What Ailed You, O Sea, that You Fled?

You, Jordan, that You Were Driven Back?

Chapter 1

The title comes from Psalm 114, verse 5.

Here are Psalms 114 and 115 from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version--

___Psalm 114

1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

3 The sea saw it, and fled, Jordan was driven back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

5 What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you were driven back?

6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams, and you little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 Who turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

___Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your mercy, and for your truth's sake.

2 Why should the heathen say, where is now their God?

3 But our God is in the heavens, he has done whatever he pleased.

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

5 They have mouths, but they don't speak, they have eyes, but they don't see,

6 They have ears, but they don't hear, they have noses, but they don't smell,

7 They have hands, but they don't handle, they have feet, but they don't walk, nor do they speak through their throat.

8 Those who make them are like them, so is everyone that trusts in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

11 You that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us, he will bless us, he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great.

14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

15 You are blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth.

16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's, but the earth he has given to the children of men.

17 The dead don't praise the Lord, nor any that go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forever. Praise the Lord.

Chapter 2

In Psalm 114:1--5, The Psalmist talks about the departure from Egypt of the Children of Israel, led by Moses.

When the Children of Israel came to the Red Sea, it looked like a dead end, and Pharaoh had gotten the dumb idea to pursue after Israel.

But the Red Sea parted, and the Children of Israel went through on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to follow, they drowned.

So the Psalmist chides the Red Sea. “What ailed you, Red Sea?”

And the same thing happened when it was time for Israel to cross the Jordan River. The river parted, and the Children of Israel crossed on dry land.

God fights for Israel, a fact that Pharaoh was very slow to learn.

Today, there are Muslims that would like to destroy Israel. I believe the Lord won't let them destroy Israel.

Read the book.

Look at Ezekiel chapter 38. It says Gog and Magog will presume to fight against Israel.

Bible scholars think that this is Russia, or Russia with Germany.

Notice Ezekiel 38:18, “My fury will come up in my face.”

It's a really bad idea to provoke God to fury. How is it that there are some who don't understand that?

Gog and Magog will not come out well in this endeavor.

Here again, it will be God fighting for Israel.

The enemies of Israel could have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they'd bothered to read the Bible.

Here's another example of the principle that what you don't know can hurt you.

In Hosea 4:6, we read, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...”

7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 Who turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Psa 111:10)

___Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your mercy, and for your truth's sake.

2 Why should the heathen say, where is now their God?

3 But our God is in the heavens, he has done whatever he pleased.

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

5 They have mouths, but they don't speak, they have eyes, but they don't see,

6 They have ears, but they don't hear, they have noses, but they don't smell,

7 They have hands, but they don't handle, they have feet, but they don't walk, nor do they speak through their throat.

8 Those who make them are like them, so is everyone that trusts in them.

The American Indians had their totem poles. Those totem poles are like the idols in verses 4 thru 8, above, they don't speak, they don't hear, they don't see.

So what's the advantage of having idols? There is no advantage, and also makers and worshipers of idols have violated the Ten Commandments of Exodus chapter 20, where it says, “You shall not make any graven image, or any likeness of anything...”

God says, “You shall have no gods before me.” (Exo chapt 20)

No, there's only one God, and He is a triune God. He is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Ghost.

Don't mess with any other god, because that would just be a false god.

Now the Muslims say that God's name is Allah. But I can't find the name Allah anywhere in God's book, the Bible.

Also, the Muslim god, Allah, doesn't have a son, Jesus.

But the real God has a Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the lily of the valley, the bright and morning star, the fairest of ten thousand, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

So, I don't know who Allah is, because he doesn't have a Son, Jesus. The real God has a Son, Jesus.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

11 You that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield.

We will trust in the Lord our God.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us, he will bless us, he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great.

14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

15 You are blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth.

In Galatians chapter three it says the blessing of Abraham has come on the gentiles.

Paul the Apostle, formerly Saul of Tarsus, of the tribe of Benjamin, says that we Christians are grafted into Israel.

15 For if the throwing away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches are broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

18 Don't boast against the branches. But if you boast, you don't carry the root, but the root carries you.

19 You will say then, "The branches were broken off, so that I would be grafted in."

20 Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Don't be high minded, but fear,

21 For if God didn't spare the natural branches, be careful so that he doesn't break you off. (Rom chapt 11)

So then, as someone grafted into Israel, I qualify, as a Christian, for the promises made to Israel in the Bible.

And like Jesus said, “There shall be one fold and one shepherd.” The one fold is both the Jew and gentile believers, and the Shepherd is the Lord Jesus.

16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's, but the earth he has given to the children of men.

17 The dead don't praise the Lord, nor any that go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forever. Praise the Lord.

The Bible says,

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean to your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he'll direct your paths. (Prov 3:5,6)

The Psalmist went astray here a little, Theologically, and leaned to his own understanding when he mistakenly said, “The dead don't praise the Lord.” They do if they qualified with God to go to heaven.

Those who get promoted to heaven when they die praise the Lord in heaven.

But the Psalmist didn't have the benefit of the teachings of Jesus and of the New Testament.

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.