Last week, we finished with the Israelites hemmed in by the sea on one side, with Pharaoh and his army on the other. Moses then told the Israelites not to fear, for the LORD would fight for them.
God Saves the Israelites
Read Exodus 14:15-22
– What does God do to rescue the Israelites?
– Discuss the Angel of God (vs. 24 states Yahweh is in the pillar).
– Although God separating the waters is a miracle, how God did this miracle also shows us what?
Read Exodus 14:23-25
– Yahweh causes the Egyptian forces to panic and clogs their chariot wheels. What does this state about the depth the ground’s dryness beneath them?
– How does this hamper the Egyptians crossing the Sea of Reeds?
Read Exodus 14:26-31
– What does God tell Moses to do?
– What do we know about the sea returning to normal? Was it immediate?
– Again, what does this tell us about God working His will among us?
– What is the result of what God does concerning the faith of the Israelites?
The Song of Moses
Read Exodus 15:1-5 (Stanza 1 of the song)
– Whom does this song praise as the agent of salvation? Is this salvation in full or in part?
– How does this song describe Yahweh? (vs. 2-3)
Read Exodus 15:6-10 (Stanza two of the song)
– How is Yahweh contrasted with the enemy (the Egyptians)?
Read Exodus 15:11-18 (Stanza 3 of the song)
– Why would this song state, “Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods”?
– How does this song continue to describe Yahweh? (vs. 13, 18)
– Specifically, what does a redeemer do?
Miriam’s Refrain
Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron (Numbers 26:59). From what we can piece together, Miriam led a chorus of women. In this case, Miriam’s song with the women was a refrain, sung as a response after the singing of each stanza of the song of Moses.
Church Father Ambrose saw Miriam as someone who foreshadowed the Church (remember the Church is described in the feminine gender) as she led the singing of the refrain.
– What does this refrain remind the people about who Yahweh is?
Read Exodus 15:22-25a
– What happened three days into their wilderness journey?
– How did God resolve the situation the Israelites were in?
– What did God use to make the water drinkable? What does this say about how God normally operates in this world, even when He does a miracle?
Read OT Apocrypha book Sirach 38:1-9
Honor the doctor according to your need of him, for the Lord created him. Healing comes from the Most High, and he [the doctor] will receive a gift from the king. The skill of the doctor makes him distinguished, and in the presence of the great he is admired. The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not ignore them. Was not water made sweet with a tree so that the Lord’s power might be made known? And he gave skill to human beings the he might be glorified in his marvelous works. With those medicines, the doctor cures and takes away pain; the pharmacist makes of them a compound. God’s works are never finished. And from him health is upon the face of the earth. My child, when you are sick do not be negligent, but pray to the Lord, for it is he who heals.
– How does Sirach further develop the understanding that God’s uses His creation, including people, to work His will?
Read Exodus 15:25b-27
– What does the LORD say to the Israelites?
We will see how this later helped prepare the Israelites for their covenant with God (the Old Covenant).
Food from God
Read Exodus 16:1-3
– What happens and how do the Israelites respond?
– How do the Israelites mirror our walk of faith?
Read Exodus 16:4-12
– What are the purposes behind how God chooses to feed the Israelites? (vs. 4, vs. 6-7)
Read Exodus 16:13-21
Note: an omer was about 1/2 gallon.
– How did the Lord provide meat?
– How did the Lord provide “bread”?
– What happened if the people tried to store manna for the next day?
Read Exodus 16:22-30
– Why were the people to gather twice as much before the Sabbath?
– Why? What does this say about the purpose of the Sabbath?
– What does this say about the purpose of worship on the Sabbath? (In other words, who is doing the “work” during worship?)
Read Exodus 16:31-36
– What did Moses tell Aaron to do with the manna?
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