THE KING’S BUSINESS
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sion not to sing (Eph. 5:19, 20). 2. The Type of Holy Song. This song is typical of the songs of faith. It is nor mal that a new-born soul, like this new born people should sing. It has found in deed a greater and mightier deliverance, and a shout of praise is due. The song is .to and of Jehovah. The singer lost in ad miration finds Jehovah his strength, song and salvation; his father’s God. Keeping covenant with his children. “Jehovah (ever-living, covenant keeping) is His name.’’ He “is a man of war,” but only to the terror of the wrongdoer, the op pressor, the proud and self-willed. There is “none like” Jehovah—glorious, holy, praiseworthy, wonder-working; in “loving kindness” leading, redeeming, guiding, planting His purchased people; dwelling among them in His inheritance, His sanc tuary, their reigning King forever. Shout! sing! men of Israel; shake, beat your merry and musical timbrels, Miriam, and you daughters of Zion—dance! “Sing ye to Jehovah, for He hath triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” II. By the W ay . 1. It was a varied region through which the pilgrims marched; like the varied scenes and changes they and we experience by the way. Sandy, pebbly wastes and coast; limestone hills; mountainous and manicolored peaks and crags; rocks on rocks, wildly piled or piercing heaven; dry or scantly moistened wadies (arroyos), carrying fierce torrents in their season, af fording verdant vales and slopes and pas ture, with some scope for cultivation, char acterized the peninsula, and left host, herds and flocks not altogether destitute of the necessities. 2. Marah. Israel’s song soon changed to complaint. The famishing host came eagerly on an oasis only to find bitter dis appointment in its waters. Deliverance is not complete, redemption not consummated in these days of pilgrimage. Discipline and trustful testimony belong to them. We have our triumphs and our discourage
ments, but faith is always victory and song should never be silenced. “What shall we do?” The question was proper, the spirit of it wrong. “Is not the life more than meat?” Could not, and would not He who saved support? Is the Almighty so soon powerless, and Jehovah the Covenant Keeper faithless,, or has He, indeed, “missed the way?” With infinite forebear- ance He showed Moses a tree that healed the waters. There is a tree that sweetens every bitter draught and we sing of it, “Bane and blessing by the cross are sanctified.” 3. The Ordinance. “He made for them an ordinance and a statute,” that for them who will obey His voice all the springs of bitterness shall likewise be healed. The wood of the cross, and the salt of the cov enant (2 Kings 2:20-22) are never failing medicines. 4. Elim. Just beyond Marah they came to Elim. Twelve springs of water, one for each tribe; seventy lordly palms, one for each elder of Israel were there; and a sur rounding oasis for the consolation of all. A day at Marah, but thirty days of Elim! And what a lengthy account of the bitter experience, and how lightly the record passes over Elim. Was it because we brood over our troubles, and too lightly esteem our benefits? Or, was it because the Lord saw that the bitter is better for us than the sweet, on our way to the Elim ahead? 5. Manna. “The children of Israel mur mured.” Had ever a father such unrea sonable children as the heavenly Father’s? We’d scarce believe it, would we? that these people so soon forgot; and so shame fully distrusted. But it is the way with us all—and the story is true, for their story is our story. All they wished was “the flesh pots” and “bread to the full.” Their children were like them and followed the Lord only for the loaves and fishes (John 6:26). “Would that we had died— in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots !” If they could but have died with full stom achs ! Their god was “their belly” (Phil. 3:19). Some people’s is their hack, and
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