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before
they became HIS NATION
was the promise that HIS GOVERN–
MENT would protect its citizens
from need of going to w AR. That is
the OPEN PROMISE OF Goo, which
would apply to ANY nation. Later,
God offered the SAME government ,
and its protection and blessings, to
the first WORLD EMPIRE- tbe gen–
tile Chaldean empire under King
Nebuchadnezzar- as we shall see.
God plays no favorites. He does not
bless one nation and harm another
by his arbitrary choice.
But human nature is huma n
nature- and facts are facts . And
humanity had rebelled against
God from the beginning- before
the Flood, and after . the Flood.
From the time of the Tower of
Babel , men had
organized them–
selves
into nations, with HUMAN
ideas of government- CONTRARY
TO God's laws, and God' s govern–
ment over them. They had chosen
other gods!
Their religions were
empty superstitions. And they
were WAR-making kingdoms! God
had dealt in no unmistakable man–
ner with mankind, ever since cre–
ation!
No PEOPLE, except a downtrod–
den SLAVE people in bondage,
would have made the CHOICE to say
to God, "All that the Lord hath
said, will we do and be obedient."
Not only had this enlarged fami–
ly of l sraelites been suffering under
the lash of slavery, but God had
OEMONSTRATED to them HIS
POWER- and HIS LOVE in outgoing
concern for them, by delivering
them from slavery by SPECTACU–
LAR MIRACLES!
By the miracles in PLAGUES upon
the Egyptians , God had fr eed
them.
Human Natura at Work
And HUMAN NATURE? Yes, these
lsraelites were full of it!
WHY do world leaders, scientis ts
and educators even today reject
God, and ply their trades, profes–
sions and interests
as
if
God did
not exis t?
God himself tells us- in
HJS woRo to mankind: "Because
the carnal mind [human nature] is
enmity [hos tile] against God: for it
is not subject to the LAw of God,
neither indeed can be" (Rom.
8:7).
These Israelites, even while
February 1982
being blessed and delivered by God
with MIRACLES, s till were rebel–
lious.
Even before they had reached
Sinai a chain of s ignificant inci–
dents occurred. After the MJRACLES
God had performed in FREEJNG
them from slavery in Egypt, pro–
tecting them , blessing them,
FJGHTJNG their military battle for
them, leading them miraculously
by a cloud by day and pillar of fire
by night , these people began to
gripe, grumble, complain and mso–
BEY God. Even in the face of such
incredible MIRACLES, they began,
even then, to LOSE FAITH.
These people- 600,000 men ,
beside women and children--came
There
1s
a cause
for every
effect- yet our
whole society
and way of life
today is based on
treating the
effect, ignoring
the .cause!
' '
to the Red Sea. There were no
ships, no bridges. They coul<;l not
swim such a distance . They could
not walk on the water. They were
STOPPED by this obstacle beyond
their own power.
They looked, and within eye–
s ight, Pharaoh's ARMY was coming
after them.
Right here,
before
they reached
Mt.
Sinai - before
they heard
God's own great voice thundering
his Ten Commandments- God
demonstrated
the pattern he would
follow in preserving his people
from having to undergo military
service or fighting in war or taking
human Jjfe!
Here is God's
living
EXAMPLE
NUMBER ONE!
Yet even here, the people of
Israel, in fright, grumbled, com-
plained, accused- Jacked faith in
God.
These lsraelites had
started
out
of Egypt "with a high hand" (Ex .
14:8) . " But the Egyptians pursued
after them, all the horses and char–
iots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen,
and his
ARMY, and overtook them
encamping by the sea... . And
when Pharaoh drew nigh, the chil–
dren of Israel lifted up their eyes,
and , behold , the Egypti a n s
marched after them; and they were
sore afraid: and the children of
Is rael cried out unto the Lord. And
they said unto Moses, Because
there were no graves in Egypt , hast
thou t aken us away to die in the
wilderness? wherefore hast thou
dealt with us, to carry us forth out
of Egypt? Is not this the word that
we did tell thee in Egypt, saying,
Let us alone, that we may serve the
Egyptians? For it had been better
for us to serve the Egyptians, than
that we should die in the wilder–
ness" (Ex. 14:9-12).
But God's PURPOSE was not to be
defeated . He PURPOSED to deliver
them out of Egyptian slavery. He
PURPOSED to
show them
and
al/
nations
and all humanity that HE
would fight their battles for them.
So, in spite of their faithless com–
plaining in this initial EXAMPLE of
God's faithfu1ness, he was deter–
mined to fight their battle and save
them.
"And M os es said unto the
people, Fear ye not, stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord, which
HE WJLL SHEW TO YOU to–
day ...
The Lord sha/1 fight for
you, and ye sha/1 hold your peace"
(verses 13- 14).
The Js r aelites were not to
figbt- but STAND STILL! Tbey were
to
see
God save them from Pha–
raoh's ARMY. God was going to
SHOW THEM that he would fight
their wars for them! They were to
remain at PEACE!
How GOD Flghts for Usl
Then God's angel moved behind
the Israelites, and the great dark
cloud moved between them and
the Egyptian army. It held the
Egyptia n army from attacking
Israel all night, but illuminated
the way before Is rael. Then God
parted the waters of the sea, hold–
ing them back by divine MIRACLE,
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