“Who is like you among the gods, Yahweh? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awe-inspiring in wonders, doing the extraordinary?”
As one of the three songs of Moses, Exodus 15 focuses on the praise of Yahweh for his victory over Egypt and the anticipation of entrance into the Promised Land. It is almost as if the first ten verses of the song, remembering God’s power and praising the strength of his hand, culminate in the emotional outcry of verse 11, as an outpouring of emotional praise and awe. It begins with a heart-cry of incomparability, “who is like you,” that displays Yahweh as exclusively powerful over and above any other god. He, through his power--proven by his holiness, awesome wonders, and miracles--defeated not only the Egyptians, but all of their gods. Yahweh is the mighty warrior, the one worthy of all worship.
Since the only form of verb used in this verse is the participle, we have to understand the continual emphasis in the superlative description of Yahweh’s character. In effort to set Yahweh apart from all other gods, the three unique details about God's continued action give the entire song a theological thrust. The verse does not merely honor Yahweh’s victory over the Egyptians, rather, it celebrates Yahweh himself.
Even before The Prince of Egypt was released, the story of Moses and the Israelites was always my favorite. A riveting adventure story, those few chapters in Exodus were filled with twists, turns, plagues, and seas that separated! Since then, the story of a people burdened by the yoke of slavery and God’s past, present, and future pursuit of them has remained a story for the ages. It is a story of God’s love, power, and grace; it is one that elicits celebration and rejoicing.
When I attempt to imagine the terrified Israelites watching as the separated walls of the sea crash down and swallow the Egyptian armies, I can only imagine their reaction as the water settles back to its balanced state. Perhaps for a time, they were speechless, but once they realized the magnitude of what happened, I imagine an echoing symphony of shouts, wails, sobs, and song. Their reaction is the triumphant hymn of Exodus 15 celebrating God himself who, by his continual acts of wonder, works on behalf of his people. Would that a similar rejoicing be my response when my eyes are opened to see God intervening in the day-to-day. May I have the faith to praise the one who acts on my behalf, the one who is like no other.