Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc09/v09900

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 13KB | 217 lines

09900
 #22-27 In the wilderness of Shur the Israelites had no water. At
 Marah they had water, but it was bitter; so that they could not
 drink it. God can make bitter to us that from which we promise
 ourselves most, and often does so in the wilderness of this
 world, that our wants, and disappointments in the creature, may
 drive us to the Creator, in whose favour alone true comfort is
 to be had. In this distress the people fretted, and quarrelled
 with Moses. Hypocrites may show high affections, and appear
 earnest in religious exercises, but in the time of temptation
 they fall away. Even true believers, in seasons of sharp trial,
 will be tempted to fret, distrust, and murmur. But in every
 trial we should cast our care upon the Lord, and pour out our
 hearts before him. We shall then find that a submissive will, a
 peaceful conscience, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost, will
 render the bitterest trial tolerable, yea, pleasant. Moses did
 what the people had neglected to do; he cried unto the Lord. And
 God provided graciously for them. He directed Moses to a tree
 which he cast into the waters, when, at once, they were made
 sweet. Some make this tree typical of the cross of Christ, which
 sweetens the bitter waters of affliction to all the faithful,
 and enables them to rejoice in tribulation. But a rebellious
 Israelite shall fare no better than a rebellious Egyptian. The
 threatening is implied only, the promise is expressed. God is
 the great Physician. If we are kept well, it is he that keeps
 us; if we are made well, it is he that recovers us. He is our
 life and the length of our days. Let us not forget that we are
 kept from destruction, and delivered from our enemies, to be the
 Lord's servants. At Elim they had good water, and enough of it.
 Though God may, for a time, order his people to encamp by the
 bitter waters of Marah, that shall not always be their lot. Let
 us not faint at tribulations.
09906
 * The Israelites come to the wilderness of Sin. They murmur for
 food, God promises bread from heaven. (1-12) God sends quails
 and manna. (13-21) Particulars respecting the manna. (22-31) An
 omer of manna to be preserved. (32-36)

 #1-12 The provisions of Israel, brought from Egypt, were spent
 by the middle of the second month, and they murmured. It is no
 new thing for the greatest kindness to be basely represented as
 the greatest injuries. They so far undervalue their deliverance,
 that they wished they had died in Egypt; and by the hand of the
 Lord, that is, by the plagues which cut off the Egyptians. We
 cannot suppose they had plenty in Egypt, nor could they fear
 dying for want in the wilderness, while they had flocks and
 herds: none talk more absurdly than murmurers. When we begin to
 fret, we ought to consider, that God hears all our murmurings.
 God promises a speedy and constant supply. He tried whether they
 would trust him, and rest satisfied with the bread of the day in
 its day. Thus he tried if they would serve him, and it appeared
 how ungrateful they were. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was
 to make them know he was their Lord; when he provided for the
 Israelites, it was to make them know he was their God.

09918
 #13-21 At evening the quails came up, and the people caught with
 ease as many as they needed. The manna came down in dew. They
 called it "Manna, Manhu," which means, "What is this?" "It is a
 portion; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we will
 take it, and be thankful." It was pleasant food; it was
 wholesome food. The manna was rained from heaven; it appeared,
 when the dew was gone, as a small round thing, as small as the
 hoar frost, like coriander seed, in colour like pearls. The
 manna fell only six days in the week, and in double quantity on
 the sixth day; it bred worms and became offensive if kept more
 than one day, excepting on the sabbath. The people had never
 seen it before. It could be ground in a mill, or beaten in a
 mortar, and was then made into cakes and baked. It continued the
 forty years the Israelites were in the wilderness, wherever they
 went, and ceased when they arrived in Canaan. All this shows how
 different it was from any thing found before, or found now. They
 were to gather the manna every morning. We are hereby taught, 1.
 To be prudent and diligent in providing food for ourselves and
 our households; with quietness working, and eating our own
 bread, not the bread of idleness or deceit. God's bounty leaves
 room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained; they
 must not eat till they have gathered. 2. To be content with
 enough. Those that have most, have for themselves but food and
 raiment; those that have least, generally have these; so that he
 who gathers much has nothing over, and he who gathers little has
 no lack. There is not such a disproportion between one and
 another in the enjoyment of the things of this life, as in the
 mere possession of them. 3. To depend upon Providence: let them
 sleep quietly, though they have no bread in their tents, nor in
 all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, would
 bring them in their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God's
 storehouse than their own, and would come thence sweeter and
 fresher. See here the folly of hoarding. The manna laid up by
 some, who thought themselves wiser, and better managers, than
 their neighbours, and who would provide lest it should fail next
 day, bred worms, and became good for nothing. That will prove to
 be most wasted, which is covetously and distrustfully spared.
 Such riches are corrupted, #Jas 5:2,3|. The same wisdom, power,
 and goodness that brought food daily from above for the
 Israelites in the wilderness, brings food yearly out of the
 earth in the constant course of nature, and gives us all things
 richly to enjoy.

09927
 #22-31 Here is mention of a seventh-day sabbath. It was known,
 not only before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai, but
 before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, even from the
 beginning, #Ge 2:3|. The setting apart one day in seven for holy
 work, and, in order to that, for holy rest, was ever since God
 created man upon the earth, and is the most ancient of the
 Divine laws. Appointing them to rest on the seventh day, he took
 care that they should be no losers by it; and none ever will be
 losers by serving God. On that day they were to fetch in enough
 for two days, and to make it ready. This directs us to contrive
 family affairs, so that they may hinder us as little as possible
 in the work of the sabbath. Works of necessity are to be done on
 that day; but it is desirable to have as little as may be to do,
 that we may apply ourselves the more closely to prepare for the
 life that is to come. When they kept manna against a command, it
 stank; when they kept it by a command, it was sweet and good;
 every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. On the
 seventh day God did not send the manna, therefore they must not
 expect it, nor go out to gather. This showed that it was
 produced by miracle.

09937
 #32-36 God having provided manna to be his people's food in the
 wilderness, the remembrance of it was to be preserved. Eaten
 bread must not be forgotten. God's miracles and mercies are to
 be had in remembrance. The word of God is the manna by which our
 souls are nourished, #Mt 4:4|. The comforts of the Spirit are
 hidden manna, #Re 2:17|. These come from heaven, as the manna
 did, and are the support and comfort of the Divine life in the
 soul, while we are in the wilderness of this world. Christ in
 the word is to be applied to the soul, and the means of grace
 are to be used. We must every one of us gather for ourselves,
 and gather in the morning of our days, the morning of our
 opportunities; which if we let slip, it may be too late to
 gather. The manna must not be hoarded up, but eaten; those who
 have received Christ, must by faith live upon him, and not
 receive his grace in vain. There was manna enough for all,
 enough for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is
 enough, but not more than we need. But those who ate manna,
 hungered again, died at last, and with many of them God was not
 well pleased; whereas they that feed on Christ by faith, shall
 never hunger, and shall die no more, and with them God will be
 for ever well pleased. Let us seek earnestly for the grace of
 the Holy Spirit, to turn all our knowledge of the doctrine of
 Christ crucified, into the spiritual nourishment of our souls by
 faith and love.
09942
 * The Israelites murmur for water at Rephidim, God sendeth it
 out of the rock. (1-7) Amalek overcome, The prayers of Moses.
 (8-16)

 #1-7 The children of Israel journeyed according to the
 commandment of the Lord, led by the pillar of cloud and fire,
 yet they came to a place where there was no water for them to
 drink. We may be in the way of duty, yet may meet with troubles,
 which Providence brings us into, for the trial of our faith, and
 that God may be glorified in our relief. They began to question
 whether God was with them or not. This is called their "tempting
 God," which signifies distrust of him after they had received
 such proofs of his power and goodness. Moses mildly answered
 them. It is folly to answer passion with passion; that makes bad
 worse. God graciously appeared to help them. How wonderful the
 patience and forbearance of God toward provoking sinners! That
 he might show his power as well as his pity, and make it a
 miracle of mercy, he gave them water out of a rock. God can open
 fountains for us where we least expect them. Those who, in this
 wilderness, keep to God's way, may trust him to provide for
 them. Also, let this direct us to depend on Christ's grace. The
 apostle says, that Rock was Christ, #1Co 10:4|, it was a type of
 him. While the curse of God might justly have been executed upon
 our guilty souls, behold the Son of God is smitten for us. Let
 us ask and receive. There was a constant, abundant supply of
 this water. Numerous as believers are, the supply of the Spirit
 of Christ is enough for all. The water flowed from the rock in
 streams to refresh the wilderness, and attended them on their
 way towards Canaan; and this water flows from Christ, through
 the ordinances, in the barren wilderness of this world, to
 refresh our souls, until we come to glory. A new name was given
 to the place, in remembrance, not of the mercy of their supply,
 but of the sin of their murmuring: "Massah," Temptation, because
 they tempted God; "Meribah," Strife, because they chid with
 Moses. Sin leaves a blot upon the name.

09949
 #8-16 Israel engaged with Amalek in their own necessary defence.
 God makes his people able, and calls them to various services
 for the good of his church. Joshua fights, Moses prays, both
 minister to Israel. The rod was held up, as the banner to
 encourage the soldiers. Also to God, by way of appeal to him.
 Moses was tired. The strongest arm will fail with being long
 held out; it is God only whose hand is stretched out still. We
 do not find that Joshua's hands were heavy in fighting, but
 Moses' hands were heavy in praying; the more spiritual any
 service is, the more apt we are to fail and flag in it. To
 convince Israel that the hand of Moses, whom they had been
 chiding, did more for their safety than their own hands, his rod
 than their sword, the success rises and falls as Moses lifts up
 or lets down his hands. The church's cause is more or less
 successful, as her friends are more or less strong in faith, and
 fervent in prayer. Moses, the man of God, is glad of help. We
 should not be shy, either of asking help from others, or of
 giving help to others. The hands of Moses being thus stayed,
 were steady till the going down of the sun. It was great
 encouragement to the people to see Joshua before them in the
 field of battle, and Moses above them on the hill. Christ is
 both to us; our Joshua, the Captain of our salvation, who fights
 our battles, and our Moses, who ever lives, making intercession
 above, that our faith fail not. Weapons formed against God's
 Israel cannot prosper long, and shall be broken at last. Moses
 must write what had been done, what Amalek had done against
 Israel; write their bitter hatred; write their cruel attempts;
 let them never be forgotten, nor what God had done for Israel in
 saving them from Amalek. Write what should be done; that in
 process of time Amalek should be totally ruined and rooted out.
 Amalek's destruction was typical of the destruction of all the
 enemies of Christ and his kingdom.