Exodus 15:1-27
Q.1. How was God described? Why was the Song of Moses important? How did the triumph over Egypt draw attention to God? Would the song have made sense without the incident? – (Exo.15:1-10)
Trapped by the Egyptian army on the other side of the Red Sea, Israel had been terrified. Some had turned on Moses (Exo.14:10-12). How quickly they had changed their tune from the previous day – When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses (Exo.14:31). They now acknowledged the Lord as their strength. They exalted Him as they sang – 6 Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. 7 In the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You (Exo.15:6-7 c.f. Exo.15:1-3). Many have tried to explain away the miracle of the Red Sea crossing. However, this song documents the Red Sea crossing in great detail. It would be hard to explain why such songs survived if they were mere fiction (Exo.chpt.15 c.f. Ps.105:25-36; 106:7-12). The song recorded the cataclysmic events that destroyed the pursuing chariots and horses of Egypt – 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 “The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone (Exo.15:4-5 c.f. Exo.15: 8-10, 12, 19). The events are embedded in Israel’s history in both narrative and poetic form.
Q.2. How did God compare with the other gods? Why were other nations mentioned? In what way had God purchased them? Where was Israel going? What part did Miriam play? – (Exo.15:11-21)
Soon Israel would turn to other gods, and worship a golden calf, as some had done in Egypt (c.f. Exo.32:1-6). However, at that time they confessed – Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders? (Exo.15:11). Israel’s destiny was the Promised Land, which was flanked by Philistia, Edom, Moab – and all the inhabitants of Canaan … (Exo.15:15 c.f. Exo.15:14-15). This miracle would cause consternation to these nations for generations to come (c.f. Num.22:1-5; Josh.2:9-11). The celebration of the Passover required the blood of a perfect lamb for every family (Exo.12:1-14). Every firstborn male of the womb was to be devoted to the Lord, and his life had to be redeemed (Exo.11-13). This applied to each new generation – 14 And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ (Exo.13:14-15). The Passover provision, the redemption of each firstborn representing all the families of Israel, and the Red Sea crossing, were all part of the baptism and birth of the nation (Exo.15:16 c.f. 1 Cor.10:1-2). Miriam, (the sister of Moses and Aaron) led the women in dancing and singing, and being a prophetess, quite possibly contributed a major part of the victory song. (Exo.15:20-21).
Q.3. Where did God lead Israel? Why did they grumble? In what way did God test Israel? How was God their Healer? What were the conditions of God’s protection? What was at Elim? – (Exo.15:22-27)
It was recorded that the Lord was going before – 21 that they might travel by day and by night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, or the pillar of fire by night, from before the people (Exo.13:21-22). Thus, Moses led them through the wilderness of Shur … and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water (Exo.15:22). They found water at Marah but – could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter (Exo.15:23). After such an amazing miracle, Israel quickly reverted back to their old ways, and – the people grumbled against Moses (Exo.15:24). We must conclude that God has a purpose for all the trials through which He leads us. This one gave Him the opportunity to perform a greater miracle, when – the Lord showed Moses a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet (Exo.15:25). Some commentators see this as an image of Jesus on the accursed tree removing the bitterness of death. The miracles of the serpent on the pole and the striking of the rock are also used as examples of Gospel truths (c.f. Exo.17:6-7; Num.21:8-9; Jn.3:14-15; 1 Cor.10:4; Gal.3:13-14; 1 Pet.2:24). In this trial, God had a clear purpose, and made it a rule for life – If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, THE LORD, AM YOUR HEALER i.e. Jehovah Rapha (Exo.15:26). This statute would be repeated by curses from Mount Ebal, and blessings from Mount Gerizim (Dt.27:9-26; 28:1-14, 15-68). God’s promise of healing to His Covenant people, applied very broadly to the blessing of the nation. It was not understood by Moses or Joshua, as the basis for a miraculous healing ministry. Moreover, the Lord demanded strict obedience. After this, God led Israel to Elim – where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms (Exo.15:27). God provides His children with a wide range of experiences in order to develop our faith.