3. Spiritual Refreshment
The third thing in Exodus 15, is the spiritual refreshment Christ provides for true souls who have known what Marah means in the wilderness. In Elim we find the Good Shepherd leading His flock in the green pastures, and by the still waters. Here is an oasis in a desert. And what oasis does Christ provide for His pilgrims in this world? Truly that of Christian fellowship: these are our Elims. What a blessed time we have when a few of us who are really seeking to follow Christ, can get together beneath the sheltering palm trees, and draw fresh strength from the wells of the water of life. Many a one has called these happy Elims, “foretastes of heaven,” as they have enjoyed the— “Sweet bonds that unite all the children of grace.” Alas! that strife and discord should so often mar what our Lord has provided for our rest and refreshment.
4. Wilderness Food
The fourth thing we notice is in the next chapter, and that is the food for the wilderness. Our bread is the manna that is sent down from heaven. In the deliverance from Egypt, Christ is fed upon as the lamb roast with fire—our Substitute and Saviour; in Canaan we get Him as the old corn of the land—our glorified and exalted Lord, and it is worthy of observation that we never find the Israelites of old loathing either of these two foods. It is the manna—Christ in His humiliation and rejection, that is considered “light food.” It is this “bread from heaven” that is the test for each of our hearts today as to whether we have been so truly won by His love as to esteem a path of rejection with Him, better than all the “leaks and cucumbers” of Egypt.
Surely, too, we may learn an important wilderness lesson from the fact that this precious bread was gathered freshly every morning before the sun was up, so those find now who spend “an hour with Jesus” before the bustle of daily life has begun; that the sweetest and most strengthening food is then gathered and stored. As has been so well said by another, “If I sincerely desire to grow in the divine life — if my one grand object is to be assimilated and devoted to Christ — I shall without doubt seek continually that character of nourishment which is designed by God to promote my spiritual growth. It is plain that a man’s acts are always the truest index of his desires and purposes. Hence, if I find a professing Christian neglecting his Bible, yet finding abundance of time — yea, some of his choicest hours — for the newspaper, I can be at no loss to decide as to the true condition of his soul. I am sure he cannot be spiritual — cannot be feeding upon, living for, or witnessing to, Christ.
5. Streams in the Desert
The fifth point we may observe is the refreshing stream that pours out of the riven rock in accordance with the well known passage in John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37), “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.” Surely, if in the manna we have a picture of the humbled Christ as our food, here we have the indwelling Spirit who is with us throughout our wilderness journey, one of the blessed results and fruits of the death and glorification of Christ (John 7:3939(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)). The rock is Christ (1 Cor. 10:44And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)). The waters, doubtless, here as elsewhere, are typical of the Holy Spirit, who is the refreshment and source of power and blessing, not only for ourselves, but others, down here. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” He is here to testify of Christ, but He can only testify to ready and listening ears. He is here to guide us into all truth, but only those who have willing feet and subject hearts. This water, too, unlike that in Exodus 16, is not for our own refreshment alone, but is to run out from us, so that we ourselves, as filled with the Spirit, are to be as streams in the desert. Thus far we have traced the believer — a song of joy in his mouth — the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings known to his heart — enjoying Christian fellowship — feeding on a humbled Christ — and refreshed by an indwelling Spirit.
6. Wilderness Conflict
Now we come sixthly to Amalek, a picture of the flesh energized by Satan, who is ever walking about, ready to snap up any who are weak and ready to halt. We feel that it is quite impossible in the limits of a short paper to do more than just touch on this most important theme. It will be noticed that the victory in this case (Ex. 17) was obtained by two means; the one, the intercession of Christ on high, and the other, the resistance in the power of the Spirit (Joshua) down here. Now both of these are necessary if we are to overcome our adversary. In Peter’s case, the intercession of Christ that his faith might not fail, was fully answered, but on account of the want of his active resistance against the enemy, he failed. The resistance down here would be valueless, were it not for the uplifted hands on high; at the same time we are to resist the Devil, and the Spirit in us lusts (or fights) against the flesh, that we may not do the things that we would. Christ will not fail in His part, blessed be His name, but how often do we fail in practically resisting the assaults of the enemy.
7. Water for Defiled Feet
The last, or seventh thing we have to notice is the provision made in case of defilement in the wilderness journey. We refer to Numbers 19, which answers in type to 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). This is cleansing by water, not by blood, but it is water which contains and brings home to our hearts the memorials of the death of Christ, (the ashes of the heifer) teaching us that restoration to communion, after getting astray, is not by a fresh application of the blood of Christ, (which is quite an unscriptural thought) but a bringing home to our hearts by the Word of God (the water, see John 13) the power of the death of Christ, which we, in our self-will had forgotten. It is thus that Christ Himself, in His perfect love, washes our feet when defiled with the wilderness journey.
We leave these blessed subjects with these few words, but enough has been said to show something of the perfect provision of our Lord for the wilderness journey, and thus cause our hearts to flow out in fresh praise to Him.
Just think the whole subject over, beloved reader, and you will find that Christ is with us at every step. We meet Him first in Egypt, in the blood of the Lamb; next, in the delivering power of the Red Sea; next, in the power of His cross; then, in His gracious provision for our refreshment; next, as the Manna; then, as the Rock; then, as our Intercessor up on high; and, lastly, in His wondrous love in following us when we go astray, and restoring our souls by the washing of water by the Word. The end of all being to meet His own glorious Self on the cloud when all the journey will be over forever, and we shall praise forevermore the grace that has carried us on eagles’ wings, and at last brought us home to Himself.
(Continued from Volume 1)