In recognition of God’s miraculous deliverance from the hands of the Egyptians, the Hebrews erupted into a song of praise. What a beautiful interim of pure worship nestled between the complaints and murmurings that would serve as the usual attitude on the Exodus journey! What a delight to the ears of God this brief moment of adoration must have been from an otherwise ungrateful people.
Faith is not measured by the punctuated and sporadic responses of gratitude that we offer up in times of prosperity. But rather the steadfast practice of praise and trust that offers up thanks to God for all things (Eph. 5:20, 1 Thess. 5:18), knowing that He is in control and always has our best interests at heart (Jer. 29:11). It is one thing to praise God after He has brought us across the Red Sea, another to praise and trust Him to deliver us beforehand.
Nevertheless, this song of praise is a very wonderful and uplifting hymn of heartfelt worship best enjoyed and appreciated with as little commentary as possible. The plain words speak for themselves and over-analysis can do nothing but reduce their majesty and splendor. Before moving on, however, I would like to briefly lift out a couple of points. First of all, we should notice that this song of praise is divided into two parts. Up through Verse 12, the song focuses on what God has already done on behalf of the Children of Israel, thereafter the focus is on what God will do in the future.
Past experience is the foundation upon which future hope rests and God’s prior interventions on our behalf bring the confidence that He will deliver us again. Our faith can be steadfast and unwavering because the Lord is never-changing and consistent in His providence and grace. We can believe that God will deliver because we know that God has delivered.
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)
The Apostle Paul was confident that God would continue to keep him in His will because he had come to know the Lord. God had been faithful in the past and Paul knew that He would be again and again. The Apostle John wrote that we have the confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Not only did John hear this promise directly from the Lord’s mouth, He knew it to be true from experience.
The Hebrews stood on the other side of the Red Sea with the profound realization that the same God Who had power over the earth and seas would not only continue to deliver them but would reign forever (Ex. 15:18). The Christian has that same assurance (Luke 1:33, Rev. 11:15).
To God goes all glory. In service to Him,
Loren
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