God of History

KEY VERSE: “Remember his marvellous works that he hath done.” —Psalm 105:5

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Psalm 105:4-11, 37-45

THE history of the Lord’s dealing with the nation of Israel was meant to be to them a rich source of strength and encouragement as they endeavored to be obedient to his laws. There were many incidents that demonstrated the Lord’s overruling providence in their behalf, but the most dramatic event is the subject of our lesson—namely, the deliverance of the nation from Egyptian bondage.

After Israel had suffered many years of slavery, Moses, by the Lord’s overruling providences, was raised up to deliver them. By a wonderful combination of circumstances, Moses was brought up in the household of Pharaoh and was taught in all the wisdom of Egypt. It was because of this circumstance and the fact that he was the meekest man in all the earth, that he could be used by God to deliver the Israelites from bondage and become a great leader of his people.

The Lord spoke to Moses at the burning bush, and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom. Some of the most outstanding miracles recorded in the Bible were performed under the direction of Moses in connection with this deliverance. There were ten plagues brought upon the Egyptians to obtain Pharaoh’s consent for their release. The tenth plague was the death of Egypt’s firstborn. The firstborn of the nation of Israel were spared because they were under the blood of the Passover lamb. To this day, the Israelites continue to commemorate this miraculous event in their national history.

There was also the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, and the falling of the manna from heaven—the food which sustained the lives of the Israelites during their forty years’ wandering in the wilderness of Sinai. There was also the sweetening of the bitter waters, and obtaining water from a rock. During that forty years’ wandering, their shoes did not wear out. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was caring for them because they were his people.

Soon after Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea and into the wilderness, he was used by God to give the nation his Law. The giving of the Law was a most significant experience in Israel’s history. God promised that anyone who could keep his law perfectly would gain life. “Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 18:4,5. See also Neh. 9:29; Ezek. 20:11) But the Scriptures tell us that no one was able—because of their fallen and imperfect condition—to keep the Law inviolate. Therefore, the Law served to prove the inability of the fallen race to obtain life by their own righteousness. “Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”—Rom. 3:19,20

In spite of the miracles and all the other evidences of the Lord’s overruling providences in their behalf, the nation of Israel was a disobedient, stiff-necked people and were displeasing to him. The Apostle Paul tells us that the experiences and history of the Israelites were for examples to the footstep followers of Jesus during the Gospel Age. We read in I Corinthians 10:1-12, “I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea … and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was [pictured] Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. … Neither be ye idolaters; … neither let us commit fornication; … neither let us tempt Christ; … neither murmur ye. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [age] are come.”

By the examples God has given us of his faithfulness in dealing with his people in the past, we can have full confidence in his overruling power in our lives now.

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