The Bible Recap — Day 034 (Exodus 13-15) — Year 8
Host: Tara-Leigh Cobble
Date: February 3, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, Tara-Leigh Cobble walks listeners through Exodus chapters 13 to 15, focusing on God’s commands to help Israel remember their deliverance from Egypt, the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, and the Israelites’ fluctuating faith. She explores themes of remembrance, leadership, God’s protective love, human forgetfulness, and worship in response to deliverance.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Importance of Remembrance (00:01–05:35)
- God’s Commands for Annual Remembrance
- God immediately institutes practices (Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover) so Israel won’t forget their rescue from Egypt.
- “He knows humanity pretty well and he knows how easy it is to forget the truth when we’re faced with lies. So he makes a few helpful commands.” — Tara-Leigh Cobble [00:20]
- Phylacteries as a Physical Reminder
- Israelites took literally God’s command to let these events be a sign “on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes.”
- “If you were to go to Jerusalem today, you would see people from certain sects of Judaism wearing a small black box tied on their forehead or strapped around their arms and hands…called phylacteries.” [01:15]
2. Consecration of the Firstborn (05:36–06:30)
- God commands Israel to consecrate their firstborn sons to remember how He spared them during Passover.
- “He wants them to remember what they’ve been rescued from and celebrate his deliverance. This remembering and celebrating will help them keep God at the forefront of their minds.” [02:00]
3. Passing Faith to the Next Generation (06:31–08:00)
- By celebrating these feasts, Israelites will teach their children about God’s faithfulness.
- “When things go well, it’s easy to forget God. And when things go poorly, it’s easy to doubt God. So he calls them to remember, not forget his past faithfulness and not doubt.” [02:45]
4. Moses as Leader — God as True Leader (08:01–09:26)
- While Moses is the mediator and representative, God is the true leader providing instructions.
- “Moses is the leader, but all that means is that he’s just the first follower. That’s what a good godly leader is.” [04:10]
5. God’s Unique Guidance and Protection (09:27–13:01)
- God leads Israel with a pillar of cloud by day (offering shade) and a pillar of fire by night (providing light and warmth).
- Possible double theophany: presence of God the Father (fire/cloud), God the Son (angel).
- “If you could choose two non-human desert traveling companions, these are exactly what you would want for the day and the night. Plus, it’s God himself.” [06:35]
- Moses doesn’t forget Joseph’s bones; demonstrates faithfulness to ancestral promises.
6. Anticipating Trouble and Israel’s Fear (13:02–16:24)
- God warns Moses about Pharaoh’s pursuit, demonstrating Israel’s need for continued faith.
- “This guy has really grown to trust God’s command since that burning bush incident. But not Israel. When they see Pharaoh’s army approaching, they still fear the chariots more than God.” [10:40]
- Israelites quickly forget God’s miracles and grumble against Moses at the first sign of danger.
7. The Crossing of the Red Sea & Worship (16:25–18:30)
- God delivers Israel through the sea, defeating Pharaoh’s army.
- The very first worship song in scripture is sung—a song of deliverance. Miriam leads the women in the refrain.
- “It’s all about God’s deliverance. How he’s a warrior who fights for Israel and wins.” [12:50]
- Brief background on Miriam: Possibly the same sister who saved Moses as a baby.
8. Quick Shift from Worship to Complaint (18:31–19:28)
- After singing, the Israelites quickly complain about water quality.
- God provides better water and promises to be their healer, sovereign over both disease and health.
9. God Shot: Love as Warrior (19:29–23:18)
- Tara-Leigh highlights God’s love expressed through protection and wrath against threats to his people.
- “There is no love without wrath. Let me explain. If you truly love something, you will hate anything that threatens it.” [19:45]
- God’s military strategy is unmatched; no one would pray for a path through the sea and destruction of the enemy that way.
- “If I’m honest with myself, I am my own worst enemy in this regard. My flesh is far more present and more persistent than any outside enemy. So that means sometimes he fights against me as he’s fighting for me.” [21:45]
- She concludes, “He’s where the joy is.” [22:55]
Memorable Quotes
- “I’m glad I’ve been adopted by the God who ordains dinner parties and week long feasts.” — Tara-Leigh Cobble [00:55]
- “The Israelites…still fear the chariots more than God. They blame Moses for their trouble, and they begin to think fondly of their past. They’ve already forgotten the thing God wanted them to remember. And it’s basically week one.” [11:10]
- “When God makes war, he wins. He has solutions we can’t even conceive of.” [20:15]
- “I want him to keep me near to him because he’s where the joy is.” [22:55]
Key Segment Timestamps
- Annual remembrance and phylacteries: 00:20–01:55
- Consecration of firstborns: 02:00–02:20
- Teaching the next generation: 02:45–03:20
- Moses & God’s leadership dynamic: 04:10–05:10
- Cloud by day/fire by night, Joseph's bones: 06:35–08:25
- God warns Moses of Pharaoh: 10:40–11:20
- Red Sea and the first worship song: 12:50–13:50
- Miriam's role: 13:55–14:30
- Israel’s forgetfulness and God’s provision: 15:40–16:50
- God shot on warrior-love: 19:45–22:55
Tone and Style
Tara-Leigh maintains a warm, conversational, and occasionally humorous tone, making biblical events relatable:
“I wouldn’t want to walk through the desert with a bunch of bones in my duffel bag. But these guys were loyal.” [07:50]
She uses practical modern analogies—like “Mama bear” and “dads cleaning their shotguns”—to connect ancient themes to everyday life, while always circling back to the importance of God’s character and presence.
Summary Takeaway
This episode highlights how God built practices and miracles into Israel’s journey to help them and future generations remember His faithfulness. Through rituals, worship, and even discipline, God reveals both his compassion and his protective, warrior heart. Tara-Leigh encourages listeners to see God’s love in both mercy and wrath—and to remember that “he’s where the joy is.”