The Song Across the Sea

-- Exodus 15:1–21 (NASB95)

First song in the Scripture, sang after the amazing miracle at the sea. Note who is sung about: the LORD, Who He is and what He has done and will do. He alone is mentioned 45 times in these 21 verses. What does that say about what songs we should be singing and the subject of those songs we sing?

I. Declaring the LORD’s Glory, v. 1-5

A. Introducing the Lord to whom glory is due, v. 1.

I will sing to the LORD – this is the picture of the whole community coming to praise God with one collective voice; yet individually each person is making this praise and confession his own.

“…sang this song to…” The Audience = the LORD, the living God

He is highly exalted (lit. gloriously glorious). Why? The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The verb “hurled” describes God as reaching down and tossing members of the Egyptian army into the water one by one.

B. Confessing this glorious LORD, vv.2-3.

The LORD (yah) is given five attributes depicting His gloriousness:

He is my strength

He is my (strong) song – He is my reason for singing

He has become my salvation – The word translated “salvation” has the idea of space; With the terrifying sea before them and the pursuing Egyptians behind them, they were trapped in a tight place. Yet God surprised them with His deliverance!

This is my God, and I will praise (bring God beauty – cf. Hebrews 13:15)

Hebrews 13:15 NASB95

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

My father’s God and I will extol Him. The Israelites worshiped the same God that Abraham, their father, had worshiped, believed, and obeyed. Today, Christians are part of Abraham’s line because they also believe, obey, and worship the same God (Gal. 3:6, 7).

Galatians 3:6 NASB95

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

Galatians 3:7 NASB95

Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

Changing to the third person, He is a warrior (cf. Isaiah 42:13);

Isaiah 42:13 NASB95

The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.

the LORD is His name.

o This emphasizes His immanence and presence in life as it is.

o Other supposed gods had secret names that only guilds of priests knew. By knowing a god’s secret name, a priest supposedly had special access to that god. But the living God has made His name known to all, and salvation is found in His name alone.

C. Observing this glorious LORD in action, vv. 4-5.

Emphasizing what He did, the chariots and army of Pharaoh are cast into the sea, “cast into” is synonymous with drowning.

They went down, the deep covered them; went down into the depths like a stone (simile). There is no coming back…

II. Declaring the Omnipotence of the LORD, vv. 6-10.

A. Introducing the all-powerful LORD, v. 6.

Your right hand, O LORD … is the descriptive metaphor used for the omnipotence of God. “majestic in power … shatters the enemy”

The LORD did not deliver Israel “from afar”; He “came down” to act among them.

B. Confessing this all-powerful LORD, vv. 7-8.

“You overthrow those” –this term usually used of demolishing buildings – “who rise up against (oppose) you.”

Verse 8 describes the action in theological terms—the source is from the LORD Himself; He caused the waters to pile up, stood them up like a heap, the deeps were congealed (as if turned to solid ice) in the heart of the sea.

C. Observing this all-powerful LORD in action, vv. 9-10.

Note the six “will”s of the enemy:

I will pursue

I will overtake

I will … spoil

[my desire shall be gratified] I will gorge myself

I will draw out my sword

[I will] destroy them (idea of dispossessing)

But the LORD’s response: not with His right hand, but with a mere gust of His breath they are covered by the sea, they sank like lead in the mighty waters—this is the theological interpretation and significance of all that was done to Egypt for Israel’s redemption.

III. Declaring the Uniqueness of the LORD, vv. 11-16a.

A. Introducing the uniqueness of the LORD, v. 11.

“Who is like You…” (2x) Points to His exclusive uniqueness: No other gods could do what the LORD had done. In a world in which there were many supposed gods, the Lord was unique. He alone is God. He is not just better than other gods; there are no other gods. No person, god, or thing can be compared to the one true God (Ps. 96:4, 5; Is. 40:25, 26; Mic. 7:18

Psalm 96:4 NASB95

For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 96:5 NASB95

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens.

Isaiah 40:25 NASB95

“To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

Isaiah 40:26 NASB95

Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.

Micah 7:18 NASB95

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

“awesome” -- God inspired wonder, worship, and obedience from the Israelites.

B. Confessing this unique LORD, vv. 12-13.

The LORD stretched out His right hand with results: “The earth swallowed them” pictures Sheol, the grave is where they ended up. This describes the victory at the sea.

The LORD led the people (He did this in hesed: grace, or unfailing love) whom You have redeemed (ga al): He protected the rights of His family. This describes His guidance in the wilderness (though it hasn’t happened yet, but spoken as an already accomplished fact).

With His strength, the LORD guided the people to His “holy habitation;” the place where God has promised to put His name (Mount Zion).

C. Anticipating the uniqueness of the LORD in judgment, vv. 14-16a.

“The peoples have heard;” cf. Joshua 2:10-11. God is going before Israel and Israel is on the march. Take notice, nations of the earth…

Joshua 2:10–11 NASB95

“For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

Four future enemies of the sons of Israel are mentioned, yet because of the uniqueness of the LORD He has caused them…

Philistia – anguish has gripped the inhabitants

Chiefs of Edom – dismayed

Leaders of Moab –trembling grips them

Inhabitants of Canaan (all the different people groups) – melted away

Characterization of all: terror and dread fall upon them all.

“By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone (simile: cold silence). They can not stand against this One, nor can they cause Him to turn from His plan and purpose for His people.

IV. Declaring the Outcome of the LORD’s great work at the sea, vv. 16b-18.

A. Introducing the outcome, v. 16b.

Here we see the idea of ransom and redemption: a substitute paid the price to save the sons of Israel (the spotless lamb) from the destroyer; now they are redeemed (having been ransomed, they are now removed out of the slave market of Egypt).

B. Confessing the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise, v. 17.

The land of Canaan, promised to the patriarchs, will be given to their descendents. The LORD Himself will bring them; the LORD Himself will plant them, and the LORD Himself will dwell in His inheritance, the place of His dwelling, the sanctuary of the LORD.

C. Anticipating the future reign of the LORD, v. 18.

This is not a local deity; This is the LORD, who will have a universal reign and rule forever.

This is the end of the song, but now we learn the reason for the song:

V. The reason for the song: The LORD’s great salvation, v. 19.

Note the distinction between those who are the LORD’s and those who are not.

VI. The antiphonal response of the song, vv. 20-21.

“Answered them” points to an antiphonal response by the women of Israel.