When the walls of the Red Sea’s water finally crashed back down on the Egyptian army, it was a turning point in the faith of the people of ancient Israel.
As they stood on the shore opposite of Egypt, they finally understood to some degree what God had just done for them. Before that, Psalm 106 says, they “understood not thy wonders in Egypt … but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea” (verse 7).
The Hebrews did not truly comprehend what God was doing in Egypt; even at the Red Sea they were provoking Him!
“Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness” (verses 8-9).
What miracles God performed in spite of their ungrateful provocations: They walked through the depths of the sea as though it were a desert. The Red Sea is about 200- to 300-feet deep where it is believed the Israelites crossed. Imagine a wall of water as tall as a medium-sized city’s skyline!
“And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left” (verse 11). If the sea parting wasn’t miraculous enough, then came the sea closing—destroying the entire Egyptian army!
Notice now, verse 12: “Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.” It wasn’t until that moment, as they stood on the shore of the Red Sea, that they believed God! That belief and gratitude inspired the Israelites to join Moses in one of the greatest mass displays of gratitude ever recorded in the Bible: “[T]hey sang his praise.”
The lyrics of this song are recorded in Exodus 15. If we truly understand the meaning of this song, the history surrounding it, and the spiritual parallels, it can be for us too—a huge boost to our faith and our understanding of just how mighty God is!
Exodus 15 is not just a song for an ancient people—it’s for God’s people today, who have been delivered from spiritual Egypt!
“Then Sang Moses … and Israel”
Exodus 15 begins: “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord ….” That one phrase is rich with meaning: Moses and the children of Israel. The Anchor Bible states: “people and leader are now literally in harmony.”
Immediately, at the outset of this performance, we see who is in charge. God continues to establish Moses as His leader for Israel. Likewise, we must be behind God’s government. We must be behind God’s man to share in the victory!
The preceding verse states: “And Israel … believed the Lord, and his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:31).
“Unto the Lord”
So the whole nation is unified in this—behind God’s government. And they are singing “unto the Lord.”
Here we have a man and the men of the nation (and the women too, as we see in verses 20-21) all singing to God.
The women even dancedto God (verse 20). David did the same in re-establishing the ark in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:14-15; 1 Chronicles 15:29). And Jeremiah prophesied that, in the end-time “second” exodus, women and men will be dancing to God (Jeremiah 31:4-13).
How fervent were their praises to God! How much do we throw ourselves into praising God the Father and Jesus Christ? How much do we sing about both their exploits and victories?
“I Will Sing”
The next part of Exodus 15:1 gives us the first lyric to the song: “I will sing unto the Lord.”
Though everyone sang this song, the lyrics are not “We will sing.” God wanted this song to be personal to Israel. How personal should it be to those whom God has brought out of this world and given access to His Holy Spirit? God’s intervention in our individual lives should be cause for us to say, “I will sing because it means something to me.”
Verse 2 states, “he is my God.” Again, not “our” God. Put your name there. The Anchor Bible says “‘my God’ has connotations of intimacy and protection.”
“Triumphed Gloriously”
The reason we each individually sing to God, verse 1 states, is that “he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
What a triumph God achieved over Egypt—a type of sin—at the Red Sea! This was a complete victory! The song is about this complete annihilation of sin, which is what the spring holy day season and our calling out of this world is all about.
That victory, the verse states, included throwing the horse and his rider—meaning the driver of the chariot—into the sea. So the horse and the chariot driver were thrown—meaning hurled or shot—into the sea. Think of the fiercest army coming after you, and God can hurl it like a pebble, or shoot it like an arrow. If we have God on our side, what is there to fear?
Interestingly, the word “thrown” can also mean to beguile or mislead. God led the Egyptians to think that they could go into the Red Sea after the Israelites (see Exodus 14:17). They honestly thought that whatever opened the sea up for the Hebrews would keep the sea opened for them! That is how God was able to achieve such a victory.
“JAH is my Strength and Song”
Exodus 15:2 reads: “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation ….” This expression befuddles the commentators: Can God be a song? Maybe it means that God is like powerful music. Or His strength is the subject of our song. Or the author is attributing both his physical strength and musical prowess to God. All seem appropriate and possible.
This line has become sort of an anthem for God’s people. It is repeated two times later in the Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:14; Isaiah 12:2). The word used for Lord in both Exodus 15 and Psalm 118 is not the usual yhwh but rather yh, probably more appropriately transliterated as Jah.
In Psalm 68:4, the translators leave the Hebrew word: “Sing unto God … that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah ….”
The Hebrew Jah is used throughout the Psalms, usually in conjunction with singing, in the Hebrew word “Hallelujah.” It translates into English as “praise the Lord,” and we still use the Hebrew word heavily today when singing praises to God!
The other place the phrase “[Jah] is my strength and song” is used is Isaiah 12:2. The context (from the previous chapter) shows that it is about the time when physical Israel will be released from captivity at the return of Jesus Christ—what we refer to as the “second Exodus.” Isaiah 11:15 even says that the Egyptian sea will dry up again, so God’s physical nation can return to the Promised Land. Chapter 12, verses 1-2 read: “And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord [Jah]Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”
Will those coming out of the Great Tribulation have studied the song of the Red Sea while in captivity? Or will God miraculously inspire the same words from them as the ancient Israelites? Whatever the case, it is interesting to note that this phrase finds itself later in the Hebrew Bible—it is that fundamental to our spiritual journey from Egypt. It is fundamental to sing to God, to extol His name in song. That is part of our strength!
“Prepare Him an Habitation”
Exodus 15:2 continues: “… he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Moses wanted to begin building for God. Fresh out of captivity, Moses puts the people’s minds on this great prospect—to be able to “exalt” God in this special way. The Hebrew word for exalt actually means to build or elevate.
This ties in with verses 13 and 17 later in the song. The latter part of verse 13 reads: “… thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” And verse 17: “Thou 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.”
God was pointing His people to where He would dwell in spirit with them. Moses would soon begin work on a tabernacle, which would form the model for the temple.
After God gives us a victory, our job is to think onward. We must always move forward, building for God. That happens once God brings us into His truth. It happens after Jesus Christ returns. It will happen when we head into the universe.
“A Man of War”
The next part of the song deals with God’s miraculous and complete victory: “The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name” (verse 3). God is a “warlike hero in contrast with Pharaoh” (Lange’s). Though Israel was no match for Egypt’s dreadful military might, no man or military machine is a match for the warrior God is!
How often does the Bible tell us that God must fight our battles for us? By ourselves, we are no match for Satan’s strength and cunning!
Not only were the Israelites physically trapped, there was no greater military threat that could have been breathing down their necks. But conquering that army was nothing for God. He alone gets the credit for the victory.
We have our part in coming out of sin—in taking those first steps. But nothing we do of ourselves can conquer Satan, or this evil society, or our sinful human nature. We must rely on the spirit of God and the faith of Christ. The only way to achieve full victory, once we’ve walked away from sin, is to rely totally on God in our spiritual war. Of course, God often works through us to conquer those problems, but God must be the one behind it all.
“They Sank as Lead”
Verse 4 reads: “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.” God destroyed Pharaoh’s entire army, even his specially chosen and highly trained chariot teams.
Verses 5-8 show the completeness of the Egyptians’ demise: “The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And 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. And 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.”
God drowned the Egyptians, but this also speaks of stubble being consumed. The image is of fire destroying them—which, in biblical language, along with water, is a purifying agent. God uses the Holy Spirit in our lives (typified by water) and fiery trials to help us conquer our sins.
This passage also helps relate God to man: God has a “right hand” (implying He also possesses a left hand), and He has nostrils—He snorted and the waters stood upright! We were made in the likeness of God, and God must always be acutely real to us in order for us to overcome.
Verse 10 shows that God brought another wind to bring the waters back down: “Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.”
Note too how God dealt with this supposedly fierce enemy: They sank “as a stone” (verse 5) and “as lead” (verse 10). The enemy can seem intimidating to us, but what is it to God?
“The Enemy Said”
The enemy will often use intimidation to try to conquer us. Notice verse 9: “The 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.”
This verse doesn’t say “Pharaoh said.” Any of us can apply this to anyone or anything trying to oppose our spiritual journey. It could be any enemy: Satan, sin, Pharaoh, an entire nation, ourselves, or anyone else in our lives.
What “the enemy” says can sound pretty impressive and intimidating. If Satan can’t deceive you, he will just try to back you down with fear, intimidation or discouragement.
What intimidates you? How does Satan try to frighten you? How does he get you to give up and simply stand down?
Satan may attack in different ways, depending on the situation:Maybe an employer threatens to fire you for proper Sabbath keeping, or family members threaten to disown you for obedience to God’s laws. Even young people are faced with constant intimidation through peer pressure to indulge their lusts.
Here is how we conquer that. Focus not on the enemy’s power, but on God’s! The enemy will sink “as lead.”
“Who Is Like Unto Thee”
“Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods [Hebrew: mighty ones]? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (verse 11).
Is there anyone as mighty as God? How mighty is your enemy? How mighty are the problems in your life? This song asks twice: “Who is like you, God?” No mighty one—no mighty thing—can compare to God’s strength!
The song asks who is like God in these three ways: 1) “glorious in holiness,” 2) “fearful in praises” and 3) “doing wonders.”
“Glorious in holiness” extols God’s character. God is holy and perfect, and He is glorious in that. That is the perfect, holy, righteous character we are striving to put on. In Leviticus 11:44, God commands: “[Y]e shall be holy; for I am holy.”
Second, God is “fearful in praises,” meaning the songs of praise would help us grow in greater fear of God. It would also cast fear into the minds of surrounding peoples who would hear these songs. Lange’s states: “… songs and praises themselves may disseminate fear and terror in the kingdom of darkness; … [God] can reveal His dreadfulness so as to call forth songs of praise from His people.”
We can use songs of praise in our spiritual war. Psalm 32:7 reads: “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.” Music can be part of our spiritual defense either in warding off evil spirits (see 1 Samuel 16:14-23), or inviting God’s miraculous deliverance!
Third, God is unique in “doing wonders.” Adam Clarke astutely observed, “Every part of the work of God is wonderful; not only miracles, which imply an inversion or suspension of the laws of nature, but every part of nature itself.”
We tend to think of miracles as suspensions of natural laws, but how miraculous is God’s creation itself? Can we not be reminded of God’s wonders everywhere we look?
“Earth Swallowed Them”
“Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation” (Exodus 15:12-13). God leads forth Israel as a shepherd would.
Here is another description of Egypt’s destruction: The “earth swallowed them.” Much of the Egyptian army washed up on shore, but some Egyptians were also likely swallowed up in that earth-shaking moment when the walls of water began to fall.
Now we see the four elements God uses to describe the demise of Egypt’s military: water (verses 1, 4, 5, 10), fire (verse 7), air (verses 8, 10) and earth (verse 12). What better message for the spring holy days, which picture coming completely out of sin! This song is about a complete burial of sin—that God will use everything He has at His disposal to rid us of it. We must yield to God as He does that.
“Till the People Pass Over”
Speaking of the renown that God’s miracle at the Red Sea would cause, Exodus 15:16 reads: “Fear 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.”
Because of the greatness of God’s arm, those nearby kingdoms would be “still as a stone.” God’s miracles can easily just shut the enemies’ mouths or make them rigid with fear. Israel would need that reputation to “pass over” into the Promised Land.
That phrase “till the people pass over” is used twice here for emphasis—and perhaps to show the duality between Israel’s physical journey and our spiritual journey. But it is connected to the “fear and dread” falling upon all those whom God’s people come into contact with through their journey.
Yes, we have a long journey, fraught with difficulties and enemies, but God is saying, They are more afraid of you than you should be of them! We can just pass right over them.
“Which Thou Hast Purchased”
Verse 16 contains a beautiful phrase about God’s people: “which thou hast purchased.” Because God purchased us, we can pass over, no matter what the difficulty—no matter what the enemy.
How did God purchase us? By the blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28). Because we were bought with a price, we can be forgiven of our sins. We can keep going to God, through our Advocate Jesus Christ, and have our sins wiped clean and keep moving forward to the Promised Land.
Revelation 12:11 states: “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
We overcome Satan with the blood of the Lamb. Because we can keep going back to the Father, through Christ, Satan cannot take us down. He cannot stop us on our spiritual journey. When we warrant death, we just go back to the Father—coming under the precious blood of Christ—and we can press on to finish our journey.
“Plant Us”
Notice Exodus 15:17 again: “Thou 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.”
Look at this spiritually. God is going to “plant” us in a fixed habitation. In Revelation 3:12, Christ promises the Philadelphians that they will “go no more out” of God’s temple. What a beautiful promise!
Psalm 78:53-54 read: “And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.”
Israel was not going to a place it had purchased, or any place established by man. God founded this nation!
If we are to dwell with God, we must go where He tells us to go. What’s more, it won’t be any strength of our own that achieves that property. It will be God’s right hand, His arm, and the light of His countenance (Psalm 44:3).
We ultimately look to a city “whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). This is the goal of our spiritual journey. Our potential is to dwell in a city that God will make, which His hands have established!
“The Lord Shall Reign”
What does this all point us to? One of the final refrains of the song is verse 18 of Exodus 15: “The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.”
God’s government is about to be established on this Earth to rule forever and ever. That future starts with us coming out of Egypt, with God performing huge miracles to purchase us. Then He takes us through this journey, until we come to this point where we have achieved our incredible potential: membership in the God Family as sinless beings, ruling and reigning with Him forever.
What a historic sweep in this song of praise!
Remember This Song
The Red Sea song teaches us that we need to be doing more than just singing a happy song to stay with God. We must deeply understand those lyrics, as we studied here. How many Israelites really knew what they were singing? Did those lyrics guide their actions for very long?
Psalm 106:12-13 show us that after the Israelites “sang his praise,” “They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel.” They believed, sang and then forgot!
“They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea” (verses 21-22).
What God did at the Red Sea should evoke a deep fear and reverence from us that we must never lose. That is the reason this song is recorded: so we never forget! Psalm 78:36 says Israel “did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.” Our songs must come from our hearts; otherwise we could be just flattering God with our mouths and lying to our mighty Savior!
Verses 4, 6-8 read: “We will not hide [this history] from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. … That the generation to come might know them …. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation ….”
This song of the sea, as verse 7 states, should cause us to set our hope in God and remember His works. This in turn should help us keep His commandments, which is what the spring holy days are all about.
If we have trouble keeping God’s commandments, perhaps we do not understand deeply enough the strength, power, majesty and holiness of our Creator and Savior!
Moses declared these things to teach the generations to come. Ours is the generation to whom these things apply spiritually. We must hear and apply this instruction most of all.