 5:13) So why could they sing now? And not before? 3

4 This song can be looked at on different levels 1. The situation of the Israelites (historical) 2. A picture of salvation (typical) 4

5 1. The situation of the Israelites (historical) 1. They had spent decades in a strange land 2. They had been oppressed in cruel slavery 3. They had been sheltered from God s judgement (Passover) 4. They had experienced a miraculous escape 5. They had experienced God s presence in the cloud 6. They had realised their complete inability, and their need to be delivered 7. They had seen the Red Sea give way for them 8. They had seen Pharaoh's armies triumphantly defeated They can sing because they are redeemed and set free / delivered

6 2. A picture of salvation (typical) Believers today are sheltered from judgement (Passover) The price of their redemption has been paid (the blood of Christ) But God has done more He has also delivered us from the power of Satan: that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil; and might set free all those who through fear of death through the whole of their life were subject to bondage. Heb 2:14 World: who gave himself for our sins, so that he should deliver us out of the present evil world Gal 1:4 Sin: For sin shall not have dominion over *you*, for ye are not under law but under grace. Rom 6:14 Singing follows redemption (angels don t sing) This song of salvation finds its Christian There is then now no equivalent in the triumph of Romans 8 condemnation to those in 6 Christ Jesus. Rom 8:1

7 A great pattern for a good song Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to Jehovah, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto Jehovah, for he is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea Intelligent, not repetitive The theme is God 3. They do not sing about themselves, but it is personal 4. His name is mentioned about 16 times (plus he and thou ) 12x Jehovah 1x El 1x Elohim 1x Jah 1x Adonai They recognise God as Strength / Salvation / Guide Expresses faith looks forward to future victories 7

8 Impressive type : They saw only death But the water opened up the path of life In the death of Christ, death itself has become the way to life Exo 15:1b The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Deliverance to the believer Certain judgement to the unbeliever 8

9 :2 My strength and song is Jah, and he is become my salvation: Salvation: here for the first time people possess salvation Only two earlier references to salvation in the Bible: I wait for thy salvation, O Jehovah Gen 49:18 And Moses said to the people, Fear not: stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day Exo 14:13 Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea-shore. Exo 14:30 9

10 What is salvation? We sometimes use the term (too) The passover lamb provides shelter loosely against God s judgement God does not describe Israel as This shelter tends to be the first saved before concern of an awakened conscience (i) they had crossed the Red Sea, and But once this is obtained a new (ii) their enemies had been judged question arises: what about my pride, (iii) they had been delivered / set free carnality, etc. (iv) they knew it This leads to the experience of Romans 7 Salvation means that I am brought consciously to know We still have the flesh God in the triumph of Need deliverance from power of sin redemption by Christ for me. How? Christ died and we with Salvation means known Him (Romans 6) conscious deliverance Learnt experimentally Rests on Christ s work 10 William Kelly

11 What is salvation? Don t settle for less than salvation! Old Testament pictures Illustrations for us Not the Christian position But our appreciation Christ s work is one It was accomplished once for all But there are many types: show how we learn about the different aspects of His work 11

12 God is only fully known in redemption / salvation Before the cross He could not be fully revealed The result of redemption is the exaltation of the redeemer :2b This is my *God, and I will glorify him; My father's God, and I will extol him. 12

13 Exo 15:3 5 Jehovah is a man of war; Jehovah, his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his army hath he cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths covered them; they sank to the bottom as a stone. The whole of Satan s power defeated A complete victory he shall crush thy head, and thou shalt crush his heel Gen 3:15: having spoiled principalities and authorities, he made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it. Col 2:15 that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil Heb 2:14: 13

14 Exo 15:6-7 Thy right hand, Jehovah, is become glorious in power: Thy right hand, Jehovah, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And by the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown thine adversaries: Thou sentest forth thy burning wrath, it consumed them as stubble. Parallel: that we should be to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:12) 14

15 Exo 15:8 And by the breath of thy nostrils the waters were heaped up; The streams stood as a mound; The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. Breath: normally insignificant Waters: the waters of death opened up the path of life Realise own inability (Rom. 7 / Ex.14) Look for deliverance from outside 2 Natures Identification with Christ in death There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:1) 15

16 The enemy said :9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will unsheath my sword, my hand shall dispossess them. but God acted! :10 Thou didst blow with thy breath, the sea covered them; They sank as lead in the mighty waters. 16

17 :11-12 Who is like unto thee, Jehovah, among the gods? Who is like unto thee, glorifying thyself in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. God s actions show God s greatness! He is unique, incomparable You don t find holiness in Genesis God s holiness only revealed in redemption 17

18 :13 Thou by thy mercy hast led forth the people that thou hast redeemed; 2 Stages: 1. Redeemed 2. Led forth 18

19 God s dwelling with His people after redemption We have been brought near :13b Thou hast guided them by thy strength unto the abode of thy holiness. Distance measured by the cross Nearness measured by Christ s place in glory! So near, so very near to God, I cannot nearer be, For in the person of His Son I am as near as He Faith anticipates what God will do and regards it as done Rom. 8:30: whom he has justified, these also 19 he has glorified.

20 :14-15 The peoples heard it, they were afraid: A thrill seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the princes of Edom were amazed; The mighty men of Moab, trembling hath seized them; All the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. These were distant enemies Faith draws on past experience and trusts God for the future 20

21 An example: Rahab Jos 2:10-11 For we have heard that Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red sea before you when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did to the two kings of the Amorites We heard of it, and our heart melted, and there remained no more spirit in any man because of you; for Jehovah your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 21

22 :16 Fear and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of thine arm they are still as a stone; Till thy people pass over, Jehovah, Till the people pass over that thou hast purchased. Rom 8:31-35 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who against us? He who, yea, has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him grant us all things? Who shall bring an accusation against God's elect? It is God who justifies: who is he that condemns? It is Christ who has died, but rather has been also raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?22

23 Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, The place that thou, Jehovah, hast made thy dwelling, The Sanctuary, Lord, that thy hands have prepared. Faith trusts God for the future Unbelief assumes the song was written in Solomon s day Faith can speak of future events as in the past (just as certain as though they had already happened) Being a Christian is not just about shelter from judgement = great as this is God has more for us He already dwell with us We will be with Him 23

24 Exo 15:18.19 Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever! For the horse of Pharaoh, with his chariots and with his horsemen, came into the sea, and Jehovah brought again the waters of the sea upon them; and the children of Israel went on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Faith extends not only to the near future (conquest of Canaan) but to the distant future (Millennium) All based on Christ s work on the cross Enemies defeated His people spared 24

25 Exo 15:20.21 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the tambour in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambours and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing to Jehovah, for he is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. V.1 says Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to Jehovah The objective side V.20 says: Miriam and all the Can you women The subjectiveimagine responseone person not joining in?? But the theme remains: the greatness of the Lord, and of what He has done 25

26 But in all these things we more than conquer through him that has loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8: