We are in chapter fifteen of Exodus with our word for today which is two words both translated the same way in English. Our first word is רָמָה throw, shoot, cast, hurl, throw forcefully. It is used 4 times in the Old Testament, two times in our chapter. The other two times our word is used it is in reference to a bow or one who is an expert in the use of a bow and arrow. Psalm 78:9-10 The men of Ephraim, though armed with רוֹמֵי bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. Jeremiah 4:29 At the sound of horsemen and וְרֹ֣מֵה archers every town takes to flight. This helps us understand the use of our word better in our chapter in that God throws the Egyptian army into the sea in such a forceful way like a bow throws or shoots an arrow with great force. Exodus 15:1, 21 I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider רָמָ֥ה he has thrown into the sea…And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider רָמָ֥ה he has thrown into the sea.” Our other word that is also translated throw is יָרָה throw, cast, shoot, hurl, throw forcefully. It is used 29 times in the Old Testament. We also find our second word connected to a bow and arrow like our first word. 1 Samuel 20:20, 35-37 אוֹרֶ֑הI will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target…In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows מוֹרֶ֑ה I shoot.” As the boy ran, יָרָ֥ה he shot an arrow beyond him. When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?” We also see our word used in the sense to throw forcefully. Numbers 21:30 וַנִּירָ֛ם But we have overthrown them; Heshbon’s dominion has been destroyed. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host יָרָ֣ה he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
Both our words help us understand just how powerfully God threw his people’s enemies into the sea. We understand this figuratively because they were literally already as far down into the sea as you could be because God had used wind to dry the land so his people could cross. Then he closed the enormous walls of water he was holding back over them. So in a sense he threw them into the Red sea where they sank. God is showing himself as powerful the almighty I am reality God. This we can take great comfort in because no outside enemy can take us out of God’s loving care. Jesus also says this in John. John 10:27-30 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” I’ll close with how God makes a play on one of our words in this Psalm 64. It is a great reminder that even when it doesn’t look like God is going to save us and our enemy is going to defeat us God turns everything around. His people literally had their backs against the Red Sea and God turned it completely around and threw the biggest army in the world at that time into the deepest part of the Red Sea. In this Psalm our word is used to show how God turns everything around when it looks like the enemy is going to close in. Psalm 64:4-7 לִיר֣וֹת They shoot from ambush at the innocent; יֹ֝רֻ֗הוּ they shoot suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?” They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. But God וַיֹּרֵ֗ם will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down.
