Here's the other side of God!

And we learn it from Moses, in his day the meekest man on earth!

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." Exodus 15:1-3

The Jews have just been delivered from Egypt!

Miraculously!

Pharaoh and his army lie behind them, dead, in the Red Sea!

God has fought for Israel!

The battle did not even seem to belong to Israel, although her national identity was at stake. Look at the Text, it's the Lord Who triumphed!

He drowned the enemy!

He is a Man of War!

The LORD is none other than Jehovah God too!

Just like the Moon has a side we've never seen, so does the Lord! That is, if we go by most preaching heard these days.

We only know a God of love.

Of grace.

Of mercy.

Kind and gentle and a little bit "soft" on iniquity.

Maybe, they say, He is no longer interested in Judgment.

With Him, they lie, "anything goes!"

He's even overlooking perversion and apostasy now, they declare!

Well they, the liberals, the progressives, call them what you wish, they are wrong!

God is kind and loving and gracious, true enough!

But He is also just what Exodus 15:1-3 claims Him to be. God's Word is never in error.

God is a Fighter!

Mercy!

I'd hate to be against Him!

Paul's great words "If God be for us who can be against us?" can also translate into "If God be against us who in the world can be for us?"

Answer, nobody, nobody significant!

Our Text opens with an interesting mix of ideas.

In a time of war, vast death, a whole army is gone. The Egyptian fighting machine is no more! Including their King!

And Israel does what?

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD." Exodus 15:1, just the first clause.

They sang?

Preacher Bagwell, you mean they mourned?

They wept?

They ran away from the sea, fearing any possible survivors pursuing them again?

No, they praised the Lord!

And Moses started it!

Hint, most of the time when praise breaks out, notice it, the leader has a central part in it! Usually he is the initiator!

It is true here.

Moses does not shout a lot, not in the sense of praise!

He's a subdued man, calm in temperament.

But not here, not today! "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD."

The verb "sang" translates "shiyr," a verb whose root idea is "to travel!" So we have “singing” as one goes “to and from, here and there,” joy and gladness as a lifestyle! Everywhere praising the Lord.

Yes, they sang these words officially the day of their deliverance, but probably continued singing for days and weeks and ideally years afterward also! Marching through the wilderness, praising God's Power and Victory and Strength!

Wow!

Soon all the "children of Israel" have joined their chorister, lifting harmonious sounds heavenward!

The "mix" I mentioned earlier, a strange blend of ideas to the contemporary Christian is this.

Fighting ... and singing!

Together!

Troops throughout all history have done so though.

Singing as they marched!

Hymns have been written to stir a militaristic spirit too! Militancy and music, combined!

Think of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," a song written by the petite Julia Ward Howe during the Civil War. In its first verse the Lord has "loosed the faithful lightning of His terrible swift sword. And His truth is marching on!"

That's war and worship, combined!

And what about this one? "Onward Christian Soldiers," who were marching as to war! "With the Cross of Jesus going on before. Christ, the Royal Master leads against the foe. Forward into battle, see His banners go!"

That stirs my blood and warms my heart even now!

Yes, even in the Bible we see singing and fighting, together.

Listen to Psalm 149:6, as an example. "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand."

That's really something!

Watch the praise here, and for what the Psalmist is thankful! "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight." Psalm 144:1, the same combo yet again.

And, as you know, all the way through the Book of Revelation war rages, right in the middle of a plethora of songs and praises and shouts of victory!

Worship and warfare!

Singing and swords!

And that's what we have in our Text today, the very first verse, Exodus 15:1. Praise in the midst of peril!

But at the risk of writing too much today, I wonder, "Why?"

Why joy in battle?

Why praise as we fight?

Why worship during warfare?

This one reason, I think.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, almost for sure. "For the joy of the LORD is our strength."

Get it?

The more joyful we are ... the stronger we are!

No joy in battle, no strength for battle!

Little joy during life's battles, temptations and trials, then one has little strength to overcome!

Plus, if God is with us in those conflicts, His Power and Ability, we should praise the house down!

Out of sheer gratefulness!

Go ahead Moses. And he did! "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD."

Least I can do, and you too, is sing as well!

Remember that in Ephesians, maybe Paul's most lofty Epistle, this verse "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," is not very far from this verse, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

It's that way for a reason!

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

As I post these words ... I'm already humming!

LESSON 2, WHAT THEY SANG:

As we edge a little further into our Text two more things appear immediately. Let me show you what I mean.

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." Exodus 15:1

The song was directed to Whom?

To the Lord!

This then, in the truest sense of the word, is a hymn of praise!

It's worship set to music, directed to the Miracle Worker Himself, the Victor in the battle.

"Unto the Lord" they sang!

Now at times it's permissible to sing in other ways.

For example, Paul wrote in Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Singing to each other!

Then Ephesians 5:19. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Singing to oneself!

But in Exodus 15:1, singing to the Lord!

Sing Him a song today!

Some hymns are written that way. "O Lord, My God, How Great Thou Art!" That's a classic! Even the beautiful old invitation song, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" qualifies here.

Now, notice how the Holy Spirit words the details about this song. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying ..." Then come the words to the hymn. "Saying" translates the Hebrew verb that emphasizes "content."

The most important thing about this musical composition is not the beat or the rhythm or the sound, but the lyrics!

The words of the song!

It's the message that counts most!

What's the song conveying?

That's one thing that makes the old hymns so durable. Read one of Fanny Crosby's hymns and look at the Bible doctrine it contains! The theological weight it carries! The substance of its several verses!

Wow!

We do not know how this Song of Moses pleased the ear. Its harmony and the like.

But we do know what it said!

That being true, if we're reading it correctly, you can pick up the Church hymnbook anytime, or borrow one for a few days to take home, and just read the entries, the songs, the words.

They are edifying!

They uplift us!

They encourage us!

And can even warn us! "Yield Not To Temptation," for example. Anyone recall that old song?

But back to our Text. Let's quickly notice the first line of the composition Moses lifted to the Lord, Moses and the Jews.

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously ...."

What did the Lord so?

He triumphed gloriously, defeating Pharaoh and his army!

The verb is "gaah," meaning "to rise up, to increase," which in other words means "God showed up!"

God came to the aid of His people, Great and Mighty as He is, and overwhelmed the pitiful Egyptians!

But that's not all!

More specifically, "The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." The whole cavalry is gone! Probably the foot soldiers and charioteers and archers are not mentioned because the Leader himself would have been on one of those majestic saddled horses!

And God got him too.

Then again, maybe the horsemen were leading the charge and were the first to disappear into the raging sea!

Whatever, the Israelites are praising God, even for the details of the victory!

I often thank God, daily most of the time, for His general blessings. The whole day's worth.

But I have just learned something. And I miserably fail at this. Thanking Him for the little details too!

Wow!

Paul did say "In every thing give thanks!"

Every little thing?

Even the tiny details?

Looks like Moses did!

And so must Brother Bagwell.

Would anyone like to join me?

Our details may differ, no doubt they will, but we will be praising and thanking and singing to the Very Same God!

After all, there is None Other!

The Lord God Almighty!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3, MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG:

Just two words today.

Part of an ancient hymn, "The Lord is my strength and song." Moses and the Israelites, freshly delivered from Pharaoh's army, are worshiping our great God.

Exodus 15:2 continues uplifting the Lord, beautifully so.

The noun "strength" is the little word "oz," pronounced "oze." Its "root" is a verb spelled "azaz," often meaning "to prevail!" Add to that the qualities of "firmness" or "hardness," once even being expressed as "impudence!" See Proverbs 7:13.

God then is an "Overcomer!" That definition best fits the context here, with multitudes having just been drowned. But think of this too. Pharaoh was so hard-hearted, so stubborn, so very  "impudent!" But the day he attacked the departing Israelites, he met his "Match!" He encountered a God Who is more "resolved, more "determined," than anyone on earth!

"Oz" is used in the Psalms four times as well, each describing our Heavenly Father. Let me show them to you. I've underlined our word.

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." Psalm 28:7

"Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy." Psalm 59:17

"In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God." Psalm 62:7, where the "hardness" shade of meaning is specially revealed.

"The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation." Psalm 118:14, obviously quoting out Text word for word!

Wow!

We have a "strong" God!

And He is willing to become our "strength" too!

Claim some of that power and victory and ability today! It's available to you! Even to this extent, in Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul says we have in us the very same Power that "God wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His Own Right Hand in the heavenly places."

Goodness!

And Exodus 15:2 continues, "The Lord is my strength and song."

The noun "song" is unusual. I can only find this little noun 3 times in all the Bible. And its parent verb only 45 times, pretty rare for a Book with 1,189 chapters.

"Zimrath," a "song," or at least some form of "music," or at other times just a "melody." The verb I mentioned, "zamar," literally means "to trim or prune!" Like one would do to a grape vine!

Linguists think the word gradually came to mean "plucking with one's fingers," as in playing a stringed instrument!

If so, the Jews here are both singing and playing unto the Lord! Or perhaps this is picturing the Lord as both the Song and the Musician! As in "Chief Musician" maybe!

But get this too. In Genesis 43:11 "zimrath" is translated "best fruits!" The best the vines produced that year!

So if the Lord is our Song, He's the best one for sure! No wonder the say every word is inspired!

Let the Lord today be your strength and song!

And ponder what these two words imply as you commune with your Saviour, or with the Father, or with the Holy Spirit!

Food for the day!

Exquisite food at that, spiritually!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell  

LESSON 4, MY SALVATION:

The portion of Scripture we study today looks quite simple. Moses says of the Lord, "He is become my salvation."

Our whole verse, full of praise, says this: "The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

But I just can't get over the little sentence nestled in the middle of the whole verse. Again here it is. "He is become my salvation."

The Subject here is obviously the Lord. He, the dear Lord, has become my Salvation! Moses is testifying! Like we do at Church sometimes! Actually testifying to the saving Grace of God!

The verb "is become" is a translation of "hayah," meaning "to come to pass." One book says "to fall out, to befall, to come to be."

That means there was a time when God was not Moses' salvation!

Then one day God "became" Moses' salvation!

Wow!

Sounds like Moses got saved to me!

"Hayah," the verb "is become," is also written as a part of speech that expresses "incomplete" action. God is become Moses' salvation, but He is still becoming so at the time of this composition!

He saved me! And He is still saving me! Sort of like that, time wise. This salvation thing is immense to Moses, apparently too vast to comprehend at once!

And the noun "salvation" is "yeshuah," meaning "deliverance, safety," even "prosperity" at times.

No doubt Moses at least partially is referring to God's recent rescue of Israel from the deadly hands of the pursuing Egyptian army!

But more may be at issue here.

Much more.

I don't want to bore you, but I must again show you the verse today, the fragment anyway. "He is become my salvation."

That's exactly what happened to me one day!

He became my salvation!

I was lost, an old sinner, on my way to hell.

And Jesus "came."

Rather, He "became."

He "fell" into my life!

He "came to" me!

He revealed Himself to me and saved my wretched soul!

I'm using "salvation" here in the conservative sense, too much of a "New Testament" sense some will charge.

Still, in whatever context, Moses just said, "The Lord saved me!"

Regardless of the historical background, if Jehovah God becomes your salvation, looks to me like you're on your way to Heaven!

Which leads me to ask a question.

Is Jesus your salvation?

Has He "happened" to you?

Have you "met" Him in the free pardon of sin?

Oh well, "Are you saved?'

Moses could say so.

By the way, the verb "become" or "hayah" is the central thrust of God's Name Jehovah, its very heart!

Jehovah is the Name of God that says, "I am."

The great God Who is, oh what a Name, one day "found" me and became a Reality!

What a Reality!

Now I can say along with Moses and a billion others, "He is become my salvation."

Can you say that?

If not, ask Him.

He just might become your Salvation too!

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  Romans 10:9-10, it works!

Amen!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Just an idea!

Why don't a bunch of us today sincerely thank the dear Lord for "becoming" our salvation? He would be pleased I'm sure!

LESSON 5, HIS HABITATION:

When we first began studying this Text, Exodus 15:1-3, I had no idea it was such a reverent piece of literature. It is absolutely full of praise!

For example, today's meditation.

Moses is speaking of the Lord Who had just delivered Israel from the hands of Pharaoh. "He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation." Exodus 15:2

We have two areas to discuss here. Both are important. One is devotional, the other theological.

Notice the verb "is" in the King James Bible is written in italics, just like this "is." Which is the translator's way of letting us know that this particular verb is not represented in the Hebrew manuscript from which he worked. Again which was the Masoretic Text. There the Hebrew literally says "zeh el." Meaning "He ... God!" In stilted talk, "Jehovah, He ... God!"

I really like the way the King James Bible completes the reading here. It gives the statement even more symmetry and beauty than it originally had! "He is my God!"

Plus this fact, unlike many translation teams today, the King James men were honest and open, freely admitting with the italicized word their editorializing.

And the meaning, while not changing one iota, is much more lucid, clearer than ever!

The Name "El" is an abbreviated form of "Elohiym," The root word here is "strength, might!" Being formed from a prior verb meaning "to twist," as a group of ropes braided together are much stronger than a single strand! A fundamentalist might see in that word picture the Trinity!

Anyway, Moses claims, theoretically along with Israel: "He is my God!"

Then the last clause of today's Text, still focusing on God. "I will prepare Him an habitation."

This whole line is represented by a single Hebrew verb. Spelled "navah," it's in the "hiphil" stem. That means it's a "causative" verb. There's a reason for Moses wanting to do this!

Why, what's the cause?

No doubt, because God has just saved two million Jews from sure destruction! Or at least from being recaptured and taken back into slavery!

God just drowned a whole enemy army, the most powerful on earth in those days!

So, Moses wants to build Him a house, the Lord!

"I will prepare Him an habitation."

Here's another opportunity to show you the beauty of the King James Bible. Most of the newer Bibles express this clause something like this, "I will praise Him."

And that is a technically possible reading, grammatically permissible. "Navah" means "to beautify" first of all.

Like Moses is just saying, "I will speak of His Beauty, the Lord's." That's essentially as far as most modern translators go.

But the King James men go further, I think properly. "Navah" can also mean "to adorn." Even "to dwell." Plus, it's a hiphil stem again.

Moses wants to do something for this great Deliverer! Because of His awesome Power, so recently displayed!

"I will prepare Him an habitation."

In our Bibles "navah," which occurs only twice, is expressed these two ways: "prepare an habitation" and then "to keep at home!"

Wow!

Psalm 68:12 provides the "tarry" at home example.

And guess what?

Moses did, under God's authority and with God's permission, build a House for Jehovah, a Tabernacle! He followed through on his promise!

Which was, that very Building, then an expression of thanksgiving and worship! Based on Exodus 15:1-3. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name." Watch the capitalized clause!

A building program, as an act of worship!

I just like the more specific translation, the King James Text, much better than any of the others.

Why?

For one reason it gives God more Glory!

This all helps me with yet another verse. "Lord, thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Psalm 138:2

But actually, when God exalts His Word He is exalting His Name! Do remember that one of the Grand Names of Jesus is "the Word of God," the "Logos."

The written Word or the Living Word, the Bible or the Saviour, both adore and worship and magnify the Father in Heaven!

I want to join them today.

Amen!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6, MY FATHER'S GOD:

I may be leading you too slowly through our Text, Exodus 15:1-3. But again today I have stopped to examine a little two-word phrase.

Moses calls the Lord, and I quote him, "my father's God."

Here's the context, the setting in which he does so, just as soon as God drowned the whole Egyptian army!  "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:1-2

See our mini-text today?

"My father's God."

I've underlined it for you.

Moses just told us that he was from a Christian family! His Dad, Amram by name, was a godly man. No doubt his mother Jochebed was too. The meanings of their names are even significant. Amram, "an exalted people," because they know God Almighty! Jochebed, "Jehovah is my glory!"

Wow!

But Moses is no doubt tracing his godly heritage back further than one generation. He can go, if he chooses, all the way to Jacob and Isaac and Abraham!

And Moses the Man of God has "adopted" the God of his forefathers! He has "believed" on the same Lord they followed.

And he uses this fact as a part of his sublime song, his testimony of praise to God, the great Deliverer of Israel.

Jehovah is "my father's God!"

By now you may be thinking, "So what?"

Plenty!

While I realize that every Christian did not have a godly father or mother setting a proper example as he or she grew up, I'd still like to make these few observations.

If the Lord God is your father's God, indeed, several benefits accrue to your account.

Assurance, for one thing. All I've, Brother Mike Bagwell talking, ever known is the God of the Bible!

In our home there was no possibility that the Pope was right. Or that Baal or Buddha or Sophia were Lord!

Only One occupied that Heavenly Throne, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Dad said so! And my Dad lived like he believed so too, all his life. I never knew a Sunday we did not go to Church, not in eighteen years at home.

I have no doubt personally Who God is!

And let me tell you this. After generations of Christianity, of knowing Jesus as Saviour in my family, Daddy, Mamma, Grandpa on both sides, Grandmas too, not counting uncles and aunts ... I'm not about to change anything now!

"I've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord," as the old song goes! "I'll not turn back now!"

So following one's father's God lends stability and stamina and determination too, I am convinced.

This is precious.

Moses extols "his father's God!"

Of course let me make on thing clear, here and now. There came a day when I personally met my father's God! He saved me! He indwelt me! He still goes with me everywhere, every day!

He is now my God too!

But I learned of Him at my Mom's knees and my Dad's side.

That's the way God meant it to be, too! "And thou shalt teach them, God's Words, diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:7

No wonder Moses worships "his father's God!"

I understand the New Birth better, because Mom and Dad explained it to me.

I think I understand Adoption better, for the same reason.

I know I understand chastening, God's whipping His disobedient children, a lot better! Dad certainly practiced that, and to a lesser intensity, Mom too!

If you are today following your father's God, because He redeemed you, praise God for that fact!

Include that little nugget every time you worship your Heavenly Father too. "Lord, You saved my Dad ... then later you saved me too!"

"Thank You, Lord!"

But now a word to those who did not have a godly father. You never knew a Christian home.

You are perhaps an even more amazing example, a living testimony, of the Grace of God!

The chances of you being saved were a whole lot less!

Yet God wanted you!

And chased you!

And "got" you, too!

He "washed your sins away," in spite of any disadvantageous background!

That's a miracle!

Every soul saved is a miracle!

Once Jesus is called the "Breaker!"

In Micah 2:13.

If you did not have a father or mother who knew the Lord, if you were reared in a wicked environment, or less than ideal anyway, God came where you wee, and "broke you out" of that situation!

He liberated you!

He ransomed you!

He redeemed you!

All of which are facts worthy of reverently bringing to the Lord, on your knees! Of shouting His praises!

Hallelujah!

On more time: "The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him."

Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will discuss the verse's last clause. Where Moses says, "I will exalt Him!"

But I just could not pass over the those little words that so beautifully praised God,  that so lovingly named our Lord, "my father's God."

I feel like sliding to my knees and worshipping Him too!

He is worthy!

And oh, by the way, guess where my Dad is today?

In Heaven!

With this great God of his!

Do you think I'll ever doubt that Place?

Heaven, that Dad and Mom so clearly described to me and encouraged me to believe?

Where they are right now?

Mercy!

Yes, "my father's God" will be my God too!

I am resolved!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 7, EXALTING THE LORD:

Moses, in perhaps his most lovely hymn ever, clearly promises to do something. Something concerning the Lord. "I will exalt Him," says this great man of God.

More of the context: "The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

This clause, a complete sentence on its own, says a lot. Every bit of it, precisely "I will exalt Him," is a translation of one Hebrew word, a verb.

The verb has the subject, "I," built right into it. And the object, "Him," is implied.

Therefore everything hinges on this little verbal stem "rum," pronounced "room." It normally means "to raise up, to lift high, to extol."

Moses thus plans to magnify the Lord God Almighty, largely because of God's recently delivering all Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and the deadly Egyptian army. At the Red Sea.

"I will exalt Him."

But one more thing about the verb "rum" must be noticed I think. And this gets a little technical. The verb here is expressed in the polel stem, as a polel imperfect to be more exact.

Here's part of what that means. The polel verbs, much like their cousins the piel verbs, show intense action! Vigorous praise! Moses is going to exalt God with all his heart! Energetically!

And if we should read the rest of Exodus 15 we would soon discover that Moses keeps his word!

Wow, does he!

For 19 exciting verses he exalts the Lord!

Then his Sister Miriam gets involved. "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." Exodus 15:20, after Moses got so intense, Miriam did too! Then it looks like all the ladies did!

Emotion!

Instruments, music!

Physical movement!

Excitement!

Here's another example of the leader of a group setting the pace for his people to follow!

Praising Preachers eventually have praising Churches.

Quiet, subdued, listless Preachers usually have .... quiet, subdued, listless Churches!

Little wonder!

Back to our Text. Go ahead Moses, "I will exalt Him."

But a polel verb has this exception, this difference, when compared to the more common piel verbs. It is a passive voice verb!

And this is nearly impossible to translate.

Moses is technically saying, grammatically saying, "I will make the Lord to be exalted!"

I will live so that God is uplifted!

Think of this.

Living a life that makes others want to elevate your God!

To adore your God!

To extol Him prolifically!

One of Moses' life goals, according to this Text, is to do all he can to make folks worship God, as He truly deserves to be!

"I will exalt Him."

I guess if Moses does this, it will cause many others to join the celebration! And that will result in God, passively, being given honor and glory and reverence and praise!

Now just one more thing about the word "rum" here. That "imperfect" part, which means that a Hebrew verb is expressing "incomplete" action!

Moses is, even by the end of this whole chapter, by the conclusion of Exodus 15, he's not quite through exalting God!

Not yet!

He will do so again tomorrow!

And the next day!

And the rest of his life!

I would not be surprised if in Heaven right now Moses is ... guess what?

Still not through!

Exalting His God!

In other words, Moses planned to make uplifting God, both by himself and by others, a lifestyle!

A world-view!

A habit, not to be broken!

Much like David resolved in Psalm 119:164. "Lord, seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments."

An on-going, never-ending thing!

Exalting God!

Hey you all, let's join them!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 8, A MAN OF WAR:

The statement is so startling, even though it's pure Scripture.

It goes so against-the-grain in today's society.

Exodus 15: 3 tells us, word for word: "The LORD is a man of war."

Just that!

Of course the setting of this verse, its context, is a battlefield. A wet one! The Read Sea, where God just defeated the entire Egyptian army, with Pharaoh at its head!

"The LORD is a man of war."

Moses, who spoke these words, well knew that Israel did not win that battle. Nor did any charismatic human being!

Only God could have done this amazing thing! "Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea." Exodus 3:4

God, at war, a Man of War!

The little noun for "man" here is interesting, "iysh" in Hebrew. It means a "person," humanly speaking! If the teachers are correct the noun is based on the word "anash," meaning "weak or frail or sickly!"

Just like in the New Testament Jesus, Who is God the Son, became man, so now in the Old Testament God the Father is described in similar terms!

Paul described Jesus' humanity in these astounding clauses. "He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death." Philippians 2:7-8

Wow!

"Incarnation," we call it.

But now back to Moses and his declaration. "The LORD is a man of war." From the Old Testament, too!

Now the word "war," which is closely related to the Hebrew word for "bread!" Let me show you. "Milchamah" or "war" is distantly related to "lecham," meaning "to eat!"

War is indeed consuming, devouring, hungry and ravaging!

War "eats up" nations and families and lives!

Strange as it may sound, it's in the Bible!

"The LORD is a man of war."

God is a Lover!

God is a Creator!

God is a Redeemer!

And a million other good and holy and lovely things too, I'm sure.

But He is also ... a Man of War!

Throughout the Old Testament let me show you God at war!

I think the same paradigm, the same pattern, holds true in the New Testament as well.

First, God fights for His people!

Again and again we see this.

Here's such an occasion. In the Book of Judges where God just defeated a bunch of wicked Canaanites who had opposed Israel! Here He comes, the Warrior! "LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel." And the enemy is gone, Judges 5:4-5.

God fought many a battle for Israel!

Second, if His people sin and sin and sin and refuse to repent, God can fight against His people!

He's done that quite a few times also.

Again, let me illustrate. Jeremiah, who saw God fight against Judah, as an eye-witness, wrote: "The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation." Woe, Lamentations 2:5.

He can still fight against us, when we are stubbornly rebellious!

He's a Man of War, all right!

Third, God can and will fight against the forces of evil. In a future tense conflict, I mean.

The devil's day is coming!

The anti-christ, too!

Here's an instance, though just a sampling. "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east." Sounds like He's actually coming back to finish this battle, Zechariah 14:1-4.

God, that Holy Man of War, fighting for His people!

Against His people!

And finally, against the forces of wickedness in the end times!

Now, will you agree with me?

Better yet, with Moses?

"The LORD is a man of war."

I can tell you one thing right now. Brother Bagwell fully intends to stay on the right side of this Warrior! No way do I intend to cross Him!

In Exodus 32:26 Moses asked this question, "Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side?"

To which I respond, best I know how, "I am!"

I am on His side!

Why?

Many, many reasons, this one being near the top of the list, "The LORD is a man of war."

Is anyone else with us?

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Humbly I say this.

I want that God, that great Man of War, fighting for me, not against me!

And I nearly pity the devil the day God comes to fight him! "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10

I just can't quit this morning, it seems!

Here's the last word, today's Text one more time. Think about it please. "The LORD is a man of war!"

LESSON 9, THE LORD IS HIS NAME:

The Text for today is short. But not quite as simple as it looks! Here's how Moses closes the three verse paragraph we've been studying: "The LORD is his name."

That's all!

The whole third verse is short. "The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." Exodus 15:3

Moses has been rejoicing, visibly praising this mighty Lord!

And just in case anyone forgets the Name of the God Who just rescued Israel from sure destruction, we are reminded. "The LORD is his name."

The proper noun used here is spelled "Yehovah," except the ancient Jews thought the Name was too Holy to pronounce. They only referred to its consonants then, YHVH, nicknamed a tetragrammaton, meaning a word with four letters.

But what does "Yehovah" mean, "Jehovah" in English?

Nestled in its mid-section is the little Hebrew verb "hayah," just a form of their word "to be."

Thus Jehovah is the God Who "is."

The God Who constantly "is!"

Forever is!

A billions years ago, in eternity past, this God could have said, "I am!" Because He always is. He always exists.

And doubtless a billion years from now, in eternity future, God will still be the great "I am!" In our mansions in the timeless eons ahead, God is still going to be the Lord Who is.

That's what Jehovah, by definition, implies and teaches and really demands!

"The LORD is his name."

The noun "name" is "shem," and stands for one's reputation, fame, glory or character! Seven times in the King James Bible "shem" is translated "renown," as in a spotless reputation!

The "I am" God, That's His Name!

Moses already knows this mighty Deity! God identifies Himself to His Prophet as: "I AM THAT I AM."

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14

Now, one more thing in conclusion. Yes, today's Lesson is the last in our Exodus 15:1-3 Series.

Just a few hours ago, using computer software, I found four times these exact words, in the very same order, the words of our Text, occur. This list remains the same in either Hebrew or English configurations.

"The LORD is his name." Exodus 15:3

"The LORD is his name." Jeremiah 33:2

"The LORD is his name." Amos 5:8

"The LORD is his name." Amos 9:6

In each case the context is one of Judgment. And also in each case God is a Builder in some way or another!

Let's go backward this time, reference wise.

"It is He that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name." Amos 9:6, building Heaven!

"Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name." Amos 5:8, building the stars, the constellations!

"Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name." Jeremiah 33:2, building the earth!

But what about our specific Text?

"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." Exodus 15:3, building a Nation, Israel, the Jewish people!

Wow!

"The LORD is his name." He is an eternal God Who judges sin!

"The LORD is his name." And He is a God Who builds His people, including the earth on which they reside and the stars at which they gaze and the Heaven they will forever call Home!

That's what it means, today's half-verse!

"The LORD is his name."

Then, praise the LORD!

Amen!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

If I had time ...

There's a pretty good thought in that "judgment" and "building" sequence too! From Exodus 15:3 and Jeremiah 33:2 and Amos 5:8 and Amos 9:6. God must "tear down" (judge) before He can "reconstruct" (build), for sure! Listen to God's "call" to Jeremiah the Prophet and watch for this same order, judging then building. "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, then to build, and to plant." Jeremiah 1:10

Wow!

"The LORD is his name."

Indeed!

What a powerful few verses, right from the mouth of Moses!