THE KING’S BUSINESS
405
Think of our Leader! “He knows the wav He taketh,” and “To the meek He will teach His way.” The Shepherd led His lambs to lure the wolf into His trap. It is a way He has (Ps. 9:15, 16). Pharaoh was about to find who Jehovah is (see 5 :2; for He had said, “The Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah,”— 14:4). “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace”* (Job 22:21). IV. T he P ursuit .—14:9. “The Egyptians pursued," horses and chariots, horsemen and army, and overtook them encamping, etc. Scared sinners are soon repentant of their repentance. Then they are more daring than ever. Again they repent that sinful repentance; repent once too often, and quite too late. V. I srael ' s T error .—14:11. 1. They were “sore afraid.” Do not blame them. Would we do better shut uo to %miracle or to ruin? They were cor ralled like a flock of sheep with a pack of howling, hungry wolves breaking in upon them. Hemmed in on every side, help could come only from above. But “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” “Nothing is impossible with Him.” These things are written that we may believe, trust, and glorify -Him (2 Cor. 10). Only follow the Beacon. .2. Moses1 Faith. — 14:13, 14. “Fear ye not, stand still and see,” etc. You shall have times to fight, then “quit you like men” (1 Cor. 16:13), for Jehovah will fight with you (Joshua 10:11). You shall have times to stand, even to sit still (14:13; 2
Chron. 20:17- Isa. 30:7) then He will fight for you (14:14). 3. Jehovah’s Command. — 14:15. “Go forward!” Good 1 they could go forward. Better, freemen, to die in the sea, than bondmen to serve in Egypt. Better “tan gled” (14:3) where the Lord leads, than again “in the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1). Forward! “Fear not, only trust and obey.” "Forward the light brigade No one' was there dismayed— Not though the soldier knew Some one had blundered; Theirs not to make reply; Theirs not to reason why, Theirs hut to do and die— Into the valley of death Rode the six hundred.” Much more may the soldier of Christ move forward, since he knows none can “blun der,” but the enemy, and that in the “valley of death” he need “fear no evil.” VI. T he E scape . 1. Forward. They dared. And the winds were sapper and miner hewing a path in the sea. And the waves were their leaping cavalry, a wall preventing attack on their flanks. And the Fiery Cloud was a light to their feet, and a blinding splen dor to their foes.
2. The Pursuers Annihilated. That was a night of confusion, consternation and de struction to the enemy. Gbd sent “them strong delusion,” “that they might i all be damned” (2 Thess. 2:11, 12). They “went in after them into the sea,” and Israel “saw them dead on the shore,” and they “feared Jehovah,” “believed in Jehovah” sand “in Moses,” the prophet of Jehoyah. LESSON VIII. — August 24. — T hu B read from H eaven .— Exod. 15:1— 16:36. G olden T ext . — Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life. —John 6:35.
1. T he S ong of M oses .—Exod. 15:1-18. 1. The Songs of Zion. There are none like them. This is first in the collection. A song of the ages, from the Sea of Suph (Red Sea) to the Sea of Glass (Rev. 15: 2, 3), from the first to the last deliverance. Israel’s poets had deepest insight into the
heart of things, of man, of God, of hi» tory. Hebrew poetry glorifies but One, Jehovah, Him, His Word, His. Works, His Ways. They contrast every way with the songs of the world. The world canpot sine right, and has no right to sing, as the Church has no right and never an pcca-
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker