Grace City Denver

The Israelites didn’t just experience God’s miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea, they sang about it. Exodus 15 is a song of praise – the first in the Bible – extolling the greatness of God for destroying Israel’s enemies. If that seems unchristian to you, this message explores themes of God’s holiness, love, justice, and redemption through strength.

When the LORD led the Israelites out of Egypt, he laid a trap for Pharaoh and the Egyptians. God would part the Red Sea for the Israelites and then drown the armies of Egypt who chased after them to enslave them. The instrument of life and salvation for those who trusted in him would be the instrument of righteous judgement for their wicked adversaries.

On the night of the first Passover, the Israelites killed a spotless lamb and applied its blood to the doorpost of their homes. That blood stood between them and the Destroyer, having purchased their redemption. Many years later, the ultimate and final Passover Lamb gave his life and poured out his blood for our redemption from sin and death.

When God told Pharaoh, “Let my people go,” he hardened his heart in proud rebellion. At times, he feigned repentance just to get God to take the plagues away, but he never turned from his sin to serve the Lord. God confirmed Pharaoh in his rebellion and justly punished him in return, demonstrating that a proud king was no match for his power and glory.

Pharaoh refused to obey God’s command to let the Israelites go, asking, “Who is this Yahweh, that I should obey him?” He’s about to find out. Ten plagues (or “strikes”) will reveal his sovereignty over all the gods of the Egyptians and over every facet of creation. Even in judgment, there are numerous opportunities for mercy available to all who choose to fear and trust the LORD.

Moses must be feeling good after gathering the elders of Israel, telling them of Yahweh’s impending deliverance, and seeing them respond in worship. But Pharaoh has different plans. He doesn’t acknowledge Yahweh, he accuses the Hebrews of laziness, and he doubles their workload. The people groan to Moses in despair, and he openly accuses God of evil. God’s response is to say, “Step back and watch what I do next – for I AM a covenant keeping God.”

After 40 years in the wilderness, Moses encounters an astonishing sight: a bush is burning but not being consumed. The LORD speaks to him out of the bush and commissions him to go to Egypt to liberate his covenant people. But Moses is more focused on his fears and his sense of inadequacy than on who God is and what God has called him to do.

Exodus 1 ends with the recognition that Israel needs a deliverer, and Exodus 2 begins with the birth of that deliverer. But before Moses can save anyone, he himself needs to be saved from near certain death. In the eighty years that follow, God uses both the miraculous and the mundane to prepare him to partner with Yahweh in the stunning rescue of God’s people.

We begin the story of Exodus right where Genesis left off, with the twelve sons of Jacob – and they’re multiplying rapidly. The new Pharaoh sees them as a growing threat that must be stopped, using the weapons of slavery and slaughter. So the Israelites go from experiencing God’s favor to experiencing affliction. Where is God? Does he even care?

Message from Sam Sawyer on January 11, 2026