Exodus 15 - The Song of the Warrior King

It can feel uncomfortable to read about God described as a warrior. The reality is that our God fiercely opposes evil, and fiercely defends His glory.

Recall also that when Jesus returns, it will not be as a baby, but that imagery of the warrior will be a better description (Revelation 19:11-21). (Remember though that Revelation is imagery and metaphor.)

I sometimes find myself tempted to think of God as being simply love, being happy to forgive my sins and embrace me for who I am. It’s true, of course, that God embraces me, just as I am. But he doesn’t embrace my sins. He despises my sins; and my relationship with God could only happen because Jesus paid the price for those sins. Bought with such precious blood, I am conscripted into Jesus’ service. As a follower of Jesus, we can’t be complacent about our sins. Through the Holy Spirit, we are being transformed to be more like Jesus.

Having a realistic appreciation of the fullness of God’s character, not just His love and mercy, but also His holiness and His majesty, aids us in that transformation. A realistic appreciation of who God is fuels our praises. How do you picture God?