Why are Moses and the Lamb both mentioned in Revelation 15:3? Revelation 15:3 “And they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: ‘Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!’” Immediate Context In Revelation John has just witnessed seven angels with the final plagues (15:1). Before judgment is poured out, the redeemed stand on a sea of glass mingled with fire (15:2). Their worship bursts forth in one combined anthem called “the song of Moses and of the Lamb.” The dual title signals continuity between the first great redemptive deliverance (the Exodus) and the final consummate deliverance accomplished by Christ. THE “SONG OF MOSES”: AN Old Testament THREAD Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32 each contain a “song of Moses.” Both celebrate deliverance from Egypt, the defeat of Pharaoh, and Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness. In Exodus 15:1–18 Moses and Israel praise God after crossing the Red Sea. The key themes are: • God’s unrivaled power over pagan tyranny (15:3–10). • His covenant love for His people (15:13). • A prophetic look to His sanctuary and reign (15:17-18). Deuteronomy 32 rehearses Israel’s history and warns against apostasy while promising ultimate vindication for God’s people (32:36-43). Revelation 15 echoes language from both chapters: “Great and wonderful are Your works” (Exodus 15:11) and “Just and true are Your ways” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The “Song Of The Lamb”: The Completion Of The Exodus Pattern Jesus, repeatedly called “the Lamb” in Revelation (e.g., 5:6; 7:14; 12:11), fulfills the Passover typology (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7). His sacrificial death and bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Acts 2:31-32) constitute the decisive redemption. In Revelation 5 the Lamb receives universal worship because He “purchased men for God with His blood” (5:9). By 15:3 that redemptive work has reached its eschatological climax; therefore the saints yoke Moses’ song to the Lamb’s, forming one continuous hymn. Redemptive-Historical Unity: From Egypt To New Creation • Deliverer: Moses the mediator prefigures Jesus, the final Mediator (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22-23). • Plagues: The Egyptian judgments (blood, darkness, hail, locusts) parallel the trumpet and bowl plagues (Revelation 8–9; 16). • Sea of deliverance: Israel crossed the Red Sea; here the conquerors stand upon a fiery crystal sea (Revelation 15:2), safely beyond divine wrath. • Covenant fulfillment: The Mosaic covenant pointed forward to the new covenant ratified in Christ’s blood (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20). Legal And Gracious Aspects United Moses represents Torah—the revelation of God’s holiness and justice; the Lamb embodies the grace that meets that standard. Revelation’s song merges the two because God’s final judgment upholds His law (Romans 3:19) while His salvation magnifies grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Thus holiness and mercy sing in harmony. Archaeological And Historical Anchors • The Merneptah Stele (c. 1208 BC) names “Israel” already in Canaan, supporting an Exodus‐era community. • Egyptian records (Ipuwer Papyrus) describe calamities reminiscent of the plagues. Though debated, they illustrate that catastrophic events in Egypt’s history fit the biblical timeline. • The Song of the Sea (Exodus 15) displays archaic Hebrew poetry (e.g., tri-consonantal roots, lack of matres lectionis) dated by epigraphers to the second millennium BC, affirming early Mosaic authorship. Covenant Theology In Worship Calling the hymn “the song of Moses and of the Lamb” instructs believers that praise must root itself in both law and gospel, in God’s past acts and future hope. Corporate worship therefore rehearses creation, fall, redemption, and consummation as one story (Psalm 96; Colossians 3:16). Ethical And Doxological Implications Because “just and true are Your ways,” the redeemed respond with: a) Fearless obedience—holiness motivated by grace (1 Peter 1:15-19). b) Evangelistic proclamation—the world must hear of the coming judgment and available mercy (Matthew 28:18-20). c) Hopeful endurance—suffering saints see their trials in light of ultimate victory, just as Israel endured until crossing the sea (Romans 8:18; Revelation 12:11). Answering Skeptical Objections Objection: “John merely borrows Jewish imagery.” Response: Borrowing explains similarity but not fulfillment. The Lamb’s historical resurrection (minimal-facts data: empty tomb, post-mortem appearances, sincere transformation of skeptics like Paul and James) grounds the New-Covenant realities John describes. Objection: “Revelation is late and embellished.” Response: As noted, manuscript evidence is early and stable. Patristic citations (e.g., Justin Martyr, Irenaeus) quote Revelation before AD 180, confirming its circulation within two generations of composition. Summary Moses and the Lamb appear together in Revelation 15:3 because the Exodus and Calvary form two movements of one symphony. Moses’ deliverance prefigures and predicts the greater deliverance achieved by Jesus. The final bowl judgments mirror the plagues, the sea of glass mirrors the Red Sea, and the unified song mirrors the unified plan of God—from the creation week to the new creation. The saints’ worship celebrates this seamless garment of redemption, affirming the reliability of Scripture, the justice of God, and the certainty that “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10). |
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