摩西的歌 1
Song of Moses 1

出埃及记 Exo 15:1–19

News

Today’s responsive reading is from Psa 42.

Psa 42 is the start of Book 2 of the Psalms.

The Psalms are divided into five books:

1. Book 1: 1–41
2. Book 2: 42–72
3. Book 3: 73–89
4. Book 4: 90–106
5. Book 5: 107–150

Hook

Passage

Click here to go to English Passage

Who is the main character in this song (Exo 15:1–19)?

a) Moses

b) Aaron

c) Miriam

d) Israel

e) None of the above

Their reason for singing this song is…?

a) YHWH destroyed Egypt with the 10 plagues

b) YHWH led them out of Egypt

c) YHWH liberated the Israelites from slavery

d) YHWH destroyed the Egyptian army in the Sea

e) None of the above

Outline 结构   Structure    15:1–19

Section 1 唱歌的原因   The reason for song    15:1

The structure of the song (Exo 15:1–19) is difficult to determine.

Many have gave various proposals.

Some definite conclusions we can see are:

1. 15:1–5 has a chiasmus (very likely, though I haven’t seen others mention this)
2. 15:6–10 “your right hand,” “your right hand”
3. 15:11–13 “who is like you,” “who is like you”
4. 15:14–19 “your people,” “your people whom you saved”

This is the entire passage, Exo 15:1–5 (font is small).

The chiasmus at its centre: “this is my God, and I will praise him/my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

1. They saw YHWH’s salvation
2. They believed in him (put their faith in him)
3. They praised him in song

We should do the same!

While we were still sinners, Christ died for our sins. (罗马书 Rom 5:8)

He saved us, we believe in him, put our faith in Christ.

We ought to break out in song!

Lessons

Section 2 唱歌的原因   The reason for song    15:1

The link to what happened before.

So they sang after they were safely on the other side, and saw their enemy defeated by YHWH.

Here’s the reason for their song: because YHWH won!

The victor is YHWH, not Moses, not Israel

Israel has only one soldier: YHWH!

The NT tells us the same thing: We need to sing and praise God!

Lessons

Section 3 他是你的神吗?  Is he your God?    15:2–3

YHWH is Moses’ God, and also my God, as well as your God

We must have a personal relationship with God

Here it says “my father’s God.” This shows YHWH as one who keeps his covenants.

We can trust in him, his promises never fail.

E.g., like Abraham. All the promises made to him by YHWH, Abraham saw none of it. But he still put his faith in YHWH.

We can do the same.

The God of the Bible, is he your God?

In OT days, they worshiped and praised YHWH

Since the days of the first Easter, we praise our saviour Jesus Christ

Before, they had a personal relationship with God, we now have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.

The Trinity, this God, is with us!

Lessons

Section 4 好像新创造  Like new creation   15:4–5

All these mention of sea and the deep: we’re not talking about crossing a swamp.

“The floods covered them…into the depths…” Where have we seen these phrases?

Genesis! Gen 1:2

Egypt has returned to the primordial emptiness and chaos.

Salvation is like new creation.

Revelation tells us the same thing: New heaven, new earth, the ultimate salvation, the ultimate “Exodus.”

The next 2 passages describe the same thing: We are to break out in song because of YHWH’s salvation.

This is from Isa 12:2, praise in song is throughout the OT.

This is from the last book of the Bible, Rev 15:2–4.

We see the similarities, even the Song of Moses is mentioned.

Lessons

Section 5 <55–59>

Lessons

与我有什么关系? So What?

What does all this have to do with me?

1. When we received God’s salvation, what should our first reaction be?
   • Give thanks, sing songs of praise.
   • Hymns are not to make us feel good, or feel spiritual, etc.
   • Hymns are our praise to God, our worship.
   • The focus is on God, not on ourselves. So minimise songs with “I,”, “We,” “Us,” etc.
   • Our worship and hymns need to have God (or Christ) as the focus.

2. Don’t make the wrong applications of Exodus event:

a. The pain and suffering we experience are NOT our “Egypt.” No!

b. People who persecute us are not our “Pharaoh.” No!

c. It’s not about being liberated, or “Now we’re free!” No!

3. The Exodus is about salvation. God saved us.

4. Salvation is already accomplished, it’s done. We’re now standing on the other side of the Red Sea.

5. We have a new way of life, what should we do?

6. We have to praise and worship, and serve God, share the story of God’s salvation, share the gospel.

7. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, journeying on to the Promised Land, we also are temporarily in this world as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.
When we sing together, it’s like a rehearsal. In the future, we will be in God’s kingdom with all other saints, praising and worship God together.