The people of Israel in Egypt were slaves. In the wilderness they were no better than children. When they came to the Jordan, and were about to pass over into Canaan, they needed not only direction—but encouragement, and stimulus. To teach, embolden, and give them confidence, Moses addressed them, wrote his words in a book, and they are preserved and handed down to us, for our admonition and comfort. To every young believer, the Lord now speaks, as Moses did to Israel of old, "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." Deuteronomy 20:3, 4.
Israel as a people, were distinguished by their knowledge of the true God, he had revealed himself to them, and had spoken with them, and had taken up his residence in the midst of them. Just so, believers, they all know God, by the teachings of the Holy Spirit. He has revealed himself to them in Jesus. He has spoken to them in his word. He has taken up his residence in his Church, and he dwells also in every one of their hearts. This is their distinction, they know the Lord, they have fellowship with God, he dwells in them, and they dwell in him.
Israel was delivered out of Egyptian bondage, by passing through the Red Sea, where the Lord displayed his power, his justice, and his distinguishing grace. Just so, the Lord's people are delivered from their bonds, are brought into liberty, and set forth for the promised land, through theRed Sea of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus; in which ransom, God has gloriously manifested his power, justice, and distinguishing favor.
Israel was distinct and distinguishable from all the world, during the forty years they sojourned in the wilderness; and believers are as really brought out of the world, and are made as distinguishable from the world as Israel, and the world becomes to them a wilderness, a strange country, through which they are passing to their Father's house!
Israel was a people peculiarly the Lord's, and set apart specially for himself; and so true Christians are the Lord's, bought with a price, separated from the world, and set apart by his word and the operations of his Holy Spirit, for his own service, praise and glory.
Reader! are you one of God's true Israel?
Do you know the Lord, as revealed to your heart by the Spirit?
Are you delivered from the slavery of sin and Satan, through the precious blood of Christ?
Are you, while in the world, distinct from the world—and is the world at the best, a wilderness to you?
Are you one of God's peculiar people, set apart by his grace for his service on earth, as introductory to the enjoyment of his glory in heaven?
Israel's enemies were many and various. Seven nations, who already had possession of the land, and claimed it as their own. They must all be met, opposed, and conquered, before Israel could enjoy rest. Just so, the believer has many enemies, they are various, and they are mighty. They also have possession, and will not give up—but as they are compelled.
There is SATAN, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the great hater of God and of Christ. Nor is there merely one devil—but millions of demons, and they are all leagued and banded together against us. They must be met, be resisted, and be overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his testimony. We must conquer them—or they will conquer us; and only by stern, steady resistance can we do this.
Then, there is the WORLD, of which Satan is the god—this he sets in motion, directs, and influences against the Church of Christ. By craft, or cruelty, or both, the world as instigated by Satan, is seeking our destruction! We are forbidden to enter into any league with it, or become its friends. And to deter us we are told, "If any man will be a friend of the world—he is the enemy of God!" We must face the world, oppose the world, and by a steady faith in Christ, overcome the world.
