The story of all stories, the story that to this day is told from one Jewish parent to a son and from that son as a parent to his son, concludes on the other side of the Red Sea. Moses leads out in song first, followed by Myriam and all the women. Moses’ famous verse appears in Exodus 15:1-2 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. 2 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.
Truly, he and the Israeli people had much to rejoice over! The thought occurred to me that this last sentence in the verses above could be interpreted two ways.
1) In the manner of English phrasing, it could be read as “my father is God and I will exalt him.” How God longs to be known to His people as Father! Elsewhere in Scripture God says that He shall be a Father to them and they shall be His children.
2) In the manner of Hebrew phrasing, this could be read as “the God of my fathers and I will exalt him”. However, in the King James English at least, whenever God is referred to as that of one’s forefathers, it is spelled out as such. But even if, for some reason, at this passage in the writing of God’s Word, the phrasing was different, this meaning is still true. God often called on His people through the prophets to remember the God of their forefathers and to remember how He brought them out of Egypt.
The Strong’s Concordance has the following definitions for the words “Father’s God” in this passage:
- ‘âb
awb
A primitive word; father in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application: – chief, (fore-) father ([-less]), X patrimony, principal. Compare names in “Abi-”
- ‘ĕlôhı̂ym
el-o-heem’
Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: – angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
Based on the use of these Hebrew words, we see that the first of my two musings is the correct interpretation above. Based on these word definitions, we have the term father used in a patrimonial figurative sense being attributed to the plural form of the word God, encapsulating the triune nature of God in all His greatness.
Moses called God his Father in his song of praise and triumph after crossing the Red Sea.
Indeed, God is our strength, our song, and our salvation! I am at a low point financially and healthwise. I had to cancel two appointments today, one of which was to continue working off an advance requested to cover rent last week. At the same time, I need to be attempting to earn funds to cover mid-week bills this week and have none of those funds in hand. However, with that thought going through my head last night as I shared with God where I was at, I awoke at 4:45am with my lungs constricted again and unable to get back to sleep before taking my daughter to work. Coming home, my bed moved to the couch for better back support as I tried to return to sleep sitting up. Fortunately, I did doze for a couple of hours, but as I write this near noon, my lungs still hurt and I have choir tonight with the choir coordinator begging me to show up! This means I am faced with a choice. I saw God’s amazing provision for rent and groceries just this past Thursday. Repeatedly over the years I have seen God choose to heal, choose to provide, choose to clear up obstacles and engage in other sometimes surprising acts around this house and in this family. So the choice I face is this:
1) Praise God for how He’s recently provided again and ask for continued provision both with finances and health.
or
2) Do as the Hebrews did and start murmuring the moment my lungs make work a challenge and forget to praise God for all He just recently did for me.
No, in fact, to be completely honest, I am incredibly grateful to the point of deep relief at how God showed up last week to cover this roof over our heads! I lower my head in honour and respect for all God continues to choose to engage in around this household. I don’t understand why my health continues as it is, nor do I understand why it’s such a challenge finding low-stress employment/income generation while my health is the way it is. But that doesn’t stop me from being grateful for God’s provision. I refuse to be as the Hebrew people were, quickly forgetting all God had done for them mere days earlier. I want to remember what God has done and be able to tell it to my kids and to any who will listen. It is through the sharing of God’s goodness that our faith is built up to believe for God’s continued involvement in our lives.
I am wiped out today, but God is good! I don’t know where you are at or what you are going through, but know this, God is still on the throne of Heaven, and still at work in the world today. When was the last time you saw God do something big or small in your life?
