Without problems, would we see the victories of God?
The
children of Israel greatly rejoiced when God brought them through the
Red Sea and when God drowned Pharaoh and his men in the Red Sea.
Exodus 15
2 The LORD is my strength and song, and HE is become my salvation: HE is my God, and I will prepare HIM an habitation (making myself ready for God to live in me); MY father's God, and I will exalt HIM.
3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is HIS name.
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4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath HE cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6 THY right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: THY right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of Thine excellency THOU hast overthrown them that rose up against THEE: THOU sentest forth THY wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8 And with the blast of THY nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10 THOU didst blow with THY wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
(One puff from GOD and they, the enemy, were finished.)
11 Who is like unto THEE, O LORD, among the gods? who is like THEE, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out THY right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 THOU in THY mercy hast led forth the people which THOU hast redeemed: THOU hast guided them in THY strength unto THY holy habitation.
14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of THINE arm they shall be as still as a stone; till THY people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which THOU hast purchased.
17 THOU shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of THINE inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which THOU hast made for THEE to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which THY hands have established.
11 Who is like unto THEE, O LORD, among the gods? who is like THEE, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 Thou stretchedst out THY right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13 THOU in THY mercy hast led forth the people which THOU hast redeemed: THOU hast guided them in THY strength unto THY holy habitation.
14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of THINE arm they shall be as still as a stone; till THY people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which THOU hast purchased.
17 THOU shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of THINE inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which THOU hast made for THEE to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which THY hands have established.
Isn't
it the same with us, the born again church today? Doesn't our faith in
God increase as we read these Old Testament examples which show God
dealing with HIS people?
God
will deliver the New Testament church which is born again and take them
to the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness
which HE has created for the elect of God.
Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God HIMSELF shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God HIMSELF shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
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These bodies we have now will not go into heaven with us. We will be changed into new spiritual bodies.
I Corinthians 15
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(Blink: That is how quickly we will be changed into our new spiritual bodies.)
These current bodies experience physical pain and sorrow, emotions of the flesh.
In
the new heaven and new earth, the "new" Jerusalem, there will be no
more pain nor sorrow because we will not have these fleshly bodies
whereby pain and sorrow occur.
19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for HE hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
Then immediately there was a problem in the wilderness.
Exodus 15
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures: HE leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 HE restoreth my soul: HE leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for THOU art with me; THY rod and THY staff they comfort me.
5 THOU preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: THOU anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
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Exodus 15
18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
(A
man once said to me that Pharaoh didn't drown because the Cecile B.
Demille, movie, The Ten Commandments", showed Pharaoh standing on the
banks when the Red Sea came back to normal. I took a Bible and read to
him Exodus 15:19 For
the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen
into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon
them; Then I said, "Now what do you think?" He replied, "Pharaoh died in the Red Sea." You cannot get your Bible doctrine from such things as Hollywood movies.)
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Exodus 15
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for HE hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath HE thrown into the sea.
Seeing their enemies, the Egyptians destroyed, caused them to rejoice greatly.
Their problems on this earth were now ended!
They started forth in peace and joy ... through the wilderness.
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Then immediately there was a problem in the wilderness.
Exodus 15
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
(Murmured: complained)
The
children of Israel should have known it was GOD leading them for they
witnessed the miracles of GOD which HE performed in Egypt to get them
free from the Egyptians. None but GOD could do such things.
GOD was leading them through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night to show them exactly where to go.
Wouldn't GOD be able to provide for HIS people in the wilderness?
Don't we today have faith in GOD based on those things we have seen GOD do for us in the past?
25 And he (Moses) cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet:
25 And he (Moses) cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet:
There HE made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there HE proved them,
26 And said,
26 And said,
If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in HIS sight,
and wilt give ear to HIS commandments, and keep all HIS statutes, I
will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the
Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
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These Old Testament examples teach us today:
We
go forth on this earth in great peace and joy in God ... Then a problem
surfaces ... We are troubled ... We call on God for help ... God shows
us what to do in the problem ... We do that which God shows us and it
works and we again rejoice that God helped us in the problem ... We are
again going forward in peace and joy, resting in God ... Then a problem
surfaces ...
Thus the apostle Paul says:
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (The Word).
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (The Word).
Psalm 23
2 HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures: HE leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 HE restoreth my soul: HE leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for THOU art with me; THY rod and THY staff they comfort me.
5 THOU preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: THOU anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
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