CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT Exodus 15

 CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT

Exodus 15:1-21

Exodus 15:19-21

19 When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:

"Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.

The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." 

This text is the celebration of the Israelites at the Red Sea after walking

Through the sea bed with a wall of water on either side on dry ground to the other side. God delivered them from slavery of the Egyptians. Pharaoh's army came after them  on the same dry ground but God

Confused them and allowed the waters to drown them.

God led them by way of the desert to the Red Sea so they could be

Involved in the miracle and all be witnesses of God’s power and authority.

(Exodus 13:17-18). I say this because the Israelites would have turned

Back to Egypt at the sign of trouble.

Exodus 13:17

God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.

We all will or have faced desert situations. We are about to go in the desert, some are in the desert or coming out of a desert situation. Your desert maybe the lost of a love one, broken hearts, lost of a job, mariage or

Family problems, health issues or others that leave you broken and in despair. 

The Israelites were free but still in the desert. They had not gotten to

The promised land. They didn’t know it but they would be in the desert for 40 years. Life has some battles, but each day in the battle is time to celebrate. 

Having witnessed God’s power and authority over the water and being

On the other side of the Red Sea they took time to celebrate and give

God praise for what He did for them.  You don’t have to wait tell you are

At the top of the mountain to celebrate. You should celebrate going up

The mountain. Celebrate God in the middle of your storm. Celebration brings Joy, hope and peace to you.  

Consider the reason God sent Israel south to the desert rather than north toward the promised land. Let me suggest that it was to trap Israel between

The Red Sea and the charging Egyptian Army

2nd God would get the glory with the destruction of the Egyptian army

3rd  Once the Egyptian Army was destroyed Israel would be free

4th  Israel became known as a nation of God fearing people

5th All the surrounding nation would know of their triumph over Egypt

6th There would be no turning back only forward motion to the promised

       land 

On the other side of the Red Sea Moses led the singing. Israel was

Baptized in the Red Sea and became believers in God

This became the first church service

Exodus 15:1-7

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

The song has four divisions

Verses 1-5  The place of Praise, The Present Gratitude

Verses 6-10 The Reason for Praise 

Verses 11-18  The resolve to Praise  For future triumphs

Verses 19-21 Outward display of praise 

THE PLACE OF PRAISE FOR PRESENT GRATITUDE

"I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.

The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. 

2 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. 

3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. 

4 Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea.

The best of Pharaoh's officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 

5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 

When God has brought us out of something, we ought to immediately

Give Him praise and worship.  There was no doubt that God parted

The sea and allowed them to cross over, It was no doubt that God

Destroyed the enemy. We can’t take credit for miracles. We know our

Weakness and we see God’s strength.

You must not wait till tomorrow for tomorrow will have its on set of

Problems. Tomorrow you may forget what God has done. Tomorrow

Satan may show up and convince you that it was no big deal. As 

People we want to be recognized for what we do. God has done much more. 

The Israelites came out of Egypt complaining. As soon as they got to the

Red Sea they complained about Egyptian army coming after them. They

Saw the Army, but they didn’t see the power that God used to get them

released. How soon we forget unless we praise God immediately

God performed another miracle by opening a pathway through the

Red Sea and drowning the Army in the same sea.  

When you are involved in the miracle you have a greater appreciation 

Tomorrows problems need todays confidence in the Lord. We need to

Verbalize what God did today. Put it in a song so we want forget. God

Wants to here your praise. It was the Lord’s strength that gave you victory

Over the enemy. Claim God as yours. Let the those around you know

There is nothing wrong with telling others what God did to the enemy for you. Not bragging but giving in credit

THE REASON FOR PRAISE,  GOD MERCIES    6-10

6 "Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power.

Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. 

7 In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed Him

8 By the blast of your nostrils

the waters piled up.

The surging waters stood firm like a wall;

the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. 

9 "The enemy boasted, 'I will pursue, I will overtake them.

I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them.

I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.' 

10 But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them.

They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 

When God is fighting your battle, He can do more against the enemy than

You can think or conceive, He can lure your enemy into a false sense of

Confidence. A strong well trained Egyptian army on wheels targeting a

Weak family of Israelites on foot ordinarily is no match. The odds were the

Isrealites would be captured and returned to Egypt. 

But when God is on your side the unexpected happens.God turned nature

Against the Egyptian army without a battle cry. They were no match the wall of water that obeyed God's command and drowned them. Israel stood on the sea shore and watched God at works for them..

God can do what has never been done before. Praise god for His mighty

Works. God hates the proud and will silence them.  God is merciful to those

Who trust Him.  When we stand and see God works we ought to  shout

About it.  The enemy can’t survive the wrath of God. we ought to boast

In the work of the Lord. Boast for ourselves and others around us.

They missed the work of God in the 10 plagues brought upon Egypt

Because they had no hand in them. But this time God put them in the

Midst of the miracle. They could not deny it was God’’s work.

Have you ever been involved in something that you should have perished

But survived? You witness the power, the love and the redemption of

The Lord for you. You heard about miracles for others, but that time you

Were involved. It became your testimony. You must freeze the memory

In your mind, because you will need it for another day. An immediate praise of gratitude is the way  

 

THE RESOLVE TO PRAISE GOD’S FOR HIS MERCY IN FUTURE TRIUMPHS  11-18 

11 "Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?

Who is like you — majestic in holiness, awesome in glory,

working wonders? 

12 You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them. 

13 "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.

In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 

14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. 

15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; 

16 terror and dread will fall upon them. By the power of your arm

they will be as still as a stone — until your people pass by, O Lord,

until the people you bought pass by. 

17 You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance — the place, O Lord, you made for your dwelling,

the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established. 

18 The Lord will reign for ever and ever." 

When the Israelites saw the salvation of the Lord, they realized that there was no one like Him. No one was more glorious than Him. No one had

The power and authority over heaven and earth like the Lord. No one was

More majestic, holy or awesome like the Lord. He is greater than all

The gods of Egypt.

The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob blew His breath and the waters of

The Red Sea obeyed and covered the enemy. All of Israel saw their 

Redemption from slavery to freedom by the works of the Lord

They witnessed the true love of the Lord guiding them from the sin pit of

Egypt to their promised Home. 

It is good when we realize the goodness of the Lord toward us. His grace

And mercy endures forever. It gives confidence and hope for tomorrow.

We must have a made up mind to praise God in His holy sanctuary. We must not degrade or downplay the fact that  we are special in God’s eyes. We are God’s Holy Sanctuary. In us lies the light in this dark world of sin. 

We must build a structural place of praise and a spiritual place in our hearts

For praise. 

We serve a forever God, not a sometime god who is no god at all. We serve a holy God not a pretend god in some circumstances. We serve a

God of all circumstances, not a made up god of our imagination who only exists in our emotions.

We must resolve to praise God in good and bad times for He is always near. The God we serve is in the moment of our prayers and praise.

OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF PRAISE

 Exodus 15:20-21

 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them:

"Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.

The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." 

If you are excited about what the Lord has done in your life express it in a public way so everyone will know it. If you happy and you know it, let your face show it.  This song was the first song for the Lord by the Israelites.

Miriam’s praise dance was the first to the Lord. Having witness the destruction of the Egyptian army, the women led the dance to the LOrd.

Many church folk don’t believe in dancing in the sanctuary. We dance in the

Club as soon as the music starts. The Israelites had confessed their faith in the Lord  and considered His sanctuary.  They had church in the desert praising and dancing to the Lord. It was the start of a tradition of praise.

Psalms 149:3-4

3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. 

4 For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. 

You don't get  delight from the Lord in the clubs, but get it in His sanctuary.

If you dance do it where it counts. Give God your excitement because He inhabits your praise.

SUMMARY OF OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS

PLACE OF PRAISE

REASON FOR PRAISE

RESOLVE TO PRAISE

OUTWARD DISPLAY OF PRAISE