So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
The Lord alone guided, instructed, cared for and protected Israel through the wilderness, and no strange or foreign god shared in that leading, finding them in a desert land and keeping them as the apple of His eye. His solitary care is pictured as an eagle bearing its young on its wings, bringing them out of Egyptian bondage to Himself, preserving them through perils, serpents and drought with water from the rock and bread from heaven, and establishing them in the promised land, with Christ Himself as that invisible Leader in the cloud by day and fire by night. The song that records this was commanded as a continuing sermon and memorial of His goodness, mercy, power and deliverance, to be taught to young and old and repeated to children so they would not forget His past dealings. That sole leading displayed His power and mercy above all human greatness and nature worship, set as an object-lesson to surrounding nations to restore His image in man, mingling loving-kindness with strict and impartial justice that expects more from those so taught and kept. The same song foreshadows the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes in glory, and shows God still making the wilderness a fruitful field for the obedient, which calls for joy, thanksgiving and praise to Him as a wonder-working God in this generation.
Wilderness Leading Described
The verse belongs to Moses' song, taught to Israel as a continuing sermon to make its warnings, correction, encouragement and instruction familiar to the whole nation, young and old. That song taught about God and accompanied the journey with praise, making its lesson both encouraging and instructive. It recounts God's past dealings with His people.
The song was commanded to preserve the history of God's dealings with Israel so they would not forget the past. It stands as a waymark and memorial of His providential dealings and marked goodness, mercy, power, care and deliverance. It was to be taught by parents to children and repeated in full when children inquire. Christ as their invisible Leader commanded Moses to preserve those events in song so the people could teach them to their children and remember His power, care and deliverance.
The Lord alone guided, instructed, cared for and protected Israel through the wilderness, and no strange or foreign god shared in that leading or protection. He found them in a desert land and waste howling wilderness, led them about, instructed them, and kept them as the apple of His eye. He brought the Israelites to Himself to dwell under the shadow of the Most High.
His solitary care is pictured as an eagle stirring up her nest, fluttering over her young, spreading abroad her wings, taking them and bearing them up on her wings. Like an eagle protecting and carrying its young, He guarded with tender care, protecting and teaching them in the wilderness. That eagle care shows His great blessings and loving-kindness toward Israel in leading them alone.
That leading brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage to Himself. It miraculously preserved them from the perils of the wilderness wandering and guided them through the great and terrible wilderness of fiery serpents, scorpions and drought. It brought water from the rock of flint and fed them with the corn of heaven. Christ Himself was that invisible Leader, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, who finally established them in the land of promise as a favored nation and chosen possession.
Character and Wider Purpose
The aloneness of the leading is a display of power and mercy set above all human authority and greatness, and above nature itself and all who worship nature. No other power shared in bringing the people out of bondage and through the wilderness to God, and the deliverance came through fire and tempest, earthquake and death.
That display was not meant for Israel alone but as an object-lesson to the surrounding nations. Israel was established in the sight of nations that did not acknowledge God, brought to Himself to dwell under the shadow of the Most High as His own chosen possession. The purpose was to restore the moral image of God in man, for the blessing of all peoples.
The same history shows loving-kindness joined with strict and impartial justice. Love and mercy are mingled with striking exactness and firmness of decision, set against swift and severe retribution visited for transgression. By this contrast it is proved that sinners in any age cannot hope to escape wrath, for God is not only merciful and benevolent but strictly and impartially just. Because He so protected and taught His people in the wilderness, He expects more from them in return.
Prophecy Memorial and Application
The song that recounts God's past dealings with His people also foreshadows the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory. As He alone led Israel out of bondage and through the wilderness to Himself, so He will go through the earth in the last days. That coming triumph is already displayed in redeeming with fire and tempest, earthquake and death, and in preserving from peril and bringing into the promised possession.
The same solitary leading makes the wilderness a fruitful field for those who keep His commandments for the glory of His name. This gives reason for joy and gladness, inspires thanksgiving and praise for His wonderful works, and calls obedient children to claim His blessing. The Lord still works as a wonder-working God for His people in this generation.
That alone leading and caring reveals God as Father. He instructed Adam and the children of the Highest, and the family was their first school.
The Lord alone guided, instructed, cared for and protected Israel through the wilderness, and no strange or foreign god shared in that leading, finding them in a desert land and keeping them as the apple of His eye. His solitary care is pictured as an eagle bearing its young on its wings, bringing them out of Egyptian bondage to Himself, preserving them through perils, serpents and drought with water from the rock and bread from heaven, and establishing them in the promised land, with Christ Himself as that invisible Leader in the cloud by day and fire by night. The song that records this was commanded as a continuing sermon and memorial of His goodness, mercy, power and deliverance, to be taught to young and old and repeated to children so they would not forget His past dealings. That sole leading displayed His power and mercy above all human greatness and nature worship, set as an object-lesson to surrounding nations to restore His image in man, mingling loving-kindness with strict and impartial justice that expects more from those so taught and kept. The same song foreshadows the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes in glory, and shows God still making the wilderness a fruitful field for the obedient, which calls for joy, thanksgiving and praise to Him as a wonder-working God in this generation.
Wilderness Leading Described
The verse belongs to Moses' song, taught to Israel as a continuing sermon to make its warnings, correction, encouragement and instruction familiar to the whole nation, young and old. That song taught about God and accompanied the journey with praise, making its lesson both encouraging and instructive. It recounts God's past dealings with His people.
The song was commanded to preserve the history of God's dealings with Israel so they would not forget the past. It stands as a waymark and memorial of His providential dealings and marked goodness, mercy, power, care and deliverance. It was to be taught by parents to children and repeated in full when children inquire. Christ as their invisible Leader commanded Moses to preserve those events in song so the people could teach them to their children and remember His power, care and deliverance.
The Lord alone guided, instructed, cared for and protected Israel through the wilderness, and no strange or foreign god shared in that leading or protection. He found them in a desert land and waste howling wilderness, led them about, instructed them, and kept them as the apple of His eye. He brought the Israelites to Himself to dwell under the shadow of the Most High.
His solitary care is pictured as an eagle stirring up her nest, fluttering over her young, spreading abroad her wings, taking them and bearing them up on her wings. Like an eagle protecting and carrying its young, He guarded with tender care, protecting and teaching them in the wilderness. That eagle care shows His great blessings and loving-kindness toward Israel in leading them alone.
That leading brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage to Himself. It miraculously preserved them from the perils of the wilderness wandering and guided them through the great and terrible wilderness of fiery serpents, scorpions and drought. It brought water from the rock of flint and fed them with the corn of heaven. Christ Himself was that invisible Leader, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, who finally established them in the land of promise as a favored nation and chosen possession.
Character and Wider Purpose
The aloneness of the leading is a display of power and mercy set above all human authority and greatness, and above nature itself and all who worship nature. No other power shared in bringing the people out of bondage and through the wilderness to God, and the deliverance came through fire and tempest, earthquake and death.
That display was not meant for Israel alone but as an object-lesson to the surrounding nations. Israel was established in the sight of nations that did not acknowledge God, brought to Himself to dwell under the shadow of the Most High as His own chosen possession. The purpose was to restore the moral image of God in man, for the blessing of all peoples.
The same history shows loving-kindness joined with strict and impartial justice. Love and mercy are mingled with striking exactness and firmness of decision, set against swift and severe retribution visited for transgression. By this contrast it is proved that sinners in any age cannot hope to escape wrath, for God is not only merciful and benevolent but strictly and impartially just. Because He so protected and taught His people in the wilderness, He expects more from them in return.
Prophecy Memorial and Application
The song that recounts God's past dealings with His people also foreshadows the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory. As He alone led Israel out of bondage and through the wilderness to Himself, so He will go through the earth in the last days. That coming triumph is already displayed in redeeming with fire and tempest, earthquake and death, and in preserving from peril and bringing into the promised possession.
The same solitary leading makes the wilderness a fruitful field for those who keep His commandments for the glory of His name. This gives reason for joy and gladness, inspires thanksgiving and praise for His wonderful works, and calls obedient children to claim His blessing. The Lord still works as a wonder-working God for His people in this generation.
That alone leading and caring reveals God as Father. He instructed Adam and the children of the Highest, and the family was their first school.