THE WARS OF THE LORD (1)
THE WARS OF THE LORD (1)
JT In taking up this subject of war, we have, as in all others, to learn from God. This chapter, it seems to me, affords a good beginning, because in it we have God presented as in war. We learn from God as to everything, through Christ, and in this chapter God is definitely called a “Man of war” — not a God of war.
JS Why a “Man of war”?
JT I think it is to bring the thought down to our understanding. Exodus is a foundational book in which the young believer is contemplated. The earlier chapters have young believers in view, and so in this section the children of Israel are led away from war; that is, from war with certain enemies, such as the Philistines; they are deliberately led of God away from these out of consideration for His people. In the first conflict the young believer is contemplated as being fought for — somebody is fighting for him. But in chapter 17 he is attacked, and is called upon to fight. Here he is deliberately kept out of it by God’s wise leadership, until he is equal for war. Therefore it seems to me that the book is foundational as to this subject, as it is to other subjects, but to this one particularly, as indicating how young believers are fought for by God in delivering them out of Egypt. He overthrows our enemies in our sight, and in that way we learn war objectively. Numbers will bring out how we are brought into it formally, we are enrolled as we reach manhood. But this book shows what God does for us in a military sense and how He does it.
[p. 223] AMcN What you are expressing would fit in with the word in chapter 14:14: “Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall be still”.
JT That is the thought exactly. It helps as to what we have said: the song celebrates God’s military power, and so we are told in chapter 13:17 that as Pharaoh is obliged to release the people that God led them, and He led them in a most considerate way. Perhaps we have never heard of a military leader exercising such consideration for his army, in that He leads them away from a certain kind of war, so that they might not be discouraged by engaging in it; yet they are to see the most wonderful exploits of war in Another, even in God Himself!
CAM It is remarkable that they came out in “rank”.
JT It says “the children of Israel went arrayed out” (footnote, N.T., “five in a rank”). It does not say they were told to fall into line in that way, but I suppose the military instinct is recognised in what they did. They realised that this was the best way to move, and this is easily understood spiritually.
ANW Would you make a suggestion as to the distinction between scattered battles and war? Regular warfare by the saints is not seen in Genesis.
JT We see in Genesis usually the outcome of divine work in men’s souls; what they do is viewed in that way, so that the first real military exploit is that of Abraham, and the significance of it is that it was to recover a brother. That is a very good start, in which he succeeded.
ABP Is there any suggestion in the five in rank, in that they did it of their own accord? Would it suggest they felt their weakness?
JT You refer to the numeral five? No doubt. I think it is the outcome of the divine work in young souls coming out of the world, they see that they ought to move together. If I am saved through a [p. 224] gospel address, I call upon the name of the Lord, and I am very glad to find another with whom to join up in the workshop or the office. I believe that is the idea. It is instinct as an effect of the divine work.
JEH Speaking of the Lord considering for young believers; as the military age was twenty, at this early stage the people could not be regarded as called upon to enter into warfare. Would that be in keeping with your thought that they should avoid warfare with the Philistines?
JT I think it is God’s consideration for young people, although recognising that as converted they have military instincts. The military age in Numbers not only implies that one is born anew, but that one calls upon the name of the Lord. That is the beginning of the military position. Exodus 13 and 14 contemplate such early instinct in young people that they seek one another. They are glad to link up with each other, and then God is overruling everything and keeping them out of Philistine warfare. This latter is included in the wars of Canaan.
AFM Regarding the education of the Israelites, would it be a matter of what they saw? For instance, in the end of chapter 14 it says, “Israel saw the great power with which Jehovah had wrought against the Egyptians”, (verse 31). Would that be an educational part — what they saw?
JT Exactly. God is fighting for us. That is what the young Christian sees. What is happening is God’s ordering, and the song here is to bring us into this feelingly — what we have experienced in our conversion and deliverance from the world, what God has been to us; and that God is for us. It culminates in chapter 19, where it says, “I have borne you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”, but the initial suggestions are [p. 225] military.
JS How do you regard the plagues in Egypt prior to this?
JT Well, they are all military. I think all in this respect that preceded is alluded to in chapter 15; God’s military wisdom and the means He has of bringing down the world; what means He has at His disposal to bring down the world, so that the believer is released from it. The hand of the world is relaxed because it says that “Pharaoh let the people go”. He was forced to release them, and then God takes the leadership definitely.
JS So that the young believer would see that God has a controversy with this world in view of his deliverance from it.
JT That is what we should see in Exodus. Therefore this book is intended to help young brothers and sisters as having confessed the Lord. I may be born anew and say nothing — fail to confess the Lord. But when I confess Him as such I am in a military position, and that is what the early part of this book teaches; God is showing me that He is on my side and acting for me. I see that in all that He is doing nationally and internationally, economically, and socially, all is in my favour.
CAM If, when we were powerless, God gained the victory for us, it should colour every strife we encounter afterward.
JT Yes. This is the beginning. There are a great number of wars throughout the Bible, but I believe Exodus is our start, where we learn the art of war from God, as a Man of war. It is thus brought down to the level of the youngest Christian.
AFM Would you tell us what place Moses had? It says in the end of the chapter 14 that they believed in Jehovah and in Moses His bondman, (verse 31).
JT That is the beginning, I think, of the believer’s apprehension of divine authority in man — delegated authority. The believer begins to see that [p. 226] at this juncture. In chapter 17 he sees Joshua as the leader, that is Christ spiritually apprehended in view of Canaan. You thus get great elements of the truth typically in these chapters. Moses represents outward leadership amongst brethren, particularly as seen in the Lord Himself. Joshua is also a type of Christ, first in relation to Satan acting on the flesh — Amalek — and then entrance into Canaan.
FHL Reference was made to Israel seeing and believing, then the song begins — “I will sing ... .”. Is that the individual exercise or the collective thought of Israel?
JT It is, “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel ... I will sing unto Jehovah”. It evidently includes Israel and Moses and thus is collective. I suppose the singular pronoun would be to stress the idea of oneness in the singing.
JS In chapter 15 have we got the celebration of victory relative to the first great conflict? They have the sense of how God has triumphed.
JT That is the truth to get into our souls — the Lord is a Man of war. It is what every young believer ought to see, that God wars in an intelligible way on his account, and it is for us to see how He does it. I think that beginning with chapter 13 we see how He does it and what consideration He has for those whom He delivers.
JS God had a long controversy with Egypt, and here we have its complete overthrow. Later in Isaiah 43:3 Jehovah says, “I gave Egypt for thy ransom”.
JT Here Egypt’s hand was weakened, first by isolated measures, so that it is forced to relax its hand, to release God’s people; that was all that was needed for the moment, because God was seeking only to deliver His people out of it. But in this further effort Pharaoh, after letting Israel go,
[p. 227] attempts to overwhelm them; that is the cause of his overthrow in the Red Sea.
ANW Have you in mind the death of Christ itself?
JT That is the point. The passage of the Red Sea is Christ delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification. It is the overthrow of Satan’s power in death. But what every young and older person should get into his soul is that the Lord is a Man of war. This is manifested before our eyes in our own deliverance, so that God acquires such a place in my mind militarily.
AFM The Red Sea, figuratively is the death and resurrection of Christ, and inasmuch as Israel passed through the sea it was really their baptism. So we leave the world by baptism, and are prepared initially for the conflict, as being in the confession of Jesus as Lord.
JTJr The Lord in Gethsemane was in conflict in prayer — is there the thought of war there in that sense?
JT Gethsemane records the greatest battle ever fought, and brings out the military position of those whom the Lord had under His hand. He says to some of them, “Sit here”. That is His disposition of them for the moment. Sisters have to sit and say nothing. That is His mind for them. They are to think, of course; they are in this way to have part in what is proceeding. Those directed to sit in Gethsemane are in the greatest battlefield conceivable. Then He takes three others with Him and they are to “abide here and watch” — not simply to sit in a certain position. Then, later on, He says, “Watch and pray”. Then He goes forward, see Mark 14:32 - 38. That is the general position; the Lord goes forward, but He has disposed of each one according to His wisdom. He is now in combat [p. 228] with the enemy. The greatest possible conflict ever undertaken was then in hand.
CAM I was struck with the words in prayer that the Lord went on His way. He moves on to a definite end. It would seem that that is suggested in these foundational aspects of this scripture we are considering. In this chapter there is a great objective reached.
JT There must be an objective in all divine conflicts, and God always moves on to it. The Lord in Matthew 28:18 came up to the disciples on the mountain; some had doubted when they saw Him, but He did not stop because of that. He says, “All power has been given me in heaven and upon earth;” and He sends them out to make disciples of all the nations, baptising them. He is going on and will go on; He does not stop because of our poverty or weakness.
CAM I have been much impressed with that, because it gives such an assurance that we are not just beating the air; moving with the Lord, we shall arrive at a definite result.
JT That is what we should have in mind. At a meeting like this the inquiry in our hearts should be, Are we moving on with the Lord? Are we keeping pace with His movements?
WB-w There are many believers in the world still entangled in its system. Christ has died for them on the cross. God, in acting governmentally with the world would help these people out of it.
JT Just so; 1 Chronicles 29 speaks of the times that passed over David, over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries. What times have passed over the world in the past twenty-five years! What are these trying times for? They are to cause the world to relax its hold. The thought implies a work of God in His people, that they begin to see the unrighteousness of their position and break away from [p. 229] the world. That is what God has had in mind in these years of unusual pressure.
ANW It is striking that the “five in a rank” formation was in view of that in coming out of Egypt.
JT They went thus out of Egypt. They were definite and did not leave in disorder. Then, in chapter 14 the movement was strategic, illustrating God’s skill in relation to us. It is a most interesting chapter from that point of view — God kept them away from a certain position, telling them where to encamp, etc. All that is military strategy, just as we were saying in relation to Gethsemane.
WGT I suppose Pharaoh made a great blunder when he said the wilderness had hemmed Israel in.
JT Quite so. God knew what was going on in Pharaoh’s heart. What could Pharaoh do against a military Leader as this?
CAM The matter of time entered into it. I suppose that is an element today?
JT You can see how much time and distance enter into the location of meeting-places and the arrangement of meetings in what the Lord has been bringing before us in recent years. We do well to notice the prominence given to position in chapter 14.
ABP Would you say the thought of strategy as well as shepherding care enters into the Lord’s words, “if therefore ye seek me, let these go away”, (John 18:8)?
JT Yes. He cared for them, but He caused His enemies to go away backward and fall to the ground. This was a flash of military power. What could they do against that? A great element against the enemies of God’s people is seen in that they have to do with what they cannot understand. Indeed, they have to do with God, whom they do not know. When in the garden, the band could not understand [p. 230] what it was that caused them to go away backward and fall to the ground.
AFM Do you think the position into which Israel were brought through the strategy of Jehovah, whilst it brought about the defeat of Pharaoh, was to bring about in them the sense of the salvation of God? It worked both ways.
JT It says of Pharaoh that he pursued after them. This has to be regarded as additional to his earlier wicked treatment of God’s people. “And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; and the children of Israel had gone out with a high hand. And the Egyptians pursued after them — all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them where they had encamped by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, opposite to Baal-Zephon”, (chapter 14:8). It is to be noted that Pharaoh was in another position now. His power had been so broken that he released the people. God did not intend to destroy Egypt for the moment, but Pharaoh changed his position, and is now attacking the people, who are directly under God’s control and ordering; they are God’s army. This meant Pharaoh’s destruction. So it says in verse 7, “And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them”. It is the whole power of the world marshalled against the people who are now under God’s direct ordering. So the position is changed. After Christianity had been inaugurated, Satan brought the world forward to oppose it. That is the position today. The world is definitely in opposition to the ordered state of things through which God is operating. Here we are told that Pharaoh “took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them”. Notice the great care to have military authority and leadership. “And [p. 231] Pharaoh approached; and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and the children of Israel were much afraid, and cried out to Jehovah ... And Moses said to the people, Fear not stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall be still”, (verses 10,13,14). That is the position just now. It is one army against another; one nation against another; and God, the great Leader of His people. That is a great lesson for all young Christians to learn. God is going to fight for us, but we are to learn how to fight through what He does.
JS God brought them into this position of outward danger to show what He could do for them.
WFK In verse 19 the Angel changed his position. Would that show that the Lord was in command?
JT Exactly. It says, “And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before them, and stood behind them. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and was a cloud and darkness, and lit up the night; and the one did not come near the other all the night”, (verses 19,20). The people of God were in the light, and the enemy was in the dark — God was between them.
JS So the young believer is to observe all the movements of Jehovah. He is to be still and see Jehovah’s salvation.
JT That is the lesson for us tonight: we are to know God as a Man of war.
APT Is this a rearguard action?
JT It is; the movement of the Angel of God is suggestive of that after Pharaoh approached and the Egyptians marched after Israel. Israel were to go [p. 232] forward; they were not to turn round to fight, but to leave the matter with God.
WB-w Why is Joseph brought in here, (chapter 13:19)? He had said, “God will be sure to visit you”.
JT It reminds young believers that God is gathering up all His belongings. He is not leaving anything in the world. We must not look back, like Lot’s wife. When one is born of God, he begins to think of what belongs to God, such as the men of faith who went before and what they said and did. Joseph represents the faith that would go into the land. His thought was not to be buried immediately, like Jacob was; his bones must be carried up “with you hence”; when God visited the children of Israel for their deliverance.
AR “By faith they passed through the Red Sea”, (Hebrews 11:29). I was wondering whether Joseph would be a testimony to that?
JT It is the only act of faith attributed to Israel. They went through the Red Sea by faith.
WB-w Joseph gave commandments concerning his bones, by faith.
JT That should have been an incentive for the people. It should stimulate their faith.
WGT God will make a way for His people, whatever the obstacles.
JT Quite; the point was first to “stand still”, and then “go forward”. We are still under military control. That is what we have to learn in our early days, to stand still or to go forward under command.
WGT Do not these circumstances sometimes bring forth hard feelings and complainings?
JT They do, but God’s gracious consideration for us, seen in these chapters, ought to soften us. They had very hard feelings in their attitude towards Moses; (chapter 14:11,12). We, too, are apt to get such feelings; young believers are often harassed [p. 233] with them, but God bears with them, and uses the circumstances experienced for their formation.
AR But in moving this way and confessing the name of the Lord Jesus publicly, do we not find God in the idea of the cloud, which is indicative of the divine presence with us?
JT Yes; they are said to be baptised, first in the cloud and then in the sea; (1 Corinthians 10). The cloud is the positive thing on my side; the sea may seem to be against me, but the cloud assures me of the presence of God.
JS The cloud came into view as Israel moved out of Egypt.
JT It did. It is a feature of God’s presence with His people as having delivered them or as delivering them. You do not find it in the land; it appears in these circumstances and is a feature of the wilderness.
ABP Although this was a beginning with those who moved out, would the link with Joseph serve to link on their faith with all the previous work of God?
JT Just so. The idea of burial begins with Sarah, and it is said that she died at Hebron, which is very significant; that is, she died in the light of another world. It was not death without hope; but a death full of hope, and so the burying-place comes in immediately. There is more said about the burying-place in Genesis 23 than about Sarah, because it is a question of where the saints are buried; that is, in relation to “that world, and the resurrection”. All this stands connected with the carrying up of Joseph’s bones.
ABP It is significant that Hebron antedates the world.
JT The world of God’s purpose is in view. It is based on resurrection from among the dead. Hebron was built before Zoan in Egypt. It was “before the world”, (1 [p. 234] Corinthians 2).
JEH Why did Abraham say, in that connection, that he wished to bury his dead out of his sight?
JT The allusion is to corruption, in which the body is “sown”, (1 Corinthians 15:42). We must thus bury it out of our sight. The more we accept the fact of corruption, the more wonderful resurrection is. This is implied in Lazarus being four days in the tomb; in Martha’s thought corruption had begun.
JEH Abraham had the light of resurrection?
JT He had. However corrupt we may be, the more we dwell on it and accept it — and it is very humbling to accept it — the more wonderful resurrection is to us, for what is sown in corruption is raised in incorruptibility; a spiritual body, and in power and glory.
AR Is there any significance in that the children of Israel went through the Red Sea on dry land? Pharaoh is overthrown in the sea. God takes account of them in these circumstances.
JT Yes; He annulled him who has the might of death. If you go by the actual wording of this chapter, Pharaoh’s personal destruction is not mentioned. It is inferred, but it is definitely spoken of later. I suppose the allusion is to the fact that Satan is already annulled, although he still retains power; but later on, we shall see that he is actually deprived of all power as cast into the lake of fire.
ANW God says, “I will glorify myself in Pharaoh”, (Exodus 14:4). Would you say that all this is first to establish Himself as God in the souls of His people rather than the mere destruction of their enemies?
JT That is right. There are many concurrent thoughts here. The military feature is very prominent. We shall get later how God has brought us to Himself, bearing us on eagles’ wings. That is not military; it is because He loves us and would have [p. 235] us with Him. Here it is the military side, God is celebrated as a Man of war. He is exalted as such, and that goes right through into Canaan, bringing them in and planting [p. 240] them in the mountain of His inheritance.
JS This would be seen not only in the movements of the cloud, but in His speaking. He commands the people in military authority.
JT That is important; everyone is to know what is to be done and to take up his position, moving according to orders given.
JS Moses is told to speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. God says, so to speak, I will take care of the enemy.
JT Moses is there like a subordinate officer. It is very assuring and instructive to see Jehovah as a Man of war — He comes within our range, in that sense, so that we may see what He is doing against the enemy with a view to our deliverance and protection.
AFM Is that why the right hand is mentioned here?
JT Quite so. His best is exercised on our behalf — “the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe”, (Ephesians 1:19).
GN God had said to Moses, “I am come down to deliver”, (Exodus 3:8); and God had authorised Moses to say to Pharaoh, “Let my people go, that they may serve me”, (Exodus 8:1). Would you say that that declaration precipitated the conflict?
JT Yes; He had come down to deliver, which involved conflict.
GN So the young believer when he declares himself by confessing the Lord, understands that the conflict must follow.
JT That is right. We ought to keep clearly in mind that Jehovah here is a Man of war; in the book of Joshua we have the captain of Jehovah’s hosts; this latter is the heavenly side of the conflict.
CAM From a military point of view, death, that is, the Red Sea, seems to be used as a weapon for the destruction of the Egyptians.
JT Yes. Christ has, through death, annulled him who has the might of death; (Hebrews 2:14). Seen as in the Red Sea, death is a very extended thought. It “reigned from Adam until Moses”, and is used at once against the world and overwhelms it, for what can the world do in the presence of such a power? It is in the hands of Satan, but if God turns it against man, it is overwhelming.
CAM So that death is ours in that way?
JT Yes; death is ours. Goliath’s sword was that typically. “There is none like that”, David said; (1 Samuel 21:9). The Jordan is more in view, however, when death is said to be ours.
JTJr Is the Lord viewed as a Man of war in John 11?
JT Yes; I think we have to take John 11 as military. He is approaching death — one He loved was already in it four days. The Lord deliberately stayed away until death took place, but He is approaching the enemy in a military way; and on the way to the tomb, He adjusts Martha and speaks to Mary. Then, when at the tomb, He says, “Lazarus, come forth”. But in approaching death, the enemy was before Him. He “was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled”. The latter word in the original denotes resentment, or indignation, and undoubtedly expressed His feelings as to the power of death as an enemy.
CAM The Lord delaying until Lazarus died shows how the time element enters into these great things — the marvellous accuracy of everything.
JT God is a God of measure.
ABP The fact that He stayed where He was for two days after having heard of Lazarus’s sickness — would it show the Lord’s submission to God, or suggest military strategy?
JT Both. It was that God and the Son of God might be glorified in the resurrection of Lazarus.
RAL Do we learn the power of God first, or His love?
JT His power is known before His love. If you are dealing with an enemy, you are thinking of the power on your side. Love is not so much the point. When He says, “I ... brought you to myself”, that is more the love side. Jehovah’s proposal to enter into covenant with His people enlarges on the thought of love. The order in which the truth stands in Romans is the righteousness of God, chapter 3; the power of God, chapter 4, and the love of God, chapter 5. The same order is seen in Exodus.
RDG What is the force of Jehovah’s name being emphasised after the statement that He is a Man of war? It says, “Jehovah, his name”.
JT Is that not in keeping with Exodus? Exodus mentions that this is His name. You do not get “Jehovah, his name” until you come to Exodus. The people are here celebrating that name. God said of it, “This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations”. They are thinking of Him here in that precious name that He includes in His covenant relations with them.
JTJr The power is connected in Acts with “the name” of Jesus.
AFM Do you not think, too, that the way Jehovah introduced the name in chapter 3 helps? Moses says in verse 13, “the children of Israel ... shall say, What is his name?” Then God brings in the name of Jehovah. The Name is so remarkable in itself.
JT It fits in with Exodus, God having come down. Preliminary to that, of course, is the bush [p. 238] where God brings out who He is, and having come down, He is to be honoured. The humiliation of the incarnation involved that the Lord would be under reproach, He took such a lowly attitude. And I think the idea of the Name is introduced at once. Matthew takes care of that side, in the names Emmanuel and Jesus. Both of these names imply Deity in the lowliest of men, God protecting the incarnation, that the Name is there, and never to be overlooked. That is God, preserving the majesty of the Deity in the lowliest circumstances. Later in Israel, a man “blasphemed the Name”, (Leviticus 24:11). We are not told what it was. It is as though everybody should know that although Jehovah has come down and walked in this lowly way, the Name must be honoured; and hence the man was stoned. I think that is what is in mind. Exodus brings out the Name. The name of God entered into the down-stooping of God. He had come down in the thorn-bush, to a lowly position. God says in effect, I am coming into these lowly circumstances, but My Name remains; in fact, I never made known My Name in such a way as I am making it known now; and He looks for His people to highly regard it; not belittle it; for “Jehovah, his name”.
WB-w The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in chapter 3 would mean that He had come in to fulfil all the promises?
JT Exactly; it is a question of His faithfulness, but it is really the Deity because He says, “I am”. That is what is meant — “the existing One”. Whatever He does in the humiliation of Himself, He is the ever-existing One — “Before Abraham was, I am”, (John 8:58) God ever takes care of His majesty: In Genesis 3 He made clothes for poor sinful creatures. That was a wonderfully lowly service, but what follow are the cherubim with the sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. That [p. 239] is the government of God and protects His rights, maintaining His majesty.
FHL Is it not remarkable that young believers (contemplated here) are seen as having learned to use these names — Jehovah, Jah, Lord.
JT It is a very full but precious thought, these names being employed as the saints are just delivered out of the world. The first mention of “Jah” is here. All this shows the place God may early acquire in the young believer’s heart. Although there is a leader in this song, Israel is early to have part in collective singing. Another important lesson here is that young believers are brought into this first song.
GMacP Would this celebration be in contrast to the lowly conditions into which Jehovah had come?
JT It would indeed. He was “highly exalted”; that is, morally exalted, having come down to deliver His people.
APT “Having a name written which no one knows but himself”, (Revelation 19:12). Is that Deity?
JT I think Deity is implied. The Lord said, “no one knows the Son but the Father”, (Matthew 11:27). I think these statements go together.
JHE You said earlier that God coming in and delivering Israel is the beginning of warfare. Would the devouring of Gog and Magog by fire from heaven be the end?
JT That is right. Revelation 20 records the last great conflict. The enemies come up on the breadth of the earth against the beloved city, and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. That is final. It is affecting to see that in the beginning and at the end it is God acting for His people.
JS The song here goes a long way. Not only do we see the overthrow of the enemy and deliverance from Egypt, but He would bring them in and plant them in the mountain of His inheritance; it goes right to the end.
JT The faith of the singers goes on to Canaan and the sanctuary. It says in verses 14 - 18: “The peoples heard it, they were afraid: A thrill seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the princes of Edom were amazed; The mighty men of Moab, trembling hath seized them; All the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. Fear and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of thine arm they are still as a stone; Till thy people pass over, Jehovah, Till the people pass over that thou hast purchased. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, The place that thou, Jehovah, hast made thy dwelling, The Sanctuary, Lord, that thy hands have prepared. Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever!”
JEH Is verse 19 part of the song, or does it follow it?
JT It is an historical statement, the basis of the song. It comes after what Moses and the children of Israel sang, and before what Miriam and the women sang. It tells of the overthrow of the Egyptians and that the children of Israel went on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
AFM According to the passage, not only was Pharaoh overthrown, but every enemy laid low.
JT It is the one great stroke of God to take us out of the world and place us on heavenly ground.
ABP How do you account for the fact that Israel evidently understood the enemy’s thoughts? Pharaoh’s thoughts are known, and then the enemies [p. 241] in the land were known to fear. Should we reach that stage as young believers?
JT There are some six things (verse 9), the enemy said he would do. His strategy and general purpose are known; all that he intended in his heart to do is known. The effect of God’s great power on Philistia, Edom, and Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan generally, is known.
JEH “We are not ignorant of his thoughts”, (2 Corinthians 2:11).
ABP In view of all this, should we say, “If the Lord should so will and we should live, we will also do this or that”, (James 4:15)?
JT Quite so, and to have spiritual discernment of things. The devil cannot discern a spiritual man. He can discern an unconverted man or an unspiritual Christian, but he cannot discern a spiritual Christian. “The spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one”, (1 Corinthians 2:15).
JS Does the word, “Till the people pass over” allude to Jordan? In which case the Red Sea and Jordan would coalesce.
JT It seems so; they are brought together in that way. It is faith in the people — “by faith they passed through the Red Sea”. But in verse 16, entrance into the land of promise is immediately in mind.
APT Does this view of God being for us link on with the first five chapters of Romans? Would it be right to say that the end of the war is contemplated here? They say, “Jehovah shall reign for ever and ever”, but literally the conflict was only beginning.
JT Yes. The dwelling of Jehovah is in view and this was built by Solomon as the subjection of all enemies was effected. “There is neither adversary nor evil occurrent”, (1 Kings [p. 242] 5:4).
WGT Rahab had the light in her soul of what Jehovah did at the Red Sea.
JT Yes; you could link this on with her.
TH It says, “For we have heard that Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when ye came out of Egypt” and “all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you”, (Joshua 2:9,10). She really had the testimony of all this.
JT What Jehovah did at the Red Sea and what ye did to Sihon and Og. She understood, too, what the saints did.
GMacP Does it help us to see the break up of the world’s system, and according to the Lord’s words, “hades’ gates shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18)? The assembly is going through undefeated?
JT We touch Ephesians in these last words of the song.
FHL This seems a very wonderful vision for a young believer. Is it normal?
JT Well, if he gets a glimpse of it in the assembly, he is carried along, with the faith of the older ones. It is the faith that is current there; that is largely how one gets on spiritually as being rightly exercised and helped in that way.
WFK The man in John 9 would teach us how to become good soldiers of Jesus Christ. He learned warfare in that he asserted the truth as he knew it.
JT He is an excellent example for us all.
WB-w Does the sanctuary here and Jehovah reigning go on to David and Solomon? The song seems to carry one on to Solomon and the house.
JT Yes. The sanctuary is brought in by Solomon. That is what is alluded to. I think it helps us as to the service of God in the assembly and the house, to see that David and Solomon are the counterpart of Moses; they add to Exodus. Joshua does not inaugurate the sanctuary. That is not his side;
[p. 243] it is David and Solomon. The sanctuary stands in relation to them.
JS It might be helpful to open up the two positions as seen in Exodus and then under David and Solomon.
JT Exodus brings in the authority of God in Christ; it is the authority side of the truth. David and Solomon contemplate headship and sonship, so that Moses and David and Solomon link up the assembly. Exodus is the first thought, involving authority and the covenant, including the Lord’s supper; and David and Solomon are in relation to the assembly, viewed Godward in the land.
WB-w Moses is on the line of commandment.
JT Moses answers to Corinthians; David and Solomon to Ephesians.
AFM Israel in Egypt had little thought of what God had in view for the satisfaction of His own heart. They thought more of release from the enemy, but God had before Him a sanctuary where He should be known and approached.
AR Do you mean that as we enjoy salvation, the Lord would remind us that this is only the beginning; there is much more beyond?
JT Yes, and there is the heavenly position and God’s service in the assembly, which is bound up with David and Solomon, as already remarked.
WFK Does Miriam bring in the subjective side?
JT That is the thought; the song, to some extent, pervades the whole people; verse 19 gives us a historical statement. It is to settle our souls as to what has happened, and then Miriam and the women come in. She represents what is subjective, as you say, not merely a matter of light.
JS She is on the spiritual side. She is definitely [p. 244] called a prophetess.
JT Yes she is called a prophetess and a sister of Aaron. There is much spiritual significance in this. It is the first time we have her name and her relation to Aaron mentioned.
WGT We must note the women with her.
JT Yes; it is the subjective side, the love side. At the end of this song the people would not say, That is all over our heads; we do not understand what we were singing about! The part of Miriam and the women signifies that the people generally understood what is meant.
WGT You get the same thing in David’s day, the women came out to sing unto David. He had slain his ten thousands.
ANW Miriam repeats the first note of the song that Jehovah is highly exalted. Is that not important for us as young souls to realise, that in becoming our salvation, God is highly exalted?
JT Yes. He had come into such a lowly place in the bush and has acted in such power, that faith sees Him exalted. Miriam just repeats in her response what had been said at the beginning: “Miriam answered them, Sing to Jehovah, for he is highly exalted: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea”. She is in accord with that note, but it does not include Canaan.
ABP Is it right to say that the state of the people is represented by the last verse?
JT Yes, quite so. It says, “Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the tambour in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambours and with dances”. It would seem as if all the people were brought [p. 245] into this.
CNP Would it be like Romans 5, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts”?
JT A little. They were all to some extent in the good of the song. God was acquiring a great place with them. “He is highly exalted”, they sang.
WB-w The first part refers to God personally, and the latter part to His work — “The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea”.
JT Yes; it is His military prowess that is in mind.
JS Would all this pave the way for the assembly?
JT I think so. This is the beginning of the service of song.
FSC Is this the song referred to in Revelation 15, and will it be sung again in heaven?
JT Yes; the song of Moses and the Lamb; those that gain the victory over the beast, and over this image sing this song. It is the song of triumph by which deliverance is celebrated, showing how the scripture is linked up in the praises of Israel.
RWS A great change has come about in the Israelites between the time of this complaint against Moses for leading them out of Egypt, and the time of this glorious song of triumph.
JT It is accounted for by the believer coming into the understanding of the death and resurrection of Christ. You are not beyond Romans here. It is not our resurrection here. It is what God has done in Christ. Compare Romans 5.
JTJr Does Peter’s first gospel address in Acts 2 correspond with Exodus 15 in some way? “Having therefore been exalted”, Peter says, then the assembly comes immediately into view.
JT Just so. How great a thing it is to have in your soul that God is exalted! It is a moral thought I think, [p. 246] because of what He has done. It is according to Romans. Christ comes into our souls in Romans because of what He has done. It is more His moral greatness.
AFM Jehovah occupied the place as exalted, that Pharaoh had in the people’s mind when they were in fear and dread — what a change!
ANW He has stooped to secure my blessing. He secures it and exalts Himself through this great service of His love.
JT That is right. It adds moral glory to Himself; and then God “highly exalted him”, (Philippians 2:9).