3. Passover and Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 12-15)
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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James J. Tissot, "The Signs on the Door" (1896-1900), watercolor,
Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger
image. |
The months of confrontation and plagues have come to a
close as an eerie calm seems to exist between Pharaoh and Moses. After nine
plagues, Pharaoh has told Moses never to appear before him again. Moses
knows that the tenth plague will be the last and will result in Israel's
freedom.
Now Moses seeks the Lord to get instructions for the
final phase of the deliverance from Egypt.
The Lord's instructions are very specific. A male lamb
without defect is indicated for every grouping that Passover night. Notice
that these lambs are to be selected from the flock several days ahead of
time -- ten days after the first day of the month, which began on a new moon.1 The evening of the fourteenth day of the month, then, will be the full moon,
characteristic of Passover ever since.
The animals are to be slaughtered and then prepared for
the Passover meal. But the blood is to be handled in a very special way on
this night.
"7
Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of
the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs….
13 The blood will be a sign for you
on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over
you." (Exodus 12:7, 13)
The word "Passover" is found in Exodus 12:11, 21, 26,
43, 48; 34:25. What does it mean? The word is pesaḥ, is
traditionally derived from pāsaḥ, "to pass over," and interpreted as
"the merciful passing over of a destructive power."2
Just what kind of sacrifice is the initial Paschal lamb
offered prior to the Exodus? Five offerings were performed in the tabernacle
and, later, in the temple.3
Of these, the sacrifice of the Passover lamb bears some resemblance to the
peace or fellowship offering, in which a piece of meat is offered before the
Lord and to the priests. The remainder of the sacrifice is eaten by the
offerer and his family as a kind of celebration meal -- similar to the
celebration meal of the Passover. The initial Passover offering seems to be
a consecration or setting apart of the people within each household who
partook of the sacrifice.4
Israel's sin doesn't seem to be in the forefront;
rather, the lamb seems to be a kind of substitute or interposition for the
firstborn males and animals in the household. However, there may be some
idea of expiation or purification present, since hyssop is used to smear the
blood (Exodus 12:22).5
Some Rabbinical writings refer to the redemptive effect of the blood of the
Passover lamb.6
The early church certainly saw Jesus as fulfilling the
Passover lamb.
Paul: "Christ, our Passover lamb, has
been sacrificed." (1 Corinthians 5:7)
John the Baptist: "Look, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Peter: "You were redeemed ... with the
precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter
1:18-19)
We Christians are participants in Christ's blood
through the Lord's Supper, says St. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:16). And because
our names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 13:8), we are
not condemned for our sins (Revelation 20:12, 15). God's wrath "passes over" us! Hallelujah!
Passover is of particular interest to Christians
because it is the basis of the original Last Supper Jesus had with his
disciples on the night in which he was betrayed.7 While our focus is on Moses himself, not all the institutions of Israel,
let's look briefly at the elements of Passover contained in our passage.8
- Passover Lamb. As noted above, the Passover or Paschal lamb is
sacrificed. In ancient times, before the institution of the Levitical
priesthood, each head of the household performed the sacrifice himself. By
Jesus' day the slaughter of the Passover lambs took place in the temple by
priests. The lamb is a sacrifice, a substitute for the firstborn who is
redeemed. In the language of Exodus, the Lord says, "Israel is my firstborn
son" (Exodus 4:22), so in a sense, the Passover lamb is a substitute given
for all of God's people, Israel. Christ is our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians
5:7), whose blood was shed to redeem us.
- Unleavened Bread. Since this was the Israelites' final meal
prior to fleeing from Egypt -- and took place at night before the day's bread
was made -- "the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and
carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in
clothing" (Exodus 12:34). So in commemoration, for a week called the Feast of
Unleavened Bread, the Jews remove yeast from their homes and eat unleavened
bread (Exodus 12:14-20).
- Bitter Herbs.9
Later Judaism associated the bitter herbs with the hardness of the
Israelites' oppression. "They made their lives bitter with hard labor … the
Egyptians used them ruthlessly" (Exodus 1:14).
Passover was to be celebrated year after year as a
commemoration or remembrance of the Lord's deliverance. Moses instructed the
people:
"And when your children ask you, 'What does
this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice10
to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and
spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" (Exodus 12:27)
To this day, every Passover, the youngest child
in the household has the responsibility to ask, "Why is this night different
from all other nights?" Then the story of God's deliverance is told once
again to the next generation. In the same way, the Lord's Supper is to be a
feast of remembrance, so that we never forget the Lord's great salvation
through the cross.
The Lord had given Moses specific instructions for the
Passover that he had conveyed to the people. But now the time was at hand.
Moses summons the elders for the final instructions.
"21
… Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter
the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the
blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of
the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until
morning. 23
When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the
Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and
will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter
your houses and strike you down." (Exodus 12:21-23)
Fortunately, "The Israelites did just what the LORD
commanded Moses and Aaron" (12:28), as if their lives depended on it -- as
they did!
Now came the final plague:
"29
At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the
prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as
well. 30 Pharaoh and all his
officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud
wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead." (Exodus
12:29-30)
Arthur Hacker (English Pre-Raphaelite painter, 1858-1919), "And
There Was a Great Cry in Egypt" (1897), oil on canvas, 90.2 x 153.7
cm, private collection.
Larger image. |
The slaughter was carried out by "the destroyer," 11 elsewhere referred to as the "angel of the Lord"12 or the destroying angel.13 This figure was later popularized in Judaism and Christianity as the "angel
of death."
No Egyptian household was untouched that night, not
even Pharaoh's. Pharaoh summons Moses and commands the Israelites to leave
immediately with all their flocks and herds. You can sense the pain in his
poignant request, "and also bless me" (12:32b).
Among the Israelites, no son had been lost. They were
fed, packed, and ready to leave. So when the word came, there was just one
more thing to do.
"35
The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles
of silver and gold and for clothing.
36 The LORD had made the Egyptians
favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked
for; so they plundered14 the Egyptians."
(Exodus 12:35-36)
It might seem crass to ask families in the middle of
the night, families that are in deep mourning for their sons, to give them
jewelry, gold, and garments. But to the Egyptians, that was a small price to
pay to get rid of this people, who were seen as the reason that Egypt was
being ruined, and so they gave their valuables and the Israelites left.
But this had been God's plan from the beginning when he
had told Abraham (Genesis 15:13-14) and later Moses (Exodus 3:21-22) that
this would come to pass. Perhaps the justice was that the Egyptians, who had
bled the Israelites dry with slavery and hard labor, now paid them back at
the last. And God had a use for the gold and silver, for it would later be
given to decorate the tabernacle in the wilderness!
Now the long-anticipated Exodus begins. Read carefully
this paragraph:
"7 The Israelites journeyed from
Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot,
besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with
them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds…. 40
Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430
years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the
LORD's divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that
night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to
keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come." (Exodus 12:37-42)
We learn several things from this paragraph.
- Route. The Israelites were primarily living in the area around
the store-city of Rameses and travelled to Succoth. We examine their what we
think was their route in greater detail in
Appendix 2.
- Number of Israelites. The text indicates 600,000 men, plus
women and children. That probably means upwards of 2 million people were
involved in the Exodus. While some have questioned the plausibility of this
number, we'll use it for our study.
- Time in Egypt. This completed 430 years from the time Jacob
entered Egypt, corresponding to the 400 years God had told Abraham (Genesis
15:13). Probably for about 30 years when Joseph was ruler, the Israelites
were treated well.
- God's army. In the phrase "all the LORD's divisions left
Egypt" we see a word that relates to armies (cf. Exodus 7:4;12:51).15
The narrator tells us, "The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for
battle" (13:18b). Their weapons may have been primitive compared to the
Egyptians -- probably mainly staffs -- but they went out with a warrior
spirit, not as slaves "with their tail between their legs."
- Heterogeneous group.16
Not only Israelites left Egypt, but with them large numbers of other
oppressed peoples. Later these "rabble" cause some trouble (Numbers 11:4;
Leviticus 24:10-11).17
- Night Watch. Notice how this paragraph concludes; "the LORD
kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt" (12:42).18
The Lord took great care to pass over or to guard his people from the
destroyer and bring them through what must have been a terrifying night!
Exodus chapter 12 ends with these two verses:
"50 All the Israelites did just
what the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very
day the LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions." (Exodus 12:50-51)
The people's deliverance is founded on two
elements mentioned in verse 50:
- Moses and Aaron obeyed what God had commanded them.
- The people obeyed what Moses and Aaron commanded them.
The KJV renders the Hebrew quite literally:
"Thus did all the children of Israel; as the
LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did19 they."
(Exodus 12:50, KJV)
Very often in the Pentateuch, the people are
expected to act on, follow through on, obey what God has said. It is the key
to receiving God's blessing.
Leaders must listen to God for direction and then act
on that direction. But a real kind of "followership" is required of the
people, too. When they recognize and follow Moses, God blesses them. But
when they bicker and balk and refuse to recognize God's leadership behind
Moses, disaster follows. We leaders can blame ourselves for people not
following us -- and sometimes it is our fault from impatience and lack
of skill in leading -- but ultimately, following God-appointed leaders is the
people's responsibility. We cannot do that for them.
|
Q2. (Exodus 12:50) Why was obedience so important to the
people's deliverance? Why is obedience so important to our
deliverance from "sin, the flesh, and the devil"? Is there any
discipleship without obedience? Does a person who says he believes
in Jesus but doesn't obey him have real
faith?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1043
|
Up until now the people of Israel saw the mighty
plagues in response to Moses' meetings with Pharaoh and they obeyed his
commands for preparation, for Passover, for asking for jewelry from their
neighbors, and for the actual embarkation. But for the next part of the
journey, Moses is not their only guide. There is a pillar of cloud by day,
and a pillar of fire by night.
"21 By day the LORD went ahead of
them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a
pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or
night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of
fire by night left its place in front of the people." (Exodus 13:21-22)
"Pillar" is
ʿammûd,
"pillar, column, post," a common word for the pillars supporting buildings,
from the verb
ʿāmad,
"to stand."20 We see it mentioned a number of places in the Pentateuch and referred to
elsewhere in the Bible.21 We'll discuss it more later.
You and I would often like the clarity of this pillar,
to both authenticate our ministry before others and to set the direction
clearly for the people. But as the story of the Exodus unfolds, we observe
that the continual presence of this pillar of cloud and fire in the camp of
Israel doesn't mean that Moses' leadership was easy. The people grumbling
against Moses was actually a grumbling against the Lord, whom Moses
represented (Exodus 16:8; See 1 Samuel 8:7-8).
But God didn't lead them on the easiest path! By far
the fastest and direct route between Egypt and Canaan is north to the
Mediterranean Sea, and then along a well-developed road on the Philistine
coast, technically, the north Sinai Mediterranean coast road. If the
Israelites were to travel 10 miles a day, they could have reached Canaan in
just a few days.
However, the well-traveled Road to the Philistines had
two drawbacks:
- The presence of military garrisons. Since this road was the
most natural place that Egypt's enemies would use to invade the country, it
was heavily fortified.22
To travel along the "easiest" route would guarantee that the Israelites
would "face war."
- Nation-building time needed. After 400 years in Egypt, and the
final years in forced slavery, Israel was not a unified nation, but a
loosely confederated group of twelve tribes led by elders. Before Israel
would be ready to enter the Promised Land and conquer its inhabitants, it
would have to meet God, submit to his leadership, and learn to work together
under the leadership of an overall leader: Moses and, later, Joshua. You
can't shortcut the time it takes to mature.
Proposed route of the Exodus and 'Reed Sea' crossing from Rameses to the Red
Sea. Larger image. |
We just don't know the exact location of the body of
water identified in the text as the "Red Sea," since the Hebrew phrase
yām sûp is a term used in the Old Testament to identify a number of
different bodies of water. Yām is used in the Old Testament over 300
times to refer to "sea" and about 70 times for "west" or "westward."23 The
word sûp means "reed, waterplant," a general term for marsh plants.24
No doubt the "Red Sea" (literally "Reed Sea," yām
sûp) refers to some body of water east of the Nile delta, probably
either at Lake Timsah or at the Great Bitter Lake, both of which lie along
the present route of the Suez Canal. You can explore this further in
Appendix 2 - The Route of the Exodus.
"1
Then the LORD said to Moses, 2
'Tell the Israelites to turn back.... They are to encamp by
the sea.... 3 Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering
around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' 4 And I will harden
Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them." (Exodus 14:1-4a)
It's fascinating to see Yahweh's strategy: to have the
Israelites "turn back" (NIV, NRSV), "turn" (KJV)25 in order to appear that they are confused and directionless, a tempting
target to attract the ruthless and hardhearted Pharaoh and his armies.
If Moses were to use Israel as bait, we would call it
irresponsible, since his main task would be to deliver the people of Israel
from Egypt in the fastest possible way. But for Yahweh to do so, with his
pillar of cloud and fire to lead them, it is entirely appropriate. Yahweh is
not risking the people, but he has an additional objective: to humble
Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt in the process of delivering the Israelites.
As devastated as Egypt has become through the Ten
Plagues, Pharaoh can't resist bringing the Israelites back. He and his
officials are greedy.
"The LORD
hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the
Israelites, who were marching out boldly.26 The Egyptians -- all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops -- pursued the Israelites and overtook them...."
(14:8-9)
Rameses II and chariot at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC). Relief
inside his Abu Simbel temple, Nubia, Southern Egypt.
Larger
image. |
A chariot army is a terrifying weapon of war in ancient
Egypt. While chariots aren't very useful in the Judean hills that the
Israelites will eventually claim as their homeland, they are chillingly
effective in the flat delta plain of Egypt, as well as the flat coastal
plains bordering the Mediterranean.
In a field action, a chariot division usually delivered
the first strike, to be followed by infantry advancing to exploit a tactical
success. The largest chariot battle ever fought took place about 1274 BC at
the Battle of Kadesh in Syria, when Rameses II attacked the Hittites, a
battle involving perhaps 5,000 to 6,000 chariots.
An Egyptian light chariot contained one driver and one
fighter, usually armed with a bow. The chariot is fast and deadly -- all of
the fear factor of cavalry, but with the added accuracy of a stable shooting
platform, with room to store additional arrows (and short spears when the
arrows were exhausted).
Pharaoh's pairs of horses thundering towards the
Israelites threw them into panic.
"10
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the
Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the
LORD.
11
They said to Moses, 'Was it because there were no graves in Egypt
that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by
bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, "Leave us
alone; let us serve the Egyptians"? It would have been better for us to
serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'" (Exodus 14:10-12)
To their credit, the Israelites "cried out to the LORD" (14:10b) as they had during their oppression in Egypt (2:23-24). But they
make the mistake of blaming their leader for the problem -- as if Moses is
leading on his own, rather than following carefully what the Lord tells him
to do. They say:
- Since we have to die, we would rather die in Egypt where we were
comfortable, rather than in this desolate desert.
- We told you to leave us alone, but you wouldn't listen.
- It would have been better to remain slaves than die in the desert.
I learned a lesson very early in my ministry, that when
people praise me I must understand that they are praising God working within
me -- and that I must pass that praise onto him, rather than keep it for
myself to puff me up. What it has taken me much longer to learn is that, if
I am leading for God, people's criticisms of me are actually criticisms of
God's leadership through me -- and that I must pass that criticism on to him
and not keep it for myself to eat at me.
Moses doesn't waste his time answering their petty
criticisms. Instead, he reaffirms to them the Lord's victory and tells them
how to respond:
"13
Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see
the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today
you will never see again. 14
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'" (Exodus
14:13-14)
This is one of the classic encouragements in the entire
Bible! Notice that Moses offers three commands (to direct their activity)
and makes three faith assertions (to bolster their faith).
Commands:
- Do not be afraid. Fear is their central weakness. We see this
command especially on the lips of angels and Jesus in the Gospels.
- Stand firm.27
The opposite would be to run from the opposing army's forces. Recall Paul's
command:
-
"Put on the full
armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to
stand.
Stand firm then...." (Ephesians 6:13-14a)
- Be still.28
Stop whining!
Faith Assertions:
- You will see the deliverance29
the Lord will bring.
- You won't see the Egyptians ever again.
- The Lord will fight30
for you!
Moses' ministry here is one of command and of
reassurance -- making faith statements in the hearing of the people so they
would believe God rather than be panicked by their situation.
Again and again we see this theme: the Lord does battle on behalf of
Israel.31 What is unique here is that the Israelites themselves don't have to fight at
all -- all the fighting is done by the Lord. In most cases, however, the
Israelites fight, but have a power-assist from the Most High God. When the
Israelites have crossed the Red Sea, this theme is celebrated in a mighty
song, declaring, "Yahweh is a warrior" (Exodus 15:3).
|
Q3. (Exodus 14:11-14)
Why do the people blame Moses for the advancing Egyptian army? What
motivates their fear? Who are the people really blaming? How does
Moses respond to their blame and fear? Why doesn't Moses defend
himself from their unfair criticism? How do the people respond to
Moses' words?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1044
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After comforting and encouraging the people, Moses has
been crying out to God himself in intercessory prayer.
"15
Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to me? Tell the
Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out
your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go
through the sea on dry ground.'" (Exodus
14:15-16)
Dear friends, there is a time a time for
everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) -- a time to pray and cry out to God, and a
time to act decisively in order that the prayer might be answered. A time to
take your stand, and a time to move on. This is such a time!32
James
J. Tissot, "The Waters Are Divided" (1896-1900), watercolor, Jewish
Museum, New York.
Larger
image.
When Moses lifts his staff, an extension of his hand
(14:16, 21, 27), God acts by moving the "angel of God" to a position between
Israel and her enemies:
"19 Then the angel of God, who had
been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The
pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.
Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to
the other side; so neither went near the other all night long." (Exodus
14:19-20)
An unseen angel33 of God has been protecting them. Notice in verse 19 that the angel is
differentiated from the pillar of cloud and fire, though the pillar follows
the angel. The pillar effectively separates the two armies during the night,
serving as darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites.
At Moses' gesture with his hand (and staff, see verse
16), "a strong east wind," presumably off the desert to the east, divides
the water with a wall of water on each side (14:21-22). How a normal wind
could make a wall34 of water to the right and left, we just don't know. Perhaps this is a kind
of narrow, directed blast. If these were reedy salt marshes with a soft
bottom, the wind would serve to dry them out enough so that the Israelites
could cross without sinking into the muck.35 Like other miracles that are one-of-a-kind events that God brings about,
it's difficult to describe them in terms of things we understand.
One of the themes of this part of Exodus is God
"gaining glory" or "getting honor" over the Egyptians. It's a difficult
concept for us to grasp, but since it is central here and elsewhere in the
Old Testament, let's spend some time to understand it.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he
will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh
and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." (Exodus
14:4)
"17 I will harden the hearts of
the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory
through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain
glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." (Exodus 14:17-18)
The Exodus may seem to us to be about delivering a large
group of people from slavery. But if that's all we see, we're missing an
important theme -- the glory of Yahweh. This verb "gain glory" (NIV, NRSV),
"get honor" (KJV) is the verb kābēd, here in the Niphal stem. The
basic meaning of the root is "to be heavy, weighty," extending to the
figurative idea of a "weighty" person in society, someone who is honorable,
impressive, noteworthy, worthy of respect. Common translations are to be
"honorable, honored, glorious, glorified."36
Up to the time of Moses, the name Yahweh had been
relatively unknown (Exodus 6:2-3). When Moses tells Pharaoh that Yahweh
says, "Let my people go," Pharaoh replies, "Who is Yahweh, that I should
obey him and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh and I will not let Israel
go." (Exodus 5:2).
According to the Egyptian religion, Pharaoh himself is
a god; why should he give any regard to the supposedly inferior God of his
slaves? Pharaoh mocked the Lord! His heart was arrogant and hard towards
God. But after his army's Red Sea disaster, he mocked no more.
We humans often view the pursuit of glory as vain and
unworthy; we must be humble. However, God is divine! He is King of the
universe! For a petty Pharaoh to defy the Living God must be answered with
power, or God's reputation will not be respected among the nations.
More than that, unless Yahweh soundly defeats the
Egyptian oppressors, he cannot gain the full faith and allegiance of his
people. They have lived under slavery and oppression for hundreds of years.
They have been beaten into submission and have a low view of themselves and
their God compared to their respect for Egypt and its gods that seem
superior. The revelation of God's glory in defeating Egypt is important for
the sake of the Egyptians and the Israelites.
But seeing God's glory demands responsible action from the people. Later, when the people of Israel balk at entering the
Promised Land, God tells them.
"21 As surely as I live and as surely as the
glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the
men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt
and in the desert ... will ever see the land I promised on oath to their
forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." (Numbers 14:21-23)
God's awesome glory demands faith and obedience!
Leaders, too, have a responsibility in the face of
God's glory. We must not take it for ourselves. Through Isaiah, the Lord
says:
"I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols." (Isaiah 42:8)
"For my own sake,
for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another." (Isaiah 48:11)
Twice, in Exodus, we see the term "my glory" (Exodus
29:43; 33:22). It is not ours, but God's. When he acts powerfully through
our ministries, we must acknowledge that the power is his, not ours.
We ourselves are created to glorify God. That is our
purpose.
"… Everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:7)
"... in order that we, who were the first
to hope in Christ,
might be for the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:12)
"And I, because of their
actions and their imaginations,
am about to come and gather all nations and tongues,
and they will come and see my glory.
I will set a sign among them,
and I will send some of those who survive to the nations ...
that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.
They will proclaim my glory among the nations." (Isaiah 66:18-19)
"Father, I want those you have given me
to be with me where I am, and to see my glory,
the glory you have given me
because you loved me before the creation of the world." (John 17:24)
"What if he did this to make the riches
of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in
advance for glory" (Romans 9:23)
|
Q4. (Exodus 14:4,
17-18) Why is God's glory important in the Exodus? How is
recognition of his glory important to faith? To holiness? To
reverence? What happens when leaders take for themselves the credit
and glory that should go only to God? How can leaders keep
themselves from pride?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1045
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James
J. Tissot, "The Egyptians Are Destroyed" (1896-1900), watercolor,
Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger
image.
Now the Egyptians' stubbornness and hard hearts cause
their doom.
"24
During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the
pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He made the wheels of
their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the
Egyptians said, 'Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting
for them against Egypt.'
... 27
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea
went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the
LORD swept them into the sea.... 30
That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore." (Exodus
14:24-25, 27, 30)
Look what result this had on the Israelites:
"And when the Israelites saw the great power
the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD
and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant." (Exodus 14:31)
Why did the Lord wipe out so many Egyptian soldiers in
this operation? Four answers may help us:
- Protection. So long as Pharaoh's army is intact, the
Israelites are not safe from attack. God has crushed their enemy.
- Glory. Until now, Pharaoh and the Egyptians had acted
disrespectfully towards God. No more. Yahweh is now honored and glorified as
a great God who has defeated the gods of Egypt.
- Faith. The people of Israel themselves had believed in the
might of Egypt over Yahweh's ability to save them. Now they "feared the LORD
and put their trust in him" (Exodus 14:31). The Lord is engaged in
nation-building. To have people trust in their God is the first step in
making a covenant with him at Mt. Sinai.
- Leadership. Moses, too, benefits from God's visible power. As
the Lord's servant, the people trust in him, as well. He is now able to lead
more effectively than before.
Chapter 15 begins, "Then Moses and the Israelites sang
this song to the LORD…."What follows is a poetic psalm, much like the
psalms in our Book of Psalms, that show all the elements of Hebrew poetry.37 We can't cover it all, but here are the main elements. It begins:
"I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.38
The horse and its rider39
he has hurled into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him." (15:1-2)
James J. Tissot, "The Songs of Joy" (1896-1900), watercolor, Jewish Museum, New York.
Larger
image. |
The next stanza praises Yahweh as a great warrior, and
recounts his exploits over Egypt's army. What follows is a reflection
on this unique, one-of-a-kind God who has given victory:
"11 Who among the gods is like
you, O LORD?
Who is like you --
majestic40 in holiness,
awesome41 in glory,42
working wonders43 ?
12 You stretched out your
right hand
and the earth swallowed them.
13 In your unfailing love44
you will lead the people you have redeemed.45
In your strength you will guide46 them to your holy dwelling."
(15:11-13)
The song concludes looking forward to entering
the Promised Land and arriving at God's dwelling place. In its final line it
praises the Lord who will reign forever as the King of Israel:
"The LORD will reign47 for ever and ever."
(15:18)
The section concludes with a song sung by the women and
led by Moses' sister Miriam, who is called "the prophetess" here, recapping
the first two lines of the Song of Moses (15:1-2)
20
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her
hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.
21 Miriam sang to them:
"Sing to the
LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." (Exodus 15:20-21)
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your amazing triumph at the Red
Sea. It defied the power of the most powerful nation on earth and formed a
people who would trust and follow you, even in deserts. Thank you for Moses' steady leadership through intense pressure. Give me that kind of fortitude
to lead your people as well. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
References
Abbreviations
Moses Bible Study - Discipleship and Leadership Lessons
Copyright © 1985-2012, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
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Christmas Incarnation
