BACKGROUND:
Part 1 -- verses 1-21 -- Having been miraculously delivered from the Egyptians (again), Moses and the people break out into a song and dance of praise to the LORD. This song tells the story of how God delivered them and praises God for His power.
Part 2 -- verses 22-27 -- On the heels of the great victory of crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites spent three days in the desert without water. Then, when they did find water, it was not drinkable. The people complained, Moses prayed, and God provided. (This is a pattern we will see several more times in the history of the Israelites.) God was testing them. He had shown His power in their time of need; will they trust Him to do it again? Then God promised that if they would do what He said, He would not bring plagues upon them like he did to the Egyptians. He took them about seven miles away to a place where there were twelve springs of fresh water.
REFLECTION:
Part 1 -- verses 1-21 -- Ponder the words of this song. What images does it give of God? Notice the figures of speech used to describe the water, the armies of Pharaoh, and the power of God. What do Moses and the Israelites praise God for in this song?
APPLICATION:
Part 1 -- Consider writing a poem, song, or prose to God, praising Him for what He has done for you.
Part 2 -- Am I quick to complain when things get difficult? I need to turn to God and trust Him to deliver me.
PRAYER:
Singing to the Lord is a form of prayer and of worship. Here is a song you may know, that comes from this chapter.
I will sing unto the Lord,
For He hath triumphed gloriously,
The horse and the rider He has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is God and I will praise him,
My father’s God, and I will exalt him!
2 comments:
Okay, I know I'm late commenting here, but I'm still thinking about this chapter (along with the ones we've read since).
Just think how long the Israelites went without seeing God's hand, without knowing that God remembered them. They walked by faith and not by sight for over 300years. No miracles, no leader... they were slaves and suffered and I'm sure many died wondering if God had forgotten them, hanging on only by faith.
It's easy for us (me) to skip from mountaintop to mountaintop - read the accounts of God's active intervention and want to see His hand NOW. But I forget those who served God faithfully for years (and I'm sure there were some), for generations, who suffered without receiving an answer to their cry for help.
Very true! God had told Abraham once that his descendants would end up in Egypt for 400 years, and apparently that information was passed down. But still! Thanks for pointing that out.
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