By miracle after miracle, mercy upon mercy, strange deliverance after strange deliverance, Jehovah had proved himself to be worthy of Israel's trust. Yet they broke down the hedges with which God had enclosed them as a sacred garden; they forsook their own true and living God, and followed after false gods.

Constantly did the Lord reprove them for this infatuation, and our text contains one instance of God's expostulating with them: "What are you doing on the road to Egypt, drinking from the muddy river?" Think of it! "Why do you wander so far from home, leaving your own cool streams from Lebanon? Why forsake Jerusalem to turn aside to Noph and to Tahapanes? Why are you so strangely bent on mischief that you cannot be content with the good and healthful, but must follow after what is evil and deceitful?"

Is there not here a word of expostulation and warning to the Christian? O true believer, called by grace and washed in the precious blood of Jesus! You have tasted of better drink than the muddy river of this world's pleasure can give you. You have had fellowship with Christ! You have obtained the joy of seeing Jesus, and leaning your head upon his bosom. Do the trifles, the songs, the honors, the merriment of this earth content you after that? Have you eaten the bread of angels, and can you live on husks?

Good Rutherford once said, "I have tasted of Christ's own manna, and it has put my mouth out of taste for the brown bread of this world's joys." Methinks it should be so with you.

If you are wandering after the waters of Egypt, O return quickly to the one living fountain! The waters of Sihor may be sweet to the Egyptians, but they will prove only bitterness to you. What have you to do with them?

Jesus asks you this question this evening—what will you answer him?