"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea" (Exodus 15:1).​

Moses began and ended his wilderness life with a song. That of  Deuteronomy, Chapter 32, is the one referred to in Revelation 15:3. There was no singing in Egypt; there was groaning. Singing only follows redemption.

The song portrayed in Chapter 15 of Exodus is the oldest song of praise in existence. The greatest poets unite in admiration of its surpassing beauty and sublimity. It is a song of praise. Its theme is Jehovah Jesus, one might say. It praises Him for His destruction of the enemy. It begins with redemption and ends with glory.

There were two companies of singers – one formed of men, led by Moses, the other of women, led by Miriam. She and her choir "answered the men." This is the first of the ten songs of praise recorded in the Bible; the last is Revelation 14:3.

"Self" is absent from this song. It is all about Jehovah and His power to save. 

I WILL SING UNTO THE LORD

The first song recorded in the Bible is that of Lamech, but it certainly is not of The Lord, being a song that glorifies man's inhumanity to his fellow man (Genesis 4:23-24).

The song recorded in Exodus, Chapter 15, celebrates the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage and glorifies The Lord Who has done the delivering. It is the first song of praise and redemption simply because redemption had been carried out in type. This song was accompanied by tens of thousands of tambourines, i.e., "timbrels," which were, no doubt, of every size and description. As well, tens of thousands of Israelite women – seemingly both young and old – danced before The Lord to the accompaniment of musical instruments and the singing as they gave praise to The Lord for His great deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Consequently, as it is recorded in The Word of God, Moses wrote the very first Gospel song, so to speak. He also wrote the very first psalm (Psalm 90). More than likely, he also wrote Psalm 91.

So, the very first thing we find after the salvation and redemption of the children of Israel is rejoicing. No wonder!

REJOICING

When a person comes to Christ (any person), joy fills the heart simply because the enmity between them and God, which was caused by sin, has now been removed due to the shed blood of Christ being applied to the heart and life. This is all done by faith (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). So, this which the children of Israel did on the far shore of the Red Sea portrays the joy of the heart and the joy of the soul for what The Lord has done. It is the only true joy that is and the only true rejoicing that is.

This does not mean that every new convert, or every Christian for that matter, has to sing and dance before The Lord, but it definitely does mean that there will be a rejoicing heart. That goes with salvation, and I really cannot see how in the world that anyone could come to Christ – which means to be "born again," which means that they are now a new creation in Christ – and not have a rejoicing heart. 

CHRISTIANITY

As well, we are told that there are seven major religions in the world. Although not a religion, but rather a relationship with Christ, still, Christianity is put in that category. It is the only one of the seven that has a songbook because it is the only one of the seven that has anything to sing about.

To show the reader how important the right kind of music and singing is as it regards the worship of The Lord, we need only to look at the Book of Psalms, which is the largest book in the Bible. This tells us what The Holy Spirit thinks of worship, and it tells us how that the greatest degree of worship is found in music and singing. There are certainly other ways to worship God, but I think that the greatest way of all, or possibly that which The Holy Spirit uses more than all, is music and singing. 

MUSIC

Music, as devised by The Lord, is made up of rhythm, melody, and harmony. If any one of those three is hindered, continuity is destroyed, and it becomes virtually impossible to worship The Lord by such music. So-called modern contemporary Christian music falls into that category. It may be referred to as "Christian," but it is not Christian. While the flesh may respond to such music, it is impossible for the spirit of the individual to do so. 

Most of these so-called Christian rock entertainers, and that is what they are, look to the mainstream rockers as their examples, which, to be frank, is an abomination. The tragedy is, pastors will shepherd their young people into these so-called concerts, which have absolutely no spirituality, at least as it regards The Lord. In fact, to be blunt, clear, and plain, this particular type of music is of Satan. It is not of God, it has never been of God, and it is abominable to even claim that it is. Pastors who promote such stuff are going to answer to God for the souls of the young people under their charge. 

INSPIRATION!

As we have already alluded, most of these so-called Christian groups get their inspiration from their worldly counterparts. Now, think about that for a moment, please! How in the world can someone be inspired by those who are controlled by demon spirits and still claim that what they are doing is of The Lord? In fact, such is an abomination before The Lord.

To be frank, the name of that game is money. So-called Christian rock is to the secular rock music scene as methadone is to the drug scene.

Radio stations that refer to themselves as Christian and play that type of music are actually promoting the Devil. Christian television shows that feature such fall into the same category. To be sure, the owners of such stations, the DJs, and the pastors of churches who promote this stuff, or even who place their seal of approval on it, once again, are going to answer to God, and the answer is not going to be very favorable.

Exactly as secular rock music, all of its promotion of drugs, illicit sex, alcohol, and murder contain the spirit of darkness that joins with the spirits of those who listen to such so-called music. It is the same identical thing with the so-called Christian rock. There is bondage to such music exactly as there is to alcohol, drugs, gambling, and nicotine.

WIN OVER THE YOUTH?

Win them to what?​

Ten years ago, it was claimed that such music would win young people to Christ. What a ridiculous statement that is! People are brought to Christ not by  using the raw ways of the world, or any ways of the world for that matter, but rather by The Holy Spirit. To be sure, He not only does not need the ways of the world, He absolutely rejects the ways of the world. So, anyone who would claim such a thing simply does not know the Bible and has no knowledge of The Lord per se. 

However, most now are not even claiming that such is winning youth to Christ, but rather that it is "good clean entertainment." While it might be entertainment, it is definitely not good, and it is definitely not clean. To be frank, there are almost as many drugs sold or used at these Christian rock concerts as in the secular concerts.

That particular type of music, if it can be called music, certainly does not glorify God. To be frank, to even insinuate that it does is an insult to The Lord.

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Some years ago, Francis and I were in Budapest Hungary, at a particular church for a service. Not being able to speak or understand Hungarian, I had no idea of the words they were saying as it regarded the songs they were singing; however, I did recognize the melodies, and you could sense the presence of The Lord as the people were worshiping. While they sang in Hungarian, I sang the same song in English.

Just before the service was turned to me, they had a young man sing, who had just come from the United States. He got up and sang a particular song that he had learned in the States, which he had translated into Hungarian. It was one of the Christian rock songs. As stated, that particular music has no melody or harmony. As a result, the people just sat there and stared because there was nothing else they could do. As stated, it is impossible to worship with that type of music, and to be frank, who would want to try to worship with such being offered?

People in the church little knew me, if at all, and I did not know them either. So, what I was seeing was  not staged, but yet, was a perfect example of this of which I speak. As they sang the old songs of glory, they could worship The Lord simply because the songs were of The Lord. When the young man sang, presenting the garbage – and that is exactly what it was – that he had learned in the States, we could not worship because worship to such is impossible. Those who claim that they can worship The Lord according to such simply do not know what worship actually is.

A SPIRITUAL BAROMETER

One can pretty well judge the spiritual barometer of a church by the type of music that it promotes. The Spirit of The Lord will portray Himself in this particular category of worship as He does in nothing else. As stated, the Book of Psalms is the largest book in the Bible, telling us what The Holy Spirit thinks of worship according to music and singing. If, in fact, I am correct about music being a spiritual barometer, then the churches in the United States are in sad shape indeed! There are exceptions, and thank God for those exceptions, but they are few and far between. 

UNTO THE LORD

The song that Moses sang – along with the children of Israel – was evidently given to him by The Lord. Immediately, it glorified The Lord, speaking of the great victory that He had brought about for the children of Israel. It began that way and it ended that way. 

I was either eight or nine years of age; the exact year slips my mind. At any rate, I had just been saved and baptized with The Holy Spirit a short time earlier. On a particular night in question, while in church and observing the evangelist as he played his piano, The Lord put it into my heart to seek Him as it regarded the talent to play that particular instrument. I can remember sitting beside my dad, and all through the service, asking The Lord for this particular talent. I remember very vividly some of the things I said to Him.

Being just a child, I knew very little about sin, but I remember promising The Lord that if He would give me this talent, I would forever use it for His glory. I also remember saying that I would never play in a nightclub. That is about the limit that I had about the things of the world at that particular time.​

I can still see myself sitting beside my dad. I can see myself praying, and once or twice, my whispering to The Lord must have become obvious because my dad looked at me and shook his head as if to say, "Be quiet."

At any rate, I could hardly wait for the service to conclude. I had asked The Lord for this talent, and I believed in my heart with simple childlike faith that The Lord had heard me, and he would give me that for which I had asked.

THE PIANO

When the service ended, I very hesitantly walked up to the small platform. Our church was very small, and the musical complement consisted only of an old upright piano. 

To my recollection, I had never sat down on a piano stool in my life. So, for the first time, I sat down and put my fingers on the keys. Immediately, I began to make chords. I did not know what the chords were, but I did know the finger positions were right because it sounded right to my ear.

After the service, my dad asked me where I had learned those chords, for, evidently, he had heard me. I shook my head in the negative and replied that I had not learned them anywhere. Ignoring what I had said, he asked me if I had been up to my aunt's house, who had a piano, and if I had been playing her instrument. 

"No," I replied!

He then asked, "Has sister Culbreth (our pastor's wife, who was an excellent pianist) been showing you some chords?"

I again replied in the negative. 

He then asked, "Well, have you been going to church to practice?"

Once again, I replied, "No!"

"Well, where did you learn those chords?" he asked.

I remembered my reply as though this happened yesterday. I said, "I asked The Lord to give me the talent to play the piano, and I guess He has already started!"

I do not recall what he said then, but I do remember that he very much approved of my request.

A GIFT FROM THE LORD

Some may remonstrate by saying that musical talent runs in my family, and The Lord had nothing to do with what talent I do have. While it is certainly true that musical talent runs in my family, with two of my cousins being quite prominent in the musical field, still, I believe The Lord gave me the talent that I have. Along with the talent to play the piano, I believe He also gave me an understanding of music that glorifies His name. Whatever style I have was not copied from anyone. The Lord gave it to me exactly as it is. With our music, we have seen literally millions of people blessed, stirred, encouraged, and strengthened in The Lord. Of course, I give Him all the praise and all the glory.

In respect to what I've just said about The Lord giving me a knowledge of music which glorifies Him, that does not mean that for music to glorify The Lord, it has to be identical to the music that I play. That would be facetious to say the least! But I definitely do believe that it would be somewhat similar.

Music is not neutral. It was originated by God. The Word of God tells us that when God created the earth, "...the morning stars (angels) sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:4-7). Once again, we go back to the Book of Psalms and realize that every one of the psalms and songs – for that is what the word psalms​ actually means – The Holy Spirit gave the words, and even gave instructions to the writers of some of the psalms as to what type of musical instruments should accompany the psalm. When we realize this, we should then understand just how important music and singing actually are as it regards the worship of The Lord.

Over the SonLife radio network and the SonLife broadcasting networks, we play only music that originates at Family Worship Center. Concerning this, a man wrote me the other day and stated, "Brother Swaggart, thank you so much for putting the station in our city (he was speaking of the radio station owned by the ministry) you are teaching us how to worship."

I will confess that when I read his note, I was somewhat taken aback. But yet, after a moment, I realize that most churches have been so off track, regarding the worship of The Lord, for such a long time that they hardly know what true worship is any more. 

WORSHIP

I am certainly not meaning that this applies to all churches, for it does not; however, I definitely do believe that it applies to most. As we have already stated, music is a barometer, I think, of the spirituality of the church. When the spirituality begins to go wrong, which means the pastor and the people are veering away from the Word of God, it will tell first of all in music that they produce. So, when I make statements about music, I am, at least to a certain extent, making statements in the realm of revelation from The Lord. In other words, I know somewhat of that which I speak. That is at least one of the reasons I cannot stand to listen to modern so-called Christian rock, or whatever it is, which is nothing but a product of the flesh, and which only appeals to the flesh. Then, I hear the voice of The Holy Spirit saying, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8).

That which we do as it regards anything done for The Lord, especially our worship as it regards music and singing, must glorify His Name. As is portrayed very clearly to us, this great song was sung by Moses and the children of Israel. I think we should conclude that The Holy Spirit would desire that we use this presentation as a foundation of our musical efforts. As we will see, The Lord is glorified throughout, with man glorified not at all. 

THE LORD

"The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him" (Exodus 15:2). 

The first phrase actually says in Hebrew, "My strength and song is Yah." In fact, the name Yah had not previously been used. It is commonly regarded as an abbreviated form of Jehovah. It takes the place of Jehovah here probably because of the rhythm of the song. The "salvation" addressed here refers to being delivered out of the hand of Pharoah and his hosts; consequently, the children of Israel were saved from destruction.

We certainly should get an idea from this as to what the word salvation actually means. Without exception, it refers to what Jesus did for us in giving of Himself on The Cross as a sacrifice. This satisfied the demands of the thrice holy God, and, thereby, delivers the sinner from the clutches of Satan because all sin has been atoned. As sin is the legal right that Satan has to hold man in bondage, with all sin atoned, Satan has lost his authority. So any authority he presently exerts is a pseudo-authority. In other words, any sinner can turn to Christ if he so desires, and every bondage of sin will then be broken. Every Christian can look to Christ and The Cross, and whatever authority that Satan has exerted over him will quickly fade. It is all in the Word as given by Paul: Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). 

HABITATION

"I will prepare him an habitation," probably means in the Hebrew, "I will glorify him." This is agreed upon by most of the Hebrew scholars.

Moses was remonstrating by using the phrase, "my father's God," that The Lord had given promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those promises had been kept in totality. Not one had fallen to the ground. As a result, Moses said, "I will exalt him." 

The pronouns He, Him, Thy, Thou, and Thee, as they refer to The Lord, are found 33 times in this psalm! How significant and how searching is this! How entirely different from most modern hymnology! So many hymns today (if they deserve to be called hymns) are full of maudlin sentimentality instead of divine adoration. They announce our love to God instead of His love for us. They recount our experiences instead of His mercies. They tell more of human attainments instead of Christ's atonement. As stated, it is a sad index of our low state of spirituality! Different far was this song of Moses and Israel: "I will exalt him," sums it all up. 

REDEMPTION

The first song of scripture has been rightly designated as the song of redemption, for it proceeded from the hearts of a redeemed people. From all of this, we find there are two parts to redemption. They are: 

1. Redemption is by purchase, which speaks of what Christ did at The Cross. 
2. Redemption is by power, which speaks of the power of The Holy Spirit that is made possible by The Cross of Christ.

Some believers get redemption and ransom confused. Ransoming is but a part of redemption. The two are clearly distinguished in scripture.

It is said of Christ in Hosea 13:14: "I will 'ransom' them from the power of the grave; I will 'redeem' them from death..." Again we read: "For the LORD hath 'redeemed' Jacob, and 'ransomed' him from the hand of him that was stronger than he" (Jeremiah 31:11).

Ransom is the payment of the price, which Jesus did at The Cross. Redemption, of which ransom is but a part, in the full sense, is deliverance of the person for whom the price was paid. It is the latter that is obviously the all-important item. Of what use is the ransom if the captive be not released? Without actual emancipation, there will be no song of praise. Who would ever thank the ransomer who left him in bondage?

DELIVERANCE

The Greek word for redemption is rendered "deliverance" in Hebrews 11:35. 

In the book of Revelation, Jesus is pictured both as a "Lamb," which refers to the purchaser, and as a "Lion," which refers to powerful emancipator.

On the Passover night, Israel was secured from the doom of the Egyptians. At the Red Sea, they were delivered from the power of the Egyptians. Thus delivered (redeemed), they sang. It is only a ransomed and redeemed people, conscious of their deliverance, who can really praise The Lord the Deliverer.

Not only is worship impossible for those yet dead in trespasses and sins, but also intelligent worship cannot be rendered by professing Christians who are in doubt as to that standing before God, and necessarily so. Praise and joy are essential elements of worship, but how can those who question their experience in the beloved, who are not certain whether they would go to heaven or hell should they die this moment, be joyful and thankful? It is impossible!

Uncertainty and doubt beget fear and distrust and not gladness and adoration.

A MAN OF WAR

"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name" (Exodus 15:3). 

The Lord is a man of war in every capacity. He had just defeated the mightiest field army on the face of the earth, and did so without using a single human soldier. But to be frank, His capacity in the realm of spiritual warfare is of even greater magnitude. 

At The Cross of Calvary, the Lord Jesus totally and completely defeated Satan. He did it not through mortal combat as would be obvious, but rather by taking away Satan's authority. Sin gives Satan the authority to do what he does, but with all sin atoned, as it was at The Cross, his authority has been removed. If it seems as if he presently has authority, we must remember also, as stated, that it is a pseudo-authority. This refers to an authority which Christians allow Satan to have simply because they do not know their place and position in Christ. The reason they do not know that place and position is simply because they do not understand The Cross. While most Christians do understand The Cross as it refers to salvation, they have little knowledge at all as it refers to sanctification. This is a tragedy!

The Lord is a man of war, not we ourselves. When we try to place ourselves in that position, we get defeated every time. In fact, the only fight that we are called upon to fight is the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

"The LORD is his name," could be translated "Jehovah, the alone-existing one." Before Him all other existence fades and falls short into nothingness.

Let us say it again: in looking through the various notes of this song, we do not find a single note about "self," its doings, its sayings, its feelings, or its fruit. It is all about Jehovah from beginning to end, and that's the way it ought to be.

PHAROAH

"Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea" (Exodus 15:4).

It is not known as to exactly what percentage of Pharoah's army is included here. Irrespective, the ones who did come after Israel seemingly were the chosen and the best. For sure, his finest charioteers were lost, as well as his "chosen captains."

Another things is for sure: it would be some time before Egypt's army was back up to full potential.​

THEY SANK

"The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone" (Exodus 15:5).

The warriors who fought in chariots commonly wore coats of mail, composed of bronze plates sewn into a linen base and overlapping one another. These coats covered the arms to the elbow and descended nearly to the knee. Consequently, being as heavy as they were, these warriors would have sunk at once, even without a struggle, like a stone or a lump of lead, as the waters cascaded down upon them.

THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD

"Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy" (Exodus 15:6). 

The "right hand," as it refers to The Lord, is used as a figure of speech. It signifies power. Consequently, when it said that Christ is now seated "on the right hand of the Majesty on high," though that is utterly true, it also signifies power. 

That right hand of power, as it refers to The Lord, can and will be used on our behalf, as well, providing our faith is placed one hundred percent in Christ and what He has done for us at The Cross. Then The Holy Spirit, Who is God, and Who can do all things, will saturate the believer with power.

What kind of power?

This is not power or authority over other people, but rather over the spirits of darkness (Luke 10:19; Ephesians 6:11-18). 

While, of course, all Christians fight the devil, we must understand that it is always indirectly. Christ has already defeated him, and we fight him simply by fighting the good fight of faith, which refers to faith in Christ and The Cross.

THE WRATH OF GOD

"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" (Exodus 15:7). 

The verbs in this are future. Consequently, it should read, "You will overthrow them who rise up against You." Then, "You will send forth your wrath."

The last phrase, "which consumed them as stubble," is present tense and concerns the victory over the Egyptians.

So, in this verse, we have an account not only what The Lord has done regarding the Egyptians, but the promise that He will fight thusly for us as well!

The first psalm in the Bible was sung on a shore heaped with dead men – an appalling scene of divine wrath – and the last psalm in the Bible will be sung in a scene of greater wrath and destruction (Revelation 19). These inspired records of God's ways on earth and of His actions toward sin anger the self righteous heart but thrill the soul of the one dependent on the righteousness of Christ. 

GOD'S USE OF THE ELEMENTS

"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" (Exodus 15:8).

Moses described the east wind, which God set in motion, as "the blast" or "breath of His nostrils." He then represents the waters as "standing in a heap" on either side of the depths as "congealed."

Concerning the word congealed, some have taken this phrase to mean that the waters froze; however, considering the climate of Egypt, that is unlikely, although it definitely could have happened.

Still others have asked the question, "Are we justified in taking literally the strong expressions of a highly wrought poetic description?"

We definitely are justified. It is The Holy Spirit Who gave Moses these very words, and to be sure, as highly poetic as they might be, still, the description in no way stretches the truth as it regards what God has done, and above all, what He can do. In fact, with Him, all things are possible!

THE ENEMY SAID

"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" (Exodus 15:9).

This verse is very important simply because it shows the thoughts of the soldiers who flocked to Pharoah's standard in regard to the pursuit of the children of Israel.

The words, "I will divide the spoil," proclaim the fact that Israel had gone out of Egypt laden with ornaments of silver and gold and, as well, accompanied with flocks and herds of great value. Pharoah probably told these soldiers that this plunder would be theirs, and they intended to appropriate it. Then they boasted, "my hand shall destroy them."

As well, we must not forget that the Egyptians had given the children of Israel the finest clothing that was available at that time, meaning that when they crossed the Red Sea, they did so dressed in the finest that the world had to offer at that particular day. In other words, they did not leave Egypt as beggars dressed in rags, as slaves generally wore, but dressed in the finest and loaded down with silver and gold.

What a mighty God we serve!

THE ENEMY

There is much to be learned from this statement, "my hand shall destroy them."

The enemy declared fully as to what they intended to do and full well meant every word; however, they were not able to do anything, in fact, even as the next verse proclaims, were destroyed themselves.

Here is the point I wish to make: countless times, the devil has told you that he is going to destroy you, your children are going to be eternally lost, you are going to die from some terrible disease, you will go bankrupt, etc. But have you ever stopped to think that none of that has ever come to pass?

To be sure, if Satan could do all these things, or part of these things, he would have done them a long time ago. He has not done them simply because he cannot do them. He does not have the power! The truth is: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he (The Holy Spirit) that is in you, than he (Satan) that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

CAMP MEETING

I was preaching a particular service in one of our camp meetings when I began to bring out this thought about Satan not being able to do what he claims he is going to do. The power of God swept the congregation as every single Christian in the place understood what was being said. Even though my message was not yet concluded, they could not contain themselves and, therefore, began to praise God, with the entire service erupting in praise.

I want you the reader to understand fully what is being said. The enemy has said much to you. He hopes to strike fear into your heart; however, never forget, if he could do all the things that he claims he is going to do, he would have done them a long time ago. He has not done them because he cannot do them because the power that is in you is greater than that which is in him. 

So, the next time he tries to feed you his negative line, just shout the praises of God because whatever he says, you know better. 

THE LORD'S ANSWER

"Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters" (Exodus 15:10).

Here we have another fact that is not mentioned in the account, but yet, which is implied. The immediate  cause of the return of the waters was a wind. As a strong east wind had caused the waters to part, now this new wind – that which had been devised by The Lord – must have arisen contrary to the former one, blowing from the northeast or the north. This would have driven the water of the bitter lakes southward and thus produced the effect spoken of.

WHO IS LIKE UNTO YOU?

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11).

The gods mentioned in this verse pertain to the gods worshiped by the Egyptians. They were pitiful up beside Jehovah. In fact, they were not gods at all, but rather figments of the imagination of evil men. If there was any power there at all, and to be sure, there was some power, it would have been in the realm of demon spirits.

In this setting, all the gods of Egypt – and the Egyptians worshipped many Gods – we find the whole series of miraculous visitations, which proclaim the fact that the true God, Jehovah, should be exalted far above all the gods of the heathen. 

THE THREE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

Moses made all of this the foundation of his praise. He pointed to the three attributes of God, which cannot be equaled elsewhere. They are:

1. Holiness: In fact, God is thrice-holy, hence, the cherubim sang, "...Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8).
   
2. Fearful: The word in the Hebrew is yara and means "to revere, dreadful, reverent, terrible." The Lord is "fearful" because of His holiness. He deserves praise, in fact, all the praise that humanity can give Him, because He is our creator, and, as well, has delivered us from the powers of darkness. 
   
3. Miraculous Power: He is to be viewed with awe even when we praise Him.
   

How entirely different is The Lord – omnipotent, immutable, sovereign, triumphant – from the feeble, changeable, disappointed, and defeated "god" that is the object of "worship" in thousands of churches. How few today glory in His holiness! How few praise Him for His fearfulness! How few are acquainted with His wonders!​

THE LORD'S RIGHT HAND

"Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them." (Exodus 15:12).

The idea is, all The Lord had to do to defeat the Egyptians – even though this was one of the mightiest armies in the world – was to simply stretch out His right hand. This means to exert His power, which was done at His word. As a result, the "earth swallowed them up," which refers to the sea and, of course, is a part of the earth. 

THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD

"Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation" (Exodus 15:13).

Several things are said in this verse: Six times the pronoun Thou or Thy is used, signifying that salvation, and everything that pertains to that word, is found totally in God and not at all in man. As The Holy Spirit gave this song to Moses, and The Holy Spirit was most definitely the author, He emphasized the fact that The Lord had done all of this. This means that man could not receive any credit simply because man was not due any credit.

This of which I speak is probably the greatest bone of contention between God and man that one could name. God gives His way, and man attempts to change it to something else. God has one way for the sinner to be saved, and that is by simple faith and trust in Christ and what Christ has done for us at The Cross (John 3:16). He also has one way of sanctification, and that is by simple faith and trust in Christ and what Christ has done for us at The Cross (Romans 6:3-14; 8:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 21, 23; 2:2, 5; Ephesians 2:13-18; Colossians 2:10-15).

Regrettably, most in the world try to change God's way of salvation, and sadder still, most Christians attempt to change His way of sanctification. Both parties, the unredeemed and the redeemed, revert to "works." It is ironic that the redeemed will shake their heads sadly at the world and plainly tell them that they cannot earn their salvation, which is certainly correct, but then they turn right around and try to earn their sanctification by the same method they have told the world that it cannot be done.

REDEEMED

The word redeemed in Hebrew is gaal and means "to deliver, to purchase, to ransom." It also means to "set free," which is the same meaning in the Greek derivative which is to "purchase the slave out of the marketplace." God's redeemed are a people which He had purchased for himself to be with Him forever –  "That where I am, there you may be also." We are redeemed to be placed in His "holy habitation," which we will address momentarily.

STRENGTH

The unredeemed never think of themselves as being slaves, much less being slaves to Satan, but that is exactly what they are. As such, only the strength of The Lord can extricate them from this terrible bondage of darkness. Man is only fooling himself if he thinks otherwise.

Most, if not all believers, would agree with what I just stated, but then, some seem to think that because they are saved, thereby, new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), they have the strength to sanctify themselves, i.e., to live a godly life. While they claim to trust God, to stand upon the Word, or to trust Christ, most Christians are trying to do this outside The Cross. In other words, they do not understand the part The Cross of Christ plays in their sanctification experience, which has to do with their everyday life and living before God, which is of supreme significance.

PERSONAL STRENGTH

The truth is, the Christian has no more personal strength after salvation than he did before salvation. While that is certainly true that we have strength, even great strength, it is all in The Holy Spirit and not at all in us. The Holy Spirit, Who lives and resides within our hearts and lives (1 Corinthians 3:16), works and functions in one way and one way only. That one way is The Cross of Christ. Everything The Holy Spirit does is within the parameters of the finished work of Christ, which has given Him the legal right to do what He does (Romans 8:1-2, 11). In other words, it was The Cross that opened up the way simply because the sin debt was totally and completely paid, making it possible for The Holy Spirit to live within our hearts and lives on a permanent basis. This means that we the believers must anchor our faith at all times in the great sacrifice of Christ. Listen again to Paul: "But God forbid that I should glory (boast), save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14). 

To be frank, our salvation and victory depend upon three things: 

1. The Cross. 
   
2. Our faith in Christ and The Cross.
   
3. That which gives The Holy Spirit latitude to work (The Cross).
   

HOLY HABITATION

It is clear here that through divine revelation, Moses knew there would be a place in the land of Canaan where God would "put his name" (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14; 14:23-24; 16:6, 11; 26:2). It seems also that he knew where that place would be – Jerusalem.

But, as most, if not all, the Old Testament prophesies, it has even a greater reference than the temple in Jerusalem. In fact, in its conclusion, it is referring to The Holy Spirit ultimately dwelling within the child of God.

Jesus told His disciples, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (helper), that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).

Then Paul said, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells with you, and shall be in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16; John 14:17). 

To verify, the great apostle repeated himself by saying, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD

First of all, one might say, "God dwelt in the sacrifices, which began at the very dawn of time" (Genesis, Chapter 4). In this manner, sins could be forgiven and The Lord could have communion with the sinner, but only in a limited way. The reason was that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). So, this meant that the terrible sin debt remained.

Then, whenever the plans for the tabernacle were given, God dwelt between the Mercy Seat and the cherubim in the tabernacle. He then dwelt in the temple in the same manner, but his ultimate dwelling place, which was brought about by what Jesus did at The Cross, was and is in the human heart. Before The Cross, He could not make the human heart and life His habitation simply because, as stated, the blood of bulls and goats was woefully insufficient to take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). But when Jesus came and died on The Cross, He took away all sin, at least for all who will believer (John 1:29).

By simple faith in Christ, one becomes "His holy habitation." This is a new standing, which means that we are literally placed in Christ, which is made possible by The Cross and our faith in that finished work. In fact, this is the position of all believers in The Lord Jesus Christ. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins (The Cross), the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God..." (1 Peter 3:18). This is our place as His redeemed. 

​GOD'S WHOLE MORAL NATURE

With God's whole moral nature having been satisfied in the death of Christ, He can now rest in us in perfect complacency. Jesus said, "At that day (after Christ had gone to The Cross) ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (John 14:20). 

The old hymn says:

So near, so very near to God, 

I nearer cannot be,

For in the person of His Son, 

I am as near as He.

This place was all made possible by The Cross and our faith in that great sacrifice. It is indeed accorded to us in grace, but nonetheless, in righteousness, so that not only are all the attributes of God's character concerned in bringing us there, but He himself is also glorified by it. It is an immense thought, and one which, when held in power, imparts both strength and energy to our souls – that we are even now brought to God.

The whole distance – measured by the death of Christ on The Cross when He was made sin for us (the sin offering), which means that He took upon Himself the total and complete sin penalty – has been bridged over, and our position of nearness is marked by the place He now occupies as glorified by the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3).

In fact, even when we are transported to heaven itself, we shall not be nearer, as it regards our position, than we are now because it is "in Christ." 

IN CHRIST

Because we are "in Christ" and have that standing as a result of The Cross, God looks for a state corresponding with our standing.

Pink says, "State and walk must ever flow from a known relationship. Unless therefore we are taught the truth of our standing before God, we shall never answer to it in our souls, or in our walk before God."

This is the great truth, the matter of sanctification for the saint, that I am continually trying to bring out in this volume. I am doing so, addressing it from every angle that I know, even in the fear of being overly repetitious. But I do so because I realize how hard Satan fights this truth of truths, and how difficult it is for the believer to grasp what is being said. 

The Lord has given me the revelation of how to live for God, which is not new but actually that which He gave to Paul, and if I said otherwise, I would not be telling the truth. But yet, it is so difficult to get Christians out of the spiritual lethargy in which they sleep. That is why Paul said, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:6). 

THE VICTORY OF THE SAINTS

​"The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.

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.

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" (Exodus 15:14-16). 

How so very much this portrays the fact that the doubt and unbelief of ten of the twelve spies sent unto Canaan was so unnecessary (Numbers, Chapter 13). It brought untold sorrow and heartache, even the death of that generation in the wilderness.

And why not! The inhabitants of Canaan had all heard of the great miracles performed by the Lord in Egypt and especially the miracle of the Red Sea.

This is evidence by what Rahab said,"...I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

"For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

"And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath" (Joshua 2:9-11).

WHAT JESUS HAS DONE

All of this portrays in type what Christ accomplished at The Cross when He "...spoiled principalities and powers (fallen angels and demon spirits), he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:14-15). Just as these enemy nations fear Israel, likewise, all fallen angels and demon spirits, even Satan himself, fear the child of God who understands and knows that he has "passed over" into our inheritance, which was purchased for us by The Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the scripture portrays Satan as a coward.

James said, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). 

HOW DO WE RESIST THE DEVIL?

We resist him successfully in one way, and one way only, and that one way is the way of faith (Hebrews 11). This means that we are not to try to use our own strength and ability, whatever that is, but rather faith.

What do we mean, resist him by faith?

Whenever faith is addressed in the Bible, either directly or indirectly, it speaks of Christ and what Christ did at The Cross. In other words, The Cross of Christ is to ever be the object of our faith.

Satan will do everything in his power to move our faith from The Cross to other things. To be sure, he does not care too very much what those other things are, or even how holy they might be in their own right. Most of the time, he will use preachers preaching false messages in order to carry out his task. Tragically and sadly, most of the preaching done presently, as it regards living for God, is leading people's faith away from The Cross instead of to The Cross. This is a sure road of disaster. 

While it is certainly true that most of this preaching of which I speak is done through ignorance, still, much of it is also in the realm of unbelief.

ENEMIES OF THE CROSS

For instance, the doctrine of the word of faith preachers is a doctrine that is totally opposed to The Cross. In fact, they are "enemies of the cross," even as Paul described in (Philippians 3:18-19).

Even in the denominations that claim to believe in The Cross, they very little preach The Cross, if at all, but rather preach humanistic psychology. 

So, the believer resists the devil by making certain that his faith is anchored in The Cross of Christ, and that it remains in The Cross. This is the "good fight of faith" that he is called up on to fight constantly (1 Timothy 6:12). 

Now, what I have given you is a tremendous truth. It really does not matter which way Satan comes against you, whether it is in the realm of temptation to commit immorality, to succumb to depression, or any one of a thousand things which we could name. Your defense is Christ and more particularly, what He did for you in His finished work. That is why Paul said to the Corinthians: "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). 

I remind our word of faith friends that The Holy Spirit through Paul did not say: "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him resurrected," which is what some others teach, but rather "him crucified." 

Oh yes, Paul most definitely preached the resurrection, but his main theme was always The Cross of Christ.

THE INHERITANCE  

"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" (Exodus 15:17).

This great song proclaims who God is, what He did, and how He did it.

It also proclaims, as given in verse 17, that all of this was done for a purpose. It was to bring the children of Israel to the place of the "Lord's inheritance," which He had made for them to "dwell in." As stated, for the children of Israel, it referred to Canaanland; however, its total meaning has to do with the believer's position in Christ, for Biblical history is always strained toward this conclusion.

The phrase, "which your hands have established," speaks of something already done, in other words, past tense.

This means that even before the children of Israel reached Canaanland, God had already ordained that the land would be theirs, despite the enemies which inhabited it. Likewise, He has established the fact that we as believers should be totally and completely victorious, all in Christ, which means that sin shall not have dominion over us (Romans 6:14).

PARTAKERS OF CHRIST

Now, regrettably, many Israelites died lost – even before getting to the land and even after being in the land – because of a lack of faith. It is the same with the modern believer.

Despite the fact that God has already ordained our victory, if we as believers harden our hearts against the way of The Lord, which is Christ and Him crucified, we too can lose our way (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29). The apostle said: "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence (continue to exhibit faith in Christ and The Cross) stedfast unto the end;

"While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation (as did Israel).

"For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses (it means that some repented and continued to believe).

"But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned (who lost faith), whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

"And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

"So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (failure to trust Christ and His finished work)" (Hebrews 3:14-19).

SIN AND THE BELIEVER

God will never overthrow the believer because of sin, even as vile as that sin might be, if the believer faithfully repents and continues to trust in Christ, at least as best as he knows how. But, of course, the bondage of sin is present in the believer's life simply because he does not understand his place and position in Christ, which was and is afforded by The Cross. Not understanding that it is The Cross that guaranteed all things, and that we must, thereby, keep our faith in The Cross of Christ, sadly and regrettably, most Christians place their faith in other things. This is a guarantee that sin will, in some way, dominate their hearts and lives.

As stated, God will not overthrow the believer for sins within his heart and life, with the exception of the one sin of unbelief. That speaks of the believer losing faith in Christ and what Christ has done at The Cross, rather advocating other things. Because The Cross is the great foundational truth of the atonement, for this sin of unbelief, an individual who was once saved can, thereby, take himself out of the salvation of The Lord and be lost. Faith is what gets us in, and faith in Christ and His Cross is what keeps us in. If we lose such faith, we have lost our salvation (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29).

SPIRITUAL ADULTRY

If The Lord threw  believers over because of sins of the flesh, etc., to be quite frank, there would not be any believers left; however, let it be ever understood that any type of sin registered in the heart and life of the believer is an occasion for misery. This is not the normal Christian experience. In fact, such a position pictures the believer as living in the state of spiritual adultery (Romans 7:1-4). This simply means that the believer is married to Christ but is being unfaithful to Christ by placing his or her faith in things other than Christ and what Christ has done for us at The Cross. As stated, Paul classified such action as"spiritual adultery." There is no joy or peace of mind in such a life, even though the believer is saved. Joy and peace can be found only in total and complete victory, which is what God intends for us to have, and which we most certainly can have if we will simply follow God's prescribed order of victory.

OUR GOD REIGNS

"The LORD shall reign for ever and ever" (Exodus 15:18).

This word closes this great and beautiful song. The song ends as it began – with "The LORD." Faith views the eternal future without a tremor.

Let us never forget that we are able by faith to enter this eternal future all because of the following:

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus...Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering" (Hebrews 10:19-23).​

Once again, let the believer understand that it is all by faith, and more particularly, it speaks of faith in Christ, and more particularly still, faith in what He did for us in the shedding of His precious blood, which He did at The Cross, and which paid the price for our redemption.

Once again, I remind our word of faith friends that we "enter into the holiest," not by the resurrection of Jesus, but rather by the blood of Jesus, which speaks of Him shedding such at The Cross.

VICTORY

"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" (Exodus 15:19).

It seems that Miriam, Moses' sister, led Israel in worship. When it says, "And Miriam answered them," it is speaking of the men singing and the women answering them under the leadership of Miriam.

The timbrels, as mentioned in verse 20, suggest the pleasure of The Holy Spirit in using such to accompany the singing, which speaks of musical instruments. There was a great rejoicing as it regarded the great miracle performed by The Lord in opening the Red Sea, and, as well, drowning the Egyptian army. Giving vent to this great happiness and joy, the women of Israel, who could have numbered a half million or more, began to lead Israel in "dancing before The Lord," with worship and praise.

We are commanded here to "Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously." This refers not only to Israel of old, but to all modern believers, and, in fact, every believer who has ever lived. 

​JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED

A part of the song sung by Miriam and the women of Israel is given in this verse. In other words, it is a compendium of what they sang.

We as believers are to ever tell what The Lord has done for us, and most important of all, we are to proclaim the salvation that He has given us, how He saved us, and by what means, which is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). 

In fact, after the time of the great tribulation foretold by Jesus (Matthew 24:21), those who come out of the great tribulation, both Jews and Gentiles, having gained victory over the beast, will sing this song again in heaven. It is called "the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Revelation 15:1-4). 

​MIRIAM THE PROPHETESS

"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." (Exodus 15:20).

Miriam was the sister of both Moses and Aaron. She is the first woman whom the Bible honors with the title of prophetess.

Pulpit says of her: "Miriam is regarded by the prophet Micah (Micah 6:4), as having had a share in the deliverance of Israel, and claims the prophetic gift in Numbers 12:2. Her claim appears to be allowed both in the present passage, and in Numbers 12:6-8, where the degree of her inspiration, however, is placed below that of Moses."

We find throughout Israel, and, as well, in the New Testament, that women often played a major role in the work of God. As they were participants of the "callings" as is here made evident, Deborah was also selected by The Lord to be the judge of Israel during the particular time of the judges. She was the fourth person to occupy that position. Along with her military commander Barak, she won a great victory over the Canaanites (Judges 4:1-5:31). 

On the inaugural day of the church, so to speak, Peter quoted the prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy..."

To emphasize the point, The Holy Spirit had him say it again: "And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18).

TO PROPHESY

The Greek word for prophecy is propheteuo and means "to foretell events or to speak under inspiration." 

So, this tell us that women are called to preach the same as men.

Paul said, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:12). 

First of all, the order that God has set up is that man is in authority. The apostle also said, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve" (1 Timothy 2:13).

The word authority proclaims the rule that if a man is available who has the calling of pastor, he should pastor the church and not a woman, even though she might have the calling, of pastor (Ephesians 4:11). If no man is available, she could feel free to serve in that capacity.

Silence in the Greek is hesuchia and means "distance from bustle or language, quietness, silence." The word goes back to authority, referring to the fact that while a woman is certainly allowed, and even encouraged, to speak her mind, and that her wisdom is equal to that of a man, still, she is not to push forward, but rather to remember her place. If everything is done in God's order, the ability of any and every individual is given opportunity.

Other than the order which The Holy Spirit has set up, and which is obvious, Paul said, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ...there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26, 28).

GREAT REJOICING

The inspired scene that unfolds before us is a wonder to behold, to say the least. There could have been as many as 500,000, or even more, women playing tambourines and dancing before The Lord. As we have stated, the first reaction to the mighty deliverance was great rejoicing, as will always be the case in one way or the other, when a person comes to Christ and is, therefore, delivered from the clutches of the evil one. Concerning the women, sin had to come into the human race through the woman, but now her heart was lifted up in praise, which testified in itself of victory over it.

It seems that this great celebration was part rehearsed and part spontaneous.

We have some reason to believe that Moses may have also been an accomplished singer. He not only sang this song, but, as well, The Lord gave him Psalm 90, and more than likely, even Psalm 91, both of which are songs. Most of the time when people write songs, they also have the ability to sing those songs.

The Scripture says that Moses and the children of Israel sang this song, as given to us in Chapter 15. Consequently, it would seem that The Lord first gave the song to Moses, with him having any number of scribes to hurriedly make copies, which could have numbered into many hundreds.

He could have pulled together any number of people, both men and women – for the scripture says, "The children of Israel," which included both – and then taught them this song. Quite possibly, as The Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write this song, He could very well have inspired the people to learn the song quickly and to sing it, which is, no doubt, what happened.​

​DEMOSTRATIVE

At any rate, many thousands began to sing because of the great joy that filled their hearts.It seems that Miriam spontaneously took a timbrel in her hand, and playing the instrument, which refers to keeping rhythm, she began to dance before The Lord, with many thousands of women then joining her. As stated, that must have been quite a sight.

I cannot recall any camp meeting we have ever had where the people were that demonstrative, but we certainly ought to be!

Let it be understood, as well, that the dancing here was definitely not orchestrated or choreographed, at least as we think of such presently. As stated, it was spontaneous. In fact, this method of dancing became quite common in Jewish history. It consisted of women, usually playing the tambourine as Miriam did here, whirling about in joy. the modern method of some churches in hiring choreographers can be constituted as nothing but the flesh. When the joy of The Lord fills the heart to such an extent that the women cannot keep still but must dance before The Lord, which will always be in a fashion that glorifies God and not the flesh, this should ever be desired. We have two problems in the modern church:

1. The first problem is spiritual deadness. In other words, there is absolutely no emotion whatsoever. Such an attitude and direction are not at all scriptural, as should be obvious.
2. The second problem is that there are all types of emotions, but generated by the flesh. Most are equally bad. If The Spirit of God has His way, there definitely will be emotion, but it will be the joy of The Lord and not an operation of the flesh. In fact, spiritual deadness and mere emotionalism are both of the flesh, although in opposite directions. 

SING TO THE LORD

"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" (Exodus 15:21). 

The phrase, "And Miriam answered them," seems to imply that the men would sing a refrain, and then the women would answer by singing the refrain again. Whether they did this while dancing, or whether some danced and some sang, we are not told.

At any rate, their worship and praise proclaim The Lord as the triumphant One in every capacity. 

The writer of Psalm 149 said: 

"Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

"Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

"Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

"For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

"Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth..." (Psalm 149:1-6). 

THE WILDERNESS

"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" (Exodus 15:22).

God tests faith in order to strengthen and enrich it.

Israel journeyed three days in the wilderness and found no water. When water was found, there was an added trial – the water was bitter, which was a type of this world and what it has to offer. 

Not to be thankful (Romans 1:21) and to murmur led to greater sins. Israel murmured, and their unbelief deepened as they murmured.

The smitten tree was cast into the waters, and the waters became sweet, which is a type of The Cross of Christ being placed into the bitterness of our souls. Thus, life may be sweetened if in the energy of faith, a crucified Savior is introduced into it. 

The healing mentioned here refers not only to the physical healing of the body, but, as well, the spiritual healing of the soul.

The refreshment enjoyed at Elim suggested that which would come at the advent of Christ. The Lord sent out twelve apostles and seventy others to revive his weary inheritance with the tidings that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. 

As previously stated, we must understand that The Lord led the children of Israel into the wilderness. To be sure, this particular wilderness was about as inhospitable as anything could ever be.

A MATTER OF SOVEREIGN GRACE

Regrettably, the wilderness experience is needed by all Christians. First, trials and testings of a wilderness make manifest the evil of our hearts and the incurable corruption of the flesh. These trials and tests are necessary in order that we may be humbled. 

Second, the entrance into the inherited self is also solely a matter of sovereign grace, seeing that there is no worthiness and no "good thing" in us.

While the wilderness may, and will, make manifest the weakness of God's saints, as well as our failures, this is only to magnify the power and mercy of Him who brought us into the place of testing. Further, we must understand that God always has in view our ultimate good. 

So, we find that the "wilderness" gives us not only the revelation of ourselves, but it also manifests the ways of God. 

After the Red Sea crossing, the children of Israel went "three days in the wilderness," which speaks of resurrection, for Christ was raised from the dead three days after His burial (1 Corinthians 15:4).

​And yet, despite the resurrection type, we find that almost immediately, they met with testing – no water, at least that which was useable.

While the world may look very attractive to the unbeliever, to the man of faith, it is simply a wilderness – barren and desolate. No one thinks of making his home in such a place, and neither should the believer become too attached to this world. It is merely the place through which man journeys from time to eternity and yet it is faith that makes the difference in the way in which men regard this world. 

GOD ALONE CAN SATISFY THE HUMAN HEART

The wilderness having no water is the first lesson that our experience is designed to teach us. There is nothing down here that can in any wise minister to that life which we have received from Christ. The pleasures of sin and the attractions of the world no longer satisfy. It is quite the contrary. These things that formerly charmed us now repel us. The companionship we used to find so pleasing has become distasteful. The things which delight the ungodly only cause us to groan.

In fact, the Christian who is in communion with his Lord finds absolutely nothing around him that will or can refresh his thirsty soul. For him, the shallow cisterns of this world have run dry. His cry will be that of the psalmist: "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is" (Psalm 63:1).

God alone can satisfy the longings of the heart. That is why Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37). So we must continue to go to Him alone Who has the water of life.

We are going to find that the first lesson The Lord taught the children of Israel was the lesson of The Cross, just as He taught this lesson to the first family (Genesis, Chapter 4). 

BITTER WATERS

"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" (Exodus 15:23).

The word Marah actually means bitter. Whether Israel gave it this name, or it had already been given this name, we are not told; however, the likelihood is that it had borne this name for some time. This is a test of faith, and as we shall see, Israel did not meet this test too very well.

In a sense, every single thing that comes the way of the child of God is a test of sorts. Of course, some of these tests are of a far greater magnitude than others; nevertheless, everything is a test, and we must look at every situation in this light.

The question becomes, how will we react? Will we trust God or murmur and complain? 

Great blessings tell us who God is; adversity tells us what we are!

MURMURING

"And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?" (Exodus 15:24). 

Three days before, the children of Israel were rejoicing on the shores of the Red Sea. Now, some 72 hours later they are "murmuring against Moses," which speaks of complaining, and which was to very soon cause them tremendous problems.

Murmuring and complaining present a lack of faith, but the problem wasn't so easily recognizable.

Probably one could say without fear of exaggeration that the children of Israel had faith, but it was in the wrong object. It seemed to have been in Moses. When everything was going well, he was their hero. At the slightest adversity, the tables turned.

As we shall see, and as The Lord would teach them, their faith had to be in The Cross of Christ. Lacking that, their problems would multiply, and fast. There is only one way to live this life, to walk in victory, and to be what God wants us to be, and to have the joy of The Lord, which is more abundant life promised by Christ. That way is to understand that everything that comes to us as believers comes totally and completely by and through The Cross of Christ. As we have already said innumerable times, and will continue to say, the believer must anchor his faith in that great sacrifice. Then The Holy Spirit will work mightily within him, and with The Holy Spirit being God, there is nothing He cannot do. The believer is then guaranteed success; otherwise, the believer is guaranteed failure (Romans 6:3-14; 8:1-2, 11; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2; Colossians 2:10-15). 

THE BITTERNESS OF THE SOUL

The bitterness of the soul portrayed here proclaims not only the condition of this present world but also what it produces. There are untold millions of people who have suffered bitter experiences in life. Many of these have suffered sexual or mental abuse as a child, which has left them emotionally disturbed. As a result, there is bitterness of the soul, which, without the help of The Lord, that person cannot shake off. Or, life has dealt the person a bitter blow, with the individual harboring unforgiveness, etc., which occasions bitterness.

To be frank, these are not isolated situations. The problem is actually pandemic. In much of this, many actually hold a grudge against God. They feel that He could have prevented whatever it was that happened, and in their heart of hearts, they harbor resentment against Him. 

When we get to verse 25 of Chapter 15 of Exodus, I am going to tell you how to have total and complete victory over this terrible problem. In fact, that which we will relate to you is the only manner of victory, with there being no other. However, I want to first deal with the manner in which the world attempts to address this problem, which sounds good to the carnal ear, but which, in reality, is of no help at all. 

INNER HEALING

From the world of humanistic psychology has come the phrase "inner healing," which, as stated, sounds good to the carnal mind and ear. To be frank, there definitely is such a thing as inner healing, but not in the way that humanistic psychology proposes.

While all psychologists, I suppose, use the term inner healing, mostly, each of them has a different interpretation as to how the problem is to be addressed – all of it wrong simply because what they are proposing is not the Word of God. 

Sadly, many of those who refer to themselves as Christian psychologists actually propose for this malady that the individual in question forgive God.

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY

Whatever nuance or direction the psychologist might take, almost all of them will seek to delve into the past, as it regards the individual whom they are trying to help. As it should be understood, psychological teaching, which actually had its beginnings in Sigmund Freud, who was inspired by Satan, has no miracle drug, etc., that can be prescribed for the individual. They have only one thing, and that is talk. If talk can set the captive free, then Jesus came down to this sinful world and died in vain (Galatians 2:21). 

So, they get the individual to regurgitate all of the happenings of the past, which is totally unscriptural. Concerning the past, Paul said, "...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). 

And then, if that direction does not seem to be fruitful, the psychologist will actually make up things and plant them in the person's mind and try to convince him that that is what happened, whatever it was. However, we should understand that ​talk has never healed anyone, as ought to be obvious.

As stated, then we have so called Christian psychologists telling people to "forgive God." In the first place, God has never done anything untoward toward anyone, so to tell people to forgive Him only exacerbates the problem, putting the person on the road of falsehood and wrong thinking.

One Christian psychologist uses as his therapeutic tool the practice of "visualization." What is that? 

VISUALIZATION

The patients (victims in these circumstances) are urged to visualize certain things. They are to lie quietly with their eyes closed and visualize themselves standing by a babbling brook in a beautiful meadow with tall, stately trees around them. This scene is beautiful and peaceful. They are then to visualize Christ walking toward them, speaking softly to them, and then putting His arms around them and, thereby, healing them of all of their problems.​

Once again, there is nothing of this nature in the Bible. In fact, this is bordering on witchcraft. In some circles, it is called "white magic." 

The scripture plainly tells us, "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).

So, what is the answer to the terrible problem of bitterness of soul?

THE CROSS

"And he 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" (Exodus 15:25).

For the answer to this dilemma in which Israel now found herself, i.e., "bitter waters," Moses "cried unto the LORD." 

Let me first of all say, and do so strongly, that there is no help outside of The Lord. As well, He does not need the advice of counsel with Freud, or any worldly wisdom for that matter. In fact, The Holy Spirit through James plainly said, "This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." 

He then said, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:15, 17). 

Peter said, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3-4).

So, The Lord has the answer to whatever problems we might have, whatever dilemmas in which we find ourselves, etc.

THE LORD SHOWED HIM A TREE

One does not have to be a Bible scholar to figure this out. The Lord was showing Moses that the answer to his dilemma was the tree. In fact, The Lord was using the tree as a type of The Cross.

I remember years ago mentioning this subject, and some brother after service tried to tell me how that the chemistry was changed in the water by this particular tree, etc. 

The truth is, The Lord, by His miracle-working power, turned the bitter water sweet. The tree, as far as its chemistry was concerned, had nothing to do with it. The Lord was using that to show Moses that the answer was found in The Cross.

Now, listen to this: The Lord had showed Israel that the "passover" delivered them out of Egypt when nothing else could. It was a type of Christ and what He would do for us as our substitute on The Cross. The Red Sea crossing portrays the believer entering into the great sacrifice of Christ, as described in Romans 6:3-5. All of this constituted the salvation process, one might say.

Now that they were delivered from Egypt, no longer under the slave master's whip, and no longer slaves to that despot in any fashion, The Lord would show them that The Cross was the answer to their salvation. As well, it was the answer to their sanctification.

THE CROSS OF CHRIST

So, the first thing that The Lord portrayed to Israel through Moses was The Cross of Christ, implying strongly that this was their answer through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.

He is saying the same thing today to the modern believer. It was The Cross that got them into salvation, or rather their faith in that finished work, and it is the The Cross that will effect their salvation, in other words, how we live for The Lord on a daily basis. It is The Cross alone.

Peter said, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:30).

Paul said, "And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre" (Acts 13:29).

The apostle said, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). 

Peter also said, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

So, The Holy Spirit through Moses referring to a tree is picked up by both Peter and Paul, using the same terminology, which applies to The Cross.

THE TREE WAS PUT INTO THE BITTER WATERS

The believer is to appropriate the benefits of The Cross, which The Lord intends, and to do so on a continuing basis, even day to day. I will tell you how to do that in a moment.

Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself(deny his own ability, strength, etc.), and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). 

When He spoke of denying oneself, He was not speaking of asceticism, which is a denial of all things that are pleasurable, etc. Unfortunately, many Christians have come to the conclusion that if it is something enjoyable, then it is a sin. No, it has no bearing on what Jesus is saying here. That is what Satan would like to get people to believe, but it simply is not true. 

Living for God is the most exciting, thrilling, wonderful and glorious life that one could ever live, and we are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14). 

Now, notice that He said that we must take up our cross, and even do so on a daily basis. Let us look at the first part of this statement.

TAKING UP THE CROSS

"Taking up The Cross" simply means that we understand that everything we need, in fact, everything we receive from The Lord, all and without exception, comes to us with The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, it is The Cross that makes it all possible, and we are speaking of what Jesus there did.

The word daily means that we are to appropriate these blessings afresh and anew every single morning. The prophet Jeremiah said, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:21-23).

Now, the manner is which this is done or the how that we appropriate these benefits, is all by faith. What do we mean by that?

FAITH

None of this is a physical or material thing. It is all in the realm of the spiritual, and it is all acquired strictly by faith.

When we say "faith," always and without exception, we are speaking of the believer having faith in Christ and what Christ has done at The Cross. Paul said, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Roman 6:11). 

This is the believer evidencing faith in Christ and what Christ has done for us in the sacrifice of Himself.

Every believer talks about faith; however, most believers do not understand that for our faith to be recognized by God, its object must always be the finished work of Christ. Let me say it again:

It is the object of our faith that is so very important. In fact, every human being on the face of the earth has faith, but it is not faith that God will recognize. The only faith that He recognizes is faith in His Son and our Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ and what Christ has done, which is all proclaimed by The Word of God.

​ANOTHER JESUS

Almost every Christian will talk about having faith in Christ, but let the reader understand that we must comprehend the fact that it is always Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23).

In other words, if we try to divorce Christ from The Cross, we are, in effect, according to the words of Paul, preaching another Jesus, which The Lord of course, cannot honor (2 Corinthians 11:4).

Many profess to believe in Christ, and the truth is, they are not properly aligning Christ with The Cross. No, Christ certainly is not still on The Cross, but rather seated by the right hand of The Father in Heaven (Hebrews 1:3). In fact, we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).

What Paul is talking about, and what Jesus was talking about as it regarded taking up The Cross daily, are the the benefits of what Christ did on The Cross. I am saved because of what He did on The Cross. I am baptized with The Holy Spirit because of what He did on The Cross. I am healed because of what He did on The Cross. I am victorious because of what He did at The Cross. In fact, everything I receive from The Lord is all made possible, and without exception, through what Jesus did at The Cross. So, we must never be separated from The Cross. If, in fact, He is separated accordingly, which, regrettably, many, if not most, churches do, then pure and simple, we have accepted another Jesus, which is put forth by another spirit, which projects another gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4). 

If it is not "Jesus Christ and Him crucified," then it is not the Gospel!

So, by faith, we put The Cross into the bitter waters of our lives.

THE HEALING

The scripture then says, "the waters were made sweet." This means that The Lord can turn the bitterness in your heart and life into that which is sweet. In fact, He alone can do this.

As you read these words, you may think that such is beyond reach. Well, it is beyond our reach as it regards our own personal strength; however it is definitely not beyond the reach of Our Lord. In fact, this is not something that He has to do in the future. He has already healed the bitterness in your heart, and all you have to do is to simply appropriate it by faith in the manner in which we have described to you.

Some may ask the question, "Will everything change immediately?"

There will definitely be a change immediately in your heart and life as you begin to realize, as The Spirit bears witness with your spirit, that you are now on the right track; however, it may take some time for the healing to be complete. Actually, the very word healing refers to a process. 

However, the truth is, you are now on the right road, and while everything may not change immediately as it regards the situation, whatever it is, it will definitely ultimately change, even though it may do so little by little. Then again, regarding bitterness, the change may happen immediately with some. It has with untold thousands, and it may very well happen with you.

But that is not the point. The point is, Jesus has already healed these bitter waters, and once your faith is anchored firmly in Him and what He has done at The Cross, ever making that the object of your faith, you are guaranteed victory (Romans 8:1-2, 11). 

THE STATUTE AND THE ORDINANCE

The phrase, "there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them," refers to the promise of the next verse.

The words proved them refers to the testing of their faith. Regrettably, they did not come out too well, but rather murmured and complained against Moses. However, God is merciful and gracious and did not overthrow them, just as He is merciful and gracious to us. Thank God He is, or we would not be here. 

HEALING

"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" (Exodus 15:26). 

We learn several things from this verse of scripture.​

The Lord told Israel, and all of us, as well, that we must keep "all His commandments and statutes." He did not say, "some," but rather "all."

Now, the truth is, no human being has ever done this, other than Christ. So, this means that in the sight of God, we are shot down, so to speak, before we even begin. 

To receive the benefits of The Cross, I am obligated to do this which He commands. These are the conditions, and they will not be altered. So, what am I to do?

I am to understand that my salvation and my victory do not lie within my own perfection or lack thereof. So, if all of this is not in me, where is it?

All that I need is in Christ. Our Lord has kept every single commandment and statute. He has done so impeccably and has done so all of the time, and He did it all for us. He is my substitute and my representative Man (1 Corinthians 15:45-50). My trust and faith in Him gives to me all of His victory, and does so automatically and immediately. 

GOD DOES NOT GIVE VICTORY TO MEN, ONLY TO CHRIST

This is where we make our mistake. We think, in essence, that He is giving victory to us. While we certainly are recipients of victory, or whatever, it is not actually to us that all of this is given. It is to Christ. God blesses Christ, and our faith in Him grants us all the blessings that He has been given. All the victory is in Christ, and my faith in Him, and my faith in Him alone, grants me His victory. In fact, this is the idea of the entire salvation process. It is all in Christ, or nothing at all!

Therefore, I can stand before The Lord and honestly say that through Christ and in Christ, I have kept every single commandment and statute. I sense greatly the presence of The Lord, even as I dictate these words.

Listen again to Paul: "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10).

And then again: "...that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Colossians 4:12). 

DISEASES

The phrase, "I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians," proclaims the fact that The Lord is in charge of all things.

While the sickness and disease originated with the fall in the Garden of Eden and has come upon the human race because of sin, this is all because of a decree from The Lord.

Some Christians act as though The Lord answers to the devil. It is the other way around. Satan answers to God! In other words, whatever it is that Satan wants to do, he can do only as The Lord gives him permission to do so. To be sure, he is not running loose, but is rather subject to The Lord at all times (Job, Chapters 1 to 2).

Because of the idol worship of the Egyptians, The Lord caused certain diseases to come upon them. It is no different presently.

When men ignore God, they reap the results of their actions. While The Lord may use Satan as an instrument, which He often does, still, it is The Lord Who does the directing in all things.

The Lord can withhold blessings, and He can bestow blessings. It is all predicated upon the individual and whether our faith is properly in Christ and The Cross or otherwise! Even then, our faith must be tested, and great faith must be tested greatly.

THE HEALING POWER OF GOD

The phrase, "for I am the LORD that healeth thee," proclaims the fact that He is a healer, and He alone is the healer. The name of The Lord in the Hebrew, as used here, is actually Jehovah Ropheka which means "Jehovah, The Healer." So, The Lord revealed Himself here to Moses and to the children of Israel in a more graphic way. He was telling them He was now their healer. What a comfort that must have been!

Let the reader understand that while, in fact, they were in a wilderness, and it was unpleasant to say the least, this is where God would reveal Himself to His people even in a more advanced way. They had known Him as the deliverer; now they know Him as the healer as well!

Let the reader also understand that as this promise was given to Moses and the children of Israel some 3,600 years ago, it is still just as appropriate now as it was then. God does not change simply because He cannot change, and we refer to His attributes. Whatever blessing He promised then, He promises now, and, in fact, will ever do so.

​A PERSONAL HEALING

The promise of healing is very real to me on a personal basis. If I remember correctly, the year was 1945, which means that I was 10 years old. 

I had some type of physical problem, which the doctors did not seem to be able to find. My parents, in fact, took me to several doctors but all to no avail. They ruled out malaria, plus other things, and seemed not to be able to come to a satisfactory diagnosis.

I stayed nauseated constantly and would at times go unconscious. actually, I passed out several times at school. The last time it happened, the principal told my parents when they were called to come and get me, "Something is going to have to be done for Jimmy. And if something is not done, you are going to have to take him out of school." The principal then said, "We do not want him dying on our hands."

That is how critical it was, and regrettably, the doctors, as stated, did not seem to be able to help.

PRAYER

I had been anointed with oil and prayed for any number of times by our pastor and others in our church, but, seemingly, to no avail. However, of the following, I am very thankful. 

I am so glad that we attended a church where the pastor believed that Jesus Christ still healed the sick. Had I not been a part of such a church, I probably would not be alive today, for I believe that Satan was trying to kill me. 

On the particular day in question, the day of my healing, it was a Sunday, and service had just ended. My parents were taking the pastor and his wife out to lunch. Of course, my baby sister and I were among the group.

Before going to lunch, they were to go by the home of one of the members of the church, who had been ill and had not been able to be in service that morning. They lived in a very humble dwelling, and I remember us going to the bedroom, which was in the back, and the pastor laying hands on the dear brother and praying for him. 

As everyone walked back toward the front of the house, all of us stopped in the front room, in fact, bidding the lady of the house good-bye and saying something encouraging to her about her husband who was ill.

I was standing near the door, with the pastor standing behind me and my dad to his left. This scene is forever freeze framed in my mind.

THE ANOINTING OIL

Dad said to the Pastor, "Brother Culbreth, anoint Jimmy with oil and pray for him." He further added, "If The Lord does not do something for him, we are going ot have to take him out of school."

Brother Culbreth was standing there with a little bottle of oil in his hand, with which he had just anointed the brother for whom he had come to pray. He smiled and walked toward me. He turned the bottle of oil upside-down, where a small amount was released unto his finger, and he anointed my head an began to pray.

Now, as stated, he had done this any number of times in the past few months. So, the question could be asked, "Why did not The Lord heal me the other times?" I really do not have the answer to that, and I do not think anyone else does. We could probably say that He was testing our faith, and possibly that is so, but as a 10-year-old child, I did not know that much about faith, but I did know that The Lord was a healer.

I think there are many questions that we have as it regards The Lord and the how of His doing things. The Lord's ways are not our ways, but this I do know, which the bible teaches: it teaches that Jesus Christ is still the healer (1 Peter 2:24). As well, The Lord taught us that if we do not get the answer first, we are to keep knocking (Luke 11:5-13).

A BALL OF FIRE

The moment the pastor anointed me with oil, he at the same time began to pray, along with all others in the room. And then it happened!

I felt something like a hot ball of fire start at the top of my head and then slowly go down through the entirety of my body, even down to my feet. I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I was healed. I knew that I would never have that sickness again, and that is exactly what happened. I have never had that problem again, not in any capacity.

Does this mean that everyone who truly receives healing from The Lord will experience a heat-like feeling go through their physical body? No, it does not, but some few do! We could ask the question, "Does God always heal according to our faith?" In other words, is the amount of faith always the barometer?

No, it is not! While faith is certainly required, to be sure, The Lord is not sitting up in heaven refusing to heal us because we need 5% more faith. Such thinking is silly, but unfortunately, many preachers teach such error.

I cannot honestly answer why The Lord sometimes heals and sometimes does not. I cannot answer why we are prayed for several times for the same problem and receive no healing, and then seemingly out of the blue, just as The Lord did with me, prayer is answered and we are healed.

THE LORD IS A MIRACLE WORKER

All I know is this: The Lord is still in the healing business. In fact, He is still in the miracle working business as well! While He does not always heal, I thank God for the times He does heal.

While I am on the subject, I think it might be proper to make a few statements regarding some of the modern claims that are made as it respects healing and miracles.

As should be obvious, The Lord receives no glory out of false claims. As well, the preacher pronouncing people as healed when there is no physical evidence that such had occurred, once again, does not bring glory to God. The problem is, almost all of these people treated thusly, are, in fact, not healed.

It hurts the cause of Christ for a preacher before thousands of people to announce to the congregation that the dear soul standing before him, who, incidentally, is dying with cancer, is healed when there is, in fact, no physical proof. Almost every time, those people, at least in my acquaintance, have died. And yet, it seems that the church asks few questions because they have been taught that to question such a preacher about such practices constitutes rebellion. In fact, it is actually taught that such individuals are above question. 

NO PERSON IS ABOVE QUESTION

When preachers put themselves in such a position – and it is for certain that they have put themselves there because The Lord surely has not – such is a sure sign that what they are doing is not of God. Any and every believer, providing they are in a right spirit, has the scriptural right to question what is done, that is, if it does not seem proper. Any true preacher of the Gospel will welcome such scrutiny. 

In fact, it is my belief that being prayed for by such preachers, whomever they might be, not only does not help the individual in question, but, in fact, can cause greater sickness. 

Listen to what Paul said: "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord (The Lord's Supper), unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

"For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep" (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

NOT PROPERLY DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY

Paul has made some serious charges here. He has said that if we do not properly discern The Lord's body, sickness can be the result, and even premature death. Even though such a person will not lose his soul, he will definitely have his life shortened. In fact, he used the term many sleep, which should give us pause for thought.

When he spoke of believer being "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," he was meaning that such a believer was not properly "discerning the Lord's body."

For the believer to properly discern the Lord's body is to understand that everything he has from The Lord has come to him solely and completely through The Cross of Christ in which Jesus died. 

All of this means that our faith must be exclusively in Christ and what Christ has done for us at The Cross. 

HOW DOES ALL THIS TRANSLATE?

It means that if the preacher who prays for you is not basing all that he does on the sacrifice of Christ, in other words, The Cross, he very well could be functioning with "another spirit," and, in fact, it is just about guaranteed that he is functioning accordingly (2 Corinthians 11:4). While thousands in the church are clamoring for some particular preacher to lay hands on them, the truth is, oftentimes, instead of bringing healing, it brings the very opposite. 

Despite all of this, and we speak of the false claims, etc., The Lord is still the healer. The believer is encouraged by The Word of God to ardently seek The Lord as it regards our needs, irrespective as to what they might be, and He has promised, in His own way, to answer (Luke 11:5-13). 

​TWELVE WELLS OF WATER AND SEVENTY PALM TREES

"And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters" (Exodus 15:27).

This passage carries a spiritual significance of what was to come in the future. Even though Israel would not have seen it then, looking back, we can see it now.

First of all, the "twelve wells of water" spoke of the twelve apostles who would be chosen by Christ, and on which, in a sense, the New Covenant would be built.

The scripture says: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

"In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

"In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).

TWELVE AND SEVENTY

The "twelve wells of water," symbolizing the "twelve apostles," also symbolizes the government of God, for the number of government is twelve. There were twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles, and the city, New Jerusalem, is twelve furlongs square. As well, it has a wall with twelve foundations upon which are written the twelve apostles of The Lamb. The wall is pierced by twelve gates, with twelve angels standing at the twelve gates. As stated, twelve portrays the government of God. That government is based on apostles and prophets, whose calling continue unto this hour.

The seventy palm trees are symbolic of ministry, which must be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.

The scripture tells us that Jesus, "appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come" (Luke 10:1).

Luke added to that by saying, "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils (demons) are subject unto us through thy name" (Luke 10:17).

THE ENCAMPMENT

The phrase, "and they encamped there by the waters," signals the place in which a believer is to rest. If we pitch our tents, "there," so to speak, this will be according to the Word of God, and in the midst of this weary world, we will find relaxation, joy, peace, and serenity. This is that of which Jesus was speaking when He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

As long as the doctrine is "Jesus Christ and Him crucified," which speaks of the foundation – typed by the "twelve wells of water" – and the ministry – typed by the "threescore and ten palm trees" – Christ will be found in all of His glory and will be to the believer what He desires to be. 

Oh listen to our wondrous story,

Counted once among the lost; 

Yet, One came down from Heaven's glory, 

Saving us at awful cost!

No angel could His place have taken, 

Highest of the high though He; 

Loved One on The Cross forsaken

​Was One of the Godhead three!

Will you surrender to this Savior

To His scepter humbly bow?

You, too, shall come to know His favor, 

He will save you and save you now.

The World, The Flesh​, And The Devil

Chapter 1

The Lord Showed Him A Tree