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The leading of the Lord.
#2.
pp. 14 - 16
A--Seeing that the Lord's leading is so intimately connected both with redemption and
atonement, it seems to be important enough to warrant a further talk. I shall be glad of
further help.
B--When we speak of "leading" we use a word that suggests a path or a way. Let us see
what the Scriptures have to say on that phase:--
"He led them forth by the RIGHT WAY" (Psa. 107: 7).
I take the truth of this passage to be fundamental. Wherever, however, whoever; if
the Lord is leading, the way is right. To question this is to overthrow the whole issue of
redemption. Now it is fairly certain that the way of the Lord will often appear wrong in
the eyes of men.
A--Scripture says:--
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes" (Prov. 21: 2).
"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death" (Prov. 16: 25).
B--The fact that the ways of the Lord are so different from the ways of the world will
often cause us to pray like Ezra:--
"To seek of Him a right way . . . . . for I was ashamed to require of the king a band of
soldiers" (Ezra 8: 21, 22).
That is a "shame" that is enviable.
There are two principles which we may link together: (1) The Lord's way is right
always; (2) Seek of the Lord that right way, and seek it of Him.
The next feature I feel we should notice is that the Lord leads not only in a right way,
but often in a roundabout way, for reasons unknown to us at the time:--
"God led them not through the way of the Philistines, although that was near . . . . .
but God led them ABOUT through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea"
(Exod. 13: 17, 18).
Here the Lord was leading them "not into temptation", but by the roundabout path,
"delivering them from evil".