Exodus 15:1-201Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. 3The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. 4Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. 7And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. 8And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. 10Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. 11Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 12Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. 13Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. 14The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 15Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. 16Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased. 17Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. 18The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. 19For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. 20And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. (Exodus 15:1‑20)
“THEN SANG MOSES and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD...”
Exodus 15 is the first song ever sung which we hear of in the Word of God! The first song burst forth from the heart of Israel, and we find in it three distinct notes of praise.
The first is the LORD! Self is forgotten and the deliverer alone is seen. This is as it should be. “I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him a habitation.” vv 1,2.
Next we have the enemy — those mighty forces whom He has subdued. “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea... the depths have covered them:... they sank into the bottom as a stone.”
And last of all they turned to their own portion — the blessedness and inheritance of the people the Lord had redeemed. “Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation.” These are the three notes of praise. Here is the divine order, the manner in which the Spit of God would lead the full rich song. May we who have been redeemed know more of what it is to burst forth in song and joyful praise “unto Him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood... " Revelation 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5).
How wonderful it must have been to hear all Israel — perhaps two million voices—standing on redemption ground and singing that magnificent song of praise to the Lord who had redeemed them! The passage of the Red Sea is a figure of the death of Christ, as also of His resurrection, the believer seen as in Him. It tells of the full redemption of the believer from the power of Satan, and separation from the life he formerly knew when walking “in the lusts of the flesh.” The Lord Jesus has not only provided cleansing for the believer’s sins through His precious blood, but also through His death and resurrection He has brought him out of his old condition, and put him in a new place in Him on the other side of death and judgment. He has been completely delivered from all that was against him, and therefore Satan has lost his rights over him. The Jordan also speaks of the death of Christ. There the believer is seen as dead and risen with Him, and claiming his full place of separation with his Saviour — crucified and risen with Christ.
In this song, for the first time mention is made of a habitation for the Lord with His people. He had saints before this, but not a people; and until redemption was accomplished He never dwelt on earth. He could not have a dwelling place in Egypt, in the territory of the enemy. And when His people have been redeemed out of Egypt and brought onto new ground, He can identify Himself with them, dwell in them, be their God and they His people. This is true now of believers. The Church is God’s present habitation on earth, and it is so with the individual believer. When he is cleansed with the blood of Christ his body is made a temple of the Holy Spirit.
ML-07/27/1969