Exodus 15 contains the songs of Moses and Miriam celebrating God’s victory over the Egyptians at the Red Sea. One way to fully appreciate their songs of praise is to meditate on their words.
Some people have observed that meditation is like what happens when a cow chews its cud. Below are some suggestions for helping us “chew” on these words of praise and thanksgiving.
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my might,
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 warrior;
the Lord is his name. (Exodus 15:1-3)
Triumphed Gloriously
God’s triumph revealed His glory. The meaning of “glorious” is rooted in God’s glory. “Glory” carries the idea of heaviness, weight, substance, importance, and significance.
To give God glory is to acknowledge His weight, importance, majesty, splendor, and magnificence.
Strength, Might, and Salvation
- Strength: Strength is an active, empowering force that enabled the deliverance of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt.
- Might: Might adds emphasis to “strength” and is the inherent power and capability that God demonstrated in His actions of rescue of the Israelites at the Red Sea.
- Salvation: Salvation involves deliverance and rescue. God is the ultimate rescuer and the source of all deliverance.
It is worth noting that the name “Yeshua” (Jesus) is also derived from this same Hebrew root, highlighting the concept of salvation that is part of the name itself.
The Name
In general, God’s name refers to His presence, character, and nature. Add to this the covenant name of God, which is used in this chapter 12 times.
This was the name God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. It is so sacred that, out of reverence, Jewish people do not pronounce the name, which has obscured the ability to know its original vocalization.
The consonants are called the Tetragrammaton, and they are “YHWH.” Scholars have added vowels to these consonants to produce vocalizations such as Yahweh or Jehovah for God’s covenant name.
The sacredness of God’s name – His presence, character, and nature – adds greater emphasis to our words in the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy. (Matthew 6:9)
Following the escape from Egypt by walking across the Red Sea on dry land, Moses knew God was present with them. He understood more about God’s nature and character.
As we sing along with Moses, we emphasize God’s name and His various actions on our behalf. We celebrate His glory, salvation, freedom from bondage, and power.
Who Is Like God?
God not only wanted to free the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, but He also wanted to free Egyptians from their slavery to worthless idols.
The plagues and events at the Red Sea demonstrated God’s absolute mastery over the Egyptian gods. This led Moses to declare:
Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in splendor, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11)
Holiness is a moral quality, but it says more than that God is righteous and just. The essential meaning of holy is to be “other than.”
God is completely other than the created order. He stands outside of creation as the Creator, not an element of creation.
The principle idols of American culture are money, sex, and power, as Richard Foster wrote in his book with the same title. Think about how often they dominate all aspects of human life.
As powerful an influence as money, sex, and power are, they are only parts of the created order. An examination of Egyptian gods would reveal the fact that they were only aspects of creation. As creators, they were powerless.
God is distinct. That is why He is majestic, awesome, and wonderful. He is the Creator, standing outside of creation and distinct. As such, we deem Him holy.
I like the analogy of how God works in the universe to the human body. In a fully functioning body, a person’s mind can communicate with the hand and it will move in the direction so designated.
As the human mind determines the actions of the body, God’s mind controls the universe. He communicates with the various elements of nature, and plagues descend on Egypt. He sends a wind and enables a million or more Hebrews to cross over the Red Sea on dry land.
Awesome
Standing beside the Red Sea as free humans, the Hebrews had an understanding of God’s awesome nature that far exceeds ours.
Our usage of “awesome” might lean towards something merely impressive or cool. The awesome act of God in Moses’ day revealed the powerful, fear-inducing, and utterly unique nature of God that sets Him apart from anything else.
Recognition of God’s awesome nature leads to the fear of the Lord. God has called us to this kind of relationship, which expresses and embraces the fear of the Lord.
- Living in a personal and loving relationship with God.
- Humbly listening and looking for His guidance.
- Obediently following God, as He leads us.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 