Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Neither murmur as some of Israel murmured in the wilderness and were destroyed by the destroyer. To murmur is to complain against God's arrangements and order, so that finding fault with those He ordained to lead is murmuring against God Himself. All these things happened as examples and were written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. God's people now must not repeat that unbelief, rebellion and murmuring which brought destruction, but heed His commands, submit to His order and counsel, and trust Him rather than self.
Wilderness Words and History
Neither murmur as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. Their overthrow is recorded as an example and admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall and must not repeat their unbelief, rebellion and disobedience. The warning belongs to God's professed people in every age, calling them to heed God's commands, resist rebellion, remain faithful, and avoid the same conduct that brought judgment and sure consequences.
Murmuring was complaining against God's arrangements and order, and finding fault with Moses whom God had ordained to lead His people to Canaan was murmuring against God Himself. Those who persisted in that rebellion and refused to submit to God's order were destroyed in the wilderness, showing that God's order is not to be resisted. All who feel at liberty to censure and find fault with those God has chosen to act an important part in the last great work are to be converted and obtain the mind of Christ instead of rebelling so easily and giving battle before calmly and rationally considering whether there is anything to war against.
Their murmuring was rebellious discontent joined with idolatry, ingratitude and unbelief despite mighty miracles wrought in their favor. Appetite ruled the people, and through gratification of lustful appetite and corrupt passions reason was overruled, grievous sin and indulgence followed, and they provoked God's wrath and were overthrown and destroyed. They distrusted and resisted God even when in need, and the clearly traced history given by inspiration is that Moses was given no words of condemnation to place upon his lips against them, in which Israel was separate and distinct from other nations. The faithful narration of their sins and punishment was required by justice to teach that the wages of sin is death, that God's retributive justice never fails, and that He exacts strict regard for His commandments.
Murmuring means forgetting that God is specially honoring His co-laborers, even those exalted to high positions of trust, and forgetting His goodness and mercy. It is constantly dwelling on weariness, fears, forebodings, morbid fancies and borrowed troubles, and complaining of trials to be borne until gloom makes happiness impossible under any circumstances. Such weariness comes not from burdens God binds too heavy to bear, but from friction rather than motion and from continual worry rather than work, from undervaluing present good and unearned honors and unmerited love, and from coveting some real or imaginary blessing just beyond reach. God is not pleased or glorified when His sons and daughters, members of the royal family, take this course, He will not work a miracle for them in it, and they neither enjoy rest and peace in His love themselves nor permit others to do so.
Murmuring against God is a fearful offense that includes complaining over trials, privations and a difficult path of self-denial despite sustaining care and approval. Dwelling on despair and speaking against one's family and God deepens unbelief and brings spiritual ruin. Murmurers become accusers of the brethren who by murmuring open a door for the enemy to come in and control them through temptation. They are more desirous to teach than to learn and never come to the knowledge of the truth, they bear the blood of souls in their garments, and they stand directly before the wheels of the car of truth and salvation blocking it instead of pushing it on, and God will reward them according to their works.
God kept His people in Egypt until His appointed time for bringing them out, then delivered them with a wonderful display of power and led them through the wilderness toward the promised land during forty years of travel. Yet nearly all who left Egypt were overthrown and died without reaching Canaan, leaving thousands of polluted bodies in the wilderness. To murmur and complain was to refuse to be converted from evil ways, and those who continued in that course perished, while those who were obedient were sustained and strengthened by God and were light-bearers to the nations through whose land they passed. Christ Himself as the Son of God was with Moses and Joshua leading His favored chosen people, and Satan boasted from their death that Christ was not able to resist his power and lead them to Canaan, and boasted that he tempted even Moses, the meek man, to take to himself the glory which God claimed.
Recorded Example and Warning
These events took place as patterns and were put in writing as counsel for those living when the ends of the world have arrived, so that anyone who supposes himself to stand firm must watch carefully lest he fall and must refuse to murmur. The caution against murmuring stands alongside the cautions against craving evil things, idolatry, sexual immorality, and putting Christ to the test, all of which drew divine displeasure and overthrow in the wilderness, and the church must not repeat ancient unbelief or reject divine warnings because that course brings certain consequences. Believers are to recognize evil, shun it, avoid the same conduct, rely on God rather than on self, and take heed lest they fall.
The account was written to address every generation, for the divine word carries its testimony from age to age as witness that truth does not change, no portion of Scripture has died of old age or worn out, and the whole past history of God's people is to be studied in the present for benefit from the recorded experiences. The wilderness life with its exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and with striking displays of power for relief in all the marchings to and fro, was chronicled for the good of the Israel of God until the close of time. Those varied Hebrew experiences formed a school of preparation for the promised home in Canaan, and they are to be reviewed now with humble heart and teachable spirit as instruction in preparation for the heavenly Canaan.
God was educating Israel for entrance into the promised land by training them as they traveled, teaching through Moses line upon line and precept upon precept the traits of character to be formed, with Christ as Leader and Commander allowing trials to show how to act under difficulty and to gather strength for each successive march. Those principles of truth were given not for Israelites alone but for future generations, to be discerned, acknowledged, appreciated, studied, and obeyed. The faithful narration of sins and punishments was required by justice so that the history would teach its intended lesson, that the wages of sin is death, that retributive justice never fails, and that strict regard for the commandments is exacted. The murmurings thus recorded were rebellious discontent joined with idolatry and ingratitude punished despite mighty miracles wrought in their favor, left as warning to avoid unbelief and escape wrath.
Israel's repeated complaints and the divine judgments that followed were plainly and inspirationally traced as a warning for God's people in later times, especially those living near the end of time. The history of the journeyings under the cloudy pillar by day and pillar of fire by night is recorded so believers now will not follow that example of unbelief and varied departure from God but will hear divine counsel, keep faith and trust, abide when the cloud rests and move when it moves, and go forward even when no way is seen because the way is seen by God. The murmuring and repining when in need is clearly traced so that God's people will remember their relation to Israel and will not imitate that example in need, and Moses was given no words of condemnation to place upon his lips against them, in which Israel was separate and distinct from other nations. Those who make God their confidence rest in the Lord, are cheered by ministering angels as Israel was, are guided by the only safe course to the haven of rest, and are clothed with garments of righteousness.
Related Sins and Privileges
Neither murmur as some murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer, and that warning stands together with lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication, and tempting Christ, all of which brought God's displeasure and overthrow in the wilderness. To commit the same sin is to follow the same way of unbelief and rebellion, with the overthrow of Israel in the wilderness set as an example to keep from lusting after evil things as they lusted. All these things happened as examples and were written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall and must not murmur.
Fornication belongs in that same list, in which three and twenty thousand fell in one day, and tempting Christ belongs there also, for which they were destroyed by serpents, showing God's signal displeasure and swift judgments that left thousands of polluted bodies in the wilderness. Even God's professed people who think they stand must therefore take heed lest they fall and must not indulge in sin. Great privilege did not shield them, for though all the fathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, with many of them God was not well pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness.
The warning of the passage is applied especially against fornication. It is applied also against letting appetite control reason, for appetite ruled the people, indulgence led them into grievous sin through gratification of lustful appetite and corrupt passions, and by distrusting and resisting God they provoked His wrath and perished in the wilderness. The record of Israel's punishment is preserved as a warning to others, like the judgments on the angels that sinned, on the people of the ancient world, and on Sodom.
Repeated Pattern and Prophecy
What happened to the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan is being repeated now. Satan's snares laid for them then are laid just as truly now, and are seen in increasing lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity. The warning belongs to the dangers facing those nearing the promised land, who must not repeat Israel's sins and suffer its judgment, but must watch and remain sober. The need now is for men who are firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God, who will not sleep as do others but watch and be sober, with holiness and power instead of self-exaltation, seeing Jesus as he is and themselves as weak, inefficient, and unlike their Master, content if their names are written in the obscurest part of the book of life.
To murmur and complain was to refuse to be converted from evil ways, and those who did so perished in the wilderness. God kept His people in Egypt until His appointed time for bringing them out, then delivered them with a wonderful display of power and led them through the wilderness toward the promised land during forty years of travel. Those who were obedient were sustained and strengthened by God and were light-bearers to the nations through whose land they passed. Backsliding from the principles of reform by eating and drinking as one pleases repeats that history, and those who continue in that course will gradually grow careless of the instruction given regarding other phases of present truth and will surely reap as they have sown.
Though all the fathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, with many of them God was not well pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness. Murmuring stands with lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication, and tempting Christ as sins that destroyed them, and all these things happened for examples and are written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. God's people today therefore have no excuse for turning away from the counsels of His Spirit, exalting themselves and carrying out their own ways in defiance of God's word after knowing His reproofs, warnings, and dealings. Many cannot have their service accepted without genuine conversion, and let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Present Faithfulness and Duty
Neither murmur as Israel murmured, for their murmuring brought destruction, and their experience stands as example and warning for God's people in every age to heed His commands, resist rebellion, and take heed lest they fall. To murmur against God's arrangements is to murmur against God Himself, for complaint against Moses whom He ordained to lead was complaint against God, and those who persisted in rebellion were destroyed in the wilderness. Their punishment warns later believers not to resist God's order, not to depart from God, not to mingle with the world, but to recognize and shun evil, rely on God rather than self, remain separate from the world and from idolatry, and keep clear of influences that lead mind and conscience into sin. Like ancient Israel, God's people are called not to repeat that rebellion and bring judgment upon themselves.
As Israel heard God's counsel through the cloudy pillar by day and pillar of fire by night, so believers now are to hear and follow His counsel, willingly abiding when the cloud rests and moving when it moves. They are to go forward even when no way is seen because God sees the way, resting in the Lord and making Him their confidence. Ministering angels cheer the pilgrimage as they did Israel's, guiding by the only safe course to the haven of rest, with the promise of being clothed with His own garments of righteousness. What befell Israel just before entrance into Canaan is being repeated now, with Satan's snares then laid just as truly now in increasing lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness and impurity.
The need now is for men firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God, who will not sleep as do others but watch and be sober. They must have holiness and power instead of self-exaltation, seeing Jesus as He is and themselves as weak, inefficient and unlike their Master, content if their names are written in the obscurest part of the book of life. God designs that reproof exist in the church, that there be men awake and not stupid or asleep regarding errors and sins among them, standing in defense of the right to oppose wrong and repress sin and corruption, lest His people become careless and corrupt their ways before Him. All who feel at liberty to censure and find fault with those God has chosen to act an important part in this last great work must be converted and obtain the mind of Christ instead of rebelling so easily and giving battle before calmly and rationally considering whether there is anything to war against.
Fault-finding, jealousy and complaining foster rebellion and disorder and hinder the work of the church, and rejecting counsel and acting independently leads away from faith to disaster and ruin. The same spirit of unbelief and murmuring now withholds precious blessings hanging over God's people and keeps them from being perfect in Him who is their righteousness. It is removed by using, practicing and trusting the Word, and by believing it soberly and meekly and receiving and appropriating it to gain a precious experience that makes wise unto salvation. God's people must not repeat Israel's failure by neglecting most precious opportunities for doing God's work, for failure to truly improve the opportunities of the three years past has left some lost to the cause who would otherwise stand ready to serve as genuine missionaries. They must refuse likeness to the world in practice, refuse to sell peculiar distinguishing points of faith for any worldly advantage or for favor of transgressors of God's law, acknowledging no power higher than the great I AM, with safety only in standing constantly in the light of God's countenance.
Neither murmur as some of Israel murmured in the wilderness and were destroyed by the destroyer. To murmur is to complain against God's arrangements and order, so that finding fault with those He ordained to lead is murmuring against God Himself. All these things happened as examples and were written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall. God's people now must not repeat that unbelief, rebellion and murmuring which brought destruction, but heed His commands, submit to His order and counsel, and trust Him rather than self.
Wilderness Words and History
Neither murmur as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. Their overthrow is recorded as an example and admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall and must not repeat their unbelief, rebellion and disobedience. The warning belongs to God's professed people in every age, calling them to heed God's commands, resist rebellion, remain faithful, and avoid the same conduct that brought judgment and sure consequences.
Murmuring was complaining against God's arrangements and order, and finding fault with Moses whom God had ordained to lead His people to Canaan was murmuring against God Himself. Those who persisted in that rebellion and refused to submit to God's order were destroyed in the wilderness, showing that God's order is not to be resisted. All who feel at liberty to censure and find fault with those God has chosen to act an important part in the last great work are to be converted and obtain the mind of Christ instead of rebelling so easily and giving battle before calmly and rationally considering whether there is anything to war against.
Their murmuring was rebellious discontent joined with idolatry, ingratitude and unbelief despite mighty miracles wrought in their favor. Appetite ruled the people, and through gratification of lustful appetite and corrupt passions reason was overruled, grievous sin and indulgence followed, and they provoked God's wrath and were overthrown and destroyed. They distrusted and resisted God even when in need, and the clearly traced history given by inspiration is that Moses was given no words of condemnation to place upon his lips against them, in which Israel was separate and distinct from other nations. The faithful narration of their sins and punishment was required by justice to teach that the wages of sin is death, that God's retributive justice never fails, and that He exacts strict regard for His commandments.
Murmuring means forgetting that God is specially honoring His co-laborers, even those exalted to high positions of trust, and forgetting His goodness and mercy. It is constantly dwelling on weariness, fears, forebodings, morbid fancies and borrowed troubles, and complaining of trials to be borne until gloom makes happiness impossible under any circumstances. Such weariness comes not from burdens God binds too heavy to bear, but from friction rather than motion and from continual worry rather than work, from undervaluing present good and unearned honors and unmerited love, and from coveting some real or imaginary blessing just beyond reach. God is not pleased or glorified when His sons and daughters, members of the royal family, take this course, He will not work a miracle for them in it, and they neither enjoy rest and peace in His love themselves nor permit others to do so.
Murmuring against God is a fearful offense that includes complaining over trials, privations and a difficult path of self-denial despite sustaining care and approval. Dwelling on despair and speaking against one's family and God deepens unbelief and brings spiritual ruin. Murmurers become accusers of the brethren who by murmuring open a door for the enemy to come in and control them through temptation. They are more desirous to teach than to learn and never come to the knowledge of the truth, they bear the blood of souls in their garments, and they stand directly before the wheels of the car of truth and salvation blocking it instead of pushing it on, and God will reward them according to their works.
God kept His people in Egypt until His appointed time for bringing them out, then delivered them with a wonderful display of power and led them through the wilderness toward the promised land during forty years of travel. Yet nearly all who left Egypt were overthrown and died without reaching Canaan, leaving thousands of polluted bodies in the wilderness. To murmur and complain was to refuse to be converted from evil ways, and those who continued in that course perished, while those who were obedient were sustained and strengthened by God and were light-bearers to the nations through whose land they passed. Christ Himself as the Son of God was with Moses and Joshua leading His favored chosen people, and Satan boasted from their death that Christ was not able to resist his power and lead them to Canaan, and boasted that he tempted even Moses, the meek man, to take to himself the glory which God claimed.
Recorded Example and Warning
These events took place as patterns and were put in writing as counsel for those living when the ends of the world have arrived, so that anyone who supposes himself to stand firm must watch carefully lest he fall and must refuse to murmur. The caution against murmuring stands alongside the cautions against craving evil things, idolatry, sexual immorality, and putting Christ to the test, all of which drew divine displeasure and overthrow in the wilderness, and the church must not repeat ancient unbelief or reject divine warnings because that course brings certain consequences. Believers are to recognize evil, shun it, avoid the same conduct, rely on God rather than on self, and take heed lest they fall.
The account was written to address every generation, for the divine word carries its testimony from age to age as witness that truth does not change, no portion of Scripture has died of old age or worn out, and the whole past history of God's people is to be studied in the present for benefit from the recorded experiences. The wilderness life with its exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and with striking displays of power for relief in all the marchings to and fro, was chronicled for the good of the Israel of God until the close of time. Those varied Hebrew experiences formed a school of preparation for the promised home in Canaan, and they are to be reviewed now with humble heart and teachable spirit as instruction in preparation for the heavenly Canaan.
God was educating Israel for entrance into the promised land by training them as they traveled, teaching through Moses line upon line and precept upon precept the traits of character to be formed, with Christ as Leader and Commander allowing trials to show how to act under difficulty and to gather strength for each successive march. Those principles of truth were given not for Israelites alone but for future generations, to be discerned, acknowledged, appreciated, studied, and obeyed. The faithful narration of sins and punishments was required by justice so that the history would teach its intended lesson, that the wages of sin is death, that retributive justice never fails, and that strict regard for the commandments is exacted. The murmurings thus recorded were rebellious discontent joined with idolatry and ingratitude punished despite mighty miracles wrought in their favor, left as warning to avoid unbelief and escape wrath.
Israel's repeated complaints and the divine judgments that followed were plainly and inspirationally traced as a warning for God's people in later times, especially those living near the end of time. The history of the journeyings under the cloudy pillar by day and pillar of fire by night is recorded so believers now will not follow that example of unbelief and varied departure from God but will hear divine counsel, keep faith and trust, abide when the cloud rests and move when it moves, and go forward even when no way is seen because the way is seen by God. The murmuring and repining when in need is clearly traced so that God's people will remember their relation to Israel and will not imitate that example in need, and Moses was given no words of condemnation to place upon his lips against them, in which Israel was separate and distinct from other nations. Those who make God their confidence rest in the Lord, are cheered by ministering angels as Israel was, are guided by the only safe course to the haven of rest, and are clothed with garments of righteousness.
Related Sins and Privileges
Neither murmur as some murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer, and that warning stands together with lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication, and tempting Christ, all of which brought God's displeasure and overthrow in the wilderness. To commit the same sin is to follow the same way of unbelief and rebellion, with the overthrow of Israel in the wilderness set as an example to keep from lusting after evil things as they lusted. All these things happened as examples and were written for admonition upon those on whom the ends of the world are come, so that whoever thinks he stands must take heed lest he fall and must not murmur.
Fornication belongs in that same list, in which three and twenty thousand fell in one day, and tempting Christ belongs there also, for which they were destroyed by serpents, showing God's signal displeasure and swift judgments that left thousands of polluted bodies in the wilderness. Even God's professed people who think they stand must therefore take heed lest they fall and must not indulge in sin. Great privilege did not shield them, for though all the fathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, with many of them God was not well pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness.
The warning of the passage is applied especially against fornication. It is applied also against letting appetite control reason, for appetite ruled the people, indulgence led them into grievous sin through gratification of lustful appetite and corrupt passions, and by distrusting and resisting God they provoked His wrath and perished in the wilderness. The record of Israel's punishment is preserved as a warning to others, like the judgments on the angels that sinned, on the people of the ancient world, and on Sodom.
Repeated Pattern and Prophecy
What happened to the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan is being repeated now. Satan's snares laid for them then are laid just as truly now, and are seen in increasing lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity. The warning belongs to the dangers facing those nearing the promised land, who must not repeat Israel's sins and suffer its judgment, but must watch and remain sober. The need now is for men who are firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God, who will not sleep as do others but watch and be sober, with holiness and power instead of self-exaltation, seeing Jesus as he is and themselves as weak, inefficient, and unlike their Master, content if their names are written in the obscurest part of the book of life.
To murmur and complain was to refuse to be converted from evil ways, and those who did so perished in the wilderness. God kept His people in Egypt until His appointed time for bringing them out, then delivered them with a wonderful display of power and led them through the wilderness toward the promised land during forty years of travel. Those who were obedient were sustained and strengthened by God and were light-bearers to the nations through whose land they passed. Backsliding from the principles of reform by eating and drinking as one pleases repeats that history, and those who continue in that course will gradually grow careless of the instruction given regarding other phases of present truth and will surely reap as they have sown.
Though all the fathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ, with many of them God was not well pleased and they were overthrown in the wilderness. Murmuring stands with lusting after evil things, idolatry, fornication, and tempting Christ as sins that destroyed them, and all these things happened for examples and are written for admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. God's people today therefore have no excuse for turning away from the counsels of His Spirit, exalting themselves and carrying out their own ways in defiance of God's word after knowing His reproofs, warnings, and dealings. Many cannot have their service accepted without genuine conversion, and let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Present Faithfulness and Duty
Neither murmur as Israel murmured, for their murmuring brought destruction, and their experience stands as example and warning for God's people in every age to heed His commands, resist rebellion, and take heed lest they fall. To murmur against God's arrangements is to murmur against God Himself, for complaint against Moses whom He ordained to lead was complaint against God, and those who persisted in rebellion were destroyed in the wilderness. Their punishment warns later believers not to resist God's order, not to depart from God, not to mingle with the world, but to recognize and shun evil, rely on God rather than self, remain separate from the world and from idolatry, and keep clear of influences that lead mind and conscience into sin. Like ancient Israel, God's people are called not to repeat that rebellion and bring judgment upon themselves.
As Israel heard God's counsel through the cloudy pillar by day and pillar of fire by night, so believers now are to hear and follow His counsel, willingly abiding when the cloud rests and moving when it moves. They are to go forward even when no way is seen because God sees the way, resting in the Lord and making Him their confidence. Ministering angels cheer the pilgrimage as they did Israel's, guiding by the only safe course to the haven of rest, with the promise of being clothed with His own garments of righteousness. What befell Israel just before entrance into Canaan is being repeated now, with Satan's snares then laid just as truly now in increasing lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness and impurity.
The need now is for men firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God, who will not sleep as do others but watch and be sober. They must have holiness and power instead of self-exaltation, seeing Jesus as He is and themselves as weak, inefficient and unlike their Master, content if their names are written in the obscurest part of the book of life. God designs that reproof exist in the church, that there be men awake and not stupid or asleep regarding errors and sins among them, standing in defense of the right to oppose wrong and repress sin and corruption, lest His people become careless and corrupt their ways before Him. All who feel at liberty to censure and find fault with those God has chosen to act an important part in this last great work must be converted and obtain the mind of Christ instead of rebelling so easily and giving battle before calmly and rationally considering whether there is anything to war against.
Fault-finding, jealousy and complaining foster rebellion and disorder and hinder the work of the church, and rejecting counsel and acting independently leads away from faith to disaster and ruin. The same spirit of unbelief and murmuring now withholds precious blessings hanging over God's people and keeps them from being perfect in Him who is their righteousness. It is removed by using, practicing and trusting the Word, and by believing it soberly and meekly and receiving and appropriating it to gain a precious experience that makes wise unto salvation. God's people must not repeat Israel's failure by neglecting most precious opportunities for doing God's work, for failure to truly improve the opportunities of the three years past has left some lost to the cause who would otherwise stand ready to serve as genuine missionaries. They must refuse likeness to the world in practice, refuse to sell peculiar distinguishing points of faith for any worldly advantage or for favor of transgressors of God's law, acknowledging no power higher than the great I AM, with safety only in standing constantly in the light of God's countenance.