Bible Talks

AFTER the children of Israel had sung the song of Moses, then Miriam gathered all the women together and they sang with her. Her song did not go as far as that of Moses, in that she did not see the full extent of the blessings which God had in store for His people. Miriam's song was accompanied with timbrel and the dance and sometimes when we become occupied with the melody or music we fall short of the blessings. The tunes of the hymns which express the deepest truths, are sometimes not as pleasing to the ear, and perhaps do not go along so well with the idea of the "timbre] and dance," but the melody God hears is in the heart. He wants to hear it today, dear young Christian. Have you sung His praises today?
All this rejoicing was followed by a three days' march, during which they did not find any water to drink. After a time of great rejoicing sometimes God tests us, as He did the Israelites. To march three days without a drink was surely a hard test, but at last some water came in view. We can just see them all running to get a refreshing drink, but imagine their disappointment when they found that the waters were bitter! Have you and I found it that way at some time in our journey? I am sure we have. And what did we do? Did we murmur as the Israelites in our chapter? Surely murmuring has never made bitter waters sweet, and it never will. But Moses did not murmur: he asked the Lord what to do, and He told him. We will never get the blessing by murmuring or by turning away from the Lord. We must turn to Him. The Lord told Moses to take a certain tree and cast it into the water, and when he did, they became sweet. Surely, we can see a blessed picture of Christ in all this, for it is only as we bring Christ, in His death for us, into the sorrows and trials of this scene of death, that they can actually be made sweet—they can be turned into a blessing for us. This lesson must be learned by every child of God today, just as it had to be learned by the Israelites. As soon as they had learned it, then they came to Elim. The waters were not bitter there, and there was plenty for all. There were twelve wells—one for each tribe, and seventy palm trees—one for each year of our lives—and they encamped there. May we too learn that there is blessed refreshment for us all the way along our journey through this wilderness world. The Lord Jesus said, "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14). Just as He gave us a drink of the water of life when we came to Him as thirsty sinners, so we can drink again and again each day of our lives. And then in the glory above, we shall find that "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Rev. 22:11And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1).
God promised the children of Israel that if they walked in His ways, He would not put any of the diseases of the Egyptians upon them; but they failed grievously, and became subject to all those terrible diseases from which the Egyptians suffered. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He proved Himself to be the Healer of His people, but they would not have Him. Now we have no promise of deliverance from disease, (although God makes all things work together for good for those who love Him, Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)) , but our blessings are heavenly, and we know that no sickness shall enter our home above.
Messages of God’s Love 6/5/1949