Saturday, July 30, 2016

Story 43: Water Drawn From A Rock; Prayer Brings Victory In Battle l

   After leaving their encampment in the wilderness of sin, the Is'ra-el-ites journeyed in the direction of Mount Si'nai. They halted for a short time at places called Doph'kah and A'lush, and finally pitched their tents at a place called Reph'i-dim, which was near Mount Ho'reb and Mount Si'nai.
   The region called Reph'i-dim was without water; although the Is'ra-el-ites were being supplied with food from Heaven, they were suffering intensely with thirst. They began to murmur again; knowing that Mo'ses had been aided by the LORD many times before in serving them, they said to him, "Give us water that we may drink."
   In reply to the prayer of Mo'ses, the LORD said to him, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Ho'reb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink."
   Facing the multitude of thirsty men and women, whose little children were crying for water, and whose sheep and cattle were panting with thirst, Mo'ses asked them to gather before the rock in Ho'reb. He struck the rock as the LORD had commanded, and suddenly there burst forth from the mountain of stone a stream of fresh water which ran like a river through the encampment of the Is'ra-el-ites. Both people and cattle had water in abundance, and the stream continued to flow as long as they remained in the valley.
   Living in A-ra'bi-a at that time was a large and fierce tribe of wanderers known as the Am'a-lek-ites. They were descendants of E'sau, about whom we learnt in a previous story.
   When the Am'a-lek-ites learnt that the descendants of Ja'cob who were now called the Is'ra-el-lites encamped in the wilderness near Mount Si'nai, they made a crafty attack upon the weakest point in the defenses of their ancient enemy.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Story 42: Trials And Murmurings In The Wilderness; The Bread From Heaven lll

   God sent the manna as a free gift of Divine grace, but the people had to use their own strength in gathering it, and their own skill in finding ways of preparing it. God fed them, but they had to work to satisfy their hunger. The manna had to be gathered quickly, for it was melted by the heat of the rising sun; if the people failed to gather enough, they went hungry; if they took more than their proper share, it spoiled. The gathering of the manna was a daily duty, and those who became indolent or careless were forced to do without food.
   The laws of God had to be followed in gathering the manna. From the time of Creation the seventh day of the week had been a holy day, and man had been commanded to do no manual work on this day. For this reason no manna was provided on the Sab'bath, and those who searched for it were properly punished by going hungry. The double portion gathered on the sixth day did not spoil, as it would have done had it been gathered on any other day. The LORD still has a way of making worthless that for which men labor on the day which He has set aside for worship.
   The failure of the Is'ra-el-ites to obey this order was a sign of their lack of reverence for the One who had so wonderfully helped them, and it showed a wicked nature which brought down upon itself a fitting punishment. Mo'ses ordered Aa'ron to keep a pot of the manna as a memorial of God's wonderful providence in feeding Is'ra-el during the long sojourn of forty years in the wilderness. Later this pot of manna was placed in the sacred Ark about which we shall learn in other stories. It was a valuable reminder to future generations of God's power to provide for His people in dire need.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Story 42: Trials And Murmurings In The Wilderness; The Bread From Heaven ll

   The LORD knew that these complaints against His servants were in reality complaints against Him, yet He looked with tender mercy upon the sad condition of the people. He therefore told Mo'ses of His purpose to supply Is'ra-el with meat in the evening and bread in the morning, declaring that He would send down like rain from Heaven all the food which the Is'ra-el-ites needed. These promises of God were announced to the entire company of Is'ra-el by the elders and leaders of each tribe. The people were called to worship, and in the evening as they looked toward the wilderness on the east the glory of the LORD shone in the clouds. As the sun sank in the horizon the LORD caused great flocks of quail to come up to their camp, so that the ground was covered with them. The quail were then used to supply the people with meat.
   When the people arose on the next morning and looked out upon the wilderness around them, they saw that the ground everywhere was covered with small, round particles, white like frost, and sparkling in the dew like diamonds. Amazed at the strange sight, they cried aloud, "Manna! Manna!" which means , "What is it?"
   Mo'ses explained to them that this was the bread which the LORD had promised to send like rain from Heaven, and that they were to go out and gather just enough of it to last them for one day. This wonderful supply of food was to be given by the LORD on every morning except the Sab'bath, so on the sixth day of each week the people were to gather a double supply.
   The people gathered the manna as directed by Mo'ses, and prepared it for their meals in various ways. It was a fine, nourishing food, with a taste like that of wafers and honey. Whenever one of them disobeyed the LORD'S command and took more than he needed, it would spoil before it could be eaten. Those who failed to gather a double portion on the sixth day of the week found that there was no manna to be had on the Sab'bath; for their disobedience they had to go without food for one day.
   Both the manner in which God supplied this food and the nature of the food itself were miraculous. The manna was not produced by any natural means, and it was wholly independent of climate, weather, or any other worldly condition. It was supplied in the same miraculous way during the entire forty years of Is'ra-el's sojourn in the wilderness, and fell upon them in the same manner at every encampment in various parts of the desert.                   

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Story 42: Trials And Murmurings In The Wilderness; The Bread From Heaven l

   Following the great triumph over their enemies in the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea there was a season of rejoicing in the camp of Is'ra-el. Led by Mir'i-am, the sweet singer, all the children of Is'ra-el joined in singing the Song of Mo'ses. Then they journeyed in a southeasterly direction along the rugged coastline of the sea. Still guided by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, they turnt into the interior of the A-ra'bi-an Peninsula, which was a great desert, toward the place where Mo'ses had seen the flaming bush that was not burnt.
   After travelling for three days they came to a place where there were springs of water, but they soon found that the water was too bitter to drink. Once again the Is'ra-el-ites forgot the mercies and power of God, and began to murmur against Mo'ses because of the bitterness of the water. Then the LORD directed Mo'ses to find a certain shrub and to throw it into the water. As soon as this was done the water became pure and good to drink, and Mo'ses assured the people that all would go well with them if they would only trust in the LORD and obey His commandments.
   From Ma'rah, which was the name they gave to the place of bitter waters, the children of Is'ra-el journeyed to a place called E'lim. This was a beautiful valley about one mile long, with twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees. Here they encamped for several months before resuming their journey. Although the waters were sweet and healthful, and there was an abundance of grass for their cattle, it was the duty of the He'brews to journey on toward their Promised Land in Ca'naan.
               "E'lim! sweet foretaste of rest and blessing,
               Soon must be left for the lengthening way;
               But it is well that Thy pilgrims should gather
               Courage and strength for the wearisome way."
   As they travelled deeper into the desert of the A-ra'bi-an Peninsula they came into what was known as the wilderness of Sin, between E'lim and Mt. Si'nai. It was now two months since they had left E'gypt, and the small food supplies which they had been able to bring with them were nearly gone. The sheep and cattle which they had brought out of E'gypt had to be kept for making offerings to God, and for future increase in their new home. And so the three million people began to wonder where they were to secure food. Fear and panic spread among them, for their future in this vast wilderness seemed hopeless. They remembered that even during the bondage and hardships suffered in E'gypt they had never been forced to go hungry.
   In their desperation the people murmured against Mo'ses and Aa'ron, the two noble servants of God who had just led them so miraculously out of slavery in E'gypt. The whole company of Is'ra-el, including the elders and the appointed leaders of the twelve tribes, joined in this complaint. In the face of the wonderful events of the past three months these murmurings of Is'ra-el were unreasonable, ungrateful, and actually wicked. The people complained about things which never happened, and even longed to return to their old life of bondage in E'gypt.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Story 41: The Miraculous Dividing Of The Red Sea For Is'ra-el's Passage lV

And with the blast of Thy nostrils the water were piled up,
The floods stood upright as a heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the Sea.




The enemy said,
I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.




Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them:
They sank as lead in the mighty waters.




Who is like unto thee, O Je-ho'vah, among the gods?
Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?




Thou stretchest out Thy right hand,
The earth swallowed them.




Thou in Thy loving kindness hast led the people that Thou hast
               redeemed:
Thou hast guided them in Thy strength to Thy holy habitation.




The peoples have heard, they tremble:
Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Phi-lis'ti-a.




Then were the chiefs of E'dom dismayed;
The mighty men of Mo'ab, trembling taketh hold upon them:
All the inhabitants of Ca'naan are melted away.




Terror and dread falleth upon them:
By the greatness of Thine arm they are as still as stone;
Till thy people pass over that Thou hast purchased.




Thou wilt bring them in, and plant them in the mountains of Thine
               inheritance,
The place, O Je-ho'vah, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in,
The Sanctuary, O LORD, which Thy hands have established,
Je-ho'vah shall reign forever and ever."


   Truly, this song was put into the mouth of Mo'ses by the Spirit of God. It was not only sung to the Glory of God, but was composed and revealed unto Mo'ses by The LORD. Its grandeur and beauty surpass by far the greatest compositions of the mind of man. Its contents are descriptive, historical, and prophetic. The song speaks with equal beauty of Divine vengeance and grace, and of the deliverance of the righteous through the destruction of the wicked. It has lived through the centuries, will abide to the end of time upon earth, and will be among the most glorious hymns of Heaven. The redeemed of the LORD shall sing together around the great white throne the
               "Song of Mo'ses and the Lamb."


               "Hark, how the adoring hosts above
               With songs surround the throne
               Ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
               But all their hearts are one."








(I hope I did the songs justice in copying them.)
              

Monday, July 25, 2016

Store 41: The Miraculous Dividing Of The Red Sea For Is'ra-el's Passage lll

   During the confusion which fell upon the E'gyp-tians just before their destruction, some of them cried out, "Let us fly from the face of the Is'ra-el-ites! The LORD is fighting for them, and against us!" But their cry came too late. The hour was at hand for the LORD to complete deliverance of Is'ra-el by the destruction of her enemies. Safe and secure at last, all Is'ra-el gazed upon the terrible spectacle of destruction.
               "She saw avenging wrath in Heaven above-
               A gathering tempest-clouds of blighting woe-
               Teeming destruction on the vanquish'd foe."
   Following the mighty deliverance of Is'ra-el and the miraculous destruction of her foes, Mo'ses composed a beautiful poem which all Is'ra-el sang in praise of God. It is truly a wonderful poem, rich in color and power, and filled with beauty in every line. Stroke follows stroke with breathless haste, and future events are foretold in the same glorious fashion as deeds which had already made history.


"I will sing unto Je-ho'vah, for He hath triumphed gloriously:
The horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.


Je-ho'vah is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation:
He is my God, and I will praise Him:


Je-vo'vah is a man of war: Je-ho'vah is His name.


Pha'raoh's chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea;
And his chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.


The depths covered them,
They went down into the depths like a stone.


Thy right hand, O Je-ho'vah, is glorious in power,
Thy right hand, O Je-ho'vah, dasheth in pieces the enemy.


And in the greatness of thine excellency Thou overthrowest them that
               rise up against Thee:
Thou sendest forth thy wrath, it consumeth them as stubble.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Story 41: The Miraculous Dividing Of The Red Sea For Is'ra-el's Passage ll

   While the Is'ra-el-ites were making the journey, things back in E'gypt had taken a sudden change against them. No sooner were these hundreds of thousands of former slaves out of E'gypt than the wicked, greedy king began to think about what he had lost. He was very sorry that he had given permission for the He'brews to leave, and sent out spies to find them. It was soon reported that the Is'ra-el-ites were lost and entangled in the wilderness.
   Determined to regain the slaves whose services had been so valuable to him, Pha'raoh organized a great force to pursue and capture them. He called for his own chariot, and for six hundred chariots of his army; with many squadrons of horsemen, and with thousands of his bravest soldiers to assist in the pursuit, Pha'raoh set out to capture the people whom God had delivered.
   Soon the Is'ra-el-ites heard the rumblings of the chariot wheels as they rolled through the wilderness, and the thundering of the horses' hoofs. They knew that the heart of Pha'raoh was filled with hatred, and that he would stop not even at murder to force them back into his service. They also knew that whether they returnt to E'gypt or not, so many of them would be killed or wounded that their nation would be greatly weakened.
   The situation of the great company of Is'ra-el-ites was desperate. On either side of them huge mountains, too steep to climb; in front of them rolled the great billows of the Red Sea, while close behind them the angry E'gyp-tian king urged on with his mighty army. The Is'ra-el-ites were without weapons or military training; their enemies were too strong to meet in mortal combat; they could not level the mountains or span the sea. Lost in despair they could only bemoan their fate and complain against Mo'ses for bringing them into this dreadful predicament. They cried, "Why hast thou brought us out here into the wilderness to die? We should have preferred to remain in bondage in E'gypt."
   But God was on the side of the oppressed and distracted Is'ra-el-ites. He had led them into this perilous position, but He knew all the time how He would deliver them from it. Pha'raoh's greed and power must be so thoroughly shattered that he would never trouble them again. Is'ra-el must be taught again that God is able to solve any problem, and that for a long time to come they would have to rely upon Him. In their fear and panic the Is'ra-el-ites forgot the past mercies of the LORD, and could see nothing but their foes; in their belief they saw graves where there were none, but God had not forsaken them.
   Mo'ses prayed to the LORD in this emergency, and said to the children of Is'ra-el, "Calm your fears; be rid of your worries, for God shall deliver you." The LORD told him to lead the Is'ra-el-ites right down to the edge of the Red Sea, and then say to them, "Go forward." As Mo'ses lifted his staff toward the great, surging waters a miracle took place. The waters were suddenly divided, leaving a dry, safe highway entirely across the sea, and forming high walls of water on either side. All night long the host of Is'ra-el walked in safety through the highway which the LORD had made in the sea, and their flocks and herds were not afraid to make the crossing. The pillar of fire which had guided the Is'ra-el-ites was lifted by the LORD and placed behind them, providing light for their journey, and bringing confusion to the enemies who pursued them.
   Pha'raoh and his great army recklessly followed the Is'ra-el-ites into the great highway across the Red Sea. Here the heavy wheels of their chariots sank deep into the sand, and the E'gyp-tian forces were hindered in many other ways. As the dawn of a new day found the last of the Is'ra-el-ites climbing to safety on the other side of the sea, Mo'ses saw that the entire host of Pha'raoh was in the great lane which God had prepared for the escape of His chosen people. Mo'ses then lifted his staff toward the E'gyp-tians, and the mighty walls of water came rushing down upon them, drowning Pha'raoh and all his warriors.