THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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as fast in th e ir chariots as the Israelites had done on foot. The man on foot has th is advantage over tne man. th a t is driving; he is never hindered by wheels coming off or tires blowing out. When Israel was all over safely, and not u n til th e very la st one was over, Moses is commanded to stretch out his rod over th e sea, and th e w aters retu rn ed a t God’s command, swallow ing up P h arao h ’s m ighty host. Israel was delivered from h er powerful enemy w ithout strik ing a blow in h er own defense. How well God , understands th e hum an h eart, and how plain He made it to Israel th a t deliverance was all from Him. 5. The Song of Triumph. How fit ting it is th a t a t th is special tim e in our history, and in the h istory of the world, our atten tion should be drawn to th is song of Moses. Notice th a t all th e way th rough th e glory of th e trium ph is ascribed to God. The contest, after all, had not been between Israel and Egypt, b u t between Jehovah and P haraoh w ith his idol gods. God had proved victorious in th e contest th a t Pharaoh, in his pride, had provoked. Many parallelism s between th a t day and our day will no doubt suggest themselves. Would to God th a t we, and our allies, would follow th e exam ple of Moses and Israel, and ascribe the praise for our victory to God, to whom it righ tfu lly belongs. Would to God th a t we m ight take our place as a nation, under His banner, and measure up to the stand ard th a t befits a people th a t call themselves by th a t name. We have for our theme here “The Rod and th e Red Sea.” There are th ree g reat periods of m iracles in the Bible, and they are associated w ith Moses, E lijah a n d HEART OF Christ. Miracles are THE LESSON | for an attestatio n of T. C. H o rton God’s messenger and message. God is always
shipwreck, Moses’ tru st was fixed upon God and he knew th a t somehow, though he did no t know how, God . would deliver His people. There is nothing more helpful to th e Christian when in doubt as to w hat he ought to do, th an to “ stand s till;” tru stin g in God un til God shows him w hat th e next step is. One of th e su rest ways of losing God’s guidance is to get worried about it. III. Isra el Delivered by Jehovah. (Chap. 14 :15 to 15:1-21.) 1. The Word of Jehovah. The time had come now for Jehovah to make plain w hat H is g reat plan was and to reveal to Israel His designs against P haraoh. He had something b etter for Israel in th e way of deliverance than Israel had ever dreamed. 2. The Open Pathway. I t was a unique way. Never before had m illions of men, women and children walked across a new-made highway in th e m idst of th e sea. “When thou passest th rough the w aters, I will be w ith th ee.” It is not to be wondered a t th a t th is unique way has greatly troubled the unbelieving critics of th e Bible, for God intended it from th e first to be a source of trouble to His enemies— w hether Egyptians or others. The rod in Moses’ hand was only a rod; b u t when God’s command w as'con tro lling the arm and th e rod, th ere was nothing too hard. So God can open up th e way th rough every diffi culty, for every child of His. " It may no t be my way, it may not be thy way, bu t yet, in His own way, th e Lord will provide.” 3. The Heavenly Guardians. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud removed from the fron t of th e host to th e rear, providing protection from Isra el’s enemies. Does He not do th a t for His children today? Does He not save them from th e ir yesterdays? 4. The Discomfited Enemy. Into th e m idst of the sea drove P h arao h ’s chariots, bu t they could not get through
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