Exodus 15:1-12 – God is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving

This song tells us that God is powerful and is the strength of His children’s life. Hence, He deserves all praise and adoration. It is He who has become His people’s saviour and a warrior who will fight on their behalf. Here we see God’s mighty deliverance described. He hurled Pharaoh’s mighty army into the sea. He drowned Egypt’s elite army by bringing the water of the sea back. He had opened it to make a way for the children of Israel to walk on a dry path across the sea. The song saw the east wind that God caused to blow and walled up the water as the breath from God’s nostril. This, of course, is anthropomorphic language, i.e. using a human term to depict God. Bear in mind that without such language, it is hard for us to imagine how God is like.

This song tells us that God is powerful and is the strength of His children’s life. Hence, He deserves all praise and adoration. It is He who has become His people’s saviour and a warrior who will fight on their behalf. Here we see God’s mighty deliverance described. He hurled Pharaoh’s mighty army into the sea. He drowned Egypt’s elite army by bringing the water of the sea back. He had opened it to make a way for the children of Israel to walk on a dry path across the sea. The song saw the east wind that God caused to blow and walled up the water as the breath from God’s nostril. This, of course, is anthropomorphic language, i.e. using a human term to depict God. Bear in mind that without such language, it is hard for us to imagine how God is like.

This song also tells us that there will be an end to man’s boasting. No one should exalt himself and try to usurp the place that is reserved only for God. Pharaoh boasted and overestimated himself. In verse 9 he said to himself, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.” He was so blinded with rage that although he could see the hand of God behind the mighty works, yet he dared to defy the Almighty. This was the obvious reason why God dealt so drastically with him. Boasting is a display of self-centeredness and pride. Never should we for a moment try to usurp God’s role in our daily living. Instead, let us face each moment of life with complete dependence on God who alone is all knowing.  

So, verses 10 and 12 affirm that while God always resists the proud. So, these verses say unambiguously that, “You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they (the Egyptians) sank like lead in the mighty waters.” And “You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them.” No wonder in Micah 6:8, God through the prophet reminds us saying, “He (God) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” It behoves us, therefore, to always seek to praise God and also let the fruit of thanksgiving abound in our life. He is worthy of them all!