_Praise ye the Lord._ THE TRUE IN PRAISE, RELIGION, AND PRAYER I. True. Praise and its reasons (verses 1, 2). This call to praise Jehovah is binding on all intelligent and moral creatures, because of-- 1. The goodness of His nature. 2. The permanency of His mercy. 3. The immensity of His works.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people._ SHARING THE BLESSINGS OF GOD’S PEOPLE I. Who the lord’s people are. They are a people who, deeply sensible of their own guiltiness and vileness, rest simply upon Jesus as their Saviour from the wrath to come. They are a peop... [ Continue Reading ]
_Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt._ SIN: ITS SPRING-HEAD, STREAM, AND SEA Great things, whether good or evil, begin with littles. The river that rolls its mighty volume to the sea was once a tiny brook; nay, it started as a spring-head, where the child stooped down to drink, and, wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake._ WHY ARE MEN SAVED? I. A glorious Saviour--“He saved them.” Who is to be understood by that pronoun “he”? Possibly many may answer, “Why, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of men.” Right; but not all the truth. Jesus Christ is the Saviour; but not... [ Continue Reading ]
_He rebuked the:Red Sea also._ ISRAEL AT THE RED SEA No doubt the children of Israel supposed that now all was over; the Egyptians had sent them away, entreating them to depart, and loading them with riches. They said within themselves, “We shall now march to Canaan at once; there will be no more... [ Continue Reading ]
_They soon forgat His works._ GOD’S PRAISES SUNG; HIS WORKS FORGOTTEN The conduct of the Israelites, as here described, affords a striking exemplification of that spurious gratitude, which often bursts forth in a sudden flash, when dreaded evils are averted, or unexpected favours bestowed; but exp... [ Continue Reading ]
_They envied Moses._ RELIGIOUS ENVY AND ITS DOOM I. Religious envy. 1. Envy is the chief in many respects of the principalities and powers of darkness in the soul. 2. But for many reasons religious envy is the worst kind of envy. (1) It is the most unreasonable. For in religious possessions the... [ Continue Reading ]
_They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image._ THE IDOLATRY OF MAN AND THE INDIGNATION OF HEAVEN I. The idolatry of man (verses 19, 20). 1. The strength of the religious instinct. Man must have a God. If he loses the true one, he will create a false one. 2. An unrighteous complian... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, they despised the pleasant land._ THE PERSISTENCY OF SIN, THE RETRIBUTION OF GOD, AND THE INFLUENCE OF SAINTS I. The awful persistency of sin (verses 24, 25, 28). You may reason with the sinner, convince him both of the folly and wrongness of his conduct. Trial after trial may come down upon... [ Continue Reading ]
_They angered Him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes._ A GOOD MAN SUFFERING FOR A COMMUNITY, AND A COMMUNITY PURSUING ITS WAY TO DESTRUCTION I. A good man suffering for the wrongs of a community (verses 32, 33; Numbers 20:3; Numbers 20:10; Numbers 20:13).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled._ FOUR SOLEMN THOUGHTS CONCERNING GOD I. God’s abhorrence of men’s sins (verse 40). God’s wrath or anger is not a malign passion, but a benevolent principle, antagonism to wrong. Do not blame the sun or the moon because of the shadows they throw upon th... [ Continue Reading ]
_He remembered for them His covenant._ GOD’S REMEMBRANCE OF HIS COVENANT I. Then the covenant exists. 1. The covenant is in its own nature everlasting. By everything that is permanent in the universe, and by everything that is permanent in the Godhead, we are made to know that the covenant of gra... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let all the people say, Amen._ AMEN The word Amen has a history full of instruction and interest. Its original meaning had reference to the material. It signified firm, durable, lasting. “I will build him a sure house.” “His waters shall be sure.” In course of time, like other words, Amen came to... [ Continue Reading ]