patriarchs and prophets-第64节

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dwell　in　the　hearts　of　all　who　love　and　fear　God；　In　freeing　out　souls　from
the　bondage　of　sin；　God　has　wrought　for　us　a　deliverance　greater　than　that
of　the　Hebrews　at　the　Red　Sea。　Like　the　Hebrew　host；　we　should　praise　the
Lord　with　heart　and　soul　and　voice　for　His　〃wonderful　works　to　the　children
of　men。〃　Those　who　dwell　upon　God's　great　mercies；　and　are　not　unmindful　of
His　lesser　gifts；　will　put　on　the　girdle　of　gladness　and　make　melody　in
their　hearts　to　the　Lord。　The　daily　blessings　that　we　receive　from　the　hand
of　God；　and　above　all　else　the　death　of　Jesus　to　bring　happiness　and　heaven
within　our　reach；　should　be　a　theme　for　constant　gratitude。　What　compassion；
what　matchless　love；　has　God　shown　to　us；　lost　sinners；　in　connecting　us
with　Himself；　to　be　to　Him　a　peculiar　treasure！　What　a　sacrifice　has　been
made　by　our　Redeemer；　that　we　may　be　called　children　of　God！　We　should
praise　God　for　the　blessed　hope　held　out　before　us　in　the　great　plan　of
redemption；　we　should　praise　Him　for　the　heavenly　inheritance　and　for　His
rich　promises；　praise　Him　that　Jesus　lives　to　intercede　for　us。

〃Whoso　offereth　praise；〃　says　the　Creator；　〃glorifieth　Me。〃　Psalm　50：23。　All
the　inhabitants　of　heaven　unite　in　praising　God。　Let　us　learn　the　song　of
the　angels　now；　that　we　may　sing　it　when　we　join　their　shining　ranks。　Let　us
say　with　the　psalmist；　〃While

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I　live　will　I　praise　the　Lord：　I　will　sing　praises　unto　my　God　while　I　have
any　being。〃　〃Let　the　people　praise　Thee；　O　God；　let　all　the　people　praise
Thee。〃　Psalms　146：2；　67：5。

God　in　His　providence　brought　the　Hebrews　into　the　mountain　fastnesses
before　the　sea；　that　He　might　manifest　His　power　in　their　deliverance　and
signally　humble　the　pride　of　their　oppressors。　He　might　have　saved　them　in
any　other　way；　but　He　chose　this　method　in　order　to　test　their　faith　and
strengthen　their　trust　in　Him。　The　people　were　weary　and　terrified；　yet　if
they　had　held　back　when　Moses　bade　them　advance；　God　would　never　have　opened
the　path　for　them。　It　was　〃by　faith〃　that　〃they　passed　through　the　Red　Sea
as　by　dry　land。〃　Hebrews　11：29。　In　marching　down　to　the　very　water；　they
showed　that　they　believed　the　word　of　God　as　spoken　by　Moses。　They　did　all
that　was　in　their　power　to　do；　and　then　the　Mighty　One　of　Israel　divided　the
sea　to　make　a　path　for　their　feet。

The　great　lesson　here　taught　is　for　all　time。　Often　the　Christian　life　is
beset　by　dangers；　and　duty　seems　hard　to　perform。　The　imagination　pictures
impending　ruin　before　and　bondage　or　death　behind。　Yet　the　voice　of　God
speaks　clearly；　〃Go　forward。〃　We　should　obey　this　command；　even　though　our
eyes　cannot　penetrate　the　darkness；　and　we　feel　the　cold　waves　about　our
feet。　The　obstacles　that　hinder　our　progress　will　never　disappear　before　a
halting；　doubting　spirit。　Those　who　defer　obedience　till　every　shadow　of
uncertainty　disappears　and　there　remains　no　risk　of　failure　or　defeat；　will
never　obey　at　all。　Unbelief　whispers；　〃Let　us　wait　till　the　obstructions　are
removed；　and　we　can　see　our　way　clearly；〃　but　faith　courageously　urges　an
advance；　hoping　all　things；　believing　all　things。

The　cloud　that　was　a　wall　of　darkness　to　the　Egyptians　was　to　the　Hebrews　a
great　flood　of　light；　illuminating　the　whole　camp；　and　shedding　brightness
upon　the　path　before　them。　So　the　dealings　of　Providence　bring　to　the
unbelieving；　darkness　and　despair；　while　to　the　trusting　soul　they　are　full
of　light　and　peace。　The　path　where　God　leads　the　way　may　lie　through　the
desert　or　the　sea；　but　it　is　a　safe　path。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　26

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From　the　Red　Sea　to　Sinai


From　the　Red　Sea　the　hosts　of　Israel　again　set　forth　on　their　journey；　under
the　guidance　of　the　pillar　of　cloud。　The　scene　around　them　was　most
drearybare；　desolate…looking　mountains；　barren　plains；　and　the　sea
stretching　far　away；　its　shores　strewn　with　the　bodies　of　their　enemies；　yet
they　were　full　of　joy　in　the　consciousness　of　freedom；　and　every　thought　of
discontent　was　hushed。

But　for　three　days；　as　they　journeyed；　they　could　find　no　water。　The　supply
which　they　had　taken　with　them　was　exhausted。　There　was　nothing　to　quench
their　burning　thirst　as　they　dragged　wearily　over　the　sun…burnt　plains。
Moses；　who　was　familiar　with　this　region；　knew　what　the　others　did　not；　that
at　Marah；　the　nearest　station　where　springs　were　to　be　found；　the　water　was
unfit　for　use。　With　intense　anxiety　he　watched　the　guiding　cloud。　With　a
sinking　heart　he　heard　the　glad　shout。　〃Water！　water！〃　echoed　along　the
line。　Men；　women；　and　children　in　joyous　haste　crowded　to　the　fountain；
when；　lo；　a　cry　of　anguish　burst　forth　from　the　hostthe　water　was　bitter。

In　their　horror　and　despair　they　reproached　Moses　for　having　led　them　in
such　a　way；　not　remembering　that　the　divine　presence　in　that　mysterious
cloud　had　been　leading　him　as　well　as　them。　In　his　grief　at　their　distress
Moses　did　what　they　had　forgotten　to　do；　he　cried　earnestly　to　God　for　help。
〃And　the　Lord　showed　him　a　tree；　which　when　he　had　cast　into　the　waters；　the
waters　were　made　sweet。〃　Here　the　promise　was　given　to　Israel　through　Moses；
〃If　thou　wilt　diligently　hearken　to　the　voice　of　the　Lord　thy　God；　and　wilt
do　that　which　is　right　in　His　sight；　and　wilt　give　ear　to　His　commandments；
and　keep　all　His　statutes；　I　will　put　none　of　these　diseases　upon　thee；

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which　I　have　brought　upon　the　Egyptians：　for　I　am　the　Lord　that　healeth
thee。〃

From　Marah　the　people　journeyed　to　Elim；　where　they　found　〃twelve　wells　of
water；　and　threescore　and　ten　palm　trees。〃　Here　they　remained　several　days
before　entering　the　wilderness　of　Sin。　When　they　had　been　a　month　absent
from　Egypt；　they　made　their　first　encampment　in　the　wilderness。　Their　store
of　provisions　had　now　begun　to　fail。　There　was　scanty　herbage　in　the
wilderness；　and　their　flocks　were　diminishing。　How　was　food　to　be　supplied
for　these　vast　multitudes？　Doubts　filled　their　hearts；　and　again　they
murmured。　Even　the　rulers　and　elders　of　the　people　joined　in　complaining
against　the　leaders　of　God's　appointment：　〃Would　to　God　we　had　died　by　the
hand　of　the　Lord　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　when　we　sat　by　the　fleshpots；　and
when　we　did　eat　bread　to　the　full；　for　ye　have　brought　us　forth　into　this
wilderness；　to　kill　this　whole　assembly　with　hunger。〃

They　had　not　as　yet　suffered　from　hunger；　their　present　wants　were　supplied；
but　they　feared　for　the　future。　They　could　not　understand　how　these　vast
multitudes　were　to　subsist　in　their　travels　through　the　wilderness；　and　in
imagination　they　saw　their　children　famishing。　The　Lord　permitted
difficulties　to　surround　them；　and　their　supply　of　food　to　be　cut　short；
that　their　hearts　might　turn　to　Him　who　had　hitherto　been　their　Deliverer。
If　in　their　want　they　would　call　upon　Him；　He　would　still　grant　them
manifest　tokens　of　His　love　and　care。　He　had　promised　that　if　they　would
obey　His　commandments；　no　disease　should　come　upon　them；　and　it　was　sinful
unbelief　on　their　part　to　anticipate　that　they　or　their　children　might　die
for　hunger。

God　had　promised　to　be　their　God；　to　take　them　to　Himself　as　a　people；　and
to　lead　them　to　a　large　and　good　land；　but　they　were　ready　to　faint　at　every
obstacle　encountered　in　the　way　to　that　land。　In　a　marvelous　manner　He　had
brought　them　out　from　their　bondage　in　Egypt；　that　He　might　elevate　and
ennoble　them　and　make　them　a　praise　in　the　earth。　But　it　was　necessary　for
them　to　encounter　difficulties　and　to　endure　privations。　God　was　bringing
them　from　a　state　of　degradation　and　fitting　them　to　occupy　an　honorable
place　among　the　nations　and　to　receive　important　and　sacred　trusts。　Had　they
possessed　faith　in　Him；　in　view　of　all　that　He　had　wrought　for　them；

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they　would　cheerfully　have　borne　inconvenience；　privation；　and　even　real
suffering；　but　they　were　unwilling　to　trust　the　Lord　any　further　than　they
could　witness　the　continual　evidences　of　His　power。　They　forgot　their　bitter
service　in　Egypt。　They　forgot　the　goodness　and　power　of　God　displayed　in
their　behalf　in　their　deliverance　from　bondage。　They　forgot　how　their
children　had　been　spared　when　the　destroying　angel　slew　all　the　first…born
of　Egypt。　They　forgot　the　grand　exhibition　of　divine　power　at　the　Red　Sea。
They　forgot　that　while　they　had　crossed　safely　in　the　path　that　had　been
opened　for　them；　the　armies　of　their　enemies；　attempting　to　follow　them；　had
been　overwhelmed　by　the　waters　of　the　sea。　They　saw　and　felt　only　their
present　inconveniences　and　trials；　and　instead　of　saying；　〃God　has　done
great　things　for　us；　whereas　we　were　slaves；　He　is　making　of　us　a　great
nation；〃　they　talked　of　the　hardness　of　the　way；　and　wondered　when　their
weary　pilgrimage　would　end。

The　history　of　the　wilderness　life　of　Israel　was　chronicled　for　the　benefit
of　the　Israel　of　God　to　the　close　of　time。　The　record　of　God's　dealings　with
the　wanderers　of　the　desert　in　all　their　marchings　to　and　fro；　in　their
exposure　to　hunger；　thirst；　and　weariness；　and　in　the　striking
m