Year 1, Week 9, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 9, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Exodus 14-15.

Today’s reading describes the early days of the Israelites’ journey and the final days of Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. Exodus 14 records the LORD’s plans to judge Pharaoh. Even though He explains to the Israelites that Pharaoh will come after them to his own demise, the Israelites respond in fear: "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11-12). But as the LORD had promised, Israel was safely delivered through the watery grave of the Red Sea, while Pharaoh perished: “The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.” (Exodus 14:28). Exodus 15 primarily records the song of praise sung to the LORD for His mighty deliverance; although it does introduce us to the fickleness of the Israelites: “And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (Exodus 15:24).

What struck me in today’s reading was the LORD’s work on behalf of His people as a warrior. Both in the described actions of the LORD in fighting for His people, as well as in the song to the LORD, the imagery of a warrior is assigned to the LORD. The LORD fights for His people destroying the enemy: “He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left.” (Psalm 106:9-11).

Moses described the actions that the LORD took at the Red Sea as the LORD fighting on behalf of His people: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14). The angel of the LORD became Israel’s protector: “Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.” (Exodus 14:19-20). David takes this same imagery and gives it to all of God’s people to count on: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7). The Egyptians realized the warrior-like actions of the LORD too late: “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” (Exodus 14:25). The Egyptians are buried in judgment, for they attempted to drown the Hebrew babies; but now it is they who are drowned.

Moses’ song depicts the LORD as a warrior: “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea…The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name.” (Exodus 15:1,3). Israel’s army is an army of One. The LORD’s unilateral war for His people is something to sing about. This first recorded song of the Bible extolls the LORD as a warrior. The LORD mightily fights on behalf of His people: “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—let Israel now say—if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters.” (Psalm 124:1-5). There are many reasons to praise the LORD; praising our God as a warrior is to be included in these reasons: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” (Exodus 15:21).

The LORD’s warrior-like traits carry over throughout the Scriptures. What Moses sung about when he declared, “The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation” (Exodus 15:2); will be sung again, “the LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14); and again, “the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2). In fact, in the last book of the Old Testament (in the ordering of the Hebrew Bible), elements of the truth reflected in this song of Moses are still being sung. When King Jehoshaphat and Judah were under attack, the choir went out singing as they led the army to battle. Why such a tactical military move of a robed choir in front of the infantry? Their Warrior God was leading them: "Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:15,17). As the LORD fights, we should echo the song of Moses.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe