In The Morning

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Category: General | Feb 1970

It was a great morning for Israel when the glory of the LORD was displayed in the wilderness. God was about to perform one of His many miracles by covering the camping ground of His people with bread from heaven. Moses had prepared the nation by saying, "... In the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD" (Exodus 16.7); and there appeared overnight that "small round thing, small as the hoar frost on the ground" (verse 14). It was manna, heavenly food for a hungry host, and its appearance not only turned the morning into one of glory but also into a morning of provision for Israel. However, we do not read of any expressions of joy, or songs of exultation over this divine manifestation, but rather murmurings of discontent (Numbers 11.6, 9, 10). This was a foreshadowing of the attitude shown by the same nation to the One of whom the manna speaks, the Lord Jesus. He declared of Himself, "I am the Bread of life ... I am the living Bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever" (John 6.48, 51). At His birth He came to Bethlehem, the "house of bread", which was empty of spiritual food. He was the great antitype of that "small round thing ... white ... and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey" (Exodus 16.14, 31). The smallness may speak of Him as the Babe, the Son of Man; that which is round is suggestive of His eternal Person, the Son of God; the whiteness is indicative of the purity of His life; and His sweetness none can question. What a wonder; God in human form arrayed! The great Creator became our Saviour; all God's fulness dwells in Him. What a morning of glory and provision dawned not only for Israel, but for the whole human race, when the Son of God, co-equal with the eternal Father, entered the stream of human existence! Yet, mystery of mysteries, the One "who went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil" (Acts 10.38), was despised and rejected. The Son of Man became the Man of Sorrows. Just as the manna in the wilderness did not seem to stir or exercise Israel's heart unto gratitude, so the Lord Jesus "came unto His own, and they that were His own received Him not" (John 1.11). In fact they said, "... Away with this Man ... Crucify, crucify Him" (Luke 23.18,21). It was no morning of glory for Israel when she cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matthew 27.25).Although the Jew has known much sorrow since then, there is yet more in store, and a long waiting before Messiah presents Himself again for their acceptance. That will indeed be a wondrous morning when the prayer is answered, "... for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen" (Matthew 6.13. R.V. marg.).

Despite her sins and unbelief Israel had many "mornings" of blessing from God. It was a morning of deliverance when they were able to depart from the tyranny of Egypt with staff in hand, utensils on their backs, and their eyes directed to the promised land. With the blood of the lamb on the doorpost and lintel securing their househ6lds from the midnight visitation of the destroying angel, the Israelites were told,

and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning" (Exodus 12.22). Oh the joy of that wondrous morning of deliverance! The chains of their bondage snapped, the threat of the cruel lash removed, the groans of their hardship silenced, Israel was now free! Light of step and joyful of heart they directed their feet to Canaan. On the way they were to witness a morning of victory. The enemy decided to make one last onslaught, and his warriors pursued God's people relentlessly, determined to overtake them; but "it came to pass in the morning ... the LORD looked forth upon the ... Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14.24). This was a morning of victory for Israel, and so complete was it that the enemy said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them ..." (verse 25). What a great assurance this must have been to the holy nation that the God of victories was with them and on their side ! Triumphantly they passed through the Red Sea, and on its far shore they lifted their hearts and voices with this joyful song, "I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously.... This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God and I will exalt Him" (15.1, 2).

To a people who had now come to know Him as the God of the morning the LORD revealed the truth of His house. It was this redeemed, obedient, covenanted people who had the privilege of building the tabernacle and its altars, and who

participated in the morning of worship when they brought their lamb as an offering (29.39). They experienced those mornings of prayer, too, when they brought their sweet incense (30.7); and their morning of devotion when they brought their freewill offering (36.3). With such blessings, and such glorious opportunities for service, what a mighty, God-fearing nation they should have been ! Yet how quickly the glory, the deliverance and the victory became dim, and the light of the morning seemed to be replaced by the darkness of unbelief and murmuring. Then the final drift away from being the LORD's people to being "no people"! Oh the sadness of the word "Ichabod" (the glory hath departed) written in such large letters across the face of an apostate people, and a house which had become an empty shell I What solemn tones resound from the voice of judgement when the Lord Jesus pronounced to a nation which rejected Him, "your house is left unto you desolate (empty, solitary as a wilderness)" (Matthew 23.38). From the time this was uttered, many centuries must pass before the morn of glory breaks again upon a restored Israel, whose cries will once more be heard by a forgiving God. "... they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people; and they shall say, The LORD is my God" (Zechariah

13.9). What a glorious morning of reconciliation!

How readily the holy nation of today should learn its lesson from ancient Israel, for things written aforetime are for our learning. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. He is as unchanging and as patient with us as with Israel. Even though we are faithless, He abideth faithful (2 Timothy 2.13). It is this faithful God who has called us into the Fellowship of His Son (1 Corinthians 1.9), and He longs to work for us, too, as the God of the morning. What Christian joy can fill our souls as in the Person of Christ, Son over God's house, we see in the morning of our experiences His glory, His deliverance, His victories, and we respond in turn with our worship, devotion, and thanksgiving. In preparation for His return on that bright and cloudless morning", let us strive with Paul, to "know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed unto His death" (Philippians 3.10).

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Feb 1970
General