Most of the time, when I am in prison conducting a Bible study, there is conversation before the study begins. This conversation will often include complaints about prison life. One gentleman is particularly negative and views prison management, or management wherever it is found, as the spawn of Satan. Usually one of the men will gently say something like, “I’m thankful to God I’m here.” And then, as if they don’t think you could believe them they add, “No really. I don’t mean I like being in prison ’cause I don’t. But if God didn’t bring me here I would have just kept on going down that same ol’ path.” That same ol’ path would be things like alcoholism, drug addiction, theft, and murder. So, they believe that God is responsible for their incarceration; that he specifically lead them to being locked up and surrounded by people who are not at all fond of God or people who believe in him. Think of prison as the wilderness. These men believe that God is purposefully leading them through a dangerous and enemy infested wilderness and they are all full of praise for God’s guidance. Why?
The first part of the Moses Hymn (vv. 1-12) praised God for dealing mightily with Egypt. In Exodus 15:13-16 God is praised for instilling fear among the people who might have otherwise destroyed the Israelites in the wilderness. Verse 17-18 praises Yahweh for establishing a holy sanctuary in which he will reign forever. Verse 13 serves as an introduction to both sections. In Yahweh’s kindness or loyalty love he led the people like a kinsmen redeemer. You see, they had been destitute without hope and Yahweh had stepped in and redeemed them. In his might he guided them to his holy pasture land, which is ambiguous and could mean a lot of things except that verse 17 seems to make it clear that Zion is in view.
Verses 14-16 is all about the nations they encounter being filled with progressive terror. The inhabitants of Philistia are gripped with writhing, which is not at all fun to be gripped by. Edom, the descendants of Esau, are dismayed or terrified. The leaders of Moab are seized by trembling and the people of Canaan have melted into puddles of fright. They remain frozen with dread like little bunnies stunned stupid by a spotlight until the people of God pass them by. They are no threat at all because of the greatness of Yahweh’s arm. Yahweh either paid a painful price for his people or he made them into his people. Either way, it is Yahweh, who has accomplished this amazing waltz through enemy territory. It is Yahweh who has made Israel into a people; the sons of God.
In verses 17-18 Yahweh is praised for keeping his promise of land. Not only will he bring them safely through to the mountain of his inheritance, but he will plant them there. And we have within us this desire to be rooted. This may mean to belong to a country or to a family or to an ideal, but we long to have our roots to grow downward so that we can discover stability. The Israelites sang out their confidence that God would root them in the promised land. And not only that. Yahweh is going to live there with them; he will establish his set apart place and reign forever. Imagine living in the land where The Existing One is your king. No coup. No fear of unworthy descendants ascending to the throne.
It is “questions to ponder” time. Why are the people in the wilderness in the first place? Why are they surrounded by hostile forces? Why didn’t Yahweh just whisk them to a new land sans tribulation? And did the people who sang this hymn actually make it to the promised land? Most of the adults died off because of their unfaithfulness. Whether we are able to sing praises to God often depends upon our perception of God’s intentions. They could have viewed the wilderness and the gathering hostiles as cruelty heaped upon them by a spiteful God. And later waning faith leads many to hold this view. But in our passage, as they stand on the other side of the Reed Sea having witnessed a great victory, they praise Yahweh fully acknowledging the coming enemies. There is no expectation here of the absence of enemies.
It is easier to praise Yahweh for the wilderness when we have successfully journeyed through. It is easier to be thankful for enemies after we have waltzed right on by. But can we praise God in the midst of the wilderness surrounded by hostile forces? Maybe we can if we understand that he is guiding us to the Promised Land where our roots are already sinking deep; where God reigns! Maybe we can after we have been through the desert a few times and have witnessed firsthand what our God can accomplish even there. A life of ease, if such a thing exists, shapes no one’s character. Praise God for wilderness! Peace.