Rabbinic commentators believe that Miriam and the women, being confident in God’s redemption, brought their musical instruments with them when they left Egypt. By faith, they understood in advance that God would bring the victory.
Ironically, Miriam’s name comes from the Hebrew word mar, which means bitter.
Miriam had known the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. Despite having experienced such terrible suffering, she was able to lead the other women to the heights of great joy.
Deborah and Barak’s Song of Thanksgiving
“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.” (Judges 5:3)
Haftarah Beshalach also highlights a song of praise that follows a miraculous victory over an oppressor of Israel.
After 20 years of cruel oppression under Sisera (the commander of the army of Jabin, the king of Canaan), Israel cried out to the Lord.
Deborah, the prophet who was leading Israel at that time, called for her army commander, Barak, telling him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’” (Judges 4:6–7)
Because Barak said he would go only if Deborah accompanied him, they led the offensive together.
Sisera learned from Heber, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law, that Barak and his men had gone up Mount Tabor, so he summoned all his men to the Kishon River.
Barak and his 10,000 men came down from Mount Tabor and annihilated Sisera’s troops; however, Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber.
When Sisera fell asleep exhausted, Jael killed him by driving a tent peg through his temple.
Following that, the Israelites fought against Jabin, destroying him, as well.
Deborah and Barak’s ensuing song of thanks recounts how the Kishon River swept Sisera’s troops away, praising the Lord and those who had the courage to act.
The Bitter Waters of Marah
“March on, my soul; be strong!” (Judges 5:21)
Decisive victories that result in joy and worship do not mean that everything is going to be easy afterward.
Despite the great outpouring of faith in the Song of the Sea, the Israelites faced many challenges and hardships in the wilderness.
In one instance, for three days after crossing the Red Sea, the people travel through the desert without finding water. When they arrive at Marah (feminine name derived from mar), they are thirsty, but the water they find there is bitter (mar).
This Hebrew name meaning bitter (Marah) is also found in the book of Ruth. Because of Naomi’s bitterness after losing her husband and both her sons, she changes her name from one that means “pleasant” to Marah.
Like Naomi, many are bitter against God because of loss, disappointments or unexplained tragedies.
Some of us are bitter against people who have hurt, abandoned, betrayed, or mistreated us. Some are bitter against all the injustices of life itself.
In this Parasha, God shows Moses a tree to throw into the water to cure it of bitterness. The tree makes the water sweet and good to drink.
“And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet.” (Exodus 15:25)
Likewise, for us, there is only one way to turn the bitter waters sweet: the tree upon which Yeshua was executed will cure our bitterness.
When we look up to Yeshua nailed to the tree for our sins and hear Him say, “Abba, forgive them,” then we find our bitter waters healed.
It is not a coincidence that at the waters of Marah, God first reveals Himself as our healer (Rophe—doctor / physician).
Perhaps the primary healing we need is for our hearts to be healed of bitterness.
God promises the people that if they will listen to Him and keep His commandments, then He will put none of the diseases upon them that he put on the Egyptians; “for I am YHVH your physician (healer).” (Exodus 15:26)
Another challenge the Israelites meet in the wilderness is the depletion of the provisions they carried with them from Egypt.
By the fifteenth day of the second month, they are longing for the delicacies found in Egypt, and they grumble.
In response, God gives them manna and quail.
Later, at Rephidim, they quarrel and test God, demanding water. In response to their need, God commands Moses to strike the Rock so that water is miraculously provided for them.
Because of their quarreling, that place is called Miribah, which is derived from the root riv (argue). (Exodus 17:7)
Complaining and arguing opens the door to the enemy, and there at Rephidim, the Amalekites attack the Israelites. (Exodus 17:8)
During that battle, the Israelites are victorious as long as Moses holds up his hands with the staff of God. But when he lowers his hands, Israel suffers defeat.
So, too, if we fix our gaze on Yeshua (Jesus) who sits at the right hand of God, we will have an overcoming faith that leads to victory. But when we begin to look down at our inadequacies and our problems, then we begin to sink in defeat.
The response of the Israelites to the challenges and hardships they faced in the wilderness serve as an example and a warning for all Believers.
Even though God brought them out of Egypt and worked great miracles on their behalf, all except two of that generation perished in the wilderness due to unbelief. Only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land.
“So we see that they were unable to enter because of lack of trust.” (Hebrews 3:19)
When we meet challenges and face hardships, or realize that God is not leading us on the shortest route possible, we must hold onto our confidence that He will meet every nee and see us through every battle, no matter how desperate the situation looks or circuitous the route.
“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Hebrews 10:35–36)
Even when our patience is tried and we are going through difficult times, we can have our instruments ready to sing songs of praise in anticipation of the coming victory.
Such confidence is in keeping with the spirit of those overcomers who sing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb in Heaven:
“Those defeating the beast, its image and the number of its name were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps which God had given them. They were singing the song of Moshe, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: Great and wonderful are the things you have done, Adonai, God of heaven’s armies!” (Revelation 15:2–3)