The Israelites crossed the Red Sea safely on dry ground but the Lord caused the waters to rush in upon Pharaoh's army. The Lord's people sing a thankful song of praise to Him.
"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: 'I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted. Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.'" (Exodus 15:1) They thank the Lord for triumphing over their enemy.
"The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him; my Father's God, and I will exalt Him." (Exodus 15:2) They say, "The God of our fathers is our God too. We will serve Him just as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did. He has proven Himself faithful and worthy or worship."
"The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh's officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy." (Exodus 15:3-6) The Lord is a great army general, mighty in battle, winning the victory all by Himself. Israel could not have fought against her enemy and won; she was vastly outnumbered by an army that was highly skilled in warfare. But the Lord did for Israel what she could not do for herself.
"In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrew those who opposed You." (Exodus 15:7a) Egypt's treatment of the Israelites was a personal affront to the Lord. These are His covenant people. These are the people who were calling upon His name in a land filled with false idols. Anyone who opposed Israel was opposing Almighty God, for the Bible tells us that whoever touches (harms) Israel touches the apple (pokes the pupil) of the Lord's eye. (Zechariah 2:8) Can anyone ignore a poke in the eye? No, and neither can the Lord. He will not ignore any form of persecution perpetrated upon His people Israel. He will preserve that nation just as a man covers and preserves his eye from harm.
The people continue extolling the Lord's battle skills. "You unleashed Your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 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.' But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters." (Exodus 15:7-10) Pharaoh and his army marched out confidently, expecting to easily overwhelm the Israelites. Egypt was the mightiest nation on earth at that time and the king and his soldiers expected victory over the Israelites just as surely as they expected the sun to come up each morning. In their minds it was a foregone conclusion---a done deal. But it was the other way around; God's victory was a foregone conclusion.
Not only did the Lord triumph over the powerful army of Egypt, but He triumphed over all the gods of Egypt. He showed them up for what they were: false idols incapable of speaking even a word. The only deity doing any great works in Egypt---or anywhere else in the world---was Almighty God. "Who among the gods is like You, Lord? Who is like You---majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretch out Your right hand, and the earth swallows Your enemies." (Exodus 15:11-12)
The people have praised the Lord for His battle skills and power. Now they thank Him for His love. "In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling." (Exodus 15:13) The Lord didn't guide them across the Red Sea and then say, "Okay, guys, you're on your own now. I got you through the worst of it, now go on into Canaan and drive the pagan tribes out of the promised land and claim it for your own. I promised your father Abraham that I'd give the land to you; go get it." No, the Lord is going to be with them every step of the way. Their deliverance from Egypt is just the beginning of their relationship with the Lord. We can relate verse 13 to ourselves as well, for after we accept Christ as our Savior we become the children of God and He will never forsake us. He doesn't say, "Okay, the eternal destination of your soul is settled and secure now that you've given your hearts to Christ. I'll see you when you get to heaven someday but until then you're on your own." No, the Lord is going to walk with us every day that we live in this world. Accepting Christ as our Savior is just the beginning of our relationship with the Lord.
Because the Lord has been so mighty on behalf of Israel, everyone who hears about Israel will experience a dreadful and reverent fear of Israel's God. "The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone---until Your people pass by, Lord, until the people You bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance---the place, Lord, You made for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, Your hands established. The Lord reigns forever and ever." (Exodus 15:14-18) The Israelites are already looking forward to the day when a temple to the Lord will stand in the promised land. They are looking forward to the day when they will worship Him there, in the land He promised their fathers.
Moses' and Aaron's sister Miriam led the women of the group in a song to the Lord when the people saw that the Lord drowned the Egyptian army in the sea. Moses tells us, "When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: 'Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted. Both horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.'" (Exodus 15:21) These ladies form their own choir and their singing is accompanied by music and dancing.
The Bible instructs us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, to be loud with our praise, and to rejoice in gratitude for what the Lord has done. (Psalm 98:4, Psalm 100:1) I believe the people's shouts of joy rang off the hills and filled the Red Sea valley with the sound of their voices and their instruments. I bet their praise could be heard for miles around.
Taking our example from the Israelites, what can we praise the Lord for today? Let's not overlook thanking Him for all the things He's already brought us through, for everything He's provided us with today, and for the glorious future He has prepared for us.
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