Read Exodus 15-16 at Bible Gateway.
If we outline today’s chapters according to God’s paragraph divisions, we find the first strong paragraph is from Exo 15:1-19:
Exo 15:1 {s} Song of Moses + Sing to YHVH, for He has triumphed gloriously!
Exo 15:2 {s} YHVH has become my salvation
Exo 15:3 {s} YHVH is a man of war
Exo 15:4 {s} He has cast Pharaoh’s army into the sea
Exo 15:5 {s} The depths of the sea have covered them
Exo 15:6 {s} YHVH’s right hand glorious in power + dashed the enemy in pieces
Exo 15:7 {s} YHVH overthrew His enemy by the greatness of His power
Exo 15:8 {s} YHVH made the waters stand upright
Exo 15:9 {s} The enemy said I will pursue and destroy them
Exo 15:10 {s} YHVH made the waters cover them
Exo 15:11 {s} Who is like YHVH glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders
Exo 15:12 {s} YHVH’s right hand caused the earth to swallow them
Exo 15:13 {s} in mercy YHVH has led forth His people whom He has redeemed
Exo 15:14 {s} Philistia will be in anguish
Exo 15:15 {s} Edom, Moab and Canaan will be dismayed
Exo 15:16 {s} They will be in dread till the redeemed of Israel pass over
Exo 15:17 {s} YHVH will plant Israel in His established place
Exo 15:18 {s} YHVH shall reign forever and ever
Exo 15:19 {p} Egyptians drowned in the sea + Israel went on dry land in the sea
The next strong paragraph is from Exo 15:20-16:10:
Exo 15:20-21 {s} Dance of Miriam + Sing to YHVH, for He has triumphed gloriously!
Exo 15:22-26 {s} Israel complained of no water + bitter waters made sweet
Exo 15:27-16:3 {s} Israel complained of no bread
Exo 16:4-10 {p} YHVH answered that He will provide bread from heaven
The thing that stands out about these two strong paragraphs, is that it doesn’t make sense that Miraim’s dance and song, which mirrors Moses’, is separated from Moses’ and put within a paragraph that seems to have nothing to do with it. Scripture sets up these puzzles on purpose to teach something!
These two paragraphs teach:
The song of Moses + praise for what YHVH has done;
The dance of Miriam + complaints for what YHVH has not done.
YHVH Himself was leading them in the way, by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He knew that the place He was leading them to did not have fresh water, or bread, or meat. Why is He leading them into a place of perceived lack?
“I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am YHVH your God.” Exo 16:12
God is still teaching Israel who He is – what it means that YHVH their Deliverer and Redeemer is their God. He is also their Healer. He is also their Provider. At every place of perceived lack, in the process of meeting their need, He is revealing a new facet of His character in His name YHVH.
When we come to a place of need, we can complain about our lack as Israel did. Or we can remember that YHVH is our God, and simply ask Him to meet the need. We can praise Him that He is our God who has done great things, and who will do great things again on our behalf!
For further study: Read chapter 16 carefully. How many times is Sabbath rest on the 7th day mentioned? List each instance. Did God institute it in Israel to be a burden or a gift for them? Write out the Scriptural evidence from this chapter.
Finding Messiah: Messiah continues to leap out from the pages of Exodus! Notice that YHVH showed Moses a tree, so that when he cast it into bitter water, the bitter water was made sweet (Exo 15:23-25). The Hebrew word is Strong’s H6086, a tree, wood, plank, or gallows. The same word is used in the Torah command which Paul quotes in Gal 3:13,
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Gal 3:13, from Deu 21:23
The tree is the cross, which when thrown into bitter waters makes them sweet!
Messiah is also our Bread from Heaven (Joh 6:32-33)!
For further reading:
John chapter 6 (Jesus is the Bread from heaven)
Exo 13:17-17:16, Sabbath Reveals Messiah (Restoration of Torah pdf)
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