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Studies in Exodus

Studies in Exodus. Presentation 15. The Table of Contents. Chapter 1v1-22 Introduction Chapter 2v1-25 Preparing a Deliverer Chapter 3v1-22 The Call of Moses [1] Chapter 4v1-17 The Call of Moses [2]

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Studies in Exodus

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  1. Studies in Exodus Presentation 15

  2. The Table of Contents Chapter 1v1-22 Introduction Chapter 2v1-25 Preparing a Deliverer Chapter 3v1-22 The Call of Moses [1] Chapter 4v1-17 The Call of Moses [2] Chapter 4v18-5v21 Final Preparations Chapter 5v22-6v27 Discouragement and Comfort Chapter 6v28-7v24 The Exposure of Evil Chapter 8-v1-10v29 Idolatry: A Dangerous Refuge Chapter 11v1-10 Corrective to Final Judgment Chapter 12v1-30 Blood on the Doorposts Chapter 12v31-42 God’s Faithfulness Chap.13v1-16 Consecration of The Redeemed Chap.13v17-14v18 God’s Dead Ends Chap.14v19-31 Power to Deliver Chap.15v1-21 The Exultation of God Presentation 15

  3. The Exultation of God Chap.15v1-21 Presentation 15

  4. Introduction Today’s songs in the pop charts can lose their popularity after only a few weeks. Hymns often last a bit longer. Good hymns stand the test of time. The hymn in Exodus 15 is unique. It is the oldest recorded song of worship and its theme will be the theme of God's people in heaven. These facts alone make it worthy of our attention. Rather than examine this song verse by verse we will stand back and ask some basic questions. Presentation 15

  5. The Exultation of God The Inspiration of the Song What is the inspiration for this song? It is a spontaneous response to the grace of God in redemption. Israel stand on the distant shore of the Red Sea gripped by the realisation that God and God alone had redeemed them from bondage. Only a people, conscious of their deliverance can truly praise God as Redeemer. Indeed, intelligent worship cannot be offered to God by Christians with little understanding of what God has done for them. This is why it is so important for Christians to be taught God's word. The quality of our worship is reflected in our understanding of who God is and what he has done. Presentation 15

  6. The Exultation of God The Inspiration of the Song Many people confuse worship with emotion and enthusiasm which can be whipped up when you bypass the mind. Buddhists, Animists, Sufi’s and Dervishes will tell you that by reciting their mantras or engaging in their dances they can produce ecstatic emotions. In some branches of the church these methods are adopted producing similar results but it is not worship. Worship engages the mind. It is a human response to an understanding of who God is and what he has done. Of course that in turn will stir the emotions and quicken our enthusiasm for God but we need to get the order right! Presentation 15

  7. The Exultation of God The Inspiration of the Song All the great songs of praise in the Bible flow from an intelligent appreciation of God’s character and work e.g Mary's Magnificat Lk. 1.46-55, Zacharias’s Benedictus Lk.1.67-79, and of course the Psalms. Paul in his epistles interrupts himself as the wonder of what he has written grips his mind then warms his heart before producing a doxology of praise cf Rom 11.33-36, Eph 3.20-21. Presentation 15

  8. The Exultation of God The Inspiration of the Song One further beautiful example is found in Isaiah. After Chap 53 which describes in detail the sacrificial substitutionary nature of the death of God's Messiah, Chap 54 opens with an exhortation to worship, "Sing, O barren woman, burst into song, shout for joy..." Why is spiritually barren Israel encouraged to sing? Because God's glorious plan of redemption, outlined in Chap 53 would have a global impact. Believing men and women from around the globe would make up the company of the redeemed. What a glorious plan of salvation! Presentation 15

  9. The Exultation of God The Inspiration of the Song Were you to study of the great periods of hymn-writing in church history you would discover that without exception these have been produced in times of religious awakening and revival when God’s Spirit has impressed minds and hearts with the great Grace of God in redemption. Presentation 15

  10. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song Our second question is, What is the chief focus of the song? It is God-centred and not man-centred. The people didn’t sing: “We crossed the Red sea and our feet are dry, We crossed the Red sea and our feet are dry, We crossed the Red sea and our feet are dry, What a happy people we are”. They begin in v1 "I will sing to the Lord". The song does not record the exploits of Moses or the faith of the Israelites but points away to God who is his peoples’ ‘strength, song and salvation’ v2. He is the ‘God of their father's’v2 picking up on the idea of his covenant faithfulness. He is a God of ‘majestic power’ v6. He is ‘majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, a worker of wonders’ v11. The focus of this song is God's character and God's work. Presentation 15

  11. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song This focus upon God is both backward and forward looking. The backward look in v1-12 deals with God's deliverance of Israel and the destruction of his enemies. Some are perturbed because the song praises God’s destruction of the Egyptians. But there is nothing unchristianly vengeful about the song! Some today, foolishly believe that to sympathise with evil it is a sign of moral maturity! The Israelites did not regard divine judgement as a blemish on God's character but as a display of his perfections... “He has triumphed gloriously”. Presentation 15

  12. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song In the book of Revelation, after the destruction of Babylon, which symbolises human authority opposed to God's rule, we read “After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments”. [19.1-2a] Their sympathies lie with a longsuffering God whose name and honour have been long trampled underfoot. To be glad that God's intractable enemies are overthrown is a healthy sign if it flows from a heart that is truly and passionately concerned for God’s glory. Presentation 15

  13. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song The focus upon God which is forward looking in v13-18 is designed to encourage the people of God. First, Israel are encouraged to look forward with confidence to God's leadership. Clearly their Guide he had brought them safely across the Red Sea and so nothing ahead should worry them. Sadly we often refuse to be encouraged by our past experience of God. In church we sing of our trust in God our Shepherd and Guide but if our praise is not constantly earthed in him, then the challenging situations facing us in the days ahead will promote unfounded grumbling. Presentation 15

  14. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song What should praise do? It is designed to focus our minds on God and on the things that are above. It reinforces all that God has revealed of himself to us. It enlarges our hearts and feeds our faith. It is possible to sing great hymns of faith and yet not benefit from them as we ought. This was clearly the case in the experience of the great majority of Israel, for within days of their deliverance by God’s mighty hand they are found grumbling and murmuring in the desert. Cf Ex. 15.24,16.2-3,17.2. Presentation 15

  15. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song Secondly, God's mighty act would dishearten other potential enemies v14-16. And this indeed proved to be the case cf Deut 2.4, Josh 2.9-10, 5.1. The restlessness and anxiety among the heathen nations is revealed in ancient literature known as the Amarna letters. During the 40 years following the crossing of the Red Sea the inhabitants of Canaan repeatedly sent letters to Pharaoh outlining their fear of the impending invasion of the “Hapiru”- a corruption of the word "Hebrews". God knew how to undermine the morale of the enemy! Presentation 15

  16. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song A third encouragement is found in v17. Past deliverance was to be viewed as a seal, a promise of future blessing and of what God would yet do for them. If God had power enough to bring them through the Red Sea, then he would complete the work of salvation which he began and bring them into the land of promise. This idea of a down-payment to encourage hope for the future is also found in the N.T. teaching on salvation. cf Eph 1.13-14 Do you see what an encouragement that is? Again in Phil.1.6, we read, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion until the day of Jesus Christ”. Presentation 15

  17. The Exultation of God The Chief Focus of the Song From beginning to end this song is wonderfully God-centred. Contrast that with some hymns that are man-centred generating tearful sentimentality instead of divine adoration. They announce man’s love for God instead of God’s love for man. They list human experience and performance instead God’s activity and mercy. They are more concerned with human attainment than with Christ’s atonement. They reflect a low spirituality. How different from the song of Moses and his words, "I will exalt him". Presentation 15

  18. The Exultation of God The Song’s Place in Sacred History Finally, note the place which this song has in sacred history. It is surely not accidental that the very first song of praise recorded in scripture is one that is born out of God's mighty act of redemption. It is a song of a redeemed people whose sighing has given way to singing! The prisoners are liberated. The despairing have been given hope. In coming centuries this song would be regularly sung in the synagogue services. Presentation 15

  19. The Exultation of God The Song’s Place in Sacred History In scripture we come across this song again in the book of Psalms - the official hymnbook of Israel[cf. Ps106] . In a further 13 Psalms the Psalmist quotes from the song of Moses. Why? Whatever else the Jewish people were conscious of in their worship this great truth clearly inflamed their minds and hearts : God was their Redeemer. Presentation 15

  20. The Exultation of God The Song’s Place in Sacred History Finally, the song of Moses forms part of the liturgy of heaven. In Rev.15.3 John describes the scene after God has judged his enemies. The church triumphant stands on the seashore and worship God by singing ‘the song of Moses and of the Lamb’! The drowning of Pharaoh's army foreshadowed a more complete and final destruction of evil. The great drama of redemption, pictured at the Red Sea and fulfilled in Christ, the lamb of God, is their theme. Indeed, the great theme of praise in heaven, and for all eternity will be of God, who is the glorious Redeemer of his people. Presentation 15

  21. Template Presentation 15

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