March 21, 2023
Big Idea
God reveals the way and His will through His Word.
"Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?"
1 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.
2
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.
3
The LORD is a man of war;
the LORD is his name.
4
Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
5
The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
6
Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power,
your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.
7
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.
8
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.
9
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.”
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.
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.
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?
As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!
Hugh Stephenson
Hugh Stephenson
Hugh Stephenson
Michael Sisson
Chris Landry
Michael Scaman
Sue Bohlin
Amy Lowther