December 25, 2020
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Reading along with us in some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 15 (NIV)
The Song of Moses and Miriam
1 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
I love that this chapter starts with this joyful song to God praising Him for His power, protection, deliverance from their enemies and as soon as there is no water they immediately grumble!
Aren’t we so often like this when things are good we are singing God’s praises and when things get tough we are immediately complaining!
What a great song of praise exalting God and giving Him credit for the miraculous victory He had over the Egyptians. I suppose it would help to have been there and seen the Egyptians bearing down and realizing the vulnerable position the Jews were in with no ability to protect themselves. And then to see the mighty Egyptian army decimated in a way the Jews could never have imagined. It makes the praise flow much more readily. I also like how Moses also speaks of how nations that are in the Promised land are going to respond when they hear about this. They will be struck with fear because of the mighty God the Jews have.
Moses’ sister Miriam even gets in on it and leads the ladies to do some dancing to the Lord.
And they go from this exuberant praise, travel a bit and then complain about having no water. Now having no water in the desert is a serious thing. But how about asking instead fo complaining? It is fitting to have an expectation at this point that God has some solution to the problem and it is probably miraculous. I hope we do better than they in our following God and interacting with Him.
Exodus 15
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
I have been reading through Psalms and Exodus at the same time and so much of David and Israel’s praise is founded in victory in warfare. In the New Testament we have a different prayer posture in that we pray for our enemies and those who persecute us, rather than praying for victory over them and rejoicing in their death or subjection.
Exodus 15
Exodus 22