07 February 2014
Exodus 15
Psalms 69
Mark 3
"YOUR RIGHT HAND"
"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD" This is the way that our chapter [Exodus 15] in Exodus starts today. It is a song about what had just happened. "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation" [Exodus 15:1-2]
What we may not realize is no that one, except a select few, had the ability and opportunity to write at this stage of history 4,000 years. It was popular among sceptics 150 years ago to claim that writing was unknown in the time of Moses, that early books of the Bible were all legends written much later than the events they report. This scepticism was soon demolished by archaeological discoveries, but the point to be made is that all these people that came out of Egypt needed to have songs that they could learn off by heart since there was nothing available for the masses of the people to read even if they could read.
Imagine the scene painted for us in Exodus 15:20-21. "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
As we read the detail of the song, consider what they sang about! "Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power … shatters the enemy… You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength" [Exodus 15:6,13]
But there is a lesson for us in what then happened! We will read in coming weeks of their failure to maintain their faith in the abilities of their God that they were singing so joyously about. Were the things they were singing, just words! The meaning of them failed to find a permanent lodgement in their hearts.
This world today is more than ever a spiritual wilderness. Are we going to be able to do any better than the Israelites did 4,000 years ago? We make the answer now!
-------
- DC
Thought for the Day
07 February 2014
"Many parts of the Psalms are devoted to prayers for the Kingdom of God. Our own prayers should re-echo the same fervent desires. Whether our words be the simple "Thy Kingdom come" or prayers "for the peace of Jerusalem" it matters not; but the kingdom should be our constant and greatest hope."
- H. Tennant
Thoughts on the Psalms (1952)
Exodus 15
Psalms 69
Mark 3
"YOUR RIGHT HAND"
"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD" This is the way that our chapter [Exodus 15] in Exodus starts today. It is a song about what had just happened. "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation" [Exodus 15:1-2]
What we may not realize is no that one, except a select few, had the ability and opportunity to write at this stage of history 4,000 years. It was popular among sceptics 150 years ago to claim that writing was unknown in the time of Moses, that early books of the Bible were all legends written much later than the events they report. This scepticism was soon demolished by archaeological discoveries, but the point to be made is that all these people that came out of Egypt needed to have songs that they could learn off by heart since there was nothing available for the masses of the people to read even if they could read.
Imagine the scene painted for us in Exodus 15:20-21. "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
As we read the detail of the song, consider what they sang about! "Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power … shatters the enemy… You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength" [Exodus 15:6,13]
But there is a lesson for us in what then happened! We will read in coming weeks of their failure to maintain their faith in the abilities of their God that they were singing so joyously about. Were the things they were singing, just words! The meaning of them failed to find a permanent lodgement in their hearts.
This world today is more than ever a spiritual wilderness. Are we going to be able to do any better than the Israelites did 4,000 years ago? We make the answer now!
-------
- DC
Thought for the Day
07 February 2014
"Many parts of the Psalms are devoted to prayers for the Kingdom of God. Our own prayers should re-echo the same fervent desires. Whether our words be the simple "Thy Kingdom come" or prayers "for the peace of Jerusalem" it matters not; but the kingdom should be our constant and greatest hope."
- H. Tennant
Thoughts on the Psalms (1952)
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