Israeli Bandstand

Exodus 15:1-21

So maybe West Side Story is a little more realistic than I realized. After all is said and done, Moses and the Israelites break into song. I guess one of the more artsy Israelites worked up a tune to commemorate the great victory. Maybe a religious type "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

It begins with ""I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea (NIV)." A phrase of praise- and a recap of the victory over Egypt.

Then: "The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him (NIV)." So- a line about how important God is to their survival-recognition about God's generational longevity- and a declaration of devotion.

God is refered to as "a warrior" and named as "LORD." More specifics are given about the mighty Egyptians being thrown into the sea. God's right hand is singled out as being majestic and shattering the enemy. I picture God as being ambidextrous- the right hand singling out could be an image of strentgh (sorry lefties- but I think traditionally the right hand is associated with power) - or maybe even an image of how easy it was for God to smilte Egypt. All He used was His right hand.

God's wrath is then seen in the metaphor of fire. His "burning anger...consumed them like stubble (NIV)." Fire may demonstrate the severity of the destruction. A raging fire- unable to be quenched by anyone except it's source. Especially interesting since the fire chose water as its agent of destruction.

Then an odd metaphor. "By the blast of your nostrils the water piled up (NIV). God's might is such that He blew his nose and it wiped out an army. Even a honker like me has to be impressed by such a feat.

Moses, et al. continue- Egypt talked some serious smack- they were going to divide up our possessions- they were going to gorge themselves on us. But God used his breath to cover them with the sea.

Praise follows- rhetorically asking who can compare with God's holiness, glory and ability to work wonders. And then comes a showing of faith in God's care for the future. "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." God...we know that you won't desert us- you'll use your might to keep protecting us and leading us home.

Then the Israelites talk smack...bet those Philistines are scared. Edom? Terrified! Moab? Trembling! Canaanites will melt away (so scared they melt? Run fleeing from the land so the population decreases/melts?). They will be "still as a stone" until we pass them by.

You will bring us home- to your sanctuary which you made. And finally a declaration that the LORD will reign forever.

Then there is an odd sentence (not lyrics) recapping the actual story- when the Egyptians drowned, the Israelites walked through on dry land. We already read the story- and then the song- but here it is again in case you missed it.

So at this point (not a joke) Miriam picks up a tambourine and plays and dances along with Moses and the group. It seems she's a little bit country and he's a little bit rock n roll (joke). All the women join in with their tambourines and dance along with her. And then Miriam has her big solo, a variation on the first stanza:

"Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea."

OK- all joking aside- here is a people so appreciative of the job done by God to save them that they throw aside their inhibitions and sing. They ignore the vulnerability of producing an original work- they don't worry about flat notes (at least not enough to shut them up) and Miriam doesn't even mind leading a group of Davy Jones wannabes and tambourining along- all to God's glory.

Wouldn't it be great to worship with absolutely no inhibitions? To belt it out like no one is listening except God? To turn off all thoughts of embarassment or self-consciousness and just praise.

Maybe that's what the music in Heaven will be like. Save me a tambourine.