FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: Exodus 15:1-21

Deliverance always leads to praise! God’s people praise Him because He has redeemed them; worthy of all praise as our Creator, He is especially to be worshipped as our Redeemer and Savior.

The display of God’s power and might, enabling Israel to cross the Red Sea, is celebrated in the song which Moses and the people sang. It is a vivid and unique celebration of what God did for them when they were powerless to do anything for themselves.

The Song of Moses

Several features of this song are worth noting.

First, it reveals some of the attributes of God. In fact, this song is one of the most important pieces of explicit theology in the Scriptures. Let’s note, in reverse order, some of the statements of the opening stanzas of the song. Moses tells about the name of God: the Lord is His name. Here there are clear echoes of chapter 3, where God revealed His name to Moses, and vindicated His character in the subsequent history of God’s people.

Moses also tells us about the character of God. He is “a man of war.” This does not contradict the Bible’s statement that God is not a man (1 Samuel 15:29). Moses is using a powerful figure of speech, in which God is compared to a mighty warrior, engaged in battle against enemy forces. The reality is that God’s people are not simply embroiled in a political conflict, but a deeply spiritual one. They can only overcome through the power of God assisting them.

Moses reminds us of the covenant nature of God. He describes Him as “my father’s God.” Just as God demonstrated His power and glory in the past, so He does now; nothing shows the reality of the unchanging God whose name is “I Am” quite like the historical record of His work for His people in every age and generation.

But the song begins on a supremely individual note, as Moses reminds us that God is his personal God, the one who enables him to sing, to exult and to praise. “The Lord is my strength and my song,” he says, “and He has become my salvation.” That, at last, is the beauty of all God’s great works and wonders in the Bible: they become personal to all those who experience His power and grace.

Second, it gives an insight into the pride and folly of Pharaoh. Look at how vividly this song portrays not only the collapse of Pharaoh’s army in the depths of the sea, but how it builds up the picture of Pharaoh and his men scheming to overthrow God and His people, saying, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.” One can almost hear the plans whirling round Pharaoh’s head as the chariot wheels pummel the ground, gathering speed, recklessly chasing after the covenant people of God.

Yet all it takes is for God to blow with His wind, and the Egyptian armies are no more. All the plans of men and gods come to nothing when God acts in judgement over his enemies. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?” Moses asks, with words echoed in Psalms 86:8 and 89:6. The revelation we have here of God is of one who is without peer, who is incomparable and utterly unique.

Third, the song highlights the purpose of God’s salvation. God is not acting arbitrarily in all of this; He is working out His sovereign purposes, leading out His people, in covenant love and mercy, according to His plan to guide them to His holy abode. And all the kings of the nations are pictured as standing silent and open-mouthed as God brings His purchased, redeemed Israel to the sanctuary He has established. He alone reigns eternally.

The song, therefore, is important within the context of Exodus as a theological reflection on who God is, what God has done, and what He has purposed to do for His redeemed people. And for that reason, it takes on added significance as John the Apostle hears God’s people in heaven singing “the song of Moses . . . and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3), a song which is new, and yet which is as old as the exodus itself.

Adapted and modified excerpts from Iain D. Campbell, Opening up Exodus, Opening Up Commentary.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: John 6:25-59

At verse 41 is the point in the discussion in which the Jewish objections came to the forefront. The sticking point was I am the bread which came down from heaven. They could not reconcile this with their knowledge of Jesus’ humble origins. Jesus rebuked their grumbling rather than answered their objection, although when He pointed out the necessity for the Father to take the initiative, He was virtually telling them that they were out of step with the Father. They needed a spiritual revelation to understand Jesus’ words. This was further underlined by an appeal to the prophets. The passage Jesus quoted is from Isaiah 54:13, which describes the triumph of the Servant in his kingdom. It endorses the view that the initiative is with God. Yet God’s revelation comes only through Jesus, since He alone has seen God. The need for faith is again stressed and this fact is echoed in the language of John 3:15.

The theme of Jesus being the bread is once again introduced, and Jesus’ own claim is repeated. The superiority of the heavenly bread over the manna is that the former leads to life whereas the latter could not prevent death. Then Jesus claimed one of the most important statements in this discourse, He claimed to be the living bread, which although synonymous with bread of life brings out more vividly the contrast with the manna. But there is a further extension of thought in the identifying of the bread with the flesh. There is also a difference from the earlier statement in that it is now Jesus Himself who gives, whereas before it was the Father. The word flesh refers to the human life, the humanity of Jesus. It was totally misunderstood by the Jews. It differs from the word used at the Lord’s Supper (‘body’ instead of ‘flesh’), which shows that this statement is not to be read in the light of the Supper but vice-versa. The word world in verse 51 should be understood as the world of people.

It was because the Jews put a literal interpretation on the words of Jesus that he gave (He had to give) a further explanation in the following verses. It is hard to understand why the Jews could not see through to some deeper metaphorical, yet spiritual meaning. Their objection appears to be little more than ridicule. To them Jesus was confronting their lack of understanding in the oracles of God. It is not so surprising that the Jews did not penetrate to the spiritual meaning of Jesus’ words, for understanding was possible only through faith, which it has already been noted they did not possess. The eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus is clearly an act of spiritual faith. The metaphorical language can be understood only in the light of the coming sacrifice of Jesus. Dependence on what Jesus has done is, therefore, vividly described in terms of eating and drinking. The result of such dependence is seen in a mutual indwelling, in the abiding in. Jesus’ dwelling in believers means that He identifies Himself with them, but their dwelling in Him means that they continue to depend on Him. This whole discussion closes with another comparison between the manna and the heavenly bread. Then verse 58 is in fact a further echo or reference to verse 49. John leaves until the end of the discussion any reference to where this discussion took place. Since the discussion arose out of the miracle of the feeding, it is not possible to say what part of it preceded the entry into the synagogue. However, John does not consider it relevant to explain, but it is not impossible that the whole discourse took place inside the synagogue. Some synagogue services would have allowed for this.

Jesus made it very clear that He alone is the bread that imparts life to those that partake of Him in faith and those who continue to abide in Him as He dwells within.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: John 6:25-59

Those who followed after Jesus had just experienced the miracle of Jesus feeding the five-thousand and the following day, they went looking for Jesus who was not present.

When they found Him they were baffled as to how Jesus had reached the other side of the lake, and their question as to how He arrived on the other side, shows the purely human level on which they were thinking. Jesus’ answer to their question however, goes much deeper. He pointed out their failure to realize the significance of the signs from the previous day; they saw only food, not the real meaning of Jesus’ act. They were convinced of their ability to meet what was required, but Jesus had to remind them that eternal life is a gift. The seal of which Jesus spoke of, is God’s mark of authentication. Whoever holds the seal acts on God’s behalf. Hence the importance of Jesus as God’s agent, who is here called the Son of Man, a title which draws attention to His humanity. The statement in verse 27 must have seemed strange, for the people were seeking to avoid labor, but in these words Jesus was graciously declining their quest for merely physical food. Clearly, the next verse implies that they thought in terms of working to earn merit, but Jesus at once reminded them of the need for faith, not works.

The question they posed in verse 30 reveals the shallowness of their thoughts, for what further sign did they expect than the feeding of a multitude of people from such limited supplies? The reference to the manna in the desert in the following verse provides some clue as to the working of their minds. They were probably thinking this provision was superior to that which Jesus had provided because of the sheer quantity of it. Their concept of a sign seems to have been limited to a reproduction of the desert experience of the Israelites. This was on the grand scale of expecting the Messiah to outdo Moses just to impress them. The reference to bread from heaven is most probably a quote from Psalm 78:24, although there are other parallels as well. Jesus then expounded on the theme, first denying that Moses provided the heavenly bread and then identifying the bread with Himself. As compared with the manna, which was limited to the Israelites and for a prescribed time, Jesus shared with them that He alone as the bread continually gives life to the world. Then John’s writing shows in their questions that the hearers could not rise above the level of material provision. In the next verses Jesus affirmed his claim to be the true bread.

Verse 35 records the first of the great “I am” sayings of Jesus, and the following verses are an expanded commentary on it. It is a direct response to the people’s demand for bread, for it was necessary for them to understand that Jesus was speaking of the spiritual and not physical food. The meaning of the phrase bread of life is bread which gives life, but such bread is available only to those who believe in Jesus, a condition which the hearers had not yet fulfilled or even fully understood. If we then understand that Jesus’ mission depended on the faith of the people, does this suggest a failure? Verse 37 gives us the emphatic answer. The final result is in the Father’s hands. The one who comes shows an emphasis on the individual response. The emphatic negative statement I will by no means cast out is to be understood as an assurance that Jesus will preserve them. There is no possibility of any disagreement between the Father and the Son, as the next verses show. What the Father gives, the Son will receive, I should [shall] lose nothing. Note that the all in this verse sums up everything given by the Father to the Son. The two references to the last day show us that Jesus was thinking ahead to the end of the age, when all of the Father’s will and plans will be consummated.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.