Exodus 15 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 15 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Moses was born around 1571 B.C. and left Egypt at 40 years old (Acts 7:23).

• According to Exodus 7:7, Moses was 80 years old when he stood before Pharaoh as the representative of God (1491 B.C.).

• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in approximately 1491 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Israelites (Hebrews) – They were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and they grew into a great nation of people during their time in Egypt.   

• Moses – A Hebrew who grew up in the house of Pharaoh. He fled Egypt in Exodus 2 and went to live in Midian. God called him back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from slavery.

• Miriam – Moses and Aaron’s sister. We are told in verse 20 she was a prophetess.

WHERE:

• The exact location of the Red Sea crossing is unknown.

• God led the Hebrews from the Red Sea to Marah and then on to Elim.

• *As we discuss the Israelites wandering in the wilderness through the next several chapters, know that the exact route of their journey is still heavily debated and many of the locations they visited have yet to be pinpointed with 100% accuracy. Maps of the exodus route vary widely.

OUTLINE:

• THE ISRAELITES SING PRAISES TO THE LORD (15:1-21):

  • Moses and the people of Israel worshipped God in song for His victory over the Egyptians.

  • I’ve included a few excerpts from their song below:

  • “The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.”

  • “Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.”

  • “Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries.”

  • “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

  • “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed… You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. 

  • “The LORD will reign forever and ever.” 

  • We are also told Miriam, Moses’ sister, took a tambourine and sang praises to God with the all the women of Israel.

• THE BITTER WATER OF MARAH (15:22-27):

  • The Israelites travelled from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur.

  • For three days they were unsuccessful at finding water.

  • They came to a place called Marah, but the water was bitter and undrinkable, so they started grumbling against Moses.

  • God had Moses cast a log into the water to make it sweet.

  • In Marah, God established a statue with the Hebrews that if they would honor Him and heed His instructions, He would not afflict them with the diseases that afflicted the Egyptians.

  • God led the Israelites from Marah to Elim where there were 12 springs of water.

APPLICATION:

• We must retain our memories of God’s faithfulness lest we end up like the Israelites in Marah.

• It is so easy to forget God’s past faithfulness when we encounter new problems.

• It took the Israelites 3 days to forget God’s salvation at the Red Sea.

• Rather than forgetting about God’s kindness in the past and becoming complainers at every new difficulty, we need to find a way to retain our memories of God’s goodness and preach His past faithfulness to ourselves when we encounter new trials.