Psalm 78: 19 poses the question — “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” This psalm itself is ample proof that the Lord indeed provided for his people in the wilderness when he sent bread from heaven and brought water from the rock. Despite this, how often did they grieve and provoke him with their unbelief. Fear not, people of God, saving faith can overcome unbelief.
This psalm which is the second longest in the Bible shows the loving care God has for His church. “In the day time he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire,” (verse 14). How bravely they followed their leader as if they were hearing Him saying, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We are instructed as to the necessity of giving ear to what the Lord is saying to us at all times. We see how ill it fared with those who refused to listen to His commands, like the children of Ephraim who turned back in the day of battle. That was a day when their stand would have pleased and honoured God.
Oh, the wonderful accounts we have given in the Word of God to prove over and over again that nothing is impossible with God — to whom all power is given in heaven and on earth. The return of the prodigal son proves this beyond all doubt. His father was daily looking for this. When he saw him coming home he went out to meet him and falling on his neck kissed him — the kiss of reconciliation which he shall never forget. The father then ordered his filthy garments to be taken away and the “best robe” put on him. He then ordered the fatted calf to be killed. Oh, what a table in the wilderness this was going to be — a good example of the beautiful gospel table. The Holy Spirit had provided him with a spoonful out of the pot of the sweet honey of repentance and he longed for more and more of it. He saw on the table another pot — that of saving faith and this refreshed his soul. He also tasted some cups of assurance of faith for which he had longed. He then remembered that it is written: “For he the soul that longing is doth fully satisfy,” and he drank more and more of it for his soul’s comfort.
Oh, yes, yes, God can furnish a table in the wilderness, such as the table spread to feed thousands of which we read in Mark, chapter 8. His disciples doubted the matter and so asked Him: “From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?” He then asked them: “How many loaves have ye?” They said, “Seven”. Jesus then commanded the people to sit down. When he had given thanks he gave the loaves to the disciples to give to the people. There in the wilderness where there had been no prospect of food, they ate and were satisfied. All this was the doing of the Lord and we believe they thanked God for His good and kind providence.
There is a lovely parable found in Matthew 22 and it is a clear proof that nothing is impossible with God. It begins by telling of a certain king who made a marriage feast for his son. Many were invited. Let us listen to the gracious invitation: “I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are now ready, come ye to the marriage” — what a table was spread there in the wilderness. But we are told that “they made light of it”. How sad! It is to be feared that to this day the vast majority make light of the invitations so freely offered on the gospel table.
You will remember the account given in the Bible of a very severe storm on the Sea of Adria. There Paul discovered, more than ever before, God’s infinite wisdom, strength, power and authority over all things. The swelling heavy seas broke the ship to pieces. It was feared that all on board would be lost. In the kind providence of the Lord all got safely to shore. “Some on planks and some on broken pieces of the ship.” Was this not a blessing from the table of providence? So sure will it be for all those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. They shall all reach the shore of Immanuel’s land in safety and shall be received “with gladness great and mirth on every side.” “This is the doing of the Lord and wondrous in our eyes.”
There was a happy family in Bethany — Lazarus, Martha and Mary — who feared the Lord exceedingly. However, this did not prevent them from having their portion of the sorrows and sufferings of this world. We learn that Lazarus was sick and died and was buried. The sisters doubted not that all things were possible with the God of eternity. In the midst of their sorrow He assured them: “Thy brother shall rise again.” Jesus asked: “Where have ye laid him?” He was invited to “come and see”. He then standing beside the grave commanded with authority: “Lazarus come forth” — and this he did immediately. The One who knoweth all things knew that Lazarus would yet sit at the table with Jesus and his people in this world. On the day of judgement and before the great white throne Jesus will say: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” to be forever with Him whom they loved and served in this world.
Happy are the parents who will live to have the pleasure of seeing their offspring sitting at the Lord’s table in this world. Let us once more hear what David says on the matter: “And with Thy likeness when I wake, I satisfied shall be.”
It was a deep sense you had of the love of God to poor perishing sinners, such as you felt yourself to be, that caused you to pray: “Draw me, and we will run after Thee.” Having tasted that the Lord is gracious, fresh desires began to arise in your heart to witness for Him by sitting at His table with His people who now, in the mercy of God, were counted dear to your heart. Before any person goes forward to the Lord’s table which He has spread in the world, they should examine themselves as to whether a saving change has taken place in their hearts by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. If so, the Lord puts this duty upon them: “This do in remembrance of me.” That wonderful day when you were enabled to do that, you will never forget. Although many years have passed over our heads since we took that step, and we have met with many trials and sorrows in this world, we have never regretted taking that step of witnessing for the Lord at His table. It is an honour to be allowed to witness for Him at His table spread in the wilderness for His own blood-bought people. The late Rev. James MacLeod served the Lord’s table on that occasion. For my own part, I saw as if his face was shining like that of Moses as he spoke so touchingly from these words: “For they that needy are shall not forgotten be alway, the expectation of the poor shall not be lost for aye.” Ps. 9: 18. Oh, what a blessed day of the gospel that was as he went on to address the people at the table with much liberty from on high. I do not think there was a dry eye at the Lord’s table.
You will remember when the Lord Jesus Christ told the centurion that he would come and heal his servant. He fully believed it and so it came to pass. Matt. 8: 5. “Faithful is he that promised who will also do it.”
The late Rev. Malcolm Gillies often spoke about the angels in heaven veiling their faces before the great white throne and Him that sat upon it. The Church said of Him before: “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.” Is Christ all that to yourselves? my dear friends. If so, then you will know that He has set a table in the wilderness for you from which you have been fed to your everlasting blessing and good. You will use the language of the church when she said: “He is altogether lovely.” On another occasion we see her coming up through the wilderness leaning on her Beloved, who was to her such a precious Saviour that she prayed: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm.” Song of Sol. 8: 6. How we should praise and bless the Lord for all the feasts he has provided for us in the wilderness of this world. You, too, will be praising Him for your deliverance when He raised you and restored you from a bed of sickness or from the operating table, where the skill which he gave the surgeons was the means used for your recovery.
We recently met a new group of so-called Christians who never bother to give thanks to God after partaking of food. They would do well to study the word of God and note what was said to the lepers whom he had cured of that dread disease. By way of rebuke Jesus said: “Were not ten lepers cleansed, but where are the nine?” Only one had returned to give thanks to God.
When thinking of the provision made by the Lord on many different tables in the wilderness we cannot help but remember the heaven-sent words which the godly Rev. Donald Macfarlane placed on the table of the Assembly in 1893 when he made his stand for the truth of the gospel. Surely this was the doing of the Lord. What need we have of the Lord’s keeping until we close our eyes in death so that we may prove faithful to His cause in this backsliding day. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” II Cor 12: 9. His people have to say:
“My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.” Met. Psalm 23: 5
Dear friends, follow you the Lord Jesus Christ as diligently as Ruth followed Naomi and let her prayer be yours: “Intreat me not to leave thee, to return from following after thee.” Ruth 1: 16. His door is open and His ear is open to your cry. “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Psalm 72: 12. Be of good courage for God is still saying: “Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.” John 6: 37.