Through the lens of Woman
The Red Sea and the Song of the Sea
Exodus 15:20 records something that should not be passed over quickly. Then the prophetess Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
The prophetess Miriam. Note the title. She is named a prophet in the text — this is the first time the word prophet shows up for a woman in Scripture. And the first thing she does as a named prophet is lead worship. The women dance. They sing. They answer the song the men just sang.
Throughout Scripture, women lead worship. Hannah’s song. Mary’s Magnificat. The women at the empty tomb. The first to sing the resurrection. The Father has never restricted the song to the men.
If you are a woman who has been quietly told that the worship of God’s people is mostly men’s territory, Exodus 15 disagrees. The first recorded worship of free Israel was led by a woman. The Father trusts women with His song.
One small thing today: lead a song. Hum a hymn while you cook. Sing a worship lyric in the car. Speak praise out loud in your house, alone or together. The song belongs to you. Use it.