The Song of Miriam

The Song of Moses and Miriam

 ¹ Then 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.
³ The LORD is a warrior;
   the LORD is his name.
⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
   he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
   are drowned in the Red Sea.
⁵ The deep waters have covered them;
   they sank to the depths like a stone.
⁶ Your right hand, LORD,
   was majestic in power.
Your right hand, LORD,
   shattered the enemy.  Exodus 15:1 - 6

I wish I knew and understood more about the Bible.  I wish I knew how to read it in the original languages.  This passage has a heading that says, the song of Moses and Miriam.  But within the passage, it says that Moses and the Israelites sang.  I just wonder why....

Well, my Sunday School class is studying just this part of Exodus right now, so I know how interesting this song is.  It's interesting because, during the plagues, time and time again, God showed His power and majesty, revealing Himself to both the Hebrews and the Egyptians as the one true God.

But as Moses and his people were leaving Egypt, and as the people saw Pharaoh and his army pursuing him, they easily fell to a spiritual cower; they reacted in anger and disgust.  They said to Moses, "Why didn't you just leave us in Egypt?  It would be better to be slaves than to die in the desert!"

Then God shows His majesty again, parting the Red Sea, protecting the Israelites while killing the Egyptians. 

And His people worship Him, singing songs, and (in my imagination) dancing, laughing, crying, using any action they can to show their gratitude and amazement with God.

However, if there is one consistent thing in this Hebrew story, it's the reaction of the people every time there is a hint of trouble.  Throughout the exodus, the people whine, complain, nag, even turn away from God because they don't think He's doing a good enough job.  Often they turn against not just God, but each other, as well.

In Numbers 12, we see a strong example of this.  Miriam, Moses' sister, and Aaron, his brother, gossip about Moses and his wife, whom they don't see as a "real" Hebrew.  They are griping and grumbling, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us? (verse 2)"

Here's the scary part of this story, at the end of that verse:  "And the LORD heard this."

When we gripe and grumble, do we really think that God doesn't know?  (You know . . . we are really dumb.)  Of course He knows.  He hears and sees everything we say and do.  And God will only let us get away with it for so long.

As a result of this gossip, Miriam was made leprous and forced to live outside the camp for 7 days. 

Pretty big consequence for idle gossip.

But you know, we each have a song in our hearts, one that plays out in our lives.  Is that song one of grumble, gripe and gossip?  Or is it one of joy, gladness and worship?

You can't hide your real song, not for long anyway.  The truth always comes out.  It strikes me that there are two composers to our heart songs - God and Satan. 

Who wrote your song?