Chapter 3 · Encounter 26 of 48
Who Is Like the Lord?
Prepare
When Israel sang at the edge of the sea, they had just seen the power of God overturn the strongest empire they knew. Their song asks a question no one else could answer. In the reading, listen for how the people describe the God who rescued them.
Read Scripture
Open each passage here without leaving this Encounter.
Exodus 15:1-13
The Song of Moses and Miriam
1Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.
2“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
5The deep waters have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.
6Your right hand, Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
shattered the enemy.
7“In the greatness of your majesty
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;
it consumed them like stubble.
8By the blast of your nostrils
the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
9The 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.’
10But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11Who among the gods
is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?
12“You stretch out your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.
13In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
Ponder
- What has God done that prompts this song? Notice how the people describe him: his power, his victory, his character. What do these descriptions reveal about who God is?
- Israel asks, "Who is like you?" What are the "gods" or powers that tend to compete for your trust and awe? How does remembering God's incomparability change the way you see them?
Look Again
Did you notice that the song moves from God's power to his love? In verse 13 13In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.Exodus 15:13
The One who is unmatched in power uses that power on behalf of his people. How might that shape the way you think about God's strength?
Practice
Notice one thing today that tends to feel bigger than God in your thinking, such as a deadline, a fear, a relationship, or a headline. Name it honestly. Then say aloud the question from Exodus 15:11 11Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?Exodus 15:11
Prayer
Praise God for the ways he has shown himself greater than the things you fear. Ask him to loosen the hold of anything that has taken the place of awe for him.