ovah's presence and
glory to follow in their rear; at once to hide them from the sight,
and to shield them from the attack of the enemy that was pursuing
them. I can hardly ever read this simple statement without a tear. The
kindness, the _love_ of the Lord in thus placing himself between
his children and their enemies, like as a tender father would shield
his offsprings from danger, always melts my heart. But this is just
the way the Lord always does. If his own dear people will but shelter
under his wings, the devil will never be able to get one of them.

Some of you may wonder why the Lord did not close up the way behind
them, after they were all in, so that Pharaoh and his hosts would be
compelled to stay back. But God knew best. He is wiser than men. He
allowed the Egyptian army to enter. They followed just as close behind
the Israelites as the Lord would let them come. The way was still
open, and Pharaoh, no doubt, thought the way as free for him, and
quite as safe too, as for Moses. His intention was to slaughter the
whole camp of Israel as soon as his army got through. But see how he
failed! The salvation of Moses was the destruction of Pharaoh. When
the children of Israel had all reached the land in safety they
ascended the hills on the shore to look back at the long train of
Pharaoh's host. But what did their eyes behold! All at once the walls
of water broke down; and the sea closed over them.

It seems strange to us now that Pharaoh would venture to follow the
Israelites. We now think he might have known it would prove his own
destruction. But this is one example of the folly of which Satan is
always guilty. At the very time he thinks victory is within his grasp
disappointment and defeat overtake him. Let me show you another
instance of this.

For some time he had been plotting the destruction of our Lord Jesus
Christ. One time he tried to have him cast down a very steep place on
the side of a hill. But he failed. At another time he tried to have
him stoned to death. But the Lord escaped out of his hands. At last,
however, he succeeded in having him put to death. He entered into the
heart of a man by the name of Judas, and made arrangements with him to
betray our Lord into the hands of his enemies. The plot was successful,
and when Satan saw our Lord expiring on the cross he felt jubilant
over the victory he had gained, in the belief that he had now rid the
world of its most dangerous foe to his kingdom. B