12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. Riding the high horse, in their arrogance, they, who were in themselves
mean men, treated the Lord’s people as if they were the meanest of mankind.
They even turned their captives into beasts of burden, and rode upon their
heads, as some read the Hebrew. Nothing is too bad for the servants of God when
they fall into the hands of proud persecutors. We went through fire and through water. Trials many and varied were endured by Israel in Egypt, and
are still the portion of the saints. The fires of the brick-kilns and the
waters of the Nile did their worst to destroy the chosen race, but Israel went
through both ordeals unharmed, and the church of God has outlived and will
outlive the cruelties of man. Fire and water are pitiless and devouring, but a
divine fiat stays their fury, and forbids these or any other agents from
utterly destroying the chosen seed. Many an heir of heaven has had a dire
experience of tribulation; the fire through which he has passed has fed upon
the marrow of his spirit, and burned into the core of his heart. Yet each saint
has been more than conqueror hitherto, and, as it has been, so it will be. But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. God, who took them into Egypt,
also brought them into the land which flowed with milk and honey, and Egypt was
in his purposes en route to Canaan. The way to heaven is via tribulation. The
depth of our griefs bears no proportion to the height of our bliss. Glory be
unto him who saw in the apparent evil the true way to the real good. With
patience we will endure the present gloom, for the morning is coming.
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