Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-06-13
THE SUNDAY. SCHOOL ,'lj,i. =
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
ENTs FOR JUNE 10, BY THE
~. REV. I. w. HENDERSON.

Subject: Israel's Escape From Egypt,
Elk. 14:13-27-Golden Text: Elk.
14:3O-Memory Verses, Is, II
commentary.
God not only delivered Israel from
the evil that fell upon the first born
Of the Egyptians but He also deliv-
cred them altogether out of the
hands Of Pharaoh and his heavy
handed taskmasters.
The circumstances OF this escape
Of the children of Israel from Egypt
are memorable. They are worthy of
study. For they reveal to us many
strictly human characteristics and
other characteristics that are divine.
All went we'll with the children of
Israel as they journeyed through the
desert to the borders of the Red Sea
until Pharaoh doomed up behind with
his chariots and his warriors. Then
terror took possession of Gods peo-
pie. They lost sight of the fact that
God was still with them although
Pharaoh with a mighty army was
at their heels. They lost sight of
the pillar that by night and by day
had gone ahead of them. They for
got that they were led of God and
that His arm was mightier than the
arms of the Egyptian hosts. They
forgot that God had promised to see
them through with this expedition to
the end. And 1t is not strange. To
get square view of the enemy they
had to turn their backs on God. And
whenever any man turns his back on
God and then tries his courage
against the hosts that so sorely be-
set him he becomes afraid. The on
~ way In which we can fight sin sue
cessfully is to keep our eye fixed on
God. Israel was blissfully unconsci-
Gus of the nearness and the power
of the enemy until she turned her
face from the front and looked back
ward. And so we If we are to march
out of sin into the Holy Land of
Gods Kingdom must contemplate
God more and sin less. The Chris
tian life Is as much remuneration
as it is warfare. 1t is as much the
steadfast following of light as it
is running away from or fighting
against darkness and sin.
1.-The Lord shall fight for you"
That would have made better
Golden Text. This is the inspiration
of every Christian. The Lord shall
fight for us. What weaklings we
should be were 1t not for God. How
little we should accomplish were it
not for the empowering of God. How
futile all our efforts would be were
we desc ted of God and left to our
selves. The knowledge that God
fights for us and that we are in
spired and led of Him is the main
stay of the Christian heart. We
should be helpless were 1t not for
this.
True as 1t is that we are guarded
and shepherded of God it is no less
true that we have to do much for
ourselves. In all the dealings Of
God with Israel we find that He in
sists that they shall do something as
well as He Moses had told them that
God would fight for them. 1t was a
great truth. But when God COM
manded Moses to order Israel to go
ahead and keep their eyes to the
front and leave the rear guard to
Him he declared a truth equally as
important. For Gods victory would
have been harder won II they had
sary that they should go through the
Red Sea. 1t was necessary that they
should move on. That is to say that
it was not so much time for dec
larations and for prayer as for ac-
ton. And so, with all of us, the
time comes when we must place the
emphasis not so much on talk and
on prayer as on work. Pharaon
might easily have overtaken a pray
ing Israel that stood still; but he
found 1t an impossible task to catch
up with a God-fearing Israel that
kept on the move. That Moses
should pray and that the people
should stop to consider and to de-
bate was perfectly human. But God 8
plan was different. The time was
one for motion rather than for pray
er. And this is lesson that we all
ought to learn, the lesson OF reinforc-
ing our prayers with constructive ac-
tivity. We should go further and
accomplish more and be less vulnera-
BILE to the onslaughts of sin If we
were always certain to reinforce our
prayers with good wholesome prog
ressive activity in the interests OF
God and of His kingdom.
The tenacity and steadfastness OF
Jehovah are worthy of comment.
God gave His promise to Israel that
He would see them safely out OF the
hands of the Egyptians. When the
host OF the Pharaoh drew near Goa
did not desert them. Although the
Israelites grew frightened God was
not terrified. He did not desert
them. He kept His word with them.
The pillar that by day and by night
had gone ahead of them as guide
was transferred to their rearguard
as a defense against the enemy. God
not only guided them but He pro-
tected them He was tenacious.
When they grew weak and lost cour-
age God was strong. When they
yaCillated God was steadfast. AL
though they doubted Him He did
not leave them. He stood by them
to the end. Having decided and
promised to see Israel in safety out
of Egypt God carried His work to
completion. This is ever the charac-
teristic of the divine working. How
ever languid we may become, how
ever our courage may wane, however
much we may be terrified by the hosts
of sin He never deserts us. He never
fails us. He always has opened and
He always will open a way of escape
unto us If we will but trust Him and
do His will.