10
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever
PSALM
136:10-15
English
Standard Version
Verses
10-15 recounts the Exodus event by which YHWH brought Israel out of
Egypt through mighty acts particularly the death of all the firstborn
in the land, Goshen exempted (Exodus 12:1-36) and the parting of the
sea (Exodus 14:5-31). This is because of God's loyal, steadfast love. Perhaps it is necessary to
provide some background for those unfamiliar with Israel's history.
Abraham
was the first and foremost of Israel's patriachs. He was called to
leave his ancestral roots with a promise from YHWH that he will be
the father of a great nation with an accompanying land and blessing
(Genesis 12:1-3). But before the promise takes fulfillment, God
foretold that his descendants must first be enslaved in a foreign land
(Genesis 15:12-14).
That
foreign land turned out to be Egypt. Abraham's descendants migrated
there when Joseph, one of his great-grand-sons, rose to power
second only to the Pharoah himself. They settled peacefully in a
particular place called Goshen and multiplied quickly. Yet
Joseph was aware that they would not enjoy peace and
freedom forever in Egypt. He knew they would be enslaved one day and
subsequently leave Egypt to settle in the promised land, for these were
prophesied beforehand. So he gave an instruction to his brothers that
they should carry his bones out of Egypt when God comes to rescue
them (Genesis 50:24-25)
The
prophesied enslavement did came! It happened when a new ruler emerged
in Egypt who was ignorant of Joseph's contributions in the past
(Exodus 1:6-14). The oppression against Abraham's descendants were so
great, they groaned out of anguish and the merciful and faithful God
heard them (Exodus 2:23-25). In response, God raised Moses.
This
is the very essence of YHWH's faithful love (hesed), that the
promise made to Abraham several generations beforehand was
unforgotten even when YHWH himself was already forgotten by Abraham's
descendants. Ezekiel 20:6-8 reveals that it was not only the
Egyptians who were guilty of idol worship, but the Israelites as well. They too deserved God's wrath. They too deserved to be
drowned in the sea but by God's mercy they were made to “pass
through the midst of it, for his steafast love endures forever”
(verse 14). Such is the depth of his love.
Oh
the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast,
unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling
as a mighty ocean
In
its fullness over me
This
deep, deep love is not only for the biological descendants of
Abraham. From the very start, God had in mind a worldwide blessing. Abraham was told, ”in
you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”
(Genesis 12:3). The birth of the Messiah fulfills the
promise (Luke 1:54-55), and all who would believe in the saving work
of Jesus are counted among Abraham's children (Galatians 3:7-9).
Praise the Lord!
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