Exodus 15
McGeeCHAPTER 15THEME: Israel’s song of redemption; Israel murmurs because they lack water
Exodus 15:1
ISRAEL’S SONG OF REDEMPTIONImmediately upon their safe journey across the Red Sea, the children of Israel join in singing a song. They are singing lustily now. This is the same crowd, friends, that only a few hours before on the other side of the Red Sea were moaning, crying out that they wanted to go back to Egypt and saying, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?” We are told in 1Co_10:11 that, “…all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” God uses this experience to teach us a very important truth. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1Co_10:1-2). How were the children of Israel baptized unto Moses? It could not have been by water because they crossed the sea dry-shod. Not a drop of water fell upon them. If you want to talk about water, take a good look at the Egyptians; they were the ones who got wet. Then what does it mean that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea?
It means that they were identified. The primary meaning of baptism is identification. The ritual of baptism is the baptism of water, and I believe it is important. It sets forth the real baptism which is of the Holy Spirit and identifies us with Christ and puts us in Christ. Now how were the Israelites baptized unto Moses? They complained on one side of the sea, and when they crossed to the other side, they sang the song of Moses.
They were identified with Moses. They were delivered through him. “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned” (Heb_11:29). It was “by faith” that the Israelites crossed the sea. Whose faith was it? It was not the faith of the children of Israel because they did not have any until they crossed over the sea. They were identified with Moses. It was Moses’ faith. It was Moses who smote the Red Sea. It was Moses who led them across. When they reached the other side of the sea, it was Moses who lifted the song of deliverance. Now they have seen the salvation of God. They are identified with Moses. They have been baptized unto Moses. Friends, this is what happens when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. He is the One who takes us out of the Egyptian bondage and the Egyptian darkness of this world. He leads us across the Red Sea. It is His deliverance and His salvation and His redemption. He brings us to the place where we can lift a song of redemption unto Him. Then we are joined to Him. We are baptized into Christ. 1Co_12:13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the one who joins us to Christ and causes us to become one with Him. It is a wonderful thing to be joined to Him! A dear little lady talking about the assurance of her salvation once said, “Nobody can take you out of His hand.” Someone replied, “Well, you might slip through His fingers.” And she replied, “Oh my no, I couldn’t slip through His fingers; I am one of His fingers.” That is true, friends. We are members of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit of God joins us to Him. What a wonderful redemption we have in Christ! What happened to Israel is an example for us. It is a picture of our redemption and what the Spirit of God does when we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Before the Israelites joined in with Moses to sing to their God the song of redemption, they were singing the blues, the Desert Blues. Before they crossed the sea, they sang the blues loud and long, and they will be returning to the Desert Blues again because it will be their theme song as they travel through the desert. For a time, however, they lustily sang the song of redemption. This song can be compared with the song of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges. There are many songs in the Bible. David composed and sang many songs found in the Psalms. You will find that his songs are great songs. Even Jeremiah had a song, even though it was often with a wail. Other prophets had songs throughout the Old Testament. The New Testament opens with songs. Dr. Luke records several of them. There is the song of Elizabeth when word was brought to her that she was to have a child. Mary sang a song when she learned she was to be the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Other great songs were connected with the birth of Christ. Finally in the Book of Revelation we get a glimpse into heaven as we see a great company gathered around the throne of God singing a new song. Probably that is going to be the first time I will be able to sing. Up to the present time I don’t do very well, but by that timewith a new body and a new voiceI am sure I will be able to sing a new song. With all the talk about peace today it might be well for everyone to read this song of Moses. It tells us that Jehovah is a man of war. In the nineteenth chapter of Revelation we see Him coming to earth and putting down all unrighteousness. Until He does that, the earth will never have peace. In Mat_10:34 the Lord said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” These words were spoken about His first coming to the earth. The second time He comes to earth He will bring peace with the sword. That is the only way to rid the earth of unrighteousness. This song of Moses and the Israelites recounts the wonderful experience they had in crossing the Red Sea. Their song told the story of what they had seen God do and of what God had done for them. It was something they were not apt to forget, but this song certainly kept the experience before them.
Exodus 15:4
The Israelites are celebrating their deliverance. Egypt and the Egyptians represent to them the world, slavery, their hopelessness, and helplessness. Now they have been redeemed. That is the sum and substance of their song. Remember that they have come out of a land of idolatry. Each plague had been leveled at one of the Egyptian gods. Now what is the conclusion they have come to?
Exodus 15:11
God is teaching them great lessons concerning Himself.
Exodus 15:12
Israel was a redeemed people. The redemption of the people had to come first. That is the important thing today. God is not asking you to do one thing for Him until you have been redeemed and have accepted His salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ upon the Cross. He is not asking you for anything. He is not demanding that the world do anything.
God is not saying, “If you will prove yourself, come up to a higher standard, wash your face, rake your yard, and put up a good front, I am willing to be your good neighbor.” God does not want anything from the world. He is saying to a lost world, “What will you do with My Son who died for you?” Listen once again to verse Exo_15:13: “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” It sounds as if they are already in the Promised Land. As far as God is concerned, they are in the land because He is going to take them there.
Exodus 15:18
Now we are introduced to a girl we have not heard about since the birth of MosesMiriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron.
Exodus 15:20
This is the conclusion of this song of praise and thanksgiving to God for His deliverance.
Exodus 15:22
ISRAEL MURMURS BECAUSE THEY LACK WATERIsrael is across the sea now. They have had a wonderful time of praise, singing the song of Moses. They are a redeemed people. You would think that from now on life would be a bed of roses and that they would be delivered from all of their difficulties. There should not have been a cloud in the sky, a thorn along the path, nor a sigh from any of the congregation. They went three days’ journey into the wilderness and what happened to them? They thirsted! Egypt had been a land of plenty and with water in abundance. Quite suddenly the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea and found themselves in different circumstances. Water was not available anymore. The cisterns of Egypt were gone and they had not found the fountains of living water. I believe this is the experience of every born-again child of God. After salvation, the believer finds that the cisterns of Egypt do not satisfy at all.
There is a period of soul-thirst. This is the period of time Paul speaks of in Php_3:7 when he says, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” Then the apostle Paul reveals a great thirst, a tremendous yearning, when he says in Php_3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” This is the experience of the child of God after he is redeemed. I would like to share a personal experience with you. I remember the time God definitely put His hand upon me for the ministry. I came to know the peace of God through trust in Christ. I wanted to study for the ministry, but for the moment I was working in a bank and traveling with a pretty fast crowd. I thought I was having a great time. I was actually the chairman of a dance committee.
In those days you always had to have bootleg liquor to dance. I had committed my life to the Lord, but I decided not to break off with the old life all of a sudden. I’d make a gradual break. I decided to go to the dance that night, but I would not dancejust stand in the stag line and visit around a little bit. I was offered a drink at least a dozen times, and each time turned it down. Finally I met a fellow who worked at the bank with me and had a grudge.
I was promoted into a position ahead of him, and he had never forgiven me for it. It was not my fault, because I was not in charge of the bank and did not hand out promotions, but he had never forgiven me. He took advantage of every opportunity to get at me in some way, and this evening he said, “This is a pretty place for a preacher to be!” He used some strong language to drive the point home to me, too. I came to the conclusion that what he said was right and, like a little whipped dog, I went down the stairs and out onto the street. I could hear the orchestra playing in the distance, and I almost turned around and went back. I wanted to go back and say to the fellow, “Look, I think I will stay here with the gang.” Thank God I did not! There is always that trip into the wilderness after you are saved. You get a little thirsty, but the cisterns of Egypt just will not satisfy you anymore. You look for living water and actually do not know where to find it. At that time I knew very little about the Bible and couldn’t find my way around in it at all. But I soon found Joh_7:37: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” What a wonderful thing it was to come to Him! Thirsting and not finding water was their first experience. Now they have a second experience that was not much better.
Exodus 15:23
Their second experience on the other side of the sea is the bitter water of Marah. They have gone three days’ journey into the wilderness and are thirsty. When they finally come to water, it is bitter and unfit to drink. And remember that the children of Israel are now redeemed people. Marah was on the path where God led them. He had marked it out for them. You may not realize it, but the oasis of Marah is a normal Christian experience. When a bitter experience comes to a Christian, it is a puzzling and perplexing thing. Some people say, “Why does God let this happen to me?” I cannot tell you why certain things befall Christians, but I do know that God is not punishing them. He is educating them and preparing them for something. The Lord said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Right on your pathway there is a Marah. In the pathway of every believer there is a Marah. God has arranged it all. Someone has said, “Disappointments are God’s appointments.” I have found this to be true. Once a young person said to me, “I wanted to go to school. I wanted to prepare for the mission field, but my father died and I had to help support my mother; so I could not go to school.” When I was a pastor in Nashville, the superintendent of our junior department was a beautiful, sweet, uncomplaining, young woman. She was prematurely gray, and one day I inquired why. I was told that at one time she was engaged to one of the finest young men in the church. They were to be married, but he was called away to war and was killed. It caused her hair to turn gray. That was the “Marah” in her life. Friend, there are many frustrations, disappointments, and sorrows in life. Your plans can be torn up like a jigsaw puzzle. You may have a little grave on a hillside somewhere. I have. May I say that we all have our Marahs. You will not bypass them. You cannot detour around them, skip over them, or tunnel under them. God uses a branding iron. I remember West Texas, in the spring of the year when the calves were branded. As a boy I would see the branding iron put down on a little fellow. Oh, how he bellowed! It made me feel sort of sad to hear him cry. But from then on everyone knew to whom he belonged. After a calf was branded, it would not get lost. God does that for us today. What was it that made the bitter water of Marah sweet? We are told that a tree cast into the water made it sweet. Deu_21:23 says, “he that is hanged is accursed of God …” and in Gal_3:13 it says, “…Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Jesus Christ died on a tree, and it is that cross that makes the experiences of life sweet. He tasted death for every man, and took the sting out of death. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” says 1Co_15:55. It is the Cross of Christ that makes sweet the Marah experiences of life.
Exodus 15:27
Elim was a place of abundant blessing and fruitfulness. There were seventy palm trees and twelve wells. After the bitterness of Marah, God brought His people to Elim. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Simon Peter may be locked in the inner prison, but the angel is going to open the door. Paul and Silas may be beaten at midnight, but an earthquake will free them. There is a Marah along the pilgrim pathway today; but, friend, there is also an Elim. God’s plan for usefulness always leads to Marah and to Elim.
Joseph, you remember, had that experience. Moses did, Elijah did, David did, Adoniram Judson did, John G. Paton did. And I am sure you and I will have that also. Beyond every Marah there is an Elim. Beyond every cloud, there is the sun.
Beyond every shadow, there is the light. Beyond every trial, there is triumph, and beyond every storm, there is a rainbow. George Matheson wrote, “I trace the rainbow through the rain.” This is the way God leads us. All of these things happened to Israel for examples to us.