In part 11 of the Book of Exodus, we’ll study Exodus 15 as we look at Moses and Miriam’s songs. Discover the heart of worship and how God fights for us through these songs of freedom.

TALK IT OUT

Below, you’ll find some key discussion points to consider, questions to personally reflect on and/or discuss in your small group, with your family, or in your circle of friends, and some action points for the week. 

Memory Verse of the Week: Exodus 15:2–3 (NKJV)

“The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.”

Holy Pauses

READ: Exodus 15:1–19

If you could go back in time to witness something in history, what would you go see? Maybe it’s the signing of the Declaration of Independence or a live performance by Beethoven or Mozart. Perhaps it’s something a little more biblical like the resurrection of Jesus, the building of Noah’s ark, or David killing Goliath . . . or the parting of the Red Sea!

Try to imagine it! Hollywood has tried and failed miserably to encapsulate it, because there aren’t enough VFX artists, CGI, and special effects in the world to really capture such a miraculous and supernatural moment. The sights, the sounds, the rushing compression of the atmosphere all around as God’s unparalleled power was unleashed . . . not to mention the resultant rescue of His people and retribution towards Pharaoh’s forces. Such a wonder-filled moment makes you wonder how to even react to it!

Well, the way Moses and Miriam reacted—the only appropriate way to respond to such an amazing miracle—was to worship!

There are times in our journey of faith in this world when God works in such a way that all we can do is worship Him. No posting, no pontificating, no preaching . . . just praising! If you’ve walked with God for any length of time, you understand this. And if you haven’t followed the Lord long enough to understand this, you can be assured that you eventually will. This is as it should be because life needs these holy pauses where our entire being, body, soul, and spirit are pointed God-ward in the activity we will be engaged in for all eternity.

If we’re being fully honest, most of us don’t allow for these holy pauses nearly enough in our lives. Why? Because we’re waiting for God to do something miraculous? Friends, every day we should be worshipping and lifting up praises to the Lord who is “before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17 NIV), who made and sustains all things, who gives every blessing and good and perfect gift, who empowers us and carries us through every trial and tribulation, who has saved you from your sins through the work of Jesus on the cross, and who is sanctifying you day by day through the Holy Spirit!

He is always worthy of our worship, every day in every way. If we truly understand and embrace this, we can declare alongside Moses and all of Israel that the Lord is our strength, our song, and our salvation!

Discussion Question 1: Why are holy pauses of worship possible at any point in our earthly lives?  

Discussion Question 2: “The Lord is my strength and song.” How would you explain this to a friend? What does this mean to you today?

Worship Is Contagious!

READ: Exodus 15:20–21

After Moses concludes his song, we see that his sister Miriam has a song of her own. Miriam’s song isn’t nearly as long as her brother’s. All things considered, it’s rather short and only occupies a single verse. But Miriam’s song is defined by the one feature that defines all true praise: it glorifies God! It’s direct and to the point: God has gloriously triumphed . . . what more is there to say?

Yet Miriam’s song does reveal another important principle to us. We can’t help but take note that it was after her brother led the people in praise that she followed in the festivity of celebrating God’s character. This shows us that praise is contagious! When our hearts are moved to sing about the goodness of the Lord, He has a way of causing it to rub off onto others.   

Although Miriam is not specifically named, it’s most probable that she is the “sister” mentioned back in Exodus 2, which would mean she was present during her baby brother’s miraculous journey as an infant in the basket on the river. She was likely the one who advocated that Pharaoh’s daughter enlist Moses’ own mother to raise him, making her a vital link in God’s providential chain! In any case, Miriam had been one of the earliest eyewitnesses to the way God had been working through her brother to fulfill His ultimate work of delivering His people. 

She had a song to sing! And after a long life of seeing His promises finally come to fruition (she would be over eighty years old at this point), this is the song that rose to the surface from the depths of her experienced soul. How the Lord must have used the familiar familial tones of her brother’s voice, lifted in praise, to prepare the way for her own heartfelt expression to take flight!

The point is that we never know who we might be touching or what effect we might be having on others as we worship the Lord. And while it should never serve as the motivation for our adoration, it’s worth knowing the Lord will often use our worship to spread a holy fire to the hearts around us! 

Discussion Question 3: What does Miriam’s song indicate about the nature of worship? 

Discussion Question 4: How have you personally been influenced by the worship of someone else? What does this reveal to you?

Discussion Question 5: What miracle has God done for you that you could sing about? What song can you think of that best fits a victory God has accomplished in your life? 

THIS WEEK

Write out your own song of freedom. Write about what the Lord has done for you!

A LOOK AHEAD

In our next study, we’ll study Exodus 15:22–16:36 as we see the Lord provide bread from heaven!