All
of have gone through times in our lives when we experienced something
that caused us tremendous joy. A time when all you wanted to do was
to give a shout of praise & thanksgiving.
It may have been when you didn't have any money and all of a sudden
an unexpected check came in the mail. Perhaps it was when you passed
a course you were sure you were going to fail. It may have even been
the fact you graduated when no one else thought you would. Maybe it
was when you got bad news from the doctor, and after a time of prayer,
the Lord healed you from that disease. Or it may have been when your
children were born.Whatever the occasion, all of us have experienced
times when a shout of praise & thanksgiving would have been an appropriate
response.
This morning we are going to learn that it is appropriate to sing in
response to God's great victories in our lives. Not counting Jesus'
death & resurrection, what event in the Bible shows God's greatest victory?
As you think about all the great battles that God won for his people
in the Bible, what do you think is the greatest? Perhaps you might think
it was the Battle of Jericho. Or the time Gideon fought against the
Medianites. Or even the battle that God fought for Jehoshaphat as the
Israelites sang.
I think that the greatest victory occurred when the Israelites passed
through the Red Sea. Please turn to Exodus 14:31. Notice that this verse
tells us that the people saw God's awesome power when he destroyed Pharaoh
& his army as they tried to go through the Red Sea. We need to remember
that the Israelites were seized with great fear as they saw their enemy
coming quickly upon them. In an attempt to quiet the people's fears,
look in vv. 13&14 at what Moses said to them.
Let's continue the story with vv. 19-22. God caused a strong east wind
to blow so hard that it separated the waters and dried the sea's bed
so approximately 2 million people could walk across it. Look now at
vv. 23-28. If you had been there that day, how do you suppose you would
have responded to what God had just done.
Let's read 15:1 to see how the children of Israel responded. Our text
tells us that the Israelites broke out in a song in response to God's
power. Throughout the history of the nation of Israel, as the people
gathered to remember all of the things God had done for them, they would
sing those words. When the people sang those words, it stirred up their
emotions like it does to us today whenever we sing the words to "God
bless America." Since the leaders of Congress sang that song in response
to the terrorist's attacks, it has become a song that stirs up our patriotic
pride for being an American.
In the same way, whenever the Israelites sang, "I will sing unto the
Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider he has thrown
into the sea," it would cause their national pride to rise up inside
of them. Let's look now at the rest of the words to this song, beginning
in v. 2(a). I got a feeling Moses had no problem getting the people
to enthusiastically sing theses words. For they had just witnessed God's
strength as he saved them from the Egyptian army.
If God has saved you from Satan and your sins, then Brent should never
have to resort to manipulative tactics to get you to sing enthusiastically
every Sunday. If you have been delivered from a life of bondage to sin,
your natural response is to enthusiastically give God praise and thanksgiving.
Therefore, none of us should ever sing half-heartedly.
Notice also in v. 2(b) that the people sang that God was their father's
God. These aren't just words to make the song sound great. They are
words that show that the Israelites understood that the reason God protected
them is because of the promises he made to their forefathers of Abraham,
Isaac, & Jacob. Never forget that God had promised to Abraham that he
would be the father of many nations. And the children of Israel had
just witnessed a partial fulfillment of that promise. For if the Egyptian
army had made it across the Red Sea, they would have completely destroyed
the Israelites, thus nullifying God's promise to Abraham.
So as the people sang that they will exalt God, for he is their father's
God, they are saying that they are praising God because he is a God
that keeps his promises. This is important, for many times we come to
church downtrodden because of the conflicts of the week we have had
with our enemy. And sometimes the last thing we want to do is to sing.
But if we can remember that God will keep his promises of deliverance,
of healing, of prosperity, of household salvation, then we should never
have any problem singing to God from the depths of our souls.
Look now at v. 3. Now don't take this verse and try to prove that there
is a difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. People
try to say that the God of the Old Testament is a vengeful God, while the God of
the New Testament is a loving God. We need to keep in mind that even in the context
of our story, that God has been very gracious. He repeatedly gave Pharaoh
many chances to let the Israelites go. But each time Pharaoh hardened
his heart. So God had to bring upon the people of Egypt 10 plagues,
of which, the last one killed every first born in the land, before Pharaoh
finally let God's people go. What these words teach us is that if we
continually shake our fist in the face of God, if we continually break
his laws & principles, then one day we will face the warring side of
God. People need to learn that they cannot take God's grace for granted.
Yes he is slow to anger. And yes he doesn't want anyone to die in their
sins. But there is also a side of him that says, "Enough is enough."
Right before God destroyed the world through the Flood, he said that
"My Spirit will not contend with man forever." And not too long after
that we see that "The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth,
and His heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, 'I will wipe mankind,
whom I have created, from the face of the earth.'" And he did, except
for Noah & his family.
Please hear me, God is not like the character George Burns played in
"Oh God!" He is a man of war who at any minute could destroy us. He
already did it through the flood. He already destroyed the elite Egyptian
army through the Red Sea. He already destroyed the works of Satan through
Jesus' death on Calvary's Cross. And one day, and it could be very soon,
God is going to destroy the majority of the inhabitants of this world
through a series of events that the no one has ever witnessed the likes
of before.
Aren't you glad, because you are living under the time of grace, that
God didn't snuff you out the first time you rebelled against his ways?
If he had wanted to, the first time you turned around to take that 2nd
lustful look at a woman, he could have turned you into a pillar of salt
like he did Lot's wife when she turned around to look at Sodom. Or if
he wanted to, the first time you cussed, he could have zapped you with
a bolt of lighting. But just because he didn't, we need to always remember
that we can't presume upon his grace by ignoring his principles. If
you have never made Jesus the Lord of your life, then the warring side
of God is something you need to fear. If you are opposed to letting
Jesus rule your life, then you ought to be trembling in fear right now
for who knows when God is going to pull back his protective hand and
let calamities, even death, come upon you. Even though right now you
may think you are getting away with sin, please be aware that at any
moment God could allow those thunderous waters of the Red Sea to come
crashing in on you. So before it's too late, please repent of your sins
and turn to Jesus Christ for your salvation. But if you have made Jesus
your lord, then the warring side of God is something that should cause
you to sing. For God's conquering power has become a delivering power
for you. You should have no problem singing if only you will remember
that it is the warring side of God that brought you the victory over
Satan & sin at the cross. And it is this side of God that brings you
the victories as you go through the many battles of life.
Let's read next vv. 4-9. In these verses, not only do we see what God
did to the Egyptians, but he also shows us what was going through the
Egyptian's minds before they went through the Red Sea. God shows us
what the Egyptians thought they were going to do once they caught up
with the children of Israel. It also gives us an insight to what is
going through the minds of our enemies.
You are living in a dream world if you believe that everyone loves you
just because you love Jesus. You are also walking through life wearing
rose colored glasses if you think that God shields his people from the
realities of life. Yes it is nice to be able to escape the horrors of
life for a few short hours on Sunday mornings. But all of us have to
leave this building and go back out into a world that hates us. Into
a world that is out to get us every time we turn around.
One of the things that I really love about the Bible is that what it
teaches us is so relevant to life. For not only does the Bible teach
us how to initiate and maintain a relationship with our heavenly father
through his son Jesus Christ. But it also contains principles and illustrations
that teach us how to survive in the real world. And one of the greatest
things that the Bible teaches us is that in the end we will win -v.
10. What a glorious picture these words paint in our mind.
Most of us have probably watched in horror as something precious to
us sank in the lake, a pond, a river, or even the ocean. This is how
God wants us to view those people and situations that are trying to
reek havoc into our lives. So no matter if right now there seems to
be no way out of a problem, one day, that problem, along with the rest
of our enemies, are going to sink as lead in the mighty waters. So during
those times of life when it seems impossible to sing, that is when you
need to sing the most. For there is coming the day when we will be safe
from sickness, safe from the pain of broken hearts, safe from the bill
collectors, even safe from the dreaded IRS. In fact, there is a day
coming when our enemies will have to watch in complete envy as we sit
at God's banqueting table.
Notice in vv. 11-12 the words the people sang as they relived this glorious
event. Some people put as little effort as they can into singing. They
sing with their lips but their hearts are not in it. How would you sing
if you had just spent a whole night thinking you were going to die,
but by the end of the next day, your enemy had been destroyed? I think
you would sing enthusiastically, "Who is like the Lord?" Please don't
think that I'm trying to put some kind of guilt trip on you in order
to get you to sing more enthusiastically. But in order for you to sing
with enthusiasm, you need to begin to think about what enemy of yours
God has thrown into the sea. In order to put your heart into singing
you've got to reflect upon some of God's victories in your life. If
nothing else, on your way to a worship service, you should reflect upon
how God rescued you from the power of sin, and saved you from the penalty
of your sin. If you will learn to do this, you will have no problem
singing from the depths of your soul, "Who is like the Lord?" In fact,
while you are singing it, your brain will be screaming to you, "No one!
So stand up and give Him the praise."
As the people close this glorious song of victory, they move from what
God has done in the past, to what he is going to do in their future-vv.
13-17. The children of Israel have been singing about the fact that
they've just been delivered by the hand of God against the Egyptian
army, and now they are looking forward to how God is going to protect
them in the days, weeks, even years to come. We've got to remember that
there weren't that many of them at this time. And if they had to fight
in their own strength against the Philistines, the Edomites, the Moabites,
and the Canaanites, they would be utterly destroyed. But with God fighting
their battles, they knew the enemies they were about to face were no
match for them. They believed that since their God had delivered them
out of Egypt, that he was able to deliver them into the land he promised
to their father Abraham.
The point I want you to get hold of is that the children of Israel drew
upon their victory from the past to give them confidence to face the
struggles of the future. And they rested completely in the fact that
God will fulfill all of his promises-vv. 18-19. In this verse the Israelites
are singing about the time when God will once again establish his rule
over all the earth. Which of course will happen at the end of the Great
Tribulation.
In the Book
of Revelation we read about the worship that is going to take place
around the throne of God. And it is awesome. As we come before the Lord
we are going to sing loudly, and we are even going to fall on our faces
before him, as we realize that we no longer have any more enemies to
face. We won't have the enemy of death, the enemy of sickness, the enemy
of hunger, the enemy of poverty, the enemy of broken hearts, not even
our arch enemy of Satan to contend with any more. And every time we
see Jesus clothed in all of his majesty, we will sing songs like, "You
are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were
slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe
and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom
and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Worthy
is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and
strength and honor and glory and praise! To Him who sits on the throne
and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and
ever." And not only will we sing the song of Moses, but also the song
of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear You,
O Lord, and bring glory to Your name: For You alone are holy. All nations
will come and worship before you, for Your righteous acts have been
revealed."
Notice all of these songs contain words that tell about the great works
of our Lord Jesus Christ. About how Jesus delivered us from our enemies.
For Pharaoh is not the enemy we've had to face. Instead, the enemy of
our soul is Satan. Because Adam & Eve gave into his temptation, we have
had to fight against sin, against sickness, against death, and against
those things that cause heartache and tears. But we will never have
to fight against any of these enemies when we finally get to heaven.
And if we can just get enough of a heavenly perspective, that one day
we are going to be leaving behind all of our problems, then we can sing
with joy as we face today's battles. In fact, part of why we sing is
to prepare us for the singing we are going to be doing throughout eternity.
So get use to it, and start to enjoy it.
Let me ask you in closing what struggles are you going through right
now? Is there an enemy in your distance that seems to be getting closer
every day, and right now you are terrified that he may overcome you?
If so, begin to remember those times when God delivered you out of the
hands of your enemies, about those times he brought great victories
into your life. If he did it before, don't you believe he will do it
again? As you reflect upon all those times that God brought about great
victories in your life, you will have no problem singing joyfully, singing
loudly, from the very depths of your being, "I will sing unto the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse & rider he has thrown into
the sea!"
Let's pray!!
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