Israel’s memory bank is filled with the sounds of Egypt: the sloshing of water, dirt and straw as bricks are made; the wailing of Hebrew women as their children are systematically killed; the cracking of Egyptian whips on the back of Israelites; the crying of Pharaoh’s palace after the death of their firstborn; the bellowing commands of Egyptian commanders in the dark night; the neighing of horses as they run into the Red Sea; the spinning wheels of Egyptian chariots; the crashing of Red Sea waters; and commanders cursing as the Red Sea bury Pharoah and His army in a watery grave. In summary, after 430 years of captivity, Israel experienced a divine and dramatic deliverance from Pharaoh and the Egyptian Army. However, the response from God’s people was NOT to build a statue, construct an edifice or declare a holiday; rather, the congregation of the delivered responds by breaking out in a song.
Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian captivity was not just a physical escape; it was also a spiritual salvation where God demonstrated His covenant authority as Father over His people. The good news is that this deliverance does not end with the children of Israel; it also extends to all born again believers today. As we choose to walk in the shoes of the delivered Israelites, we also feel the relief from oppression and, as children of God, can praise God with conviction. In this passage and within this song, we see three related, yet distinct responses from the Israelites. The first response is…
They sing a song to God
As the opening verses in this passage tell us, Moses and the children of Israel sing corporately. however, they do so because they experienced this salvation personally and individually. They begin by singing “The LORD is my strength, my song, my salvation, my God” (Exodus 15:2). If there had been no God there would have been no strength, no song and no salvation. Is it any wonder that God’s people sing to Him? For had God not twice intervened (Exodus 12, Exodus 14), the Israelites would have either remained in Egypt as slaves or perished under the Egyptian sword in the middle of the Red Sea.
Now, the modern world prefers a gentle and passive description of God and a tame and tolerant view of sin. Doing so allows humans to indulge in sinful practices without facing the consequences of God’s judgment. Like someone who raises a tiger in their home, we domesticate our sin and downplay the reality that sin devours its prey. But, as we learn in Exodus 15:1-3, God is an aggressive God who both delivered the Israelites and triumphed over the Egyptians in a violent way. Furthermore, scripture also portrays an aggressive God who will ultimately deliver his people and triumph over his enemies (1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Revelation 19:11-16). Brothers and sisters, do you rehearse the reality of God’s violent victory over sin? Routinely doing so will cultivate your heart to sing to God as a grateful response to your deliverance from sin!
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