Exodus 15:1  “…The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”
Some have a problem with prayers and songs such as this.  They don’t understand celebrating triumphs over enemies.  I even have a book of Bible prayers which specifically left out some prayers of David when He asked God to destroy his enemies.  All must be taken and understood in context.  God never promotes animosity or vengeance toward others.  In fact, Proverbs tells us to not celebrate when our enemy falls lest God see it and back off from punishing him.  God says He takes no delight in the destruction of the wicked, but wants him to repent and turn to Him.  We have to realize the celebration is over the power and justice of God, not the destruction of another.  When God finally chooses to act in His righteousness and justice and destroy His enemies, we can rejoice in Him and His decision without celebrating the destruction of someone.  I think this is the proper idea behind the song of Moses.  Verses two and three point in that direction.  Praise to God and His mighty power to save rather than the fact that He had to destroy the Egyptians.  That being said, I see no problem in being resolute in doing your part when it comes to fighting the enemies of God.  If we are placed in the position of fighting to the point of destruction, I believe we can ask God to help us do our duty without taking undue pleasure in death.

14-15  “The people will hear and be afraid…All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away”
This was part of the point.  Showing the power of God to the heathen nations around.  And it worked.  Even after forty years, Rahab tells the spies they heard and remember what God did to the Egyptians and are afraid of Him.  She was smart and chose to follow God instead of oppose Him.  A wonderful example of God’s mercy and grace.

21  “…The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”
Miriam’s song is the first lines of Moses’s.  From the description, they were having a great celebration over what had happened.  Which they should have.  Unfortunately, their jubilation over what God could do doesn’t last long.  Very short memories.  Just like mine, I’m afraid.

22  “…they went three days in the wilderness…”
This episode will be repeated.  God allows some form of distress to occur before He provides.  After watching this, one wonders why.  Why not just provide what the people needed before they felt the need?  I ask the same question myself sometimes regarding my situations.  God surely knows I’m going to need money or some other resource for what is coming.  Why not have it already there when I need it?  My only answer is the trust factor.  Given that we constantly need reminders of God’s love and care for us, I assume giving us what we need or want immediately would only give us an attitude of entitlement, not thanksgiving for God and His provision, and probably not real trust in Him.  And it’s always about our relationship with Him.  He wants that above all else.  So here He lets them go three days without water so the need is great.  Considering what they’ve just been through, they should have trusted Him to provide when they needed it, and they should have asked out of the relationship.  Instead they whined and complained like spoiled children who weren’t getting their way.  Very convicting when you think about it.  Is my own attitude one of thanksgiving, trust, and faith?  Or is it worry and whining about my needs?

23  “…waters of Marah, for they were bitter…”
The word is bitter.  We see it again in Ruth when Naomi says to call her Marah instead of Naomi because the trouble she’s had has made her life bitter.  But God did the same for her as He did for the water here.  Sweeter than she could imagine.

25  “…and the LORD showed him a tree…”
Don’t know if the tree was given properties which made the water sweet or drinkable, or if God simply used it as a prop for His miracle.  It was His doing either way since He had to tell Moses it was there and what to do with it.  Personally, I think he set it up beforehand.  He used His natural creation to provide which showed His power and the fact that He’d already provided before they arrived.

25  “…there He tested them”
So that was part of it.  To see how they were going to react.  Of course He knew, but He gave them opportunity.  Then He leads them to a place where there is an abundance.  Trust first, then God can do great things through us and for us.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.