March 21, 2023

What is our Song of Praise?

Exodus 15

Marisa Frizzell
Tuesday's Devo

March 21, 2023

Tuesday's Devo

March 21, 2023

Big Idea

God reveals the way and His will through His Word.

Key Verse | Exodus 15:11

"Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"

Exodus 15

The Song of Moses

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying,

“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
    the horse and his rider 1 15:1 Or its chariot; also verse 21 he has thrown into the sea.
The LORD is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father's God, and I will exalt him.
The LORD is a man of war;
    the LORD is his name.

Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
    and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods covered them;
    they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power,
    your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
    you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
    the floods stood up in a heap;
    the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
    I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
    I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
10  You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
    they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11  Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?
    Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
    awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
12  You stretched out your right hand;
    the earth swallowed them.

13  You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
    you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
14  The peoples have heard; they tremble;
    pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15  Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed;
    trembling seizes the leaders of Moab;
    all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16  Terror and dread fall upon them;
    because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone,
till your people, O LORD, pass by,
    till the people pass by whom you have purchased.
17  You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,
    the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode,
    the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
18  The LORD will reign forever and ever.”

19 For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Bitter Water Made Sweet

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 2 15:23 Marah means bitterness 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, 3 15:25 Or tree and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the LORD 4 15:25 Hebrew he made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

Footnotes

[1] 15:1 Or its chariot; also verse 21
[2] 15:23 Marah means bitterness
[3] 15:25 Or tree
[4] 15:25 Hebrew he

S2:057 Exodus 15

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Exodus 15

In the previous chapter, we read about how God saved the Israelites from Pharaoh and his army by parting the Red Sea and allowing safe passage for the Israelites. Exodus 15 is a song of praise by the Israelites, a "fitting climax to all of God's miracles performed on behalf of the Israelites in leading them out of Egypt." (Dr. Thomas L. Constable's Notes on Exodus, p. 141.)

This beautiful hymn showcases God's strength and power. He is higher than any god and can do what no one else can do. He is our strength, our defender, our guide, and our salvation. He is strong in power, casting Pharaoh and his army into the depths of the sea with His "right hand." Exodus 15:11, our key verse, sums up chapter 15 beautifully.

Not only is He a mighty God, but He also cares deeply for His people, as evidenced in Exodus 15:13, "You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them . . . ." God kept His promises to care for and redeem His chosen people and bring them out of captivity and to His "holy abode." This tremendous love moves God to violence against the Israelites' enemies.

Today, we are redeemed people, and our proper response is to give God the praise He is due and to follow His guidance. Corporate worship affords us the opportunity to remember our God, to give Him praise and honor, and to remember He is good. He keeps His promises.

Sometimes I forget how God has shown His strength and power in my life, just as the Israelites did several verses later when they started grumbling about not having water to drink. They had just finished praising God for all He had done for them, yet they questioned if He would provide for their basic needs.

How often I need to remind myself of all the times God has shown up in my life. Sometimes it's in the small details; sometimes it's answers to big prayers. God is in EVERYTHING, big and small, and He is worthy of praise all the time!

This month's memory verse

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

– John 14:27

Discussion Questions

1. In what ways have you recently seen God's mighty work in your life? Have you shared these praises with others around you?

2. When in your life, like the Israelites, are you quick to grumble and complain?

3. As part of the redeemed, where is the Lord leading and guiding you?

4. Sometimes we forgot God's faithfulness, like the Israelites did. Having reminders, such as a journal to record when we've seen God move in our lives, can be helpful when we're in a valley season. In what way do you remind yourself of times when God has been faithful?

Respond to Today's Passage

Sign In to Respond
HS

Hugh Stephenson

GM Marisa! Love this song also. Like Hannah’s song and the Magnificat! A few years ago, soon after salvation, I was taking a cab from LAX to my daughter’s house. I engaged the cab driver about his faith. His was syncretic- combining lots of cultural silliness. It’s not a long cab ride so I knew I had to try and get a rock in his shoe. I asked a set of questions. He seemed uncertain. When we pulled up to the house, I felt like I had done the best I could do- but not all that well. I mentioned this to a co-leader in Prodigal. She asked, “Did you tell him about having a personal relationship with Jesus?” I felt deflated. Is there anything more powerful than that? What a miss! I missed it again in this passage. See Exodus 15:2. Here’s the tip-off from the ESV SB notes-
HS

Hugh Stephenson

“The singular reference to my father’s God echoes the Lord’s words to Moses at the burning bush, which indicate that this phrase refers to “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (3:6) and equips Israel also to say of him, “this is my God.” What does it mean to have this “personal relationship” and how does one get there? https://www.gotquestions.org/personal-Savior.html The Got Qs piece has a great and very detailed answer. “Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior means placing your own personal faith and trust in Him.” Back to this progression- knowledge leads to faith which leads to trust which leads to obedience which leads to joy-peace-rest. An abundant life now and eternal life with Him forever. Perhaps- Spectacular & supernatural works of Yahweh; the personal, relational, covenant-keeping God, have been seen repeatedly over an extended period of time….do the Israelites “know’ Him?
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Hugh Stephenson

(“So that you will know that I am the Lord”). https://www.gotquestions.org/meaning-of-Yahweh.html The song of Moses seems to convey that they do. However, (like me), how will their belief weather the storms and temptations? The trials, sufferings, sicknesses, defeats and what they will see as the silent abandonment of them by Him? In other words, how long will it take them, and me, to go from the praise of Palm Sunday to the persecution of Good Friday? Constable has a fascinating deep exposition of the song. Not too long and worth the deep dive. https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/ot/exodus/exodus.htm Interestingly Moses wrote three songs. Here’s a link to them and to Got Qs discussing the one from Deuteronomy at the end of Moses’s life. https://www.gotquestions.org/Song-of-Moses.html And what’s all this about God’s hand and arm? (Exodus 15:6). https://www.gotquestions.org/hand-of-God.html https://www.gotquestions.org/humble-yourselves-under-mighty-hand-God.html https://www.gotquestions.org/right-hand-God.html https://www.gotquestions.org/God-outstretched-arm.html
MS

Michael Sisson

Re: Ex 15:2 Ex 15:2 (NASB) “The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become >>>my salvation;<<< This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will extol Him. “Salvation” in Hebrew is "Yeshua." (“Jesus”) Re: Ex 15:23 Ex 15:23 (NASB) When they came to >>>Marah,<<< they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were >>>bitter; therefore it was named Marah.<<< Marah (meaning “bitterness”) is the Hebrew root word from which we get the name Mary. Re: Ex 15:25 Ex 15:25 (NASB) Then he cried out to the LORD, and >>>the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.<<< There He made for them a statute and regulation, and >>>there He tested them.<<< Note the Messianic imagery in this passage. While not a literal translation from the Hebrew, a >>>Branch (Isa 11:1)<<< is added to >>>Mary (“Bitterness”)<<< to produce “sweet” waters which saved them… >>>Water of Salvation. (Isa 12:3; Jn 7:37-38)<<<
CL

Chris Landry

Good morning, Marissa! Thankful for your music-in-the-background household comment. I'm not alone. I've got Dan Musselman playing now (very meditative - solo Christian piano) and Shane and Shane is very common at our house, too. My 2yr says, "Rexa, Pray Shane Shane Spotify!" 😂 Okay! I normally don't google imagery for biblical locations. But two parts of this passage stood out to me. One brought tears to my eyes. The other brought wonder. WONDER AND AWE: the Oasis of Elim as a reminder of God's provision OUT OF OUR BITTER DESPAIR TO HIS PROVISION AND HOPE and the nuanced detail regarding 12/70 in two aspects of God's word. Elim had 12 springs and 70 palm trees. (Exodus 15:27) 1. "In many ways, Elim is significant for the church today as it was for Israel when they encountered that experience. It is indicative of the hope we have in Christ and His never-ending faithfulness to His promises. The great contrast between the bitter waters of Marah and the lavish Oasis in the desert, forces us to conclude that there is a behind the scene set-up." 2. Re: 12/70 --- With Jesus: "Some Bible teachers saw the TWELVE disciples and the SEVENTY missionaries Jesus sent out two by two (Luke 10:1)." --- With Israel: Twelve Tribes and Seventy individuals referenced in Exodus 1:5. "Elim is rooted in this promise. From Abraham came Isaac and from Isaac came Jacob, who later became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel through his sons. Following a series of divinely orchestrated events – a masterpiece of divine providence, Jacob ended up with his twelve sons and their immediate descendants in Egypt. Altogether, seventy individuals went into Egypt according to Exodus 1:5." TEARS OF GRATITUDE: Imagine the rescue of God's child (ME and YOU) in the pit of despair, in the throws of turmoil, in the cloud of fear and terror. He does this with us now and He did with them. Moses sang about it here in Exodus 15:16 and it spoke richly to my soul. Let us put ourselves in our lowest point, at the end of our ropes, in high desperation and then read this.....“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.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭16‬ ‭ -- we can be confident that He will save us in - or see us through - our terror because God is good!! His arm is NOT too short. (Isaiah 59:1) See also: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We were "BOUGHT WITH A PRICE." Amen and Amen.
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Michael Scaman

The cross is the tree that the bitter (Marah) water made sweet (similar to the name Noami ) . A suspected unfaithful woman was to drink bitter (Marah) water in Numbers 5. "Do not call me pleasant (Naomi), call me bitter (Marah) Ruth's mother in law lamented until she realized God was for her and working. Moses reminded the people of the importance also of listening to the word of God and obeying it.
SB

Sue Bohlin

Thank you, Marisa! I am struck by the comment that God was testing His people. He "set the stage" for their test of their trust in the God who had just *spectacularly* released them from their miserable bondage in Egypt. What a good reminder that when things get tough, God is setting the stage for Him to come in as hero, IF WE LET HIM. But how often are we like the Israelites, living out of a mindset of "What have You done for me lately?" I always find it helpful to remind myself--or be reminded by faithful friends if I need it--that my situation may indicate that I'm being tested. If I KNOW it's a test, I usually do better at remembering what I'm supposed to recall and plug into the equation. And how often is the test (from God) also a temptation (from the enemy)? Same exact situation? Oh Lord. Please help us remember to trust You ALWAYS. That that is always the answer to the test. You are good, You love us, and You want us to trust You.
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Amy Lowther

1. My dad achieved a business goal with his team of workers. Yes, the praises of this were shared respectfully for what was accomplished. 2. I am quick to grumble and complain at myself when I do something wrong. 3. The Lord is leading me and guiding me everywhere and through everything. 4. I share with other believers how the day went or how the week went and where God was in it.