Moses' education afterthatwas in the palace of Pharaoh. He learned there the culture, customs and con duct of royalty. He knew the tac tics of conflict and the command of armies. He left the first school of his parent's home loving the Lord. Now he goes away from the second school leaving the Lord. Next he comes to the backside of the desert for another 40 years where he finally gets his B.B. de gree ("burning bush"). This was the Lord's post-graduate school of hardship, clanger, loneliness and want. The humbling embarrass ments resulted in his leaning heav ily upon the Lord. The devil enters this conflict of the ages again. He tries to prevent Moses' return to Egypt. He had caused Moses to dispute with God, seeking to dis credit His choice of a leader (Exo dus 4:24ff). Satan had apparently succeeded in controlling Pharaoh who did not know the Lord. You remember how Moses sought the release of his people. Plagues were sent each time Phar aoh refused. Finally with the killing of the first born, Pharaoh gives in. Then, he again changes his mind and sets off in hot pursuit of the Israelites. Satan wanted to see the people all destroyed as, humanly speaking, they would either be killed by the Egyptians, or by plung ing suicidally into the Red Sea. The defeat of Pharaoh and his hosts is a thrilling record of God's miracu lous faithfulness. When safe on the other side the Jewish people sing a song of praise and deliverance on the dry sands of the opposite bank. The easiest and shortest route to Canaan led through the land of the Philistines. Such a journey was little more than 100 miles. The Israelites
were both physically and spiritually unprepared to battle with tribes which bordered the land. For this reason God led them by a circuit ous route. When they saw the cloud change its course and move south ward the people doubtless grum bled and murmered. They were certainly most vulnerable to an en emy attack. Moses was on familiar ground since he had sjsent 40 years in this wilderness, not knowing what was ahead of him. God puts us through real testing sometimes that He may prove our love and devotion. In Exodus 16:1-15 we see how the devil uses Israel to complain against the leadership of Moses. All those who left Egypt on that memorable night were not He brews only, though no doubt they were in some manner allied with them. It was a "mixed multitude" which departed. Satan worked through these disgruntled com- plainers in an effort to get the peo ple to return to Egypt. They were the cause of most of Israel's prob lems. I am wondering if this is not true in many of our churches today? There is a real danger when an unsaved individual is admitted to membership. Such people cannot be expected to go along with the spiritual programs which may de velop. The mixed multitudes were the ones who constantly mur mered. Moses took their gripes di rectly to the Lord. They should have known that there was no dan ger of their starving during their wilderness journey. It was the dev il's purpose to bring discourage ment and displeasure. The mirac ulous manna was given typifying that true bread from heaven which Page 33
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