The LORD of hosts is with us!

"Is the LORD among us or not?" -Exodus 17:7 [KJV]

A very awful question to proceed from the lips of any child of God. What was the cause of it? Why, the Lord tried their faith. That fails them: nature murmurs: the flesh wants gratification: they are athirst: they tempt the Lord: they chide Moses: he is in distress: he cries to the Lord, “What shall I do unto this people? they be ready to stone me.” Mr. Henry judiciously observes here, “They do in effect suppose, that Moses was an impostor: Aaron a deceiver: the pillar of cloud and fire a mere sham and illusion, which had imposed on their senses; that long series of miracles, which had saved, rescued, and fed them, a chain of cheats; and the promise of Canaan, a banter upon them. 

It was all so, if the Lord was not among them. Observe, it is a great provocation to God for us to question His presence, providence, or promise; especially for His people to do it, who are so much obliged to trust Him. Well might Moses call this place Massah and Meribah, that is, temptation and strife. Disciple, wast thou never at Massah and Meribah? Did you never tempt your God, by forgetting His past dealings of love and favour to you—passing over the sweet experiences of thy soul, in former days of light and liberty, peace and love, calling all in question, and ready to set all down as mere delusions? 

Hast thou not been ready to question whether the Lord is with thee or not? O if thou hast not, I know one who has, and with grief of soul testifies of it: with shame of face confesses it, and with humble prayer would cry, God be merciful to me a sinner! O how trying this to a God of patience! How dishonouring this to a God of love! But His patience fails not: his love never changes; his mercy endureth for ever. May this shame our unbelief. Again, wast thou never at Meribah? At the waters of strife? 

Hast thou not contended with the Lord’s prophets, as though they had invited thee from the land of nature, into the wilderness, to die for thirst after the waters of salvation? Hast not thou with the Psalmist, said in thy heart, “All men are liars?” (Psalm 116:11.) God has forgotten to be gracious. His promise is to come to an end for ever. 

I shall never see the light of the living. I know who can hold up his hand, and plead guilty. O let us rebuke ourselves for our unbelief: cry to the Lord for pardon, and to strengthen our faith. And instead of questioning, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Let us in faith confess, The LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Psalm 46:7. 

 

Thou art, O Lord, my soul’s relief, 

Thou hast me bless’d with grace: 

Forgive my sins, my unbelief, 

Shew me Thy loving face. 

Thy patience, Lord, I oft have tried, 

But yet am out of hell: 

Where can I find such love beside, 

Matchless, unsearchable!

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s
Read more

Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 04 October, 2023 A.D.

" All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient." —I Corinthians 6:12 [KJV] The constraints of love and jealousy of fear sweetly unite in the believing heart. Where the faith of Jesus prevails, love constrains. It holds and keeps us in our station and duty, as soldiers are kept together under a banner or ensign displayed. What cheerfulness and activity of soul do we experience, when we can say with the church in the Canticles (Songs of Solomon), ch. 2, vs4. "Jesus' banner over me was love!" Then how sweetly do we judge and determine our conduct by the law of Christ, which is LOVE!  This excites a godly fear lest we should allow ourselves a latitude in things in themselves indifferent, to the wounding and hurt of our souls or our fellow-soldiers. Though all things of an indifferent nature, which are innocent in themselves, are lawful to us; yet the cause and interest of our dear Saviour, and the good and edifying of His beloved memb
Read more

JESUS - Rock of Ages

Jesus remains the same in all ages. He is the One who is constant when everything and everyone else fails. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is our R ock [I SAMUEL 2:2 ] . In the Old Testament, in Exodus 33, Jesus is pictured as the Cleft Rock. In that chapter, verse 18 and following, Moses desired to see the glory of the Lord, but was told, "You cannot see My face; for there shall no man see My face and live.” And the Lord said, “There is a place by Me, and you shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by." Notice that as Moses stood upon the rock, the Lord hid him in the cleft. This wonderfully applies to us today! Believers are both standing on and hidden in Christ [COLOSSIANS 3:3 ] . We are both in and on the Rock. As life with its many bitter events presses upon us,
Read more