The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-20
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The Mamma From Heaven
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Jesus said unto them. am the Bread
of Life John 6:S5.
Realizing both their deliversnce from
bondage and the Divine providence ex-
ereised in their behalf in the overthrow
of the Egyptian army, the Israelites
were joyful. Moses composed a poem
of recognized high standard The men
ehanted it after Moses; and the women,
under the leadership of Miriam, Moses
sister, took their timbrels, or tambourines
and joined in a chorus, their bodies
swayiug and their feet moving rhythmi-
cally in what Is described as a dance.
Singing songs of praise constitutes one
of the most interesting and profitable
methods of worship But we may be sure
that they are acceptable to God only as
they truly represent the heart sentiments.
We fear. alas that many hymns, like
many prayers, never rise higher than the
heads of the offerers; indeed. we have
sometimes feared that careless, irrever-
ent singing might really be resented by
the Lord as profanity-taking His holy
name in vain. If SO, the results would he
the very reverse of a blessing, and that
in proportion as the singer comprehended
the implety of his course. 1.-THE Lord
will not hold him guiltless that taketh
His name in vain"
| We do not mean by this that any un-
just or cruel torments, future or present,
would be the. penalty; but that such
course reacts upon the irreverent heart
influence of Divine grace All! if all
Christians sang with the spirit and under
ufa or,l Al
the heavenly echoes and fragrance would
be the more acceptable to God.
Bitter Waters, Then an Oasis
The Journey toward the Land of PROM
ise began. AT length. fatigued and thirsty
they came to a fertile spot, where there
was an abundance of water; but alas, 1t
was bitter or brackishl The disappoint-
ment was great. The people murmured
against Moses for bringing them from the
land of plenty into the wilderness, TO die
there of hunger and thirst.
The Lords wisdom guided Moses TO a
certain kind of tree, which. put into the
water, made it sweet and palatable Moses
explained to the people that in murmur-
ing against him they were really murmur-
ling against God; for he was merely God 8
agent. further journey brought them
to Elm, q delightful spot, where they
rested ana were freshed
The scriptures explain that God had a
special purpose in this leading of natural
Israel. He was teaching them helpful les
sons which, rightly received. would pre-
pare them, through faith and obedience,
for Canaan.
The lesson for Spiritual Israel is still
more important. If Natural Israel needed
heart development and faith as a prep
aration for the earthly Canaan, how much
more do Spiritual Isrealites require for
the heavenly Canaan Can we wonder
that God permits many trying expert
ences to come to Spiritual Israel-trials
OF faith and patience-"bitter waters
Any saint of God may have tears in the
trying experiences of the narrow way,
but none is excusable for murmurins.
Rather, each should say with the Master
THE Guy which My Father hath poured
shall | not drink it?"
''It is What?"-It is Mamma
When the Israelites murmured against
God and Moses His mouthpiece and serv-
ant, it was because of insufficient faith
Those who truly believed in the Divine
providence which had preserved them
from the plaques of Egypt and hao
brought them through the Red Sea- would
reason that God would not leave them tC
starve in the wilderness. But the ma
iority evidently murmured through lacl
, of faith.
So it is today AS st. Paul declares
"All men have not faith" We do 10
, blame them for this. Evidently birth
, early training and larger experiences give
some a great advantage over Others sc
far as this age is concerned; for God has
ordained that the message of the present
time shall be for those who have the ear
of faith. Whoever has an ear for God
message and can exercise faith has q
great blessing and election sure under the
call of the gospel age.
We thank God that His word teaches
of an age to come. wherein Messiah will
bless with precious opportunities those
who have not the hearing ear and re-
sponsive heart in the present time. We
thank God that His word expressly de
clares that in the millenniai age all blino
eyes shall be opened and all deaf ears
shall be unstopped. Then will be fulfilled
the scripture that Jesus is the true light
which eventually must tighten every mar
that cometh into the world.-John 1:9.
In answer to the murmuring of Israel
God sent that same night a great guam
tity of quail One of the accounts of this
wonderful supply of quail has been criti-
cised by some agnostics who thought that
it meant that the quails covered the
ground to a depth of nearly five feet. Tho
explanation is that quail flying across
the Gulf of Suez. in their weariness flew
close to the ground-within about five feet
and thus We're easily captured in large
numbers
God promised that on the following day
the Israelites should have plenty of bread
In the morning the ground was covered
with small particles, whttish in appear
ance, a little larger than mustard seed
and tasting like honey wafer. This was
to be their daily supply 1t required gath
ering and preparations and this gave
them all employment, without which they
would not have been happy. There was
a certain amount apportioned to each
individual.
A lesson Of generosity went with the
mama; for whatever portion was kept
over TO the following day corrupted Moth
ing of the kind was known to the Israel
ties: and they asked. What is it?" This
became its name What is it?'-or that
mama" The satherng of II helped them
to remember the Sabbath also; for none
fell on the Sabbath, but a double portion
over that night did not corrupt
The Bread From Heaven
Jesus reminded His followers of that
mamma given in the wilderness, and de-
clared that 1t typified Himself. the true
Bread AS the Israelites would have per-
ished without food. SO Spiritual Tsraelites
would not have sufficient strength for the
tourney without the heavenly food.
Iesus gave Himself the title OF The Truth.
Whoever therefore eats of this bread
from heaven nartakes of the truth.
"sanctifv them through Thy Truth; Thy
Word is Truth" Only bv partaking daily