303. When Israel, by Divine Command
C.M.
by J. Newton
When Israel, by divine command,
The pathless desert trod,
They found, throughout the barren land,
“And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 6:13)
“Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.” (Exodus 7:2)
A cloudy pillar marked the road,
And screened them from the heat;
From the hard rock the water flowed,
And manna was their meat.
“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)
“Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end.” (Deuteronomy 8:15-16)
Like them, we have a rest in view,
Secure from hostile powers:
Like them, we pass a desert too,
But Israel’s God is ours.
“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” (Hebrews 4:9)
“And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.” (Psalm 78:53)
“Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” (Romans 3:29)
His Word a light before us spreads,
By which our path we see;
His love, a banner o’er our heads,
From harm preserves us free.
“NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4)
Jesus, the Bread of life, is given
Within us dwells that well from heaven,
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
“In 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. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (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 7:37-39)
Lord, ’tis enough, we ask no more;
Thy grace around us pours
Its rich and unexhausted store,
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” (Ephesians 2:4)
“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)
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