05.03. THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY

THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY In Volume 4 of SOUND DOCTRINE we learned some things of the happenings at Sinai. In this lesson we pursue these historic studies further; but before following the Israelites from Sinai, let the student again review the order of their encampment and marching. (See Vol. 4, pp. 55, 56).

THEY LEAVE SINAI.

"And it came to pass in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel set forward according to their Journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud above in the wilderness of Paran." (Numbers 10:11-12). This is the second year after they left Egypt. They had left Egypt on the fifteenth day of first month (Exodus 12:1-51), and reached Sinai in the third month after leaving Egypt (Exodus 19:1-2). Here they received the law and made the tabernacle. The tabernacle was first set up on the first day of the first month, in the second year after they left Egypt. It had therefore been eleven and one-half months since they left Egypt, and about ten months after they reached Sinai. They left Sinai on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, only one month and twenty days after the tabernacle was set up, or thirteen months and five days after they left Egypt. they murmur. They had been in bondage in Egypt for years, laboring under the oppression of the most tyrannical task-masters. They had been gloriously and miraculously delivered from that bondage and were being led to a land "flowing with milk and honey," with every assurance that Jehovah was with them and leading them; yet they soon fell to murmuring and complaining about every fancied inconvenience. The food fell about their camps in great abundance, and cost them nothing, save the effort to gather it. They grew tired of it and murmured:

"And the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic."

(Numbers 11:1-8). But Jehovah’s anger was kindled, and he punished them severely. Because they clamored for meat, the Lord told them he would give them meat till it was loathsome to them. By letting them learn from experience that their own ways brought them trouble, they would come to realize that the Lord’s way was best. It is only when we begin to lose faith in God, that we think our way is better than his, and feeling our self-sufficiency we begin to murmur against God’s way. It is sin to murmur against God or against his servants if they faithfully discharge their duty. The people are given to murmuring! The scribes and Pharisees murmured against the disciples for eating with sinners (Luke 5:30). For lack of reason they murmured against Jesus on numerous occasions. On one occasion the disciples murmured against what Jesus taught, and some of them ceased to walk with him (John 6:60-66). In speaking of the various sins of the Hebrews in the wilderness journeyings, Paul said, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer." (1 Corinthians 10:10).

MIRIAM AND AARON COMPLAIN AGAINST MOSES. (Numbers 12:1-16). God had selected Moses to lead the people out of Egypt into Canaan, and under earnest protest Moses had accepted the position to which God has assigned him. But having undertaken the work, he was doing his best. Aaron was Moses’ brother, and Miriam was his sister. Each was older than Moses. They became envious of Moses:

"And they said, Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us?"

They felt that Moses had no preference over them. But Jehovah had so ordered it, and their complaint was in fact a protest against God’s order. The Lord rebuked them severely for their presumption, saying,

"Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he departed."

It seems that Miriam was the leader in this complaint, for she suffered worse, being immediately afflicted with leprosy. Through prayer of Moses they were healed. Even after a leper was healed there was a ceremony for cleansing, a process of disinfection (See Leviticus 14:1-57). at kadesh—the spies. (Numbers 13:1-33, Numbers 14:1-45; Deuteronomy 1:19-46). About two years after the Hebrews left Egypt, they reached Kadesh, which is eleven days journey from Horeb, where they had remained several months, before Mt. Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:2). Kedash is less than one hundred miles from Jerusalem, hence they had spent most of the time between Kadesh and Sinai in camps. Why they spent forty years between Egypt and Canaan will be discussed later. From Kadesh, spies, twelve men, one from each tribe were sent into Canaan to view out the land. "And they returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days." They brought back some of the fruit of the land, and reported that it was a land "flowing with milk and honey;" they also declared that the land was filled with giants and the cities were fortified and very great. In their opinion the land could not be taken. But two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, believed they were able to take the land. Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." But the men that went up with Caleb and Joshua said, "We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." The trouble with the ten was they were leaving God out of the matter. The majority report prevailed, and the people wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua, select another captain and return to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb plead earnestly with the people, saying,

"If Jehovah delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it unto us, only rebel not against Jehovah, nor fear ye the people of the land." But all the congregation bade, "Stone them with stones." With this Jehovah was displeased and said unto Moses,

"How long will this people despise me? And how long will they believe not in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them. And will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they."

Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua were approved by Jehovah. A very small majority—jour, and against more than a million/ But let us not forget that God was with the four, and against the more than a million. Jehovah threatened to destroy the whole congregation, but Moses interceded for them. (In the church today, some would have every matter settled by a majority vote. Such was not Jehovah’s way). why the forty years? The people had said:

"Our wives and little ones will be a prey." Had they not rebelled they could have reached Jerusalem from Kadesh in a few days. Because they rebelled, Jehovah said: "Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me, surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, that ye said should be prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have rejected. But as far you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your whoredoms, until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness. After the number of days in which ye spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years." (Numbers 14:29-34). Two of these forty years had already passed, leaving thirty-eight years for the wilderness wanderings. (Deuteronomy 2:14). sabbath breaking. (Numbers 15:32-36) A man was found gathering up sticks on the Sabbath day, "And they put him in a ward, because it had not been declared what should be done with him." At the command of Jehovah,—

"all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Jehovah com­manded Moses."

(For a discussion of the Sabbath, see SOUND DOCTRINE, Vol. 3, p. 122-132). korah’s rebellion. (Numbers 16:1-50) Moses and Aaron were of the tribe of Levi, but Aaron’s family were chosen for priests. Aaron was the first high-priest. The other Levites were ministers to do service about the tabernacle. Korah was a Levite, but not a priest. He aspired to be a priest and a leader. In this ambition he was supported by Dathan and Abiram, the son of Eliab, of the tribe of Reuben. They called a convention of two-hundred and fifty of the princes of the congregation, men of renown. It was a formidable group of respected men, even if they were not respectable. The sense of that convention of renown men was expressed to Moses and Aaron in these words:

"Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congrega­tion are holy, everyone of them, and Jehovah is among them: wherefore lift ye up yourselves above the assembly of Jehovah." But Moses and Aaron were filling the places God had assigned them. But these men were not satisfied with God’s arrangement, and thought to depose Moses and Aaron. Moses was greatly distressed and rebuked Korah for his selfish ambitions. He also said: "Thou and all thy company are gathered together against Jehovah."

Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they flatly said: "We will not come up." To settle the matter definitely, Moses proposed that they and

"Aaron come before Jehovah, take every man his censer, and put incense upon them, and bring ye before Jehovah every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also and Aaron, each his censer."

They did so. At the command of Jehovah, Moses said to the people,

"Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins."

After the people departed from them, Moses pronounced judgment upon them; the earth then opened and swallowed them up. Thus ended Korah. the people protest. (Numbers 16:41-50). On the morrow the people "murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of Jehovah." To punish them for this arrogant protest, a plague fell upon the people and there were "fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah." aaron’s rod. (Numbers 17:1-13). To show them definitely whom he had selected as priests, Jehovah directed that a man from each tribe was to take a rod, write his name upon it, and lay them upon the tent of meeting. Aaron represented the tribe of Levi. On the morrow H was found that Aaron’s rod had bloomed and borne ripe almonds.

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmuring against me, that they die not." death of miriam. (Numbers 20:1) Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died at Kadesh. THE SIN OF MOSES AND AARON. (Numbers 20:1-29).

"And there was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and Aaron."

They berated Moses for bringing them out of Egypt into a place devoid of fruit and water, and wished they had died when their brethren fell before Jehovah. Moses and Aaron presented the matter to Jehovah, and Jehovah commanded them to assemble the people before the rock, and speak to it, "that it give forth its water." Moses gathered the people together, and said,

"Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? and Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this as­sembly into the land which I have given them."

Jehovah told Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock: instead they struck the rock. Concerning this incident David said that Moses "spake unadvisedly with his lips." (Psalms 106:33). Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses spoke to the people in such a way as to make at appear that he and Aaron were bringing forth the water out of the rock. They believed in the existence of God then as much as any time; yet Jehovah said they believed not in him. They lacked confidence in God’s way. They followed their own way instead of the Lord’s way. That was disbelief, and so it is now. He who, changes God’s order, or refuses to do what God says, lacks faith in God. If one believes in God’s goodness and wisdom he is anxious to do what God says. One with genuine faith never thinks of changing God’s order or way.

Israel encounters opposition, Israel requested passage through Edom to Canaan, which would have given them a short route (Numbers 20:14-20). Moses proposed to the king that they would travel their highways, touching none of the products of the land. The king of Edom refused them passage. The Lord had forbidden them fighting with Edom (Deuteronomy 2:1-8), so they passed through the extreme eastern border. In making this circuit they came in contact with the following people and destroyed them: The king of Arad and his people (Numbers 21:1-3), Sihom and Og, kings of the Amorites (Numbers 21:21-34). Their fame as warriors had reached Balak. the king of Moab, and he feared to meet them in battle. (Numbers 22:2-3). death of aaron. (Numbers 20:22-29). Aaron, the brother of Moses, three years his senior, was the first high-priest for Israel, He was the mouth-piece for Moses in the contest with Pharaoh (Exodus 14:10-16, Exodus 14:27, Exodus 14:30’ Exodus 7:1-2). He was anointed as priest at Sinai. (Leviticus 8:1-36). He was with Moses all the forty years of wanderings, till they reached Mt. Hor, when he died and was gathered unto his people. (Deuteronomy 32:50). the curse of serpents. (Numbers 21:1-35). Again the children of Israel became discouraged, and murmured against God and Moses. They complained about their food and lack of water.

"And Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned because we have spoken against Jehovah, and against thee; pray unto Jehovah, that he take away these serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people, and Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon a standard: and it came to pass, that it a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked upon the serpent of brass, he lived." (Numbers 21:6-9). Of course there was no virtue in the serpent to heal the snake bite. God healed them, but it was when they looked on the serpent of brass. No one can reason correctly and see any connection between the act performed and the blessing to be obtained. How often has God selected something to test man’s faith which was far from reasonable from man’s point of view. Had God directed Moses to make a concoction of different kinds of herbs, and bathe, or anoint the snake bite therewith, it is possible that the people would have ascribed the cure to the medicinal treatment, instead of the power of God, and all the people would have desired to keep the prescription for making the lotion. The people knew there was no power in the brazen serpent to heal. They knew the power to cure was of God. Surely no one thinks there is power in the water of baptism to cleanse one of sin, but God commands those in the Christian Dispensation who would be saved, to repent "and be baptized" in the name of Jesus Christ "unto the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38). Because some irreverent sectarian cannot see how it is possible for baptism to have anything to do with one’s salvation, he cries, "water salvation." Doubtless had such a perverter of the truth lived in the wilderness when the fiery serpents were among the Israelites, and they were required to look on the serpents, he would have cried: "Snake salvation."

Balaam: (Numbers 22:6-24). Balak fearing to meet Israel sent for Balaam, saying,

"Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people: for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for T know that he whom thou blesseth is blessed, and he whom thou curseth is cursed. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with rewards of divination in their hands, and they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak."

Balaam invited them to remain over night and he would see what God would say. God said to him: "Thou shalt not go with them: thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed." Balaam then said to the messenger: "Jehovah refuses to give me leave to go with you." It should be observed that Balaam says Jehovah "refused" to allow him to go. It is not said Balaam did not wish to go, and that additional persuasion would bring him That revealed to Balak that Balaam wished to go.

"Balak sent again princes, more and more honorable than they," with the injunction, "Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming to me; for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do." Balaam told the messengers that he could not go beyond the word of the Lord, but he said: "Tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more." That night the Lord said unto Balaam, "If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them;" and yet it is said "God’s anger was kindled because he went." He refused to allow Balaam to go, and then bade him go. To the casual reader this presents a peculiar phase of God’s dealing with men. A similar case is found in 1 Samuel 8:1-22, where we find the record of Israel crying for a king. Samuel protests; but when they cried and said, "We will have a king over us," Jehovah granted them their wish. What is the significance of this? The real answer is found in Ezekiel 14:1-9. Israel was determined to have a king, regardless of what God said. It was an idol within their hearts God answered them according to their idol and gave them a king. So Balaam wished to go to Balak, it was the longing of his heart, and he too was answered according to the idol in his heart. When a man wishes to do something which Jehovah forbids, how often is he found looking for something "more" God has said, which he can cite as a pretext for doing what he wishes? To be set on having our own way is dangerous. Rather we should inquire: "What hath Jehovah spoken?" Balaam accompanied the messengers, and was received with honor by Balak. In three successive attempts to curse Israel he blessed them. Having failed to bring disaster upon the Israelites in his efforts to curse them, he "taught Balak to cast a stumblingstone before the children of Israel, to eat things offered to idols, and commit fornication." (Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14). Hence immediately after Balaam’s departure we find Israel indulging in these base crimes. The fornication here mentioned as indulged in by Israel was not fleshly for­nication, but spiritual. In their covenant with the Lord they had pledged themselves to him, now we find them joining in false worship of Baal- peor. For a Christian to engage in false, unauthorized worship is to commit spiritual fornication. Christians are joined to the Lord, his body, united to and with him. For the worship of Baal-peor, the Israelites were put to death. allotment and boundaries. (Numbers 31:34) After having defeated the Midianites the Israelites encamped in the plains of Moab over against Jericho. (Numbers 33:48-49). Here, before they passed over Jordan into Canaan, God made known to them the exact boundaries of their land (Numbers 34:1-29), and directed that they set aside six cities of refuge (Numbers 35:9-34); here also provisions were made for Gad, Reuben, and half of Mannasah to have their inheritance on the east side of Jordan (Numbers 32:1-42). Here Moses recapitulated the law in a number of speeches as recorded in Deuteronomy. the death of Moses. When they had come near the land of Canaan, Moses said to the people, "I am a hundred and twenty years old; I can no more go out and come in: and Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan." (Deuteronomy 31:2). "And Moses went from the plains of Moab unto Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And Jehovah showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtati, and the land of Ephram and Mannasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the hinder sea, and die South, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees unto Zoar. And Jehovah said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of Jehovah died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Jehovah. And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulcher unto this day. And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." (Deuteronomy 34:1-7).

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