People call the LORD by many different names or describe Him by many different attributes. While some are common titles, every so often you read something in Scripture that grabs your attention.
When the Israelites were in slavery, the LORD introduced Himself as Yahweh and promised to rescue them. Yahweh delivered on His promises. There was no denying that He cared for the Israelites and was more powerful than the gods of Egypt.
Through a series of ten plagues, Yahweh got Pharaoh’s attention. Egypt not only allowed the Israelites to go – they begged the Israelites to leave with the Egyptians’ treasures in hand (Exodus 12:36). Even after Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued the Israelites, Yahweh parted the Red Sea and led His people safely on dry ground (Exodus 14:22). As the waters returned on the heads of their enemies, the Israelites had the Promised Land in front of them and their enemies behind them.
What was their response? After such a great deliverance, the only appropriate reaction was to worship. At the banks of the Red Sea, the victorious Israelites worshiped the only God powerful enough to save them – Yahweh.
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:
I will sing to the Lord,
Exodus 15:1-3
for he is highly exalted;
he has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
This 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.
In this pivotal milestone in Israel’s history, they called on the name of Yahweh in deep adoration. They finally and fully comprehended Him to be in a league all by Himself. He could have no rival next to Him; He was highly exalted above all other gods.
In this spontaneous worship song, they called Yahweh their strength and their song (Exodus 15:2). If there is none like the LORD, then their worship ought to be correspondingly fitting. If He is exalted, their praise ought to be worthy of Him. They saw that Yahweh alone was their true salvation. He was deserving of their praise and exaltation.
As the song continued, they sang a line that doesn’t typically make it into our worship songs: “The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name” (Exodus 15:3).
Does the concept of “warrior” seem odd for a worship song? We find it easy to sing to our Shepherd, Redeemer, or God. But Warrior? Who is He fighting anyway? The LORD was battling anyone who opposed His people!
He had won their battles, and so it was appropriate to say that Yahweh was the warrior who fought for them. They sang praises to the Hero who had rescued them from the clutches of the enemy.
Worship is war, if you think about it. I’m not talking about those squabbles in your church about musical styles; I’m talking about those bold affirmations that you declare your allegiance to Yahweh over anyone or anything else.
We sing triumphantly about Yahweh’s power over every single one of our enemies. In a world that worships much lesser things, we know that our Savior fights on our behalf and deserves our praise.
What battles are you facing today? You can take up your arms and try to outlast the opposition, or you could step out of the way and let the true Warrior go to battle on your behalf.
Other Warrior Verses to Consider
- Exodus 14:14 – The LORD will fight for you, and you must be quiet.
- Deuteronomy 3:22 – Don’t be afraid of them, for the LORD your God fights for you.
- Deuteronomy 20:4 – For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.
- 2 Chronicles 20:17 – You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD. He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.
- Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon formed against you will succeed,
and you will refute any accusation
raised against you in court.
This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants,
and their vindication is from me. - Romans 8:31 – What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
