NUMBERS, Section 1 of 3,
(Num. 1—8).
Numbers 1 & Numbers 2.
We now enter upon the study of the fourth grand division of the
Pentateuch, or five
books of Moses; and we shall find the leading characteristic of this
book quite as
strongly marked as that of any of the three books which have already
engaged our
attention. In the Book of Genesis, after the record of creation, the
deluge, and the
Exodus, we have redemption. Leviticus gives us priestly worship and
communion. In
Numbers we have the walk and warfare of the wilderness. Such are the
prominent
subjects of these most precious sections of inspiration, while, as
might be expected,
many other points of deepest interest are collaterally introduced. the
Lord, in His great
mercy, has led us through the study of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus;
and we can
reckon on Him, with confidence, to conduct as through the Book of
Numbers. May
His Spirit lead the thoughts, and guide the pen, so that not a sentence
may be
committed to writing that is not in strict accordance with His holy
mind! May every
page and every paragraph bear the stamp of His approval, and be, at
once, conducive
to His glory, and the permanent profit of the reader!
"And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the
tabernacle of the
congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year
after they were
come out of the
children of
of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and
upward, all that
are able to go forth to war in
armies." Num. 1: 1-3.
Here we find ourselves, at once, "in the wilderness, where those
only are to be taken
account of who are "able to go forth to war." This is
strongly marked. In the book of
Genesis the seed of
Exodus they were in the brick-kilns of
the tabernacle of the congregation. In Numbers they are seen in the
wilderness. Then,
again, in full keeping with the above, and in confirmation thereof, in
Genesis we
hearken to the call of God in election; in Exodus we gaze upon the
blood of the Lamb
in redemption; in Leviticus we are almost entirely occupied with the
worship, and
service of the sanctuary. But no sooner have we opened the book of
Numbers than we
read of men of war, of armies, of standards, of camps, and trumpets
sounding alarm.
All this is highly characteristic, and marks off the book on which we
are now entering
as one of special interest, value, and importance to the Christian.
Each book of the
Bible, each section of the inspired canon, has its own distinct place
and object. Each
has its own niche assigned to it by its divine Author. We must not
entertain, for a
moment, the thought of instituting any comparison in point of intrinsic
value, interest,
and importance. all is divine, and therefore perfect. The Christian
reader fully and
heartily believes this. He reverently sets his seal to the truth of the
plenary inspiration
of holy scripture—of all scripture, and of the Pentateuch amongst the
rest; nor is he to
be moved, one hairs breadth, from this by the bold and impious attacks
of infidels,
ancient, medieval, or modern. Infidels and rationalists may traffic in
their unhallowed
reasonings. They may exhibit their enmity against the book and its
author; but the
pious "Christian rests, not withstanding all, in the simple and
happy belief that "All
scripture is given by inspiration God."
But while we must utterly reject the idea of any comparison as to
authority and value,
we may, with, much profit, compare the contents, design, and scope of
the various
books of the Bible. And the more profoundly we meditate upon these, the
more
forcibly shall we be struck with the exquisite beauty, infinite wisdom,
and wonderful
precision of the volume a whole, and of each distinct division the
thereof. The
inspired writer never swerves from the direct object of the book,
whatever that object
may be. You will never find anything in any one book of the Bible which
is not in the
most perfect harmony with the main design of that book;. To prove and
illustrate this
statement would lead us through the entire canon of holy scripture, and
hence we
shall not attempt it. The intelligent Christian does not need the
proof, however much
he might be interested in the illustration. He takes his stand upon the
great fact that
the book, as a whole, and in all its parts, is from God; and His heart
reposes in the
conclusion, that in that whole, and in each of those parts, there is
not a jot or a tittle
which is not in every way worthy of the divine Author.
Hear the following words from the pen of one who expresses himself as
"deeply
convinced of the divine inspiration of the scriptures, given to us of
God, and
confirmed in this conviction by daily and growing discoveries of their
fullness, depth,
and perfectness, ever more sensible, through grace, of the admirable
perfection of the
parts, and the wonderful connection of the whole." "The
scriptures," says this writer,
"have a living source, and living power has pervaded their
composition: hence their
infiniteness of bearing, and the impossibility of separating any one
part from the
whole, because one God is the living centre from which all flows; one
Christ the
living centre round which all its truth circles, and to which it
refers, though in various
glory; and one Spirit the divine sap which carries its power from its
source in God to
the minutest branches of the all-uniting truth, testifying of the
glory, the grace, and the
truth of Him whom God sets forth as the object, and centre, and head of
all that is in
connection with Himself, of Him who is, withal, God over all, blessed
for evermore.
.....The more—beginning from the utmost leaves and branches of this
revelation of
the mind of God, by which we have been reached when far from Him—we
have
traced it up towards its centre, and thence looked down again towards
its extent and
diversity, the more we learn its infiniteness, and our own feebleness
of apprehension.
We learn, blessed be God, this, that the love which is its source is
found in unmingled
perfectness and fullest display of those manifestations of it which
have reached us
even in our ruined state. The same perfect God of love is in it all.
But the unfoldings
of divine wisdom in the counsels in which God has displayed Himself
remain ever to
us a subject of research, in which every new discovery, by increasing
our spiritual
intelligence, makes the infiniteness of the whole, and the way in which
it surpasses all
our thoughts, only more and more clear to us."
It is truly refreshing to transcribe such lines from the pen of one who
has been a
profound student of scripture for forty years. They are of unspeakable
value, of a
moment when so many are ready to cast a slight upon the sacred volume.
Not that we
are, in any wise, dependent upon human testimony in forming our
conclusions as to
the divine origin of the Bible, inasmuch as these conclusions rest upon
a foundation
furnished by the Bible itself. God's word, as well as His work, speaks
for itself; it
carries its own credentials with it; it speaks to the heart; it reaches
down to the great
moral roots of our being; it penetrates the very innermost chambers of
the soul; it
shows us what we are; it speaks to us as no other book can speak; and,
as the woman
of Sychar argued that Jesus must be the Christ because He told her all
things that ever
she did, so may we say in reference to the Bible, It tells us all that
ever we did, is not
this the word of God? No doubt it is only by the Spirit's teaching that
we can discern
and appreciate the evidence and credentials with which holy scripture
presents itself
before us; but still it does speak for itself, and needs not human
testimony to make it
of value to the soul. We should no more think of having our faith in
the Bible
established upon man's testimony in its favour than we should think of
having it
shaken by his testimony against it.
It is of the very last possible importance, at all times, but more
especially at a moment
like the present, to have the heart and mind established in the sound
truth of the
divine authority of holy scripture —its plenary inspiration—its
all-sufficiency for all
purposes, for all people, at all times. There are two hostile
influences abroad, namely,
infidelity, on the one hand, and superstition, on the other. The former
denies that God
has spoken to us in His word. The latter admits that He has spoken, but
it denies that
we can understand what He says, save by the interpretation of the
Church.
Now, while there are very many who recoil with horror from the impiety
and audacity
of infidelity, they do not see that superstition, just as completely,
deprives them of the
scriptures. For wherein, let us ask, lies the difference between
denying that God has
spoken, and denying that we can understand what He says? In either
case: are we not
deprived of the word of God? Unquestionably. If God cannot make me
understand
what He says—if He cannot give me the assurance that it is He Himself
who speaks, I
am, in no wise, better off than if He had not spoken at all. If God's
word is not
sufficient, without human interpretation, then it cannot be God's word
at all. That
which is insufficient is not God's word. We must admit either of two
things, namely,
that God has not spoken at all, or if He has spoken, His word is
perfect. There is no
neutral ground in reference to this question. Has God given us a
revelation? Infidelity
says, "No." superstition says, "Yes, but you cannot
understand it without human
authority." Thus are we, in the one case as well as in the other, deprived
of the
priceless treasure of God's own precious word; and thus, too,
infidelity and
superstition, though apparently so unlike, meet in the one point of
depriving us of a
divine revelation. But, blessed be God, He has given us a revelation.
He has spoken,
and His word is able to teach the heart and the understanding also. God
is able to give
the certainty that it is He who speaks, and we do not want any human
authority to
intervene. We do not want a poor rush-light to enable us to see that
the sun is shining.
The beams of that glorious Luminary are quite enough without any such
miserable
addition. All we want is to stand in the sunshine and we shall be
convinced that the
sun shines. If we retire into a vault or into a tunnel, we shall not
feel his influence;
and just so is it with regard to scripture, if we place ourselves
beneath the chilling and
darkening influences of superstition or infidelity, we shall not
experience the genial
and enlightening power of that divine revelation.
Having said thus much as to the divine volume as a whole, we shall now
proceed to
consider the contents of the section which lies open before us. In
Numbers 1 we have
the declaration of the pedigree;" and in Numbers 2, the
recognition of the "standard."
"And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their
names: and they
assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second
month, and they
declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their
fathers; according
to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their
polls. as the
Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of
Sinai." Num. 1:
17-19.
Has this any voice for us? Does it convey any great spiritual lesson to
our
understanding? assuredly it does. In the first place, it suggests this
important question
to the reader, "Can I declare my pedigree?" It is greatly to
be feared there are
hundreds, if not thousands, of professing Christians who are wholly
incompetent to do
so. They cannot say with clearness and decision, "Now are we the
sons of God." (1
John 3: 2) "We are all the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus." " And if ye are
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise." (Gal. 3: 26,
29) " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.....The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of
God." Rom. 8: 14,
16.
This is the Christian's "pedigree," and it is his privilege
to be able to "declare" it. He is
born from above—born again—born of water and the spirit, i. e., by the
word and by
the Holy Ghost. (Compare, diligently, John 3: 5; James 1: 18; 1 Peter
1: 23; Eph. 5:
26) The believer traces his pedigree directly up to a risen Christ in
glory. This is
Christian genealogy. So far as our natural pedigree is concerned, if we
trace it up to
its source, and then declare it honestly, we must see and admit that we
are sprung
from a ruined stock. Ours is a fallen family. Our fortunes are gone;
our very blood
attainted; we are irrecoverably ruined; we can never regain our
original position; our
former status and the inheritance which belonged to it are
irretrievably lost. A man
may be able to trace his genealogical line throughout a race Of nobles,
of princes, or
of kings; but is he is finally to "declare his pedigree," he
cannot stop short of a fallen,
ruined, outcast head. We must get to the source of a thing to know what
it really is. It
is thus God looks at and judges of things, and we must think with Him
if we would
think aright. His judgement of men and things must be dominant for
ever. Man's
judgement is only ephemeral, it lasts but for a day; and hence,
according to faith's
estimate, the estimate of sound sense, "It is a small thing to be
judged of man's day."
(1 Cor. 4: 3) Oh! how small! Would that we felt more deeply how small a
thing it is to
be judged of man's judgement, or, as the margin reads it, of man's day!
Would that we
walked, habitually, in the real sense of the smallness thereof! It
would impart a calm
elevation and a holy dignity which would lift us above the influence of
the scene
through which we are passing. what is rank in this life? What
importance can attach
to a pedigree which, if honestly traced, and faithfully declared, is
derived from a
ruined stock? A man can only be proud of his birth when he stops short
of his real
Origin: as born in sin and shapen in iniquity." Such is man's
origin—such his birth.
Who can think of being proud of such a birth, of such an origin? Who
but one whose
mind the god of this world hath blinded?
But how different with the Christian! His pedigree is heavenly. His
"genealogical tree
strikes its roots into the soil of the new creation. Death can never
break the line,
inasmuch as it is formed in resurrection. We cannot be too simple as to
this. It is of
the utmost importance that the reader should be thoroughly clear on
this foundation
point. We can easily see from this first chapter of Numbers, how,
essential it was that
every member of the congregation of Israel should be able to declare
his pedigree
Uncertainty, on this point, would have proved disastrous; it would have
produced
hopeless confusion. We can hardly imagine an Israelite, when called to
declare his
pedigree, expressing himself in the doubtful manner adopted by many
Christians now-
a-days. We cannot conceive his saying, well, I am not quite sure.
Sometimes I cherish
the hope that I am of the stock of Israel, but at other times, I am
full of fear that I do
not belong to the congregation Of the Lord at all. I am all in
uncertainty and darkness.
Can we conceive of such language. Assuredly not. Much less could we
imagine
anyone maintaining the monstrous notion that no one could possibly be
sure as to
whether he was a true Israelite or not until the day of judgement.
All such ideas and reasonings—all such doubts, fears, and questions, we
may rest
assured, were foreign to the mind of the Israelite. Every member of the
congregation
was called to declare his pedigree, ere taking his place in the ranks
as a man of war.
Each one was able to say, like Saul of Tarsus, "Circumcised the
eighth day, of the
stock of Israel," &c. All was settled and clear, and
necessarily so if there was to be
any real entrance upon the walk and warfare of the wilderness.
Now, may we not legitimately ask, "If a Jew could be certain as to
his pedigree, why
may not a Christian be certain as to his? Reader, weigh this question,
and if you are
one of that large class of persons who are never able to arrive at the
blessed certainty
of their heavenly lineage, their spiritual birth, pause, we beseech
you, and let us
reason with you on this momentous point. It may be you are disposed to
ask, "How
can I be sure that I am, really and truly, a child of God, a member of
Christ, born of
the word and Spirit of God? I would give worlds, were they mine, to be
certain as to
this most weighty question."
Well, then, we would earnestly desire to help you in this matter.
Indeed one special
object before us in penning these "Notes" is to assist
anxious souls, by answering, as
the Lord may enable us, their questions, solving their difficulties,
and removing the
stumbling-blocks out of their way.
And, first of all, let as point out one special feature which belongs
to all the children
of God, without exception. It is a very simple, but a very blessed
feature. If we do not
possess it, in some degree, it is most certain we are not of the
heavenly race; but if we
do possess it, it is just as certain that we are, and we may,
therefore, without any
difficulty or reserve, "declare our pedigree." now what is
this feature? What is this
great family characteristic? Our Lord Jesus Christ supplies the answer.
He tells as that
"Wisdom is justified of all her children." (Luke 7: 35; Matt.
11: 19) all the children of
Wisdom, from the days of Abel down to the present moment, have been
marked by
this great family trait. There is not so much as a single exception.
All God's
children—all the sons of Wisdom have always exhibited, in some degree,
this moral
feature—they have justified God. Let the reader consider this. It may
be he finds it
hard to understand what is meant by justifying God; but a passage or
two of holy
scripture will, we trust, make it quite plain. We read in Luke 7 that
"all the people that
heard Jesus, and the publicans, justified God, being baptised with the
baptism of
John. But, the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God
against themselves,
being not baptised of him." (ver. 29, 30) Here we have the two
generations brought, as
it were, face to face. The publicans justified God and condemned
themselves. The
Pharisees justified themselves and judged God. The former submitted to
the baptism
of John—the baptism of repentance. The latter refused that
baptism—refused to
repent—refused to humble and to judge themselves.
Here we have the two great classes into which the whole human family
has been
divided, from the days of Abel and Cain down to the present day; and
here, too, we
have the simplest possible test by which to try our
"pedigree." Have we taken the
place of self-condemnation? Have we bowed in true repentance before
God? This is
to justify God. The two things go together—yea, they are one and the
same. The man
who condemns himself justifies God; and the man who justifies God
condemns
himself. On the other hand, the man who justifies himself judges God;
and the man
who judges God justifies himself.
Thus it stands in every case. And be it observed that the very moment
we take the
ground of repentance and self judgement, God takes the ground of a
Justifier. God
always justifies those who condemn themselves. All His children justify
Him, and He
justifies all His children. The moment David said, "I have sinned
against the Lord,"
the answer was, "the Lord hath put away thy sin." Divine
forgiveness follows, with the
most intense rapidity, human confession.
Hence it follows that nothing can be more foolish than for any one to
justify himself,
inasmuch as God must be justified in His sayings, and overcome when He
is judged.
(Comp. Psalm 51: 4; Rom. 3: 4) God must have the upper hand in the end,
and then
all self justification shall be seen in its true light. The wisest
thing therefore is to
condemn ourselves. This is what all the children of wisdom do. Nothing
is more
characteristic of the true members of wisdom's family then the habit
and spirit of self-
judgement. Whereas, on the other hand, nothing so marks all those who
are not of this
family as a spirit of self-vindication.
These things are worthy of our most earnest attention. Nature will
blame anything and
everything, any one and every one but itself. But where grace is at
work, there is ever
a readiness to judge self, and take the lowly place. This is the true
secret of blessing
and peace. All God's children have stood on this blessed ground,
exhibited this lovely
moral trait, and reached this grand result. we cannot find so much as a
single
exception in the entire history of Wisdom's happy family; and we may
safely say, that
if the reader has been led, in truth and reality, to own himself
lost—to condemn
himself—to take the place of true repentance-then is he, in very deed,
one of the
children of Wisdom, and he may therefore, with boldness and decision,
"declare his
pedigree."
We would urge this point at the outset. It is impossible for any one to
recognise and
rally round the proper "standard" unless he can declare his
"pedigree." In short, it is
impossible to take up a true position in the wilderness so long as
there is any
uncertainty as to this great question. How could an Israelite of old
have taken his
place in the assembly—how could he have stood in the ranks—how could he
expect
to make any progress through the wilderness, if he could not distinctly
declare his
pedigree? Impossible. Just so is it with Christians now. Progress in
wilderness life—
success in spiritual warfare, is out of the question if there be any
uncertainty as to the
spiritual pedigree. We must be able to say, "we know that we have
passed from death
unto life"—"We know that we are of God"—"We believe
and are sure, ere there can
be any real advance in the life and walk of a Christian.
Reader, say, can you declare your pedigree? Is this a thoroughly
settled point with
you? Are you clear as to this in the very depths of your soul? When you
are all alone
with God, is it a perfectly settled question between you and Him?
Search and see.
Make sure work of it. Do not slur the matter over. Build not upon mere
profession.
Say not "I am a member of such a church; I receive the Lord's
supper; I hold such and
such doctrines; I have been religiously brought up I live a moral life;
I have done
nobody any harm; I read the Bible and say my prayers; I have family
worship in my
house; I give largely in the cause of philanthropy and religion."
All this may be
perfectly true of you, and yet you may not have a single pulse of
divine life, a single
ray of divine light. Not one of these things, not all of them put
together, could be
accepted as a declaration of spiritual pedigree. There must be the
witness of the spirit
that you are a child of God, and this witness always accompanies simple
faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. "He that believeth in the Son of God hath the
witness in himself."
(1 John 5: 10) It is not, by any means, a question of looking into your
own heart for
evidences. It is not a building upon frames, feelings, and experiences.
Nothing of the
sort. It is a childlike faith in Christ. It is having eternal life in
the Son of God. It is the
imperishable record of the Holy Ghost. It is taking God at His word.
"Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement (krivsin), but is
passed from death
unto life." John 5: 24.
This is the true way to declare your pedigree; and be assured of it,
you must be able to
declare it ere you can "go forth to war." We do not mean to
say you cannot be saved
without this. God forbid we should say any such thing. We believe there
are hundreds
of the true Spiritual Israel who are not able to declare their
pedigree. But we ask, Are
such able to go forth to war? Are they vigorous military men? Far from
it. They
cannot even know what true conflict is; on the contrary, persons of
this class mistake
their doubts and fears, their dark and cloudy seasons , for true
Christian conflict This
is a most serious mistake; but alas! a very common one. We continually
find a, low,
dark, legal condition of soul defended on the ground of Christian
conflict, whereas,
according to the New Testament, true Christian conflict or warfare is
carried on in a
region were doubts and fears are unknown. It is when we stand in the
clear daylight of
God's full salvation-salvation in a risen Christ—that we really enter
upon the warfare
proper to us as Christians. Are we to suppose, for a moment, that our
legal struggles,
our culpable unbelief, our refusal to submit to the righteousness of
God, our
questionings and reasonings, can be viewed as Christian conflict? By no
means. All
these things must be regarded as conflict with God; whereas Christian
conflict is
carried on with Satan. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against
wicked spirits in high places." Eph. 6: 12.
This is Christian conflict. But can such conflict be waged by those who
are
continually doubting whether they are Christians or not? We do not
believe it. Could
we imagine an Israelite in conflict with Amalek in the wilderness, or
with the
Canaanites in the land of promise, while yet unable to "declare
his pedigree" or
recognise his "standard?" The thing is inconceivable. No, no;
every member of the
congregation, who was able to go forth to war was perfectly clear and
settled as to
those two points. Indeed he could not go forth if he were not so.
And, while on the important subject of Christian conflict, it may be
well to call the
reader's attention to the three portions of New Testament scripture in
which we have
three distinct characters of conflict presented, namely, Romans 7:
7-24; Galatians v.
17; Ephesians 6: 10-17. If the reader will just turn, for a moment, to
the above
scriptures, we shall seek to point out the true character of each.
In Romans 7: 7-24 we have the struggle of a soul quickened but not
emancipated—a
regenerated soul under the law. The proof that we have before us, here,
a quickened
soul is found in such utterances as these, "That which I do, I
allow not"—"to will is
present with me"—"I delight in the law of God after the
inward man." None but a
regenerated soul could speak thus. The disallowance of the wrong, the
will to do
right, the inward delight in the law of God—all these are the distinct
marks of the
new life—the precious fruits of regeneration. No unconverted person
could truthfully
use such language
But, on the other hand, the proofs that we have before us, in this
scripture, a soul not
fully emancipated, not in the joy of known deliverance, not in the full
consciousness
of victory, not in the assured possession of spiritual power—the plain
proofs of all
this we have in such utterances as the following, "I am carnal,
sold under sin"—"what
I would that do I not; but what I hate that do I"—"O wretched
man that I am! who
shall deliver me?" Now, we know that a Christian is not
"carnal," but spiritual; he is
not "sold under sin," but redeemed from its power; he is not
a "wretched man" sighing
for deliverance, but a happy man who knows himself delivered. He is not
an impotent
slave, unable to do the right thing, and ever compelled to do the
wrong; he is a free
man! endowed with power in the Holy Ghost, and able to say, "I can
do all things
through Christ that strengtheneth me." Philippians 4.
We cannot here attempt to enter upon a full exposition of this most
important
scripture; we merely offer a suggestion or two which may help the
reader to seize its
scope and import. We are fully aware that many Christians differ widely
as to the
interpretation of this chapter. Some deny that it presents the
exercises of a quickened
soul; others maintain that it sets forth the experiences proper to a
Christian. We
cannot accept either conclusion. We believe it exhibits to our view the
exercises of a
truly regenerated soul, but of a soul not set free by the knowledge of
its union with a
risen Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost. Hundreds of Christians
are actually in
the seventh of Romans but their proper place is in the eighth. They
are, as to their
experience, under the law. They do not know themselves as sealed by the
Holy Ghost.
They are not in possession of full victory in a risen and glorified
Christ. They have
doubts and fears, and are ever disposed to cry out "O wretched man
that I am! Who
shall deliver we? But is not a Christian delivered? Is he not saved? Is
he not accepted
in the Beloved? Is he not sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise? Is he
not united to
Christ? Ought he not to know and enjoy, and to confess all this?
Unquestionably.
Well then he is no longer, as to his standing, in the seventh of
Romans. It is his
privilege to sing the song of victory at heaven's side of the empty
tomb of Jesus, and
to walk in the holy liberty wherewith Christ makes His people free. The
seventh of
Romans is not liberty at all, but bondage, except indeed at the very
close, where the
soul is able to say, "I thank God." No doubt, it may be a
very wholesome exercise to
pass through all that is here detailed for us with such marvellous
vividness and power;
and, furthermore, we must declare that we should vastly prefer being
honestly in the
seventh of Romans to being falsely in the eighth. But all this leaves
wholly untouched
the question as to the proper application of this profoundly
interesting passage of
scripture.
We shall now glance, for a moment, at the conflict in Galatians 5: 17
we shall quote
the passage. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh:
and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the
things that ye
would.* This passage is often quoted to account for continual defeat,
whereas it really
contains the secret of perpetual victory. In verse 16 we read,
"This I say, then, walk in
the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." This
makes it all so clear. The
presence of the Holy Ghost secures power. We are assured that God is
stronger than
the flesh, and therefore, where He is in conflict the triumph is
secured. And be it
carefully noted that Galatians 5: 17 does not speak of the conflict
between the Two
natures, the old and the new, but between the Holy Ghost and the flesh.
This is the
reason why it is added, "In order that ye may not do the things that
ye would." If the
Holy Ghost were not dwelling in us, we should be sure to fulfil the
lust of the flesh;
but, inasmuch as He is in us to carry on the warfare, we are no longer
obliged to do
wrong, but blessedly enabled to do right.
{*We ought, perhaps, to inform the reader that many able scholars
render the last
clause of Galatians 5: 17 thus, "In order that we may not do the
things that we would."
We assuredly believe this rendering.. to be in full keeping with the
spirit of the
context; though we are, each day, more convinced of the unrivalled
excellence of our
precious English Bible.}
Now this precisely marks the point of difference between Romans 7: 14,
15 and
Galatians 5.17. In the former we have the new nature, but not the power
of the
indwelling Spirit. In the latter, we have not only the new nature, but
also the power of
the Holy Ghost. we must ever bear in mind that the new nature in a
believer is
dependent. It is dependent upon the Spirit for power, and upon the word
for guidance.
But, clearly, where God The Holy Ghost is, there must be power. He may
be grieved
and hindered; but Galatians 5: 16 distinctly teaches that if we walk in
the Spirit, we
shall have sure and constant victory over the flesh. Hence, therefore,
it would be a
very serious mistake indeed to quote Galatians 5: 17 as a reason for a
low and carnal
walk. Its teaching is designed to produce the direct opposite.
And now one word on Ephesians 6: 10-17. where we have the conflict
between the
Christian and wicked spirits in heavenly places. The Church belongs to
heaven, and
should ever maintain a heavenly walk and conversation. It should be our
constant aim
to make good our heavenly standing—to plant the foot firmly upon our
heavenly
inheritance, and keep it there. This the devil seeks to hinder, in
every possible way,
and hence the conflict; hence too "the whole armour of God,"
by which alone we can
stand against our powerful spiritual foe.
It is not our purpose to dwell upon the armour, as we here merely
called the reader's
attention to the above three scriptures in order that he may have the
subject of
conflict, in all its phases, fully before his mind, in connection with
the opening lines
of the Book of Numbers. Nothing can be more interesting; nor can we
possibly over
estimate the importance of being clear as to the real nature and ground
of Christian
conflict. If we go forth to war without knowing what the war is about,
and in a state of
uncertainty as to whether our "pedigree" is all right, we
Shall not make much
headway against the enemy,
But, as has been already remarked, there was another thing quite as
necessary for the
man of war as the clear declaration of his pedigree, and that was the
distinct
recognition of his standard. The two things were essential for the walk
and warfare of
the wilderness. Moreover, they were inseparable. If a man did not know
his pedigree,
he could not recognise his standard, and thus all would have been
plunged in hopeless
confusion. In place of keeping rank, and making steady progress, they
would have
been in each other's way, and treading one upon another. Each had to
know his post
and keep it—to know his standard and abide by it. Thus they moved on
together; thus
progress was made, work done. and warfare carried on. The Benjaminite
had his post,
and the Ephraimite had his, and neither was to interfere with, or cross
the path of, the
other. Thus with all the tribes, throughout the camp of the Israel of
God. Each had his
pedigree, and each had his post; and neither the one nor the other was
according to
their own thoughts; all was of God. He gave the pedigree, and He
assigned the
standard. Nor was there any need of comparing one with another, or any
ground of
jealousy one of another; each had his place to fill, and his work to
do, and there was
work enough and room enough for all. There was the greatest possible
variety, and yet
the most perfect unity. "Every man of the children of Israel shall
pitch by his own
standard, with the ensign of their father's house." "and the
children of Israel did
according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they pitched by
their standards,
and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to
the house of their
fathers." (Num. 2: 2, 34)
Thus, in the camp of old, as well as in the Church now, we learn that
"God is not the
author of confusion." Nothing could be more exquisitely arranged
than the four
camps, of three tribes each, forming a perfect square, each side of the
square
exhibiting its own specific standard. "Every man of the children
of Israel shall pitch
by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: over
against the
tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch." The God of the
armies of Israel knew
how to marshal His hosts. It would be a great mistake to suppose that
God's warriors
were not ordered according to the most perfect system of military
tactics. We may
plume ourselves upon our progress in arts and sciences, and we may
fancy that the
host of Israel presented a spectacle of rude disorder and wild
confusion, compared
with what may be seen in modern times. But this would be an empty
conceit. We may
rest assured that the camp of Israel was ordered and furnished in the
most perfect
manner, for the simplest and most conclusive of all reasons, namely,
that it was
ordered and furnished by the hand of God. Grant us but this, that God
has done
anything, and we argue, with the most perfect confidence, that it has
been perfectly
done.
This in a very simple, but a very blessed principle. Of course it would
not satisfy an
infidel or a sceptic; what would? It is the province and prerogative of
a sceptic to
doubt everything, to believe nothing. He measures everything by his own
standard,
and rejects whatever he cannot reconcile with his own notions. He lays
down, with
marvellous coolness, his own premises, and then proceeds to draw his
own
conclusions. But if the premises are false, the conclusions must be
false likewise. And
there is this invariable feature attaching to the premises of all
sceptics, rationalists,
and infidels, they always leave out God; and hence all their
conclusion's must be
fatally false. On the other hand, the humble believer starts with this
great first
principle, that God Is; and not only that He is, but that He has to do
with His
creatures; that He interests Himself in, and occupies Himself about,
the affairs of
men.
What consolation for the Christian! But infidelity will not allow this
at all. To bring
God in is to upset all the reasonings of the sceptic, for they are
based upon the
thorough exclusion of God.
However, we are not now writing in order to meet infidels, but the
edification of
believers, and it is sometimes well to call attention to the thorough
rottenness of the
whole system of infidelity; and surely in no way can this be more
clearly or forcibly
shown than by the fact that it rests entirely upon the exclusion of
God. Let this fact be
seized, and the whole system crumbles into dust at our feet. If we
believe that God is,
then, assuredly, everything must be wicked in relation to Him. We must
look at all
from His point of view. Nor is this all. If we believe that God is,
then we must see that
man cannot judge Him. God must be the judge of right or wrong, of what
is and what
is not worthy of Himself. So also in reference to God's word. If it be
true that God is,
and that He has spoken to us, He has given us a revelation, then,
assuredly, that
revelation is not to be judged by man's reason. It is above and beyond
any such
tribunal. Only think of measuring God's word by the rules of human
arithmetic! and
yet this is precisely what has been done in our own day, with this
blessed Book of
Numbers with which we are now engaged, and with which we shall proceed,
leaving
infidelity and its arithmetic aside.
We feel it very needful, in our notes and reflections on this book, as
well as on every
other book, to remember two things, namely, first, the book; and
secondly, the soul:
the book and its contents the soul and its necessities. There is a
danger of becoming
so occupied with the former as to forget the latter. And, on the other
hand, there is the
danger of becoming so wholly engrossed with the latter as to forget the
former. Both
must be attended to. And we may say that what constitutes an efficient
ministry,
whether written or oral, is the proper adjustment of these two things.
There are some
ministers who study the word very diligently, and, it may be, very
profoundly. They
are well versed in biblical knowledge; they have drunk; deeply at the
fountain of
inspiration. All this is of the utmost importance, and of the very
highest value. A
ministry without this will be barren indeed. If a man does not study
his Bible
diligently and prayerfully, he will have little to give to his readers
or his hearers; at
least little worth their having. Those who minister in the word must
dig for
themselves, and "dig deep."
But then the soul must be considered—its condition anticipated, and its
necessities
met. If this be lost sight of, the ministry will lack point, pungency,
and power. It will
be inefficient and unfruitful. In short, the two things must be
combined and properly
adjusted. A man who merely studies the book will be unpractical, a man
who merely
studies the soul will be unfurnished. A man who duly studies both will
be a good
minister of Jesus Christ.
Now, we desire, in our measure, to be this to the reader; and hence as
we travel, in his
company, through the marvellous book which lies open before us, we
would not only
seek to point out its moral beauties, and unfold its holy lessons, but
we would also
feel it to be our bounden duty to put an occasional question to him or
her, as to how
far those lessons are being learnt, and those beauties appreciated. We
trust the reader
will not object to this, and hence, ere we close this our first
section, we would ask
him a question or two thereon.
And first, then, dear friend, art thou clear and settled as to thy
"pedigree?" Is it a
settled thing that thou art on the Lord's side? Do not, we beseech
thee, leave this
grand question unsettled. We have asked it before, and we ask it again.
Dost thou
know—canst thou declare thy spiritual pedigree? It is the first thing
for God's warrior.
It is of no use to think of entering the militant host so long as you
are unsettled as to
this point. We say not that a man cannot be saved without this. Far be
the thought. But
he cannot take rank as a man of war. He cannot do battle with the
world, the flesh,
and the devil, so long as he is filled with doubts and fears as to
whether he belongs to
the true spiritual stock. If there is to be any progress, if there is
to be that decision, so
essential to a spiritual warrior, we must be able to say, "We know
that we have passed
from death unto life"—"We know that we are of God."
This is the proper language of a man of war. Not one of that mighty
host that
mustered "over against the tabernacle of the congregation"
would have understood
such a thing as a single doubt, or shadow of a doubt as to his own very
pedigree.
Doubtless, he would have smiled, had any one raised a question on the
subject. Each
one of the six hundred thousand knew well whence he had sprung, and,
therefore,
where he was to take his stand. And just so with God's militant host
now. Each
member thereof will need to possess the most unclouded confidence as to
his
relationship, else he will not be able to stand in the battle.
And then as to the "standard." What is it? Is it a doctrine?
Nay. Is it a theological
system? Nay. Is it an ecclesiastical polity? Nay. Is it a system of
ordinances, rites, or
ceremonies. Nothing of the sort, God's warriors do not fight under any
such banner.
What is the standard of God's militant host? Let us hear and remember.
It is Christ.
This is the only standard of God and the only standard of that warrior
band which
musters in this wilderness world, to wage war with the hosts of evil,
and fight the
battles of the Lord. Christ is the standard for everything. To have any
other would
only unfit us for that spiritual conflict to which we are called. What
have we, as
Christians, to do with contending for any system of theology church
organisation? Of
what account, is our estimation, are ordinances, ceremonies, or
ritualistic
observances? are we going to fight under such banners as these? God
forbid! Our
theology is the Bible. Our church organisation is the one God, formed
by the presence
of the Holy Ghost, and united to the living and exalted Head in the
heavens. To
contend for anything less than these is entirely below the mark of a
true spiritual
warrior.
Alas! alas! that so many who profess to belong to the Church of God should
so forget
their proper standard, and be found fighting under another banner. we
may rest
assured it super-induces weakness, falsifies the testimony, and hinders
progress. If we
would stand in the day of battle, we must acknowledge no standard
whatsoever but
Christ and His word—the living Word, and the written word. Here lies
our security in
the face of all our spiritual foes. The more closely we adhere to
Christ and to Him
alone the stronger and safer we shall be. To have Him as a perfect
covering for our
eyes—to keep close to Him—fast by His side, this is our grand moral
safeguard. "The
Children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp,
and every man
by his own standard throughout their hosts."
Oh! that thus it may be throughout all the host of the Church of God!
May all be laid
aside for Christ! may He be enough for our hearts. As we trace our
"pedigree" up to
Him, may His name be inscribed on the "standard" round which
we encamp in this
wilderness, through which we are passing home to our eternal rest
above! Reader, see
to it, we beseech thee, that there be not one jot or tittle inscribed
on thy banner save
Jesus Christ—that name which is above every name, and which shall yet
be exalted
for ever throughout the wide universe of God.
Numbers 3—Numbers 4.
What a marvellous spectacle was the camp of Israel, in that waste
howling
wilderness! What a spectacle to angels, to men, and to devils! God's
eye ever rested
upon it. His presence was there. He dwelt in the midst of His militant
people. It was
there He found His habitation. He did not, He could not, find His abode
amid the
splendours of Egypt, of Assyria, or of Babylon. No doubt those nations
presented
much that was attractive to nature's eye. The arts and sciences were
cultivated
amongst them. Civilization had reached a far loftier point amongst
those ancient
nations than we moderns are disposed to admit. Refinement and luxury
were probably
carried to as great an extent there as amongst those who put forth very
lofty
pretensions.
But, be it remembered, Jehovah was not known among those nations. His
name had
never been revealed to them. He did not dwell in their midst. True,
there, were the ten
thousand testimonies to His creative power. And moreover, His
superintending
providence was over them. He gave them rain and fruitful seasons,
filling their hearts
with food and gladness. The blessings and benefits of His liberal hand
were showered
upon them, from day to day, and year to year. His showers fertilized
their fields, His
sunbeams gladdened their hearts. But they knew Him not, and cared not
for Him. His
dwelling was not there. Not one of those nations could say,
"Jehovah is my strength
and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will
prepare will an
habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15: 2.
Jehovah found His abode in the bosom of His redeemed people, and
nowhere else.
Redemption was the necessary basis of God's habitation amongst men.
Apart from
redemption the divine presence could only prove the destruction of men;
but,
redemption being known, that presence secures man's highest privilege
and brightest
glory.
God dwelt in the midst of His people Israel. He came down from heaven,
not only to
redeem them out of the land of Egypt, but to be their travelling
companion through
the wilderness. What a thought! The most High God taking up His abode
on the sand
of the desert, and in the very bosom of His redeemed congregation!
Truly there was
nothing like that throughout the wide, wide world. There was that host
of six hundred
thousand men, beside women and children, in a sterile desert, where
there was not a
blade of grass, not a drop of water—no visible source of subsistence.
How were they
to be fed? God was there! How were they to be kept in order God was
there! How
were they to track their way through a howling wilderness where there
was no way?
God was there!
In a word, God's presence secured everything. Unbelief might say,
"What! are three
millions of people to be fed on air? Who has charge of the
commissariat? Where are
the military stores? Where is the baggage? Who is to attend to the
clothing?" Faith
alone could answer, and its answer brief, and conclusive:" God was
there!" And that
was quite sufficient. All is comprehended in that one sentence. In
faith's arithmetic,
God is the only significant figure, and, having Him, you may add as
many ciphers as
you please. If all your springs are in the living God, it ceases to be
a question of your
need, and resolves itself into a question of His sufficiency.
What were six hundred thousand footmen to the Almighty God? What the
varied
necessities of their wives and children? In man's estimation, these
things might seem
overwhelming. England has just sent out ten thousand troops to
Abyssinia; but only
think of the enormous expense and labour; think of the number of
transports required
to convey provisions and other necessaries for that small army. But
imagine an army
sixty times the size, together with the women and children. Conceive
this enormous
host entering upon a march that was to extend over the space of forty
years, through
"a great and terrible wilderness," in which there was no
corn, no grass, no water-
spring. How were they to be sustained? No supplies with them—no
arrangements
entered into with friendly nations to forward supplies—no transports
despatched to
meet them at various points along their route—in short, not a single
visible source of
supply—nothing that nature would consider available.
All this is something worth pondering. But we must ponder it in the
divine presence.
It is of no possible use for reason to sit down and try to solve this
mighty problem by
human arithmetic. No, reader; it is only faith that can solve it, and
that, moreover, by
the word of the living God. Here lies the precious solution. Bring God
in, and you
want no other factors to work out your answer. Leave Him out, and the
more powerful
your reason, and the more profound your arithmetic, the more hopeless
must be your
perplexity.
Thus it is that faith settles the question. God was in the midst of His
people. He was
there in all the fullness of His grace and mercy—there in His perfect
knowledge of
His people's wants, and of the difficulties of their path—there in His
almighty power
and boundless resources, to meet these difficulties and supply these
wants. And so
fully did He enter into all these things, that He was able, at the
close of their long
wilderness wanderings, to appeal to their hearts in the following
touching accents,
"for the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy
hand; he knoweth thy
walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy
God hath been
with thee; thou hast lacked nothing." And again, "Thy raiment
waxed not old upon
thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years." Deut. 2: 7;
Deut. 8: 4.
Now, in all these things, the camp of Israel was a type—a vivid,
striking type. A type
of what? A type of the Church of God passing through this world. The
testimony of
scripture is so distinct on this point, as to leave no room and no
demand for the
exercise of imagination. "all these things happened unto them for
ensamples; and they
are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are
come." 1 Cor.
10: 11.
Hence, therefore, we may draw near and gaze, with intense interest upon
that
marvellous spectacle, and seek to gather up the precious lessons which
it is so
eminently fitted to teach. and, oh, what lessons! Who can duly estimate
them? Look at
that mysterious camp in the desert, composed, as we have said, of
warriors, workers,
and worshippers! what separation from all the nations of the world!
What utter
helplessness! What exposure! What absolute dependence upon God! They
had
nothing—could do nothing—could know nothing. They had not a morsel of
food, nor
a drop of water, but as they received it day by day from the immediate
hand of God.
When they retired to rest at night, there was not a single atom of
provision for the
morrow. There was no storehouse, no larder, no visible source of
supply, nothing that
nature could take any account of.
But God was there, and that, in the judgement of faith, was quite
enough. They were
shut up to God. This is the one grand reality. Faith owns nothing real,
nothing solid,
nothing true, but the one true, living, eternal God. Nature might cast
a longing look at
the granaries of Egypt, and see something tangible, something
substantial there. Faith
looks up to heaven and finds all its springs there.
Thus it was with the camp in the desert; and thus it is with the Church
in the world.
There was not a single exigency, not a single contingency, not a single
need of any
sort whatsoever, for which the Divine Presence was not an
all-sufficient answer. The
nations of the uncircumcised might look on and marvel. They might, in
the
bewilderment of blind unbelief, raise many a question as to how such a
host could
ever be fed, clothed, and kept in order. Most certainly they had no
eyes to see how- it
could be done. They knew not Jehovah, the Lord God of the Hebrews; and
therefore
to tell them that He was going to undertake for that vast assembly
would indeed seem
like idle tales.
And so it is now, in reference to the assembly of God, in this world,
which may truly
be termed a moral wilderness. Looked at from God's point of view, that
assembly is
not of the world; it is in complete separation. It is as thoroughly
apart from the world,
as the camp of Israel was apart from Egypt. The waters of the Red Sea
rolled between
that camp and Egypt; and the deeper and darker waters of the death of
Christ roll
between the Church of God and this present evil world. It is impossible
to conceive
separation more complete. "They," says our Lord Christ,
"are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world." John 17.
Then, as to entire dependence; what can be more dependent than the
church of God in
this world? She has nothing in or of herself. She is set down in the
midst of a moral
desert, a dreary waste, a vast howling wilderness, in the which there
is literally
nothing on which she can live. There is not one drop of water, not a
single morsel of
suited food for the Church of God, throughout the entire compass of
this world.
So also as to the matter of exposure to all sorts of hostile
influences. Nothing can
exceed it. There is not so much as one friendly influence. All is
against her. She is in
the midst of this world like an exotic plant belonging to a foreign
clime, and set down
in a sphere where both the soil and the atmosphere are uncongenial.
Such is the Church of God in the world—a separated—dependent—defenceless
thing,
wholly cast upon the living God. It is calculated to give great
vividness, force, and
clearness to our thoughts about the Church, to view it as the antitype
of the camp in
the desert; and that it is in no wise fanciful or far-fetched to view
it thus, 1
Corinthians 10: 11 does most clearly show. We are fully warranted in
saying that what
the camp of Israel was literally, that the Church is morally and
spiritually. And,
farther, that what the wilderness was literally to Israel, that the
world is, morally and
spiritually, to the Church of God. The wilderness was the sphere of
Israel's toil and
danger, not of their supplies or their enjoyment; and the world is the
sphere of the
Church's toil and danger, not of its supplies or its enjoyment.
It is well to seize this fact, in all its moral power. The assembly of
God in the world,
like "the congregation in the wilderness," is wholly cast
upon the living God. we
speak, be it remembered, from the divine standpoint—of what the Church
is in God's
sight. Looked at from man's point of view—looked at as she is, in her
own actual
practical state, it is, alas! another thing. We are now only occupied
with the normal,
the true, the divine idea of God's assembly is this world.
And let it not be forgotten, for one moment, that, as truly as there
was a camp in the
desert, of old—a congregation in the wilderness—so truly is there the
Church of God,
the body of Christ, in the world now. Doubtless, the nations of the
world knew little,
and cared less, about that congregation of old; but that did not weaken
or touch the
great living fact. So now, the men of the world know little and care
less about the
assembly of God—the body of Christ; but that, in no wise, touches the
grand living
truth that there is such a thing actually existing in this world, and
has been ever since
the Holy Ghost descended on the day of Pentecost. True, the
congregation, of old, had
its trials, its conflicts, its sorrows, its temptations, its strifes,
its controversies—its
internal commotions—its numberless and nameless difficulties, calling
for the varied
resources that were in God—the precious ministrations of prophet,
priest, and king
which God had provided; for, as we know, Moses was there as "king
in Jeshurun,"
and as the prophet raised up of God; and Aaron was there to exercise
all the priestly
functions.
But, in spite of all these things that we have named—in spite of the
weakness, the
failure, the sin, the rebellion, the strife—still there was the
striking fact, to be taken
cognisance of by men, by devils, and by angels, namely, a vast
congregation,
amounting to something like three millions of people (according to the
usual mode of
computation) journeying through a wilderness, wholly dependent upon an
unseen
arm, guided and cared for by the eternal God, whose eye was never for
one moment
withdrawn from that mysterious typical host; yea, He dwelt in their
midst, and never
left them, in all their unbelief, their forgetfulness, their
ingratitude, and rebellion. God
was there to sustain and guide, to guard and keep them day and night.
He fed them
with bread from heaven, day by day; and He brought them forth water out
of the flinty
rock.
This, assuredly, was a stupendous fact—a profound mystery. God had a
congregation
in the wilderness—apart from the nations around, shut up to Himself. It
may be the
nations of the world knew nothing, cared nothing, thought nothing,
about this
assembly. It is certain the desert yielded nothing in the way of
sustenance or
refreshment. There were serpents and scorpions—there were snares and
dangers—
drought, barrenness, and desolation. But there was that wonderful
assembly
maintained in a manner that baffled and confounded human reason.
And, reader, remember this was a type. A type of what? a type of
something that has
been in existence for over eighteen centuries; is in existence still;
and shall be in
existence until the moment that our Lord Christ rises from His present
position, and
descends into the air. In one word, a type of the Church of God in the
world. How
important to recognise this fact! How sadly it has been lost sight of!
How little
understood even now! and yet every Christian is solemnly responsible to
recognise,
and practically to confess it. There is no escaping it. Is it true that
there is something
in this world, at this very moment, answering to the camp in the
desert? Yes, verily;
there is, in very truth, the Church in the wilderness. There is an
assembly passing
through this world, just as the literal Israel passed through the
literal desert and,
moreover, the world is, morally and spiritually, to that Church what
the desert was,
literally and practically, to Israel of old. Israel found no springs in
the desert; and the
Church of God should find no springs in the world. If she does, she
proves false to her
Lord. Israel was not of the desert, but passing through it; and the
Church of God is not
of the world, but passing through it.
If this be thoroughly entered into by the reader, it will show him the
place of complete
separation which belongs to the Church of God as a whole, and to each
individual
member thereof. The Church, in God's view of her, is as thoroughly
marked off from
this present world, as the camp of Israel was marked off from. the
surrounding desert.
There is as little in common between the Church and the world, as there
was between
Israel and the sand of the desert. The most brilliant attractions and
bewitching
fascinations of the world are to the Church of God what the serpents
and scorpions,
and the ten thousand other dangers of the wilderness, were to Israel.
Such is the divine idea, of the Church; and it is with this idea that
we are now
occupied. Alas! alas! how different it is with that which calls itself
the Church! But
we want the reader to dwell, for the present, on the true thing. We
want him to place
himself, by faith, at God's standpoint, and view the Church from
thence. It is only by
so doing that he can have anything like a true idea of what the Church
is, or of his
own personal responsibility with respect to it. God has a Church in the
world. There is
a body now on the earth, indwelt by God the Spirit, and united to
Christ the Head.
This Church—this body—is composed of all those who truly believe on the
Son of
God, and who are united by the grand fact of the presence of the Holy
Ghost.
And, be it observed, this is not a matter of opinion —a certain thing
which we may
take up or lay down at pleasure. It is a divine fact. It is a grand
truth, whether we will
hear or whether we will forbear. The Church is an existing thing, and
we, if believers,
are members thereof. We cannot avoid this. We cannot ignore it. We are
actually in
the relationship—baptised into it by the Holy Ghost. It is as real and
as positive a
thing as the birth of a child into a family. The birth has taken place,
the relationship is
formed, and we have only to recognise it, and walk in the sense of it,
from day to day.
The very moment in the which a soul is born again—born from above, and
sealed by
the Holy Ghost—he is incorporated into the body of Christ. He can no
longer view
himself as a solitary individual—an independent person—an isolated
atom; he is a
member of a body, just as the hand or the foot is a member of the human
body. He is
a member of the Church of God, and cannot, properly or truly, be a
member of
anything else. How could my arm be a member of any other body? And, on
the same
principle, we may ask, how could a member of the body of Christ be a
member of any
other body?
What a glorious truth is this respecting the Church of God—the antitype
of the camp
in the desert, "the congregation in the wilderness!" What a
fact to be governed by!
There is such a thing as the Church of God, amid all the ruin and the
wreck, the strife
and the discord, the confusion and division, the sects and parties.
This surely is a most
precious truth. But not only is it most precious, it is also most
practical and formative.
We are as bound to recognise, by faith, this Church in the world, as
the Israelite was
bound to recognise, by sight, the camp in the desert. There was one
camp, one
congregation, and the true Israelite belonged thereto; there is one
Church—one body,
and the true Christian belongs to it.
But how is this body organised? By the Holy Ghost, as it is written,
"By one Spirit are
we all baptised into one body." (1 Cor. 12: 13.) How is it
maintained? By its living
Head, through the Spirit, and by the word, as it is written, "No
man ever yet hated his
own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the
church." (Eph. 5: 29)
Is not this enough? Is not the Lord Christ sufficient? Doth not the
Holy Ghost suffice?
Do we want anything more than the varied virtues that are lodged in the
name of
Jesus? Are not the gifts of the eternal Spirit quite sufficient for the
growth and
maintenance of the Church of God? Doth not the fact of the Divine
presence in the
Church secure all that the Church can possibly need? Is it not
sufficient for the
exigence of every hour!" Faith says, and says it with emphasis and
decision—"Yes!"
Unbelief—human reason, says, "No! we want a great many things as
well." What is
our brief reply! Simply this, "If God be not sufficient, we know
not whither to turn. If
the name of Jesus doth not suffice, we know not what to do. If the Holy
Ghost cannot
meet all our need, in communion, in ministry, and in worship, we know
not what to
say."
It may, however, be said that "Things are not as they were in
apostolic times. the
professing church has failed; Pentecostal gifts have ceased; the palmy
days of the
Church's first love have passed away; and therefore we must adopt the
best means in
our power for the organisation and maintenance of our churches."
To all this we
reply, "God has not failed. Christ the Head of the Church has not
failed. The Holy
Spirit has not failed. Not one jot or tittle of God's word has
failed." This is the true
ground of faith. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and
for ever." He has said,
"Lo, I am with you." How long! During the days of first love?
during apostolic times?
so long as the Church shall continue faithful? No; "I am with you
always, even unto
the end of the age." (Matt. 28) So also, at an earlier moment
when, for the first time in
the whole canon of scripture, the Church, properly so called, is named,
we have those
memorable words," On this rock [the Son of the living God] I will
build my church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16.
Now, the question is," Is that Church on the earth at this
moment?" Most assuredly. It
is as true that there is a Church now on this earth, as that there was
a camp in the
desert of old. Yes; and as truly as God was in that camp to meet every
exigence, so
truly is He, now, in the Church to order and guide in everything, as we
read, "Ye are
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
(Eph. 2) This is quite
sufficient. All we want is to lay hold, by a simple faith, of this
grand reality. The
name of Jesus is as sufficient for all the exigencies of the Church of
God as it is for
the soul's salvation. The one is as true as the other. "Where two
or three are gathered
together in (or, unto) my name, there am I in the midst." (Matt.
18.) Has this ceased to
be true? And if not, is not Christ's presence quite enough for His
Church? Do we need
to set about planning or working for ourselves in church matters? No
more than in the
matter of the soul's salvation. What do we say to the sinner? Trust
Christ. 'What do we
say to the saint? Trust Christ. What do we say to an assembly of
saints, few or many!
Trust Christ. Is there anything that He cannot manage? "Is there a
thing too hard for
Him?" Has His treasury of gift and grace become exhausted? Is He
not able to supply
ministerial gifts? Can He not furnish evangelists, pastors, and
teachers? Can He not
perfectly meet all the manifold necessities of His Church in the
wilderness? If not,
where are we? What shall we do: Whither shall we turn? What had the
congregation
of old to do? To look to Jehovah. For everything? Yes, for everything;
for food, for
water, for clothing, for guidance, for protection, for all. All their
springs were in Him.
Must we turn to some one else? Never. Our Lord Christ is amply
sufficient, in spite of
all our failure and ruin, our sin and unfaithfulness. He has sent down
the Holy Ghost,
the blessed Paraclete, to dwell with and in His people—to form them
into one body,
and unite them to their living Head in heaven. He is the power of
unity, of
communion, of ministry, and of worship. He has not left us, and He
never will. Only
let as trust Him; let us use Him; let us give Him room to act. Let us
carefully guard
against everything that might tend to quench, to hinder, or to grieve
Him. Let us
acknowledge Him, in His own proper place in the assembly, and yield
ourselves, in
all things, to His guidance and authority.
Here, we are persuaded, lies the true secret of power and blessing. Do
we deny the
ruin? How could we? Alas! alas! it stands forth as a fact too palpable
and glaring to
admit of denial. Do we seek to deny our share in the ruin—our folly and
sin? Would
to God we felt it more deeply! But shall we add to our sin by denying
our Lord's grace
and power to meet us in our folly and ruin? Shall we forsake Him, the
fountain of
living waters, and hew out for ourselves broken cisterns that can hold
no water? Shall
we turn from the Rock of Ages and lean upon the broken reeds of our own
devising?
God forbid! Rather let the language of our hearts be, as we think of
the name of Jesus,
"Salvation in that name is found,
Cure for my grief and care;
A healing balm for every wound,
all, all I want is There."
But let not the reader suppose that we want to lend the smallest
countenance to
ecclesiastical pretension. We perfectly abhor any such thing. We look
upon it as
utterly contemptible. We believe we cannot possibly take too low a
place. A low
place and a lowly spirit are what alone become us in view of our common
sin and
shame. All we seek to maintain is this, the all sufficiency of the name
of Jesus for all
the exigencies of the Church of God, at all times, and under all
circumstances. There
was all power in that name in apostolic times; and why not now? Has any
change
passed over that glorious name? No, blessed be God! Well then it is
sufficient for us,
at this moment, and all we want is to confide in it fully, and to show
that we so
confide by discarding thoroughly every other ground of confidence, and
coming out,
with bold decision, to that peerless and precious name. He has, blessed
be His name,
come down to the smallest congregation—the smallest plurality, inasmuch
as He has
said," Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there
am I." Does this
still hold good? Has it lost its power? Does it no longer apply? Where
has it been
repealed?
Oh! Christian reader, we call upon you, by every argument which ought
to weigh with
your heart, to give your cordial assent and consent to this one eternal
truth, namely,
The all-sufficiency of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the
assembly of God, in
every possible condition in which it can be found, throughout its
entire history* We
call upon you not merely to hold this as a true theory, but, to confess
it practically and
then, assuredly, you will taste the deep blessedness of the presence of
Jesus in the
outside place—a blessedness which must be tasted in order to be known;
But, when
once really tasted, it can never be forgotten or surrendered for
anything beside.
{*In using the expression, "The all-sufficiency of the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ,"
we understand by it all that is secured to His people in that
name—life; righteousness;
acceptance; the presence of the Holy Ghost with all His varied gifts: a
divine centre or
gathering point. In a word, we believe that everything that the Church
can possibly
need, for time or eternity, is comprehended in that one glorious name,
The Lord Jesus
Christ.}
But we had no intention of pursuing the foregoing line of thought so
far, or of penning
such a lengthened introduction to the section of our book which lies
open before us,
and to which we shall now invite the reader's particular attention.
On looking attentively at "the congregation in the
wilderness" (Acts 7: 38), we find it
composed of three distinct elements, namely, warriors, workers, and
worshippers.
There was a nation of warriors, a tribe of workers, a family of
worshippers or priests.
We have glanced at the first of these and seen each one according to
his "pedigree,"
taking up his position by his "standard," according to the
direct appointment of
Jehovah; and we shall now dwell for a few moments on the second, and
see each one
at his work and service, according to the same appointment. we have
considered the
warriors; let us meditate on the workers.
The Levites were distinctly marked off from all the other tribes, and
called to a very
specific place and service. Thus we read of them, "But the Levites
after the tribe of
their fathers were not numbered among them. For the Lord had spoken
unto Moses,
saying, Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the
sum of them
among the children of Israel. But thou shalt appoint the Levites over
the tabernacle of
testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that
belong to it: they
shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall
minister unto it,
and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle
setteth
forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to
be pitched, the
Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put
to death. and the
children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp,
and every man
by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall
pitch round about
the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the
congregation of the
children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the
tabernacle of
testimony." (Num. 1: 47-53.) And again we read, "But the
Levites were not numbered
among the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses." Num.
2: 33.
But why the Levites? why was this tribe specially marked off from all
the others, and
set apart for so holy and elevated a service? Was there any special
sanctity or
goodness about them to account for their being so distinguished? Not by
nature,
certainly, nor yet by practice, as we may see by the following words
"Simeon and
Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O,
my soul, come not
thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou
united: for in
their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a
wall. Cursed be
their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I
will divide them in
Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." Genesis 49.Such was Levi by
nature and by
practice—self-willed, fierce, and cruel. How remarkable that such an
one should be
singled out and brought into a place of such high and holy privilege!
Surely we may
say it was grace from first to last. It is the way of grace to take up
the very worst
cases. It stoops to the lowest depths and gathers up its brightest
trophies from thence.
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (2 Tim. 1: 16)
"Unto me, who am less
than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3.
But how striking the language, "O, my soul, come not thou into
their secret; unto their
assembly, mine honour, be not thou united." God is of purer eyes
than to behold evil,
and cannot look on iniquity. God could not come into Levi's secret, or
be united unto
his assembly. That was impossible. God could have nought to do with
self-will,
fierceness, and cruelty. But yet He could bring Levi into His secret,
and unite him to
His assembly. He could take him out of his habitation, wherein were
instruments of
cruelty, and bring him into the tabernacle to be occupied with the holy
instruments
and vessels that were there. This was grace—free, sovereign grace; and
herein must
be sought the basis of all Levi's blessed and elevated service. So far
as he was
personally concerned there was an immeasurable distance between him and
a holy
God—a chasm which no human art or power could bridge. A holy God could
have
nothing to do with self-will fierceness, and cruelty; but a God of
grace could have to
do with Levi. He could visit such an one in sovereign mercy, and raise
him up from
the depths of his moral degradation, and bring him into a place of
nearness to
Himself.
And oh what a marvellous contrast between Levi's position by nature,
and his position
by grace! between the instruments of cruelty and the vessels of the
sanctuary! between
Levi in Genesis 34 and Levi in Numbers 3 and 4.
But let us look at the mode of God's dealing with Levi—the ground on
which he was
brought into such a place of blessing. In doing this, it will be
needful for us to refer to
Numbers 8, and there we are let into the secret of the whole matter. We
shall see that
there was, and could be, no allowance of anything that belonged to
Levi, no sanction
of any of his ways; and yet there was the most perfect display of
grace—grace
reigning through righteousness. We speak of the type and its
significance. We do so in
view of that statement already referred to: "Now all these things
happened unto them
for types." It is not a question of how far the Levites saw
through these things. This is
not at all the point. We are not to ask, What did the Levites see in
God's dealings with
them? But, What do we learn?
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from
among the children
of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to
cleanse them:
sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their
flesh, and let them
wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean." Num. 8: 5-7.
Here we have, in type, the only divine principle of cleansing. It is
the application of
death to nature and all its habits. It is the word of God brought to
bear upon the heart
and conscience, in a living way. Nothing can be more expressive than
the double
action presented in the above passage. Moses was to sprinkle water of
purifying upon
them; and then they were to shave off all their hair, and wash their
garments. There is
great beauty and precision here. Moses, as representing the claims of
God, cleanses
the Levites according to those claims; and they, being cleansed, are
able to bring the
sharp razor to bear upon all that was the mere growth of nature, and to
wash their
garments, which expresses, in typical form, the cleansing their habits
according to the
word of God. This was God's way of meeting all that appertained to
Levi's natural
state—the self-will, the fierceness, and the cruelty. the pure water
and the sharp razor
were called into action-the washing and shaving had to go on, ere Levi
was fit to
approach the vessels of the sanctuary.
Thus it is in every case. There is, there can be, no allowance of
nature among God's
workers. There never was a more fatal mistake than to attempt to enlist
nature in the
service of God. It matters not how you may endeavour to improve or
regulate it. It is
not improvement, but death that will avail. It is of the very last
possible importance
for the reader to lay hold, with clearness and force, of this great
practical truth. Man
has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. The plummet has been
applied to
him, and he has been found crooked. It is of no possible use seeking to
reform.
Nothing will do save the water and the razor. God has closed up man's
history. He has
brought to an end in the death of Christ. The first grand fact that the
Holy Ghost
presses upon the human conscience is, that God has delivered His solemn
verdict
upon human nature, and that each one must accept that verdict against
himself
personally. It is not a matter of opinion, or a matter of feeling. A
person may say, "I
do not see, or I do not feel, that I am so bad as you seem to make
out." We reply, That
does not affect the question in the least. God has declared His
judgement about us,
and it is man's first duty to fall in with, and bow to that. Of what
use would it have
been for Levi to say that he did not agree with what God's word had
said about him
Would that—could that, have altered the question as to him? In no wise.
The divine
record remained the same whether Levi felt it or not; but clearly, it
was the first step
in wisdom's pathway to bow down under the weight of that record.
All this is expressed, in type, in the "water" and the
"razor'' the "washing" and the
"shaving." Nothing could be more significant or impressive.
These acts set forth the
solemn truth of the sentence of death upon nature, and the execution of
judgement
upon all that nature produces.
And what, let us ask, is the meaning of the initiatory act of
Christianity—the act of
baptism? Does it not set forth the blessed fact that "our old
man"—our fallen nature—
is completely set aside, and that we are introduced into an entirely
new position Truly
so. And how do we use the razor? By rigid self-judgment, day by day; by
the stern
disallowance of all that is of nature's growth. This is the true path
for all God's
workers in the wilderness. When we look at Levi's conduct at Shechem,
in Genesis
34, and the record concerning him in Genesis 49, we may ask, How can
such an one
ever be allowed to carry the vessels of the sanctuary? The answer is,
Grace shines in
Levi's call; and holiness shines in Levi's cleansing. He was called to
the work,
according to the riches of divine grace; but he was fitted for the work
according to the
claims of divine holiness.
Thus it must be with all God's workers. We are most thoroughly
convinced that we
are fit for God's work just so far as nature is brought under the power
of the cross, and
the sharp razor of self-judgment. Self-will can never be made available
in the service
of God; nay, it must be set aside, if we would know what true service
is. There is,
alas! A large amount of what which passes for service which, if judged
in the light of
the divine presence, would be seen to be but the fruit of a restless
will. This is most
solemn, and demands our most earnest attention. We cannot exercise too
severe a
censorship over ourselves, in this very thing. The heart is so
deceitful that we may be
led to imagine that we are doing the Lord's work, when, in reality, we
are only
pleasing ourselves. But, if we would tread the path of true service, we
must seek to
be, more and more, apart from nature. The self-willed Levi must pass
through the
typical process of washing and shaving, ere he can be employed in that
elevated
service assigned him by the direct appointment of the God of Israel.
But, ere proceeding to examine particularly the work and service of the
Levites, we
must look for a moment at a scene in Exodus 32, in which they act a
very prominent
and a very remarkable part. We allude, as the reader will at once
perceive, to the
golden calf. During the absence of Moses, the people so completely lost
sight of God
and His claims as to set up a molten calf and bow down thereto. This
terrible act
called for summary judgement. "And when Moses saw that the people
were naked;
(for Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies:)
then Moses
stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let
him come unto
me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. and
he said unto
them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his
side, and go
in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man
his brother, and
every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children
of Levi did
according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day
about three
thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the
Lord, even
every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon
you a
blessing this day." Exodus 32: 25-29.
This was a testing moment. It could not be otherwise, when this great
question was
pressed home upon the heart and conscience, "Who is on the Lord's
side?" nothing
could be more searching. The question was not, "Who is willing to
work?' No! it was
a far deeper and more searching question. It was not who will go here
or there—do
this or that? There might be a vast amount of doing and going, and, all
the while, it
might be but the impulse of an unbroken will which, acting upon religious
nature,
gave an appearance of devotedness and piety imminently calculated to
deceive
oneself and others.
But to be "on the Lord's side" implies the surrender of one's
own will—yea, the
surrender of oneself, and this is essential to the true servant—the
real workman. Saul
of Tarsus was on this ground when he exclaimed, "Lord, what wilt
thou have me to
do?" What words, from the self-willed, fierce, and cruel
persecutor of the Church of
God!
"Who is on the Lord's side?" Reader, art thou? Search and see.
Examine thyself
closely. Remember, the question is not at all "What art thou
doing?' No; it is far
deeper. If thou art on the Lord's side, thou art ready for anything and
everything. Thou
art ready to stand still, or ready to go forward; ready to go to the
right or to the left;
ready to be active, and ready to be quiet; ready to stand on thy feet,
and ready to lie on
thy back. the grand point is this, namely, the surrender of thyself to
the claims of
another, and that other the Lord Christ.
This is an immense point. Indeed we know of nothing more important, at
the present
moment, than this searching question," Who is on the Lord's
side?" We live in days of
immense self-will. Man exults in his liberty. And this comes out, very
prominently, in
religious matters. Just as it was in the camp of Israel, in the days of
the thirty-second
of Exodus—the days of The golden calf. Moses was out of sight, and the
human will
was at work; the graving tool was called into operation. And what was
the result? The
molten calf; and when Moses returned, he found the people in idolatry
and nakedness.
Then came forth the solemn and testing question, "Who is on the
Lord's side" This
brought things to an issue, or rather it put people to the test. Nor is
it other wise now.
Man's will is rampant, and that too in matters of religion. Man boasts
of his lights, of
the freedom of his will, the freedom of his judgement. There is the
denial of the
Lordship of Christ; and therefore it behoves us to look well to it, and
see that we
really are taking sides with the Lord against ourselves; that we are in
the attitude of
simple subjection to His authority. Then we shall not be occupied with
the amount or
character of our service; it will be our one object to do the will of
our Lord.
Now, to act thus under the Lord may often give an appearance of
narrowness to our
sphere of action; but with this we have nothing whatever to do. If a
master tells his
servant to stand in the hall, and not to stir until he rings the bell,
what is the servant's
duty? Clearly to stand still; nor should he be moved from this position
or this attitude,
even though his fellow-servants should find fault with his apparent
inactivity and
good-for-nothingness; he may rest assured his Master will approve and
vindicate. This
is enough for any true-hearted servant, whose one desire will ever be
not so much to
do a great deal, as to do the will of his Lord.
In a word, then, the question for the camp of Israel, in the day of the
golden calf, and
the question for the Church, in this day of human will, is this,
"Who is on the Lord's
side?" Momentous question! It is not, Who is on the side of
religiousness,
philanthropy, or moral reform? There may be a large amount of any or
all of these
things, and yet the will be thoroughly unbroken. Let us not forget
this; nay, rather we
should say, let us continually bear it in mind. We may be very zealous
in promoting
all the various schemes of philanthropy, religiousness, and moral
reform, and, all the
while, be ministering to self, and feeding self-will. This is a most
solemn and weighty
consideration; and it behoves us to give earnest heed to it. We are
passing through a
moment in the which man's will is being pampered with unparalleled
diligence. We
believe, most assuredly, that the true remedy for this evil will be
found wrapped up in
this one weighty question, "Who is on the Lord's side" There
is immense practical
power in this question. To be really on the Lord's side is to be ready
for anything to
which He may see fit to call us, no matter what. If the soul is brought
to say, in real
truth, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" "Speak,
Lord, for thy servant heareth,"
then we are ready for everything. Hence, in the case of the Levites,
they were called to
"slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and
every man his
neighbour." This was terrible work for flesh and blood. But the
moment demanded it.
God's claims had been openly and grossly dishonoured. Human invention
had been at
work, with the graving tool, and a calf had been set up. The glory of
God had been
changed into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass; and therefore
all who were on
the Lord's side were called to gird on the sword. Nature might say,
"No; let us be
tender, and gentle, and gracious. We shall accomplish more by kindness
than by
severity. It can do no good to wound people. There is far more power in
love than in
harshness. Let us love one another." Thus might nature throw out
its suggestions—
thus it might reason and argue. But the command was distinct and decisive:
"Put
every man his sword by his side." The sword was the only thing
when the golden calf
was there. To talk of love at such a moment, would be to fling
over-board the just
claims of the God of Israel. It belongs to the true spirit of obedience
to render the very
service which suits the occasion. A servant has no business to reason,
he is simply to
do as he is bid. To raise a question, or put forth a demur, is to
abandon our place as a
servant. It might seem most dreadful work to have to slay a brother, a
companion, or a
neighbour; but the word of the Lord was imperative. It left no room for
evasion; and
the Levites, through grace, yielded a full and ready obedience.
"The children of Levi
did according to the word of Moses."
This is the only true path for those who will be God's workers, and
Christ's servants in
this world where self-will is dominant. It is immensely important to
have the truth of
the Lordship of Christ deeply engraved upon the heart. It is the only
regulator of the
course and conduct. It settles a thousand questions. If the heart be
really subject to the
authority of Christ, it is in readiness for anything and everything to
which He calls us,
be it to stand still or to go forward, to do little or much, to be
active or passive. To a
really obedient heart, the question is not at all," What am I
doing? or where am I
going?" It is simply, "am I doing the will of my Lord?"
Such was the ground occupied by Levi. And mark: the divine comment on
this, as
given in Malachi. "And ye shall know that I have sent this
commandment unto you,
that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. My
covenant was with
him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he
feared me,
and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and
iniquity was
not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did
turn many away
from iniquity." (Mal. 2: 4-6.) Mark also the blessing pronounced
by the lips of Moses,
"And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy
holy one, whom
thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the
waters of Meribah;
who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him;
neither did he
acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children; for they have
observed thy
word and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgements, and
Israel thy
law; they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon
thine altar.
Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through
the loins
of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they
rise not again."
(Deut 33: 8-11.)
It might have appeared unwarrantably harsh and severe in Levi not to
have seen his
parents or known or acknowledged his brethren. But God's claims are
paramount; and
our Lord Christ hath declared these solemn words, "If any man come
to me, and hate
not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and
his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14: 26.
These are plain words; and they let us into the secret of what it is
which lies at the
bottom of all true service. Let no one imagine that we are to be
without natural
affection. Far be the thought. To be so would be to connect us,
morally, with the
apostasy of the last days. (See 2 Tim. 3: 3) But when the claims of
natural affection
are allowed to stand in the way of our whole-hearted service to Christ,
and when the
so-called love of our brethren receives a higher place than
faithfulness to Christ, then
are we unfit for His service and unworthy of the name of His servants.
Let it be
carefully noted that what formed the moral ground of Levi's title to be
employed in
the Lord's service was the fact that he did not see his parents,
acknowledge his
brethren, or know his children. In a word, he was enabled to set the
claims of nature
completely aside, and to give the claims of Jehovah the paramount place
in his heart.
This, we repeat, is the only true basis of the servant's character.
This is a most weighty consideration, and one which demands the most
serious
attention of the Christian reader. There may be a vast amount of what
looks like
service—a great deal of activity, of coming and going, of doing and
saying—and, all
the while, there may not be a single atom of true Levite service, yea,
it may, in God's
estimation, be only the restless activity of the will.
"What," it may be said, "can the
will show itself in the service of God—in matters of religion?"
Alas, alas, it can and
does. And very often the apparent energy and fruitfulness in work and
service is just
in proportion to the energy of the will. This is peculiarly solemn. It
calls for the most
rigid self-judgment, in the light of the divine presence. True service
doth not consist
in great activity, but in profound subjection to the will of our Lord,
and where this
exists there will be the readiness to sink the claims of parents,
brethren, and children,
in order to carry out the will of Him whom we own as Lord. True, we
should love our
parents, our brethren, and our children. It is not that we should love
these less, but we
should love Christ more. He and His claims must ever have the paramount
place in
the heart, if we would be true workers for God, true servants of
Christ, true Levites in
the wilderness. It was this that marked the actings of Levi, on the
occasion to which
we are referring. God's claims were in question, and hence the claims
of nature were
not to be entertained for a moment. Parents, brethren, and children,
how dear soever
these might be, were not to stand in the way when the glory of the God
of Israel had
been changed into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
Here lies the whole question, in all its weight and magnitude. The ties
of natural
relationship, with all the claims, duties, and responsibilities arising
out of such ties,
Will ever get their proper place, their due respect, from those whose
hearts, and
minds, and consciences have been brought under the adjusting power of
the truth of
God. Nought save what is really due to God and His Christ should ever
be suffered to
infringe those rights which are founded upon natural relationship. This
is a most
necessary and wholesome consideration, and one which we would
particularly press
upon the young Christian reader. We have ever to be on our guard
against a spirit of
self-will and self-pleasing which is never so dangerous as when it
clothes itself in the
garb of religious service, and work so called. It behoves us to be very
sure indeed that
we are directly and simply governed by the claims of God when we
disregard the
claims of natural relationship. In Levi's case, the matter was as clear
as a sunbeam,
and hence the "sword" of judgement, not the kiss of
affection, befitted the critical
moment. So, also, in our history, there are moments in which it would
be open
disloyalty to our Lord Christ to hearken, for one instant, to the voice
of natural
relationship.
The above remarks may help the reader to understand the actings of the
Levites to
Exodus 32, and the words of our Lord in Luke 14: 26. May God's Spirit
enable us to
realise and exhibit the adjusting power of truth!
We shall now dwell, for a few moments, on the consecration of the
Levites, in
Numbers 8, in order that we may have the whole subject before our
minds. Truly it is
a theme full of instruction for all who desire to be workers for God.
After the ceremonial acts of "washing" and
"shaving" already referred to, we read,
"Then let them (i.e., the Levites) take a young bullock with his
meat offering, even
fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take
for a sin
offering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the
congregation:
and thou shalt gather the whole assembly or the children of Israel
together. And thou
shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel
shall put their hands
upon the Levites. And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for
an offering of
the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord.
And the Levites
shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks; and thou shalt
offer the one for a
sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to
make an atonement
for the Levites."
Here we have presented to us, in type, the two grand aspects of the
death of Christ.
The sin offering furnishes the one; the burnt offering furnishes the
other. Into the
details of those offerings we do not enter here, having sought to do so
in the opening
chapters of our "Notes on Leviticus." We would merely observe
here, that, in the sin
offering, we see Christ bearing sin in His own body on the tree, and
enduring the
wrath of God against sin. In the burnt offering, we see Christ
glorifying God even in
the very matter of making atonement for sin. Atonement is made in both;
but in the
former, it is atonement according to the depth of the sinner's need; in
the latter, it is
atonement according to the measure of Christ's devotedness to God. In
that, we see
the hatefulness of sin; in this, the preciousness of Christ. It is, we
need hardly say, the
same atoning death of Christ, but presented in two distinct aspects.*
{*For further instruction on the doctrine of the sin offering and the
burnt offering, the
reader is referred to "Notes on Leviticus," Lev. 1: 4. This
little volume can be had of
the publisher.}
Now, the Levites laid their hands on both the sin offering and the
burnt offering; and
this act of the imposition of hands expressed the simple fact of
identification. But
how different the result in each case When Levi laid his hands on the
head of the sin
offering, it involved the transfer of all his sins, of all his guilt,
of all his fierceness,
cruelty, and self-will to the victim. And on the other hand, when he
laid his hands on
the head of the burnt offering, it involved the transfer of all the
acceptableness of the
sacrifice, of all its perfectness, to Levi. Of course, we speak of what
the type set forth.
We do not undertake to state anything as to Levi's intelligent entrance
into these
things; we merely seek to unfold the meaning of the ceremonial figure;
and, most
assuredly, no figure could be more expressive than the imposition of
hands, whether
we view it in the case of the sin offering, or in the case of the burnt
offering. The
doctrine of all this is embodied in that most weighty passage at the
close of 2
Corinthians 5, "He hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us who
knew no sin, that we
might become the righteousness of God in him." "And thou
shalt set the Levites
before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto
the Lord. Thus
shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and
the Levites
shall be mine, and after that shall the Levites go in to do the service
of the tabernacle
of the congregation; and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an
offering. For
they are wholly given unto ME from among the children of Israel;
instead of such as
open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of
Israel, have I
taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are
mine, both man
and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt
I sanctified
them For myself. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of
the children of
Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons
from among the
children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the
tabernacle of the
congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that
there be no
plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come
nigh unto the
sanctuary. And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the
children of Israel,
did to the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses
concerning the
Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them." Numbers 8:
13-20.
How forcibly are we reminded, by the foregoing lines, of the words of
our Lord in
John 17, "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou
gavest me out of the
world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy
word.... I
pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast
given me; for
they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am
glorified in them."
Verses 6-10.
The Levites were a separated people—God's special possession. They took
the place
of all the firstborn in Israel—of those who were saved from the sword
of the destroyer
by the blood of the lamb. They were, typically, a dead and risen
people, set apart to
God, and by Him presented as a gift to Aaron the high priest, to do the
service of the
tabernacle.
What a place for the self-willed, fierce, and cruel Levi! What a
triumph of grace!
What an illustration of the efficacy of the blood of atonement and the
water of
purification! 'They were, by nature and by practice, far off from God;
but the "blood"
of atonement, and the" water" of cleansing, and the
''razor" of self-judgment had done
their blessed work, and hence the Levites were in a condition to be
presented as a gift
to Aaron and to his sons, to be associated with them in the hallowed
services of the
tabernacle of the congregation.
In all this the Levites were a striking type of God's people now. These
latter have been
lifted from the depths of their degradation and ruin as sinners. They
are washed in the
precious blood of Christ, purified by the application of the word, and
called to the
exercise of habitual and rigid self-judgment, Thus are they fitted for
that holy service
to the which they are called. God has given them to His Son in order
that they may be
His workers in this world. "Thine they were and thou gavest them
me." Wondrous
thought! To think that such as we could be thus spoken of! To think of
our being
God's property and God's gift to His Son! Well may we say it surpasses
all human
thought. It is not merely that we are saved from hell; that is true. It
is not, merely that
we are pardoned, justified, and accepted; all this is true; but we are
called to the high
and holy work of bearing through this world the Name, the testimony,
the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ. This is our work as true Levites. As men of war, we
are called to
fight; as priests, we are privileged to worship; but as Levites, we are
responsible to
serve, and our service is to carry through this dreary desert scene the
antitype of the
tabernacle, and that tabernacle was the figure of Christ. This is our
distinct line of
service. To this we are called—to this we are set apart.
The reader will, we doubt not, notice, with interest, the fact that it
is in this book of
Numbers, and here alone, that we are furnished with all the precious
and deeply
instructive details respecting the Levites. In this we have a fresh
illustration of the
character of our book. It is from a wilderness standpoint that we get a
full and proper
view of God's workers as well as of God's warriors.
And, now, let us examine for a few moments, the service of the Levites,
as detailed in
Numbers 3 and 4. "and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the
tribe of Levi
near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister
unto him. And
they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation
before the
tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
And they shall
keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the
charge of the
children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou shalt
give the Levites
unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the
children of
Israel." Num. 3: 5-9.
The Levites represented the whole congregation of Israel, and acted on
their behalf.
This appears from the fact that the children of Israel laid their hands
on the heads of
the Levites, just as the Levites laid their hands on the heads of the
sacrifices. (See
Num. 8: 10) The act of imposition expressed identification, so that,
according to this,
the Levites furnish a distinct view of' the people of God in the
wilderness. They
present them to us as a company of earnest workers, and that too, be it
noted, not as
mere desultory labourers, running to and fro, and doing each one what
seemed right in
his own eyes. Nothing of the sort. If the men of war had their pedigree
to show and
their standard to adhere to, so had the Levites their centre to gather
round and their
work to do. All was as clear, distinct, and defined as God could make
it; and,
moreover, all was under the immediate authority and direction of the
high priest.
It is most needful for all who would be true Levites, proper workmen,
intelligent
servants, to weigh, with all seriousness, this point. Levite service
was to be regulated
by the appointment of the priest. There was no more room for the
exercise of self-will
in the service of the Levites, that there was the position of the men
of war. All was
divinely settled; and this was a signal mercy to all whose hearts were
in a right
condition. To one whose will was unbroken it might seem a hardship and
a most
irksome task to be obliged to occupy the same position, or to be
engaged in precisely
the same line of work. Such an one might sigh for something fresh—some
variety in
his work. But, on the contrary, where the will was subdued, and the
heart adjusted,
each one would say, "my path is perfectly plain; I have only to
obey." This is ever the
business of the true servant. It was pre-eminently so with Him Who was
the only
perfect servant that ever trod the earth. He could say, "I came
down from heaven, not
to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." And again,
"My meat is to do
the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."
But there is another fact which claims our attention, in reference to
the Levites; and
that is, their service had exclusively to do with the tabernacle and
its belongings. They
had nothing else to do. For a Levite to think of putting his hand to
anything beside
would have been to deny his calling, to abandon his divinely appointed
work, and to
fly in the face of God's commandments.
Just so is it with Christians now. Their exclusive business—their one
grand work—
their absorbing service, is Christ and His belongings. They have
nothing else to do.
For a Christian to think of putting his hand to anything beside is to
deny his calling, to
abandon his divinely-appointed work, and fly in the face of the divine
commandments. A true Levite of old could say, "To me to live is the
tabernacle;" and
a true Christian, now, can say, "To me to live is Christ."
The grand question, in every
matter which may present itself before the Christian, is this,
"Can I connect Christ
with it?" If not, I have nothing whatsoever to do with it.
This is the true way to look at things. It is not a question as to the
right or wrong of
this or that. No; it is simply a question as to how far it concerns the
name and glory of
Christ. This simplifies everything amazingly. It answers a thousand
questions, solves
a thousand difficulties, and makes the path of the true and earnest
Christian as clear
as a sunbeam. A Levite had no difficulty as to his work. It was all
settled for him with
divine precision. The burden that each had to carry, and the work that
each had to do,
was laid down with a clearness which left no room for the questionings
of the heart.
Each man could know his own work and do it; and let us add the work was
done by
each one discharging his own specific functions. It was not by running
hither and
thither, and doing this or that; but by each man sedulously adhering to
his own
particular calling, that the service of the tabernacle was duly
discharged.
It is well to bear this in mind. We, as Christians, are very apt to
jostle one another;
indeed we are sure to do so if we do not each one pursue his own
divinely appointed
line of work. We say "divinely appointed," and would press
the word. We have no
right to choose our own work. If the Lord has made one man an
evangelist, another a
teacher, another a pastor, and another an exhorter, how is the work to
go on? surely it
is not by the evangelist trying to teach, and the teacher to exhort, or
one who is not
fitted for either trying to do both. No; it is by each one exercising
his own divinely-
imparted gift. No doubt it may please the Lord to endow one individual
with a variety
of gifts; but this does not, in the smallest degree, touch the
principle on which we are
dwelling, which is simply this, every one of us is responsible to know
his own special
line and pursue it. If this be lost sight of we shall get into hopeless
confusion. God has
His quarrymen, His stone-squarers, and His masons. The work progresses
by each
man attending diligently to his own work. If all were quarry-men, where
were the
stone-squarers? if all were stone-squarers, where were the masons? The
greatest
possible damage is done to the cause of Christ, and to the cause of
Christ, and to
God's work in the world, by one man aiming at another's line of things,
or seeking to
imitate another's gift. It is a grievous mistake, against which we
would solemnly warn
the reader. Nothing can be more senseless. God never repeats Himself.
There are not
two faces alike, not two leaves in the forest alike, not two blades of
grass alike. Why
then should any one aim at another's line of work, or affect to possess
another's gift?
Let each one be satisfied to be just what His Master has made him. This
is the secret
of real peace and progress.
All this finds a very vivid illustration in the inspired record concerning
the service of
the three distinct classes of the Levites, which we shall now proceed
to quote at
length for the reader. There is nothing, after all, to be compared with
the veritable
language of holy scripture.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
number the
children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families:
every male from a
month old and upward shalt thou number them. and Moses numbered them
according
to the word of the Lord, as He was commanded. And these were the sons
of Levi by
their names, Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these are the names
of the sons of
Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by
their
families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari
by their
families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites
according to the
house of their fathers. Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and
the family of
the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. Those that
were numbered of
them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and
upward, even
those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
The
families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
And the chief
of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son
of Lael. And the
charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation
shall be the
tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the
door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and the hangings of the court, and the
curtain for the
door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round
about, and the
cords of it for all the service thereof." (Num. 3: 14-26.) and
again, we read, "And the
Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take also the sum of the sons of
Gershon, throughout
the houses of their fathers, by their families; from thirty years old
and upward until
fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform
the service, to do
the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. This is the service of
the families of
the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: and they shall bear the
curtains of the
tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the
covering of
the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door
of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and the hangings of the court, and the hanging for
the door of the
gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round
about, and their
cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made
for them: so shall
they serve. At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the
service of the
sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their
service: and ye shall
appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. This is the service of
the families of the
sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge
shall be under
the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest." Numbers 4:
21-28.
Thus much as to Gershon and his work. He, with his brother Merari, had
to carry "the
tabernacle whereas Kohath was called to bear "the sanctuary,"
as we read in Numbers
10 "And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon,
and the sons of
Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle ..... And the Kohathites set
forward,
bearing the sanctuary: and the other (i.e., the Gershonites and the
Merarites) did set
up the tabernacle against they came." (Ver. 17, 21.) There was a
strong moral link
connecting Gershon and Merari in their service, although their work was
perfectly
distinct, as we shall see from the following passage.
"As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their
families, by the house
of their fathers; from thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty
years old, shalt thou
number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work
of the
tabernacle of the congregation. And this is the charge of their burden,
according to all
their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the
tabernacle, and
the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, and the
pillars of the
court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords,
with all their
instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon
the instruments of
the charge of their burden. This is the service of the families of the
sons of Merari,
according to all their service to the tabernacle of the congregation,
under the hand of
Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest." Numbers 4: 29-33.
All this was clear and distinct. Gershon had nothing to do with the
boards and pins;
and Merari had nothing to do with the curtains or the coverings. And
yet they were
very intimately connected, as they were mutually dependent. "The
boards and
sockets" would not do without "the curtains;" and the
curtains would not do without
the boards and sockets. And as to "the pins," though
apparently so insignificant, who
could estimate their importance in keeping things together, and
maintaining the
visible unity of the whole? Thus all worked together to one common end,
and that end
was gained by each attending to his own special line. If a Gershonite
had taken it into
his head to abandon "the curtains" and address himself to
"the pins," he would have
left his own work undone and interfered with the work; of the Merarite.
This would
never do. It would have thrown everything into hopeless confusion;.
whereas by
adhering to the divine rule, all was maintained in the most exquisite order.
It must have been perfectly beautiful to mark God's workers in the
wilderness. Each
one was at his post, and each moved in his divinely appointed sphere.
Hence, the
moment the cloud was lifted up, and the order issued to strike, every
man knew what
he had to do, and he addressed himself to that and to nothing else . No
man had any
right to think for himself. Jehovah thought for all. The Levites had
declared
themselves "on the Lord's side;" they had yielded themselves
to His authority; and this
fact lay at the very base of all their wilderness work and service.
looked at in this light
it would be deemed a matter of total indifference whether a man had to
carry a pin, a
curtain, or a golden candlestick. The grand question for each and for
all was simply,
"Is this my work? Is his what the Lord has given we to do?"
This settled everything. Had it been left to human thinking or human
choosing, one
man might like this; another might like that; and a third might like
something else.
How then could the tabernacle ever be borne along through the
wilderness, or set up
in its place? Impossible! There could be but one supreme authority,
namely Jehovah
Himself. He arranged for all, and all had to submit to Him. There was
no room at all
for the exercise of the human will. This was a signal mercy. It
prevented a world of
strife and confusion. There must be subjection—there must be a broken
will—there
must be a cordial yielding to divine authority, otherwise it will turn
out to be like the
book of Judges, "Every man doing that which is right in his own
eyes." A Merarite
might say, or think if he did not say it, "what! am I to spend the
very best portion of
my life upon earth—the days of my prime and vigour—in looking after a
few pins?
Was this the end for which I was born? Am I to have nothing higher
before me as an
object in life? Is this to be my occupation from the age of thirty to
fifty?"
To such questions there was a twofold reply. In the first place, it was
enough for the
Merarite to know that Jehovah had assigned him his work. This was
sufficient to
impart dignity to what nature might esteem the smallest and meanest
matter. It does
not matter what we are doing, provided always we are doing our divinely
appointed
work. a man may pursue what his fellows would deem a most brilliant
career he may
spend his energies, his time, his talents, his fortune, in pursuits
which the men of this
world esteem grand and glorious, and, all the while, his life may prove
to be but a
splendid bubble. But, on the other hand, the man that simply does the
will of God.
whatever that may be—the man who executes his Lord's commands, whatever
such
commands may enjoin—that is the man whose path is illuminated by the
beams of
divine approbation, and whose work shall be remembered! when the most splendid
schemes of the children of this world have sunk in eternal oblivion.
But, besides the moral worth attaching always to the act of doing what
we are told to
do, there was also a special dignity belonging to the work of a
Merarite, even though
that work was merely attending to a few "pins" or
"sockets." Everything connected
with the tabernacle was of the very deepest interest and highest value.
There was not,
in the whole world, anything to be compared with that boarded tent with
all its mystic
belongings. It was a holy dignity and privilege to be allowed to touch
the smallest pin
that formed a part of that wonderful tabernacle in the wilderness. It
was more
glorious, by far, to be a Merarite looking after the pins of the
tabernacle, than to wield
the sceptre of Egypt or Assyria. True, that Merarite, according to the
import of his
name, might seem a poor sorrowful, labouring man; but oh! his labour
stood
connected with the dwelling-place of the Most High God, the possessor
of heaven and
earth. His hands handled the things which were the patterns of things
in the heavens.
Every pin, every socket; every curtain, and every covering was a shadow
of good
things to come—a foreshadowing of Christ.
We do not mean to assert that the poor labouring Merarite or Gershonite
understood
these things. This is not, by any means, the point. We can understand
them. It is our
privilege to bring all these things-the tabernacle and its mystic
furniture—under the
brilliant light of the New Testament, and there read Christ in all.
While, therefore, we predicate nothing as to the measure of
intelligence possessed by
the Levites, in their respective work; we at the same time, may say,
with confidence,
that it was a very precious privilege to be allowed to touch and
handle, and bear
through the wilderness, the earthly shadows of heavenly realities.
Moreover, it was a
special mercy to have the authority of a "Thus saith the
Lord" for everything they put
their hand to. Who can estimate such a mercy—such a privilege? Each
member of
that marvellous tribe of workers had his own particular line of things
marked out by
God's hand, and superintended by God's priest. It was not each doing
what he liked
himself, nor one man running in the wake of another, but all bowing to
the authority
of God, and doing precisely what they were told to do. This was the
secret of order
throughout the eight thousand five hundred and eighty workers. (Num. 4:
48) and, we
may say, with all possible confidence, it is the only true secret of
order still. Why is it
that we have so much confusion in the professing church? Why such
conflicting
thoughts, feelings, and opinions? why such clashing one with another?
Why such
crossing of each other's path? Simply from the lack of entire and
absolute submission
to the word of God. Our will is at work, we choose our own ways,
instead of allowing
God to choose for us. We want that attitude and temper of soul in the
which all
human thoughts, our own amongst them, shall be put down at what they
are really
worth; and God's thoughts shall rise into full unqualified dominion.
This, we feel persuaded, is the grand desideratum—the crying want of
the day in
which our lot is cast Man's will is everywhere gaining the ascendant.
It is rising like a
mighty tide and bearing away those ancient barriers which have, in some
measure,
kept it in check. Many an old and time-honoured institution is, at this
moment, giving
way before the rushing torrent. Many an edifice, whose foundations, as
we supposed,
were laid deep down in the fond and reverent affections of the people,
is giving way
beneath the battering ram of popular feeling. "Let us break their
bands asunder, and
cast away their cords from us."
Such is, pre-eminently, the spirit of the age. What is the antidote?
Subjection!
Subjection to what? Is it to what is called the authority of the
Church? Is it to the
voice of tradition? Is it to the commandments and doctrines of men? No;
blessed be
God, it is not to any of these things, nor to all of them put together.
To what then? To
the voice of the living God—the voice of holy scripture. This is the
grand remedy for
self-will, on the one hand, and submission to human authority, on the
other. "we must
obey." This is the answer to self-will. "We must obey
God." This is the answer to
mere bowing down to human authority. we see these two elements all
around us. The
former, self-will, resolves itself into infidelity. The latter,
subjection to man, resolves
itself into superstition. These two will bear sway over the whole
civilized world. They
will carry away all save those who are divinely taught to say, and
feel, and act upon,
that immortal sentence, "We must obey God rather than man."
It was this that enabled the Gershonite, in the wilderness, to look
after those rough
unattractive looking "badger skins;" and that enabled the
Merarite to look after these,
apparently, insignificant "pins." Yes, and it is this which
will enable the Christian,
now, to address himself to that special line of service to which his
Lord may see fit to
call him. What, though, to human eyes, it seems rough and unattractive,
mean and
insignificant: it is enough for us that our Lord has assigned us our
post, and given us
our work; and that our work has direct reference to the Person and
glory of Him who
is the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. We, too, may
have to
confine ourselves to the antitype of the rough unsightly badger skin,
or the
insignificant pin. But let us remember that whatever has reference to
Christ—His
name—His Person—His cause, in the world, is unspeakably precious to
God. It may
be very small, in man's account; but what of that? we must look at
things from God's
point of view, we must measure them by His standard, and that is
Christ. God
measures everything by Christ. Whatever has even the very smallest
reference to
Christ is interesting and important in God's account. Whereas the most
splendid
undertakings, the most gigantic schemes, the most astonishing
enterprises of the men
of this world, all pass away like the morning cloud and the early dew.
Man makes self
his centre, his object, his standard. He values things according to the
measure in
which they exalt himself, and further his interests. Even religion
itself, so called, is
taken up in the same way, and made a pedestal on which to display himself.
Everything, in short, is marked up as capital for self, and used as a
reflector to throw
light upon, and call attention to, that one object. Thus there is a
mighty gulf between
God's thoughts: and man's thoughts; and the shores of that gulf are as
far apart as
Christ and self. All that belongs to Christ is of eternal interest and
moment. All that
belongs to self shall pass away and be forgotten. Hence, therefore, the
most fatal
mistake into which any man can fall is to make self his object. It must
issue in
everlasting disappointment. But, on the other hand, the very wisest,
safest, best thing
that any man can do, is to make Christ his one absorbing object. This
must, infallibly,
issue in everlasting blessedness and glory.
Beloved reader. pause here a moment and commune with thine own heart
and
conscience. It seems to us, at this point, that we have a sacred
responsibility to
discharge in reference to thy soul. We are penning these lines in the
solitude of our
chamber at Bristol, and you may, perchance, read them in the solitude
of thy chamber
in New Zealand, Australia, or some other distant spot. we would
therefore remember
that our object is not to write a book, nor yet, merely, to expound
scripture. We desire
to be used of God in the blessed work of dealing with thy very inmost
soul. Permit us,
therefore, to put this solemn and pointed question home to thee, What
is thy object? Is
it Christ or self? Be honest with thyself before the almighty and
all-seeing Searcher of
hearts. Sit in stern judgment upon thyself, as in the very light of the
divine presence.
Be not deceived by any gilding or false colouring. God sees below the
surface of
things, and He would have thee do so likewise. he presents Christ to
thee in contrast
with all beside. Hast thou accepted Him? Is He thy wisdom, thy
righteousness, thy
sanctification, and thy redemption? Canst thou say, without hesitation,
"My Beloved
is mine, and I am his?" Search and see. Is this a thoroughly
settled point, deep down
in the very depths of thy soul? If so, art thou making Christ thy
exclusive object? Art
thou measuring everything by Him?
Ah! dear friend, these are searching questions. Be assured we do not
put them to thee
without feeling their edge and power for ourselves. As God is our
witness, we do feel,
though in a very small degree, their weight and seriousness. We are
deeply and
thoroughly convinced that nothing will stand save that which is
connected with
Christ; and, moreover, that the very smallest matter which refers,
however remotely,
to Him is of commanding interest in the judgement of heaven. If we may
be permitted
to awaken a sense of this in any heart, or to deepen the sense where it
has been
awakened, we shall feel we have not penned this volume in vain.
We must now, ere closing this lengthened section, glance, for a few
moments, at the
Kohathites and their work.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, take the
sum of the sons of
Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house
of their fathers,
from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that
enter into the host,
to do the work; in the tabernacle of the congregation. This shall be
the service of the
sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most
holy things: and
when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they
shall take
down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: and
shall put thereon
the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly
of blue, and
shall put in the staves thereof. and upon the table of shewbread they
shall spread a
cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the
bowls, and covers to
cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: and they shall
spread upon
them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of
badgers" skins, and
shall put in the staves thereof. And they shall take a cloth of blue,
and cover the
candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuff
dishes, and all the
oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it; and they shall
put it and all the
vessels thereof within a covering of badgers skins, and shall put it
upon a bar. And
upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it
with a covering of
badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: and they shall
take all the
instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and
put them in a
cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and
shall put them on
a bar: and they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a
purple cloth
thereon: and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith
they minister
about it, even the censers, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the
basons, all the
vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of
badgers' skins, and put
to the staves of it. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of
covering the
sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set
forward; after that,
the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any
holy thing, lest
they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the
tabernacle of the
congregation." Numbers 4: 1-15.
Here we see what precious mysteries were committed to the charge of the
Kohathites.
The ark, the golden table, the golden candlestick, the golden altar,
and the altar of
burnt offering—all these were shadows of good things to come—the
patterns of
things in the heavens-the figures of the true—the types of Christ, is
His Person, His
work, and His offices, as we have sought to show in our "Notes on
Exodus." (Ex.
24—30) They are here presented in the wilderness, and, if we may be
allowed the
expression, in their travelling dress. With the exception of the ark of
the covenant, all
these things presented the one unvarying appearance to the human eye,
namely, the
rough covering of the badgers skins. With the ark there was this
difference, that above
the badgers' skins there was "a cloth wholly Of blue,"
setting forth, doubtless, the
entirely heavenly character of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His own divine
Person. That
which was essentially heavenly in Him lay upon the very surface of His
blessed life
here below. He was ever the entirely heavenly man—"the Lord from
heaven."
Underneath this covering of blue were the badger' skins, which may be
viewed as the
expression of that which protects from all evil. The ark was the only
thing that was
covered in this peculiar manner.
With regard to "the table of shewbread," which was a type of
our Lord Jesus Christ, in
His connection with the twelve tribes of Israel, there was first
"a cloth of blue," and
then a cloth of scarlet;" and over all, the badgers' skins. In
other words, there was that
which is essentially heavenly; then that which expresses human
splendour; and above
all, that which protects from evil. It is the purpose of God that
Israel's twelve tribes
shall be pre-eminent in the earth—that in them the very highest type of
human
splendour shall be exhibited. Hence the appropriateness of the
"scarlet" covering on
the table of shewbread. The twelve loaves evidently point to the twelve
tribes; and as
to the scarlet colour, the reader has only to look through scripture in
order to see that
it sets forth that which man considers splendid.
The coverings of the golden candlestick and of the golden altar were
identical,
namely, first the heavenly covering; and then the external badgers'
skin. In the
candlestick we see our Lord Christ, in connection with the work of the
Holy Ghost in
light and testimony. The golden altar shows us Christ and the
preciousness of His
intercession—the fragrance and value of what He is before God. Both
these, when
passing along the sand of the desert, were wrapped up in that which was
heavenly,
and protected above by the badgers' skins.
Finally, in reference to the brazen altar, we observe marked
distinction. It was
covered with "purple" instead of "blue," or
"scarlet." Why was this? Doubtless
because the brazen altar prefigured Christ as the one who
"suffered for sins," and who
shall therefore wield the sceptre of royalty. "Purple" is the
royal colour. The One who
suffered in this world, shall reign. The One who wore the crown of
thorns, shall wear
the crown of glory. Hence the moral fitness of the "purple''
covering on the brazen
altar—for on that altar the victim was offered. We know there is
nothing in scripture
without its own divine meaning, and it is our privilege as well as our
duty to seek to
know the meaning of all that our God has graciously written for our
learning. This, we
believe, can only be reached by humble, patient, prayerful waiting upon
Him. The
One who has penned the Book knows perfectly the scope and object of the
book as a
whole, and of each division of the book in particular. This will have
the effect of
checking the unhallowed flights of the imagination. The Spirit of God
alone can open
scripture to our souls. "God is His own interpreter" in
revelation, as well as in
providence, and the more we lean on Him, in true self-emptiness, the
deeper insight
we shall have both into His word and His ways.
We would therefore say to the Christian reader, Take the first fifteen
verses of
Numbers 4 and read them in the presence of God. Ask Him to explain to
thee the
meaning of each clause—the meaning of the ark, and why it alone was
covered with
"a cloth wholly of blue." And so of all the rest. We have
ventured, we trust in humility
of mind, to suggest the meaning, but we earnestly desire that thou
shouldst get it
directly from God, for thyself, and not accept it merely from man. We
confess we are
terribly afraid of imagination; and we know not that we have ever sat
down to write
on sacred scripture with a deeper sense of this that none but the Holy
Ghost can really
explain it.
Thou wilt say, then, "Why sit down to write at all?" Well, it
is with the fond hope of
being permitted, in some feeble manner, to help the earnest student of
scripture to
catch sight of the rare and exquisite gems that lie scattered along the
inspired page, so
that he may pick them up for Himself. Thousands of readers might read,
again and
again, the fourth of Numbers, and not even perceive the fact that the
ark was the only
part of the mystic furniture of the tabernacle that did not exhibit the
badger skin. And
if the simple fact be not laid hold of, how can its import be seen? So
also, as to the
brazen altar, how many have failed to notice that it alone put on the
"purple?"
Now, we may rest assured that both these facts are full of spiritual
meaning. The ark
was the very highest manifestation of God, and, therefore, we may
understand why it
should exhibit, at first sight, that which was purely heavenly. The
brazen altar was the
place where sin was judged—it typified Christ in His work as a sin
bearer it set forth
that most distant place to which He travelled for us; and yet that
brazen altar was the
only thing that was wrapped in royal covering. Can anything be more
exquisite than
the teaching here? What infinite wisdom in all these fine distinctions!
The ark
conducts us to the very highest point in heaven. The brazen altar
conducts us to the
lowest point on earth. They stood at extreme points in the tabernacle.
In the former,
we see the One who magnified the law; in the latter, we see the One who
was made
sin. In the one, that which was heavenly was seen at the first sight;
and it was only
when you looked deeper, you saw the badger skin; and deeper still, that
mysterious
veil, the type of Christ's flesh. But, in the other, the first thing
you saw was the badger
skin, and deeper down we see the royal covering. Christ in each, though
in a different
aspect. In the ark, we have Christ maintaining the glory of God, In the
brazen altar,
we have Christ meeting the sinner's need. blessed combination for us!
But, further, has the reader noticed that in the entire of this
marvellous passage to
which we have been calling his particular attention, there is no
mention of a certain
piece of furniture which we know, from Exodus 30 and other scriptures,
occupied a,
very important place in the tabernacle? We allude to the brazen laver.
Why is this
omitted in Numbers 4? It is more than probable that some of our
keen-eyed
rationalists would find here what they would pronounce an error—a
defect—a
discrepancy. But is it so? No, thank God! The devout Christian student
knows full
well that such things are wholly incompatible with the volume of God.
He knows and
confesses this, even though he may not be able to account for the
absence of this or
the presence of that particular thing in any given passage. But just in
so far as we are
enabled, through the mercy of God, to see the spiritual reason of
things, do we always
find that where the rationalist, sees, or affects to see flaws, the
pious student sees
brilliant gems.
Thus it is, we doubt not, in reference to the omission of the brazen
laver from the
catalogue in Numbers 4. It is only one of the ten thousand
illustrations of the beauty
and perfectness of the inspired volume.
But, the reader may enquire, "Why is the laver omitted?" The
reason may be found is
the double fact of what that laver was made from, and what it was made
for. This
double fact we have noticed in Exodus. The laver was made of the
looking-glasses of
the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. (Ex. 38:
8) This was its material. And, as to its object, it was provided as a
means of
purification for man. Now, in all those things which formed the special
burden and
charge of the Kohathites, we see only the varied manifestations of God
in Christ, from
the ark in the holiest of all, to the brazen altar in the court of the
tabernacle; and,
inasmuch as the laver was not a manifestation of God, But a
purification for man, it is
therefore not found in the custody and charge of the Kohathites.
But we must now leave the reader to meditate alone on this most
profound section of
our book, (Num. 3—4) It is really inexhaustible. We might go on
expatiating upon it
until we had filled volumes instead of pages, and, after all, we should
feel as though
we had barely penetrated the surface of a mine whose depth never can be
sounded—
whose treasures never can be exhausted. What human pen can bring out
the
marvellous instruction contained in the inspired account of the tribe
of Levi? who can
attempt to unfold that sovereign grace which shines in the fact that
the self-willed
Levi should be the very first to respond to that soul-stirring
call," Who is on the Lord's
side?" Who can speak aright of that rich, abounding,
distinguishing mercy illustrated
in the fact that those whose hands had been embued in blood should be
permitted to
handle the vessels of the sanctuary; and that those into whose assembly
God's Spirit
could not enter should be brought into the very bosom of the
congregation of God,
there to be occupied with that which was so precious to Him?
And then those three divisions of workers, Merarites, Gershonites, and
Kohathites!
What instruction is here! what a type of the various members of the
Church of God, in
their various service! What depth of mysterious wisdom in all this? Is
it speaking too
strongly—is it too much to say that nothing, at this moment, so deeply
impresses us as
the sense of the utter feebleness and poverty of all that we have
advanced on one of
the very richest sections of the inspired volume! Still we have
conducted the reader to
a mine of infinite depth and richness, and we must leave him to
penetrate thereinto by
the gracious aid of Him to whom the mine belongs and who alone is able
to evolve its
wealth. All that man can write or say on any portion of God's word can,
at best, be but
suggestive; to speak of it as exhaustive would be to cast a slight upon
the sacred
cannon. may we tread the holy place with unshod feet, and be as those
who inquire in
the temple, and whose studies are perfumed by the spirit of worship.*
{*For further suggestions on the subjects touched upon in the foregoing
section, the
reader is referred to "Notes on Exodus." (Ex. 24—30) Also to
a small pamphlet
entitled, "the History of the Tribe of Levi Considered."}
Numbers 5.
''And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of
Israel, that they
put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and
whosoever is
defiled by the dead: both male and female shall ye put out, without the
camp shall ye
put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I
dwell. And the
children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the
Lord spake unto
Moses, so did the children of Israel." Numbers 5: 1-4.
Here we have unfolded to us, in few words, the great foundation
principle on which
the discipline of the assembly is founded—a principle, we may say, of
the very last
importance, though, alas! so little understood or attended to. It was
the presence of
God in the midst of His people Israel that demanded holiness on their
part. "That they
defile not their camps in the midst of which I dwell." The place
where the Holy one
dwells must be holy. This is a plain and a necessary truth.
We have already remarked that redemption was the basis of God's
dwelling in the
midst of His people. But we must remember that discipline was essential
to His
continuance amongst them. He could not dwell where evil was
deliberately and
avowedly sanctioned. Blessed be His name, He can and does bear with
weakness; but
He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity.
Evil cannot dwell
with Him, nor can He have fellowship with it. It would involve a denial
of His very
nature; and He cannot deny Himself.
It may, however, be said, in reply, "Does not God the Holy Ghost
dwell in the
individual believer, and yet there is much evil in him?" True, the
Holy Ghost dwells
in the believer, on the ground of accomplished redemption. He is there,
not as the
sanction of what is of nature, But as the seal of what is of Christ:
and His presence
and fellowship are enjoyed just in proportion as the evil in us is
habitually judged.
Will any one assert that we can realise and delight in the Spirit's
indwelling while
allowing our indwelling pravity, and indulging the desires of the flesh
and of the
mind? Far away be the impious thought! No; we must judge ourselves, and
put away
everything inconsistent with the holiness of the One who dwells in us.
Our "old man"
is not recognised at all. It has no existence before God. It has been
condemned,
utterly, in the cross of Christ. we feel its workings, alas! and have
to mourn over
them, and judge ourselves on account of them; but God sees us in
Christ—in the
Spirit—in the new creation. And, moreover, the Holy Ghost dwells in the
body of the
believer, on the ground of the blood of Christ; and His indwelling
demands the
judgement of evil in every shape and form.
So also, in reference to the assembly. No doubt, there is evil
there—evil in each
individual member, and therefore evil in the body corporate. But it
must be judged;
and, if judged, it is not allowed to act, it is rendered null. But to
say that an assembly
is not to judge evil is nothing more or less than corporate
antinomianism. What
should we say to a professing Christian who maintained that He was not
solemnly
responsible to judge evil, in himself and in His ways? we should, with
great decision,
pronounce him an antinomian. And if it be wrong for a single individual
to take such
ground, must it not be proportionally wrong for an assembly? We cannot
see how this
can be called in question.
What would have been the result, had Israel refused to obey the
peremptory
"command" given at the opening of the chapter before us?
Supposing they had said,
"We are not responsible to judge evil; and we do not feel that it
becomes poor, failing,
erring mortals such as we to judge anybody. These people with the
leprosy, and the
issue, and so forth, are as much Israelites as we are, and have as good
a right to all the
blessings and privileges of the camp as we have; we do not therefore
feel it would be
right for us to put them out."
Now what, we ask, would have been God's rejoinder to such a reply? If
the reader will
just turn for an instant to Joshua 7 he will find as solemn an answer
as could well be
given. Let him draw near and carefully inspect that "great heap of
stones" in the valley
of Achor. Let him read the inscription thereon. What is it? "God
in greatly to be
feared in the assembly of his: saints, and to be had in reverence of
all them that are
round about him." "Our God is a consuming fire." What is
the meaning of all this? Let
us hear it and consider it! Lust had conceived in the heart of one
member of the
congregation, and brought forth sin. What then? Did this involve the
whole
congregation? Yes, verily, this is the solemn truth, "Israel (not
merely Achan) hath
sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded
them: for
they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and
dissembled also,
and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children
of Israel
could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before
their enemies,
because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except
ye destroy the
accursed thing from among you." Joshua 7: 11, 12.
This is peculiarly solemn and searching. It, most assuredly, utters a
loud voice in our
ears, and conveys a holy lesson to our hearts. There were, so far as
the narrative
informs us, many hundreds of thousands throughout the camp of Israel as
ignorant, as
Joshua himself seems to have been, of the fact of Achan's sin and yet
the word was,
"Israel hath sinned—transgressed—taken the accursed thing—stolen
and
dissembled." How was this? The assembly was one. God's presence in
the midst of the
congregation constituted it one, so one, that the sin of each was the
sin of all. "A little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Human reason may demur to this,
as it is sure to
demur to everything that lies beyond its narrow range. But God says it,
and this is
enough for the believing mind. It doth not become us to ask," Why?
how? or
wherefore?" The testimony of God settles everything, and we have
only to believe and
obey. It is enough for us to know that the fact of God's presence demands
holiness,
purity, and the judgement of evil. Let us remember this. It is not upon
the principle so
justly repudiated by every lowly mind, "Stand by thyself, I am
holier than thou." No,
no; it is entirely on the ground of what God is. "Be ye holy, for
I am holy." God could
not give the sanction of His holy presence to unjudged wickedness.
What! Give a
victory at Ai with an Achan in the camp? Impossible! a victory, under
such
circumstances, would have been a dishonour to God, and the very worst
thing that
could have happened to Israel. It could not be. Israel must be
chastised. They must be
humbled and broken. They must be brought down to the valley of
Achor—the place
of trouble, for there alone can "a door of hope" be opened
when evil has come in.
Let not the reader misunderstand this great practical principle. It
has, we fear, been
greatly misunderstood by many of God's people. Many there are who seem
to think
that it can never be right for those who are saved by grace, and who
are themselves
signal monuments of mercy, to exercise discipline in any form, or on
any ground
whatsoever. To such persons, Matthew 7: 1 seems to condemn utterly the
thought of
our undertaking to judge. Are we not, say they, expressly told by our
Lord, not to
judge? are not these His own veritable words, "Judge not, that ye
be not judged?" No
doubt. But what do these words mean? Do they mean that we are not to
judge the
doctrine and manner of life of such as present themselves for Christian
fellowship?
Do they lend any support to the idea that, no matter what a man holds,
or what he
teaches, or what he does, we are to receive him all the same? Can this
be the force
and meaning of our Lord's words? Who could, for one moment, cede
anything so
monstrous as this? Does not our Lord, in this very same chapter, tell
us to "beware of
false prophets?" But how can we beware of any one, if we are not
to judge? If
judgement is not to be exercised in any case, why tell us to beware?
Christian reader, the truth is as simple as possible. God's assembly is
responsible to
judge the doctrine and morals of all who claim entrance at the door. We
are not to
judge motives, but we are to judge ways. We are directly taught by the
inspired
apostle, in 1 Corinthians 5, that we are bound to judge all who take the
ground of
being inside the assembly. "For what have I to do to judge them
also that are without?
Do not ye judge them that within? But them that are without God
judgeth. Therefore
put away from among yourselves that wicked person." Verses 12, 13.
This is most distinct. We are not to judge those "without"
but we are to judge those
"within." That is, those who take the ground of being
Christians—of being members
of God's assembly—all such come within the range of judgement. The very
moment a
man enters the assembly, he takes His place in that sphere where
discipline is
exercised upon everything contrary to the holiness of the One who
dwells there.
And let not the reader suppose, for a moment, that the unity of the
body is touched
when the discipline of the house is maintained. This would be a very
serious mistake
indeed; and yet alas! it is a very common one. We frequently hear it
said of those who
rightly seek to maintain the discipline of the house of God, that they
are rending the
body of Christ. There could hardly be a greater mistake. The fact is,
the former is our
bounden duty; the latter, an utter impossibility? The discipline of
God's house must be
carried out; but the unity of Christ's body can never be dissolved.
Again, we sometimes hear persons speak of cutting off the limbs of the
body of
Christ. This also is a mistake. Not a single limb of the body of Christ
can ever be
disturbed. Each member has been incorporated into its place by the Holy
Ghost, in
pursuance of the eternal purpose of God, and on the ground of the
accomplished
atonement of Christ; nor can any power of men or devils ever sever a
single limb
from the body. All are indissolubly joined together in a perfect unity,
and maintained
therein by divine power. The unity of the Church of God may be compared
to a chain
stretching across a river; you see it at either side, but it dips in
the middle, and if you
were to judge by the sight of your eyes, you might suppose that the
chain had given
way at the centre. So is it with the Church of God; it was seen to be
one at the
beginning; it will be seen to be one by and by; and it is, in God's
sight, one now,
though the unity be not visible to mortal eyes.
It is of the very last moment that the Christian reader should be
thoroughly clear on
this great Church question. The enemy has sought, by every means in his
power, to
cast dust into the eyes of God's dear people, in order that they might
not see the truth
in this matter. We have, on the one side, the boasted unity of Roman
Catholicism;
and, on the other hand, the deplorable divisions of Protestantism. Rome
points, with
an air of triumph, to the numerous sects of Protestants; and
Protestants likewise point
to the numerous errors, corruptions, and abuses of Romanism. Thus the
earnest seeker
after truth hardly knows where to turn or what to think; while, on the
other hand, the
careless, the indifferent, the self-indulgent, and the world-loving are
only too ready to
draw a plea, from all that they see around them, for flinging aside all
serious thought
and concern about divine things; and even if, like Pilate, they
sometimes flippantly
ask the question, "What is truth?" they, like him, turn on
their heel without waiting for
an answer.
Now, we are firmly persuaded that the true secret of the whole matter—the
grand
solution of the difficulty—the real relief for the hearts of God's
beloved saints, will be
found in the truth of the indivisible unity of the church of God, the
body of Christ, on
the earth. This truth is not merely to be held as a doctrine, but to be
confessed,
maintained, and carried out, at all cost to ourselves. It is a great
formative truth for the
soul, and contains in it the only answer to Rome's boasted unity on the
one hand, and
to Protestant divisions on the other. It will enable us to testify to
Protestantism that we
have found unity, and to Roman Catholicism that we have found the unity
of the
Spirit.
It may, however, be argued, in reply, that it is the veriest Utopianism
to seek to carry
out such an idea, in the present condition of things. Everything is in
such ruin and
confusion that we are just like a number of children who have lost
their way in a
wood, and are trying to make the best of their way home, some in large
parties, some
in groups of two or three, and some all alone.
Now this may seem very plausible; and we do not doubt, in the least,
but that it would
carry immense weight with a large number of the Lord's people, at the
present
moment. But, in the judgement of faith, such a mode of putting the
matter possesses
no weight whatever. And for this simple reason, that the one all
important question
for faith is this, namely," Is the unity of the Church a human
theory or a divine
reality?" A divine reality, most surely, as it is written,
"There is one body, and one
Spirit." (Eph 4: 4) If we deny that there is "one body,"
we may, with equal force, deny
that there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all," inasmuch
as all lie side by side, on the page of inspiration, and if we disturb
one, we disturb all.
Nor are we confined to one solitary passage of scripture on this
subject; though had
we but one, it were amply sufficient. But we have more that one.
Hearken to the
following: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood
of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the
body of Christ?
For we, being many, are one bread, and one body; for we are all
partakers of that one
bread." (1 Cor. 10: 16, 17) Read also 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27,
where this whole
subject is unfolded and applied.
In a word, then, the word of God doth, most clearly and fully,
establish the truth of the
indissoluble unity of the body of Christ; and, moreover, it
establishes, as clearly and
as fully, the truth of the discipline of God's house. But, be it
observed, the proper
carrying out of the latter will never interfere with the former. The
two things are
perfectly compatible. Are we to suppose that when the apostle commanded
the church
of Corinth to put away from amongst them "that wicked person,"
the unity of the body
was touched? Surely not. And yet was not that man a member of the body
of Christ?
Truly so, for we find him restored in the second epistle. The
discipline of the house of
God had done its work with a member of the body of Christ, and the
erring one was
brought back. Such was the object of the church's act.
All this may help to clear the mind of the reader as to the deeply
interesting subject of
reception at the Lord's table and exclusion from it. There seems to be
a considerable
amount of confusion in the minds of many Christians as to these things.
Some there
are who seem to think that provided a person be a Christian, he should,
on no
account, be refused a place at the Lord's table. The case in 1
Corinthians 5 is quite
sufficient to settle this question. Evidently that man was not put away
on the ground
of his not being a Christian. He was, as we know, spite of his failure
and sin, a child
of God; and yet was the assembly at Corinth commanded to put him away;
and had
they not done so, they would have brought down the judgement of God
upon the
whole assembly. God's presence is in the Assembly, and therefore evil
must be
judged.
Thus, whether we look at the fifth chapter of Numbers or at the fifth
chapter of 1
Corinthians, we learn the same solemn truth, namely, that
"Holiness becometh God's
house for ever." And farther we learn that it is with God's own
people that discipline
must be maintained, and not with those outside. For what do we read in
the opening
lines of Numbers 5: 1. Were the children of Israel commanded to put out
of the camp
every one that was not an Israelite, every one that was not
circumcised, every one who
could not trace his pedigree, in an unbroken line, up to Abraham? Were
these the
ground of exclusion from the camp? Not at all. Who then were to be put
out "Every
leper"—that is, every one in whom sin is allowed to work.
"Every one that hath an
issue"—that is, every one from whom a defiling influence is
emanating: and,
"whosoever is defiled by the dead." These were the persons
that were to be separated
from the camp in the wilderness, and their antitypes are to be
separated from the
assembly now.
And why, we may ask, was this separation demanded? Was it to uphold the
reputation
or respectability of the people? Nothing of the sort. What then?
"That they defile not
their camps in the midst whereof I dwell." And so is it now. We do
not judge and put
away bad doctrine, in order to maintain our orthodoxy; neither do we
judge and put
away moral evil, in order to maintain our reputation and
respectability. The only
ground of judgement and putting away is this, "Holiness becometh
thine house, O
Lord, for ever." God dwells in the midst of His people.
"Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I." Know ye not that ye are
the temple of
God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"(l Cor. 3: 16)
And again, "Now
therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints,
and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom
all the building,
fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom
ye also are
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
Ephesians 2: 19-22.
But it may be that the reader feels disposed to put some such question
as the
following, How is it possible to find a pure, a Perfect church? Is
there not, will there
not—must there not be some evil in every assembly, in spite of the most
intense
pastoral vigilance and corporate faithfulness? How then can this high
standard of
purity be maintained?" No doubt there is evil in the assembly,
inasmuch as there is
indwelling sin in each member of the assembly. But it must not be
allowed; it must
not be sanctioned; it must be judged and kept under. It is not the
presence of judged
evil that defiles, But the allowance and sanction of evil. It is with
the Church, in its
corporate character, as with the members in their individual character.
If we would
judge ourselves, we should not be judged." (1 Cor. 11: 31) Hence,
therefore, no
amount of evil should lead a man to separate from the Church of God;
but if an
assembly denies its solemn responsibility to judge evil, both in
doctrine and morals, it
is no longer on the ground of the Church Of God at all, and it becomes
your bounden
duty to separate from it. So long as an assembly is on the ground of
the Church of
God, however feeble it be, and few in number, to separate from it is
schism. But if an
assembly be not on God's ground—and most certainly it is not, if it
denies its duty to
judge evil—then it is schism to continue in association with it.
But will not this tend to multiply and perpetuate divisions? Most
assuredly not. It may
tend to break up mere human associations; but this is not schism, but
the very reverse,
inasmuch as all such associations, however large, powerful, and
apparently useful, are
positively antagonistic to the unity of the body of Christ, the Church
of God.
It cannot fail to strike the thoughtful reader that the Spirit of God
is awakening
attention, on all hands, to the great question of the Church. Men are
beginning to see
that there is very much more in this subject than the mere notion of an
individual
mind, or the dogma of a party. The question," What is the
Church?" is forcing itself
upon many hearts and demanding an answer. And what a mercy to have an
answer to
give! an answer as clear, as distinct, and as authoritative as the
voice of God, the
voice of holy scripture, can give. Is it not an unspeakable privilege,
when assailed on
all sides, by the claims of churches, "High Church,"
"Low Church," "Broad Church,"
"State Church," "Free Church," to be able to fall
back upon the one true Church of the
living God, the body of Christ? We most assuredly esteem it as such;
and we are
firmly persuaded that here alone is the divine solution of the
difficulties of thousands
of the people of God.
But where is this Church to be found? Is it not a hopeless undertaking
to set out to
look for it amid the ruin and confusion which surround us? No, blessed
be God! for,
albeit we may not see all the members of the Church gathered together,
yet it is our
privilege and holy duty to know and occupy the ground of the Church of
God, and no
other. And how is this ground to be discerned? We believe that the
first step towards
discerning the true ground of the Church of God is, to stand apart from
everything that
is contrary thereto. We need not expect to discover what is true while
our minds are
beclouded by what is false. The divine order is, "Cease to do
evil; learn to do well."
God does not give us light for two steps at a time. Hence, the moment
we discover
that we are on wrong ground, it is our duty to abandon it, and wait on
God for further
light, which He will, most surely, give.
But we must proceed with our chapter.
"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel; when a man or
woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against
the Lord, and
that person be guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they
have done; and he
shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto
it the fifth part
thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if
the man have no
kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be
recompensed unto the
Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an
atonement shall
be made for him."
The doctrine of the trespass offering has been considered in our
"Notes on Leviticus,"
chapter 5; and to that we must refer our reader, as we do not mean to
occupy his time
or our own in going into any points which have been already considered.
We shall
merely notice here the very important questions of confession and
restitution. Not
only is it true that both God and man are gainers by the Great Trespass
Offering
presented on the cross at Calvary; but we also learn, from the
foregoing quotation,
that God looked for confession and restitution, when any trespass had
been
committed. The sincerity of the former would be evidenced by the
latter. It was not
sufficient for a Jew, who had trespassed against his brother, to go and
say, "I am
sorry," He had to restore the thing wherein he had trespassed and
add a fifth thereto.
Now, although we are not under the law, yet may we gather much
instruction from its
institutions; although we are not under the schoolmaster, we may learn
some good
lessons from him. If, then, we have trespassed against any one, it is
not enough that
we confess our sin to God and to our brother, we must make restitution;
we are called
upon to give practical proof of the fact that we have judged ourselves
on account of
that thing in which we have trespassed.
We question if this is felt as it ought to be. We fear there is a
light, flippant, easy-
going style in reference to sin and failure, which must be very
grievous indeed to the
Spirit of God. We rest content with the mere lip confession, without
the deep,
heartfelt sense of the evil of sin in God's sight. The thing itself is
not judged in its
moral roots, and, as a consequence of this trifling with sin, the heart
becomes hard,
and the conscience loses its tenderness. This is very serious. We know
of few things
more precious than a tender conscience. We do not mean a scrupulous
conscience,
which is governed by its own crotchets; or a morbid conscience, which
is governed by
its own fears. Both these are most troublesome guests for any one to
entertain. But we
mean a tender conscience, which is governed, in all things, by the word
of God, and
which refers, at all times, to His authority. This sound description of
conscience we
consider an inestimable treasure. It regulates everything, takes
cognisance of the very
smallest matter connected with our daily walk and habits—our mode of
dress—our
houses—our furniture—our table—our entire deportment, spirit, and
style—our mode
of conducting our business, or, if it be our lot to serve others, the
mode in which we
discharge the service, whatever it be. In short, everything falls under
the healthful
moral influence of a tender conscience. "Herein," says the
blessed apostle, "do I
exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God
and men."
Acts 24: 16.
This is what we may well covet. There is something morally beautiful
and attractive
in this exercise of the greatest and most gifted servant of Christ. He,
with all his
splendid gifts, with all his marvellous powers, with all his profound
insight into the
ways and counsels of God, with all he had to speak of and glory in,
with all the
wonderful revelations made to him in the third heavens; in a word, he,
the most
honoured of apostles and privileged of saints, gave holy diligence to
keep always a
conscience void of offence both toward God and man; and if, in an unguarded
moment, he uttered a hasty word, as he did to Ananias the high priest,
he was ready,
the very next moment, to confess and make restitution, so that the
hasty utterance,
"God shall smite thee, thou whited wall" was withdrawn, and
God's word given
instead—"Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy
people."
Nor we do not believe that Paul could have retired to rest, that night,
with a
conscience void of offence, if he had not withdrawn his words. There
must be
confession, when we do or say what is wrong; and if there be not the
confession, our
communion will assuredly be interrupted. Communion, with unconfessed
sin upon
the conscience, is a moral impossibility. We may talk of it; but it is
all the merest
delusion. We must keep a clean conscience if we would walk with God.
There is
nothing more to be dreaded than moral insensibility a slovenly
conscience, an obtuse
moral sense that can allow all sorts of things to pass unjudged; that
can commit sin,
pass on, and coolly say, "What evil have I done?"
Reader, let us, with holy vigilance, watch against all this. Let us
seek to cultivate a
tender conscience. It will demand from us what it demanded from Paul,
namely,
"exercise." But it is blessed exercise, and it will yield
most precious fruits. Do not
suppose that there is anything that savours of the legal in this
exercise; nay, it is most
thoroughly Christian; indeed we look upon those noble words of Paul as
the very
embodiment, in a condensed form, of the whole of a Christian's
practice. "To have
always a conscience void of offence toward God and men"
comprehends everything.
But alas! how little do we habitually ponder the claims of God, or the
claims of our
fellow-man! How little is our conscience up to the mark! Claims of all
sorts are
neglected, yet we feel it not.
There is no brokenness and contrition before the Lord. We commit
trespass in a
thousand things, yet there is no confession or restitution. Things are
allowed to pass
that ought to be judged, confessed, and put away. There is sin in our
holy things; there
is lightness and indifference of spirit in the assembly and at the
Lord’s table; we rob
God, in various ways; we think our own thoughts, speak our own words,
do our own
pleasure; and what is all this but robbing God, seeing that we are not
our own but
bought with a price?
Now, we cannot but think that all this must sadly hinder our spiritual
growth. It
grieves the Spirit of God and hinders His gracious ministry of Christ
to our souls
whereby alone we grow up into Him. We know, from various parts of God's
word,
how much He prizes a tender spirit, a contrite heart. "To this man
will I look, even to
him that is of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word." With
such an one God can
dwell; but with hardness and insensibility, coldness and indifference,
He can have no
fellowship. Oh! then let us exercise ourselves to have always a pure
and
uncondemning conscience, both as to God and as to our fellow-man.
The third and last section of our chapter, which we need not quote at
length, teaches
us a deeply solemn lesson, whether we view it from a dispensational or
a moral point
of view. It contains the record of the great ordinance designed for the
trial of jealousy.
Its place here is remarkable. In the first section, we have the
corporate judgement of
evil: in the second, we have individual self-judgement, confession, and
restitution:
and in the third, we learn that God cannot endure even the mere
suspicion of evil.
Now, we fully believe that this very impressive ordinance has a
dispensational
bearing upon the relationship between Jehovah and Israel. The prophets
dwell largely
upon Israel's conduct as a wife, and upon Jehovah's jealousy, on that
score. We do not
attempt to quote the passages, but the reader will find them throughout
the pages of
Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Israel could not abide the searching trial of the
bitter water.
Her unfaithfulness has been made manifest. She has broken her vows. She
has gone
aside from her Husband, the Holy One of Israel, whose burning jealousy
has been
poured forth upon the Faithless nation. He is a jealous God, and cannot
bear the
thought that the heart that He claims as His own should be given to
another.
Thus we see that this ordinance for the trial of jealousy bears very
distinctly upon it
the impress of the divine character. In it He most fully enters into
the thoughts and
feelings of an injured husband, or of one who even suspected an injury.
The bare
suspicion is perfectly intolerable, and where it takes possession of
the heart, the
matter must be sifted to the very bottom. The suspected one must
undergo a process
of such a searching nature that only the faithful one can endure. If
there was a trace of
guilt, the bitter water could search down into the very depths of the
soul, and bring it
full out. There was no escape for the guilty one; and, we may say, that
the very fact of
there being no possible escape for the guilty, only made the
vindication of the
innocent more triumphant. The self-same process that declared the guilt
of the guilty,
made manifest the innocence of the faithful. To one who is thoroughly
conscious of
integrity, the more searching the investigation the more welcome it is.
If there were a
possibility of a guilty one escaping, through any defect in the mode of
trial, it would
only make against the innocent. But the process was divine, and
therefore perfect; and
hence, when the suspected wife had gone through it in safety, her
fidelity was
perfectly manifested, and full confidence restored.
What a mercy, then, to have had such a perfect mode of settling all
suspected cases!
Suspicion is the death blow to all loving intimacy, and God would not
have it in the
midst of His congregation. He would not only have His people
collectively to judge
evil, and individually to judge themselves; But where there was even
the suspicion of
evil, and no evidence forthcoming, He Himself devised a method of trial
which
perfectly brought the truth to light. The guilty one had to drink
death, and found it to
be judgement.* The faithful one drank death, and found it victory.
{*The "dust" lifted from the floor of the tabernacle may be
viewed as the figure of
death. "Thou hast brought me into the dust of death." The
"water prefigures the word,
which, being brought to bear upon the conscience, by the power of the
Holy Ghost,
makes everything manifest. If there has been any unfaithfulness to
Christ, the true
husband of His people, it must be thoroughly judged. This holds good
with regard to
the nation of Israel, to the Church of God, and to the individual
believer. If the heart
be not true to Christ, it will not be able to stand the searching power
of the word. But
if there be truth in the inward parts, the more one is searched and
tried, the better.
How blessed it is when we can truly say, “Search me, O God, and know my
Heart: try
me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in
the way everlasting." Psalm 139: 23, 24}
Numbers 6.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say
unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a
vow of a
Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: he shall separate
himself from wine
and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of
strong drink,
neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or
dried. All the days
of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree,
from the kernels
even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall
no razor come
upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth
himself unto the
Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head
grow. All the days
that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.
He shall not
make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his
brother, or for his sister,
when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
All the days of
his separation he is holy unto the Lord." Verse 1-8.
The ordinance of Nazariteship is full of interest and practical
instruction. In it we see
the case of one setting himself apart, in a very special manner, from
things which,
though not absolutely sinful in themselves, were, nevertheless,
calculated to interfere
with that intense consecration of heart which is set forth in true
Nazariteship.
In the first place, the Nazarite was not to drink wine. The fruit of
the vine, in every
shape and form, was to him a forbidden thing. Now, wine, as we know, is
the apt
symbol of earthly joy—the expression of that social enjoyment which the
human
heart is so fully capable of entering into. From this the Nazarite in
the wilderness was
sedulously to keep himself. With him it was a literal thing. He was not
to excite
nature by the use of strong drink. All the days of his separation he
was called to
exercise the strictest abstinence from wine.
Such was the type, and it is written for our learning—written too, in
this marvellous
book of Numbers, so rich in its wilderness lessons. This is only what
we might
expect. The impressive institution of the Nazarite finds its
appropriate place in the
book of Numbers. It is in perfect keeping with the character of the
book, which, as
has been already remarked, contains all that specially belongs to life
in the
wilderness.
Let us then inquire into the nature of the lesson taught us in the
Nazarite's abstinence
from everything pertaining to the vine, from the kernel even to the
husk.
There has been but one true and perfect Nazarite in this World—but one
who
maintained, from first to last, the most complete separation from all
mere earthly joy.
From the moment He entered upon His public work, He kept Himself apart
from all
that was of this world. His heart was fixed upon God and His work, With
a devotion
that nothing could shake. No claims of earth or nature were ever
allowed, for a single
moment, to come in between His heart and that work which He came to do.
"Wist ye
not that I must be about my Father's business?" And again,
"What have I to do with
thee?" With such words did the true Nazarite seek to adjust the
claims of nature. He
had one thing to do, and to that He separated Himself perfectly. His
eye was single
and His heart undivided. This is apparent from first to last. He could
say to His
disciples, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of;" and when
they, not knowing the
deep significance of His words, said, "Hath any man brought Him
anything to eat?"
He replied, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to
finish his work
(John 4) So also, at the close of His course here below, we hear Him
giving utterance
to such words as these, as He took into His hand the paschal cup:
"Take this, and
divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not drink of the
fruit of the vine,
until the kingdom of God shall come." Luke 22: 17, 18.
Thus we see how the perfect Nazarite carried himself throughout. He
could have no
joy in the earth, no joy in the nation of Israel. The time had not come
for that, and
therefore He detached Himself from all that which mere human affection
might find
in association with His own, in order to devote Himself to the one
grand object which
was ever before His mind. The time will come when He, as the Messiah,
will rejoice
in His people and in the earth; But, until that blissful moment
arrives, He is apart as
the true Nazarite, and His people are united with Him. "They are
not of the world,
even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth. As
thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into
the world. and for
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth."
John 17: 16-19.
Christian reader, let us deeply ponder this first grand feature of the
Nazarite character.
It is important we should faithfully examine ourselves in the light of
it. It is a very
grave question indeed how far we, as Christians, are really entering
into the meaning
and power of this intense separation from all the excitement of nature,
and from all
merely earthly joy. It may perhaps be said, "What harm is there in
having a little
amusement or recreation? Surely we are not called to be monks. Has not
God given as
richly all things to enjoy? And while we are in the world, is it not
right we should
enjoy it?"
To all this we reply, It is not a question of the harm of this, that,
or the other. There
was no harm, as a general rule, in and, nothing abstractedly wrong in
the vine tree.
But the point is this, if any one aimed a being a Nazarite, if he
aspired to this holy
separation unto the Lord, then was he to abstain wholly from the use of
wine and
strong drink. Others might drink wine; but the Nazarite was not to
touch it.
Now, the question for us is this, Do we aim at being Nazarites? Do we
sigh after
thorough separation and devotion of ourselves, in body, soul, and
spirit, unto God? If
so, we must be apart from all these things in which mere nature finds
its enjoyment. It
is upon this one hinge that the whole question turns. The question,
most assuredly, is
not "Are we to be monks?" but "Do we want to be
Nazarites?" Is it, our heart's desire
to be apart, with our Lord Christ, from all mere earthly joy—to be
separated unto God
from those things which, though not absolutely sinful in themselves,
do, nevertheless,
tend to hinder that entire consecration of heart which is the true
secret of all spiritual
Nazariteship? Is not the Christian reader aware that there are, in very
deed, many such
things? Is he not conscious that there are numberless things which
exert a distracting
and weakening influence upon his spirit, and yet were they to be tried
by the standard
of ordinary morality, they might be allowed to pass as harmless?
But we must remember that God's Nazarites do not measure things by any
such
standard. Theirs is not an ordinary morality at all. They look at
things from a divine
and heavenly standpoint, and hence they cannot suffer anything to pass
as harmless
which tends, in any wise, to interfere with that high tone of
consecration to God after
which their souls are fervently breathing.
May we have grace to weigh these things, and to watch against every
defiling
influence. Each one must be aware of what it is which, in his case,
would prove to be
wine and strong drink. It may seem to be a trifle; but we may rest
assured that nothing
is a trifle which breaks the current of our soul's communion with God,
and robs us of
that holy intimacy which it is our privilege ever to enjoy.
But there was another thing which marked the Nazarite. He was not to
shave his head.
"All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor
come upon his head:
until the days be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto the
Lord, he shall be
holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow."
In 1 Corinthians 11: 14, we learn that it argues a lack of dignity for
a man to have
long hair. "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man
have long hair, it is a
shame unto him" From this we learn that if we really desire to
live a life of separation
to God, we must be prepared to surrender our dignity in nature. This
our Lord Jesus
Christ did perfectly. He made Himself of no reputation. He surrendered
His rights in
everything. He could say, "I am a worm and no man." He
emptied Himself
thoroughly, and took the very lowest place. He neglected Himself, while
He cared for
others. In a word, His Nazariteship was perfect in this as in all
beside.
Now here is just the very thing which we so little like to do. We
naturally stand up for
our dignity and seek to maintain our rights. It is deemed manly so to
do. But the
perfect Man never did so; and if we aim at being Nazarites we shall not
do so either.
We must surrender the dignities of nature, and forego the joys of
earth, if we would
tread a path of thorough separation to God in this world. By and by
both will be in
place; but not now.
Here again, be it remarked, the question it is not as to the right or
wrong of the case.
As a general rule, it was right for a man to shave his locks; but it
was not right, nay it
was altogether wrong, for a Nazarite to do so. This made all the difference.
It was
quite right for an ordinary man to shave and drink wine; but the
Nazarite was not an
ordinary man; he was one set apart from all that was ordinary to tread
a path peculiar
to himself; and to use a razor or taste wine would involve the entire
surrender of that
peculiar path. Hence, if any inquire, Is it not right to enjoy the
pleasures of earth, and
maintain the dignities of nature?" Quite right, if we are to walk
as men but wholly
wrong, yea, absolutely fatal, if we want to walk as Nazarites."
This simplifies the matter amazingly. It answers a thousand questions
and solves a
thousand difficulties. It is of little use to split hairs about the
harm of this or that
particular thing. The question is, What is our real purpose and object?
Do we merely
want to get on as men, or do we long to live as true Nazarites?
According to the
language of 1 Corinthians 3: 3, to "Walk as men" and to be
"carnal" are synonymous.
Does such language really govern us? Do we drink into the spirit and
breathe the
atmosphere of such a scripture? Or are we ruled by the spirit and
principles of a
Godless, Christless world? It is useless to spend our time arguing
points which would
never be raised at all if our souls were in the right temper and
attitude. No doubt, it is
perfectly right, perfectly natural, perfectly consistent, for the men
of this world to
enjoy All that it has to offer them, and to maintain their rights and
their dignities to
the very utmost of their power. It were childish to question this. But,
on the other
hand, what is right, and natural, and consistent for the men of this
world, is wrong,
unnatural, and inconsistent for God's Nazarites. Thus the matter
stands, if we are to be
governed by the simple truth of God. we learn from Numbers 6, that if a
Nazarite
drank wine or shaved his locks, he defiled the head of his
consecration. Has this no
voice, no lesson for us? assuredly it has. It teaches as that if our
souls desire to pursue
a path of whole-hearted consecration to God, we must abstain from the
joys of earth,
and surrender the dignities and the rights of nature. It must be thus,
seeing that God
and the world, flesh and spirit, do not and cannot coalesce. The time
will come when
it will be otherwise; But, just now, all who will live to God, and walk
in the Spirit,
must live apart from the world, and mortify the flesh. May God, of His
great mercy,
enable us so to do!
One other feature of the Nazarite remains to be noticed. He was not to
touch a dead
body. "All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord, he
shall come at no dead
body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his
mother, for his
brother, or for his sister, when they die; because the consecration of
his God is upon
his head."
Thus we see that whether it was drinking wine, shaving his locks, or
touching a dead
body, the effect was the same; any one of the three involved the
defilement of the
head of the Nazarite's consecration. Wherefore it is plain that it was
as defiling to the
Nazarite to drink wine or to shave his Head, as it was to touch a dead
body. It is well
to see this. We are prone to make distinctions which will not stand for
a moment in
the light of the divine presence. When once the consecration of God
rested upon the
head of any one, that great and important fact became the standard and
touchstone of
all morality. It placed the individual on entirely new and peculiar
ground, and
rendered it imperative upon him to look at everything from a new and
peculiar point
of view. He was no longer to ask what became him as a man; but what
became him as
a Nazarite. Hence, if his dearest friend lay dead by his side he was
not to touch him.
He was called to keep himself apart from the defiling influence of
death, and all
because "the consecration of God" was upon his head.
Now, in this entire subject of Nazariteship, it is needful for the
reader to understand,
very distinctly, that it is not, by any means, a question of the soul's
salvation, of
eternal life, or of the believer's perfect security in Christ. If this
be not clearly seen it
may lead the mind into perplexity and darkness. There are, two grand
links in
Christianity which, though very intimately connected, are perfectly
distinct, namely,
the link of eternal life, and the link of personal communion. The
former can never be
snapped by anything; the latter can be snapped in a moment, by the
weight of a
feather. It is to the second of these that the doctrine of Nazariteship
pertains.
We behold, in the person of the Nazarite, a type of one who sets out in
some special
path of devotedness or consecration to Christ. The power of continuance
in this path
consists in secret communion with God; so that if the communion be
interrupted, the
power is gone. This renders the subject peculiarly solemn. There is the
greatest
possible danger of attempting to pursue the path in the absence of that
which
constitutes the source of his power. This is most disastrous, and
demands the utmost
vigilance. we have briefly glanced at the various things which tend to
interrupt the
Nazarite's communion; but it would be wholly impossible, by any words
of ours, to
set forth the moral effect of any attempt to keep up the appearance or
Nazariteship
when the inward reality is gone. It is dangerous in the extreme. It is
infinitely better to
confess our failure, and take our true place, than to keep up a false
appearance. God
will have reality; and we may rest assured that, sooner or later, our
weakness and folly
will be made manifest to all. It is very deplorable and very humbling
when "the
Nazarites that were purer than snow," become "blacker than a
coal;" but it is far worse
when those who have become Thus black, keep up the pretence of being
white.
Let us look at the solemn case of Samson, as set before us in the
sixteenth chapter of
Judges. He, in an evil hour, betrayed his secret and lost his
power-lost it though he
knew it not. But the enemy soon knew it. It was soon made manifest to
all that the
Nazarite had defiled the head of his consecration. "And it came to
pass, when Delilah
pressed will daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was
vexed unto
death; that he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath
not come a razor
upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's
womb: if I be
shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and
be like any
other man." Verses 16, 17.
Here alas! was the betrayal of the deep and holy secret of all his
power. Up to this, his
path had been one of strength and victory, simply because it had been
one of holy
Nazariteship. But the lap of Delilah proved too much for the heart of
Samson, and
what a thousand Philistines could not do was done by the ensnaring
influence of a
single woman. Samson fell from the lofty elevation of the Nazarite down
to the level
of an ordinary man.
"And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent
and called for the
lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath showed
me all his
heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought
money in their
hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; Alas! alas! a fatal sleep
to God's
Nazarite! and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the
seven locks of
his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
And she said,
The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep,
and said, I will
go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that
the Lord was
departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes,
and brought
him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind
in the prison
house." Judges 16: 18-21.
Oh! reader, what a picture! How solemn! How admonitory! What a
melancholy
spectacle was Samson, going out to shake himself, "as at other
times!" Alas! the "as"
was out of place. He might shake himself, But it was no longer" as
at other times," for
the power was gone; the Lord was departed from him; and the once
powerful Nazarite
became a blind prisoner; and instead of triumphing over the
Philistines, he had to
grind in their prison house. So much for yielding to mere nature.
Samson never
regained his liberty. He Was permitted, through the mercy of God, to
gain one more
victory over the uncircumcised; but that victory cost him his life.
God's Nazarites
must keep themselves pure or lose their power. In their case, power and
purity are
inseparable. They cannot get on without inward holiness; and hence the
urgent need
of being ever on the watch against the various things which tend to draw
away the
heart, distract the mind, and lower the tone of spirituality. Let us
ever keep before our
souls those words of our chapter, "all the days of his separation
he is holy unto the
Lord." Holiness is the grand and indispensable characteristic of
all the days of
Nazariteship; so that when once holiness is forfeited, Nazariteship is
at an end.
What then, it may be asked, is to be done? The scripture before us
supplies the
answer. "And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath
defiled the head of his
consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing,
on the seventh
day shall he shave it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two
turtles, or two young
pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation; and the priest
shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt
offering, and make an
atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his
head that same
day. And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation,
and shall bring
a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering; but the days that
were before shall be
lost, because his separation was defiled." Numbers 6: 9-12.
Here we find atonement, in its two grand aspects, as the only ground on
which the
Nazarite could be restored to communion. He had contracted defilement,
and that
defilement could only be removed by the blood of the sacrifice. We
might deem it a
very trying matter to touch a dead body, and particularly under such
circumstances. It
might be said, "How could he help, touching it when the man had
suddenly dropped
dead by his side?" To all this the reply is at once simple and
solemn. God's Nazarites
must maintain personal purity; and, moreover, the standard by which
their purity is to
be regulated is not human but divine. the mere touch of death was
sufficient to break
the link of communion; and had the Nazarite presumed to go on as though
nothing
had happened, he would have been flying in the face of God's
commandments, and
bringing down heavy judgment upon himself.
But, blessed be God, grace had made provision. There was the burnt
offering—the
type of the death of Christ to Godward. There was the sin offering—the
type of that
same death to usward. And there was the trespass offering—the type of the
death of
Christ, not only in its application to the root or principle of sin in
the nature, but also
to the actual sin committed. In a word, it needed the full! virtue of
the death of Christ
to remove the defilement caused by the simple touch of a dead body.
This is
peculiarly solemnizing. Sin is a dreadful thing in God's sight—most
dreadful. A single
sinful thought, a sinful look, a sinful word is enough to bring a dark,
heavy cloud over
the soul, which will hide from our view the light of God's countenance,
and plunge us
into deep distress and misery.
Let us, then, beware how we trifle with sin. Let us remember that ere
one stain of the
guilt of sin even the very smallest could be removed, the blessed Lord
Jesus Christ
had to pass through all the unutterable horrors of Calvary. That
intensely bitter cry,
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is the only
thing that can give us any
proper idea of what sin is; and into the profound depths of that cry no
mortal or angel
can ever enter. But though we can never fathom the mysterious depths of
the
sufferings of Christ, we should at least seek to meditate more
habitually upon His
cross and passion, and, in this way, reach a much deeper view of the
awfulness of sin,
in the sight of God. If, indeed, sin was so dreadful, so abhorrent to a
holy God, that He
was constrained to turn away the light of His countenance from that
blessed One who
had dwelt in His bosom from all eternity; if He had to forsake Him
because He was
bearing sin in His own body on the tree, then what must sin be?
Oh! reader, let us seriously consider these things. May they ever have
a place deep
down in these hearts or ours that are so easily betrayed into sin! How
lightly, at times,
do we think of that which cost the Lord Jesus everything, not only
life, but that which
is better and dearer than life, even the light of God's countenance!
May we have a far
deeper sense of the hatefulness of sin! May we, most sedulously, watch
against the
bare movement of the eye in a wrong direction, for we may rest assured
that the heart
will follow the eye, and the feet will follow the heart, and thus we
get away from the
Lord, lose the sense of His presence and His love, and become
miserable, or, if not
miserable, what is far worse, dead, cold, and callous—"hardened
through the
deceitfulness of sin."
May God, in His infinite mercy, keep as from falling! May we have grace
to watch,
more jealously, against everything, no matter what, that might defile
the head of our
consecration! it is a serious: thing to get out of communion; and a
most perilous thing
to attempt to go on in the Lord's service with a defiled conscience.
True it is that
grace pardons and restores, but we never regain what we have lost. This
latter is set
forth, with solemn emphasis, in the passage of scripture before
us:" He shall
consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a
lamb of the first
year for a trespass offering; but the days that were before shall be
lost (or shall fall, as
the margin reads it), because his separation was defiled."
This is a point, in our subject, full of instruction and admonition for
our souls. When
the Nazarite became defiled, by any means, even by the touch of a dead
body, he had
to begin over again. It was not merely the days of his defilement that
were lost, or let
fall, but actually all the days of his previous Nazariteship. All went
for nothing, and
this simply by reason of touching a dead body.
What does this teach us? It teaches this, at least, that when we
diverge, the breadth of
a hair, from the narrow path of communion, and get away from the Lord,
we must
return to the very point from which we set out, and begin de novo. We
have many
examples of this in scripture; and it would be our wisdom to consider
them, and also
to weigh the great practical truth which they illustrate.
Take the case of Abraham, in his descent into Egypt, as recorded in
Genesis 12. This
was, very evidently, a divergence from his proper path. and what was
the
consequence? The days were lost or let fall, and he had to set back to
the point
whence he had swerved, and begin over again. Thus, in Genesis 12: 8, We
read, "And
he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and
pitched his tent,
having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east; and there he builded an
altar unto the
Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord." Then, after his
return out of the land of
Egypt, we read, "He went on his journeys from the south even to
Bethel, unto the
place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;
unto the
place of the altar which he had made there at the first: and there
Abram called on the
name of the Lord." (Gen. 13: 3, 4) All the time spent in Egypt
went for nothing. There
was no altar there, no worship, no communion; and Abraham had to get
back to the
self-same point from which he had diverged, and begin on the new.
Thus it is in every case; and this will account for the miserably slow
progress which
some of us make in our practical career. We fail, turn aside, get away
from the Lord,
are plunged in spiritual darkness; and then His voice of love reaches
us in restoring
power, and brings us back to the point from which we had wandered; our
souls are
restored, but we have lost time and suffered incalculably. This is most
serious, and it
should lead us to walk with holy vigilance and circumspection, so that
we may not
have to double back upon our path, and lose what can never be regained.
True it is
that our wanderings, and our stumblings, and our failings give us an
insight into our
own hearts, teach us to distrust ourselves, and illustrate the
boundless and
unchangeable grace of our God. All this is quite true; but still there
is a very much
higher way of learning both ourselves and God, than by wandering,
stumbling, or
failing. Self, in all the terrible depths of that word, should be
judged in the holy light
of the divine presence; and there, too, our souls should grow in the
knowledge of God
as He unfolds Himself, by the Holy Ghost, in the face of Jesus Christ,
and in the
precious pages of holy scripture. This surely is the more excellent way
of learning
both ourselves and God; and this, too, is the power of all true
Nazarite separation. The
soul that habitually lives in the sanctuary of God, or, in other words,
that walks in
unbroken communion with God, is the one who will have a just sense of
what nature
is, in all its phases, though it be not learnt by sad experience. And
not only so; but he
will have a deeper and more just sense of what God is, in Himself, and
to all who put
their trust in Him. It is poor work to be learning self by experience.
We may depend
upon it, the true way to learn it is in communion; and when we learn it
thus, we shall
not be characterised by perpetually dwelling upon our personal
vileness, but rather we
shall be occupied with that which is outside and above self altogether,
even the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.
We shall, in closing this section, quote, at length, for the reader,
the statement of "The
law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he
shall be brought
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; and he shall offer
his offering
unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a
burnt offering, and
one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and
one ram without
blemish for peace offerings; and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of
fine flour
mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and
their meat
offering, and their drink offerings. And the priest shall bring them
before the Lord,
and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. And he shall
offer the ram for a
sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of
unleavened bread: the
priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. And
the Nazarite shall
shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and
shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the
fire which is under
the sacrifice of the peace offerings. And the priest shall take the
sodden shoulder of
the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened
wafer, and
shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his
separation is
shaven; and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the
Lord: this is
holy for the priest, with the wave breast and the heave shoulder: and
after that the
Nazarite may drink wine. This is the law of the Nazarite who hath
vowed, and of his
offering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand
shall get: according
to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his
separation." Numbers
6: 13-21.
This marvellous "law" leads us onward to something future,
when the full result of
Christ's perfect work shall appear; and when He, as the Messiah of
Israel, shall, at the
close of his Nazarite separation, taste true joy in His beloved people,
and in this earth.
The time will then have come for the Nazarite to drink wine. From all
this He set
Himself apart, for the accomplishment of that great work, so fully set
forth, in all its
aspects and in all its bearings, in the foregoing "law." He
is apart from the nation, and
apart from this world, in the power of true Nazariteship, as He said to
His disciples on
that memorable night, "I will not drink henceforth (apj arti) Of
this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's
kingdom." Matthew 26: 29.
But there is a bright day coming, when Jehovah Messiah shall rejoice in
Jerusalem,
and joy in His people. The prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi, are full
of the most
glowing and soul-stirring allusions to that bright and blissful day. To
quote the
passages would literally fill a volume. But if the reader will turn to
the closing section
of Isaiah's prophecy, he will find a sample of that to which we refer;
and he will find
many similar passages throughout the various books of the prophets.
We must not attempt to quote; but we would warn the reader against the
danger of
being led astray by the uninspired headings attached to those
magnificent passages
which refer to Israel's future, such, for example, as "The
blessings of the gospel"—
"The enlargement of the Church." These expressions are
calculated to mislead many
pious readers who are apt to take for granted that the headings are as
much inspired as
the text; or, if not inspired, that they, at least, contain a correct
statement of what the
text sets forth. The fact is, there is not a syllable about the Church
from beginning to
end of the prophets. That the Church can find most precious
instruction, light,
comfort, and edification from this grand division of the inspired
volume, is blessedly
true; but she will do this just in proportion as she is enabled, by the
Spirit's teaching,
to discern the real scope and object of this portion of the book of
God. To suppose,
for a moment, that we can only derive comfort and profit from that
which exclusively
or primarily refers to ourselves, would be to take a very narrow, if
not an egotistical,
view of things. Can we not learn from the Book of Leviticus And yet who
would
assert that that section refers to the Church?
No, reader; you may rest assured that a calm, unprejudiced, prayerful
study of "The
law the prophets" will convince you that the great theme of both
the one and the other
is God's government of the world in immediate connection with Israel.
True it is, that
throughout "Moses and all the prophets" there are things
concerning (the Lord)
Himself. This is plain from Luke 24: 27. But it is "Himself"
in His government of this
world, and of Israel in particular. If this fact be not distinctly
seized, we shall study
the Old Testament with little intelligence or profit.
It may seem to some of our readers, a strong statement to assert that
there is nothing
about the Church, properly so called, throughout the prophets, or
indeed in the Old
Testament; but a statement or two from the inspired pen of St. Paul
will settle the
whole question for any one who is really willing to submit to the
authority of holy
scripture. Thus in Romans 16. we read," Now to him that is of
power to stablish you
according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation
of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is
made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets evidently of the New
Testament,
according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all
nations for
the obedience of faith." Verses 29, 26.
So also in Ephesians 3 we read, "For this cause I Paul, the
prisoner of Jesus Christ for
you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God,
which is given
me to youward; how that by revelation he made known unto me the
mystery; (as I
wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my
knowledge
in the mystery of Christ;) which. in other ages was not made known unto
the sons of
men,,, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the
Spirit* that the
Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of
his promise in
Christ by the gospel....... and to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the
mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been HID IN God,
who created
all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers in
heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of
God." Verses
1-10.
{*The "Prophets" in the above quotations, are those of the
New Testament, as is
evident from the form Of expression. Had the apostle meant Old
Testament prophets,
he would have said,'' His holy prophets and apostles." But the
very point he is insisting
upon is, that the mystery had never been revealed until his time—that
it had not been
made known to the sons of men in other ages—that it was hid in God; not
hid in the
scriptures, but in the infinite mind of God.}
But we must not pursue this deeply interesting subject of the Church;
we have merely
referred to the foregoing plain passages of scripture, in order to
settle the reader's
mind as to the fact that the doctrine of the Church, as taught by Paul,
finds no place in
the page of the Old Testament; and therefore, when he reads the
prophets and meets
the words "Israel," "Jerusalem," "Zion,"
he is not to apply such terms to the Church of
God, inasmuch as they belong to the literal people of Israel, the seed
of Abraham, the
land of Canaan, and the city of Jerusalem.* God means what He says;
and, therefore,
we must not countenance anything that borders upon, or looks like, a
loose and
irreverent mode of handling the word of God. When the Spirit speaks of
Jerusalem,
He means Jerusalem; if He meant the Church, He would say so. We should
not
attempt to treat a respectable human document as we treat the inspired
volume. We
take it for granted that a man not only knows what he means to say, but
says what he
means; and if this be so, in regard to a poor fallible mortal, how much
more so, in
regard to the only wise and living God, who cannot lie?
{*The statement in the text refers, of course, to the Old Testament
prophecies. There
are passages in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians in which all
believers are
viewed as the seed of Abraham (see Rom. 4: 9-17; Gal. 3: 7, 9, 21; Gal.
6: 16); but
this is, obviously, a different thing altogether. We have no revelation
of "the Church,"
properly so called, in the Old Testament scriptures.}
But we must draw this section to a close, and leave the reader to
meditate alone upon
the ordinance of the Nazarite, so pregnant with sacred teaching for the
heart. We wish
him to ponder, in a special way, the fact that the Holy Ghost has given
us the full
statement of the law of Nazariteship in the Book of Numbers—the
wilderness book.
And not only so, but let him carefully consider the institution itself.
Let him see that
he understands why the Nazarite was not to drink wine; why he was not
to shave his
locks; and why he was not to touch a dead body. Let him meditate upon
these three
things, and seek; to gather up the instruction contained therein. Let
him ask himself,
"Do I really long to be a Nazarite—to walk along the narrow path
of separation unto
God and, if so, am I prepared to surrender all those things which tend
to defile, to
distract, and to hinder God's Nazarites?" And, finally, let him
remember that there is a
time coming when "the Nazarite may drink wine;" or, in other
words, when there will
be no need to watch against the varied forms of evil within or around;
all will be pure;
the affections may flow out without check; the garments may flow around
us without
a girdle; there will be no evil to be separated from, and therefore
there will be no need
of separation. In a word, there will be "a new heavens and a new
earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness." May God, in His infinite mercy, keep us
until that blessed
time, in true consecration of heart unto Himself
The reader will observe that we here reach the close of a very distinct
section of our
book. The camp is duly arranged; every warrior is set in his proper
place (Num. 1, 2);
every workman is set to his proper work (Num. 3, 4); the congregation
is purified
from defilement. (Num. 5) Provision is made for the highest character
of separation to
God. (Num. 6) All this is very marked. the order is strikingly
beautiful. we have
before us not only a cleansed and well ordered camp, but also a
character of
consecration to God beyond which it is impossible to go, inasmuch as it
is that which
is only seen, in its integrity, in the life of our blessed Lord Jesus
Christ Himself.
Having then reached this lofty point, nothing remains but for Jehovah
to pronounce
His blessing upon the whole congregation, and accordingly we get that
blessing at the
close of Num. 6; and surely we may say, a right royal blessing it is.
Let us read and
consider.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto
his sons, saying,
On this wise we shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
The Lord bless
thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto
thee. the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall
put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them."
This copious blessing flows through the channel of priesthood. Aaron
and his sons are
commissioned to pronounce this wonderful benediction. God's assembly is
to be
blessed and kept of Him, continually; it is ever to bask in the
sunlight of His gracious
countenance; its peace is to flow as a river; Jehovah's name is to be
called upon it; He
is ever there to bless.
What a provision Oh! that Israel had entered into it, and lived in the
power of it! But
they did not. They quickly turned aside, as we shall see. They
exchanged the light of
God's countenance for the darkness of Mount Sinai. They abandoned the
ground of
grace and placed themselves under law. In place of being satisfied with
their portion
in the God of their Fathers, they lusted after other things. (Compare
Ps. 105 and Ps.
106) In place of the order, the purity, and the separation to God with
which our book
opens, we have disorder, defilement, and giving themselves to idolatry.
But, blessed be God, there is a moment approaching in the which the
magnificent
benediction of Numbers 6 shall have its full application; when Israel's
twelve tribes
shall be ranged round that imperishable standard, "Jehovah-shammah"
(Ezek. 48: 35);
when they shall be purified from all their defilements, and consecrated
unto God in
the power of true Nazariteship. These things are set forth in the
fullest and clearest
manner, throughout the pages of the prophets. All these inspired
witnesses, without so
much as one dissentient voice, bear testimony to the glorious future in
store for the
literal Israel; they all point forward to that time when the heavy
clouds which have
gathered and still hang upon the nation's horizon shall be chased away
before the
bright beams of "the Sun of righteousness;" when Israel shall
enjoy a cloudless day of
bliss and glory, beneath the vines and fig-trees of that very land
which God gave as an
everlasting possession unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
If we deny the foregoing, we may as well cut out a large portion of the
Old
Testament, and not a small Part of the New, for in both the one and the
other the Holy
Ghost doth most clearly and unequivocally bear testimony to this
precious fact,
namely, mercy, salvation, and blessing to the seed of Jacob. We
hesitate not to
declare our conviction that no one can possibly understand the Prophets
who does not
see this. There is a bright future in store for God's beloved, though
now rejected
people. Let us beware How we deal with this fact. It is a very grave
matter to attempt
to interfere, in any wise, with the true and proper application of the
word of God. If
He has pledged Himself to bless the nation of Israel, let us have a
care how we seek to
force the stream of blessing to flow in a different channel. It is a
serious thing to
tamper with the declared purpose of God. He has declared it to be His
purpose to give
the land of Canaan an everlasting possession to the seed of Jacob; and
if this be called
in question, we do not see how we can hold fast the integrity of any
one portion of the
word of God. If we show ourselves to trifle with a large division of
the inspired canon
and most assuredly it is trifling with it when we seek to divert it
from its true object—
then what security have we in reference to the application of scripture
at all? If God
does not mean what He says when He speaks of Israel and the land of
Canaan, how do
we know that He means what He says when He speaks of the Church and her
heavenly portion in Christ? If the Jew be robbed of his glorious
future, what security
has the Christian as to his?
Reader, let us remember that "All (not merely some of) the
promises of God are yea
and amen in Christ Jesus," and while we rejoice in the application
of this precious
statement to ourselves, let as not seek to deny its application to
others. We most fully
believe that the children of Israel shall yet enjoy the full tide of
blessing presented in
the closing paragraph of Numbers 6; and until then the Church of God is
called to
partake of blessings peculiar to herself. She is privileged to know the
presence of God
with her and in her midst continually—to dwell in the light of His
countenance—to
drink of the river of peace—to be blessed and kept, from day to day, by
Him who
never slumbers nor sleeps. But let us never forget—yea: let us deeply
and constantly
remember—that the practical sense and experimental enjoyment of these
immense
blessings and privileges will be in exact proportion to the measure in
which the
Church seeks to maintain the order, the purity, and the Nazarite
separation to which
she is called as the dwelling-place of God—the body of Christ —the
habitation of the
Holy Ghost.
May these things sink down into our hearts, and exert their sanctifying
influence upon
our whole life and character!
Numbers 7.
This is the very longest section in the entire Book of Numbers. It
contains a detailed
statement of the names of the twelve princes of the congregation, and
of their
respective offerings on the occasion of the setting up of the
tabernacle. "It came to
pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had
anointed it, and
sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all
the vessels thereof,
and had anointed them, and sanctified them, that the princes of Israel,
heads of the
house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were
over them that
were numbered, offered. And they brought their offering before the
Lord, six covered
wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each
one an ox; and
they brought them before the tabernacle. And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying,
Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle
of the
congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man
according to his
service. And Moses took: the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto
the Levites.
Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to
their
service. and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of
Merari, according
unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the
priest. But unto the
sons of Kohath he gave none; because the service of the sanctuary
belonging unto
them was that they should bear upon their shoulders." Verses 1-9.
We noticed, when meditating on Numbers 3 and 4, that the sons of Kohath
were
privileged to carry all that was most precious of the instruments and
furniture of the
sanctuary. Hence they did not receive any of the princes' offering. It
was their high
and holy service to bear upon their shoulders, and not to make use of
wagons or oxen.
The more closely we examine those things which were committed to the
custody and
charge of the Kohathites, the more we shall see that they set forth, in
type, the deeper
and fuller manifestations of God in Christ. The Gershonites and
Merarites, on the
contrary, had to do with those things which were more external. Their
work was
rougher and more exposed, and therefore they were furnished with the
needed help
which the liberality of the princes placed at their disposal. The
Kohathite did not want
the aid of a wagon or an ox in his elevated service. His own shoulder
was to bear the
precious mystic burden.
"And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day
that it was anointed,
even the princes offered their offering before the altar. And the Lord
said unto Moses,
They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the
dedicating of the altar."
An unspiritual reader, in running his eye over this unusually long
chapter, might feel
disposed to ask why so much space is occupied, in an inspired document,
with what
might be given in the compass of a dozen lines. If a man were giving an
account of
the transaction of those twelve days, he would, in all probability,
have very briefly
summed up all in one statement, and told us that the twelve princes
offered each such
and such things.
But that would not have suited the divine mind at all. God's thoughts
are not as our
thoughts, nor His ways as our ways. Nothing could satisfy Him but the
fullest and
most detailed account of each man's name, of the tribe which he
represented, and of
the offering which we made to the sanctuary of God. Hence this long
chapter of
eighty-nine verses. Each name shines out in its own distinctness. Each
offering is
minutely described and duly estimated. The names and the offerings are
not huddled
promiscuously together. This would not be like our God; and He can only
act like
Himself, in whatever He does, and speak like Himself, whatever He says.
Man may
pass hastily or carelessly over gifts and offerings; but God never can,
never does, and
never will. He delights to record every little act of service, every
little loving gift. He
never forgets the smallest thing; and not only does He not forget it
Himself, but He
takes special pains that untold millions shall read the record. How
little did those
twelve princes imagine that their names and their offerings were to be
handed down,
from age to age, to be read by countless generations! Yet so it was,
for God would
have it so. He will enter upon what might seem to us tedious detail,
yea, if you please,
what man might deem tautology, rather than omit a single name of any of
His
servants, or a single item of their work.
Thus, in the chapter before us, "each prince" gets his own
appointed day for the
presenting of his offering, and his own allotted space on the eternal
page of
inspiration, in the which the most complete record of his gifts is
inscribed by God the
Holy Ghost.
This is divine. And may we not say that this seventh chapter of Numbers
is one of
those specimen pages from the book of eternity, on which the finger of
God has
engraved the names of His servants, and the record of their work We
believe it is; and
if the reader will turn to the twenty-third of second Samuel, and the
sixteenth of
Romans, he will find two similar pages. In the former, we have the
names and the
deeds of David's worthies; in the latter, the names and the deeds of
Paul's friends at
Rome. In both we have an illustration of what, we feel persuaded, is
true of all the
saints of God, and the servants of Christ, from first to last. Each one
has his own
special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's
heart; and all will
come out by and by. Amongst David's mighty men, we have "the first
three"—"the
three" and "the thirty." Not one of "the
thirty" ever attained a place among "the three;"
nor did one of "the three" ever reach to "the first
three."
Nor this only. Every act is faithfully set down; and the substance and
style most
accurately put before us. We have the name of the man, what he did, and
how he did
it. All is recorded, with sedulous care and minuteness, by the unerring
and impartial
pen of the Holy Ghost.
So also, when we turn to that remarkable sample page furnished in
Romans 16. we
have all about Phebe, what she was and what she did, and what a solid
basis she had
on which to rest her claim upon the sympathy and succour of the
assembly at Rome.
Then we have Priscilla and Aquila—the wife put first—and how they had
laid down
their own necks for the life of the blessed apostle, and earned his
thanks and that of
all the churches of the Gentiles. Next we have "the well beloved
Epaenetus;" and
"Mary who bestowed," not merely labour, but "much labour"
on the apostle. It would
not have expressed the mind of the Spirit, or the heart of Christ,
merely to say that
Epaenetus was "beloved," or that Mary had bestowed
"labour." No; the little adjuncts
"well" and "much" were necessary in order to set
forth the exact status of each.
But we must not enlarge, and we shall merely call the reader's
attention to verse 12.
Why does not the inspired penman place "Tryphena, Tryphosa,"
and "the beloved
Persis" under one head Why does he not assign them one and the
same position? The
reason is perfectly beautiful; because he could only say of the two
former that they
had "laboured in the Lord," whereas it was due to the latter
to add that she had
"laboured much in the Lord." Can anything be more
discriminating? It is "the three"—
"the first three"—and "the thirty" over again.
There is no promiscuous jumbling of
names and services together; no haste; no inaccuracy. We are told what
each one was,
and what he did. Each one gets his own place, and receives his own meed
of praise.
And this, be it observed, is a specimen page from the book of eternity.
How solemn
And yet, how encouraging There is not a single act of service which we
render to our
Lord that will not be set down in His book; and not only the substance
of the act, but
the style of it also, for God appreciates style as well as we do.—He
loves a cheerful
giver, and a cheerful worker, because that is precisely what He is
Himself. It was
grateful to His heart to see the tide of liberality flowing around His
sanctuary from the
representatives of the twelve tribes. It was grateful to his heart to
mark the actings of
David's worthies, in the day of his rejection. It was grateful to His
heart to trace the
devoted path of the Priscillas, the Aquilas, and the Phebes of a later
date. And, we
may add, it is grateful to His heart, in this day of so much
lukewarmness and vapid
profession, to behold, here and there, a true-hearted lover of Christ,
and a devoted
worker in His vineyard.
May God's Spirit stir up our hearts to more thorough devotedness! May
the love of
Christ constrain us, more and more, to live, not unto ourselves, but
unto Him who
loved us and washed us from our scarlet sins in His most precious
blood, and made us
all we are, or ever hope to be.
Numbers 8.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and say
unto him, When
thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against
the candlestick.
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the
candlestick, as the
Lord commanded Moses. And this work of the candlestick was of beaten
gold, unto
the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according
unto the
pattern which the Lord had showed Moses, so he made the
candlestick." Verses 1-4.
On reading the foregoing paragraph, two things claim the reader's
attention, namely,
first, the position which the type of the golden candlestick occupies;
and, secondly,
the instruction which the type conveys.
It is not a little remarkable, that the candlestick is the only part of
the furniture of the
tabernacle introduced in this place. We have nothing about the golden
altar, nothing
about the golden table. The candlestick alone is before us, and that
not in its covering
of blue and of badgers' skins, as in chapter 4, where it, like all the
rest, is seen in its
travelling dress. It is here seen lighted, not covered. It comes in
between the offerings
of the princes, and the consecration of the Levites, and sheds forth
its mystic light
according to the commandment of the Lord. Light cannot be dispensed
with in the
wilderness, and therefore the golden candlestick must be stripped of
its covering, and
allowed to shine in testimony for God, which, be it ever remembered, is
the grand
object of everything, whether it be the offering of our substance, as
in the case of the
princes; or the dedication of our persons, as in the case of the
Levites. It is only in the
light of the sanctuary that the true worth of anything or any one can
be seen.
Hence the moral order of the whole of this part of our book is striking
and beautiful;
indeed it is divinely perfect. Having read, in chapter 7, the
lengthened statement of
the princes' liberality, we, in our wisdom, might suppose that the next
thing in order
would be the consecration of the Levites, thus presenting, in unbroken
connection,
"our persons and offerings." But no. The Spirit of God causes
the light of the
sanctuary to intervene, in order that we may learn, in it, the true
object of all liberality
and service, in the wilderness.
Is there not lovely moral appropriateness in this? Can any spiritual
reader fail to see
it? Why have we not the golden altar, with its cloud of incense, here?
Why not the
pure table, with its twelve loaves? Because neither of these would have
the least
moral connection with what goes before, or what follows after; But the
golden
candlestick stands connected with both, inasmuch as it shows us that
all liberality and
all work must be viewed in the light of the sanctuary, in order to
ascertain its real
worth. This is a grand wilderness lesson, and it is taught us here as
blessedly as type
can teach us. In our progress through the Book of Numbers, We have just
read the
account of the large-hearted liberality of the great heads of the
congregation, on the
occasion of the dedication of the altar; and we are about to read the
record of the
consecration of the Levites; but between the one and the other, the
inspired penman
pauses, in order to let the light of the sanctuary shine on both.
This is divine order. It is, we are bold to say, one of the ten
thousand illustrations
which lie scattered over the surface of scripture, tending to
demonstrate the divine
perfectness of the volume, as a whole, and of each book, section, and
paragraph
therein. And we are glad—intensely glad to point out these precious
illustrations to
our reader, as we pass along in his company. we consider we are doing
him good
service herein; and, at the same time, presenting our humble tribute of
praise to that
precious book which our Father has graciously penned for us. Well
indeed we know it
does not need our poor testimony, nor that of any mortal pen or mortal
tongue. But
still it is our joy to render the testimony, in the face of the enemy's
manifold but futile
attacks upon its inspiration. The true source and character of all such
attacks will
become more and more manifest, as we become more deeply, livingly, and
experimentally acquainted with the infinite depths and divine
perfections of the
Volume. And hence it is that the internal evidences of holy scripture—its
powerful
effect upon ourselves, no less than its intrinsic moral glories—its
ability to judge the
very roots of character and conduct, no less than its admirable
structure, in all its
parts—are the most powerful arguments in defence of its divinity. A
book that
exposes me to myself—that tells me all that is in my heart—that lays
bare the very
deepest moral springs of my nature—that judges me thoroughly, and at
the same time
reveals to me One who meets my every need—such a book carries its own
credentials
with it. It craves not, and needs not, letters of commendation from
men. It stands in
no need of his favour, in no dread of his wrath. It has often occurred
to as that were
we to reason about the Bible as the woman of Sychar reasoned about our
Lord, we
should reach as sound a conclusion about it as she reached about Him.
"Come," said
this simple and happy reasoner, "see a man which told me all
things that ever I did: is
not this the Christ?" May we not, with equal force of reasoning,
say, "Come, see a
book which told me all things that ever I did; is not this the word of
God?" Yes, truly;
and not only so, but we may argue, a fortiori, inasmuch as the book of
God not only
tells us all that ever we did, but all we think, and all we say, and
all we are. see
Romans 3: 10-18; Matthew 15: 19.
But is it that we despise external evidences? Far from it. We delight
in them, We
value every argument and every evidence calculated to strengthen the
foundations of
the heart's confidence in the divine inspiration of holy scripture;
and, most assuredly,
we have abundance of such material. The very history of the book
itself, with all its
striking facts, furnishes a broad tributary stream to swell the tide of
evidence. The
history of its composition; the history of its preservation; the
history of its translation
from tongue to tongue; the history of its circulation throughout
earth's wide domain—
in a word, its entire history," surpassing fable, and yet
true," forms a powerful
argument in defence of its divine origin. Take, for example, that one
fact of most
commanding interest, namely, its having been kept for over a thousand
years, in the
custody of those who would have gladly consigned it, if they could, to
eternal
oblivion. Is not this a telling fact? Yes; and there are many such
facts in the
marvellous history of this peerless, priceless Volume.
But after allowing as wide a margin as may be desired, in the which to
insert the value
of external evidences, we return, with unshaken decision, to our
statement, that the
internal evidences—the proofs to be gleaned from the book itself—form
as powerful
a defence as can be erected with which to stem the tide of sceptical
and infidel
opposition.
We shall not, however, pursue any further this line of thought into
which we have
been led, while contemplating the remarkable position assigned to the
golden
candlestick, in the Book of Numbers. We felt constrained to say thus
much in
testimony to our most precious Bible, and having said it, we shall
return to our
chapter, and seek to gather up the instruction contained in its opening
paragraph.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and say
unto him, when
thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against
the candlestick."
Those "seven lamps" express the light of the Spirit in
testimony. They were connected
with the beaten shaft of the candlestick which typifies Christ, who, in
His Person and
work, is the foundation of the Spirit's work in the Church. All depends
upon Christ.
Every ray of light in the Church, in the individual believer, or in
Israel by and by, all
flows from Christ.
Nor is this all we learn from our type. "The seven lamps shall
give light over against
the candlestick." Were we to clothe this figure in New Testament
language, we should
quote our Lord's words when He says to us, "Let your light so
shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven." (Matt. 5:
16) Wherever the true light of the Spirit shines it will always yield a
clear testimony
to Christ. It will call attention not to itself, but to Him; and this
is the way to glorify
God. "The seven lamps shall give light over against the
candlestick."
This is a great practical truth for all Christians. The very finest
evidence which can be
afforded of true spiritual work is that it tends directly to exalt
Christ. If attention be
sought for the work or the workman, the light has become dim, and the
minister of the
sanctuary must use the snuffers. It was Aaron's province to light the
lamps; and he it
was who trimmed them likewise. In other words, the light which, as
Christians, we
are responsible to yield, is not only founded upon Christ, but
maintained by Him,
from moment to moment, throughout the entire night. Apart from Him we
can do
nothing. The golden shaft sustained the lamps; the priestly hand
supplied the oil and
applied the snuffers. It is all in Christ, from Christ, and by Christ.
And more, it is all to Christ. Wherever the light of the Spirit—the
true light of the
sanctuary—has shone, in this wilderness world, the object of that light
has been to
exalt the name of Jesus. 'Whatever has been done by the Holy Ghost,
whatever has
been said, whatever has been written, has had for its aim the glory of
that blessed
One. And we may say with confidence, that whatever has not that
tendency—that
aim, is not of the Holy Ghost, be it what it may. There may be an
immense amount of
work done, a great deal of apparent result reached, a quantity of that
which is
calculated to attract human attention, and elicit human applause, and
yet not one ray
of light from the golden candlestick. And why? Because attention is
sought for the
work, or for those engaged in it. Man and his doings and sayings are
exalted, instead
of Christ. The light has not been produced by the oil which the hand of
the great High
Priest supplies; and, as a consequence, it is false light. It is a
light which shines not
over against the candlestick, but over against the name or the acting's
of some poor
mortal.
All this is most solemn, and demands our deepest attention. There is
always the
utmost danger when a man or his work becomes remarkable. He may be sure
Satan is
gaining his object, when attention is drawn to anything or to any one
but the Lord
Jesus Himself. A work may be commenced in the greatest possible
simplicity, but
through lack of holy watchfulness and spirituality on the part of the
workman, he
himself, or the results of his work, may attract general attention, and
he may fall into
the snare of the devil. Satan's grand and ceaseless object is to
dishonour the Lord
Jesus; and if he can do this by what seems to be Christian service, he
has achieved all
the greater victory for the time. He has no objection to work, as such,
provided he can
detach that work from the name of Jesus. He will even mingle himself,
if he can, with
the work; he will present himself amongst the servants of Christ, as he
once presented
himself amongst the sons of God; but his object is ever one and the
same, namely, to
dishonour the Lord. He permitted the damsel, in Acts 16 to bear
testimony to Christ's
servants, and say, "These men are the servants of the most high
God, which show unto
us the way of salvation." But this was simply with a view to
ensnare: those servants
and mar their work. He was defeated, however, because the light that
emanated from
Paul and Silas was the genuine light, of the sanctuary, and it shone
only for Christ.
They sought not a name for themselves; and, inasmuch as it was to them
and not to
their Master that the damsel bore witness, they refused the witness,
and chose rather
to suffer for their Master's sake than to be exalted at His expense.
This is a fine example for all the Lord's workmen. And if we turn, for
an instant to
Acts 3 we shall find another very striking illustration. There the
light of the sanctuary
shone out in the healing of the lame man, and when attention was drawn,
unsought, to
the workmen, we find Peter and John, at once, with holy jealousy,
retiring behind
their glorious Master and giving all the praise to Him. "And, as
the lame man which
was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them,
in the porch
that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And when Peter saw it, he
answered unto
the people, ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so
earnestly on us,
as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
The God of
Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath
glorified His Son
Jesus."
Here we have, in very deed, "the seven lamps giving their light
over against the
candlestick;" or, in other words, the sevenfold or perfect display
of the Spirit's light in
distinct testimony to the name of Jesus. "Why," said these
faithful vessels of the
Spirit's light, "look ye so earnestly on us?" No need of the
snuffers here. The light was
undimmed. It was, no doubt, an occasion which the apostles might have
turned to
their own account, had they been so disposed. It was a moment in the
which they
might have surrounded their own names with a halo of glory. They might
have raised
themselves to a pinnacle of fame, and drawn around them the respect and
veneration
of wondering, if not worshipping, thousands. But had they done so, they
would have
robbed their Master; falsified the testimony; grieved the Holy Ghost,
and brought
down upon themselves the just judgement of Him who will not give His
glory to
another.
But, no; the seven lamps were shining brightly in Jerusalem, at this
interesting
moment. The true candlestick was in Solomon's porch just then, and not
in the
temple. At least the seven lamps were there, and doing their appointed
work most
blessedly. Those honoured servants sought no glory for themselves; yea,
they instantly
put forth all their energies in order to avert the wondering gaze of
the multitude from
themselves, and fix it upon the only worthy One, who, though He had
passed into the
heavens, was still working by His Spirit on earth.
Many other illustrations might be drawn from the pages of the Acts of
the Apostles;
but the above will suffice to impress upon our hearts the great
practical lesson taught
in the golden candlestick, with its seven lamps. We are deeply sensible
of our need of
the lesson at this very moment. There is always a danger of the work
and the
workman being more the object than the Master. Let us be on our guard
against this.
It is a sad evil. It grieves the blessed Spirit, who ever labours to
exalt the name of
Jesus. It is offensive to the Father, who would ever be sounding in our
ears, and deep
down in our hearts, those words heard, from an open heaven, on the
mount of
transfiguration: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased, hear ye him." It
is in the most direct and positive hostility to the mind of heaven,
where every eye is
fixed on Jesus, every heart occupied with Jesus, and where the one
eternal, universal,
unanimous cry shall be, "Thou art worthy."
Let us think of all this—think deeply—think habitually; that so we may
shrink from
everything bordering upon, or savouring of, the exaltation of man—of
self—our
doings and sayings and thinkings. May we all more earnestly seek the
quiet, shady,
unobtrusive path where the spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus will ever
lead us to
walk and serve. In a word, may we so abide in Christ, so receive from
Him, day by
day, and moment by moment, the pure oil, that our light may shine,
without our
thinking of it, to His praise, in whom alone we have ALL, and apart
from whom we
can do absolutely NOTHING.
The remainder of the eighth chapter of Numbers contains the record of
the
ceremonial connected with the consecration of the Levites, to which we
have already
referred in our notes on chapter 3 and 4.
NUMBERS, Section 2 of 3,
(Num. 9—16).
C H Mackintosh
Numbers 9.
And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first
month of the
second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let
the children of
Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season. In the
fourteenth day of this
month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to
all the rites of it,
and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. And
Moses spake unto
the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. And they
kept the Passover
on the fourteenth day of the first month, at even, in the wilderness of
Sinai: according
to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of
Israel." Verses 1-5.
There are three distinct positions in which we find this great
redemption-feast
celebrated, namely, in Egypt (Ex. 12); in the wilderness (Num. 9); in
the land of
Canaan. (Joshua 5) Redemption lies at the foundation of everything
connected with
the history of God's people. Are they to be delivered from the bondage,
the death, and
the darkness of Egypt? It is by redemption. Are they to be borne along
through all the
difficulties and dangers of the desert? It is on the ground of
redemption. Are they to
walk across the ruins of the frowning walls of Jericho, and plant their
feet upon the
necks of the kings of Canaan? It is in virtue of redemption.
Thus the blood of the paschal lamb met the Israel of God and the deep
degradation of
the land of Egypt, and delivered them out of it. It met them in the
dreary desert, and
carried them through it. It met them on their entrance into the land of
Canaan, and
established them in it.
In a word, then, the blood of the lamb met the people in Egypt; it
accompanied them
through the desert; and planted them in Canaan. It was the blessed
basis of all the
divine actings in them, with them, and for them. Was it a question of
the judgement
of God against Egypt? The blood of the lamb screened them from it. Was
it a question
of the numberless and nameless wants of the wilderness? The blood of
the lamb
secured a full provision for them. Was it a question of the dreaded power
of the seven
nations of Canaan? The blood of the lamb was the sure and certain
pledge of
complete and glorious victory. The moment we behold Jehovah coming
forth to act
on behalf of His people, on the ground of the blood of the lamb, all is
infallibly
secured, from first to last. The whole of that mysterious and
marvellous journey, from
the brick kilns of Egypt to the vine clad hills and honeyed plains of
Palestine, served
but to illustrate and set forth the varied virtues of the blood of the
lamb.
However, the chapter which now lies open before us presents the
Passover entirely
from a wilderness standpoint; and this will account to the reader for
the introduction
of the following circumstance: "There were certain men which were
defiled by the
dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day:
and they came
before Moses and before Aaron on that day."
Here was a practical difficulty—something abnormal, as we say—something
not
anticipated, and therefore the question was submitted to Moses and
Aaron. ''They
came before Moses"—the exponent of the claims of God; "and
before Aaron"—the
exponent of the provisions of the grace of God. There seems something
distinct and
emphatic in the way in which both these functionaries are referred to.
The two
elements of which they are the expression would be deemed essential in
the solving
of such a difficulty as that which here presented itself.
"And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a
man: wherefore
are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his
appointed
season among the children of Israel?" There was the plain
confession as to the
defilement; and the question raised was this: were they to be deprived
of the holy
privilege of coming before the Lord in His appointed way? Was there no
resource, no
provision for such a case?
A deeply interesting question surely, but one for which no answer had
as get been
provided. We have no such case anticipated in the original institution,
in Exodus 12;
although we have there a very full statement of all the rites and all
the ceremonies of
the feast. It was reserved for the wilderness to evolve this new point.
It was in the
actual walk of the people—in the real practical details of desert life,
that the difficulty
presented itself for which a solution had to be provided. Hence it is
that the record of
this entire affair is appropriately given in Numbers, the book of the
wilderness.
"And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the
Lord will command
concerning you." Lovely attitude! Moses had no answer to give; but
he knew who had,
and he waited on him. This was the very best and wisest thing for Moses
to do. He did
not pretend to be able to give an answer. He was not ashamed to say,
"I do not know."
With all his wisdom and knowledge, he did not hesitate to show his
ignorance. This is
true knowledge—true wisdom. It might be humiliating to one in Moses'
position to
appear before the congregation or any members of it, in the light of
one ignorant on
any question. He who had led the people out of Egypt, he who had
conducted them
through the Red Sea, he who had conversed with Jehovah, and received
his
commission from the great "I am;" could it be possible that
he was unable to meet a
difficulty arising out of such a simple case as that which was now
before him? Was it
indeed true that such an one as Moses was ignorant as to the right
course, in reference
to men defiled by a dead body?
How few there are who, though not occupying such a lofty position as
Moses, would
not have attempted a reply of some sort to such a query. But Moses was
the meekest
man in all the earth. He knew better than to presume to speak when he
had nothing to
say. Would that we more faithfully followed his example in this matter!
It would save
us from many a sad exhibition, from many a blunder, from many a false
attempt.
Moreover it would tend to make us very much more real, more simple,
more
unaffected. We are oft-times so silly as to be ashamed to expose our
ignorance. We
foolishly imagine that our reputation for wisdom and intelligence is
touched when we
give utterance to that fine sentence, so expressive of true moral
greatness, "I don't
know." It is a total mistake. We always attach much more weight
and importance to
the words of a man who never pretends to Knowledge which he does not
possess. But
a man who is always ready to speak, in flippant self-confidence, we are
never ready to
hear. Oh! to walk, at all times, in the spirit of these lovely words,
"Stand still, and I
will hear what the Lord will command."
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, If
any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a
dead body: or be
in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the Lord.
The fourteenth day
of the second month, at even, they shall keep it, and eat it with
unleavened bread and
bitter herbs."
There are two grand foundation truths set forth in the Passover,
namely, redemption,
and the unity of God's people. These truths are unchangeable. Nothing
can ever do
away with them. Failure there may be, and unfaithfulness, in various
forms; but those
glorious truths of the eternal redemption and perfect unity of God's
people remain in
all their force and value. Hence that impressive ordinance which so
vividly shadowed
forth those truths was of perpetual obligation. Circumstances were not
to interfere
with it. Death or distance was not to interrupt it. "If any man of
you or of your
posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey
afar off, yet
shall he keep the Passover unto the Lord." So imperative indeed
was it upon every
member of the congregation to celebrate this feast, that a special
provision is made in
Numbers 9 for those who were not up to the mark of keeping it according
to the due
order. Such persons were to observe it "On the fourteenth day of
the second month."
This was the provision of grace for all cases of unavoidable defilement
or distance.
If the reader will turn to 2 Chronicles. 30 he will see that Hezekiah,
and the
congregation in his day, availed themselves of this gracious provision.
"And there
assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened
bread in the
second month, a very great congregation..... Then they killed the Passover
on the
fourteenth day of the second month." Ver. 13, 15
The grace of God can meet us in our greatest possible weakness, if only
that weakness
be felt and confessed.* But let not this most precious and comfortable
truth lead us to
trifle with sin or defilement. Though grace permitted the second month,
instead of the
first, it did not, on that account, allow any laxity as to the rites
and ceremonies of the
feast. "The unleavened bread and bitter herbs" were always to
have their place; none
of the sacrifice was to remain till the morning, nor was a single bone
of it to be
broken. God cannot allow any lowering of the standard of truth or
holiness. Man,
through weakness, failure, or the power of circumstances, might be
behind the time;
but he must not be below the mark. Grace permitted the former; holiness
forbids the
latter; and if any one had presumed upon the grace to dispense with the
holiness, he
would have been cut off from the congregation.
{*The reader will note with interest and profit, the contrast between
the acting of
Hezekiah, in 2 Chronicles 30, and the acting of Jeroboam, in 1 Kings
12: 32. The
former availed himself of the provisions of divine grace; the latter
followed his own
device. The second month was permitted of God; the eighth month was
invented by
man. Divine provisions meeting man's need, and human inventions
opposing God's
word, are totally different things.}
Has this no voice for us! Assuredly it has. we must ever remember, as
we pass along
through the pages of this marvellous Book of Numbers, that the things
which
happened unto Israel are our types, and that it is, at once, our duty
and our privilege to
hang over these types and seek to understand the holy lessons which
they are designed
of God to teach.
What then are we to learn from the regulations with respect to the
Passover, in the
second month! Why was Israel so specially enjoined not to omit a single
rite or
ceremony on that particular occasion? Why is it that, in this ninth
chapter of
Numbers, the directions for the second month are much more minute than
those for
the first? It is not surely that the ordinance was more important in
the one case than in
the other, for its importance, in God's judgement, was ever the same.
Neither is it that
there was a shade of difference in the order, in either case, for that,
too, was ever the
same. Still the fact must strike the reader who ponders the chapter
before us, that
where reference is made to the celebration of the Passover in the first
month, we
simply read the words, "according to all the rites of it, and
according to all the
ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it." But, on the other hand,
when reference is made
to the second month, we have a most minute statement of what those
rites and
ceremonies were: "They shall eat it with unleavened bread and
bitter herbs. They shall
leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according
to all the
ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it." Compare verse 3
with 11, 12.
What, we ask, does this plain fact teach us? We believe it teaches us,
most distinctly,
that we are never to lower the standard, in the things of God, because
of failure and
weakness on the part of God's people; but rather, on that very account,
to take special
pains to hold the standard up, in all its divine integrity. No doubt,
there should be the
deep sense of failure—the deeper the better; but God's truth is not to
be surrendered.
We can always reckon, with confidence, upon the resources of divine
grace, while
seeking to maintain, with unwavering decision, the standard of divine
truth.
Let us seek to keep this ever in the remembrance of the thoughts of our
hearts. We are
in danger, on the one hand, of forgetting the fact that failure has
come in—yes, gross
failure, unfaithfulness, and sin. And, on the other hand, we are in
danger of forgetting,
in view of that failure, the unfailing faithfulness of God, in spite of
everything. the
professing Church has failed, and become a perfect ruin; and not only
so, but we
ourselves have individually failed and helped on the ruin. We should
feel all this—
feel it deeply—feel it constantly. We should ever bear upon our spirits
before our God
the deep and heart-subduing consciousness of how sadly and how
shamefully we have
behaved ourselves in the house of God. It would be adding immensely to
our failure
were we ever to forget that we have failed. The most profound humility
and the
deepest brokenness of spirit become us in the remembrance of all this;
and these
inward feelings and exercises will surely express themselves in a lowly
walk and
carriage in the midst of the scene in which we move.
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this
seal, The Lord
knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart
from iniquity." (2 Tim. 2: 19) Here is the resource of the
faithful, in view of the ruins
of Christendom. God never fails, never changes, and we have simply to
depart from
iniquity, and cling to Him. we are to do what is right, and follow it
diligently, and
leave results to Him.
We would earnestly beg of the reader to give the foregoing line of
thought his entire
attention. We want him to pause, for a few moments, and prayerfully
consider the
whole subject. We are convinced that a due consideration of it, in its
two sides, would
greatly help us to pick our steps amid the surrounding ruins. The
remembrance of the
Church's condition, and of our own personal unfaithfulness, would keep
us humble;
while, at the same time, the apprehension of God's unchanging standard,
and of His
unswerving faithfulness, would detach us from the evil around, and keep
us steady in
the path of separation. Both together would effectually preserve us
from empty
pretension, on the one hand, and from laxity and indifference, on the
other. We have
ever to keep before our souls the humbling fact that we have failed,
and yet to hold
fast that grand truth that God is faithful.
These are, pre-eminently, lessons for the wilderness—lessons for this
very day—
lessons for us. They are suggested, very forcibly, by the inspired
record of the
Passover in the second month—a record peculiar to the Book of
Numbers—the great
wilderness book. It is in the wilderness that human failure comes so
fully out; and in
the wilderness the infinite resources of divine grace are displayed.
But once more, let
us reiterate the statement and may it be engraved, in characters deep
and broad, on
our hearts—the richest provisions of divine grace and mercy afford no
warrant
whatever for lowering the standard of divine truth. If any had pleaded defilement
or
distance as an excuse for not keeping the Passover, or for keeping it
otherwise than as
God had enjoined, he would, most assuredly, have been cut off from the
congregation.
And so with us, if we consent to surrender any truth of God, because failure
has come
in—if we, in sheer unbelief of heart, give up God's standard, and
abandon God's
ground—if we draw a plea from the condition of things around us to
shake off the
authority of God's truth over the conscience, or its formative
influence upon our
conduct and character—it is very evident that our communion is
suspended.*
{*Let it be noted here once for all, that the cutting off of any one
from the
congregation of Israel, answers to the suspension of a believer's
communion because
of unjudged sin.}
We would gladly pursue this great practical line of truth somewhat
further, but we
must forbear, and close this part of our subject by quoting for our
reader the
remainder of this wilderness record concerning the Passover.
"But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and
forbeareth to keep the
Passover, even the same soul shall be cat off from among his people:
because he
brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man
shall bear his
sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the
Passover unto the
Lord; according to the ordinance of the Passover, and according to the
manner
thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the
stranger, and for him
that was born in the land." Verses 13, 14.
The wilful neglect of the Passover would argue, on the part of the
Israelite, a total
want of appreciation of the benefits and blessings coming out of his
redemption and
deliverance from the land of Egypt. The more deeply any one entered
into the divine
reality of that which had been accomplished on that memorable night, in
the which
the congregation of Israel found refuge and repose beneath the shelter
of the blood,
the more earnestly would he long for the return of "the fourteenth
day of the first
month," that he might have an opportunity of commemorating that
glorious occasion;
and if there was anything preventing his enjoying the ordinance in
"the first month"
the more gladly and thankfully would he avail himself of "the
second." But the man
who could be satisfied to go on from year to year, without keeping the
Passover, only
proved that his heart was far away from the God of Israel. It were
worse than vain for
any one to speak of loving the God of his fathers, and of enjoying the
blessings of
redemption, while the very ordinance which God had appointed to set
forth that
redemption lay neglected from year to year.
And may we not, to a certain extent, apply all this to ourselves, in
reference to the
matter of the Lord's supper? Doubtless we may, and that with very much
profit. There
is this connection between the Passover and the Lord's supper, that the
former was the
type, the latter the memorial, of the death of Christ.
Thus we read in 1 Corinthians 5. "Christ our Passover is
sacrificed for us." This
sentence establishes the connection. The Passover was the memorial of
Israel's
redemption from the bondage of Egypt; and the Lord's supper is the
memorial of the
Church's redemption from the heavier and darker bondage of sin and
Satan. Hence, as
every true and faithful Israelite would surely be found keeping the
Passover, in the
appointed season, according to all the rites and ceremonies thereof, so
will every true
and faithful Christian be found celebrating the Lord's supper, in its
appointed season,
and according to all the principles laid down in the New Testament
respecting it. If an
Israelite had neglected the Passover, even on one single occasion, he
would have been
cut off from the congregation. Such neglect was not to be tolerated in
the assembly of
old. It was instantly visited with the divine displeasure.
And, may we not ask in the face of this solemn fact, Is it nothing
now—is it a matter
of no moment for Christians to neglect, from week to week, and month to
month, the
supper of their Lord? Are we to suppose that the One who, in Numbers 9,
declared
that the neglecter of the Passover should be cut off, takes no account
of the neglecter
of the Lord's table? We cannot believe it for a moment. For, albeit it
is not a question
of being cut off from the Church of God, the body of Christ, are we, on
that account,
to be negligent? Far be the thought. Yea, rather should it have the
blessed effect of
stirring us up to greater diligence in the celebration of that most
precious feast
wherein "we do show the Lord's death till he come."
To a pious Israelite there was nothing like the Passover, because it
was the memorial
of his redemption. And, to a pious Christian, there is nothing like the
Lord's supper,
because it is the memorial of his redemption and of the death of his
Lord. Of all the
exercises in which the Christian can engage, there is nothing more
precious, nothing
more expressive, nothing that brings Christ more touchingly or solemnly
before his
heart, than the Lord's supper. He may sing about the Lord's death, he
may pray about
it, he may read about it, he may hear about it; but it is only in the
supper that he
"shows" it forth. "And he took bread, and gave thanks,
and brake it, and gave unto
them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you: this do in
remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood,
which is shed for you." Luke 22: 19, 20
Here we have the feast instituted; and, when we turn to the Acts of the
Apostles, we
read that, "upon the first day of the week, the disciples came
together to break bread."
Acts 20: 7.
Here we have the feast celebrated; and, lastly, when we turn to the
Epistles, we read,
"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of
the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of
Christ? For we,
being many, are one loaf, and one body; for we are all partakers of
that one loaf." (1
Cor. 10: 16, 17) And again, "For I have received of the Lord that
which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was
betrayed,
took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take,
eat; this is my
body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the
same manner
also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new
testament in
my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For
as often as ye
eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he
come." 1
Corinthians 11: 23-26.
Here we have the feast expounded. And may we not say that, in the
institution, the
celebration, and the exposition, we have a threefold cord, not easily
broken, to bind
our souls to this most precious feast?
How is it, then, that in the face of all this holy authority, any of
God's people should
be found neglecting the Lord's table? Or, looking at it in another
aspect, how is it that
any of Christ's members can be satisfied to go on for weeks, and
months, and some all
their days, without ever remembering their Lord in the way of His own
direct and
positive appointment? We are aware that some professing Christians
regard this
subject in the light of a return to Jewish ordinances, and as a coming
down from the
high ground of the Church. They look upon the Lord's supper and baptism
as inward
spiritual mysteries; and they consider that we are departing from true
spirituality in
insisting upon the literal observance of these ordinances.
To all this we very simply reply that God is wiser than we are. If the
Lord Christ
instituted the supper; if God the Holy Ghost led the early Church to
celebrate it; and if
He has also expounded it unto us, who are we that we should set up Our
ideas in
opposition to God? No doubt, the Lord's supper should be an inward
spiritual mystery
to all who partake of it; but it is also an outward, literal, tangible
thing. There is literal
bread, and literal wine—literal eating, and literal drinking. If any
deny this, they may,
with equal force, deny that there are literal people gathered together.
We have no
right to explain away scripture after such a fashion. It is our happy
and holy duty to
submit to scripture, to bow down, absolutely and implicitly, to its
divine authority.
Nor is it merely a question of subjection to the authority of scripture.
It is that, most
assuredly, as we have abundantly proved by quotation after quotation
from the divine
word; and that alone is simply sufficient for every pious mind. But
there is more than
this. There is such a thing as the response of love in the heart of the
Christian,
answering to the love of the heart of Christ. Is not this something?
Ought we not to
seek, in some small degree, to meet the love of such a heart? If our
blessed and
adorable Lord has, in very deed, appointed the bread and the wine, in
the supper, as
memorials of His broken body and shed blood; if He has ordained that we
should eat
of that bread and drink of that cup, in remembrance of Him, ought we
not, in the
power of responsive affection, to meet the desire of His loving heart?
Surely no
earnest Christian will question this. It ought ever to be the very joy
of our hearts to
gather round the table of our loving Lord, and remember Him in the way
of His
appointment—to show forth His death till He come. It is only marvellous
to think that
He should seek a place in the remembrance of such hearts as ours; but
so it is; and it
would be sad indeed if we, on any ground, and for any reason
whatsoever, should
neglect that very feast with which He has linked His precious name.
This, of course, would not be the place to enter upon anything like an
elaborate
exposition of the ordinance of the Lord's supper. We have sought to do
this elsewhere.
What we specially desire here is, to urge upon the Christian reader the
immense
importance and deep interest of the ordinance as viewed on the double
ground of
subjection to the authority of scripture, and responsive love to Christ
Himself. And,
furthermore, we are anxious to impress all who may read these lines
with a sense of
the seriousness of neglecting to eat the Lord's supper, according to
the scriptures. We
may depend upon it, it is dangerous ground for any to attempt to set
aside this positive
institution of our Lord and Master. It argues a wrong condition of soul
altogether. It
proves that the conscience is not subject to the authority of the word,
and that the
heart is not in true sympathy with the affections of Christ. Let us
therefore see to it
that we are honestly endeavouring to discharge our holy
responsibilities to the table of
the Lord—that we forbear not to keep the feast—that we celebrate it
according to the
order laid down by God the Holy Ghost.
Thus much as to the Passover in the wilderness, and the impressive
lessons which it
conveys to our souls.
We shall now dwell for a few moments on the closing paragraph of our
chapter,
which is as truly characteristic as any portion of the book. In it we
are called to
contemplate a numerous host of men, women, and children, travelling
through a
trackless wilderness, "where there was no way"—passing over a
dreary waste, a vast
sandy desert, without compass or human guide.
What a thought! What a spectacle! There were those millions of people
moving along
without any knowledge of the route by which they were to travel, as
wholly dependent
upon God for guidance as for food and all beside; a thoroughly helpless
pilgrim host.
They could form no plans for the morrow. when encamped, they knew not
when they
were to march; and when on the march, they knew not when or where they
were to
halt.
Theirs was a life of daily and hourly dependence. They had to look up
for guidance.
Their movements were controlled by the wheels of Jehovah's chariot.
This truly was a wondrous spectacle. Let as read the record of it, and
drink into our
souls its heavenly teaching.
"And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up, the cloud
covered the tabernacle,
namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the
tabernacle as it were
the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud
covered it by
day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken
up from the
tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in
the place where the
cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. at the
commandment of
the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of
the Lord they
pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle, they rested in
their tents. And
when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the
children of Israel
kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not. And so it was, when the
cloud was a
few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord
they abode
in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they
journeyed. And so
it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the
cloud was
taken up in the morning, then they journeyed; whether it was by day or
by night that
the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or
a month, or a
year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon,
the children of
Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not; but when it was taken
up, they
journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and
at the
commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the
Lord, at the
commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses." Verses 15-23
A more lovely picture of absolute dependence upon, and subjection to,
divine
guidance it were impossible to conceive than that presented in the
foregoing
paragraph. There was not a footprint or a landmark throughout that
"great and terrible
wilderness." It was therefore useless to look for any guidance
from those who had
gone before. They were wholly cast upon God for every step of the way.
They were in
a position of constant waiting upon Him. This, to an unsubdued mind—an
unbroken
will—would be intolerable; but to a soul knowing, loving, confiding,
and delighting
in God, nothing could be more deeply blessed.
Here lies the real gist of the whole matter. Is God known, loved, and
trusted? If He be,
the heart will delight in the most absolute dependence upon Him. If
not, such
dependence would be perfectly insufferable. The unrenewed man loves to
think
Himself independent—loves to fancy himself free—loves to believe that
he may do
what he likes, go where he likes, say what he likes. Alas! it is the
merest delusion.
Man is not free. He is the slave of Satan. It is now well nigh six
thousand years since
he sold himself into the hands of that great spiritual slave holder who
has held him
ever since, and who holds him still. Yes, Satan holds the natural
man—the
unconverted, unrepentant man in terrible bondage. He has him bound hand
and foot
with chains and fetters which are not seen in their true character
because of the
gilding wherewith he has so artfully covered them. Satan rules man by
means of his
lusts, his passions, and his pleasures. He forms lusts in the heart,
and then gratifies
them with the things that are in the world, and man vainly imagines
himself free
because he can gratify his desires. But it is a melancholy delusion;
and, sooner or
later, it will be found to be such. There is no freedom save that with
which Christ
makes His people free. He it is who says, "Ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall
make you free." And again, "If the Son shall make you free,
ye shall be free indeed."
John 8.
Here is true liberty. It is the liberty which the new nature finds in
walking in the
Spirit, and doing those things that are pleasing in the sight of God.
"The service of the
Lord is perfect freedom." But this service, in all its
departments, involves the most
simple dependence upon the living God. Thus it was with the only true
and perfect
Servant that ever trod this earth. He was ever dependent. Every
movement, every act,
every word—all He did, and all He left undone—was the fruit of the most
absolute
dependence upon, and subjection to, God. He moved when God would have
Him
move, and stood still when God would have Him stand. He spoke when God would
have Him speak, and was silent when God would have Him silent.
Such was Jesus when He lived in this world; and we, as partakers of His
nature—His
life, and having His Spirit dwelling in us are called to walk in His
steps, and live a life
of simple dependence upon God, from day to day. Of this life of
dependence, in one
special phase of it, we have a graphic and beautiful type at the close
of our chapter.
The Israel of God—the camp in the desert—that pilgrim host followed the
movement
of the cloud. They had to look up for guidance. This is man's proper
work. He was
made to turn his countenance upward, in contrast with the brute, who is
formed to
look downward.* Israel could form no plans. They could never say,
"To-morrow we
shall go to such a place." They were entirely dependent upon the
movement of the
cloud. Thus it was with Israel, and thus it should be with us. We are
passing through a
trackless desert—a moral wilderness. There is absolutely no way. We
should not
know how to walk, or where to go, were it not for that one most
precious, most deep,
most comprehensive sentence which fell from the lips of our blessed
Lord, "I am the
way." Here is divine infallible guidance. We are to follow Him.
"I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of
life." (John 8) This is living guidance. It is not acting
according to the letter of certain
rules and regulations; it is following a living Christ; walking as He
walked; doing as
He did; imitating His example in all things. This is Christian
movement—Christian
action. It is keeping the eye fixed upon Jesus, and having the
features, traits, and
lineaments of His character imprinted on our new nature, and reflected
back or
reproduced in our daily life and ways.
{*The Greek word for man (anqrwpo") signifies to turn the face
upwards.}
Now this will, assuredly, involve the surrender of our own will, our
own plans, our
own management altogether. We must follow the cloud; we must wait ever
wait only
upon God. We cannot say," We shall go here or there, do this or
that, to-morrow, or
next week.'' All our movements must be placed under the regulating
power of that one
commanding sentence—often alas! lightly penned and uttered by
us—"If the Lord
will."
Oh! that we better understood all this! Would that we knew more
perfectly the
meaning of divine guidance! How often do we vainly imagine, and
confidently assert,
that the cloud is moving in that very direction which suits the bent of
our inclination.
We want to do a certain thing, or make a certain movement, and we seek
to persuade
ourselves that our will is the will of God. Thus, instead of being
divinely guided, we
are self-deceived. Our will is unbroken, and hence we cannot be guided
aright, for the
real secret of being rightly guided—guided of God—is to have our own
will
thoroughly subdued. "The meek will he guide in judgement; and the
meek will He
teach His way." And again," I will guide thee with mine
eye." But let us ponder the
admonition, "Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no
understanding;
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near
unto thee."
(Psalm 32) If the countenance be turned upwards to catch the movement
of the divine
"eye," we shall not need the "bit and bridle." But
here is precisely the point in which
we so sadly fail. We do not live sufficiently near to God to discern
the movement of
His eye. The will is at work. We want to have our own way, and hence we
are left to
reap the bitter fruits thereof. Thus it was with Jonah. he was told to
go to Nineveh but
he wanted to go to Tarshish; and circumstances seemed to favour;
providence seemed
to point in the direction of his will. But alas! he had to find his
place in the belly of
the whale, yea, in "the belly of hell" itself, where
"the weeds were wrapped about his
head." It was there he learnt the bitterness of following his own
will. He had to be
taught in the depths of the ocean the true meaning of the "bit and
bridle," because he
would not follow the gentler guidance of the eye.
But our God is so gracious, so tender, so patient! He will teach and He
will guide His
poor feeble erring children. He spares no pains with us. He occupies
Himself
continually about us, in order that we may be kept from our own ways,
which are full
of thorns and briars, and walk in His ways, which are pleasantness and
peace.
There is nothing in all this world more deeply blessed than to lead a
life of habitual
dependence upon God; to hang upon Him, moment by moment, to wait on Him
and
cling to Him for everything. To have all our springs in Him. It is the
true secret of
peace, and of holy independence of the creature. The soul that can
really say, "All my
springs are in thee" is lifted above all creature confidences,
human hopes, and earthly
expectations. It is not that God does not use the creature, in a
thousand ways, to
minister to us. We do not at all mean this. He does use the creature;
but if we lean
upon the creature instead of leaning upon Him, we shall very speedily
get leanness
and barrenness into our souls. There is a vast difference between God's
using the
creature to bless us, and our leaning on the creature to the exclusion
of Him. In the
one case, we are blessed and He is glorified; in the other, we are
disappointed and He
is dishonoured.
It is well that the soul should deeply and seriously consider this
distinction. We
believe it is constantly overlooked. We imagine, oft-times, that we are
leaning upon,
and looking to, God, when, in reality, if we would only look honestly
at the roots of
things, and judge ourselves in the immediate presence of God, we should
find an
appalling amount of the leaven of creature confidence. How often do we
speak of
living by faith, and of trusting only in God, when, at the same time,
if we would only
look down into the depths of our hearts, we should find there a large
measure of
dependence upon circumstances, reference to second causes, and the
like.
Christian reader, let us look well to this. Let as see to it that our
eye is fixed upon the
living God alone, and not upon man whose breath is in his nostrils. let
as wait on
Him—wait patiently—wait constantly. If we are at a loss for anything,
let our direct
and simple reference be to Him. Are we at a loss to know our way, to
know whither
we should turn, what step we should take? let us remember that He has
said, "I am the
way;" let us follow Him. He will make all clear, bright, and
certain. There can be no
darkness, no perplexity, no uncertainty, if we are following Him; for
He has said, and
we are bound to believe, "He that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness." Hence,
therefore, if we are in darkness, it is certain that we are not
following Him. No
darkness can ever settle down upon that blessed path along which God
leads those
who, with a single eye, seek to follow Jesus.
But some one, whose eye scans these lines, may say, or at least may
feel disposed to
say, "Well, after all, I am in perplexity as to my path. I really
do not know which way
to turn or what step to take." If this be the language of the
reader, we would simply
ask him this one question, "art thou following Jesus? If so, thou
canst not be in
perplexity. Art thou following the cloud? If so, thy way is as plain as
God can make
it." Here lies the root of the whole matter. Perplexity or uncertainty
is very often the
fruit of the working of the will. we are bent upon doing something
which God does
not want us to do at all—upon going somewhere that God does not want us
to go. We
pray about it, and get no answer. We pray again and again, and get no
answer. How is
this? Why the simple fact is that God wants us to be quiet—to stand
still—to remain
just where we are. Wherefore, instead of racking our brain and
harassing our souls
about what we ought to do, let us do nothing, but simply wait on God.
This is the secret of peace and calm elevation. If an Israelite, in the
desert, had taken
it into his head to make some movement, independent of Jehovah; if he
took it upon
Him to move when the cloud was at rest, or to halt while the cloud was
moving, we
can easily see what the result would have been. And so it will ever be
with us. If we
move when we ought to rest, or rest when we ought to move, we shall not
have the
divine presence with us. "At the commandment of the Lord they
rested in the tents,
and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed." they were kept
in constant
waiting upon God, the most blessed position that any one can occupy;
But it must be
occupied ere its blessedness can be tasted. It is a reality to be
known, not a mere
theory to be talked of. May it be ours to prove it all our journey
through!
Numbers 10
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, make thee two trumpets of
silver; of a
whole piece shalt thou make them; that thou mayest use them for the
calling of the
assembly, and for the journeying of the camp. And when they shall blow
with them,
all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the
tabernacle of the
congregation. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes,
which are
heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
When ye blow an
alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. When
ye blow an
alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall
take their
journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the
congregation is to
be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
And the sons of
Aaron, the priest, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to
you for an
ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in
your land
against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with
the trumpets;
and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be
saved from
your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn
days, and in the
beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your
burnt offerings,
and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to
you for a
memorial before your God. I am the Lord your God." Verses 1-10.
We have quoted the entire of this interesting passage for the reader,
in order that he
may have before him, in the veritable language of inspiration, the
lovely institution of
"The silver trumpets." It comes in, with striking fitness,
immediately after the
instruction respecting the movement of the cloud, and is bound up, in a
very marked
nay, with the entire history of Israel, not only in the past but also
in the future. The
sound of the trumpet was familiar to every circumcised ear. It was the
communication
of the mind of God, in a form distinct and simple enough to be
understood by every
member of the congregation, however distant he might be from the source
whence the
testimony emanated. God took care that each one in that vast assembly,
however far
away, should hear the silvery tones of the trumpet of testimony.
Each trumpet was to be made of one piece, and they fulfilled a double
purpose. In
other words, the source of the testimony was one, however the object
and practical
result might vary. Every movement in the camp was to be the result of
the sound of
the trumpet. was the congregation to be gathered in festive joy and
worship? It was by
a certain sound of the trumpet. Were the tribes to be gathered in
hostile array? It was
by a blast of the trumpet. In a word, the solemn assembly, and the
warlike host; the
instruments of music and the weapons of war—all—all was regulated by
the silver
trumpet. Any movement, whether festive, religious, or hostile, that was
not the result
of that familiar sound, could be but the fruit of a restless and
unsubdued will, which
Jehovah could, by no means, sanction. The pilgrim host in the
wilderness was as
dependent upon the sound of the trumpet as upon the movement of the
cloud. the
testimony of God, communicated in that particular manner, was to govern
every
movement throughout the many thousands of Israel.
Moreover, it pertained to the sons of Aaron, the priests, to blow with
the trumpets, for
the mind of God can only be known and communicated in priestly nearness
and
communion. It was the high and holy privilege of the priestly family to
cluster round
the sanctuary of God, there to catch the first movement of the cloud,
and
communicate the same to the most distant parts of the camp. they were
responsible to
give a certain sound, and every member of the militant host was equally
responsible
to yield a ready and an implicit obedience. It would have been at once
positive
rebellion for any to attempt to move without the word of command, or to
refuse to
move when once that word was given. All had to wait upon the divine
testimony, and
walk in the light thereof the very moment it was given. To move without
the
testimony would be to move in the dark; to refuse to move, when the
testimony was
given, would be to remain in the dark.
This is most simple and deeply practical. We can have no difficulty in
seeing its force
and application, in the case of the congregation in the wilderness. But
let us
remember that all this was a type; and, further, that it is written for
our learning. We
are solemnly bound, therefore, to look into it; we are imperatively
called upon to seek
to gather up and treasure up the great practical instruction contained
in the singularly
beautiful ordinance of the silver trumpet. Nothing could be more seasonable
for the
present moment. It teaches a lesson to which the Christian reader
should give his most
profound attention. It sets forth, in the most distinct manner
possible, that God's
people are to be absolutely dependent upon, and wholly subject to,
divine testimony,
in all their movements. A child may read this in the type before us.
The congregation
in the wilderness dared not assemble for any festive or religious
object until they
heard the sound of the trumpet; nor could the men of war buckle on their
armour, till
summoned forth by the signal of alarm to meet the uncircumcised foe.
They
worshipped and they fought, they journeyed and they halted, in simple
obedience to
the trumpet call. It was not, by any means, a question of their likings
or dislikings,
their thoughts, their opinions, or their judgement. It was simply and
entirely a
question of implicit obedience. Their every movement was dependent upon
the
testimony of God, as given by the priests from the sanctuary. The song
of the
worshipper and the shout of the warrior were each the simple fruit of
the testimony of
God.
How beautiful! How striking! How instructive! And, let us add, how
deeply practical!
Why do we dwell upon it? Because we firmly believe it contains a needed
lesson for
the day in which our lot is cast. If there is one feature more
characteristic than another
of the present hour, it is insubjection to divine authority-positive
resistance of the
truth when it demands unqualified obedience and self-surrender. It is
all well enough
so long as it is truth setting forth, with divine fullness and
clearness, our pardon, our
acceptance, our life, our righteousness, our eternal security in
Christ. This will be
listened to, and delighted in. But the very moment it becomes a
question of the claims
and authority of that blessed one who gave His life to save us from the
flames of hell,
and introduce us to the everlasting joys of heaven, all manner of
difficulties are
started; all sorts of reasonings and questions are raised; clouds of
prejudice gather
round the soul, and darken the understanding, the sharp edge of truth
is blunted or
turned aside, in a thousand ways. There is no waiting for the sound of
the trumpet;
and when it sounds, with a blast as clear as God himself can give,
there is no response
to the summons. We move when we ought to be still; and we halt when we
ought to
be moving.
Reader, what must be the result of this? Either no progress at all, or
progress in a
wrong direction, which is worse than none. it is utterly impossible
that we can
advance in the divine life, unless we yield ourselves, without reserve,
to the word of
the Lord. Saved we may be, through the rich aboundings of divine mercy,
and through
the atoning virtues of a Saviour's blood; But shall we rest satisfied
with being saved
by Christ, and not seek, in some feeble measure, to walk with him, and
live for Him?
Shall we accept of salvation through the work which He has wrought, not
long after
deeper intimacy of communion with Himself, and more complete subjection
to His
authority in all things? How would it have been with Israel in the
wilderness, had they
refused attention to the sound of the trumpet? We can see it at a
glance. If, for
example, they had presumed, at any time, to assemble for a festive or
religious object,
without the divinely appointed summons; what would have been the
result? Or,
further, had they taken it upon themselves to move forward on their
journey, or go
forth to war, ere the trumpet had sounded an alarm; How would it have
been? Or,
finally, had they refused to move, when called by the sound of the
trumpet, either to
the solemn assembly, the onward march, or to the battle, how would they
have fared?
The answer is as plain as a sunbeam. Let us ponder it. It has a lesson
for us. Let us
apply our hearts to it. the silver trumpet settled and ordered every
movement for Israel
of old. The testimony of God ought to settle and order everything for
the Church now.
That silver trumpet was blown by the priests of old. That testimony of
God is known
in priestly communion now. A Christian has no right to move or act
apart from divine
testimony. He must wait upon the word of his Lord. Till he gets that,
he must stand
still. When he has gotten it, he must go forward. God can and does
communicate His
mind to His militant people now, just as distinctly as He did to His
people of old.
True, it is not now by the sound of a trumpet, or the movement of a
cloud; but by His
word and Spirit. It is not by anything that strikes the senses that our
Father guides us;
But by that which acts on the heart, the conscience, and the
understanding. It is not by
that which is natural, but by that which is spiritual, that He
communicates His mind.
But let us be well assured of this, that our God can and does give our
hearts full
certainty both as to what we should do, and what we should not do; as
to where we
should go, and where we should not go. It seems strange to be obliged
to insist upon
this—passing strange that any Christian should doubt, much less deny
it. And yet so it
is. We are often in doubt and perplexity; and some there are who are
ready to deny
that there can be any such thing as certainty as to the details of
daily life and action.
This surely is wrong. Cannot an earthly father communicate his mind to
his child as to
the most minute particulars of his conduct? Who will deny this? And
cannot our
Father communicate His mind to us, as to all our ways, from day to day
Unquestionably He can; and let not the Christian reader be robbed of
the holy
privilege of knowing his Father's mind in reference to every
circumstance of his daily
life.
Are we to suppose, for a moment, that the Church of God is worse off,
in the matter
of guidance, than the camp in the desert? Impossible. How is it, then,
that one often
finds Christians at a loss as to their movements? It must be owing to
the lack of a
circumcised ear to hear the sound of the silver trumpet, and of a
subject will to yield a
response to the sound. It may, however, be said that we are not to
expect to hear a
voice from heaven telling us to do this or that, or to go hither or
thither; nor yet to find
a literal text of scripture to guide us in the minor matters of our
every day history.
How, for example, is one to know whether he ought to visit a certain
town, and
remain there a certain time? We reply, If the ear is circumcised, you
will assuredly
hear the silver trumpet. Till that sounds, never stir: when it sounds,
never tarry. This
will make all so clear, so simple, so safe, so certain. It is the grand
cure for doubt,
hesitancy, and vacillation. It will save us from the necessity of
running for advice to
this one and that one, as to how we should act, or where we should go.
and,
furthermore, it will teach us that it is none of our business to
attempt to control the
actions or movements of others. Let each one have his ear open, and his
heart subject,
and then, assuredly, he will possess all the certainty that God can
give him, as to his
every act and movement, from day to day. Our ever gracious God can give
clearness
and decision as to everything. If he does not give it, no one can. If
He does, no one
need.
Thus much as to the beautiful institution of the silver trumpet, which
we shall not
pursue further now, though, as we have noticed above, it is not
confined, in its
application to Israel in the wilderness, but is bound up with their
entire history right
onward to the end. Thus we have the feast of trumpets; the trumpet of
the jubilee; the
blowing of trumpets over their sacrifices, upon which we do not now
dwell, as our
immediate object is to help the reader to seize the grand idea
presented in the opening
paragraph of our chapter. May the Holy Spirit impress upon our hearts
the needed
lesson of "the silver trumpets!''
We have now travelled, in our meditations on this precious book, the
moment in the
which the camp is called to more forward. All is duly ordered,
according to that grand
regulator—"The commandment of the Lord." Each man according
to his pedigree,
and each tribe according to the standard thereof, is in the divinely
appointed place.
The Levites are at their posts, each with his own clearly defined work
to do. Full
provision is made for the cleansing of the camp from every species of
defilement; and
not only so, but the lofty standard of personal holiness is unfurled,
and the fruits of
active benevolence are presented. Then we have the golden candlestick
and its seven
lamps, giving forth their pure and precious light. We have the pillar
of fire and of
cloud; and, finally, the double testimony of the silver trumpet. In
short, nothing is
lacking to the pilgrim host. A vigilant eye, a powerful hand, and a
loving heart have
provided for every possible contingency, so that the whole congregation
in the
wilderness, and each member in particular, might be "thoroughly
furnished."
This is only what we might expect. If God undertakes to provide for any
one, or for
any people, the provision, must of necessity, be perfect. It is wholly
impossible that
God could omit any one thing needful. He knows all things, and can do
all things.
Nothing can escape His vigilant eye; nothing is beyond His omnipotent
hand. Hence,
therefore, all those who can truly say, "The Lord is my
Shepherd," may add, without
hesitancy or reserve, "I shall not want.'' the soul that is, in
truth and reality, leaning on
the arm of the living God can never—shall never—want any good thing.
The poor
foolish heart may imagine a thousand wants; but God knows what we
really want, and
He will provide for ALL.
Thus, then, the camp is ready to move; but, strange to say, there is a
departure from
the order laid down in the opening of the book. The ark of the
covenant, instead of
reposing in the bosom of the camp, goes in the very front. In other
words, Jehovah,
instead of remaining in the centre of the congregation to be waited upon
there,
actually condescends, in His marvellous, inimitable grace, to do the
work of an avant-
courier, for His people.
But let us see what it is that leads to this touching display of grace.
"And Moses said
unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We
are journeying
unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you; come thou
with us and we
will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. And
he said unto
him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my
kindred. and he said,
Leave us not, I pray thee, forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to
encamp in the
wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes."
Now, if we did not know something of our own hearts, and the tendency
thereof to
lean on the creature! rather than upon the living God, we might well
marvel at the
above. We might feel disposed to enquire, What could Moses possibly
want with
Hobab's eyes? Was not Jehovah sufficient? Did not He know the
wilderness? Would
He suffer them to go astray? What o[ the cloud and the silver trumpet?
were not they
better than Hobab's eyes? why, then, did Moses seek for human aid?
Alas! alas! We
can but too well understand the reason. We all know, to our sorrow and
loss, the
tendency of the heart to lean upon something that our eyes can see. We
do not like to
occupy the ground of absolute dependence upon God for every step of the
journey. we
find it hard to lean upon an unseen arm. A Hobab that we can see
inspires as with
more confidence than the living God whom we cannot see. We move on with
comfort
and satisfaction when we possess the countenance and help of some poor
failing
mortal; but we hesitate, falter, and quail when called to move on in
naked faith in
God.
These statements may seem strong; but the question is, are they true?
Is there a
Christian who reads these lines that will not freely own that it is
even so? We are all
prone to lean upon an arm of in flesh, and that, too, in the face of a
thousand and one
examples of the folly of so doing. We have proved, times without
number, the vanity
of All creature confidences, and yet we will confide in the creature.
On the other
hand, we have, again and again, proved the reality of leaning upon the
word and upon
the arm of the living God. We have found that He has never failed us,
never
disappointed us, nay, that He has always done exceeding abundantly
above all that we
ask or think; and yet we are ever ready to distrust Him, ever ready to
lean upon any
broken reed, and betake ourselves to any broken cistern.
Thus it is with us; But, blessed be God, His grace abounds toward us,
as it did toward
Israel, on the occasion to which we are now referring. If Moses will
look to Hobab for
guidance, Jehovah will teach His Servant that He Himself is all-sufficient
as a guide.
"and they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey;
and the ark of the
covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to
search out a
resting place for them.
What rich, what precious grace! In place of their finding a
resting-place for Him, He
would find a resting place for them. What a thought! The mighty God,
the Creator of
the ends of the earth, going through the wilderness to look out for a
suitable camping
ground for a people who were ready, at every turn in their path, to
murmur and rebel
against Him!
Such is our God, ever "patient, gracious, powerful,
holy"—ever rising, in the
magnificence of His grace above all our unbelief and failure, and
proving Himself
superior, in His love, to all the barriers which our unfaithfulness
would erect. He,
most assuredly, proved to Moses and to Israel, that He was far better
as a guide than
ten thousand Hobabs. We are not told in this place, whether Hobab went
or not. He
certainly refused the first appeal, and perhaps the second likewise.
But we are told
that the Lord went with them. "The cloud of the Lord was upon them
by day, when
they went out of the camp." Blessed shelter in the wilderness!
Blessed, unfailing
resource, in everything! He went before His people to search them out a
resting place,
and when He had found a spot suited to their need, He halted with them,
and spread
His sheltering wing over them, to protect them from every foe. "He
found him in a
desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, He
instructed
him, He kept will as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her
nest, fluttereth
over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them
on her wings;
so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with
him." (Deut. 32:
10-12.) "He spread a Cloud for a covering, and fire to give light
in the night." Psalm
105: 39.
Thus, then, all was provided for, according to the wisdom, power, and
goodness of
God. Nothing was, or could be, lacking, inasmuch as God Himself was
there. "And it
came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord,
and let thine
enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And
when it rested,
he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel."
Numbers 11
Hitherto we have been occupied, in our study of this book, with God's
mode of
ordering and providing for His people in the wilderness. We have
travelled over the
first ten chapters and seen in them the illustration of the wisdom,
goodness, and
forethought of Jehovah, the God of Israel.
But, now, we reach a point at which dark clouds gather round us. Up to
this, God and
His actings have been before us; But, now, we are called to contemplate
man and his
miserable ways. This is ever sad and humiliating. man is the same
everywhere. In
Eden, in the restored earth, in the wilderness, in the land of Canaan,
in the Church, in
the Millennium, man is proved to be a total failure. the very moment he
moves, he
breaks down. Thus, in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 God is seen acting as
Creator;
everything is done and ordered in divine perfection, and man is placed
in the scene to
enjoy the fruit of divine wisdom, goodness, and power. But in Genesis 3
all is
changed. The moment man acts, it is to disobey and bring in ruin and
desolation. So
after the deluge, when the earth had passed through that deep and
dreadful baptism,
and when man again takes his place therein, he exposes himself, and
proves that, so
far from being able to subdue and govern the earth, he cannot even
govern himself.
(Gen. 9) Hardly had Israel been brought out of Egypt, when they made
the golden
calf. No sooner had the priesthood been set up, than the sons of Korah
offered strange
fire. Directly Saul was made king, he proved wilful and disobedient.
So also when we turn to the pages of the New Testament, we find the
same thing. No
sooner is the Church set up and adorned with Pentecostal gifts, than we
hear the sad
accents of murmuring and discontent. In short, man's history, from
first to Last, here,
there, and everywhere, is marked with failure. There is not so much as
a single
exception from Eden down to the close of the millennial day.
It is well to consider this solemn and weighty fact, and to give it a
deep place in the
heart. It is eminently calculated to correct all false notions as to
man's real character
and condition. It is well to bear in mind that the awful sentence which
struck terror
into the heart of the voluptuous king of Babylon has, in point of fact,
been passed
upon the entire human race, and to" each individual son and
daughter of fallen Adam,
namely, "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting."
Has the reader fully
accepted this sentence against himself? This is a serious inquiry. We
feel imperatively
called to press it home. Say, reader, art thou one of Wisdom's
children? Dost thou
justify God and condemn thyself? Hast thou taken thy place as a
self-destroyed,
guilty, hell-deserving sinner? If so, Christ is for thee. He died to
put away sin, and to
bear your many sins. Only trust him and all He is and has is thine. He
is thy wisdom,
thy righteousness, thy sanctification, and thy redemption. All who
simply and heartily
believe in Jesus have passed clean off the old ground of guilt and
condemnation, and
are seen by God on the new ground of eternal life and divine
righteousness. They are
accepted in the risen and victorious Christ. As he is, so are we in
this world." 1 John
4: 17.
We would earnestly entreat the reader not to rest until this most
momentous question
is clearly and thoroughly settled in the light of God's own word and
presence. we pray
that God the Holy Ghost may deeply exercise the heart and conscience of
the
unconverted and undecided reader, and lead such to the Saviour's feet.
We shall now proceed with our chapter.
"And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the
Lord heard it; and
his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and
consumed
them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried
unto Moses;
and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched. And he
called the name
of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.
And the mixed
multitude that was among them fell a lusting: 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 freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and
the onions, and
the garlic. But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all,
beside this manna,
before our eyes."
Here the poor human heart lets itself thoroughly out. Its tastes and
its tendencies are
made manifest. The people sigh after the land of Egypt, and cast back
wistful looks-
after its fruits and its fleshpots. They do not say anything about the
lash of the
taskmaster, and the toil of the brick-kilns. There is total silence as
to these things.
Nothing is remembered now, save those resources by which Egypt had
ministered to
the lusts of nature.How often is this the case with us! When once the
heart loses its
freshness in the divine life—when heavenly things begin to lose their
savour—when
first love declines—when Christ ceases to be a satisfying and
altogether precious
portion for the soul—when the word of God and prayer lose their charm
and become
heavy, dull, and mechanical; then the eye wanders back toward the
world, the heart
follows the eye, and the feet follow the heart. We forget, at such
moments, what the
world was to us when we were in it and of it. We forget what toil and
slavery, what
misery and degradation, we found in the service of sin and of Satan,
and think only of
the gratification and ease, the freedom from those painful exercises,
conflicts, and
anxieties which attend upon the wilderness path of God's people.
All this is most sad, and should lead the soul into the most profound
self-judgement.
It is terrible when those who have set out to follow the Lord begin to
grow weary of
the way and of God's provision. How dreadful must those words have
sounded in the
ear of Jehovah, "But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing
at all, beside this
manna, before our eyes." Ah! Israel, what more didst thou need?
Was not that
heavenly food enough for thee! Couldst thou not live upon that which
the hand of thy
God had provided for thee?
Do we count ourselves free to ask such questions? Do we always find our
heavenly
manna sufficient for us? What means the enquiry inquiry raised by
professing
Christians as to the right or wrong of such and such worldly pursuits
and pleasures?
Have we not even heard from the lips of persons making the very highest
profession
such words as these," How are we to fill up the day! We cannot be
always thinking
about Christ and heavenly things. We must have some little
recreation." Is not this
somewhat akin to Israel's language in Numbers 11? Yes truly; and as is
the language,
so is the acting. We prove, alas! that Christ is not enough for the
heart, by the
palpable fact of our betaking ourselves to other things. How often, for
example, does
the Bible lie neglected for hours, while the light and worthless
literature of the world
is greedily devoured. What mean the well-thumbed newspaper and the
almost dust-
covered Bible? Do not these things tell a tale? Is not this despising
the manna, and
sighing after, nay, devouring, the leeks and onions?
We specially call the attention of young Christians to that which is
now before us. We
are deeply impressed with a sense of their danger of falling into the
very sin of Israel
as recorded in our chapter. No doubt we are all in danger; but the
young amongst us
are peculiarly so. Those of us who are advanced in life are not so
likely to be drawn
away by the frivolous pursuits of the world—by its concerts, its flower
shows, its
pleasure parties, its vain songs and light literature. But the young
will have a dash of
the world. They long to taste it for themselves. They do not find
Christ an all
sufficient portion for the heart. They want recreation.
Alas! alas! what a thought! How sad to hear a Christian say, "I
want. some recreation.
How can I fill up the day? I cannot be always thinking of Jesus."
we should like to ask
all who speak thus, How will you fill up eternity? Shall not Christ be
sufficient to fill
up its countless ages? Shall you want recreation there? Will you sigh
for light
literature, vain songs, and frivolous pursuits there?
It will, perhaps, be said, "we shall be different then." in
what respect? We have the
divine nature—we have the Holy Ghost—we have Christ for our portion—we
belong
to Heaven we are brought to God. "But we have an evil nature in
us." Well, are we to
cater for that? Is it for that we crave recreation? must we try to help
our wretched
flesh—our corrupt nature—to fill up the day? Nay, we are called to deny
it, to mortify
it, to reckon it dead. This is Christian recreation. This is the mode
in which the saint
is called to fill up His day. How is it possible for us to grow in the
divine life if we are
only making provision for the flesh? Egypt's food cannot nourish the
new nature; and
the great question for us is this, which do we really mean to nourish
and cherish—the
new or the old? It must be obvious that the divine nature cannot
possibly feed upon
newspapers, vain songs, and light literature; and Hence, if we give
ourselves, in any
measure, to these" latter, our souls must wither and droop.
May we have grace to think of these things—to think seriously. May we
so walk in
the Spirit that Christ may ever be a satisfying portion for our hearts.
Had Israel, in the
wilderness, walked with God, they never could have said, "Our soul
is dried away:
there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes."
That manna would have been quite enough for them. And so with us. If we
really
walk with God, in this wilderness world, our souls shall be satisfied
with the portion
which He gives, and that portion is heavenly Christ. Can He ever fail
to satisfy? Does
He not satisfy the heart of God? Does He not fill all heaven with His
glory? Is He not
the theme of angels' song, and the object of their adoring homage and wondering
worship? Is He not the one grand subject of everlasting counsels and
purposes? Doth
not the history of His ways overlap, eternity?
What answer have we to give to all these queries? what but a hearty,
unreserved,
unhesitating, YES? Well, then, is not this blessed One, in the deep
mystery of His
Person, in the moral glory of His ways, in the brightness and
blessedness of His
character, is not He enough for our hearts! Do we want anything beside?
Must we get
the newspaper or some light magazine to fill up the vacuum in our
souls? Must we
turn from Christ to a flower show or a concert?
Alas! that we should have to write thus. It is most sad but it is most
needful; and we
here put this question most pointedly to the leader, Dost thou really
find Christ
insufficient to satisfy thy heart? Hast thou cravings which He does not
fully meet? If
so, thou art in a very alarming condition of soul, and it behoves thee
to look at once,
and to look closely, into this solemn matter. Get down on thy face
before God, in
honest self-judgment. Pour out thy heart to Him. Tell Him all. Own to
Him how thou
hast fallen and wandered—as surely thou must have done when God's
Christ is not
enough fur thee. Have it all out in secret with thy God, and take no
rest until thou art
fully and blessedly restored to communion with Himself—to heart
fellowship with
Him about the Son of His love.
But we must return to our chapter, and in so doing we call the readers
attention to an
expression full of weighty admonition for us: "And the mixed
multitude that was
among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept
again." There is
nothing more damaging to the cause of Christ or to the souls of His
people than
association with men of mixed principles. It is very much more
dangerous than having
to do with open and avowed enemies. Satan knows this well, and hence
his constant
effort to lead the Lord's people to link themselves with those who are
only half and
half; or, on the other hand, to introduce spurious materials-false
professors, into the
midst of those who are seeking, in any measure, to pursue a path of
separation from
the world. We have repeated allusions to this special character of
evil, in the New
Testament. We have it both prophetically in the Gospels, and
historically in the: Acts
and in the Epistles. Thus we have the tares and the leaven in Matthew
13. Then in the
Acts we find persons attaching themselves to the assembly who were like
the "mixed
multitude'' of Numbers 11. And, finally, we have apostolic reference to
spurious
materials introduced by the enemy for the purpose of corrupting the
testimony and
subverting the souls of God's people. Thus the apostle Paul speaks of
"false brethren
unawares brought in." (Gal. 2: 4) Jude also speaks of
"certain men crept in unawares."
Verse 4.
From all this we learn the urgent need of vigilance on the part of
God's people; and
not only of vigilance, but also of absolute dependence upon the Lord,
who alone can
preserve them from the entrance in of false materials, and keep them
free from all
contact with men of mixed principles and doubtful character. "the
mixed multitude" is
sure to "fall a lusting," and the people of God are in
imminent danger of being drawn
away from their proper simplicity, and of growing weary of the heavenly
manna—
their proper food. What is needed is, plain decision for Christ;
thorough devotedness
to Him and to His cause. Where a company Of believers are enabled to go
on in
whole-heartedness for Christ and in marked separation from this present
world, there
is not so much danger of persons of equivocal character seeking a place
among them;
though doubtless Satan will always seek to mar the testimony by the
introduction of
hypocrites. Such persons do obtain an entrance, and then by their evil
ways bring
reproach on the Lord's name. Satan knew full well what he was doing,
when he led
the mixed multitude to attach themselves to the congregation of Israel.
It was not all
at once that the effect of this admixture was made manifest. The people
had come
forth with a high hand; they had passed through the Red Sea, and raised
the song of
victory on its banks. All looked bright and promising; but "the
mixed multitude" were
there, notwithstanding, and the effect of their presence was very
speedily made
apparent.
Thus it is ever, in the history of God's people. We may notice, in
those great spiritual
movements which have taken place from age to age, certain elements of
decay which,
at the first, were hidden from view by the flowing tide of grace and
energy; but when
that tide began to ebb, then those elements made their appearance.
This is very serious, and calls for much holy watchfulness. It applies
to individuals
just as forcibly as to the people of God collectively. In our early
moments, our young
days, when zeal and freshness characterised us, the spring tide of
grace rose so
blessedly that many things were allowed to escape unjudged, which were,
in reality,
seeds flung into the ground by the enemy's hand, and which, in due
season, are sure to
germinate and fructify. Hence it follows that both assemblies of
Christians and
individual Christians should ever be on the watch tower—ever keeping
jealous guard
lest the enemy gain an advantage in this matter. Where the heart is
true to Christ, all
is sure to come right in the end. Our God is so gracious, He takes care
of us and
preserves us from a thousand snares. May we learn to trust him and to
praise Him!
But we have further lessons to draw from the weighty section which lies
open before
us. Not only have we to contemplate failure on the part of the
congregation of Israel;
but even Moses himself is seen faltering and almost sinking beneath the
weight of his
responsibility. "And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou
afflicted thy
servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the
burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people?
have I begotten
them, that thou shouldest say unto me, carry them in thy bosom, as a
nursing father
beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their
fathers?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto, all this people? for they weep
unto me,
saying, Give as flesh, that we may eat; I am not able to bear all this
people alone,
because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me,
I pray thee, out
of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my
wretchedness."
Verses 11-15.
This is truly wonderful language. It is not that we would think for a
moment of
dwelling upon the failures and infirmities of so dear and so devoted a
servant as
Moses. Far be the thought. It would ill become us to comment upon the
actings or the
sayings of one of whom the Holy Ghost has declared that "he was
faithful in all his
house." (Heb. 3: 2) Moses, like all the Old Testament saints, has
taken his place
amongst the "Spirits Of just men made perfect," and every
inspired Allusion to him
throughout the pages of the New Testament tends only to put honour upon
him, and to
set him forth as a most precious vessel.
But still we are bound to ponder the inspired history now before
us—history penned
by Moses himself. True it is—blessedly true—that the defects and
failures of God's
people, in Old Testament times, are not commented upon in the New
Testament; yet
are they recorded, with faithful accuracy, in the Old; and wherefore?
Is it not for our
learning? Unquestionably. "Whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written
for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have
hope." Romans 15: 4.
What then are we to learn from the remarkable outburst of feeling
recorded in
Numbers 11: 11-15? We learn this at least, that it is the wilderness
that really brings
out what is in the very best of us. It is there we prove what is in our
hearts. and,
inasmuch as the Book of Numbers is, emphatically, the book of the
wilderness, it is
just there we might expect to find all sorts of failure and infirmity
fully unfolded. the
Spirit of God faithfully chronicles everything. He gives us men as they
are; and even
though it be a Moses that "speaks unadvisedly with his lips,"
that very unadvised
speaking is recorded for our admonition and instruction. Moses
"was a man subject to
like passions as we are;" and it is very evident that, in the
portion of his history now
before us, his heart sinks under the tremendous weight of his
responsibilities.
It will, perhaps, be said, "No wonder his heart should sink."
No wonder, surely, for his
burden was far too heavy for human shoulders. But the question is, was
it too heavy
for divine shoulders? Was it really the case that Moses was called to
bear the burden
alone? Was not the living God with him? And was not He sufficient What
did it
matter whether God were pleased to act by one man or by ten thousand?
All the
power, all the wisdom, all the grace, was in Him. He is the fountain of
all blessedness,
and, in the judgement of which, it makes not one whit of difference as
to the channel,
or whether there is one channel, or a thousand and one.
This is a fine moral principle for all the servants of Christ. It is
most needful for all
such to remember that whenever the Lord places a man in a position of
responsibility,
He will both fit him for it and maintain him in it. It is, of course,
another thing
altogether if a man will rush unsent into any field of work, or any
post of difficulty of
danger. In such a case, we may assuredly look for a thorough break
down, sooner or
later. But when God calls a man to a certain position, be will endow
him with the
needed grace to occupy it. He never sends any one a warfare at his own
charges; and
therefore all we have to do is to draw upon Him for all we need. This
holds good in
every case. We can never fail if we only cling to the living God. We
can never run
dry, if we are drawing from the fountain. Our tiny springs will soon
dry up; but our
Lord Jesus Christ declares that, "He that believeth in me, as the
scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
This is a grand lesson for the wilderness. We cannot get on without it.
Had Moses
fully understood it, he never would have given utterance to such words
as these:
"'Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people" He
would have fixed his eye
only upon God. He would have known that he was but on instrument in the
hands of
God, whose resources were illimitable. assuredly, Moses could not
supply that vast
assembly with food even far a single day; but Jehovah could supply the
need of every
living thing, and supply it for ever.
Do we really believe this? Does it not sometimes appear as though we
doubted it? Do
we not sometimes feel as though we were to supply instead of God? And
then is it any
marvel if we quail, and falter, and sink? Well indeed might Moses say,
"I am not able
to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me."
There was only one heart
that could bear with such a company, namely, the heart of that blessed
One, who,
when they were toiling amid the brick-kilns of Egypt, had come down to
deliver
them, and who, having redeemed them out of the hand of the enemy, had
taken up His
abode in their midst. He was able to bear them, and He alone. His
loving heart and
mighty hand were alone adequate to the task; and if Moses had been in
the full power
of this great truth, He would not and could not have said, "If thou
deal thus with me,
kill me, I play thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight
and let we not see
my wretchedness."
This surely was a dark moment in the history of this illustrious
servant of God. It
reminds us somewhat of the prophet Elijah, when he flung himself at the
base of the
juniper tree and entreated the Lord to take away his life. How
wonderful to see those
two men together on the mount of transfiguration! It proves, in a very
marked way,
that God's thoughts are not as ours, nor His ways as ours. He had
something better in
store for Moses and Elijah than anything that they contemplated.
Blessed be His
name, He rebukes our fears by the riches of His grace, and when our
poor hearts
would anticipate death and wretchedness, He gives life, victory, and
glory.
However, we cannot but see, that, in shrinking from a position of
weighty
responsibility, Moses was really giving up a place of high dignity and
holy privilege.
This seems most evident from the following passage. "And the Lord
said unto Moses,
Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest
to be the
elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the
tabernacle of the
congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down
and talk
with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and
will put it upon
them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou
bear it not
thyself alone." Verses 16, 17.
Was there any additional power gained by the introduction of seventy
men? Not
spiritual power certainly, inasmuch as it was only the spirit that was
upon Moses,
after all. True, there were seventy men instead of one; but the
multiplication of men
was no increase of spiritual power. It saved Moses trouble, but it lost
him dignity. He
was henceforth to be a joint instrument instead of the sole one. It may
be said that
Moses—blessed servant as he was!—did not want dignity for himself, but
rather
sought a shady, retired, humble path. No doubt; but this does not touch
the question
before us. Moses, as we shall see presently, was the meekest man upon
the face of the
earth; nor do we mean even to hint that any mere man would have done
better under
the circumstances. But then we must seek to bear away with us the great
practical
lesson which our chapter so impressively teaches. the very best of men
fail; and it
seems exceedingly plain that Moses, in the eleventh chapter of Numbers,
was not in
the calm elevation of faith. He appears, for the moment, to have lost
that even balance
of soul which is the sure result of finding one's centre in the living
God. We gather
this, not merely from the fact of his tottering beneath the weight of
his responsibility;
but let us ponder the following paragraph.
"And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against
to-morrow, and ye shall
eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall
give us flesh to
eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you
flesh, and ye
shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days,
neither ten days, nor
twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your
nostrils, and it be
loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is
among you, and
have wept before him, Saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? And Moses
said,
The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou
hast
said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall
the flocks and the
herds be slain for them to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the
sea be gathered
together for them, to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, Is
the Lord's hand
waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word will come to pass unto
thee or
not." Verses 18-23.
In all this we see the working of that spirit of unbelief which ever
tends to limit the
Holy One of Israel. Could not the Almighty God, the Possessor of heaven
and earth,
the Creator of the ends of the earth—could not fail provide flesh for
six hundred
thousand footmen? Alas! it is just here we all so sadly fail. We do not
enter, as we
ought, into the reality of having to do with the living God. Faith
brings God into the
scene, and therefore it knows absolutely nothing of difficulties; yea,
it laughs at
impossibilities. In the judgement of faith, God is the grand answer to
every
question—the grand solution of every difficulty. It refers all to Him;
and hence, it
matters not in the least to faith, whether it be six hundred thousand
or six hundred
millions; it knows that God is all-sufficient. It finds all its
resources in Him. Unbelief
says, "How can such and such things be?" It is full of"
Hows; but faith has one great
answer to ten thousand "hows," and that answer is—God.
"And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord,
and gathered the
seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the
tabernacle. And
the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the
spirit that was
upon him, and gave it unto the seventh elders; and it came to pass,
that when the spirit
rested upon them, they prophesied, And did not cease."
The true secret of all ministry is spiritual power. It is not man's
genius, or man's
intellect, or man's energy; but simply the power of the Spirit of God.
This was true in
the days of Moses, and it is true now. "Not by might, nor by
power, but by my Spirit,
saith the Lord of hosts." (Zech. 4: 6) It is well for all
ministers to bear this ever in
mind. It will sustain the heart and give constant freshness to their
ministry. A ministry
which flows from abiding dependence upon the Holy Ghost can never
become barren.
If a man is drawing upon his own resources, he will soon run dry. It
matters not what
his powers may be, or how extensive his reading, or how vast his stores
of
information; if the Holy Ghost be not the spring and power of his
ministry, it must,
sooner or later, lose its freshness and its effectiveness.
How important therefore that all who minister, whether in the gospel or
in the Church
of God, should lean continually and exclusively on the power of the
Holy Ghost! He
knows what souls need, and He can supply it. But He must be trusted and
used. It will
not do to lean partly on self and partly on the Spirit of God. If there
be anything of
self-confidence, it will soon be made apparent. We must really get at
the bottom of all
that belongs to self, if we are to be the vessels of the Holy Ghost.
It is not—need we say it?—that there should not be holy diligence and
earnestness in
the study of God's word, and in the study too, of exercises, the
trials, the conflicts, and
the varied difficulties of souls. Quite the reverse. We feel persuaded
that the more
absolutely we lean, in self-emptiness, upon the mighty power of the
Holy Ghost, the
more diligently and earnestly we shall study both the Book and the
soul. It would be a
fatal mistake for a man to use professed dependence upon the Spirit as
a plea for
neglecting prayerful study and meditation. "Meditate upon these
things; give thyself
wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." 1 Timothy
4: 15.
But, after all, let it ever be remembered that the holy Ghost is the
ever living, never
failing spring of ministry. It is He alone that can bring forth in
divine freshness and
fullness, the treasures of God's word, and apply them, in heavenly
power, to the soul's
present need. It is not a question of bringing forth new truth, but
simply of unfolding
the word itself, and bringing it to bear upon the moral and spiritual
condition of the
people of God. This is true ministry. A man may speak a hundred times
on the same
portion of scripture, to the same people, and, on each occasion, he may
minister
Christ, in spiritual freshness, to their souls. And, on the other hand,
a man may rack
his brain to find out new subjects, and new modes of handling old
themes, and, all the
while, there may not be one atom of Christ or of spiritual power in his
ministry.
All this holds good in reference to the evangelist, as well as to the
teacher or pastor. A
man may be called to preach the gospel in the same place for years, and
he may, at
times, feel burdened by the thought of having to address the same
audience, on the
same theme, week after week, month after month, year after year. He may
feel at a
loss for something new, something fresh, some variety. He may wish to
get away into
some new sphere, where the subjects which are familiar to him will be
new to the
people. It will greatly help such to remember that the one grand theme
of the
evangelist is Christ. The power to handle that theme is the Holy Ghost;
and the one to
whom that theme is to be unfolded is the poor lost sinner. Now, Christ
is ever new;
the power of the Spirit is ever fresh; the soul's condition and destiny
ever intensely
interesting. Furthermore, it is well for the evangelist to bear in
mind, on every fresh
occasion of rising to preach, that those to whom he preaches are really
ignorant of the
gospel, and hence he should preach as though it were the very first
time his audience
had ever heard the message, and the first time he had ever delivered
it. For, be it
remembered, the preaching of the gospel, in the divine acceptation of
the phrase, is
not a barren statement of mere evangelical doctrine—a certain form of
words
enunciated over and over again in wearisome routine. Far from it. To
preach the
gospel is really to unfold the heart of God, the person and work of
Christ; and all this
by the present energy of the holy Ghost, from the exhaustless treasury
of holy
scripture.
May all preachers keep these things before the mind, and then it will
not matter
whether it be one preacher or seventy, one man in the same place for
fifty years, or
the same man in fifty different places in one year. the question is not
at all as to new
men or new places, but simply and entirely as to the power of the Holy
Ghost
unfolding Christ to the soul. Thus in the case of Moses, as recorded in
our chapter,
there was no increase of power. It was the spirit that was upon him
given to the
seventy elders. God can act by one man just as well as by seventy; and
if He does not
act, seventy are no more than one. It is of the very utmost importance
to keep God
ever before the soul. This is the true secret of power and freshness
whether for the
evangelist, the teacher, or any one else. When a man can say, "all
my springs are in
God," he need not be troubled as to a sphere of work, or
competency to fill it. But
when this is not so, we can well understand why a man should sigh for a
division of
labour and responsibility. We may remember, at the opening of the book
of Exodus,
how unwilling Moses was to go into Egypt, in simple dependence upon
God, and how
readily he went in company with Aaron. Thus it is ever. We like
something tangible,
something that the eye can see, and the hand can handle. We find it
hard to endure as
seeing Him who is invisible. And yet the very props we lean upon often
prove to be
broken reeds that pierce the hand. Aaron proved to be a fruitful source
of sorrow to
Moses; and those whom we, in our folly, imagine to be indispensable
coadjutors,
frequently turn out the very reverse. O that we may All learn to lean,
with an
undivided heart, and unshaken confidence, upon the living God.
But we must draw this section to a close, and ere doing so, we shall
just glance for a
moment at the truly excellent spirit in which Moses meets the new
circumstances in
which he had placed himself. It is one thing to shrink from the weight
of
responsibility and care, and it is quite another thing to carry oneself
with grace and
genuine humility toward those who are called to share that weight with
us. The two
things are totally different, and we may often see the differences
strikingly illustrated.
In the scene now before us, Moses manifests that exquisite meekness
which so
specially characterised him. "But there remained two of the
(seventy) men in the
camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad:
and the spirit
rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not
out unto the
tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man,
and told
Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua
the son of
Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My
lord Moses,
forbid them. and Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God
that all
the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit
upon them!"
This is perfectly beautiful. Moses was far removed from that wretched
spirit of envy
which would let no one speak but himself. He was prepared, by grace, to
rejoice in
any and every manifestation of true spiritual power, no matter where or
through
whom. He knew full well that there could be no right prophesying save
by the power
of the Spirit of God; and wherever that power was exhibited, who was he
that he
should seek to quench or hinder?
Would there were more of this excellent spirit! May we each cultivate
it! May we
have grace to rejoice unfeignedly in the testimony and service of all
the Lord's people,
even though we may not see eye to eye with them, and though our mode
and our
measure may vary. Nothing can be more contemptible than that petty
spirit of envy
and jealousy which will not permit a man to take an interest in any
work but his own.
We may rest assured that where the spirit of Christ is in action in the
heart, there will
be the ability to go out and embrace the wide field of our blessed
Master's work and
all His beloved workmen: there will be the hearty rejoicing in having
the work done,
no matter who is the doer of it. A man whose heart is full of Christ
will be able to
say—and to say it without affectation, "Provided the work is
done—provided Christ is
glorified—provided souls are saved—provided the Lord's flock is cared
for and fed, it
matters nothing to me who does the work."
This is the right spirit to cultivate, and it stands out in bright
contrast with the
narrowness and self occupation which can only rejoice in work in which
"I, myself
have a prominent place. may the Lord deliver us from all this, and
enable us to
cherish that temper of soul expressed by Moses when he said,
"Enviest thou for my
sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the
Lord would
put his spirit upon them?"
The closing paragraph of our chapter shows us the people in the
miserable and fatal
enjoyment of that for which their hearts had lusted. "He gave them
their request, but
sent leanness into their soul." They got what they longed for and
found it death. They
would have flesh; and with the flesh came the judgement of God. This is
most
solemn. May we heed the warning! The poor heart is full of vain desires
and hateful
lusts. the heavenly manna fails to satisfy. There must be Something
else. God allows
us to have it. But what then? Leanness—barrenness—judgement! O Lord,
keep our
hearts fixed on thyself alone and at all times! Be thou the ever
satisfying portion of
our souls, while we tread this desert, and till we see thy face in
glory!
Numbers 12
The brief section of our book to which we now approach may be viewed in
two
distinct aspects; in the first place, it is typical or dispensational;
and, in the second,
moral or practical.
In the union of Moses with "the Ethiopian woman," we have a
type of that great and
marvellous mystery, the union of the Church with Christ her Head. This
subject has
come before us in our study of the Book of Exodus; but we see it here,
in a peculiar
light, as that which evokes the enmity of Aaron and Miriam. the
sovereign actings of
grace draw forth the opposition of those who stand upon the ground of
natural
relationship and fleshly privilege. We know, from the teaching of the
New Testament,
that the extension of grace to the Gentiles was that which ever
elicited the fiercest and
most terrible hatred of the Jews. They would not have it; they would
not believe in it;
nay, they would not even hear of it. There is a very remarkable
allusion to this in the
eleventh chapter of Romans, where the apostle, referring to the
gentiles, says," For as
ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy
through their
unbelief: even so have these [Jews] also now not believed in your mercy
[or in mercy
to you] that they also may obtain mercy." Verses 30, 31; see
Greek.
This is precisely what we have typically presented in the history of
Moses. He, first of
all, presented himself to Israel, his brethren according to the flesh;
but they, in
unbelief, rejected him. They thrust him from them, and would not have
him. This
became, in the sovereignty of God, the occasion of mercy to the
stranger, for it was
during the period of Moses' rejection by Israel that he formed the
mystic and typical
union with a Gentile bride. Against this union Miriam and Aaron speak,
in the chapter
before us; and their opposition brings down the judgement of God.
Miriam becomes
leprous—a poor defiled thing—a proper subject of mercy, which flows out
to her
through the intercession of the very one against whom she had spoken.
The type is complete and most striking. The Jews have not believed in
the glorious
truth of mercy to the Gentiles, and therefore wrath has come upon them
to the
uttermost. But they will be brought in, by and by, on the ground of
simple mercy, just
as the Gentiles have come in. This is very humiliating to those who
sought to stand on
the ground of promise and national privilege; but thus it is in the
dispensational
wisdom of God, the very thought of which draws forth from the inspired
apostle that
magnificent doxology, "O the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge
of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding
out! For who
hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? or who
hath first
given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him,
and through
him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."
Thus much as to the typical bearing of our chapter; Let as now look at
it in its moral
and practical bearing. "And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses
because of the
Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian
woman. and
they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not
spoken also by us?
And the Lord heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the
men which
were upon the face of the earth.) And the Lord spake suddenly unto
Moses, and unto
Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the
congregation.
And they three came out. And the Lord: came down in the pillar of the
cloud, and
stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and
they both came
forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you,
I the Lord.
will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in
a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him
will I speak
mouth to month, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the
similitude of the
Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak
against my servant
Moses? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he
departed. And
the cloud departed-from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became
leprous,
white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was
leprous. Verses
1-10.
It is a most serious thing for any one to speak against the Lord's
servant. We may rest
assured that God will deal with it, sooner or later. In the case of
Miriam, the divine
judgement came down suddenly and solemnly. It was a grievous wrong,
yea, it was
positive rebellion, to speak against the one whom God had so markedly
raised up and
clothed with a divine commission; and who, moreover, in the very matter
of which
they complained, had acted in full consonance with the counsels of God,
and
furnished a type of that glorious mystery which was hidden in His
eternal mind, even
the union of Christ and the Church.
But, in any case, it is a fatal mistake to speak against the very
feeblest and humblest
of God's servants. If the servant does wrong—if he is in error, if he
has failed in
anything—the Lord Himself will deal with him; but let the fellow
servants beware
how they attempt to take the matter into their hands, lest they be
found like Miriam,
meddling to their own hurt.
It is very awful to hear, at times, the way in which people allow
themselves to speak
and write about Christ's servants. True, these latter may give
occasion; they may have
made mistakes, and manifested a wrong spirit and temper; but we must
confess we
feel it to be a very dreadful sin against Christ to speak evil of His
dear servants.
Surely we ought to feel the weight and solemnity of these words,
"Wherefore then
were ye not afraid to speak. against my servant?"
May God give as grace to watch against this sore evil Let us see to it
that we be not
found doing that which is so offensive to Him, even speaking against
those who are
dear to His heart. There is not a single one of God's people in whom we
cannot find
some good thing, provided only we look for it in the right way. Let us
be occupied
only with the good; let us dwell upon that, and seek to strengthen and
develop it, in
every possible way. And, on the other hand, if we have not been able to
discover the
good thing in our brother and fellow-servant; if our eye has only
detected the crooked
thing; if we have not succeeded in finding the vital spark amid the
ashes—the
precious gem among the surrounding rubbish; if we have only seen what
was of mere
nature, why then let us, with a loving and delicate hand, draw the
curtain of silence
around our brother, or speak of him only at the throne of grace.
So also when we happen to be in company with those who indulge in the
wicked
practice of speaking against the Lord's people, if we cannot succeed in
changing the
current of the conversation, let us rise and leave the place, thus
bearing testimony
against that which is so hateful to Christ. Let us never sit by and
listen to a backbiter.
We may rest assured he is doing the work of the devil, and inflicting
positive injury
upon three distinct parties, namely, Himself, his hearer, and the
subject of his
censorious remarks.
There is something perfectly beautiful in the way. in which Moses
carries himself, in
the scene before us. Truly he proved himself a meek man, not only in
the matter of
Eldad and Medad, But also in the more trying matter of Miriam and
Aaron. As to the
former, instead of being jealous of those who were called to share his
dignity and
responsibility, he rejoiced in their work, and prayed that all the
Lord's people might
taste the same holy privilege. and, as to the latter, instead of
cherishing any feeling of
resentment against his brother and sister, he was ready, al once, to
take the place of
intercession. "And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech
thee, lay not the
sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have
sinned. Let her not
be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out
of his
mother's womb. And Moses cried unto The Lord, saying, Heal her now, O
God, I
beseech thee." Verses 11-13.
Here Moses breathes the spirit of His Master, and prays for those who
had spoken so
bitterly against him. 'This was victory—the victory of a meek man—the
victory of
grace. a man who knows his right place in the presence of God is able
to rise above
all evil speaking. He is not troubled by it, save for those who
practice it. He can afford
to forgive it. He is not touchy, tenacious, or self-occupied. He knows
that no one can
put him lower than He deserves to be; and, hence, if any speak against
him, he can
meekly bow his head and pass on, leaving himself and his cause in the
hands of Him
who judgeth righteously, and who will assuredly reward every man
according to his
works.
This is true dignity. May we understand it somewhat better, and then we
shall not be
so ready to take fire if any one thinks proper to speak disparagingly
of us or of our
work; nay, more, we shall be able to lift up our hearts in earnest
prayer for them, and
thus draw down blessing on them and on our own souls.
The few closing lines of our chapter confirm the typical or
dispensational view which
we have ventured to suggest. "And the Lord said unto Moses, If her
father had but spit
in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut out
from the camp
seven days, and after that let her be received in again. And Miriam was
shut out from
the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was
brought in again.
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the
wilderness of
Paran." (Ver. 14-16.) We may regard Miriam, thus shut out of the
camp, as a figure of
the present condition of the nation of Israel, who, in consequence of
their implacable
opposition to the divine thought of mercy to the gentile, are set
aside. But when the
"seven days" have run their course, Israel shall be restored,
on the ground of sovereign
grace exercised toward them through the intercession of Christ.
Numbers 13
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men that they
may search the
land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every
tribe of their fathers
shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. And Moses by the
commandment
of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran." Verses 1-3.
In order fully to understand the foregoing commandment, we must look at
it in
connection with a passage in the Book of Deuteronomy, where Moses, in
going over
the facts of Israel's marvellous history in the wilderness, reminds
them of the
following important and interesting circumstance: "And when we
departed from
Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye
saw by the
way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us;
and we
came to Kadesh-Barnea. and I said unto you, Ye are come unto the
mountain of the
Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us. Behold, the Lord
thy God hath
set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy
fathers hath said
unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto me
every one of
you, and said, we will send men before us, and they shall search us out
the land, and
bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we
shall come."
Deut. 1: 19-22.
Now here we have the moral root of the fact stated in Numbers 13: 2. It
is evident that
the Lord gave the commandment concerning the spies because of the moral
condition
of the people. Had they been governed by simple faith, they would have
acted on
those soul-stirring words of Moses, "Behold, the Lord thy God hath
set the land before
thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said
unto thee; fear not,
neither be discouraged." There is not a single syllable about
spies, in this splendid
passage. What does faith want of spies, when it has the word and the
presence of the
living God? If Jehovah had given them a land, it must be worth having.
And had He
not? Yes, truly; and not only so, but He had borne testimony to the
nature and
character of that land in the following glowing words," For the
Lord thy God bringeth
thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and
depths that spring
out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and
fig trees, and
pomegranates, a land of oil olive and honey; a land wherein thou shalt
eat bread
without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose
stones are iron,
and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass." Deut 8: 7-9.
Should not all this have sufficed for Israel? Ought they not to have
been satisfied with
the testimony of God? had not He spied out the land for them, and told
them all about
it? And was not this enough? What need of sending men to spy the land?
Did not God
know all about it! Was there a spot "from Dan to Beersheba"
with which he was not
perfectly acquainted? Had He not selected this land and allotted it, in
His own eternal
counsels, for the seed of Abraham His friend? Did He not know all about
the
difficulties? and was He not able to surmount them? Why, then, did they
"come near
every one of them, and say, We will send men before us, and they shall
search us out
the land, and bring us word again!"
Ah! reader, these questions come right home to our hearts. they find us
out, and make
thoroughly manifest where we are. It is not for us to sit down and
coolly animadvert
upon the ways of Israel in the wilderness; to point out error here, and
failure there?
We must take all these things as types set before us for our
admonition. They are
beacons, erected by a friendly and faithful hand, to warn us off from
the dangerous
shoals, quicksands, and rocks which lie along our course, and threaten
our safety.
This, we may be sure, is the true way to read every page of Israel's
history, if we
would reap the profit which our God has designed for us in penning such
a record.
But, it may be the reader is disposed to ask a question here. "Did
not the Lord
expressly command Moses to send spies. And if so, how was it wrong for
Israel to
send them? True, the Lord did command Moses to send the spies, in
Numbers 13; but
this was in consequence of the moral condition of the people, as set
forth in
Deuteronomy 1. We shall not understand the former unless we read it in
the light of
the latter. we learn, most distinctly, From Deuteronomy 1: 22, that the
idea of sending
the spies had its origin in the heart of Israel. God saw their moral
condition, and He
issued a command in full keeping therewith.
If the reader will turn to the opening pages of the first book of
Samuel, he will find
something similar in the matter of the appointment of a king. The Lord
commanded
Samuel to hearken to the voice of the people, and make them a king. (1
Sam. 8: 22)
Was it that He approved of the plan? Most surely not; on the contrary,
He declares
plainly that it was a positive rejection of Himself. Why then command
Samuel to
appoint a king! The command was given in consequence of Israel’s
condition. They
were growing weary of the position of entire dependence upon an unseen
arm; and
they longed for an arm of flesh. They desired to be like the nations
around them, and
to have a king who should go out before them, and fight their battles
for them. Well,
God gave them their request, and they were very speedily called to
prove the
worthlessness of their plan. Their king proved a most complete failure,
and they had
to learn that it was an evil and a bitter thing to forsake the living
God and lean on a
broken reed of their own selection.
Now, we see the same thing in the matter of the spies. There can be no
question, in
the mind of any spiritual person who studies the entire subject, as to
the fact that the
scheme of sending the spies was the fruit of unbelief. A simple heart
that trusted God
would never have thought of such a thing. What! are we to send poor
mortals to spy
out a land which God has graciously given to us, and which He has so
fully and
faithfully described? Far be the thought; nay, rather let us say,
"It is enough; the land
is the gift of God, and as such it must be good. His word is enough for
our hearts; we
want no spies; we seek for no mortal testimony to confirm the word of
the living God.
He has given; He has spoken; this is enough."
But alas! Israel was not in a condition to adopt such language. They
would send spies.
They wanted them, their hearts craved them: the desire for them lay in
the very depths
of the soul; Jehovah knew this, and hence He issued a commandment in
direct
reference to the moral state of the people.
The reader would do well to ponder this subject, in the light of
scripture. He will need
to compare Deuteronomy 1 with Numbers 13. It is possible he may find
difficulty in
judging of the true nature and moral roots of the act of sending the
spies, from the fact
that the thing was ultimately done in pursuance of "the
commandment of the Lord."
But we must ever remember that the fact of the Lord's commanding the
thing to be
done does not, by any means, prove that the people were right in
seeking it. The
giving of the law at Mount Sinai; the sending of the spies; and the
appointment of a
king, are all proofs of this. No doubt God overruled all these things
for His own glory
and for man's ultimate blessing; but still the law could not be viewed
as the
expression of the heart of God; the setting up of a king was a positive
rejection of
Himself; and we may say that the sending of men to spy out the land of
promise
proved, very distinctly, that the heart of Israel was not fully
satisfied with Jehovah.
The whole affair was the fruit of their weakness and unbelief, though
acquiesced in
by God because of their condition, and overruled by Him, in His
infinite goodness and
unerring wisdom, for the unfolding of His ways and the display of His
glory. All this
comes fully out as we pursue the history.
"And Moses sent them (the spies) to spy out the land of Canaan,
and said unto them,
Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: and see the
land what it
is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or
weak, few or many;
and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and
what cities they
be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; and what
the land is,
whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein or not. And be
ye of good
courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time
of the first ripe
grapes. So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of
Zin unto
Rehob, as men come to Hamath..... And they came unto the brook of
Eshcol, and cut
down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it
between two
upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
the place was
called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the
children of Israel
cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land
after forty days.
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the
children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and
brought back word
unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of
the Land. And
they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us,
and surely it
floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it." Numbers
13: 17-27.
Here, then, was the fullest confirmation of all that the Lord had said
concerning the
land—the testimony of twelve men as to the fact that the land flowed
with milk and
honey—the testimony of their own senses as to the character of the
fruit of the land.
Furthermore, there was the telling fact that twelve men had actually
been in the land,
had spent forty days in travelling up and down therein, had drunk of
its springs and
eaten of its fruits. And what, according to the judgement of faith,
would have been the
plain inference to be drawn from such a fact? Why, simply, that the
same hand which
had conducted twelve men into the land could conduct the whole
congregation.
But alas! the people were not governed by faith, but by dark and
depressing unbelief;
and even the spies themselves—the very men who had been sent for the
purpose of
assuring and confirming the congregation-even they, with two brilliant
exceptions,
were under the power of the same God-dishonouring spirit. In short, the
whole
scheme proved a failure. The issue only made manifest the true
condition of the
hearts of the people. Unbelief was dominant. The testimony was plain
enough: "We
came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with
milk and
honey; and this is the fruit of it." There was nothing whatever
lacking on God's side of
the question. The land was all that He had said, the spies themselves
being witnesses;
but let us hearken to what follows. "Nevertheless the people be
strong that dwell in
the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we
saw the children
of Anak there." Verse 28.
There is always sure to be a "nevertheless" where man is
concerned, and when
unbelief is at work. The unbelieving spies saw the difficulties—great
cities, high
walls, tall giants. All these things they saw; but they did not see
Jehovah at all. They
looked at the things that were seen, rather than at the things that
were unseen. Their
eye was not fixed upon Him who is invisible. Doubtless, the cities were
great; but
God was greater. The walls were high; but God was higher. The giants
were strong
but God was stronger.
Thus it Is that faith ever reasons. Faith reasons from God to the
difficulties: it begins
with Him. Unbelief, on the contrary, reasons from the difficulties to
God: it begins
with them. This makes all the difference. It is not that we are to be
insensible to the
difficulties; neither are we to be reckless. Neither insensibility nor
yet recklessness is
faith. There are some easy-going people who seem to get along through
life! on the
principle of taking things by the smooth handle. This is not faith.
Faith looks the
difficulties straight in the face; it is fully alive to the roughness
of the handle. It is not
ignorant, not indifferent—not reckless; but what? IT BRINGS IN THE LIVING
GOD.
It looks to Him; it leans on Him; it draws from Him. Here lies the
grand secret of its
power. It cherishes the calm and deep conviction that there never was a
wall too high
for the Almighty God—never a city too great—never a giant too strong.
In short, faith
is the only thing that gives God His proper place; and, as a
consequence, is the only
thing that lifts the soul completely above the influences of
surrounding circumstances,
be they what they may. Of this precious faith, Caleb was the exponent,
when he said,
"Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to
overcome it." These are
the pure accents of that lively faith that glorifies God and makes
nothing of
circumstances.
But alas! the great majority of the spies were no more governed by this
lively faith
than the man who sent them; and hence, the one believer was talked down
by the ten
infidels. "The men that went up with him said, We be not able to
go up against the
people." The language of infidelity was flatly opposed to the language
of faith. The
latter, looking at God, said," We are well able." The former,
looking at the difficulties,
said, "We are not able." Thus it was and thus it is. The eyes
of faith are ever covered
by the living God, and therefore difficulties are not seen. The eyes of
unbelief are
covered with the circumstances, and therefore God is not seen. Faith
brings in God,
and therefore all is bright and easy. Unbelief always shuts God out,
and therefore all
is dark and difficult.
"And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had
searched unto the
children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to
search it, is a land
that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw
in it are men of a
great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which
come of the
giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in
their sight."
Not a word about God. He is entirely shut out. Had they thought of
Him—had they
brought the giants into comparison with Him, then it would have made
not one whit
of difference as to whether they themselves were grasshoppers, or
whether they were
men. But, in point of fact they, by their shameful unbelief, reduced
the God of Israel
to the level of a grasshopper.
It is very remarkable, that whenever infidelity is at work, it will
always be found
characterised by this one fact, namely, it shuts out God. This will be
found true in all
ages, in all places, and under all circumstances. There is no
exception. Infidelity can
take account of human affairs,, it can reason upon them, and draw
conclusions from
them; but all its reasonings and all its conclusions are based upon the
exclusion of
God. The force of its arguments depends upon shutting Him out, and
keeping Him
out. Only introduce God, and all the reasonings of infidelity crumble
into dust
beneath your feet. Thus, in the scene before us, What is faith's reply
to all the
objections advanced by those ten unbelievers? Its one simple,
all-satisfying reply, to
which there can be no rejoinder, is—GOD!
Reader, do you know anything of the force and value of this most
blessed answer! Do
you know God? Does He fill the entire range of your soul's vision? Is
He the answer to
your every question? the solution of your every difficulty? Do you know
the reality of
walking, day by day, with the living God? Do you know the
tranquillising power of
leaning upon Him," through all the changes and chances of this
mortal life?" If not, let
me entreat of you not to go on for one hour in your present state. The
way is open.
God has revealed Himself in the face of Jesus Christ, as the relief,
the resource, and
the refuge of every needy soul. Look to Him now—even now," while
he may be
found; call upon him while he is near." "Whosoever shall call
upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved;" and "He that believeth shall never be
confounded."
But if, on the other hand, you do, through grace, know God as your
Saviour—your
Father, then seek to glorify Him in all your ways, by a childlike
unquestioning
confidence in all things. Let Him be a perfect covering for your eyes,
under all
circumstances, and thus, in spite of all difficulties, your soul shall
be kept in perfect
peace.
Numbers 14.
"And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and
the people wept that
night." Need we wonder? What else could be expected from a people
who had
nothing before their eyes but mighty giants, lofty walls, and great
cities? What but
tears and sighs could emanate from a congregation who saw themselves as
grasshoppers in the presence of such insuperable difficulties, and
having no sense of
the divine power that could carry them victoriously through all? The
whole assembly
was abandoned to the absolute dominion of infidelity. They were
surrounded by the
dark and chilling clouds of unbelief. God was shut out. There was not
so much as a
single ray of light to illumine the darkness with which they had
surrounded
themselves. They were occupied with themselves and their difficulties
instead of with
God and His resources. What else therefore could they do but lift up
the voice of
weeping and lamentation?
What a contrast between this and the opening of Exodus 15! In the
latter their eyes
were only upon Jehovah, and therefore they could sing the song of
victory. "Thou in
thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed; thou hast
guided them
in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear and be
afraid: sorrow
shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina." Instead of this
it was Israel that was
afraid, and sorrow took hold upon them. "Then the dukes of Edom
shall be amazed;
the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them: all the
inhabitants of
Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them. In short,
it is the most
complete reversing of the picture. The sorrow, the trembling, and the
fear take hold
upon Israel instead of their enemies. and why? Because the One who
filled their
vision in Exodus 15 is completely shut out in Numbers 14. This makes
all the
difference. In the one case, faith is in the ascendant; in the other,
infidelity. "By the
greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy
people pass over, O
Lord, till the people pass over which thou hast purchased. thou shalt
bring them in,
and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O
Lord, which thou
hast made for thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy
hands have
established. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever."
Oh! how do these triumphal accents contrast with the infidel cries and
lamentations of
Numbers 14! Not a syllable about sons of Anak, lofty walls, and
grasshoppers, in
Exodus 15. No, no; it is all Jehovah. It is His right hand, His mighty
arm, His power,
His inheritance, His habitation, His actings on behalf of His ransomed
people. And
then if the inhabitants of Canaan are referred to, they are only
thought of as
sorrowing, terror-stricken, trembling, and melting away.
But, on the other hand, when we come to Numbers 14 all is most sadly
reversed. The
sons of Anak rise into prominence. The towering walls, the giant cities
with frowning
bulwarks, fill the vision of the people, and we hear not a word about
the Almighty
Deliverer. There are the difficulties on the one side, and grasshoppers
on the other;
and one is constrained to cry out, "Can it be possible that the
triumphal singers by the
Red Sea have become the infidel weepers at Kadesh?
Alas! it is so; and here we learn a deep and holy lesson. We must
continually recur, as
we pass along through these wilderness scenes, to those words which
tell us that, "All
these things happened unto Israel for ensamples: and they are written
for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are met." (1 Cor. 10:
11; see Greek.) Are
not we, too, like Israel, prone to look at the difficulties which
surround us, rather than
at that blessed One who has undertaken to carry us right through them
all, and bring
us safely into His own everlasting kingdom? Why is it we are sometimes
cast down?
Why go we mourning? Wherefore are the accents of discontent and
impatience heard
in our midst, rather than the songs of praise and thanksgiving Simply
because we
allow circumstances to shut out God, instead of having God as a perfect
covering for
our eyes and a perfect object for our hearts.
And, further, let us enquire, wherefore is it that we so sadly fail to
make good our
position as heavenly men?—to take possession of that which belongs to
us as
Christians!—to plant the foot upon that spiritual and heavenly
inheritance which
Christ has purchased for us, and on which He has entered as our
forerunner? What
answer must be given to these inquiries? Just one word—Unbelief.
It is declared, concerning Israel, by the voice of inspiration, that,
"they could not enter
in [to Canaan because of unbelief." (Heb. 3) So is it with us. We
fail to enter upon our
heavenly inheritance—fail to take possession, practically, of our true
and proper
portion—fail to walk, day by day, as a heavenly people, having no
place, no name, no
portion in the earth—having nothing to do with this world save to pass
through it as
pilgrims and strangers, treading in the footsteps of Him who has gone
before, and
taken His place in the heavens. And why do we fail? Because of
unbelief. Faith is not
in energy, and therefore the things which are seen have more power over
our hearts
than the things which are unseen. Oh! may the Holy Spirit strengthen
our faith, and
energise our souls, and lead us upward and onward, so that we may not
merely be
found talking of heavenly life, but living it to the praise of Him who
has, in His
infinite grace, called us thereto.
(And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against
Aaron: and the
whole congregation said Unto them, Would God that we had died in the
land of
Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath
the Lord
brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our
children should
be a prey? Were. it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they
said one to
another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."
There are two melancholy phases of unbelief exhibited in Israel's
history in the
wilderness; the one at Horeb, the other at Kadesh. At Horeb they made a
calf, and
said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of
the land of Egypt." At
Kadesh, they proposed to make a captain to lead them back into Egypt.
The former of
these is the superstition of unbelief; the latter, the wilful
independence of unbelief;
and, most surely, we need not marvel if these who thought that a calf
had brought
them out of Egypt should seek a captain to lead them back, The poor
human mind is
tossed like a ball from one to the other of those sore evils. There is
no resource save
that which faith finds in the living God. In Israel's case God was lost
sight of. It was
either a calf or a captain; either death in the wilderness, or return
into Egypt. Caleb
stands in bright contrast with all this. To him it was neither death in
the wilderness,
nor return into Egypt, but an abundant entrance into the promised land
behind the
impenetrable shield of Jehovah.
"And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which
were of them
that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the
company of the
children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search
it, is an
exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us
into this land, and
give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye
against, the
Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for
us: their defence is
departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not. But all the
congregation
bade stone them with stones."
And for what were they to be stoned? Was it for telling lies? was it
for blasphemy or
evil-doing? No; it was for their bold and earnest testimony to the
truth. They had been
sent to spy the Land, and to fulfil a true report concerning it. This
they did; and for
this "All the congregation bade stone them with stones.' The
people did not like the
truth then any more than now. Truth is never popular. There is no place
for it in this
world, or in the human heart. Lies will be received; and error in every
shape; but truth
never. Joshua and Caleb had to encounter, in their day, what all true
witnesses, in
every age, have experienced and all must expect, namely, the opposition
and hatred of
the mass of their fellows. There were six hundred thousand voices
raised against two
men who simply told the truth, and trusted in God. Thus it has been;
thus it is; and
thus it will be until that glorious moment when "The earth shall
be full of the
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
But oh! how important it is to be enabled, like Joshua and Caleb, to
bear a full, clear,
and uncompromising testimony to the truth of God! How important to
maintain the
truth as to the proper portion and inheritance of the saints! There is
such a tendency to
corrupt the truth—to fritter it away—to surrender it to lower the
standard. Hence the
urgent need of having the truth in divine power in the soul, of being
able, in our little
measure, to say, "We speak that we do know, and testify that we
have seen." Caleb
and Joshua had not only been in the land, but they had been with God
about the land.
They had looked at it all from faith's point of view. They knew the
land was theirs, in
the purpose of God; that it was worth having as the gift of God; and
that they should
yet possess it by the power of God. They were men full of faith, full
of courage, full
of power.
Blessed men! They were living in the light of the divine presence,
while the whole
congregation were wrapped in the dark shades of their own unbelief.
What a contrast!
This it is which ever marks the difference between even the people of
God. You may
constantly find persons of whom you can have no doubt as to their being
children of
God; but yet they never seem to rise to the height of divine
revelation, as to their
standing and portion as saints of God. They are always full of doubts
and fears;
always overcast with clouds; always at the dark side of things. They
are looking at
themselves, or at their circumstances, or at their difficulties. They
are never bright
and happy; never able to exhibit that joyful confidence and courage
which become a
Christian, and which bring glory to God.
Now all this is truly lamentable; it ought not to be; and we may rest
assured there is
some grave defect, something radically wrong. The Christian should
always be
peaceful and happy; always able to praise God, come what may. His joys
do not flow
from himself, or from the scene through which he is passing; they flow
from the
living God, and they are beyond the reach of every earthly influence.
He can say, God,
the spring of all my joys." This is the sweet privilege of the
very feeblest child of God.
But here is just where we so sadly fail and come short. We take our
eyes off God, and
fix them on ourselves, or on our circumstances, our grievances, or our
difficulties;
hence all is darkness and discontent, murmuring and complaining. This
is not
Christianity at all. It is unbelief—dark, deadly, God-dishonouring,
heart-depressing
unbelief. "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a
sound mind."
Such is the language of a true spiritual Caleb—language addressed to
one whose heart
was feeling the pressure of the difficulties and dangers which
surrounded Him. The
Spirit of God fills the soul of the true believer with holy boldness.
He gives moral
elevation above the chilling and murky atmosphere around, and lifts the
soul into the
bright sunshine of that region "where storms and tempests never
rise."
"And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the
congregation before all
the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this
people
provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the
signs which I
have showed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence and
disinherit them,
and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
What a moment was this in the history of Moses! Here was what nature
might well
regard as a golden opportunity for him. Never before and never since
have we any
occasion in the which a mere man had such a door open before him. The
enemy and
his own heart might say," Now's your time. You have here an offer
of becoming the
head and founder of a great and mighty nation—an offer made to you by
Jehovah
Himself. You have not sought it. It is put before you by the living
God, and it would
be the very height of folly on your part to reject it."
But, reader, Moses was not a self-seeker. He had drunk too deeply into
the spirit of
Christ to seek to be anything. He had no unholy ambition, no selfish
aspirations. He
desired only God's glory and His people's good; and in order to reach
those ends, he
was ready, through grace, to lay himself and his interests on the
altar.
Hear his marvellous reply. Instead of jumping at the offer contained in
the words, "I
Will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they"—instead
of eagerly
grasping at the golden opportunity of laying the foundation of his
personal fame and
fortune—he sets himself completely aside, and replies in accents of the
most noble
disinterestedness: And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians
shall hear it, (for
thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) and they
will tell it to
the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou, Lord, art
among this people;
that thou, Lord, art seen face to face; and that thy cloud standeth
over them; and that
thou goest before them, by daytime in a pillar of a cloud, and in a
pillar of fire by
night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the
nations which have
heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the Lord was not
able to bring this
people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain
them in the
wilderness." Verses 13-16.
Here Moses takes the very highest ground. He is wholly occupied about
the Lord's
glory. He cannot endure the thought that the lustre of that glory
should be tarnished in
the view of the nations of the uncircumcised. What though he should
become a head
and a founder? what though future millions should look back to him as
their
illustrious progenitor? this personal glory and greatness was only to
be purchased by
the sacrifice of a single ray of divine glory,—what then Away with it
all. Let the name
of Moses be blotted out for Ever. He had said as much in the days of
the calf; and he
was ready to repeat it in the days of the captain. In the face of the
superstition and
independence of an unbelieving nation, the heart of Moses throbbed only
for the glory
of God. That must be guarded at all cost. Come what may—cost what it
may, the
glory of The Lord must be maintained. Moses felt it was impossible for
anything to be
right if the basis were not laid firmly down in the strict maintenance
of the glory of
the God of Israel. To think of himself made great at God's expense was
perfectly
insufferable to the heart of this blessed man of God. He could not
endure that the
name which he loved so well should be blasphemed among the nations, or
that it
should ever be said by any one, "The Lord was not able."
But there was another thing which lay near the disinterested heart of
Moses. He
thought of the people. He loved and cared for them. Jehovah's glory, no
doubt, stood
uppermost; but Israel's blessing stood next. "And now," he
adds, "I beseech thee, let
the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
The Lord is
long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, and by no
means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon
the children unto
the third and fourth generation. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity
of this people,
according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven
this people from
Egypt even until now." Verses 17-19.
This is uncommonly fine. The order, the tone, and the spirit of this
entire appeal are
most exquisite. There is, first and chiefest of all, a jealous care for
the Lord's glory.
This must be fenced round about on every side. But then it is on this
very ground,
mainly, the maintenance of the divine glory, that pardon is sought for
the people. The
two things are linked together in the most blessed say, in this intercession.
"Let the
power of my Lord be great." To what end? Judgement and
destruction? Nay; "The
Lord is long-suffering." What a thought! The power of God in
long-suffering and
pardon! How unspeakably precious! How intimate was Moses with the very
heart and
mind of God when he could speak in such a strain! and how does he stand
in contrast
with Elijah, on Mount Horeb, when he made intercession against Israel!
We can have
little question as to which of these two honoured men was most in
harmony with the
mind and spirit of Christ. "Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity
of this people
according unto the greatness of thy mercy." These words were
grateful to the ear of
Jehovah, who delights in dispensing pardon. "And the Lord said, I
have pardoned,
according to thy word." And then He adds," But as truly as I
live, all the earth shall be
filled with the glory of the Lord."
Let the reader carefully note these two statements. They are absolute
and unqualified.
"I have pardoned." And, "All the earth shall be filled
with the glory of the Lord."
Nothing could, by any possibility, touch these grand facts. The pardon
is secured; and
the glory shall yet shine forth over all the earth. No power of earth
or hell, men or
devils, can ever interfere with the divine integrity of these two
precious statements.
Israel shall rejoice in the plenary pardon of their God; and all the
earth shall yet bask
in the bright sunshine of his glory.
But then there is such a thing as government, as well as grace. This
must never be
forgotten; nor must these things ever be confounded. the whole book of
God
illustrates the distinction between grace and government; and no part
of it, perhaps,
more forcibly than the section which now lies open before us. Grace
will pardon; and
grace will fill the earth with the blessed beams of divine glory; but
mark the appalling
movement of the wheels of government as set forth in the following
burning words:"
Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which
I did in
Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted me now these ten times, and
have not
hearkened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware
unto their
fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. But my
servant Caleb,
because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him
will I bring
into the land whereunto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Now
the Amalekites
and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To-morrow turn you, and get
you into the
wilderness by the way of the Red Sea." verses 22-25.
This is most solemn. Instead of confiding in God, and going boldly on
into the land of
promise, in simple dependence upon His omnipotent arm, they provoked
him by their
unbelief, despised the pleasant land, and were compelled to turn back
again into that
great and terrible wilderness. "The Lord spake unto Moses and unto
Aaron, saying,
How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against
me? I have
heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur
against me. Say
unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in
mine ears, so will I
do to you: your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that
were numbered of
you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward,
which have
murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the and
concerning which I
sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and
Joshua the
son of Nun. But your little ones which ye said should be a prey, them
will I bring in,
and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you,
your carcasses,
they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in
the wilderness
forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in
the
wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land,
even forty
days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even Forty
years; and ye shall
know my breach of promise. I the Lord have said, I will surely do it
unto all this evil
congregation, that are gathered together against me; in this wilderness
they shall be
consumed, and there they shall die." (Verses 26-33)
Such, then, was the fruit of unbelief, and such the governmental
dealings of God with
a people that had provoked Him by their murmurings and hardness of
heart.
It is of the utmost importance to note here that it was unbelief that
kept Israel out of
Canaan, on the occasion now before us. The inspired commentary in
Hebrews 3
places this beyond all question. "So we see that they could not
enter in because of
unbelief." It might, perhaps, be said that the time was not come
for Israel's entrance
upon the land of Canaan. The iniquity of the Amorites had not yet
reached its
culminating point. But this is not the reason why Israel refused to
cross the Jordan.
They knew nothing and thought nothing about the iniquity of the
Amorites. Scripture
is as plain as possible: "They could not enter in"—not
because of the iniquity of the
Amorites; not because the time was not come—but simply "because of
unbelief."
They ought to have entered. They were responsible to do so; and they
were judged for
not doing so. The way was open. the judgement of faith, as uttered By
faithful Caleb,
was clear and unhesitating: "Let us go up at once and possess it;
for we are well able
to overcome it." They were as well able, at that moment, as they
could ever be at any
moment, inasmuch as the One who had given them the land was the spring
of their
ability to enter upon it and possess it.
It is well to see this; and to ponder it deeply. There is a certain
style of speaking of the
counsels, purposes, and decrees of God—of the enactments of His moral
government;
and of the times and seasons which he has put in His own power—which
goes far to
sweep away the very foundations of human responsibility. This must be
carefully
guarded against. We must ever bear in mind that man's responsibility
rests on what is
revealed, not on what is secret. Israel was responsible to go up at
once and take
possession of the land; and they were judged for not doing so. Their
carcasses fell in
the wilderness, because they had not faith to enter the land.
And does not this convey a solemn lesson to us? Most surely. How is it
that we, as
Christians, so fail in making good, practically, our heavenly portion?
We are
delivered from judgement by the blood of the Lamb; we are delivered
from this
present world by the death of Christ; But we do not, in spirit and by
faith, cross the
Jordan, and take possession of our heavenly inheritance. It is
generally believed that
Jordan is a type of death, as the end of our natural life in this
world. This, in one
sense, is true. But how was it that when Israel did, at length cross
the Jordan, they had
to begin to fight? Assuredly, we shall not have any fighting when we
actually get to
heaven. The spirits of those who have departed in the faith of Christ
are not fighting
in heaven. They are not in conflict in any shape or form. They are at
rest. They are
waiting for the morning of the resurrection; but they wait in rest, not
in conflict.
Hence, therefore, there is something more typified in Jordan than the
end of an
individual's life in this world. We must view it as the figure of the
death of Christ, in
one grand aspect; just as the Red Sea is a figure of it, in another;
and the blood of the
paschal lamb, in another. The blood of the lamb sheltered Israel from
the judgement
of God upon Egypt. The waters of the Red Sea delivered Israel from
Egypt itself and
all its power. But they had to cross the Jordan; they had to plant the
sole of their foot
upon the land of promise, and make good their place there in spite of
every foe. They
had to fight for every inch of Canaan.
And what is the meaning of this latter? Have we to fight for heaven?
When a
Christian falls asleep, and his Spirit goes to be with Christ in
paradise, is there any
question of fighting? Clearly not. What then are we to learn from the
crossing of
Jordan, and the wars of Canaan? Simply this, Jesus has died. He has
passed away out
of this world. He has not only died for our sins, but He has broken
every link which
connected us with this world; so that we are dead to the world, as well
as dead to sin,
and dead to the law. We have, in God's sight, and in the judgement of
faith, as little to
do with this world as a man lying dead on the floor. We are called to
reckon ourselves
dead to it all, and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We live
in the power of
the new life which we possess in union with Christ risen. We belong to
heaven; and it
is in making good our position as heavenly men that we have to fight
with wicked
spirits in the heavenlies—in the very sphere which belongs to us, and
from which they
have not yet been expelled. If we are satisfied to "walk as
men"—to live as those who
belong, to this world—to stop short of Jordan, If we are satisfied to
live as dwellers
upon the earth, if we do not aim at our proper heavenly portion and
position, then we
shall not know anything of the conflict of Ephesians 6: 12. It is
seeking to live as
heavenly men now on earth, that we shall enter into the meaning of that
conflict
which is the antitype of Israel's wars in Canaan. We shall not have to
fight when we
get to heaven, but if we want to live a heavenly life, on the earth, if
we seek to carry
ourselves as those who are dead to the world, and alive to Him who went
down into
Jordan's cold flood for us, then, assuredly, we must fight. Satan will
leave no stone
unturned to hinder our living in the power of our heavenly life; and
hence the conflict.
He will seek to make us walk as those who have an earthly standing, to
be citizens of
this world, to contend for our rights, to maintain our rank and
dignity, to give the lie,
practically, to that great foundation Christian truth, that we are dead
and risen with
and in Christ.
If the reader will turn for a moment to Ephesians 6. he will see how
this interesting
subject is presented by the inspired writer. "Finally, my
brethren, be strong in the
Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood
(as Israel had to do in Canaan); but against principalities, against
powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in
heavenly places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Verses 10-13
Here we have proper Christian conduct. It is not here a question of the
lusts of the
flesh, or the fascinations of the world, though surely we have to watch
against these,
but "the wiles of the devil." Not his power, which is forever
broken, but those subtle
devices and snares by which he seeks to keep Christians from realising
their heavenly
position and inheritance.
Now, it is in carrying on this conflict, that we so signally fail. We
do not aim at
apprehending that for which we have been apprehended. Many of us are
satisfied with
knowing that we are delivered from judgement by the blood of the Lamb.
We do not
enter into the deep significance of the Red Sea and the river Jordan;
we do not
practically seize their spiritual import. We walk as men, the very
thing for which the
apostle blamed the Corinthians. We live and act as if we belonged to
this world,
whereas scripture teaches and our baptism expresses that we are dead to
the world,
even as Jesus is dead to it; and that we are risen in Him, through the
faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2: 12.
May the Holy Spirit lead our souls into the reality of these things.
May He so present
to us the precious fruits of that heavenly land which is ours in
Christ, and so
strengthen us with His own might in the inner man, that we may boldly
cross the
Jordan and plant the foot upon the spiritual Canaan. We live far below
our privileges
as Christians. We allow the things that are seen to rob us of the
enjoyment of those
things that are unseen. Oh! for a stronger faith, to take possession of
all that God has
freely given to us in Christ
We must now proceed with our history.
"And the men which Moses sent to search the land, who returned,
and made all the
congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the
Land, even
those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the
plague before
the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh,
which were of
the men that went to search the land, lived still." Verses 36-38.
It is wonderful to think that out of that vast assembly of six hundred
thousand men,
besides women and children, there were only two that had faith in the
living God. We
do not of course, speak of Moses, but merely of the congregation. The
whole
assembly, with two very brilliant exceptions indeed, was governed by a
spirit of
unbelief. They could not trust God to bring them into the land; nay,
they thought He
had brought them into the wilderness to die there; and surely we may
say, they reaped
according to their dark unbelief. The ten false witnesses died by the
plague; and the
many thousands who received their false witness were compelled to turn
back into the
wilderness, there to wander up and down for forty years, and then die
and be buried.
But Joshua and Caleb stood on the blessed ground of faith in the living
God—that
faith which fills the soul with the most joyful confidence and courage.
And of them
we may say, they reaped according to their faith. God must always
honour the faith
which He has implanted in the soul. It is His own gift, and He cannot,
we may say
with reverence, but own it wherever it exists. Joshua and Caleb were
enabled, in the
simple power of faith, to withstand a tremendous tide of infidelity.
They held fast
their confidence in God in the face of every difficulty; and he
signally honoured their
faith in the end, for While the carcasses of their brethren were
mouldering in the dust
of the wilderness, their feet were treading the vine-clad hills and
fertile valleys of the
land of Canaan. The former declared that God had brought them forth to
die in the
wilderness; and they were taken at their word. The latter declared that
God was able
to bring them into the land, and they were taken at their word.
This is a most weighty principle, "According to your faith be it
unto you." Let us
remember this, God delights in faith. He loves to be trusted, and He
delights to put
honour on those who trust Him. On the contrary, unbelief is grievous to
Him. It
provokes and dishonours Him, and brings darkness and death over the
soul. It is a
most terrible sin to doubt the living God who cannot lie, and to
harbour questions
when He has spoken. The devil is the author of all doubtful questions.
He delights in
shaking the confidence of the soul, but he has no power whatever
against a soul that
simply confides in God. His fiery darts can never reach one who is
hidden behind the
shield of faith. And oh, how precious it is to live a life of childlike
trust in God. It
makes the heart so happy, and fills the mouth with praise and
thanksgiving. It chases
away every cloud and mist, and brightens our path with the blessed
beams of our
Fathers countenance. On the other hand, unbelief fills the heart with
all manner of
questions, throws us in upon ourselves, darkens our path and makes us
truly
miserable. Caleb's heart was full with joyful confidence, while the
hearts of his
brethren were filled with bitter murmurings and complaints. Thus it
must ever be, if
we want to be happy, we must be occupied with God and His surroundings.
If we
want to be miserable, we have only to be occupied with self and its
surroundings.
Look, for a moment, at the first chapter of Luke. What was it that shut
up Zacharias in
dumb silence? It was unbelief. What was it that opened the hearts of
Mary and
Elizabeth? Faith. Here lay the difference. Zacharias might have joined those
pious
women in their songs of praise. Were it not that dark unbelief sealed
his lips in
melancholy silence. What a picture, What a lesson! Oh that we may learn
to trust God
more simply. May the doubtful mind be far from us. May it be ours, in
the midst of an
infidel scene, to be strong in faith giving glory to God.
The closing paragraph of our chapter teaches us another holy lesson—let
us apply our
hearts to it with all diligence. "And Moses told these sayings
unto all the children of
Israel: and the people mourned greatly. And they rose early in the
morning, and gat
them up to the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go
up unto the
place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. And Moses said,
wherefore
now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? But it shall not
prosper. Go not
up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your
enemies. For the
Amalekites, and the Canaanites are there before you. And ye shall fall
by the sword;
because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not
be with you.
But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless, the ark of
the covenant of
the Lord and Moses, departed not out of the camp. The Amalekites came
down, and
the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and
discomfited them, even
unto Hormah.
What a mass of contradictions is the human heart! When exhorted to go
up, at once,
in the energy of faith, and possess the land, they shrank back and
refused to go. They
fell down and wept when they ought to have conquered. In vain did the
faithful Caleb
assure them that the Lord would bring them in and plant them in the
mountain of His
inheritance—that He was able to do it. They would not go up, because
they could not
trust God. But now, instead of bowing their heads and accepting the
governmental
dealings of God, they would go up presumptuously, trusting in
themselves.
But ah! how vain to move without the living God in their midst! Without
Him, they
could do nothing. And yet, when they might have had Him, they were
afraid of the
Amalekites; but now they presume to face those very people without Him.
"Lo, we be
here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised."
This was more
easily said than done. an Israelite without God was no match for an
Amalekite; and it
is very remarkable that, when Israel refused to act in the energy of
faith, when they
fell under the power of a God-dishonouring unbelief, Moses points out
to them the
very difficulties to which they themselves had referred. He tells them
"The Amalekites
and the Canaanites are there before you"
This is full of instruction. They, by their unbelief, had shut out God;
and therefore it
was obviously a question between Israel and the Canaanites. Faith would
have made
it a question between God and the Canaanites. This was precisely the
way in which
Joshua and Caleb viewed the matter when they said, "If the Lord
delight in us, then
He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth
with milk and
honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people
of the land, for
they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the
Lord is with us:
fear them not."
Here lay the grand secret. The Lord's pleasure with His people secures
victory over
every foe. But if he be not with them, they are as water poured upon
the ground. the
ten unbelieving spies had declared themselves to be as grasshoppers in
the presence
of the giants; and Moses, taking them at their word, tells them, as it
were, that
grasshoppers are no match for giants. If on the one hand, it be true
that "according to
your faith, so be it unto you;" it is also true, on the other
hand, that according to your
unbelief, so be it unto you.
But the people presumed. They affected to be something when they were
nothing.
And, oh! how miserable to presume to move in our own strength! What
defeat and
confusion! what exposure and contempt! what humbling and smashing to
pieces! It
must be so. They abandoned God in their unbelief; and He abandoned them
in their
vain-presumption. They would not go with Him in faith; and He would not
go with
them in their unbelief. "Nevertheless the ark of the covenant of
the Lord, and Moses,
departed not out of the camp." They went without God, and hence
they fled before
their enemies.
Thus it must ever be. It is of no possible use to affect strength, to
put forth lofty
pretensions, to presume to be anything. Assumption and affectation are
worse than
worthless. If God be not with us, we are as the vapour of the morning.
But this must
be learnt practically. We must be brought down to the very bottom of
all that is in
self, so as to prove its utter worthlessness. And truly it is the
wilderness, with all its
varied scenes, and its thousand and one exercises, that leads to this
practical result.
There we learn what flesh is. There nature comes fully out, in all its
phases;
sometimes full of cowardly unbelief; at other times, full of false
confidence. at
Kadesh, refusing to go up when told to go; at Hormah, persisting in going
when told
not. Thus it is that extremes meet in that evil nature which the writer
and reader bear
about, from day to day.
But there is one special lesson, beloved Christian reader, which we
should seek to
learn thoroughly, ere we take our departure from Hormah; and it is
this: There is
immense difficulty in walking humbly and patiently in the path which
our own failure
has rendered necessary for us. Israel's unbelief, in refusing to go up
into the land,
rendered it needful, in the governmental dealings of God, that they
should turn about
and wander in the wilderness for forty years. To this they were
unwilling to submit.
They kicked against it. They could not bow their necks to the necessary
yoke.
How often is this the case with us! We fail; we take some false step;
we get into
trying circumstances in consequence; and, then, instead of meekly
bowing down
under the hand of God, and seeking to walk with Him, in humbleness and
brokenness
of spirit, we grow restive and rebellious; we quarrel with the circumstances
instead of
judging ourselves; and we seek, in self-will, to escape from the
circumstances, instead
of accepting them as the just and necessary consequence of our own
conduct.
Again, it may happen that through weakness or failure, of one kind or another,
we
refuse to enter a position or path of spiritual privilege, and thereby
we are thrown
back in our course, and put upon a lower form in the school. Then,
instead of carrying
ourselves humbly, and submitting, in meekness and contrition, to the
hand of God, we
presume to force ourselves into the position, and affect to enjoy the
privilege, and put
forth pretensions to power, and it all issues in the most humiliating
defeat and
confusion.
These things demand our most profound consideration. It is a great
thing to cultivate a
lowly spirit, a heart content with a place of weakness and contempt.
God resisteth the
proud, but He giveth grace to the lowly. A pretentious spirit must,
sooner or later, be
brought down; and all hollow assumption of power must be exposed. If
there be not
faith to take possession of the promised land, there is nothing for it
but to tread the
wilderness in meekness and lowliness.
And, blessed be God, we shall have Him with us in that wilderness
journey, though
we shall not and cannot have Him with us in our self-chosen path of
pride and
assumption. Jehovah refused to accompany Israel into the mountain of
the Amorites;
but He was ready to turn about, in patient grace, and accompany them
through all
their desert wanderings. If Israel would not enter Canaan with Jehovah,
He would go
back into the wilderness with Israel. Nothing can exceed the grace that
shines in this.
Had they been dealt with according to their deserts, they might, at
least, have been left
to wander alone through the desert. But, blessed for ever be His great
name, He does
not deal with us after our sins, or reward us according to our
iniquities. His thoughts
are not as our thoughts; nor are
His ways as our ways. Notwithstanding all the unbelief, the
ingratitude, and the
provocation exhibited by the people; notwithstanding that their return
back into the
desert was the fruit of their own conduct, yet did Jehovah, in
condescending grace and
patient love, turn back with them to be their travelling companion for
forty long and
dreary years in the wilderness.
Thus, if the wilderness proves what man is, it also proves what God is;
and, further, it
proves what faith is; for Joshua and Caleb had to return with the whole
congregation
of their unbelieving brethren, and remain for forty years out of their
inheritance,
though they themselves were quite prepared, through grace, to go up
into the Land.
This might seem a great hardship. Nature might judge it unreasonable
that two men of
faith should have to suffer on account of the unbelief of other people.
But faith can
afford to wait patiently. and besides, how could Joshua and Caleb
complain of the
protracted march, when they saw Jehovah about to share it with them?
Impossible.
They were prepared to wait for God's time; for faith is never in a
hurry. The faith of
the servants might well be sustained by the grace of the Master.
Numbers 15
The words with which our chapter opens are peculiarly striking, when
taken in
connection with the contents of chapter 14. There all seemed dark and
hopeless.
Moses had to say to the people, "Go not up', for the Lord is not
among you; that ye be
not smitten before your enemies." And, again, the Lord had said to
them, "as truly as I
lire, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. Your carcasses
shall fall in
this wilderness...... Doubtless ye shall not come into the land
concerning which I
sware to make you dwell therein..... As for you, your carcasses, they
shall fall in this
wilderness."
Thus much as to chapter 14. But no sooner do we open the section now
before us,
than, just as though nothing had happened, and though all were as calm,
as bright, and
as certain as God could make it, we read such words as these, "The
Lord spake unto
Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,
when ye be come
into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you," &c.
This is one of the most
remarkable passages in the entire of this most wonderful book. Indeed
there is not, in
the whole compass of the book, a passage more thoroughly
characteristic, not only of
Numbers, but of the entire volume of God. When we read the solemn
sentence, "Ye
shall not come into the Land," what is the plain lesson which it
reads out to us? The
lesson, which we are so slow to learn, of man's utter worthlessness.
"All flesh is
grass."
And, on the other hand, when we read such words as these, "When ye
be come into
the land of your habitations, which I give unto you," what is the
precious lesson which
they read out to us? This, assuredly, that salvation is of the Lord. In
the one, we learn
man's failure; in the other, God's faithfulness. If we look at man's
side of the question,
the sentence is, "Doubtless ye shall not come into the land.'' But
if we look at God's
side of the question, we can reverse the matter, and say,
"Doubtless ye shall."
Thus it stands in the scene now before us; and thus it stands in the
whole volume of
inspiration, from beginning to end. Man fails; but God is faithful. Man
forfeits
everything; but God makes good all. "The things which are
impossible with man are
possible with God." Need we travel through the inspired canon in
order to illustrate
and prove this? Need we refer the reader to the history of Adam, in
paradise? or the
history of Noah, after the flood? or the history of Israel, in the
wilderness? Israel, in
the land? Israel, under the law? Israel, under the Levitical
ceremonial? Shall we dwell
upon the record of man's failure in the prophetic, priestly, and kingly
office? Shall we
point out the failure of the professing church as a responsible vessel
on the earth? Has
not man failed always and in everything? alas! it is so.
This is one side of the picture—the dark and humbling side. But,
blessed be God,
there is the bright and encouraging side also. If there is the
"Doubtless ye shall not;"
there is also the "Doubtless ye shall." and why? Because
Christ has entered the scene,
and in Him all is infallibly secured for the glory of God and the
eternal blessing of
man. It is God's eternal purpose to "Head up all things in Christ."
There is not a single
thing in which the fist man has failed, that the second Man will not
make good. All is
set up on a new footing in Christ. He is the Head of the new creation;
Heir of all the
promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, touching the land; Heir of
all the
promises made to David concerning the throne. the government shall be
upon His
shoulder. He shall bear the glory. He is the Prophet, Priest, and King.
In a word,
Christ makes good all that Adam lost, and brings in much more beside
than Adam
ever had. Hence, when we look at the first Adam and his doings,
whenever and
However viewed, the sentence is "Doubtless ye shall not." Ye
shall not remain in
Paradise—ye shall not retain the government—ye shall not inherit the
promises—ye
shall not enter the land—ye shall not occupy the throne—ye shall not
enter the
kingdom.
But, on the other hand, when we look at the last Adam and His doings,
wherever and
However viewed, The entire category must be gloriously reversed; the
"not" must be
for ever taken from the sentence, for in Christ Jesus "all the
promises of God are yea
and Amen, to the glory of God by us." There is no "nay"
in the matter when Christ is
concerned. all is "yea''—all is divinely settled and established;
and because it is so,
God has set His seal to it, even the seal of His Spirit, which all
Believers now possess.
"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by
us, even by me
and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
For all the
promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God
by us. Now
He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is
God; who hath
also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our
hearts." 2 Cor. 1: 19-22.
Thus, then, the opening lines of Numbers 15 must be read in the light
of the whole
volume of God. It falls in with the entire history of the ways of God
with man, in this
world. Israel had forfeited all title to the land. They deserved
nothing better than that
their carcasses should fall in the wilderness. And yet such is the
large and precious
grace of God, that He could speak to them of their coming into the
land, and instruct
them as to their ways and works therein.
Nothing can be more blessed or more establishing than all this. God
rises above all
human failure and sin. It is utterly impossible that a single promise
of God can fail of
its accomplishment. Could it Be that the conduct of Abraham's seed in
the wilderness
should frustrate God's eternal purpose, or hinder the fulfilment of the
absolute and
unconditional promise made to the fathers? Impossible; and, therefore,
if the
generation which came up out of Egypt refused to go into Canaan,
Jehovah would, of
the very stones, raise up a seed to Whom His promise should be made
good. This will
help to explain the opening sentence of our chapter, which comes in
with such
remarkable force and beauty after the humiliating scenes of chapter 14.
In this latter,
Israel's sun seems to go down amid dark and angry clouds; But in the former,
it rises
with serene brightness, revealing and establishing that great truth
that "The gifts and
calling of God are without repentance." God never repents of His
call or His gift; and
hence, though an unbelieving generation should murmur and rebel ten
thousand times
over, He will make good all that He has promised.
Here is the divine resting place of faith at all times—the sure and
safe haven for the
soul amid the wreck of all human schemes and undertakings. Everything
goes to
pieces in man's hands; but God in Christ remains. Let man be set up in
business again
and again, under the most favourable circumstances, and he is sure to
become a
bankrupt; but God has set up Christ in resurrection, and all who
believe in Him are
placed on a new footing altogether, they are taken into partnership
with the risen and
glorified Head, and there they stand for ever. That wondrous
partnership can never be
dissolved. All is secured on a basis that no power of earth or hell can
ever touch.
Reader, say, Dost thou understand the application of all this to
thyself? Hast thou
discovered, in the light of God's presence, that thou art, in very
deed, a bankrupt; that
thou hast made shipwreck of everything; that thou hast not a single
plea to urge? Hast
thou been led to make a personal application of those two sentences
upon which we
have been dwelling, namely "Doubtless thou shalt not," and
"Doubtless thou shalt''?
Hast thou learnt the force of these words, "Thou hast destroyed
thyself; But in me is
thy help''? In one word, hast thou come to Jesus as a lost, guilty
self-destroyed sinner,
and found redemption, pardon, and peace in Him?
Do pause, dear friend, and seriously consider these things. We can
never lose sight of
the weighty fact that we have something more to do than to write
"Notes on the Book
of Numbers." We have to consider the soul of the reader. We have a
most solemn
responsibility to discharge to him or to her; and therefore it is that,
from time to time,
we feel constrained to turn, for a moment, from the page on which we
are meditating,
in order to make an appeal to the heart and conscience of the reader,
and entreat him,
most earnestly, that if he be as yet unconverted, undecided, he would
lay aside this
volume, and apply his heart seriously to the great question of his
present condition
and eternal destiny. In comparison with this, all other questions
dwindle into utter
insignificance. what are all the schemes and undertakings which begin,
continue, and
end in time, when compared with eternity and the salvation of your
never-dying soul?
They are as the small dust of the balance. "What shall it profit a
man if he shall gain
the whole world and lose his own soul" If you had the wealth of a
Rothschild, the
money king—if you stood on the loftiest pinnacle of literary fame or
political
ambition—if your name were adorned with all the honours which the
universities of
this world could bestow—if your brow were wreathed with the laurels and
your breast
covered with the medals of a hundred victories—what would it profit you?
You must
leave all—you must pass through the narrow arch of time into the
boundless ocean of
eternity. Men of princely wealth, men of literary fame, men who have
ruled by their
intellectual power the House of Lords and Commons—men who have held
thousands
hanging entranced upon their lips—men who have reached the very highest
point of
naval, military, and forensic distinction—have passed away into
eternity; and the
awful question as to such is, "Where is the soul?"
Beloved reader, we beseech thee, by the most weighty arguments that can
possibly be
urged upon the soul of men, not to turn away from this subject until
thou hast come to
a right conclusion. By God's great love—by the cross and passion of
Christ—by the
powerful testimony of God the Holy Ghost—by the awful solemnity of a
never-ending
eternity—by the unspeakable value of thy immortal soul—by all the joys
of heaven—
by all the horrors of hell—by these seven weighty arguments, we urge
thee, this
moment, to come to Jesus. Delay not! Argue not Reason not But come now,
just as
you are, with all your sins, with all your misery, with your misspent
life, with your
dreadful record of mercies slighted, advantages abused, opportunities
neglected—
come to Jesus who stands, with open arms and loving heart, ready to
receive you, and
points to those wounds which attest the reality of His atoning death
upon the cross,
and tells you to put your trust in Him, and assures you you will never
be confounded.
May God's Spirit carry home this appeal to thy heart, this moment, and
give thee no
rest until thou art savingly converted to Christ, reconciled to God,
and sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise!
We shall now return, for a moment, to our chapter.
Nothing can be more lovely than the picture here presented. We have vows
and
freewill offerings, sacrifices of righteousness, and the wine of the
Kingdom, all based
upon the sovereign grace which shines in the very first verse. It is a
fair sample, a
beauteous foreshadowing of the future condition of Israel. It reminds
us of the
marvellous visions which close the book of the prophet Ezekiel. The
unbelief, the
murmuring, the rebellion, are all over and all forgotten. God retires
into His own
eternal counsels, and from thence looks forward to the time when His
people shall
offer an offering in righteousness and pay their vows to Him, and the
joy of His
kingdom shall fill their hearts for ever. Verses 3-13.
But there is one very striking feature in this chapter, and that is the
place which "the
stranger" gets. It is most thoroughly characteristic. "And if
a stranger sojourn with
you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an
offering made
by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do. One
ordinance shall
be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that
sojourneth with you
an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall The
stranger be before
the Lord. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger
that
sojourneth with you."
What a place for the stranger! What a lesson for Israel! What a
standing testimony on
the page of their favourite and boasted Moses! The stranger is placed
on the very
same platform with Israel "As ye are, so shall the stranger
be," and this, too, "before
the Lord." In Exodus 12: 48 we read, "And when a stranger
shall sojourn with thee,
and will keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be
circumcised, and then let
him come near and keep it." But in Numbers 15 there is no allusion
to circumcision at
all. And why? Is it that such a point could ever be waived? No; but we
believe the
omission here is full of meaning. Israel had forfeited everything. The
rebellious
generation was to be set aside and cut off; but God's eternal purpose
of grace must
stand, and All His promises be fulfilled. All Israel shall be saved;
they shall possess
the land; they shall offer pure offerings, pay their vows, and taste
the joy of the
Kingdom. On what ground? On the ground of sovereign mercy. Well, it is
on the
selfsame ground that "the stranger" shall be brought in; and
not only brought in, but"
As ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord."
Will the Jew quarrel with this? Let him go and study Numbers 13 and 14.
And when
he has drunk into his inmost soul the wholesome lesson, then let him
meditate on
Numbers 15; and we feel assured he will not seek to push "the
stranger" off the
platform, for he will be ready to confess himself a debtor to mercy
alone, and to
acknowledge that the same mercy which has reached him can reach the
stranger, and
he will rejoice to go in company with that stranger to drink of the
wells of salvation
thrown open by the sovereign grace of the God of Jacob.
Are we not forcibly reminded, by the teaching of this part of our book,
of that
profound section of dispensational truth presented in Romans 9-11,
particularly of its
magnificent close? "The gifts and calling of God are without
repentance. For as ye
[strangers] in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained
mercy through
their unbelief: even so have these also now not believed in your mercy
(i.e., Mercy
shown to the Gentiles, see Greek), that they also may obtain mercy
[i.e., come in on
the ground of mercy like the stranger.] For God hath concluded them all
in unbelief,
that he might have mercy upon all [Jews and Gentiles—Israel and the
stranger.] O the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how
unsearchable are
his judgements, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the
mind of the
Lord? or who hath been his counselor Or who hath first given to him,
and it shall be
recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him,
are all things:
to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Romans 11: 29-36.
In Numbers 15: 22-32, we have instructions as to sins of ignorance and
presumptuous
sins—a very grave and important distinction. For the former, simple
provision is
made, in the goodness and mercy of God. The death of Christ is
presented, in this
portion of the chapter, in its two grand aspects, namely, the burnt
offering, and the sin
offering; that is, its aspect to Godward, and its aspect to usward; and
we have also all
the preciousness, fragrance, and joy of His perfect life and service,
as a man in this
world, as typified by the meat offering and drink offering. In the
burnt offering, we
see atonement wrought according to the measure of Christ's devotedness
to God, and
of God's delight in Him. In the sin offering, we see atonement wrought
according to
the measure of the sinner's necessities and the hatefulness of sin in
God's sight. The
two offerings, taken together, present the atoning death of Christ in
all its fullness.
Then, in the meat offering, we have Christ's perfect life and the
reality of His human
nature, as manifested in all the details of His path and service in
this world. While the
drink offering typifies His complete surrender of Himself to God.
Into the rich and marvellous instruction conveyed in the different
classes of sacrifices,
presented in this passage, we do not attempt to enter now. The reader who
desires to
study the subject more fully, is referred to a little volume entitled
"Notes on the Book
of Leviticus." (Pages 1—140.) We merely state here, in the very
Briefest manner,
what we judge to be the main import of each offering; to go into details
would only be
to repeat what we have already written.
We would merely add that the claims of God demand that sins of
ignorance should be
taken cognisance of. We might feel disposed to say, or at least to
think, that such sins
ought to be passed over. But God does not think so. His holiness must
not be reduced
to the standard of our intelligence. Grace has made provision for sins
of ignorance;
but holiness demands that such sins should be judged and confessed.
Every true heart
will bless God for this. For what would become of us if the provisions
of divine grace
were not adequate to meet the claims of divine holiness? And adequate
they most
surely could not be, if they travelled not beyond the range of our
intelligence.
And yet, while all this will, generally speaking, be fully admitted, it
is often very
sorrowful to hear professing Christians making excuses for ignorance,
and justifying
unfaithfulness and error on the ground of ignorance. But very often, in
such cases, the
question may, very cogently, be urged, why are we ignorant, in
reference to any point
of conduct, or the claims of Christ upon us? Suppose a question comes
before us,
demanding a positive judgement, and calling for a certain line of
action; we plead
ignorance. Is this right? Will it avail? Will it dispose of our
responsibility! Will God
allow us to shirk the question after such a fashion? Nay, reader, we
may rest assured it
will not do. Why are we ignorant? Have we put forth all our energies,
have we
adopted every available means, have we made every possible effort, to
get at the root
of the matter and reach a just conclusion? Let us bear in mind that the
claims of truth
and holiness demand all this of us; nor should we be satisfied with
anything less. We
cannot but admit that, were it a question involving, in any measure,
our own interests,
our name, our reputation, our property, we should leave no stone
unturned in order to
make ourselves fully acquainted with all the facts of the case. We
should not long
plead ignorance in such matters. If information were to be had, we
should have it. We
should do our very utmost to know all the ins and outs, the pros and
cons of the
question, so that we might form a sound judgement in the matter.
Is this not so, reader? Well, then, why should we plead ignorance when
the claims of
Christ are in question? Does it not prove that while we are quick,
earnest, energetic,
all alive, when self is concerned, we are indifferent, sluggish,
slow-paced, when
Christ is concerned? Alas! alas! this is the plain humbling truth. May
we be humbled
under a sense of it! May the Spirit of God make us more thoroughly in
earnest in
things which concern our Lord Jesus Christ. May self and its interests
sink, and may
Christ and His interests rise in our estimation, every day! And may we
at least
cordially own our holy responsibility to go diligently into every
question in the which
the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may, even in the most
remote degree,
be involved, however we may fail practically in our research. Let us
not dare to say,
or think, or act, as though we thought that anything that concerns Him
is a matter of
indifference to us. God, in His mercy, forbid! Let us esteem All that
merely concerns
ourselves to be, comparatively, non-essential; but the claims of Christ
to be of
paramount authority.
We have said thus much on the subject of ignorance, in the sense of our
responsibility, to the truth of God, and to the soul of the reader. We
feel its immense
practical importance. We believe we very often plead ignorance, when
indifference
would be the truer term to use. This is very sad. Surely if our God, in
His infinite
goodness, has made ample provision even for sins of ignorance, that is
no reason why
we should coolly shelter ourselves behind the plea of ignorance when
there is the
most abundant information within our reach, had we only the energy to
make use of
it.
We might not, perhaps, have dwelt at such length upon this point, were
it not for the
conviction which becomes, each day, more strengthened in the soul, that
we have
reached a serious moment in our history as Christians. We are not given
to croaking.
We have no sympathy whatever with it. We believe it is our privilege to
be filled with
the most joyful confidence, and to have our hearts and minds ever garrisoned
by the
peace of God that passeth all understanding. "God hath not given
us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1: 7.
But it is impossible to close our eyes to the startling fact that the
claims of Christ—
the value of truth—the authority of holy scripture, are being, more and
more, set
aside, each day, each week, each gear. We believe we are approaching a
moment in
the which there will be toleration for anything and everything save the
truth of God. It
behoves us therefore to look well to it, that God's word has its own
proper place in the
heart; and that the conscience is governed, in all things, by its holy
authority. A tender
conscience is a most precious treasure to carry about with us, from day
to day—a
conscience that ever yields a true response to the action of the word
of God—that
bows down, without a question, to its plain statements. When the
conscience is in this
fine condition, there is always a regulating power wherewith to act
upon one's
practical course and character. Conscience may be compared to the
regulator of a
watch. It may happen that the hands of the watch get astray; but so
long as the
regulator has power over the spring, there is always the means of
correcting the
hands. If that power be gone, the entire watch must be taken to pieces.
So with the
conscience. So long as it continues true to the touch of scripture, as
applied by the
Holy Ghost, there is always a safe and sure regulating power; But if it
becomes
sluggish, hardened, or perverted, if it refuses to yield a true
response to "Thus saith
the Lord," there is little if any hope. It then becomes a case
similar to that referred to
in our chapter, "But the soul that doeth anything presumptuously,
whether he be born
in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that
soul shall be cut off
from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord,
and hath
broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his
iniquity shall be upon
him." Verses 30, 31.
This is no sin of ignorance, but a presumptuous, wilful sin, for which
nothing
remained But the unmitigated judgement of God. "Rebellion is as
the sin of
witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." (1 Sam.
15: 13.) These are
weighty words for a moment like the present, when man's will is
developing itself
with such extraordinary force. It is deemed manly to assert our will;
but scripture
teaches the direct opposite. The two grand elements of human
perfection—of perfect
manhood—are these, namely, dependence and obedience. In proportion as
any one
departs from these, he departs from the true spirit and attitude of a
man. Hence, when
we turn our eyes to Him who was the perfect man—the man Christ Jesus,
we see
these two grand features perfectly adjusted and perfectly developed,
from first to last.
That blessed One was never, for a single moment, out of the attitude of
perfect
dependence and absolute obedience. To prove and illustrate this fact
would take us
through the entire gospel narrative. But take the scene of the
temptation, and there
you will find a sample of the whole of that blessed life. His one
unvarying reply to the
tempter was, "It is written." No reasonings, no arguments, no
questions. He lived by
the word of God. He conquered Satan by holding fast the only true
position of a
man—dependence and obedience. He could depend upon God; and He would
obey
Him. What could Satan do in such a case? Absolutely nothing.
Well, then, this is our example. we, as having the life of Christ, are
called to live in
habitual dependence and obedience. This is walking in the Spirit. This
is the safe and
happy path of the Christian. Independence and disobedience go together.
They are
utterly unchristian and unmanly. We find these two things in the first man,
as we find
the two opposites in the Second. Adam in the garden sought to be
independent, He
was not content with being a man, and abiding in the only true place
and spirit of a
man, and he became disobedient. Here lies the secret of fallen
humanity—these are
the two elements which make up fallen manhood. Trace it where you
will—before
the flood, after the flood; without law, under the law; Heathen, Pagan,
Jew, Turk, or
nominal Christian; analyse it as closely as you please—and you will see
that it
resolves itself into these two component parts—independence and
disobedience. And
when you reach the close of man's history in this world, when you view
him in that
last sad sphere in which he is to figure, how do you see him? in what
character does
he appear? as "the wilful king," and the "lawless
man."
May we have grace to ponder these things aright. Let us cultivate a
lowly and an
obedient spirit. God has said, "To this man will I look, even to
will who is of a
contrite spirit and trembleth at my word." May these words sink
down into our ears
and into our hearts; and let the constant breathing of our souls be,
"Keep back thy
servant, O Lord, from presumptuous sins, and let them not have dominion
over him."*
{*We would remind the young Christian reader, especially, that the true
safeguard
against sins of ignorance is the study of the word; and the true
safeguard against
presumptuous sins, is subjection to the word. We all need to bear these
things in
mind; but our younger brethren particularly. There is a strong tendency
amongst
young Christians to get into the current of this present age, and to
drink in its spirit.
Hence the independence, the strong will, the impatience of control, the
disobedience
to parents, the headiness, high-mindedness, and self-confidence, the
pretentious style,
the assumption, the setting up to be wiser than their elders—all these
things so hateful
in the sight of God, and so entirely opposed to the spirit of
Christianity. We would
most earnestly and lovingly entreat all our young friends to guard
against these things,
and to cultivate a lowly mind. Let them remember that "God
resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace to the lowly."}
It only remains for us, ere closing this section, to notice the case of
the sabbath-
breaker and the institution of "the riband of blue."
"And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they
found a man that
gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering
sticks
brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. And they
put him in
ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the
Lord said unto
Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall
stone him with
stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without
the camp, and
stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses."
Verses 32-36.
This surely was a presumptuous sin—it was flying in the face of a most
plain and
positive commandment of God. It is this that specially marks a
presumptuous sin, and
leaves it utterly inexcusable. Ignorance cannot be pleaded in the face
of a divine
command.
But why, it may be asked, had they to put the man in ward? Because,
although the
commandment was explicit, yet the breach of it had not been
anticipated, nor had any
penalty been enacted. To speak after the manner of men, Jehovah had not
contemplated such folly on man's part, as the interruption of His rest,
and therefore
He had not formally provided for such an occurrence. We need not say
that God
knows the end from the beginning; but in the matter now before us, He
purposely left
the case unnoticed until occasion required. But alas! occasion did
require, for man is
capable of anything. He has no heart for God's rest. To kindle a fire
on the sabbath
day was not only a positive breach of the law, but it evidenced the
most complete
alienation from the mind of the Lawgiver, inasmuch as it introduced
into the day of
rest that which is the apt symbol of judgement. Fire is emblematic of
judgement, and
as such it was wholly out of keeping with the repose of the sabbath.
Nothing therefore
remained but to visit the sabbath-breaker with judgement, for
"whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap."
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel, and bid
them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments,
throughout their
generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband
of blue. And it
shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember
all the
commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your
own heart,
and your own eyes .... that ye may remember, and do all my
commandments, and be
holy unto your God. I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of
the land of
Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God." Verses 37-41.
The God of Israel would keep His people in continual remembrance of His
holy
commandments. Hence the beautiful institution of "the ribband of
blue" which was
designed to be a heavenly memorial attached to the very borders of
their garments, so
that the word of God might ever be held fast in the remembrance of the
thoughts of
their hearts. Whenever an Israelite cast his eyes upon the blue
ribband, he was to
think of Jehovah, and yield a hearty obedience to all His statutes.
Such was the great practical intention of "the ribband of
blue." But when we turn to
Matthew 23: 5, we learn the sad use which man had made of the divine
institution:
"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad
their phylacteries,
and enlarge the borders of their garments." Thus the very thing
which had been
instituted for the purpose of leading them to remember Jehovah, and to
yield a lowly
obedience to His precious word, was turned into an occasion of self-exaltation
and
religious pride. Instead of thinking of God, and His word, they thought
of themselves,
and of the place which they held in the estimation of their fellows.
"All their works
they do to be seen of men." Not a thought of God. The spirit of the
original institution
was completely lost, while the outward form was kept up for selfish
ends. Can we not
see something like this around us and among us? Let us think of
it—think deeply and
seriously. Let us see to it that we do not turn the heavenly memorial
into an earthly
badge, and that which ought to lead to lowly obedience into an occasion
of self-
exaltation.
Numbers 16
The chapter on which we have just been dwelling, is what may be called
a digression
from the history of Israel's wilderness life, except indeed the short
paragraph
respecting the Sabbath-breaker, It looks forward into the future, when,
spite of all
their sin and folly, their murmuring and rebellion, Israel shall
possess the land of
Canaan, and offer sacrifices of righteousness and songs of praise to
the God of their
salvation. In it we have seen Jehovah rising far above all the unbelief
and
disobedience, the pride and wilfulness exhibited in Numbers 13 and
Numbers 14, and
looking on to the full and final accomplishment of His own eternal
purpose, and the
fulfilment of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
But in chapter 16 the wilderness story is resumed—that sad and humbling
story, so far
as man is concerned; but a bright and blessed story of the exhaustless
patience and
boundless grace of God. These are the two grand lessons of the
wilderness. We learn
what man is, and we learn what God is. The two things lie side by side
on the pages of
the Book of Numbers. Thus in chapter 14 we have man and his ways. In
chapter 15
we have God and His ways. And now, in the chapter which opens before
us, we come
back to man and his ways again. May we reap much deep and solid
instruction from
the double lesson!
"Now Korah, the son of Ishar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi,
and Dathan and
Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben,
took men: and
they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two
hundred and
fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of
renown: and they
gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said
unto them,
Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every
one of them,
and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above
the
congregation of the Lord?" Verses 1-3.
Here then we enter upon the solemn history of what the Holy Ghost, by
the Apostle
Jude, terms "The gainsaying of Core." The rebellion is
attributed to Korah, inasmuch
as he was the religious leader in it. He seems to have possessed
sufficient influence to
gather around him a large number of influential men" princes,
famous men, and men
of renown." In short, it was a very formidable and serious
rebellion; and we shall do
well to look closely at its source and moral features.
It is always a most critical moment in the history of an assembly when
a spirit of
disaffection displays itself; for, if it be not met in the right way,
the most disastrous
consequences are sure to follow. There are materials in every assembly
capable of
being acted upon, and it only needs some restless master spirit to
arise, in order to
work on such materials, and fan into a devouring flame the fire that
has been
smouldering in secret. There are hundreds and thousands ready to flock
around the
standard of revolt, when once it has been raised, who have neither the
vigour nor the
courage to raise it themselves. It is not every one that Satan will
take up as an
instrument in such work. It needs a shrewd, clever, energetic man—a man
of moral'
power—one possessing influence over the minds of his fellows, and an
iron will to
carry forward his schemes. No doubt Satan infuses much of all these
into the men
whom he uses in his diabolical undertakings. At all events, we know, as
a fact, that
the great leaders in all rebellious movements are generally men of
master minds,
capable of swaying, according to their own will, the fickle multitude,
which, like the
ocean, is acted upon by every stormy mind that blows. Such men know
how, in the
first place, to stir the passions of the people; and, in the second
place, how to wield
them, when stirred. Their most potent agency—the leper with which they
can most
effectually raise the masses-is some question as to their liberty and
their rights. If they
can only succeed in persuading people that their liberty is curtailed,
and their rights
infringed, they are sure to gather a number of restless spirits around
them, and do a
vast deal of serious mischief.
Thus it was in the matter of Korah and his coadjutors. They sought to
make it appear
that Moses and Aaron were lording it over their brethren, and
interfering with their
rights and privileges as members of a holy congregation, in which,
according to their
judgement, all were on a dead level, and one had as much right to be
active as
another.
"Ye take too much upon you." Such was their charge against
"the meekest man in all
the earth." But what had Moses taken upon him? Surely the most
cursory glance back
at the history of that dear and honoured servant would have been
sufficient to
convince any impartial person that, so far from taking dignity and
responsibility upon
him, he had shown himself only too ready to shrink from them when
presented, and
sink under them when imposed. Hence, therefore, any one who could think
of
accusing Moses of taking upon him, only proved himself totally ignorant
of the man's
real spirit and character. Assuredly the one who could say to
Joshua," Enviest thou for
my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that
the Lord would
put His spirit upon them!" was not very likely to take much upon
him.
But, on the other hand, if God calls one a man into prominence—if he
qualifies him
for work—if He fills and fits the vessel for special service—if He
assigns a man his
position—then of what possible use can it be for any one to quarrel
with divine gift,
and divine appointment? In truth, nothing can be more absurd. "A
man can receive
nothing except it be given him from heaven." And therefore it must
prove worse than
useless for any one to assume to be or have anything, for all such
assumption must
prove hollow in the end. Men will, sooner or later, find their level;
and nothing will
stand but what is of God.
Korah and his company, therefore, were quarrelling with God and not
with Moses and
Aaron. These latter had been called of God to occupy a certain
position, and to do a
certain work, and woe be to them if they refused. It was not they who
had aimed at
the position or assumed the work; they were ordained of God. This ought
to have
settled the question; and it would have settled it for all save
restless, self-occupied
rebels, who sought to undermine the true servants of God in order to
exalt themselves.
This is always the way with the promoters of sedition or disaffection.
Their real
object is to make themselves somebody. They talk loudly and very
plausibly about the
common rights and privileges of God's people; But, in reality, they
themselves are
aiming at a position for which they are in no way qualified; and at
privileges to which
they have no right.
In point of fact, the matter is as simple as possible. Has God given a
man his place to
fill—his work to do? Who will question this? Well, then, let each one
know his place
and fill it—know his work and do it. It is the most senseless thing in
the world for one
to attempt to occupy another's post or do another's work. We were led
to see this, very
distinctly, when meditating on Numbers 3 and Numbers 4, It must ever
hold good.
Korah had his work; Moses had his. Why should one envy another? It
would be quite
as reasonable to charge the sun, moon, and stars with taking too much
upon them,
when they shine in their appointed spheres, as to charge any gifted
servant of Christ
therewith, when he seeks to discharge the responsibility which his
gift, most surely,
imposes upon him. These luminaries serve in the place assigned them by
the hand of
the almighty Creator; and so long as Christ's servants do the same, it
is charging them
falsely to say that they take too much upon them.
Now this principle is of immense importance, in every assembly, large
or small—
under all circumstances where Christians are called to work together.
It is a mistake
to suppose that all the members of the body of Christ are called to
places of
prominence; or that any member can select his place in the body. It is
wholly and
absolutely a matter of divine appointment.
This is the clear teaching of 1 Corinthians 12. "The body is not
one member, but
many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the
body; is it
therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not
the eye, I am not
of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an
eye, where
were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath
God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased
Him." Verses
14-18.
Here lies the true, the only true source of ministry in the Church of
God—the body of
Christ. "God hath set the members." It is not one man
appointing another; still less is
it a man appointing himself. It is divine appointment or nothing, yea,
worse than
nothing, a daring usurpation of divine rights.
Now, looking at the subject in the light of that marvellous
illustration of 1 Corinthians
12 what sense would there be in the feet charging the hands, or the
ears charging the
eyes, with taking too much upon them? Would not the notion be
preposterous in the
extreme? True, those members occupy a prominent place in the body; but
why do
they? Because God has set them there, as it pleased him." And what
are they doing in
that prominent place? They are doing the work which God has given them
to do. And
to what end? The good of the whole body. There is not a single member,
however
obscure, that does not derive positive benefit from the duly discharged
functions of
the prominent member. And, on the other hand, the prominent member is a
debtor to
the duly discharged functions of the obscure one. Let the eyes lose
their power of
vision, and every member will feel it. Let there be functional
derangement in the most
trivial member, and the most honourable member will suffer.
Hence, therefore, it is not a question of taking upon us much or
little, but of doing our
appointed work, and filling our appointed place. It is by the effectual
working of all
the members, according to the measure of every part, that the
edification of the whole
body is promoted. If this great truth be not seized and carried out,
edification, so far
from being promoted, is most positively hindered, the Holy Ghost is
quenched and
grieved; the sovereign rights of Christ are denied; and God is
dishonoured. Every
Christian is responsible to act on this divine principle, and to
testify against
everything that practically denies it. The fact of the ruin of the
professing Church is
no reason whatever for abandoning the truth of God, or sanctioning any
denial of it.
The Christian is always solemnly bound to submit himself to the
revealed mind of
God. To plead circumstances as an excuse for doing wrong, or for
neglecting any
truth of God, is simply flying in the face of divine authority, and
making God the
Author of our disobedience.
But we cannot pursue this subject further. 'We have merely referred to
it here in
connection with our chapter, with which we must now proceed. It is
undoubtedly a
most solemn page of Israel's wilderness story.
Korah and his company were very speedily taught the folly and sin of
their rebellious
movement. They were awfully wrong in daring to set themselves up
against the true
servants of the living God. As to Moses, the man against whom they were
gathered
together, when he heard their seditious words, ''he fell upon his
face." This was a very
good way to meet rebels. We have seen this beloved servant of God on
his face when
he ought to have been on his feet. (Ex. 14) But here it was about the
best and safest
thing he could do. There is never much use in contending with restless
and disaffected
people; better far leave them in the Lord's hands; for with Him, in
reality, is their
controversy. If God sets a man in a certain position, and gives him a
certain work to
do, and his fellows think proper to quarrel with him, simply on the
score of his doing
that work, and filling that position, then is their quarrel really with
God, who knows
how to settle it, and will do it in His own way. the assurance of this
gives holy
calmness and moral elevation to the Lord's servant, in moments when
envious and
turbulent spirits rise up against him. It is hardly possible for any
one to occupy a
prominent place of service, or to be pre-eminently used of God,
without, at some time
or another, having to encounter the attacks of certain radical and
discontented men,
who cannot bear to see any one more honoured than themselves. But the
true way to
meet such is to take the place of utter prostration and nothingness,
and allow the tide
of disaffection to roll over one.
"And when Moses beard it, he fell upon his face. And he spake unto
Korah and all his
company, saying, Even to-morrow the Lord will show [not Moses will
show] who are
his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even
him whom He
hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. This do; take you
censers, Korah
and all his company; and put fire therein, and put incense in them
before the Lord
tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he
shall be holy:
ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi." Verses 4-7.
This was placing the matter in the proper hands. Moses gives great
prominence to the
sovereign rights of Jehovah. "The Lord will show" and
"The Lord will choose." there
is not a syllable about himself or Aaron. The whole question hinges
upon the Lord's
choice and the Lord's appointment. The two hundred and fifty rebels are
brought face
to face with the living God. They are summoned into His presence, with
their censers
in their hands, in order that the whole matter may be thoroughly gone
into, and
definitely settled before that grand tribunal from which there can be
no appeal. It
would, obviously, have been of no possible use for Moses and Aaron to
attempt to
give judgement, inasmuch as they were defendants in the cause. But
Moses was
blessedly willing to have all parties summoned into the divine
presence, there to have
their matters judged and determined.
This was true humility and true wisdom. It is always well, when people
are seeking a
place, to let them have it, to their hearts content; for most
assuredly, the very place
after which they have foolishly aspired will be the scene of their
signal defeat and
deplorable confusion. you may sometimes see men envying others in a
certain sphere
of service, and longing to occupy that sphere themselves. let them try
it; and they are
sure, in the end, to break down and retire covered with shame and
confusion of face.
The Lord will surely confound all such. There is no use in man trying
to do it; and
hence it is always best for such as may happen to be the objects of
envious attack just
to fall on their faces before God, and let Him settle the question with
the malcontents.
It is most sad when such scenes occur in the history of God's people;
but they have
occurred; they do occur; and they may occur again and again; and we
feel assured that
the very best plan is to let men of a restless, ambitions, disaffected
spirit run to the
full length of their tether, and then they are sure to be pulled up. It
is, in point of fact,
to leave them in the hands of God, who will most surely deal with them
in His own
perfect way.
"And Moses said unto Korah, hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
seemeth it but a small
thing unto yon, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the
congregation of
Israel, to bring you near to Himself to do the service of the
tabernacle of the Lord, and
to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath
brought thee
near unto him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and
seek ye the
Priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are
gathered
together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against
Him?" Verses 8-
11.
Here we are conducted to the very root of this terrible conspiracy. We
see the man
who originated it. and the object at which he aimed. Moses addresses
Korah, and
charges him with aiming at the priesthood. Let the reader carefully
note this. It is
important that he should have this point clearly before his mind,
according to the
teaching of scripture. He must see what Korah was—what his work was—and
what
the object of his restless ambition was. He must see all these things
if he would
understand the true force and meaning of Jude's expression," The
gainsaying of Core."
What then was Korah? He was a Levite, and, as such, he was entitled to
minister and
to teach: "They shall teach Jacob thy judgements, and Israel thy
law." '' The God of
Israel hath brought you near to himself, to do the service of the
tabernacle of the Lord,
and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them." Such
was Korah, and
such his sphere of work. at what did he aim? At the priesthood.
"Seek ye the
priesthood also?"
Now, to a cursory observer it might not have appeared that Korah was
seeking
anything For himself. He seemed to be contending for the rights of the
whole
assembly. But Moses, by the Spirit of God, unmasks the man, and shows
that, under
the plausible pretext of standing up for the common rights of the
congregation, he was
audaciously seeking the priesthood for himself. It is well to note
this. It will most
generally be found that loud talkers about the liberties, rights, and
privileges of God's
people are, in reality, seeking their own exaltation and advantage. Not
content with
doing their proper work, they are seeking an improper place. This is
not always
apparent; but God is sure to make it manifest sooner or later, for
"by him actions are
weighed." Nothing can be more worthless than seeking a place for
oneself. It is sure
to end in disappointment and confusion. The grand thing for each one is
to be found
filling his appointed place and doing his appointed work; and the more
humbly,
quietly, and unpretendingly, the better.
But Korah had not learnt this simple but wholesome principle. He was
not content
with his divinely appointed place and service, But aimed at something
which did not
belong to him at all. He aimed at being a priest. His sin was the sin
of rebellion
against God's high priest. This was "the gainsaying of Core."
It is important to seize this fact in Korah's history. It is not
generally understood; and
hence it is that his sin is charged, now-a-days, upon those who seek to
exercise any
gift which may have been bestowed upon them by the Head of the Church.
But a
moment's calm reflection upon the subject in the light of scripture
would be quite
sufficient to show how utterly baseless is such a charge. Take, for
example, a man to
whom Christ has manifestly given the gift of an evangelist. Are we to
suppose him
guilty of the sin of Korah because, in pursuance of the divine gift and
the divine
commission, he goes forth to preach the gospel? Should he preach? or
should he not
preach? Is the divine gift—the divine call—sufficient. Is he acting as
a rebel when he
preaches the gospel?
So also as regards a pastor or teacher. Is he guilty of the sin of
Korah, because he
exercises the special gift imparted to him by the Head of the Church?
Does not
Christ's gift make a man a minister? Is anything further necessary? is
it not plain to
any unprejudiced mind—to any one willing to be taught by scripture—that
the
possession of a divinely imparted gift makes a man a minister, without
anything
further whatsoever? And is it not equally plain that, though a man had
everything else
that could be had, and yet had no gift from the Head of the Church, he
is no minister?
We confess we do not see how these plain propositions con be called in
question.
We are speaking, be it remembered, of special gifts of ministry in the
Church. No
doubt, every member in the body of Christ has some ministry to fulfil,
some work to
do. This is understood by every well-instructed Christian; and,
moreover, it is clear
that the edification of the body is carried on, not merely by some special
prominent
gifts, but by the effectual working of all the members in their
respective places, as we
read in the epistle to the Ephesians: "But speaking the truth in
love, may grow up into
him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole
body fitly
joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth
according to The
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the
body unto the
edifying of itself in love." Eph. 4: 15, 16.
All this is as plain as scripture can make it. But, as to any special
gifts, such as that of
evangelist, pastor, prophet, or teacher, it must be received from
Christ alone; and the
possession of it makes a man a minister, without anything further. And,
on the other
hand, all the education and all the human authority under the sun could
not make a
man an evangelist, a pastor, or teacher, unless he has a bona fide gift
from the Head
of the Church.
Thus much as to ministry in the Church of God. we trust enough has been
said to
prove to the reader that it is a very grave mistake indeed to charge
men with the awful
sin of Korah because they exercise those gifts which have been imparted
to them by
the great Head of the Church. In point of fact it would be a sin not to
exercise them.
But there is a very material difference between ministry and
priesthood. Korah did not
aim at being a minister, for that he was. He aimed at being a priest,
which he could
not be. The priesthood was vested in Aaron and his family; and it was a
daring
usurpation for any one else, no matter who, to attempt to offer
sacrifice, or discharge
any other priestly function. Now, Aaron was a type of our great High
Priest who is
passed into the heavens—Jesus the Son of God. Heaven is the sphere of
His ministry.
"If he were on earth he should not be a priest." (Heb. 8: 4)
"Our Lord sprang out of
Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood."
There is no such
thing as a priest on earth now, save in the sense in which all
believers are priests.
Thus we read in Peter, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood." (1 Peter
2: 9) Every Christian is a priest in this sense of the term. The very
feeblest saint in the
Church of God is as much a priest as Paul was. It is not a question of
capacity or
spiritual power, but simply of position. All believers are priests, and
they are called to
offer spiritual sacrifices, according to Hebrews 13: 15, 16: "By
him therefore let us
offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips, giving
thanks to his name. But to do good, and to communicate, forget not: for
with such
sacrifices God is well pleased."
This is the Christian priesthood. And let the reader note it carefully,
that to aim at any
other form of priesthood than this—to assume any other priestly
function—to set up a
certain priestly class—a sacerdotal caste—a number of men to act on
behalf of their
fellows—or discharge priestly service for them before God—this is, in
principle, the
sin of Korah. We only speak of the principle; not of persons. The germ
of the sin is as
distinct as possible. By and by there will be the full blown fruit.
The reader cannot possibly be too simple in apprehending this entire
subject. It is, we
may truly say, of capital importance, at this moment. Let him examine
it only in the
light of Holy Scripture. Tradition will not do. Ecclesiastical history
will not do. It
must be God's word alone. In the light of that word let the question be
asked and
answered, "Who are justly chargeable with the sin of Korah? Is it
those who seek to
exercise whatever gifts the Head of the Church has bestowed; or those
who assume a
priestly office and work which only belong to Christ Himself?"
This is a very weighty
and solemn question. may it be calmly pondered, in the divine presence;
and may we
seek grace to be faithful to Him who is not only our gracious Saviour
but our
sovereign Lord!
The remainder of our chapter presents a most solemn picture of divine
judgement
executed upon Korah and his company. The Lord very speedily settled the
question
raised by those rebellious men. The very record of it is appalling
beyond expression.
What must the fact have been? The earth opened her mouth and swallowed
up the
three principal movers in the rebellion; and the fire of the Lord went
forth and
consumed the two hundred and fifty men who undertook to offer incense.
"And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me
to do all these
works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the
common
death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all
men; then the Lord hath
not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her
mouth, and
swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down
quick into the
pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the
Lord." Verses 28-30.
Moses, in these words, makes it a question simply between Jehovah and
the rebels.
He can appeal to God, and leave all in His hands. This is the true
secret of moral
power. A man who has nothing of his own to seek—no aim or object but
the divine
glory—can confidently wait the issue-of things. But in order to this,
the eye must be
single, the heart upright, the purpose pure. It will not do to assume
or affect anything.
If God is going to judge, He most assuredly will expose all assumption
and
affectation. These things can have no place when the earth is opening
her mouth, and
the fire of the Lord is devouring all around. It is all very well to
swagger, and boast,
and speak great swelling words, when all is at rest. But when God
enters the scene, in
terrible judgement, the aspect of things is speedily changed.
"And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these
words, that the
ground clave asunder that was under them; and the earth opened her
mouth, and
swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained
unto Korah,
and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down
alive into the
pit, and the earth closed upon them; and they perished from among the
congregation.
And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for
they said, Lest
the earth swallow us up also." Verses 31-34
Truly, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God." "God is greatly to
be feared in the assembly of his saints; and to be had in reverence of
all them that are
round about Him." "Our God is a consuming fire." How
much better it would have
been for Korah had he rested content with his Levite service which was
of the very
highest order. His work as a Kohathite was to carry some of the most
precious vessels
of the sanctuary but he aimed at the priesthood, and fell into the pit.
Nor was this all. Hardly had the ground closed over the rebels, when
"there came out
a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that
offered
incense." It was a most terrific scene altogether—a signal and
soul-subduing
exhibition of divine judgement upon human pride and pretension. It is
vain for man to
exalt himself against God, for He resisteth the proud, but giveth grace
to the humble,
What consummate folly for worms of the dust to lift themselves up
against the
almighty God! Poor man! He is more silly by far than the moth that
rushes against the
blaze that consumes it.
Oh! to walk humbly with our God! to be content with His will; to be
satisfied to fill a
very humble niche, and to do the most unpretending work! This is true
dignity, and
true happiness. If God gives as a crossing to sweep, let us sweep it,
as under His eye,
and to His praise. The grand and all-essential point is to be found
doing the very work
which he gives us to do, and occupying the very post to which He
appoints us. Had
Korah and his company learnt this, their piercing wail would never have
terrified the
hearts of their brethren. But, no; they would be something When they
were nothing,
and hence they went down into the pit. Pride and destruction are
inseparably linked
together in the moral government of God. This principle always holds
good, however
the measure may vary. Let us remember it. Let us seek to rise from the
study of
Numbers 16. with a deepened sense of the value of an humble and
contrite spirit. We
live at a moment in the which man is pushing himself upward and onward.
"Excelsior" is a very popular motto just now. Let us look
well to our mode of
interpreting and applying it. "He that exalteth himself shall be
abased." If we are to be
governed by the rule of God's kingdom, we shall find that the only way
to get up is to
go down. The One who now occupies the very highest place in heaven is
the One who
voluntarily took the very lowest place on earth. See Philippians 2:
5-11.
Here is our example, as Christians; and here, too, the divine antidote
against the pride
and restless ambition of the men of this world. Nothing is more sad
than to witness a
pushing, bustling, forward, self-confident spirit and style in those
who profess to be
followers of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. It is such a flagrant
contradiction
of the spirit and precepts of Christianity, and is a sure accompaniment
of an unbroken
condition of soul. It is utterly impossible for any one to indulge in a
boastful,
pretentious, self-confident spirit, if ever he has really measured
himself in the
presence of God. To be much alone with God is the sovereign remedy for
pride and
self-complacency. May we know the reality of this in the secret of our
own souls!
May the good Lord keep us truly humble, in all our ways, simply leaning
on Himself,
and very very little in our own eyes!
The closing paragraph of our chapter illustrates, in a most striking
manner, the
incorrigible evil of the natural heart. One might fondly hope that
after the impressive
scenes enacted in the presence of the congregation, deep and permanent
lessons
would be learnt. Having seen the earth open her mouth—having heard the
heart-
rending cry of the rebels as they descended into the pit—having seen
the fire of the
Lord coming forth and consuming, as in a moment, two hundred and fifty
princes of
the congregation—having witnessed such tokens of the divine
judgement—such a
display of divine power and majesty—one might suppose that the people
would
henceforth walk softly and humbly; and that the accents of discontent
and rebellion
would no more be heard in their tents.
Alas! alas! man is not to be so taught. The flesh is utterly incurable.
This truth is
taught in every section and on every page of the volume of God.
Illustrated in the
closing lines of Numbers 16. "On the morrow." Think of that!
It was not in a year, or
a month, or even a week after the appalling scenes on which we have
been dwelling,
"But, on the morrow, all the congregation (no longer a few daring
spirits merely)
murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the
people of the
Lord. And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against
Moses and
against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and,
behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And
Moses and
Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord
spake unto
Moses saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may
consume them as
in a moment." Verses 41-45.
Here is another opportunity for Moses. the whole congregation is again
threatened
with immediate destruction. All seems hopeless. The divine
long-suffering seems at
an end, and the sword of judgement is about to fall on the whole
assembly. But now it
appears that in that very priesthood which the rebels had despised lies
the only hope
for the people; and that the very men whom they had charged with
killing the Lord's
people, were God's instruments in saving their lives. "And Moses
and Aaron fell upon
their faces. Had Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire
therein from off
the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation,
and make an
atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the
plague is begun.
And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the
congregation;
and, behold, the plague had begun among the people: and he put on
incense, and
made an atonement for the people. and He stood between the dead and the
living; and
the plague was stayed." Verses 46-48.
It is here made very apparent that nothing but priesthood—even that
very priesthood
which had been so despised—could avail for a rebellious and
stiff-necked people.
There is something unspeakably blessed in this closing paragraph. There
stands
Aaron, God's high priest, between the dead and the living, and from his
censer a cloud
of incense goes up before God—impressive type of One greater than
Aaron, who
having made a full and perfect atonement for the sins of His people, is
ever before
God in all the fragrance of His Person and work. Priesthood alone could
bring the
People through the wilderness. It was the rich and suited provision of
divine grace.
The people were indebted to intercession for their preservation from
the just
consequences of their rebellious murmurings. Had they been dealt with
merely on the
ground of justice, all that could be said was," Let me alone that
I may consume them
in a moment."
This is the language of pure and inflexible justice. Immediate
destruction is the work
of justice. Full and final preservation is the glorious and vital
characteristic work of
divine Grace—grace reigning through righteousness. Had God dealt in
mere justice
with the people, His name would not have been declared, inasmuch as
there is far
more in His name than justice. There is love, mercy, goodness,
Kindness, long-
suffering, deep and unfailing compassion. But none of these things
could be seen had
the people been consumed in a moment, and hence the name of Jehovah
would not
have been declared or glorified. "For my name's sake will I defer
mine anger, and for
my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off..... For
mine own sake, even
for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted?
and I will not
give my glory unto another." Isaiah 48: 9, 11.
How well it a for us that God acts towards us, and for us for the glory
of His own
name How wonderful too that His glory should most fully shine—yea,
could only be
seen in that vast plan which His own heart has devised, in which He is
revealed as "A
just God and a Saviour." Precious title for a poor lost sinner! In
it is wrapped up all
that such an one can possibly need for time and eternity. It meets him
in the depth of
his need, as a guilty hell-deserving one, bears him along through all
the varied
exigencies, trials, and sorrows of the wilderness; and, finally,
conducts him to that
bright and blessed world above, where sin and sorrow can never enter.
NUMBERS, Section 3 of 3,
(Num. 17—end).
C H Mackintosh
Numbers 17 & Numbers 18
These two chapters form a distinct section in which we have presented
to us the source, the
responsibilities, and the privileges of priesthood. Priesthood is a
divine institution. "No man
taketh this honour unto Himself, but he that is called of God, as was
Aaron." This is made
manifest, in a most striking manner, in chapter 17. "The Lord
spake unto Moses, saying,
speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod
according to the house
of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their
fathers twelve rods: write
thou every man's name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron's name
upon the rod of Levi:
for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And
thou shalt lay them up in
the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will
meet with you. And it
shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall
blossom: and I will make to
cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they
murmur against you.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their
princes gave him a rod
apiece, for each prince one, according to their father's houses, even
twelve rods: and the rod
of Aaron was among their rods." Verses 1-6.
What matchless wisdom shines in this arrangement! How completely is the
matter taken out
of man's hands and placed where alone it ought to be, namely, in the
hands of the living God!
It was not to be a man appointing himself, or a man appointing his
fellow; But God
appointing the man of His own selection. In a word, the question was to
be definitively
settled by God Himself, so that all murmurings might be silenced for
ever, and no one be able
again to charge God's high priest with taking too much upon him. the
human will had nothing
whatever to do with this solemn matter. The twelve rods, all in a like
condition, were laid up
before the Lord; man retired and left God to act. There was no room, no
opportunity, because
there was no occasion, for human management. In the profound retirement
of the sanctuary,
far away from all man's thinkings, was the grand question of priesthood
settled by divine
decision; and, being thus settled, it could never again be raised.
"And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of
witness. And it came to pass
that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and,
behold, the rod of Aaron
for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed
blossoms, and
yielded almonds." striking and beautiful figure of Him who was
"declared to be the Son of
God with power by resurrection from the dead!" The twelve rods
were all alike lifeless; but
God, the living God, entered the scene, and, by that power peculiar to
Himself, infused life
into Aaron's rod, and brought it forth to view, bearing upon it the
fragrant fruits of
resurrection.
Who could gainsay this? The rationalist may sneer at it, and raise a
thousand questions. Faith
gazes on that fruit-bearing rod, and sees in it a lovely figure of the
new creation in the which
all things are of God. Infidelity may argue on the ground of the
apparent impossibility of a
dry stick budding, blossoming, and bearing fruit in the coarse of one
night. But to whom does
it appear impossible? To the infidel—the rationalist—the sceptic. and
why? Because he
always shuts out God. Let us remember this. Infidelity invariably shuts
out God. Its
reasonings are carried on and its conclusions reached in midnight
darkness. There is not so
much as a single ray of true light in the whole of that sphere in which
infidelity operates. It
excludes the only source of light, and leaves the soul wrapped in the
shades and deep gloom
of a darkness that may be felt.
It is well for the young reader to pause here, and deeply ponder this
solemn fact Let him
calmly and seriously reflect on this special feature of
infidelity-rationalism—or scepticism. It
begins, continues, and ends with shutting out God. It would approach
the mystery of Aaron's
budding, blossoming, fruit bearing rod with a godless, audacious
"How?" This is the infidel's
great argument. He can raise ten thousand questions; but never settle
one. He will teach you
how to doubt, but never how to believe. He will lead you to doubt
everything; but gives you
nothing to believe.
Such, beloved reader, is infidelity. It is of Satan who ever has been,
is, and will be, the great
question raiser. Wherever you trace Satan, you will always find him
raising questions. He
fills the heart with all sorts of "ifs" and "hows,"
and thus plunges the soul in thick darkness. If
he can only succeed in raising a question, he has gained his point. But
he is perfectly
powerless with a simple soul that just believes that God Is, and God
HAS SPOKEN. Here is
faith's noble answer to the infidels questions—its divine solution of
all the infidel's
difficulties. Faith always brings in the very One that infidelity
always shuts out. It thinks with
God; infidelity thinks without Him.
Hence, then, we would say to the Christian reader, and specially to the
young Christian, never
admit questions when God has spoken. If you do, Satan will have you
under his foot in a
moment. Your only security against him is found in that one
impregnable, immortal sentence,
"It is written." It will never do to argue with him on the
ground of experience, of feeling, or
of observation; it must be absolutely and exclusively on the ground of
this—that God is, and
that God has spoken. Satan can make no hand of this weighty argument at
all. It is invincible.
Everything else he can shiver to pieces; but this confounds him and
puts him to flight at once.
We see this very strikingly illustrated in the temptation of our Lord.
the enemy, according to
His usual way, approached the blessed One with a question—"If thou
be the Son of God."
How did the Lord answer Him? Did He say," I know I am the Son of
God—I have had a
testimony from the opened heavens, and from the descending and anointing
Spirit—I feel,
and believe, and realise that I am the Son of God?" No; such was
not His mode of answering
the tempter. How then? "It is written." Such was the thrice
repeated answer of the obedient
and dependent Man; and such must be the answer of every one who will
overcome the
tempter.
Thus, in reference to Aaron's budding rod, if any inquire, "How
can such a thing be? It is
contrary to the laws of nature; and how could God reverse the
established principles of
natural philosophy?" Faith's reply is sublimely simple. God can do
as He pleases. The One
who called worlds into existence, could make a rod to bud, blossom, and
bear fruit in a
moment. Bring God in, and all is simple and plain as possible. Leave
God out, and All is
plunged in hopeless confusion. The attempt to tie up—we speak with
reverence—the
Almighty Creator of the vast universe, by certain laws of nature, or
certain principles of
natural philosophy, is nothing short of impious blasphemy. It is almost
worse than denying
His existence altogether. It is hard to say which is the worse, the
atheist who says there is no
God, or the rationalist who maintains that He cannot do as He pleases.
We feel the immense importance of being able to see the real roots of
all the plausible
theories which are afloat at the present moment. The mind of man is
busy forming systems,
drawing conclusions, and reasoning in such a manner as virtually to
exclude the testimony of
holy scripture altogether, and to shut out God from His own creation.
Our young people must
be solemnly warned as to this. They must be taught the immense
difference between the facts
of science, and the conclusions of scientific men. A fact is a fact
wherever you meet it,
whether in geology, astronomy, or any other department of science; but
men's reasonings,
conclusions, and systems are another thing altogether. Now, scripture
will never touch the
facts of science; but the reasonings of scientific man are constantly
found in collision with
scripture. Alas! alas! for such men! And when such is the case we must,
with plain decision,
denounce such reasonings altogether, and exclaim with the apostle,
"Let God be true, and
every man a liar."
Gladly would we dwell upon this point though it be a digression, for we
deeply feel its
seriousness. But we must, for the present, be content with solemnly
urging upon the reader
the necessity of giving to holy scripture the supreme place in his
heart and mind. We must
bow down, with absolute submission, to the authority of, not "Thus
saith the Church"—"Thus
say the fathers"—"Thus say the doctors;" but "Thus
saith the Lord" "It is written." This is our
only security against the rising tide of infidelity which threatens to
sweep away the
foundations of religious thought and feeling throughout the length and
breadth of
Christendom. None will escape save those who are taught and governed by
the word of the
Lord. May God increase the number of such!
We shall now proceed with our chapter.
"and Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord unto all
the children of Israel: and
they looked, and took every man his rod. And the Lord said unto Moses,
Bring Aaron's rod
again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels;
and thou shalt quite take
away their murmurings from me, that they die not. and Moses did so: as
the Lord commanded
Him, so did he." Verses 9-11.
Thus the question was divinely settled. Priesthood is founded upon that
precious grace of
God which brings life out of death. This is the source of priesthood.
It could be of no possible
use for man to take any one of the eleven dead rods and make it the
badge of the priestly
office. All the human authority under the sun could not infuse life
into a dead stick, or make
that stick the channel of blessing to souls. And so of all the eleven
rods put together; there
was not so much as a single bud or blossom throughout the whole. But
where there were
precious evidences of quickening power—refreshing traces of divine life
and blessing—
fragrant fruits of efficacious grace—there and there alone was to be
found the source of that
priestly ministry which could carry not only a needy but murmuring and
rebellious people
through the wilderness.
And here we may naturally inquire, "What about Moses' rod? Why was
it not amongst the
twelve?" The reason is blessedly simple. Moses rod was the
expression of power and
authority. Aaron's rod was the lovely expression of that grace that
quickens the dead, and
calls those things that be not as though they were. Now, mere power or
authority could not
conduct the congregation through the wilderness. Power could crush the
rebel; authority
might strike the sinner; but only mercy and grace could avail for an
assembly of needy,
helpless, sinful men, women, and children. The grace that could bring
almonds out on a dead
stick, could bring Israel through the wilderness. It was only in
connection with Aaron's
budding rod that Jehovah could say, "Thou shalt quite take away
the murmurings of the
children of Israel from me, that they die not.'' The rod of authority
could take away the
murmurers; but the rod of grace could take away the murmurs.
The reader may refer, with interest and profit, to a passage in the
opening of Hebrews 9. in
connection with the subject of Aaron's rod. The apostle, in speaking of
the ark of the
covenant, says," wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and
Aaron's rod that budded,
and the tables of the covenant." This was in the wilderness. The
rod and the manna were the
provisions of divine grace for Israel's desert wanderings and desert
need. But, when we turn
to 1 Kings 8: 9, we read, "There! was nothing in the ark save the
two tables of stone, which
Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the
children of Israel, when
they came out of the land of Egypt." The wilderness wanderings
were over, the glory of
Solomon's day was sending forth its beams over the land, and hence the
budding rod and the
pot of manna are omitted, and nothing remains save that law of God,
which was the
foundation of His righteous government in the midst of His people.
Now, in this we have an illustration, not only of the divine accuracy
of scripture, as a whole
but also of the special character and object of the Book of Numbers.
Aaron's rod was in the
ark during its wilderness wanderings. Precious fact! Let the reader
seek to lay hold of its deep
and blessed significance. Let him ponder the difference between the rod
of Moses and the rod
of Aaron. We have seen the former doing its characteristic work in
other days and amid other
scenes. we have seen the land of Egypt trembling beneath the heavy
strokes of that rod.
Plague after plague fell upon that devoted scene, in answer to that
outstretched rod. We have
seen the waters of the sea divided in answer to that rod. In short, the
rod of Moses was a rod
of power, a rod of authority. But it could not avail to hush the
murmurings of the children of
Israel; nor yet to bring the people through the desert. Grace alone
could do that; and we have
the expression of pure grace—free, sovereign grace—in the budding of
Aaron's rod.
Nothing can be more forcible, nothing more lovely. That dry, dead stick
was the apt figure of
Israel's condition, and indeed of the condition of every one of us by
nature. There was no sap,
no life, no power. One might well say, "What good can ever come of
it?" none whatever, had
not grace come in and displayed its quickening power. So was it with
Israel, in the
wilderness; and so is it with us now. How were they to be led along
from day to day? How
were they to be sustained in all their weakness and need? How were they
to he borne with in
all their sin and folly? The answer is found in Aaron's budding rod. If
the dry dead stick was
the expression of nature's barren and worthless condition; the buds,
blossoms, and fruit set
forth that living and life-giving grace and power of God on which was
based the priestly
ministry that alone could bear the congregation through the wilderness.
Grace alone could
answer the ten thousand necessities of the militant host. Power could
not suffice. authority
could not avail. Priesthood alone could supply what was needed; and
this priesthood was
instituted on the foundation of that efficacious grace which could
bring fruit out of a dry rod.
Thus it was as to priesthood of old; and thus it is as to ministry now.
All ministry in the
Church of God is the fruit of divine grace—the gift of Christ, the
Church's Head. There is no
other source of ministry whatsoever. From apostles down to the very
lowest gifts, all proceed
from Christ. The grand root principle of all ministry is embodied in
those words of Paul to
the Galatians in which he speaks of himself as "An apostle, not of
man, neither by man, but
by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the
dead." Galatians 1: 1.
Here, be it noted, is the sublime source from whence all ministry
emanates. It is not of man,
or by man, in any shape or form. Man may take up dry sticks and shape
and fashion them
according to His own will; and he may ordain and appoint, and call them
by certain high-
sounding, official titles. But of what use is it? We may justly say,
They are only dry, dead
sticks.
"Where is there a single cluster of fruit Where is there a single
blossom? Nay., where is there
one solitary bud? "Even one bud will suffice to prove that there
is something divine. But in
the absence of this there can be no living ministry in the Church of
God: It is the gift of
Christ and that alone that makes a man a minister. Without this it is
an empty assumption for
any one to set himself up, or be set up by others to be a minister.
Does the reader thoroughly own this great principle? Is it as clear as
a sunbeam to his soul?
has he any difficulty respecting it? If so, we entreat him to seek to
divest his mind of all
preconceived thoughts, from what source soever derived; let will rise
above the hazy mists of
traditional religion; let him take the New Testament, and study as in
the immediate presence
of God, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14; and also Ephesians 4: 7-18.
In these passages he
will find the whole subject of ministry unfolded; and from them he will
learn that all true
ministry, whether it be apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, or
evangelists, all is of God—all
flows down from Christ the exalted Head of the Church. If a man be not
possessed of a bona
fide gift from Christ he is not a minister. Every member of the body
has a work to do. the
edification of the body is promoted by the proper action of all the
members, whether
prominent or obscure, "comely" or "uncomely." In
short, all ministry is from God, and not
from man; it is by God, and not by man. There is no such thing in
scripture as a humanly
ordained ministry. All is of God.
We must not confound ministerial gifts with office or local charge. We
find the apostles, or
their delegates, ordaining elders and appointing deacons; But this was
quite a distinct thing
from ministerial gifts. 'Those elders and deacons might possess and
exercise some specific
gift in the body; the apostle did not ordain them to exercise such
gift, but only to fulfil the
local charge. The spiritual gift was from the Head of the Church, and
was independent of the
local charge altogether.
It is most necessary to be clear as to the distinction between gift and
local charge. There is
the utmost confusion of the two things throughout the entire professing
church,, and the
consequence is that ministry is not understood. The members of the body
of Christ do not
understand their place or their functions. Human election, or human
authority in some shape
or another, is deemed essential to the exercise of ministry in the
Church. But there is really
no such thing in scripture. If there be, nothing is easier than to
produce it. We ask the reader
to find a single line, from cover to cover of the New Testament in
which a human call,
human appointment, or human authority, has anything whatsoever to do
with the exercise of
ministry in its very fullest range. We boldly assert there is no such
thing.* Ah, no; blessed be
God, ministry in His Church is "not of men, neither by man, but by
Jesus Christ, and God the
Father, who raised Him from the dead." "God hath set the
members every one of them in the
body, as it hath pleased Him." (1 Cor. 12: 18) "But unto
every one of us is given grace
according to the measure of the gift of Christ. wherefore He saith,
When he ascended up on
High, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.....and he gave
some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
for the perfecting of
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ: till we all come
in the unity of the faith. and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto
a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:
7-13.
{*Even in the matter of appointing deacons, in Acts 6, we see it was an
apostolic act.
"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." 'The
brethren were allowed to
select the men, inasmuch as it was their money that was in question.
But the appointment
was divine. And this, be it remembered, had reference merely to the
business of deacons who
were to manage the Church's temporal affairs. But as regards the work
of evangelists, pastors,
and teachers, it is wholly independent of human choice and human
authority, and rests
simply upon the gift of Christ, Ephesians 4: 11.}
Here all the grades of ministerial gift are placed on one and the same
ground, from apostles
down to evangelists and teachers. They are All given by the Head of the
Church and, when
bestowed, they render the possessors responsible, at once, to the head
in heaven, and to the
members on earth. The idea of any possessor of a positive gift from God
waiting for human
authority, is as great an insult to the divine majesty as if Aaron had
gone with his blooming
rod in his hand, to be ordained to the priesthood by some of his
fellows. Aaron knew better.
He was called of God, and that was quite enough for him. and so now,
all who possess a
divine gift are Called of God to the ministry, and they need nothing
more save to wait on
their ministry, and cultivate their gift.
Need we add that it is vain for men to set up to be ministers unless
they really do possess the
gift? A man may fancy he has a gift, and it may be only a vain conceit
of his own mind. It is
quite as bad, if not worse, for one man to go to work on the strength
of his own foolish
imagination, as for another to go on the strength of the unwarrantable
authority of his
fellows. What we contend for is this—ministry is of God as to its
source, power, and
responsibility. We do not think that this statement will be called in
question by any who are
disposed to be taught exclusively by scripture. Every minister,
whatever be his gift, should be
able, in his measure, to say, "God has put me into the
ministry." But for a man to use this
language without possessing any gift, is, to say the least of it, worse
than worthless. The
people of God can easily tell where there is real spiritual gift. Power
is sure to be felt. But if
men pretend to gift or power without the reality, their folly shall
speedily be manifest to all.
All pretenders are sure to find their true level, sooner or later.
Thus much as to ministry and priesthood. The source of each is divine.
The true foundation
of each lies in the budding rod. Let this be ever borne in mind. Aaron
could say," God put me
into the priesthood;" and if challenged for his proof, he could
point to the fruit-bearing rod.
Paul could say, "God put me into the ministry;'' and when
challenged for his proof, could
point to the thousands of living seals to his work. Thus it must ever
be in principle, whatever
be the measure. Ministry must not be merely in word or in tongue; but
in deed and in truth.
God will not know the speech, But the power.
But, ere we turn from this subject, we deem it most necessary to
impress upon the reader the
importance of distinguishing between ministry and priesthood. The sin
of Korah consisted in
this, that, not content with being a minister, he aimed at being a
priest; and the sin of
Christendom is of the same character. Instead of allowing ministry to
rest upon its own
proper New Testament basis, to exhibit its proper characteristics, And
discharge its proper
functions, it is exalted into a priesthood, a sacerdotal caste, the
members of which are
distinguished from their brethren by their style of dress and certain
titles. There is no
foundation whatsoever for these things in the New Testament. According
to the plain
teaching of that blessed book, all believers are priests. Thus, in
Peter we read, "But ye [not
merely the apostles, but all believers] are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood." (1 Peter 2:
9) so also in Revelation "Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own
blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his
Father." (1 Peter 1: 5, 6) God, in
pursuance of the truth set forth in the foregoing passages, we find the
Apostle Paul, by the
Holy Ghost, exhorting the Hebrew believers to draw nigh, and enter with
boldness into the
very holiest of all. (Heb. 10: 19-22) And further on he says, "By
him therefore [i.e., Jesus let
us offer The sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks
to his name. But to do good, and to communicate, forget not: for with
such sacrifices God is
well pleased." Hebrews 13: 15, 16.
How marvellous it must have appeared to Jewish saints—to those trained
amid the
institutions of the Mosaic economy, to be exhorted to enter into a
place to which the very
highest functionary in Israel could only approach once a year, and that
but for a moment!
And there to be told that they were to offer sacrifice, that they were
to discharge the peculiar
functions of the priesthood. All this was wonderful. But thus it is, if
we are to be taught by
scripture, and not by the commandments, the doctrines, and the
traditions of men. All
Christians are priests. They are not all apostles, prophets, teachers,
pastors, or evangelists;
but they are all priests. The very feeblest member of the Church was as
much a priest as
Peter, Paul, James, or John. We speak not of capacity or spiritual
power, but of the position
which all occupy in virtue of the blood of Christ. There is no such
thing in the New
Testament as a certain class of men, a certain privileged caste,
brought into a higher or nearer
position than their brethren. All this is flatly opposed to
Christianity—a bold traversing of all
the precepts of the word of God, and the special teachings of our
blessed Lord and Master.
Let no one suppose that these things are unimportant. Far from it. They
affect the very
foundations of Christianity. We have only to open our eyes and look
around us in order to see
the practical results of this confounding of ministry and priesthood.
And we may rest assured
that the moment is rapidly approaching when these results will all
assume a far more awful
character, and bring down the very heaviest judgements from the living
God. We have not yet
seen the full antitype of "the gainsaying of Core;" but it
will soon be manifested: and we
solemnly warn the Christian reader to take heed how he lends his
sanction to the serious error
of mixing up two things so entirely distinct as ministry and
priesthood. We would exhort him
to take this whole subject up in the light of scripture. we want him to
submit to the authority
of God's word, and to abandon everything that is not founded thereon.
It matters not what it
is; it may be a time-honoured institution; an expedient arrangement; a
decent ceremony
supported by tradition, and countenanced by thousands of the very best
of men. It matters
not. If the thing has no foundation in holy scripture, it is an error,
and an evil, and a snare of
the devil, to entice our souls, and lead us away from the simplicity
that is in Christ. For
example, if we are taught that there is, in the Church of God, a
sacerdotal caste, a class of
men, more holy, more elevated, nearer to God, than their brethren—than
ordinary Christians;
what is this but Judaism revived and tacked on to Christian forms? And
what must be the
effect of this, but to rob the children of God of their proper
privileges as such, and to put
them at a distance from Him, and place them under bondage?
We shall not pursue this subject any further just now. Enough, we
trust, has been suggested to
lead the reflecting reader to follow it up for himself. We only add,
and that with special
emphasis, let him follow it up only in that light of scripture. Let him
resolve, by the grace of
God, to lay aside everything which rests not upon the solid and sacred
basis of the written
word. Thus, and thus alone, can he be preserved from every form of
error, and led to a sound
conclusion on this most important and interesting question.
The closing lines of chapter 17 furnish a remarkable illustration of
how quickly the human
mind passes from one extreme to another. "The children of Israel
spake unto Moses, saying,
Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever cometh anything
near unto the
tabernacle of the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with
dying?" In the preceding chapter,
we see bold presumption in the very presence of the majesty of Jehovah,
where there should
have been profound humility. Here, in the presence of divine grace and
its provisions, we
observe legal fear and distrust. Thus it is ever. Mere nature neither
understands holiness nor
grace. At one moment we hearken to such accents as these, "All the
congregation are holy;''
and the next moment, the word is, "Behold we die, we perish, we
all perish." The carnal mind
presumes where it ought to retire; it distrusts where it ought to
confide.
However, all this becomes the occasion, through the goodness of God, of
unfolding to us, in a
very full and blessed manner, the holy responsibility as well as the
precious privileges of the
priesthood. How gracious it is—how like our God, to turn His people's
mistakes into an
occasion of furnishing deeper instruction as to His ways! It is His
Prerogative, blessed be His
name, to bring good out of evil; to make the eater yield meat, and the
strong, sweetness. Thus
"the gainsaying of Core" gives occasion for the copious
volume of instruction furnished by
Aaron's rod; and the closing lines of chapter 17 call forth an
elaborate statement of the
functions of Aaron's priesthood. To this latter we shall now proceed to
direct the reader's
attention.
"And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons, and thy father's
house with thee, shall
bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee
shall bear the iniquity of
your priesthood. All thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe
of thy father, bring them
with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee:
but thou and thy sons
with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. And they
shall keep thy charge, and
the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the
vessels of the sanctuary
and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. And they shall be
joined unto thee, and beep
the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service
of the tabernacle: and a
stranger shall not come nigh unto you. and ye shall keep the charge of
the sanctuary, and the
charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children
of Israel. And I,
behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children
of Israel: to you they
are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle
of the congregation.
Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office
for every thing of the
altar, and within the veil; and ye shall serve: I have given your
priest's office unto you as a
service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to
death." Num. 18: 1-7.
Here we have a divine answer to the question raised by the children of
Israel," Shall we be
consumed with dying?" "No," says the God of all grace
and mercy. And why not? Because
"Aaron and his sons with him shall keep the charge of the
sanctuary, and the charge of the
altar; that There be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.''
Thus the people are
taught that in that very priesthood which had been so despised and
spoken against, they were
to find their security.
But we have to notice particularly that Aaron's sons, and his father's
house are associated
with him in His high and holy privileges and responsibilities. the
Levites were given as a gift
to Aaron, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. They
were to serve under
Aaron, the head of the priestly house. This teaches us a fine lesson,
and one much needed by
Christians at the present moment. We all want to bear in mind that
service, to be intelligent
and acceptable, must be rendered in subjection to priestly authority
and guidance. "And thy
brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou
with thee, that they may
be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee." This stamped its
distinct character upon the
entire range of Levite service. The whole tribe of workers were
associated with and subject to
the great high priest. All was under his immediate control and
guidance. So must it be now,
in reference to all God's workers. All Christian service must be
rendered in fellowship with
our great High Priest, and in holy subjection to His authority. It is
of no value otherwise.
There may be a great deal of work done, there may be a great deal of
activity; but if Christ be
not the immediate object before the heart, if His guidance and
authority be not fully owned,
the work must go for nothing.
But, on the other hand, the smallest act of service the meanest work
done under the eye of
Christ, done with direct reference to Him, has its value in God's
estimation, and shall, most
assuredly, receive its due reward. This is truly encouraging, and
consolatory to the heart of
every earnest worker. The Levites had to work under Aaron. Christians
have to work under
Christ. We are responsible to Him. It is very well and very beautiful
to walk in fellowship
with our dear fellow-workmen, and to be subject one to another, in the
fear of the Lord.
Nothing is further from our thoughts that to foster or countenance a
spirit of haughty
independence, or that temper of soul which would hinder our genial and
hearty co-operation
with our brethren in every good work. All the Levites were "joined
unto Aaron,'' in their
work, and therefore they were joined one to another. Hence, they had to
work together. If a
Levite had turned his back upon his brethren, he would have turned his
back upon Aaron. We
may imagine a Levite, taking offence at something or other in the
conduct of his fellows, and
saying to Himself, "I cannot get on with my brethren. I must walk
alone. I can serve God, and
work under Aaron; but I must beep aloof from my brethren inasmuch as I
find it impossible
to agree with them as to the mode of working." But we can easily
see through the fallacy of
all this. For a, Levite to adopt such a line of action would have
produced nothing but
confusion. All were called to work together, how varied soever their
work might be.
Still, be it ever borne in mind, their work did vary and, moreover,
each was called to work
under Aaron. There was individual responsibility with the most
harmonious corporate action.
We certainly desire, in every possible way, to promote unity in action;
but this must never be
suffered to trench upon the domain of personal service, or to interfere
with the direct
reference of the individual workman to his Lord. the Church of God
affords a very extensive
platform to the Lord's workers. There is ample space thereon for all
sorts of labourers. We
must not attempt to reduce all to a dead level, or cramp the varied
energies of Christ's
servants by confining them to certain old ruts of our own formation.
This will never do. We
must, all of us diligently seek to combine the most cordial unanimity
with the greatest
possible variety in action. Both will be healthfully promoted by each
and all remembering
that we are called to serve together under Christ.
Here lies the grand secret. Together, under Christ! May we bear this in
mind. It will help us
to recognise and appreciate another's line of work though it may differ
from our own; and, on
the other hand, it will preserve us from an overweening sense of our
own department of
service, inasmuch as we shall see that we are, one and all, but
co-workers in the one wide
field; and that the great object before the Master's heart can only be
attained by each worker
pursuing his own special line, and pursuing it in happy fellowship with
all.
There is a pernicious tendency in some minds to depreciate every line
of work save their
own. This must be carefully guarded against. If all were to pursue the
same line, where were
that lovely variety which characterises the Lord's work and workmen in
the world? Nor is it
merely a question of the line of work, but actually of the peculiar
style of each workman.
You may find two evangelists, each marked by an intense desire for the
salvation of souls,
each preaching, substantially, the same truth; and yet there may be the
greatest possible
variety in the mode in which each one seeks to gain the self-same
object. We should be
prepared for this. Indeed we should fully expect it. And the same holds
good in reference to
every other branch of Christian service. We should strongly suspect the
ground occupied by a
Christian assembly if there were not ample space allowed for every
branch and style of
Christian service—for every line of work capable of being taken up in
individual
responsibility to the great Head of the priestly house. We ought to do
nothing which we
cannot do under Christ, and in fellowship with Him. And all that can be
done in fellowship
With Christ can surely be done in fellowship with those who are walking
with Him.
Thus much as to the special manner in which the Levites are introduced
in our chapter, in
connection with Aaron and his sons. To these latter we shall now turn
for a few moments,
and meditate on the rich provision made for them, in the goodness of
God, as well as the
solemn functions devolving upon them, in their priestly place.
"And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the
charge of mine heave-
offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto
thee have I given them, by
reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
This shall be thine of the
most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs,
every meat-offering of
theirs; and every sin-offering of theirs, and every trespass offering
of theirs, which they shall
render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. In the
most holy place shalt thou
eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee."
Verses 8-10.
Here we have a type of the people of God looked at in another aspect.
They are here
presented, not as workers, but as worshippers; not as Levites, but as
priests. all believers—all
Christians—all the children of God, are priests. There is, according to
the teaching of the
New Testament, no such thing as a priest upon earth, save in the sense
in which all believers
are priests. A special priestly caste—a certain class of men set apart
as priests, is a thing not
only unknown in Christianity, but most positively hostile to the spirit
and principles thereof.
We have already referred to this subject, and quoted the various
passages of scripture bearing
upon it. We have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens,
for if He were on earth
He should not be a priest. (Compare Heb. 4: 14 and 8: 4 "Our Lord
sprang Out Of Judah; of
which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Hence,
therefore, a sacrificing
priest on the earth is a direct denial of the truth of scripture, and a
complete setting aside of
the glorious fact on which Christianity is based, namely, accomplished
redemption. If there is
any need of spriest now, to offer sacrifice for sins, then, most
assuredly, redemption is not an
accomplished fact. But scripture, in hundreds of places, declares that
it is, and therefore we
need no more offering for sin. "But Christ being come an high
priest of good things to come,
by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this
building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own
blood, He entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption." (Heb. 9:
11, 12) So also, in Heb. 10
we read, "By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified." And again,
"Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where
remission of these is, there is
no more offering for sin."
This settles the great question as to priesthood and sacrifice for sin.
Christians cannot be too
clear or decided in reference to it. It lies at the very foundation of
true Christianity, and
demands the deep and serious attention of all who desire to walk in the
clear light of a full
salvation, and to occupy the true Christian position. There is a strong
tendency towards
Judaism—a vigorous effort to engraft Christian forms upon the old
Jewish stem. This is
nothing new; But, just now, the enemy seems peculiarly busy. We can
perceive a great
leaning towards Romanism, throughout the length and breadth of
Christendom; and in
nothing is the leaning more strikingly apparent than in the
institutions of a special priestly
order in the Church of God. We believe it to be a thoroughly
antichristian institution. It is the
denial of the common priesthood of all believers. If a certain set of
men are ordained to
occupy a place of peculiar nearness and sanctity, then where are the
great mass of Christians
to stand?
This is the question. It is precisely here that the great importance
and gravity of this whole
subject are made apparent. Let not the reader suppose that we are
contending for some
peculiar theory of any particular class or sect of Christians. Nothing
is further from our
thoughts. It is because we are convinced that the very foundations of
the Christian faith are
involved in this question of priesthood that we urge its consideration
upon all with whom we
have to do. We believe it will invariably be found that in proportion
as Christians become
clear and settled on the divine ground of accomplished redemption, they
get further and
further away from the Romanism and Judaism of an order of priests in
the Church of God.
And, on the other hand, where souls are not clear, not settled, not
spiritual; where there is
legality, carnality and worldliness, there you will find a hankering
after a humanly appointed
priesthood. Nor is it difficult to see the reason of this. If a man is
not himself in a fit state to
draw nigh to God, it will be a relief to him to employ another to draw
nigh for him. And,
most certainly, no man is in a fit state to draw nigh to a holy God who
does not know that his
sins are forgiven—has not got a perfectly purged conscience—is in a
dark, doubting, legal
state of soul. In order to come boldly into the holiest of all, we must
know what the blood of
Christ has done for us; we must know that we ourselves are made priests
to God; and that, in
virtue of the atoning death of Christ, we are brought so near to God
that it is impossible for
any order of men to come between. "He hath loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his
own blood, and made us priests unto God and his Father." (Rev. 1)
"But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should show forth
the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His
marvellous light." and again,
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an
holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Peter
2: 5, 9) "By him therefore let
us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks
to his name. But to do good and to communicate, forget not: for with
such sacrifices God is
well pleased." Hebrews 13: 15, 16.
Here we have the two great branches of spiritual sacrifice which, as
priests, we are privileged
to offer, namely, praise to God, doing good to men. The very youngest,
the most
inexperienced, the most unlettered Christian is capable of
understanding these things. Who is
there in all the family of God—in all the priestly household of our
divine High Priest, who
cannot, with his heart, say, "The Lord be praised" And who
cannot, with his hand, do good to
His fellow? And this is priestly worship, and priestly service—the
common worship and
service of all true Christians. True, the measure of spiritual power
may vary; But all the
children of God are constituted priests, one as much as another.
Now in Numbers 18 we are presented with a very full statement of the
provision made for
Aaron and his house; and, in that provision, a type of the spiritual
portion of the Christian
priesthood. And surely we cannot read the record without seeing what a
royal portion is ours.
"Every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and
every sin offering of theirs, and
every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me,
shall be most holy for thee
and for thy sons. In the Most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male
shall eat it: it shall be
holy unto thee."
It demands a very large measure of spiritual capacity to enter into the
depth and meaning of
this marvellous passage. To eat the sin offering, or the trespass
offering is, in figure, to make
another's sin or trespass one's own. This is very holy work. It is not
every one who can, in
spirit, identify himself with the sin of his brother. To do so in fact,
in the way of atonement,
is, we need hardly say, wholly out of question. There was but one who
could do this; and
He—adored for ever be His name!—has done it perfectly.
But there is such a thing as making my brother's sin my own, and
bearing it in spirit before
God, as though it were my own. This is shadowed forth by Aaron's sons
eating the sin
offering, in the most holy place. It was only the sons who did so.
"Every male shall eat it.* It
was the very highest order of priestly service. "in the most holy
place shalt thou eat it." We
need to be very near to Christ in order to enter into the spiritual
meaning and application of
all this. It is a wonderfully blessed and holy exercise; and it can
only be known in the
immediate presence of God. How little we really know of this the heart
can testify. Our
tendency is, when a brother has sinned, to sit in judgement upon him;
to take the place of a
severe censor, to look upon his sin as a something with which we have
nothing whatever to
do. This is to fail sadly in our priestly functions. It is refusing to
eat the sin offering in the
most holy place. It is a most precious fruit of grace to be able so to
identify oneself with an
erring brother as to make his sin one's own—to bear it in spirit before
God. This truly is a
very high order of priestly service, and demands a large measure of the
spirit and mind of
Christ. It is only the spiritual who really enter into this; and alas!
how few of us are truly
spiritual! "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual restore such an
one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. Bear ye one
another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." (Gal. 6: 1,
2) May the Lord give us grace to
fulfil this blessed "law!" How unlike it is to everything in
us! How it rebukes our harshness
and selfishness! Oh! to be more like Christ in this as in All beside!
{*As a general principle, the "son" presents the divine idea;
the "daughter," the human
apprehension thereof: the male" sets forth the thing as God gives
it; the "female" as we
realise and exhibit it.}
But there was another order of priestly privilege, not so high as that
which we have been
considering. "And this is thine: the heave offering of their gift,
with all the wave offerings of
the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons,
and to the daughters with
thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall
eat of it." Verse 11.
The daughters of Aaron were not to eat of the sin offerings or the
trespass offerings. They
were provided for according to the utmost limit of their capacity; but
there were certain
functions which they could not discharge—certain privileges which lay
beyond their range—
certain responsibilities too weighty for them to sustain. It is far
easier to have fellowship with
another in the presentation of a thank offering than it is to make his
sin our own. This matter
demands a measure of priestly energy which finds its type in Aaron's
"sons," not in his
"daughters." We must be prepared for those varied measures
amongst the members of the
priestly household. we are all blessed be God, on the same ground; we
all stand in the same
title; we are all in the same relationship; but our capabilities vary;
and while we should all
aim at the very highest standard of priestly service, and the very
highest measure of priestly
capacity, it is of no possible use to pretend to what we do not
possess.
One thing, however, is clearly taught in verse 11 and that is, we must
be "clean" in order to
enjoy any priestly privilege, or eat of any priestly food—clean,
through the precious blood of
Christ applied to our conscience—clean, through the application of the
word, by the Spirit, to
our habits, associations, and ways. When thus clean, whatever be our
capacity, we have the
richest provision made for our souls, through the precious grace of
God. Hearken to the
following Words: "All the best of the oil, and all the best of the
wine, and of the wheat, the
firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I
given thee. And
whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the
Lord, shall be thine; every
one who is clean in thy house shall eat of it." Verses 12, 13.*
{*Let the reader consider what the moral effect must be of taking the
above passage literally
and applying it to a certain priestly class in the Church of God: Take
it typically and
spiritually, and you have a striking and beautiful figure of the
spiritual food provided for all
the members of the priestly family, which is, in one word Christ in all
His preciousness and
fullness.}
Here, assuredly, we have a princely portion provided for those who are
made priests unto
God. They were to have the very best, and the very first of everything
which the Lord's land
produced. There was "The wine which maketh glad the heart of man,
and oil to make his face
to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." Psalm 104:
15.
What a figure have we, in all this, of our portion in Christ! The
olive, the grape, and the
finest of the wheat were pressed and bruised, in order to feed and
gladden the priests of God;
and the blessed Antitype of all these has, in infinite grace, been
bruised and crushed in death,
in order that by His flesh and blood, He might minister life, strength,
and gladness to His
household. He, the precious corn of wheat, fell into the ground and
died, that we might live;
and the juices of the living vine were pressed to till that cup of
salvation of which we drink,
now, and shall drink for ever, in the presence of our God.
What, therefore, remains? What do we want, save an enlarged capacity to
enjoy the fullness
and blessedness of our portion in a crucified, risen, and glorified
Saviour? We may well say,
"We have all and abound." God has given us all that even He
could give—the very best He
had. He has given us His own portion. He has called us to sit down with
Himself, in holy,
happy fellowship, and feast upon the fatted calf. He has caused our
ears to hear, and our
hearts, in some small degree, to enter into these most marvellous
words, "let us eat and be
merry."
How wonderful to think that nothing could satisfy the heart and mind of
God but to gather
His people round Himself and feed them with that in which He Himself
delights! "Truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ." (1
John 1) What more could
even the love of God do for us than this? And for whom has He done it?
For those who were
dead in trespasses and sins—for aliens, enemies, guilty rebels—for dogs
of the Gentiles—for
those who were far from Him, having no hope, and without God in the
world—for those who,
had we our deserts, should lie now burning in the eternal flames of
hell. Oh! what wondrous
grace! What profound depths of sovereign mercy! And, we must add, what
a divinely
precious atoning sacrifice, to bring poor self-destroyed, guilty,
hell-deserving sinners into
such ineffable blessedness!—to pluck us as brands from everlasting
burnings, and make us
priests to God!—to take away all our "filthy garments" from
us, and cleanse, clothe, and
crown us, in His own presence, and to His own praise! May we praise
Him! May our hearts
and lives praise Him! May we know how to enjoy our priestly place and
portion, and to wear
our mitre well! We can do nothing better than praise God—nothing higher
than to present to
Him, by Jesus Christ, the fruit of' our lips giving thanks to His name.
This shall be our
everlasting employment in that bright and blessed world to which we are
hastening, and
where we shall soon be, to dwell for ever with Him who has loved us and
given Himself for
us—our own blessed Saviour God—to go no more out for evermore.
In verses 14-19 of our chapter we have instruction as to "the
firstborn of man and beast." We
may remark that man is placed on a level with the unclean beast. Both
had to be redeemed.
The unclean beast was unfit for God; and so was man, unless redeemed by
blood. The clean
animal was not to be redeemed. It was fit for God's use, and was given
to be the food of the
entire priestly household—sons and daughters alike. In this we have a
type of Christ in whom
God can find His perfect delight the full joy of His heart —the only
object, throughout the
wide universe, in which He could find perfect rest and satisfaction.
And—wondrous
thought—He has given Him to us, His priestly household, to be our food,
our light, our joy,
our all in all for ever.*
{*For further remarks on the subject presented to Numbers 18: 14-19,
the reader is referred
to "Notes on Exodus," chapter 13 we are anxious to avoid, as
much as possible any repetition
of what has been gone into in previous volume.}
''Jesus, of thee we ne'er would tire:
The new and living food
Can satisfy our heart's desire,
And life is in thy blood.'
The reader will notice, in this chapter, as elsewhere, that every fresh
subject is introduced by
the words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses," or "unto
Aaron." Thus, from verses 20-32, we
are taught that the priests and Levites—God's worshippers and workers,
were to have no
inheritance among the children of Israel, but were to be absolutely
shut up to God Himself,
for the supply of all their need. Most blessed position. Nothing can be
more lovely than the
picture here presented. The children of Israel were to bring their
offerings, and lay them
down at the feet of Jehovah, and He, in His infinite grace, commanded
His workers to pick
up these precious offerings—the fruit of His people's devotedness—and
feed upon them, in
His own blessed presence, with thankful hearts. Thus the circle of
blessing went round. God
ministered to all the wants of His people; His people were privileged
to have the rich fruits of
His bounty with the priests and Levites; and these latter were
permitted to taste the rare and
exquisite pleasure of giving back to God of that which had flown from
Him to them.
All this is divine. It is a striking figure of that which we should
look for in the Church of God
now. As we have already remarked, God's people are presented, in this
book, under three
distinct phases, namely, as warriors, workers, and worshippers; and in
all three they are
viewed as in the attitude of the most absolute dependence upon the
living God. In our
warfare, in our work, and in our worship, we are shut up to God.
Precious fact. "All our
springs are in Him." What more do we want? Shall we turn to man or
to this world for relief
or resource? God forbid! Nay, rather let it be our one grand object to
prove, in our entire
history, in every phase of our character, and in every department of
our work, that God is
enough for our hearts.
It is truly deplorable. to find God's people, and Christ's servants,
looking to the world for
support, and trembling at the thought of that support being withheld.
Only let us try to
imagine the Church of God, in the days of Paul, relying upon the Roman
government for the
support of its bishops, teachers, and evangelists. Ah! no, dear reader;
the Church looked to its
divine Head in the heavens, and to the divine Spirit upon earth, for
all its need. Why should it
be otherwise now? The world is the world still; and the Church is not
of the world, and
should not look for the world's gold and silver. God will take care of
His people and of His
servants, if they will only trust Him. We may depend upon it, God's
gift is far better for the
Church than the government gift—no comparison in the estimation of a
spiritual mind.
May all the saints of God, and all the servants of Christ, in every
place, apply their hearts,
earnestly, to the consideration of these things! And may we have grace
to confess, practically,
in the face of a godless, Christless, infidel world, that the living
God is amply sufficient for
our every need, not only while passing through the narrow archway of
time, but also for the
boundless ocean of eternity. God grant it for Christ's sake!
Numbers 19.
One of the most important sections of the book of Numbers now lies open
before us,
presenting for our consideration the deeply interesting and instructive
ordinance of "The red
Heifer." A thoughtful student of scripture would naturally feel
disposed to inquire why it is
that we get this type in Numbers and not in Leviticus. In the first
seven chapters of the latter
book, we have a very elaborate statement of the doctrine of sacrifice;
and yet we have no
allusion whatever to the red heifer. Why is this? What are we to learn
from the fact that this
beautiful ordinance is presented in the Book of Numbers and nowhere
else? We believe it
furnishes another striking illustration of the distinctive character of
Our book. The red heifer
is, pre-eminently, a wilderness type. It was God's provision for
defilements by the way, and it
prefigures the death of Christ as a purification for sin, to meet our
need in passing through a
defiling world, home to our eternal rest above. It is a most
instructive figure, and unfolds
most precious and needed truth. May the holy Ghost, who has penned the
record, be
graciously pleased to expound and apply it to our souls!
"And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, Saying, This is the
ordinance of the law
which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel that they bring
thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which
never came yoke."
Verses 1, 2.
When, with the eye of Faith, we gaze upon the Lord Jesus, we not only
see Him to be the
spotless One, in His own holy Person, but also One who never bore the
yoke of sin. The Holy
Ghost is ever the jealous guardian of the person of Christ, and He
delights to present Him to
the soul in all His excellency and preciousness. Hence it is that every
type and every shadow,
designed to set Him forth, exhibits the same careful guardianship.
Thus, in the red heifer, we
are taught that, not only was our blessed Saviour, as to His human
nature, intrinsically and
inherently pure and spotless, but that, as to His birth and
relationships, He stood perfectly
clear from every mark and trace of sin. No yoke of sin ever came upon
His sacred neck.
When He speaks of "my yoke" (Matt. 11: 29), it was the yoke
of implicit subjection to the
Father's will, in all things. This was the only yoke He ever wore; and
this yoke was never off,
for one moment, during the entire of His spotless and perfect
career—from the manger,
where He lay a helpless babe, to the cross, where He expired as a
victim.
But He wore no yoke of sin. Let this be distinctly understood. He went
to the cross to expiate
our sins, to lay the groundwork of our perfect purification from all
sin; but He did this as One
who had never, at any time during His blessed life, worn the yoke of
sin. He was "without
sin;" and, as such, was perfectly fitted to do the great and
glorious work of expiation. To
think of him as bearing the yoke of sin in His life, would be to think
of him as unfit to atone
for it in His death. "wherein is no blemish, and whereon never
came yoke." It is quite as
needful to remember and weigh the force of the word
"whereon," as of the word "wherein."
Both expressions are designed by the holy Ghost to get forth the
perfection of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, who was not only internally spotless, but also
externally free from every
trace of sin. Neither in His Person, nor yet in His relationships, was
He, in anywise,
obnoxious to the claims of sin or death. He—adored for ever be His
name!—entered into all
the reality of our circumstances and condition; but in Him was no sin,
and on Him no yoke of
sin.
"Touched with a Sympathy within,
He knows our feeble frame;
He knows what sore temptations mean,
For He has felt the same.
"But spotless, undefiled, and pure,
The great Redeemer stood,
while Satan's fiery darts He bore,
And did resist to blood."
"And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring
her forth without the camp,
and one shall slay her before his face." Verse 3.
The thoughtful reader of scripture will not pass over any expression,
how trivial soever it
may seem to be. Such an one will ever bear in mind that the book which
lies open before him
is from God, and therefore perfect—perfect as a whole—perfect in all
its parts. Every little
word is pregnant with meaning. Each little point, feature, and
circumstance contains some
spiritual teaching for the soul. No doubt, infidels and rationalists
altogether fail in seizing this
weighty fact, and, as a consequence, when they approach the divine
volume, they make the
saddest havoc. They see flaws where the spiritual student sees only
gems. They see
incongruities and contradictions where the devout, self distrusting,
Spirit-taught disciple
beholds divine harmonies and moral glories.
This is only what we might expect; and it is well to remember it
now-a-days. "God is His
own interpreter," in scripture, as well as in providence; and if
we wait on Him, He will
assuredly make it plain. But, as in providence, "Blind unbelief is
sure to err, and scan His
ways in vain," so in scripture, it is sure to err, and scan His
lines in vain. And the devout poet
might have gone farther; for, most surely, unbelief will not only scan
God's ways and God's
word in vain, but turn both the one and the other into an occasion of
making a blasphemous
attack upon God Himself, upon His nature, and upon His character, as
well as upon the
revelation which He has been pleased to give us. The infidel would
rudely smash the lamp of
inspiration, quench its heavenly light, and involve us all in the deep
gloom and moral
darkness which entrap His own misguided mind.
We have been led into the foregoing train of thought while meditating
upon the third verse of
our chapter. We are exceedingly desirous to cultivate the habit of
profound and careful study
of holy scripture. It is of immense importance. To say or to think that
there is so much as a
single clause, or a single expression, from cover to cover of the
inspired volume, unworthy of
our prayerful meditation, is to imply that God the Holy Ghost has
thought it worth His while
to write what we do not think it worth our while to study. "All
scripture is given by
inspiration of God." (2 Tim. 3: 16) This commands our reverence.
"Whatsoever things were
written aforetime were written for our learning." (Rom 15: 4) This
awakens our personal
interest. the former of these quotations proves that scripture comes
from God; the latter
proves that it comes to us. That and this, taken together, bind us to
God by the divine link of
holy scripture—a link which the devil, in this our day, is doing his
very utmost to snap; and
that, too, by means of agents of acknowledged moral worth and
intellectual power. The devil
does not select an ignorant or immoral man to make his grand and
special attacks upon the
Bible, for he knows full well that the former could not speak, and the
latter would not get a
hearing. But he craftily takes up some amiable, benevolent, and popular
person—some one
of blameless morals—a laborious student, a profound scholar, a deep and
original thinker.
Thus he throws dust in the eyes of the simple, the unlearned, and the
unwary.
Christian reader, we pray you to remember this. If we can deepen in
your soul the sense of
the unspeakable value of your Bible; if we can warn you off from the
dangerous rocks and
quicksands of rationalism and infidelity; if we are made the means of
stablishing and
strengthening you in the assurance that when you are hanging over the
sacred page of
scripture, you are drinking at a fountain every drop of which has
flowed into it From the very
bosom of God Himself; if we can reach all or any of these results, we
shall not regret the
digression from our chapter, to which we now return.
"And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring
her forth without the camp,
and one shall slay her before his face." We have, in the priest
and the victim, a joint type of
the Person of Christ. He was, at once, the Victim and the Priest. But
He did not enter upon
His priestly functions until His work as a victim was accomplished.
This will explain the
expression in the last clause of the third verse, one shall slay her
before his face." The death
of Christ was accomplished on earth, and could not, therefore, be
represented as the act of
priesthood. Heaven, not earth, is the sphere of His priestly service.
The apostle, in the Epistle
to the Hebrews, expressly declares, as the sum of a most elaborate and
amazing piece of
argument, that "we have such an high priest, who is set on the right
hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true
tabernacle which the Lord
pitched, and not man. For every High priest is ordained to offer gifts
and sacrifices:
wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
For if he were on
earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that
offer gifts according to the
law." (Heb. 8: 1-4) "But Christ being come an high priest of
good things to come, by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not
of this building; neither
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption." "For Christ is not
entered into the holy places made
with hands, the figures of the true But into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of
God for us." (Heb. 9: 11, 12, 24) "But this man, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins, for
ever sat down on the right hand of God" Heb. 10: 12.
From all these passages, taken in connection with Numbers 19: 3, we
learn two things,
namely, that the death of Christ is not presented as the proper,
ordinary act of priesthood;
and, further, that heaven, not earth, is the sphere of His priestly
ministry. There is nothing
new in these statements; others have advanced them repeatedly; But it
is important to notice
everything tending to illustrate the divine perfection and precision of
Holy scripture. It is
deeply interesting to find a truth, which shines brightly in the pages
of the New Testament,
wrapped up in some ordinance or ceremony of Old Testament times. Such
discoveries are
ever welcome to the intelligent reader of the word. The truth, no
doubt, is the same wherever
it is found; but when it bursts upon us, with meridian brightness in
the New Testament
scriptures, and is divinely shadowed forth in the Old, we not only have
the truth established,
but the unity of the volume illustrated and enforced.
But we must not pass over, unnoticed, the place where the death of the
victim was
accomplished. "That he may bring her forth without the camp."
As has already been
remarked, the priest and the victim are identified, and form a joint
type of Christ; But it is
added, "one shall slay her before his face," simply because
the death of Christ could not be
represented as the act of priesthood. What marvellous accuracy! And yet
it is not marvellous,
for what else should we look for in a book every line of which is from
God Himself? Had it
been said, "He shall slay her," then Numbers 19 would be at
variance with the Epistle to the
Hebrews. But no; the harmonies of the volume shine forth among its
brightest glories. May
we have grace to discern and appreciate them!
Jesus, then, suffered without the gate. "wherefore Jesus also,
that he might sanctify the
people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Heb. 13:
12) He took the outside
place, and His voice falls on the ear from thence. Do we listen to it?
Do we understand it?
Should we not consider more seriously the place where Jesus died? Are
we to rest satisfied
with reaping the benefits of Christ's death, without seeking fellowship
with Him in His
rejection? God forbid! "Let us go forth therefore unto him without
the camp, bearing his
reproach* There is immense power in these words. They should rouse our
whole moral being
to seek more complete identification with a rejected Saviour. Shall we
see Him die outside,
while we reap the benefits of His death and remain within? Shall we
seek a home, and a
place, and a name, and a portion, in that world from which our Lord and
Master is an
outcast? shall we aim at getting on in a world which could not tolerate
that blessed One to
whom we owe our present and everlasting felicity Shall we aspire after
honour, position, and
wealth, where our Master found only a manger, a cross, a borrowed
grave? May the language
of our hearts be, "Far be the thought! and may the language of our
lives be, "Far be the
thing!" May we, by the grace of God, yield a more hearty response
to the Spirit's call to "Go
forth"
{*The camp, in the above passage. refers primarily to Judaism; but it
has a very pointed
moral application to every system of religion set up by man, and
governed by the spirit and
principles of this present evil world.]
Christian reader, let us never forget that, when we look at the death
of Christ, we see two
things, namely, the death of a victim, and the death of a martyr—a
victim for sin, a martyr for
righteousness—a victim, under the hand of God, a martyr, under the hand
of man. He
suffered for sin, that we might never suffer. Blessed be His name for
evermore! But then, His
martyr sufferings, His sufferings for righteousness under the hand of
man, these we may
know. "For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only
to believe on him, but also to
suffer for his sake." (Phil. 1: 29) It is a positive gift to be
allowed to suffer with Christ. Do we
esteem it?
In contemplating the death of Christ, as typified by the ordinance of
the red heifer, we see not
only the complete putting away of sin, but also the judgement of this
present evil world. "He
gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present
evil world, according to
the will of God and our Father." (Gal 1: 4) Here the two things
are put together by God; and,
most surely, they should never be separated by us. We have the
judgement of sin, root and
branch; and the judgement of this world. The former should give perfect
repose to the
exercised conscience; while the latter should deliver the heart from
the ensnaring influence
of the world, in all its multiplied forms. That purges the conscience
from all sense of guilt;
this snaps the link which binds the heart and the world together.
Now, it is most needful for the reader to understand and enter
experimentally into the
connection existing between these two things. It is quite possible to
miss this grand link, even
while holding and contending for a vast amount of evangelical truth and
it may be
confidently affirmed that where this link is missing, there must be a
very serious defect in the
Christian character. We frequently meet with earnest souls who have
been brought under the
convicting and awakening power of the Holy Spirit, But who have not yet
known, for the
ease of their troubled consciences, the full value of the atoning death
of Christ, as putting
away, for ever, all their sins, and bringing them nigh to God, without
a stain upon the soul, or
a sting in the conscience. If this be the present actual condition of
the reader, he would need
to consider the first clause of the verse just quoted. "He gave
himself for our sins." This is a
most blessed statement for a troubled soul. It settles the whole
question of sin. If it be true
that Christ gave Himself for my sins, what remains for me but to
rejoice in the precious fact
that my sins are all gone The One who took my place, who stood charged
with my sins, who
suffered in my room and stead, is now at the right hand of God, crowned
with glory and
honour. This is enough. My sins are all gone for ever. If they were
not, He could not be
where He now is. The crown of glory which wreathes His blessed brow is
the proof that my
sins are perfectly atoned for, and therefore perfect peace is my
portion—a peace as perfect as
the work of Christ can make it.
But then, let us never forget that the very same work that has for ever
put away our sins has
delivered us from this present evil world. The two things go together.
Christ has not only
delivered me from the consequences of my sins, but also from the
present power of sin, and
from the claims and influences of that thing which scripture calls
"the world." All this,
however, will come more fully out as we proceed with our chapter.
"And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with His finger,
and sprinkle of her blood
directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times."
Here we have the solid
groundwork of all real purification. we know that, in the type before
us, it is only, as the
inspired apostle tells us, a question of "sanctifying to me
purifying of the flesh." (Heb. 9: 13)
But we have to look beyond the type to the antitype—beyond the shadow
to the substance. In
the sevenfold sprinkling of the blood of the red heifer, before the
tabernacle of the
congregation, we have a figure of the perfect presentation of the blood
of Christ to God, as
the only ground of the meeting-place between God and the conscience.
The number "seven,"
as has frequently been observed, is expressive of perfection; and, in
the figure before us, we
see the perfection attaching to the death of Christ, as an atonement
for sin, presented to, and
accepted by God. All rests upon this divine ground. The blood has been
shed, and presented
to a holy God, as a perfect atonement for sin. This, when simply
received by faith, must
relieve the conscience from all sense of guilt and all fear of
condemnation. There is nothing
before God save the perfection of the atoning work of Christ. Sin has
been judged and our
sins put away. They have been completely obliterated by the precious
blood of Christ. To
believe this is to enter into perfect repose of conscience.
And here let the reader carefully note that there is no further
allusion to the sprinkling of
blood throughout the entire of this singularly interesting chapter.
This is precisely in keeping
with the doctrine of Hebrews 9, 10. It is but another illustration of
the divine harmony of the
Volume. The sacrifice of Christ, being divinely perfect, needs not to
be repeated. Its efficacy
is divine and eternal. "But Christ being come an high priest of
good things to come, by a
greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this building;
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, He
entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of
bulls and of goats, and the
ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the
purifying of the flesh; how much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
Himself without spot to
God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(Heb. 9: 11-14.)
Observe the force of these two words, "once" and
"eternal." See how they set forth the
completeness and divine efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. The blood
was shed once and for
ever. To think of a repetition of that great work would be to deny its
everlasting and all-
sufficient value, and reduce it to the level of the blood of bulls and
goats.
But, further," It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the heavens should be
purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these. For
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are
the figures of the true;
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
nor yet that He should
offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with blood of
others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of
the world; but now, once
in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself." Sin
therefore, has been put away. It cannot be put away, and, at the same
time, be on the
believer's conscience. This is plain. It must either be admitted that
the believer's sins are
blotted out, and his conscience perfectly purged, or that Christ must
die over again. But this
latter is not only needless, but wholly out of the question; for, as
the apostle goes on to say,
"As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgement; so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall
he appear the second
time, without sin, unto salvation."
There is something most marvellous in the patient elaborateness with
which the Holy Ghost
argues out this entire subject. He expounds, illustrates, and enforces
the great doctrine of the
completeness of the sacrifice in such a way, as to carry conviction to
the soul, and relieve the
conscience of its heavy burden. Such is the exceeding grace of God that
He can not only
accomplished the work of eternal redemption for us, But, in the most
patient and painstaking
manner, has argued and reasoned, and proved the whole point in
question, so as not to leave
one hair's breadth of ground on which to base an objection. Let us
hearken to His further
powerful reasonings, and may the Spirit apply them in power to the
heart of the anxious
reader.
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things,
can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually, make the comers
thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered?
because that the
worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But
in these sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not
possible that the blood of
bulls and of goats should take away sins." But that which the
blood of bulls could never do,
the blood of Jesus has for ever done. This makes all the difference.
All the blood that ever
flowed around Israel's altars—the millions of sacrifices, offered
according to the
requirements of the Mosaic ritual—could not blot out one stain from the
conscience, or
justify a sin-hating God in receiving a sinner to Himself. "It is
not possible that the blood of
bulls and of goats should take away sins." "Wherefore when he
cometh into the world he
saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou
prepared me. In burnt
offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said
I, Lo, I come (in the
volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God . . .. .
By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once."
Mark the contrast. God had
no pleasure in the endless round of sacrifices under the law. They did
not please Him. They
left wholly unaccomplished that which He had in His loving heart to do
for His people,
namely, to rid them completely of sin's heavy load, and bring them unto
Himself, in perfect
peace of conscience and liberty of heart. This, Jesus, by the one
offering of His blessed body,
did. He did the will of God; and, blessed for ever be His name, He has
not to do His work
over again. We may refuse to believe that the work is done—refuse to
commit our souls to its
efficacy—to enter into the rest which it is calculated to impart—to
enjoy the holy liberty of
spirit which it is fitted to yield; but there stands the work in its
own imperishable virtue; and
there, too, stand the Spirit's arguments respecting that work, in their
own unanswerable force
and clearness; and neither Satan's dark suggestions, nor our own
unbelieving reasonings can
ever touch either the one or the other. They may, and alas! they do,
most sadly interfere with
our soul's enjoyment of the truth; but the truth itself remains ever
the same.
"And every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins; but this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins, for
ever sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till
his enemies be made
his footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that
are sanctified." It is
due to the blood of Christ that it should impart eternal perfection;
and, we may surely add, it
is due to it likewise that our souls should taste that perfection. No
one need ever imagine that
he is doing honour to the work of Christ, or to the Spirit's testimony
respecting that work,
when he refuses to accept that perfect remission of sins which is
proclaimed to him through
the blood of the cross. It is no sign of true piety, or of pure
religion, to deny what the grace of
God has done for us in Christ, and what the record of the eternal
Spirit has presented to our
souls on the page of inspiration.
Christian reader, anxious inquirer, does it not seem strange that, when
the word of God
presents to our view Christ seated at the right hand of God, in virtue
of accomplished
redemption, we should be, virtually, in no wise better off than those
who had merely a human
priest standing daily ministering, and offering the same round of
sacrifices? We have a divine
Priest who has sat down for ever. They had a merely human priest, who
could never, in his
official capacity, sit down at all; and yet are we, in the state of the
mind, in the apprehension
of the soul, in the actual condition of the conscience, in no respect
better off than they? Can
it Be possible that, with a perfect work to rest upon, our souls should
never know perfect
rest? The Holy Ghost, as we have seen in these various quotations taken
from the epistle to
the Hebrews, has left nothing unsaid to satisfy our souls as to the
question of the complete
putting away of sin by the precious blood of Christ. Why then should
you not, this moment,
enjoy full, settled peace of conscience? Has the blood of Jesus done
nothing more for you
than the blood of a bullock did for a Jewish worshipper?
It may be, however, that the reader is ready to say, in reply to all
that we have been seeking to
urge upon him," I do not, in the least, doubt the efficacy of the
blood of Jesus. I believe it
cleanseth from all sin. I believe, most thoroughly, that all who simply
put their trust in that
blood are perfectly safe, and will be eternally happy. My difficulty
does not lie here at all.
What troubles me is, not the efficacy of the blood, in which I fully
believe, but my own
personal interest in that blood, of which I have no satisfactory
evidence. This is the secret of
all my trouble. The doctrine of the blood is as clear as a sunbeam; but
the question of my
interest therein is involved in hopeless obscurity."
Now if this be at all the embodiment of the reader's feelings on this
momentous subject, it
only proves the necessity of his deeply pondering the fourth verse of
the nineteenth of
Numbers. There he will see that the true basis of all purification is
found in this, that the
blood of atonement has been presented to God, and accepted by Him. This
is a most precious
truth, but one little understood. It is of all importance that the
really anxious soul should have
a clear view of the subject of atonement. It is so natural to us all to
be occupied with our
thoughts and feelings about the blood of Christ, rather than with the
blood itself, and with
God's thoughts respecting it. If the blood has been perfectly presented
to God, if He has
accepted it, if He has glorified Himself in the putting away of sin,
then what remains for the
divinely exercised conscience but to find perfect repose in that which
has met all the claims
of God, harmonised His attributes, and laid the foundations of that
marvellous platform
whereon a sin-hating God and a poor sin-destroyed sinner can meet? Why
introduce the
question of my interest in the blood of Christ, as though that work
were not complete without
anything of mine, call it what you will, my interest, my feelings, my
experience, my
appreciation, my appropriation, my anything? Why not rest in Christ
alone? This would be
really having an interest in Him. But the very moment the heart gets
occupied with the
question of its own interest—the moment the eye is withdrawn from that
divine object which
the word of God and the Holy Ghost present—then spiritual darkness and
perplexity must
ensue; and the soul, instead of rejoicing in the perfection of the work
of Christ, is tormented
by looking at its own poor, imperfect feelings.
"The atoning work is done,
The Victim's blood is shed;
And Jesus now is gone,
His people's cause to plead.
He stands in heaven their Great High Priest,
And bears their names upon His breast."
Here, blessed be God, we have the stable groundwork of
"purification for sin," and of perfect
peace for the conscience. "The atoning work is done." All is
finished. the great Antitype of
the red heifer has been slain. He gave himself up to death, under the
wrath and judgement of
a righteous God, that all who simply put their trust in Him might know,
in the deep secret of
their own souls, divine purification and perfect Peace. We are purified
as to the conscience,
not by our thoughts about the blood, but by the blood itself. We must
insist upon this. God
Himself has made out our title for us, and that title is found in the
blood alone. Oh! that most
precious blood of Jesus that speaks profound peace to every troubled
soul that will simply
lean upon its eternal efficacy. Why, we may ask, is it that the blessed
doctrine of the blood is
so little understood and appreciated? Why will people persist in
looking to anything else, or
in mingling anything else with it? May the Holy Ghost lead the anxious
reader, as he reads
these lines, to stay his heart and conscience upon the atoning
sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
Having thus endeavoured to present to the reader the precious truth
unfolded to us in the
death of the red heifer, we shall now ask him to meditate, for a few
moments, upon the
burning of the heifer. We have looked at the blood, let us now gaze
upon the ashes. In the
former, we have the sacrificial death of Christ, as the only
purification for sin. In the latter,
we have the remembrance of that death applied to the heart by the
Spirit, through the word,
in order to remove any defilement contracted in our walk from day to
day. This gives great
completeness and beauty to this most interesting type. God has not only
made provision for
past sins, but also for present defilement, so that we may be ever
before him in all the value
and merit of the perfect work of Christ. He would have us treading the
courts of His
sanctuary, the holy precincts of His presence," Clean every whit.'
And not only does He
Himself see as thus; But, blessed for ever be His name, He would have
us thus in our own
inward self-consciousness. He would give us, by His Spirit, through the
word, the deep
inward sense of cleanness in His sight, so that the current of our
communion with Him may
flow on without a ripple and without a curve. "If we walk in the
light as He is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all
sin. (1 John 1) But if we fail to walk in the light—if we forget, and,
in our forgetfulness,
touch the unclean thing, how is our communion to be restored? Only by
the removal of the
defilement. But how is this to be effected? By the application to Our
hearts and consciences
of the precious truth of the death of Christ. The Holy Ghost produces
self-judgement, and
brings to our remembrance the precious truth that Christ suffered death
for that defilement
which we so lightly and indifferently contract. It is not a fresh
sprinkling of the blood of
Christ—a thing unknown in scripture; but the remembrance of His death
brought home, in
fresh power, to the contrite heart, by the ministry of the Holy Ghost.
"And one shall burn the heifer in his sight...... And the priest
shall take cedar wood, and
hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the
heifer......And a man that is
clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without
the camp in a clean
place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of
Israel for a water of
separation: it is a purification for sin."
It is the purpose of God that His children should be purified from all
iniquity, and that they
should walk in separation from this present evil world, where all is
death and defilement. this
separation is effected by the action of the word on the heart, by the
power of the Holy Ghost.
"Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ, who gave Himself
for our sins, that he might deliver as from this present evil world,
according to the will of
God and our Father." (Gal. 1: 4) And again, "Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave
himself for us, that he
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good
works." Titus 2: 13, 14.
It is remarkable how constantly the Spirit of God presents, in intimate
connection, the full
relief of the conscience from all sense of guilt, and the deliverance
of the heart from the
moral influence of this present evil world. Now, it should be our care,
beloved Christian
reader, to maintain the integrity of this connection. Of course, it is
only by the gracious
energy of the Holy Ghost that we can do so; but we ought to seek
earnestly to understand and
practically carry out the blessed link of connection between the death
of Christ as an
atonement for sin, and as the moral power of separation from this
world. Many of the people
of God never get beyond the former, if they even get that length. Many
seem to be quite
satisfied with the Knowledge of the forgiveness of sins through the
atoning work of Christ,
while, at the same time, they fail to realise deadness to the world in
virtue of the death of
Christ, and their identification with Him therein.
Now, when we stand and gaze upon the burning of the red heifer, in
Numbers 19—when we
examine that mystic heap of ashes, what do we find? It may be said, in
reply, "We find our
sins there." True, thanks be to God, and to the Son of His love,
we do indeed find our sins,
our iniquities, our trespasses, our deep crimson guilt, all reduced to
ashes. But is there
nothing more? Can we not, by a careful analysis, discover more?
Unquestionably. We find
nature there, in every stage of its existence—from the highest to the
lowest point in its
history. Moreover, we find all the glory of this world there. the cedar
and the hyssop
represent nature in its widest extremes; and, in giving its extremes,
they take in all that lies
between. "Solomon spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in
Lebanon even unto the
hyssop that springeth out of the wall."
"Scarlet" is viewed, by those who have carefully examined
scripture on the point, as the type
or expression of human splendour, worldly grandeur, the glory of this
world, the glory of
man. Hence, therefore, we see in the burning of the heifer, the end of
all worldly greatness,
human glory, and the complete setting aside of the flesh, with all its
belongings. This renders
the burning of the heifer deeply significant. It shadows forth a truth
too little known, and,
when known, too readily forgotten—a truth embodied in these memorable
words of the
apostle, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Whereby
the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
We are all far too prone to accept the cross as the ground of escape
from all the consequences
of our sins, and of full acceptance with God, and, at the same time,
refuse it as the ground of
our complete separation from the world. True it is, thanks and praise
be to our God, the solid
ground of our deliverance from guilt and consequent condemnation; but
it is more than this.
It has severed us, for ever, from all that pertains to this world,
through which we are passing.
Are my sins put away Yes; blessed be the God of all grace! according to
what? According to
the perfection of Christ's atoning sacrifice as estimated by God
Himself. Well then, such,
precisely, is the measure of our deliverance from this present evil
world—from its fashions,
its maxims, its habits, its principles. The believer has absolutely
nothing in common with this
world, in so far as he enters into the spirit and power of the cross of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
That cross has dislodged him from everything here below, and made him a
pilgrim and a
stranger in this world. The truly devoted heart sees the dark shadow of
the cross looming
over all the glitter and glare, the pomp and fashion of this world.
Paul saw this, and the sight
of it caused him to esteem the world, in its very highest aspect, in
its most attractive forms, in
its brightest glories, as dross.
Such was the estimate formed of this world by one who had been brought
up at the feet of
Gamaliel. "The world is crucified unto me," said he,
"and I unto the world." Such was Paul,
and such should every Christian be—a stranger on earth, a citizen of
heaven, and this, not
merely in sentiment or theory, but in downright fact and reality; for,
as surely as our
deliverance from hell is more than a mere sentiment or theory, so
surely is our separation
from this present evil age. The one is as positive and as real as the
other.
But here let us ask, Why is not this great practical truth more pressed
home upon the hearts
of evangelical Christians at the present moment? Why are we so slow to
urge upon one
another the separating power of the cross of Christ? If my heart loves
Jesus, I shall not seek a
place, a portion, or a name where He found only a malefactor's cross.
This, dear reader, is the
simple way to look at the matter. Do you really love Christ? Has your
heart been touched and
attracted by His wondrous love to you? If so, remember that He was cast
out by this world.
Yes, Jesus was, and still is, an outcast from this world. There is no
change. The world is the
world still; and be it remembered, that one of Satan's special devices
is to lead people to
accept salvation from Christ, while, at the same time, they refuse to
be identified with Him in
His rejection—to avail themselves of the atoning work of the cross,
while abiding
comfortably in the world that is stained with the guilt of nailing
Christ thereto. In other
words, he leads people to think and to say that the offence of the
cross has ceased; that the
world of the nineteenth century is totally different from the world of
the first; that if the Lord
Jesus were on earth now He would meet with very different treatment
from that which He
received then; that it is not now a pagan world, but a Christian one,
and this makes a material
and a fundamental difference; that now it is quite right for a
Christian to accept of citizenship
in this world, to have a name, a place, and a portion here, seeing it
is not the same world at
all, as that which nailed the Son of God to Calvary's cursed tree.
Now we feel it incumbent on us to press upon all who read these lines
that this is, in very
deed, a lie of the arch-enemy of souls. The world is not changed. It
may have changed its
dress, But it has not changed its nature, its spirit, its principles.
It hates Jesus as cordially as
when the cry went forth," Away with him! Crucify him!" There
is really no change. If only
we try the world by the same grand test, we shall find it to be the
same evil, God-hating,
Christ-rejecting world as ever. And what is that test? Christ
crucified. May this solemn truth
be engraved on our hearts! May we realise and manifest its formative
power! May it detach
us more completely from all that belongs to the world! May we be
enabled to understand
more fully the truth presented in the ashes of the red heifer! Then
shall our separation from
the world, and our dedication to Christ, be more intense and real. The
Lord, in His exceeding
goodness, grant that thus it may be, with all His people, in this day
of hollow, worldly, half-
and-half profession!
Let us now consider, for a moment, how the ashes were to be applied.
"He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven
days. He shall purify
Himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be
clean; but if he purify not
himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
Whosoever toucheth the
dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth
the tabernacle of the
Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of
separation was not
sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon
him."
It is a solemn thing to have to do with God—to walk with Him, from day
to day, in the midst
of a defiled and defiling scene. He cannot tolerate any uncleanness
upon those with whom He
deigns to walk, and in whom He dwells. He can pardon and blot out; He
can heal, cleanse,
and restore; but He cannot sanction unjudged evil, or suffer it upon
His people. It would be a
denial of His very name and nature were He to do so. This, while deeply
solemn, is truly
blessed. It is our joy to have to do with One whose presence demands
and secures holiness.
We are passing through a world in which we are surrounded with defiling
influences. True,
defilement is not now contracted by touching "a dead body, or a
bone of a man, or a grave."
These things were, as we know, types of things moral and spiritual with
which we are in
danger of coming in contact every day and every hour. We doubt not but
those who have
much to do with the things of this world are most painfully sensible of
the immense difficulty
of escaping with unsoiled hands. Hence the need of holy diligence in
all our habits and
associations, lest we contract defilement, and interrupt our communion
with God. He must
have us in a condition worthy of Himself. "Be ye holy, for I am
holy."
But the anxious reader, whose whole soul breathes after holiness, may
eagerly inquire,
"What, then, are we to do, if it be true that we are thus
surrounded, on all hands, with defiling
influences, and if we are so prone to contract that defilement?
Furthermore, if it is impossible
to have fellowship with God, with unclean hands and a condemning
conscience, What are we
to do?" First of all, then, we should say, be watchful. Wait much
and earnestly on God. He is
faithful and gracious—a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God—a
liberal and an
unupbraiding Giver. "He giveth more grace." This is,
positively, a blank cheque which faith
can fill up to any amount. Is it the real purpose of your soul to get
on, to advance in the
divine life, to grow in personal holiness? Then beware how you
continue, for a single hour, in
contact with what soils your hands and wounds your conscience, grieves
the Holy Ghost, and
mars your communion. Be decided. Be whole-hearted. Give up, at once,
the unclean thing,
whatever it be, habit, or association, or anything else. Cost what it
may, give it up. Entail
what loss it may, abandon it. No worldly gain, no earthly advantage,
could compensate for
the loss of a pure conscience, an uncondemning heart, and the light of
your Father's
countenance. Are you not convinced of this? If so, seek grace to carry
out your conviction.
But it may be further asked, "What is to be done when defilement
is actually contracted?
How is the defilement to be removed?" Hear the reply in the
figurative language of Numbers
19. "And for an unclean person, they shall take of the ashes of
the burnt heifer of purification
for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel. And a
clean person shall take
hyssop and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon
all the vessels, and
upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or
one slain, or one
dead, or a grave. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean
on the third day, and
on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and
wash his clothes, and
bathe Himself in water, and shall be clean at even."
The reader will remark that, in the twelfth and eighteenth verses,
there is a double action set
forth. There is the action of the third day, and the action of the
seventh day. Both were
essentially necessary to remove the ceremonial defilement caused by
contact with the varied
forms of death above specified. Now, what did this double action
typify? What is it that, in
our spiritual history, answers thereto? we believe it to be this. When
we, through lack of
watchfulness and spiritual energy, touch the unclean thing and get
defiled, we may be
ignorant of it; but God knows all about it. He cares for us, and is
looking after us; not,
blessed be His name, as an angry judge, or stern censor, but as a
loving father, who will never
impute anything to us, because it was all, long ago, imputed to the One
who died in our stead.
But, though He will never impute it to us, He will make us feel it
deeply and keenly. He will
be a faithful reprover of the unclean thing; and He can reprove all the
more powerfully
simply because He will never reckon it against us. The holy Spirit
brings our sin to
remembrance, and this causes unutterable anguish of heart. This anguish
may continue for
some time. It may be moments, days, months, or years. We once met with
a young Christian,
who was rendered miserable, for three years, by having gone with some
worldly friends on an
excursion. This convicting operation of the holy Ghost we believe to be
shadowed forth by
the action of the third day. He first brings our sin to remembrance;
and then He graciously
brings to our remembrance, and applies to our souls, through the
written word, the value of
the death of Christ as that which has already met the defilement which
we so easily contract.
This answers to the action of the seventh day—removes the defilement
and restores our
communion.
And, be it carefully remembered, that we can never get rid of
defilement in any other way.
We may seek to forget, to slur over, to heal the wound slightly, to
make little of the matter, to
let time obliterate it from the tablet of memory. It will never do.
Nay, it is most dangerous
work. There are few things more disastrous than trifling with
conscience or the claims of
holiness. And it is as foolish as it is dangerous; for God has, in His
grace, made full provision
for the removal of the uncleanness which His holiness detects and
condemns. But the
uncleanness must be removed, else communion is impossible. "If I
wash thee not, thou hast
no part with me." the suspension of a believers communion is what
answers to the cutting off
of a member from the congregation of Israel. The Christian can never be
cut off from Christ;
but his communion can be interrupted by a single sinful thought, and
that sinful thought must
be judged and confessed, and the soil of it removed, ere the communion
can be restored. It is
well to remember this. It is a serious thing to trifle with sin. We may
rest assured we cannot
possibly have fellowship with God and walk in defilement. To think so,
is to blaspheme the
very name, the very nature, the very throne and majesty of God. No,
dear reader, we must
keep a clean conscience, and maintain the holiness of God, else we
shall, very soon, make
shipwreck of faith and break down altogether. May the Lord keep us
walking softly and
tenderly, watchfully and prayerfully, until we have laid aside our
bodies of sin and death, and
entered upon that bright and blessed world above, where sin, death, and
defilement are
unknown.
In studying the ordinances and ceremonies of the Levitical economy,
nothing is more striking
than the jealous care with which the God of Israel watched over His
people, in order that they
might be preserved from every defiling influence. By day and by night,
awake and asleep, at
home and abroad, in the bosom of the family and in the solitary walk,
His eyes were upon
them. He looked after their food, their raiment, their domestic habits
and arrangements. He
carefully instructed them as to what they might and what they might not
eat; what they might
and what they might not wear. He even set forth, distinctly, His mind
as to the very touching
and handling of things. In short, He surrounded them with barriers
amply sufficient, had they
only attended to them, to resist the whole tide of defilement to which
they were exposed on
every side.
In all this, we read, in unmistakable characters, the holiness of God;
but we read also, as
distinctly, the grace of God. If divine holiness could not suffer
defilement upon the people,
divine grace made ample provision for the removal thereof. This
provision is set forth in our
chapter under two forms, namely, the blood of atonement, and the water
of separation.
Precious provision! a provision illustrating, at once, the holiness and
the grace of God. Did
we not know the ample provisions of divine grace, the lofty claims of
divine holiness would
be perfectly overwhelming; but being assured of the former, we can
heartily rejoice in the
latter. Could we desire to see the standard of divine holiness lowered
a single hair's breadth?
Far be the thought. How could we, or why should we, seeing that divine
grace has fully
provided what divine holiness demands? An Israelite of old might
shudder as he hearkened to
such words as these, "He that toucheth the dead body of any man
shall be unclean seven
days." and again, "Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any
man that is dead, and purifieth
not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall
be cut off from Israel."
Such words might indeed terrify his heart. He might feel led to
exclaim, "What am I to do?
How can I ever get on? It seems perfectly impossible for me to escape
defilement." But, then,
what of the ashes of the burnt heifer? What of the water of separation?
What could these
mean? They set forth the memorial of the sacrificial death of Christ,
applied to the heart by
the power of the Spirit of God. "He shall purify himself with it
the third day, and on the
seventh day he shall be clean; but if he purify not himself the third
day, then the seventh day
he shall not be clean." If we contract defilement, even though it
be through negligence, that
defilement must be removed, ere our communion can be restored. But we
cannot get rid of
the soil by any effort of our own. It can only be by the use of God's
gracious provision, even
the water of purification. An Israelite could no more remove by his own
efforts the
defilement caused by the touch of a dead body, than he could have
broken Pharaoh's yoke, or
delivered himself from the lash of Pharaoh's taskmasters.
And let the reader observe that it was not a question of offering a
fresh sacrifice, nor yet of a
fresh application of the blood. It is of special importance that this
should be distinctly seen
and understood. The death of Christ cannot be repeated. "Christ
being raised from the dead,
dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him, For in that he
died, he died unto sin
once; but in that he liveth, He liveth unto God." We stand, by the
grace of God, in the full
credit and value of the death of Christ; But, inasmuch as we are
surrounded, on all sides, by
temptations and snares; and as we have, within us, such capabilities
and tendencies; and,
further, seeing we have a powerful adversary who is ever on the watch
to ensnare us, and
lead us off the path of truth and purity, we could not get on for a
single moment, were it not
for the gracious way in which our God has provided for all our
exigencies, in the precious
death and all-prevailing advocacy of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not
merely that the blood of
Jesus Christ has washed away all our sins, and reconciled us to a Holy
God, but "We have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." "He
ever liveth to make intercession for
us," and "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come
unto God by him." He is ever in
the presence of God for us. He represents us there, and maintains us in
the divine integrity of
the place and relationship in which His atoning death has set us. Our
case can never, by any
possibility, fall through, in the hands of such an Advocate. He must
cease to live, ere the very
feeblest of His saints can perish. We are identified with Him and He
with us.
Now, then, Christian reader, what should be the practical effect of all
this grace upon our
hearts and lives? when we think of the death, and of the burning—of the
blood, and of the
ashes—of the atoning sacrifice, and the interceding Priest and
Advocate, what influence
should it exert upon our souls? How should it act upon our consciences?
Should it lead us to
think little of sin! Should it cause us to walk carelessly and
indifferently? Should it have the
effect of making as light and frivolous in our ways? Alas! for the
heart that can think so. We
may rest assured of this, that the man who can draw a plea, from the
rich provisions of divine
grace, for lightness of conduct or levity of spirit, knows very little,
if indeed he knows
anything at all, of the true nature or proper influence of grace and
its provisions. Could we
imagine, for a moment, that the ashes of the heifer or the water of
separation would have had
the effect of making an Israelite careless as to his walk? Assuredly
not. On the contrary, the
very fact of such careful provision being made, by the goodness of God,
against defilement,
would make him feel what a serious thing it was to contract it. Such,
at least, would be the
proper effect of the provisions of divine grace. The heap of ashes,
laid up in a clean place,
gave forth a double testimony; it testified of the goodness of God; and
it testified of the
hatefulness of sin. It declared that God could not suffer uncleanness
upon His people; but it
declared also that He had provided the means of removing it. It is
utterly impossible that the
blessed doctrine of the sprinkled blood, of the ashes, and of the water
of separation, can be
understood and enjoyed, without its producing a holy horror of sin in
all its defiling forms.
And we may further assert that no one who has ever felt the anguish of
a defiled conscience
could lightly contract defilement. A pure conscience is Far too
precious a treasure to be
lightly parted with; and a defiled conscience is far too heavy a burden
to be lightly taken up.
But, blessed be the God of all grace, He has met all our need, in His
own perfect way; and,
He has met it, too, not to make us careless, but to make us watchful.
"My little children, these
things write I unto you, that ye sin not." But then he adds,
"If any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the
propitiation for our sins;
and not for ours only, but for the whole world." 1 John.
But we must draw this section to a close, and shall merely add a word
on the closing verses
of our chapter. "And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them,
that he that sprinkleth the water
of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of
separation shall be
unclean until even. and whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be
unclean, and the
soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even." (Num. 19: 21,
22) In verse 18, we are taught
that it needed a clean person to sprinkle the unclean; and in verse 21,
we are taught that the
act of sprinkling another defiled oneself.
Putting both these together, we learn, as another has said, "That
any one who has to do with
the sin of another, though it be in the way of duty, to cleanse it, is
defiled; not as the guilty
person, it is true, but we cannot touch sin without being
defiled." And we learn also that, in
order to lead another into the enjoyment of the cleansing virtue of
Christ's work, I must be in
the enjoyment of that cleansing work myself. It is well to remember
this. Those who applied
the water of separation to others had to use that water for themselves.
May our souls enter
into this! May we ever abide in the sense of the perfect cleanness into
which the death of
Christ introduces us, and in which His priestly work maintains us! And
oh! let us never forget
that contact with evil defiles. It was so under the Mosaic economy, and
it is so now.
Numbers 20
"Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation,
into the desert of Zin, in the
first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and
was buried there."
Verse 1.
The chapter which now opens before us furnishes a very remarkable
record of wilderness life
and experience. In it, we see Moses, the servant of God, passing
through some of the most
trying scenes of his eventful life. First of all, Miriam dies. The one
whose voice was heard,
amid the brilliant scenes of Exodus 15 chanting a hymn of victory,
passes away, and her
ashes are deposited in the wilderness of Kadesh. The timbrel is laid
aside. The voice of song
is hushed in the silence of death. She can no longer lead in the dance.
She had sung sweetly,
in her day; she had, very blessedly, seized the key note of that
magnificent song of praise
sung on the resurrection side of the Red Sea. Her charms embodied the
great central truth of
redemption. "Sing ye to the Lord. for he hath triumphed gloriously:
the horse and his rider
hath he thrown into the sea." This was, truly, a lofty strain. It
was the suited utterance for the
joyous occasion.
But now the prophetess passes off the scene, and the voice of melody is
exchanged for the
voice of murmuring. Wilderness life is becoming irksome. The trials of
the desert put nature
to the test; they bring out what is in the heart. Forty years' toil and
travail make a great
change in people. It is very rare indeed to find a case in which the
verdure and freshness of
spiritual life are kept up, much less augmented, throughout all the
stages of Christian life and
warfare. It ought not to be such a rarity. It ought to be the very
reverse, inasmuch as it is in
the actual details, the stern realities of our path through this world,
that we prove what God
is. He, blessed be His name, takes occasion from the very trials of the
way to make Himself
known to us in all the sweetness and tenderness of love that knows no
change. His loving
kindness and tender mercy never fail. Nothing can exhaust those springs
which are in the
living God. He will be what He is, spite of all our naughtiness. God
will be God, let man
prove himself ever so faithless and faulty.
This is our comfort, our joy, and the source of our strength. We have
to do with the living
God. What a reality! Come what may, He will prove Himself equal to
every emergency—
amply sufficient "for exigence of every hour." His patient
grace can bear with our manifold
infirmities, failures, and shortcomings; and His strength is made
perfect in our utter
weakness. His faithfulness never fails. His mercy is from everlasting
to everlasting. Friends
fail or pass away. Links of fond friendship are snapped in this cold,
heartless world. Fellow-
labourers part company. Miriams and Aarons die; but God remaineth. Here
lies the deep
secret of all true and solid blessedness. If we have the hand and the
heart of the living God
with us, we need not fear. If we can say, "The Lord is my
shepherd," we can, assuredly add,
"we shall not want."
Still there are the scenes of sorrow and trial in the desert; and we
have to go through them.
Thus it was with Israel, in the chapter before us. They were called to
meet the keen blasts of
the wilderness, and they met them with accents of impatience and
discontent. "And there was
no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together
against Moses and
against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying,
Would God that we had
died when our brethren died before the Lord! And why have ye brought up
the congregation
of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die
there? And wherefore have
ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us unto this evil place?
It is no place of seed, or
of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to
drink." Verses 2-5.
This was a deeply trying moment to the spirit of Moses. We can form no
conception of what
it must have been to encounter six hundred thousand murmurers, and to
be obliged to listen
to their bitter invectives, and to hear himself charged with all the
misfortunes which their
own unbelief had conjured up before them. All this was no ordinary
trial of patience; and,
most assuredly, we need not marvel if that dear and honoured servant
found the occasion too
much for him. "And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the
assembly unto the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces:
and the glory of the Lord
appeared unto them." Verse 6.
It is deeply touching to find Moses, again and again, on his face
before God. It was a sweet
relief, to make his escape from a tumultuous host, and betake himself
to the only One whose
resources were adequate to meet such an occasion. "They fell upon
their faces: and the glory
of the Lord appeared unto them." They do not appear, on this
occasion, to have attempted any
reply to the people; "they went from the presence of the
assembly" and cast themselves upon
the living God. They could not possibly have done better. Who But the
God of all grace could
meet the ten thousand necessities of wilderness life? Well had Moses
said, at the very
beginning, "If thy presence go not with us, carry as not up
hence." Assuredly, he was right
and wise in so expressing himself. The divine presence was the only
answer to the demand of
such a congregation. But that presence was an all-sufficient answer.
God's treasury is
absolutely inexhaustible. He can never fail a trusting heart. Let us
remember this. God
delights to be used. He never grows weary of ministering to the need of
His people. If this
were ever kept in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts, we
should hear less of the
accents of impatience and discontent, and more of the sweet language of
thankfulness and
praise. But, as we have had frequent occasion to remark, desert life
tests every one. it proves
what is in us; and, thanks be to God, it brings out what is in Him for
us.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather
thou the assembly
together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before
their eyes; and it
shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water
out of the rock: so thou
shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. and Moses took the
rod from before the
Lord as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation
together
before the rock; and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we
fetch you water out of
this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the
rock twice: and the
water came out abundantly; and the congregation drank, and their beasts
also." Verse 7-11.
Two objects, in the foregoing quotation, demand the readers attention,
namely, "The Rock,"
and "The Rod." They both present Christ, most blessedly, to
the soul; but in two distinct
aspects. In 1 Corinthians 10: 4, we read, "They drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed
them: and that Rock was Christ." This is Plain and positive. It
leaves no room whatever for
the exercise of the imagination. "That Rock was
Christ"—Christ smitten for us.
Then, as regards "the rod," we must remember that it was not
the rod of Moses—the rod of
authority—the rod of power. This would not suit the occasion before us.
It had done its work.
It had smitten the rock once, and that was enough. This we learn from
Exodus 17, where we
read, "The Lord said onto Moses, go on before the people, and take
with thee of the elders of
Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river (see Ex. 7: 20),
take in thine hand and
go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and
thou shalt smite the
rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the
sight of the elders of Israel."
Here we have a type of Christ smitten for us, by the hand of God, in judgement.
The reader
will note the expression, "Thy rod wherewith thou smotest the
river." Why the river? Why
should this particular stroke of the rod be referred to? Exodus 7: 20
furnishes the reply. "And
be (Moses) lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the
river, in the sight of
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were
in the river were turned
to blood." It was the rod which turned the water into blood that
was to smite "that Rock
which was Christ" in order that streams of life and refreshment
might flow for us.
Now, this smiting could only take place once. It is never to be
repeated. "Knowing that
Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more
dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he
liveth unto God." (Rom. 6:
9, 10) "But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to
put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself.....so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of
many.'' (Heb. 9: 26, 27)
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to
God." 1 Peter 3: 18.
There can be no repetition of the death of Christ; and hence Moses was
wrong in smiting the
rock twice with his rod—wrong in smiting it at all. He was commanded to
take "the rod,
Aaron's rod—the priestly rod, and speak to the rock. The atoning work
is done, and now our
great High Priest has passed into the heavens, there to appear in the
presence of God for us,
and the streams of spiritual refreshment flow to us, on the ground of
accomplished
redemption, and in connection with Christ's priestly ministry, of which
Aaron's budding rod
is the exquisite figure.
Hence, then, it was a grave mistake for Moses to smite the rock a
second time—a mistake to
use his rod in the matter at all. To have smitten with Aaron's rod
would, as we can easily
understand, have spoiled its lovely blossom. A word would have
sufficed, in connection with
the rod of priesthood—the rod of grace. Moses failed to see this—failed
to glorify God. He
spoke unadvisedly with his lips; and as a consequence he was prohibited
going over Jordan.
His rod could not take the people over—for what could mere authority do
with a murmuring
host—and he was not suffered to go over himself because he failed to
sanctify Jehovah in the
eyes of the congregation.
But Jehovah took care of His own glory. He sanctified Himself before
the people; and,
notwithstanding their rebellious murmurings, and Moses' sad mistake and
failure, the
congregation of the Lord received a gushing stream from the smitten
rock.
Nor was this all. It was not merely that grace triumphed in furnishing
Israel's murmuring
hosts with drink; but even in reference to Moses himself, it shines out
most brilliantly, as we
may see in Deuteronomy 34. It was grace that brought Moses to the top
of Pisgah and shewed
him the land of Canaan from thence. It was grace that led Jehovah to
provide a grave for His
servant and bury him therein. It was better to see the land of Canaan,
in company with God,
than to enter it in company with Israel. And yet we must not forget
that Moses was prevented
entering the land because of the unadvised speaking. God, in
government, kept Moses out of
Canaan. God, in grace, brought Moses up to Pisgah. These two facts, in
the history of Moses,
illustrate, very forcibly, the distinction between grace and
government—a subject of the
deepest interest, and of great practical value. Grace pardons and
blesses; but government
takes its course. Let us ever remember this. "Whatsoever a man
soweth that shall he also
reap." This principle runs through all the ways of God in
government, and nothing can be
more solemn; nevertheless "grace reigns through righteousness,
unto eternal life, by Jesus
Christ our Lord." All praise to Him who is at once, the fountain
and the channel of this grace!
From verses 14-20 of our chapter, we have the correspondence between
Moses and the king
of Edom. It is instructive and interesting to notice the style of each,
and to compare it with
the history given in Genesis 32, 33. Esau had a serious grudge against
Jacob; and albeit,
through the direct interposition of God, he was not suffered to touch a
hair of his brother's
head, still, on the other hand, Israel must not meddle with Esau's
possessions. Jacob had
supplanted Esau; and Israel must not molest Edom. "Command thou
the people, saying, Ye
are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau,
which dwell in Seir; and
they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore.
Meddle not with
them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot
breadth, because I have
given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. Ye shall buy meat of them
for money, that ye
may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may
drink. (Deut. 2: 4-6.)
Thus we see that the same God who would not suffer Esau to touch Jacob,
in Genesis 33,
now will not suffer Israel to touch Edom, in Numbers 20.
The closing paragraph of Numbers 20 is deeply touching. We shall not quote
it, but the
reader should refer to it, and compare it carefully with the scene in
Exodus 4: 1-17. Moses
had deemed Aaron's companionship indispensable; but he afterwards found
him to be a sore
thorn in his side, and here he is compelled to strip him of his robes
and see him gathered to
his fathers. All this is very admonitory, in whatever way we view it,
whether as regards
Moses or Aaron. We have already referred to this instructive piece of
history, and therefore
we shall not dwell upon it here; but may the good Lord engrave its
solemn lesson deeply
upon the tablets of our hearts!
Numbers 21
This chapter brings prominently before us the familiar and beautiful
ordinance of the brazen
Serpent—that great evangelical type. "And they journeyed from
mount Hor by the way of the
Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was
much discouraged
because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against
Moses, Wherefore have
ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no
bread, neither is there
any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." Verses 4, 5.
Alas! alas! it is the same sad story, over and over again—"The
murmurs of the wilderness." It
was all well enough to escape out of Egypt, when the terrific
judgements of God were falling
upon it in rapid succession. At such a moment, there was but little
attraction in the flesh pots,
the leaks, the onions, and the garlic, when they stood connected with
the heavy plagues sent
forth from the hand of an offended God. But now the plagues are
forgotten, and the flesh pots
alone remembered. "Would to God we had died at the hand of the
Lord in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the
full."
What language! man would rather sit by the flesh pots, in a land of
death and darkness, than
walk with God through the wilderness, and eat bread from heaven. The
Lord Himself had
brought His glory down into connection with the very sand of the
desert, because His
redeemed were there. He had come down to bear withal their
provocation—to "suffer their
manners in the wilderness." All this grace and exceeding
condescension might well have
called forth in them a spirit of grateful and humble subjection. But
no; the very earliest
appearance of trial was sufficient to elicit from them the cry,
"Would to God we had died in
the land of Egypt!"
However, they were very speedily made to taste the bitter fruits of
their murmuring spirit.
"The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people;
and much people of
Israel died." (Ver. 6) The serpent was the source of their
discontent; and their condition,
when bitten of the serpents, was well calculated to reveal to them the
true character of their
discontent. If the Lord's people will not walk happily and contentedly
with Him, they must
taste the power of the serpent—alas! a terrible power, in whatever way
it may be
experienced.
The serpents' bite brought Israel to a sense of their sin.
"Therefore the people came to Moses,
and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and
against thee: pray unto
the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." Verse 7.
Here, then, was the moment for divine grace to display itself. Man's
need has ever been the
occasion for the display of God's grace and mercy. The moment Israel
could say, "We have
sinned," there was no further hindrance. God could act, and this
was enough. When Israel
murmured, the serpents' bite was the answer. When Israel confessed,
God's grace was the
answer. In the one case, the serpent was the instrument of their
wretchedness; in the other, it
was the instrument of their restoration and blessing. "And the
Lord said unto Moses, make
thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to
pass, that every one that is
bitten. when he looketh upon it, shall live." (Ver. 8.) the very
image of that which had done
the mischief was set up to be the channel through which divine grace
might flow down, in
rich abundance, to poor wounded sinners. Striking and beautiful type of
Christ on the cross!
It is a very common error to view the Lord Jesus rather as the averter
of God's wrath, than as
the channel of His love. That He endured the wrath of God against sin
is most preciously
true. But there is more than this. He has come down into this wretched
world to die upon the
cursed tree, in order that, by dying, He might open up the everlasting
springs of the love of
God to the heart of poor rebellious man. This makes a vast difference
in the presentation of
God's nature and character to the sinner, which is of the very last
importance. Nothing can
ever bring a sinner back to a state of true happiness and holiness, but
his being fully
established in the faith and enjoyment of the love of God. The very
first effort of the serpent,
when, in the garden of Eden, he assailed the creature, was to shake his
confidence in the
kindness and love of God, and thus produce discontent with the place in
which God had set
him. Man's fall was the result—the immediate result of his doubting the
love of God. Man's
recovery must flow from his belief of that love; and it is the Son of
God himself who says,
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him
Should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3: 16.
Now, it is in close connection with the foregoing statement that our
Lord expressly teaches
that He was the Antitype of the brazen serpent. As the Son of God sent
forth from the Father,
He was, most assuredly, the gift and expression of God's love to a
perishing world. But He
was also to be lifted up upon the cross in atonement for sin, for only
thus could divine love
meet the necessities of the dying sinner. "As Moses lilted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish,
but have eternal life." The whole human family have felt the
serpent's deadly sting; but the
God of all grace has found a remedy in the One who was lifted up on the
cursed tree; and
now, by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, He calls on all those who
feel themselves
bitten, to look to Jesus for life and peace. Christ is God's great
ordinance, and through Him a
full, free, present, and eternal salvation is proclaimed to the
sinner—a salvation so complete,
so well based, so consistent with all the attributes of the divine
character and all the claims of
the throne of God, that Satan cannot raise a single question about it.
Resurrection is the
divine vindication of the work of the cross, and the glory of Him who
died thereon, so that
the believer may enjoy the most profound repose in reference to sin.
God is well pleased in
Jesus; and, inasmuch as He views all believers in Him, He is well
pleased in them also.
And, be it noted, faith is the instrument whereby the sinner lays hold
of Christ's salvation.
The wounded Israelite had simply to look and live—look, not at
Himself—not at his
wounds—not at others around him But, directly and exclusively, to God's
remedy. If he
refused or neglected to look to that, there was nothing for him but
death. He was called to fix
his earnest gaze upon God's remedy, which was so placed that all might
see it. There was no
possible use in looking anywhere else, for the word was, "Every
one that is bitten, when he
looketh upon it shall live." The bitten Israelite was shut up to
the brazen serpent; for the
brazen serpent was God's exclusive remedy for the bitten Israelite. To
look anywhere else
was to get nothing; to look at God's provision was to get life.
Thus it is now. The sinner is called simply to look to Jesus. He is not
told to look to
ordinances—to look to churches—to look to men or angels. There is no
help in any of these,
and therefore he is not called to look to them, but exclusively to
Jesus, whose death and
resurrection form the eternal foundation of the believer's pence and
hope. God assures him
that "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have
everlasting life." This should
fully satisfy the heart and conscience. God is satisfied, and so ought
we to be. To raise doubt
is to deny the record of God. If an Israelite had said, How do I know
that looking to that
serpent of brass will restore me?" or if he had begun to dwell
upon the greatness and hopeless
nature of his malady, and to reason upon the apparent uselessness of
looking up to God's
ordinance; in short, if anything, no matter what, had prevented his
looking to the brazen
serpent, it would have involved a positive rejection of God, and death
would have been the
inevitable result.
Thus, in the case of the sinner, the moment he is enabled to cast a
look of faith to Jesus, his
sins vanish. The blood of Jesus, like a mighty cleansing stream, flows
over his conscience,
washes away every stain, and leaves him without spot or wrinkle, or any
such thing; and all
this, too, in the very light of the holiness of God, where not one
speck of sin can be tolerated.
But, ere closing our meditation on the brazen serpent, it may be well
just to observe what we
may call the intense individuality which marked the bitten Israelite's
look at the serpent. Each
one had to look for himself. No-one could look for another. It was a
personal question. No
one could be saved by proxy. There was life in a look; but the look
must be given. There
needed to be a personal link—direct individual contact with God's
remedy.
Thus it was then, and thus it is now. We must have to do with Jesus for
ourselves. The
Church cannot save us—no order of priests or ministers can save us.
There must be the
personal link with the Saviour, else there is no life. "It came to
pass, that if a serpent had
bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass "lived."
This was God's order then; and
this is His order now, for "As Moses lilted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the
Son of man be lifted up." Let us remember the two little words
"as" and "so," for they apply
to every particular in the type and the antitype. Faith is an
individual thing; repentance is an
individual thing; salvation is an individual thing. Let us never forget
this. True, there is, in
Christianity, union and communion; but we must have to do with Christ
for ourselves, and
we must walk with God for We can neither get life nor live by the faith
of another. There is,
we repeat with emphasis, an intense individuality in every stage of the
Christian's life and
practical career.
We shall not dwell further upon the familiar type of "The serpent
of brass;" but we pray God
to enable the reader to meditate upon it for himself, and to make a
direct personal application
of the precious truth unfolded in one of the most striking figures of
Old Testament times.
May he be led to gaze, with a more profound and soul-subduing faith,
upon the cross, and to
drink into his inmost soul the precious mystery there presented. May he
not be satisfied with
merely getting life by a look at that cross, but seek to enter, more
and more, into its deep and
marvellous meaning, and thus be more devotedly knit to Him who, when
there was no other
way of escape possible, did Voluntarily surrender Himself to be bruised
on that cursed tree
for us and for our salvation.
We shall close our remarks on Numbers 21 by calling the reader's
attention to verses 16-18.
"And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the
Lord spake unto Moses,
Gather the people together and I will give them water. Then Israel sang
this song, Spring up,
O well; sing ye unto it. The princes digged the well, the nobles of the
people digged it, by the
direction of the lawgiver, with their staves."
This is a remarkable passage coming in at such a moment and in such a
connection. The
murmurings are hushed—the people are nearing the borders of the
promised land—the
effects of the serpents' bite have passed away, and now, without any
rod, without any smiting,
the people are supplied with refreshment. What though the Amorites,
Moabites, and
Ammonites are about them; What though the power of Sihon stands in the
way; God can
open a well for His people and give them a song in spite of all. Oh!
what a God is our God!
How blessed it is to trace His actings and ways with His people in all
these wilderness
scenes! May we learn to trust Him more implicitly, and to walk with
Him, from day to day, in
holy and happy subjection! This is the true path of peace and blessing.
Numbers 22—Numbers 24.
These three chapters form a distinct section of our book—a truly
marvellous section,
abounding in rich and varied instruction. In it we have presented to
us, first, the covetous
prophet; and, secondly, His sublime prophecies. There is something
peculiarly awful in the
case of Balaam. He evidently loved money—no uncommon love, alas! in our
own day.
Balak's gold and silver proved a very tempting bait to the wretched
man—a bait too tempting
to be resisted. Satan knew his man, and the price at which he could be
purchased.
If Balaam's heart had been right with God, he would have made very
short work with Balak's
message; indeed it would not have cost him a moment's consideration to
send a reply. But
Balaam's heart was all wrong, and we see him, in chapter 22 in the
melancholy condition of
one acted upon by conflicting feelings. His heart was bent upon going,
because it was bent
upon the silver and gold; But, at the same time, there was a sort of
reference to God—an
appearance of religiousness put on as a cloak to cover his covetous
practices. He longed for
the money; but he would fain lay hold of it after a religious fashion.
Miserable man! most
miserable! His name stands on the page of inspiration as the expression
of one very dark and
awful stage of man's downward history. "Woe unto them," says
Jude, "for they have gone in
the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward
and perished in the
gainsaying of Core." Peter, too, presents Balaam as a prominent
figure in one of the very
darkest pictures of fallen humanity—a model on which some of the vilest
characters are
formed. He speaks of those "having eyes full of adultery, and that
cannot cease from sin;
beguiling unstable souls; an heart they have exercised with covetous
practices; cursed
children: which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of
Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but
was rebuked for his
iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of
the prophet." 2 Peter
2: 14-16.
These passages are solemnly conclusive as to the true character and
spirit of Balaam. His
heart was set upon money—"he loved the wages of
unrighteousness," and his history has
been written by the pen of the Holy Ghost, as an awful warning to all
professors to beware of
covetousness which is idolatry. We shall not dwell further upon the sad
story. The reader may
pause for a few moments, and gaze upon the picture presented in Numbers
22. He may study
the two prominent figures, the crafty king, and the covetous
self-willed prophet; and we
doubt not he will rise up from the study with a deepened sense of the
evil of covetousness,
the great moral danger of setting the heart's affections upon this
world's riches, and the deep
blessedness of having the fear of God before our eyes.
We shall now proceed to examine those marvellous prophecies delivered
by Balaam in the
audience of Balak, king of the Moabites.
It is profoundly interesting to witness the scene enacted on the high
places of Baal, to mark
the grand question at stake, to listen to the speakers, to be admitted
behind the scenes on such
a momentous occasion. How little did Israel know or imagine what was
going on between
Jehovah and the enemy. It may be they were murmuring in their tents at
the very moment in
the which God was setting forth their perfection by the tongue of the
covetous prophet. Balak
would fain have Israel cursed; But, Blessed Be God, He will not suffer
any one to curse His
people. He may have to deal with them Himself, in secret, about many
things; but He will not
suffer another to move his tongue against them. He may have to expose
them to themselves;
but He will not allow a stranger to expose them.
This is a point of deepest interest. The great question is not so much
what the enemy may
think of God's people, or what they may think about themselves, or what
they may think of
one another. the real—the All-important question is, What does God
think about them? He
knows exactly all that concerns them; all that they are; all that they
have done; all that is in
them. Everything stands clearly revealed to His all penetrating eye.
The deepest secrets of the
heart, of the nature, and of the life, are all known to him. Neither
angels, men, nor devils
know us as God knows us. God knows us perfectly; and it is with Him we
have to do, and we
can say, in the triumphant language of the apostle," If God be for
us, who can be against us?
(Rom. 8) God sees us, thinks of us, speaks about us, acts towards us,
according to what He
Himself has made us, and wrought for us—according to the perfection of
His own work.
"Beholders many faults may find;" but, as regards our
standing, our God sees us only in the
comeliness of Christ; we are perfect in Him. When God looks at His
people, He beholds in
them His own workmanship; and it is to the glory of His holy name, and
to the praise of His
salvation, that not a blemish should be seen on those who are His—those
whom He, in
sovereign grace, has made His own. His character, His name, His glory,
and the perfection of
His work are all involved in the standing of those with whom He has
linked Himself.
Hence, therefore, the moment any enemy or accuser enters the scene,
Jehovah places Himself
in front to receive and answer the accusation; and His answer is always
founded, not upon
what His people are in themselves, but upon what He has made them
through the perfection
of His own work. His glory is linked with them, and, in vindicating
them, He maintains His
own glory. He places himself between them and every accusing tongue.
His glory demands
that they should be presented in all the comeliness which He has put
upon them. If the enemy
comes to curse and accuse, Jehovah answers him by pouring forth the
rich current of His
everlasting complacency in those whom He has chosen for Himself, and
whom He has made
fit to be in His presence for ever.
All this is strikingly illustrated in the third chapter of the prophet
Zechariah. There, too, the
enemy presents himself to resist the representative of the people of
God. How does God
answer him? Simply by cleansing, clothing, and crowning the one whom
Satan would fain
curse and accuse, so that Satan has not a word to say. He is silenced
for ever. The filthy
garments are gone, and he that was a brand is become a mitred priest—he
who was only fit
for the flames of hell is now fitted to walk up and down in the courts
of the Lord.
So also when we turn to the Book of Canticles we see the same thing.
There the Bridegroom,
in contemplating the bride, declares to her, "Thou art all fair,
my love; there is no spot in
thee." (Cant. 4: 7) She, in speaking of herself, can only exclaim
"I am black." (Cant. 1: 5, 6)
So also in John 13 the Lord Jesus looks at His disciples, and
pronounces them "Clean every
whit;" although, in a few hours afterwards, one of them was to
curse and swear that he did
not know Him. So vast is the difference between what we are in
ourselves and what we are in
Christ—between our positive standing and our possible state.
Should this glorious truth as to the perfection of our standing make us
careless as to our
practical state? Far away be the monstrous thought! Nay, the knowledge
of our absolutely
settled and perfect position in Christ is the very thing which the Holy
Ghost makes use of in
order to raise the standard of practice. Hearken to those powerful
words from the pen of the
inspired apostle, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on
the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
when Christ, our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore
your members," &c.
(Col. 1—5.) We must never measure the standing by the state, but always
judge the state by
the standing. To lower the standing because of the state, is to give
the death-blow to all
progress in practical Christianity.
The foregoing line of truth is most forcibly illustrated in Balaam's
four parables. To speak
after the manner of men, we never should have had such a glorious view
of Israel, as seen in
"The vision of the Almighty"—"from the top of the
rocks"—by one "having his eyes open,"
had not Balak sought to curse them. Jehovah, blessed be His name, can,
very speedily, open a
man's eyes to the true state of the case, in reference to the standing
of His people, and His
judgement respecting them. He claims the privilege of setting forth His
thoughts about them.
Balak and Balaam with "all the princes of Moab" may assemble
to hear Israel cursed and
defied; they may "build seven altars," and "offer a
bullock and a. lamb on every altar;"
Balak's silver and gold may glitter under the covetous gaze of the
false prophet; but act all the
powers of earth and hell, men and devils combined, in their dark and
terrible array, can evoke
a single breath of curse or accusation against the Israel of God. As
well might the enemy
have sought to point out a flaw in that fair creation which God had
pronounced "very good,"
as to fasten an accusation upon the redeemed of the Lord. Oh! no; they
shine in all the
comeliness which He has put upon them, and all that is needed, in order
to see them thus, is
to mount to "the top of the rocks"—to have "the eyes
open" to look at them from His point of
view, so that we may see them in "the vision of the
Almighty."
Having thus taken a general survey of the contents of these remarkable
chapters, we shall
briefly glance at each of the four parables in particular. We shall
find a distinct point in
each—a distinct feature in the character and condition of the people,
as seen in "The vision
of the Almighty."
In the first of Balaam's wonderful parables, we have the marked
separation of God's people
from all the nations, most distinctly set forth. "How shall I
curse, whom God hath not cursed?
or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of
the rocks I see him,
and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and
shall not be reckoned
among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of
the fourth part of
Israel Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be
like his."*
{*Poor, wretched Balaam! miserable man! He would fain die the death of
the righteous.
Many there are who would say the same; but they forget that the
way" to die the death of the
righteous" is to possess and exhibit the life of the righteous.
Many—alas! how many—would
like to die the death who do not live the life. Many would like to
possess Balak's silver and
gold, and yet be enrolled amongst the Israel of God. Vain thought!
Fatal delusion! We cannot
serve God and Mammon.}
Here we have Israel singled out, and partitioned off to be a separated
and peculiar people—a
people who, according to the divine thought concerning them, were
never, at any time, on
any ground, or for any object Whatsoever, to be mingled with or
reckoned amongst the
nations. "The people shall dwell alone." This is distinct and
emphatic. It is true of the literal
seed of Abraham, and true Of all believers now. Immense practical results
flow out of this
great principle. God's people are to be separated unto Him, not on the
ground of being better
than others, but simply on the ground of what God is, and of what He
would ever have His
people to be. We shall not pursue this point further just now; but the
reader would do well to
examine it thoroughly in the light of the divine word. "The people
shall dwell alone, and
shall not be reckoned among the nations." Numbers 23: 8, 9.
But if Jehovah, in His sovereign grace, is pleased to link Himself with
a people; if He calls
them out to be a separate people, in the world—to "dwell
alone," and shine for Him in the
midst of those who are still "sitting in darkness and the shadow
of death," He can only have
them in such a condition as suits Himself. He must make them such as He
would have them
to be—such as shall be to the praise of His great and glorious name.
Hence, in the second
parable, the prophet is made to tell out, not merely the negative, but
the positive condition of
the people. "And he took up his parable and said, rise up, Balak,
and hear; hearken unto me,
thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the
son of man, that he
should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken,
and shall he not make it
good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless; and he hath
blessed; and I cannot
reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel:
the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
God brought them out
of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there
is no enchantment against
Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to
this time it shall be said of
Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought [not what hath Israel
wrought?] Behold, the
people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young
lion: he shall not lie down
until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain." Num.
23: 18-24.
Here we find ourselves on truly elevated ground, and on ground as solid
as it is elevated. This
is, in truth "The top of the rocks"—the pure air and wide
range of "the hills," where the
people of God are seen only in "the vision of the
Almighty"—seen as He sees them, without
spot or wrinkle or any such thing—all their deformities hidden from
view—all His
comeliness seen upon them.
In this very sublime parable, Israel's blessedness and security are
made to depend, not on
themselves, but upon the truth and faithfulness of Jehovah. "God
is not a man that he should
lie; neither the son of man that he should repent." This places
Israel upon safe ground. God
must be true to Himself. Is there any power that can possibly prevent
Him from fulfilling His
word and oath? Surely not. "He hath blessed; and I cannot reverse
it." God will not, and
Satan can not reverse the blessing.
Thus all is settled. "It is ordered in all things and sure."
In the previous parable, it was, "God
hath not cursed." Here it is, "He hath blessed." There
is very manifest advance. As Balak
conducts the money-loving prophet from place to place, Jehovah takes
occasion to bring out
fresh features of beauty in His people, and fresh points of security in
their position. Thus it is
not merely that they are a separated people dwelling alone; but they
are a justified people,
having the Lord their God with them, and the shout of a king among
them. "He hath not
beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in
Israel." The enemy may say,
"There is iniquity and perverseness there all the while."
Yes, but who can make Jehovah
behold it, when He Himself has been pleased to blot it all out as a
thick cloud for His name's
sake? If He has cast it behind His back, who can bring it before His
face "It is God that
justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" God sees His people so
thoroughly delivered from all
that could be against them, that He can take up His abode in their
midst, and cause His voice
to be heard amongst them.
Well, therefore may we exclaim "What hath God wrought" It is
not "What hath Israel
wrought!" Balak and Balaam would have found plenty to do in the
way of cursing, had
Israel's work been in question. The Lord be praised, it is on what He
hath wrought that His
people stand, and their foundation is as stable as the throne of God.
"If God be for us, who
can be against us" If God stands right between us and every foe,
what have we to fear? If He
undertakes, on our behalf, to answer every accuser, then, assuredly,
perfect peace is our
portion.
However, the king of Moab still fondly hoped and sedulously sought to
gain his end. And,
doubtless, Balaam did the same, for they were leagued together against
the Israel of God,
thus reminding us forcibly of the beast and the false prophet, who are
yet to arise and play an
awfully solemn part in connection with Israel's future, as presented on
the apocalyptic page.
"And when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he
went not, as at other times,
to seek for enchantments [what a dreadful disclosure is here] but he
set his face toward the
wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in
His tents, according
to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up
his parable, and said,
Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath
said, he hath said,
which heard the words of God, which saw the vision, of the Almighty,
falling into a trance,
but having his eyes open: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy
tabernacles, O Israel!
As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side,
as the trees of lign aloes
which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. He
shall pour the water out
of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king
shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him forth out of Egypt;
he hath, as it were, the
strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies
[terrible announcement for
Balak!] and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his
arrows. He couched, he
lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed
is he that blesseth thee,
and cursed is he that curseth thee." Numbers 24: 1-9.
"Higher and higher yet" is surely the motto here. we may well
shout "Excelsior," as we mount
up to the top of the rocks, and hearken to those brilliant utterances
which the false prophet
was forced to give out. It was better and better for Israel—worse and
worse for Balak. He had
to stand by and not only hear Israel "blessed," but hear
himself "cursed" for seeking to curse
them.
But let us particularly notice the rich grace that shines in this third
parable. "How goodly are
thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!" If one had
gone down to examine those
tents and tabernacles, In "the vision" of man they might have
appeared "Black as the tents of
Kedar." But, looked at in 'the vision of the Almighty," they
were "goodly," and whoever did
not see them thus needed to have "his eyes opened" If I am
looking at the people of God
"from the top of the rocks," I shall see them as God sees
them, and that is as clothed with all
the comeliness of Christ—complete in Him—accepted in the Beloved. This
is what will
enable me to get on with them, to work with them, to have fellowship
with them, to rise
above their points and angles, blots and blemishes, failures and
infirmities.* If I do not
contemplate them from this lofty—this divine ground, I shall be sure to
fix my eye on some
little flaw or other, which will completely mar my communion, and
alienate my affections.
{*The statement in the text does not, by any means, touch the question
of discipline in the
house of God. We are bound to judge moral evil and doctrinal error. 1
Cor. 5: 12, 13.}
In Israel's case, we shall see, in the very next chapter, what terrible
evil they fell into. Did this
alter Jehovah's judgement? Surely not. "He is not the son of men
that he should repent." He
judged and chastened them for their evil, because He is holy, and can
never sanction, in His
people, anything that is contrary to His nature. But He could never
reverse His judgement
respecting them. He knew all about them. He knew what they were and
what they would do;
but yet He said, "I have not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither
have I seen perverseness in
Israel. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O
Israel!" Was this making
light of their evil? The thought were blasphemy. He could chasten them
for their sins; but the
moment an enemy comes forth to curse or accuse, He stands in front of
His people and says,
"I see no iniquity"—"How goodly are their tents"
Reader, dost thou think that such views of divine grace will minister
to a spirit of
Antinomianism? Far Be the thought! we may rest assured we are never
further away from the
region of that terrible evil than when we are breathing the pure and
holy atmosphere of "the
top of the rocks"—that high ground from whence God's people are
viewed, not as they are in
themselves, but as they are in Christ—not according to the thoughts of
man, but according to
the thoughts of God. And, furthermore, we may say that the only true
and effectual mode of
raising the standard of moral conduct is to abide in the faith of this
most precious and
tranquillising truth, that God sees us perfect in Christ.
But we must take one more glance at our third parable. Not only are
Israel's tents seen to be
goodly in the eyes of Jehovah, but the people themselves are presented
to us as abiding fast
by those ancient sources of grace and living ministry which are found
in God. "As the valleys
are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of
lign aloes which the Lord
hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters." How
exquisite! How perfectly beautiful!
And only to think that we are indebted to the godless confederacy between
Balak and Balaam
for those sublime utterances!
But there is more than this. Not only is Israel seen drinking at those
everlasting well-springs
of grace and salvation, But, as must ever be the case, as a channel of
blessing to others. "He
shall pour the water out of his buckets." It is the fixed purpose
of God that Israel's twelve
tribes shall yet be a medium of rich blessing to all the ends of the
earth. This we learn from
such scriptures as Ezekiel 47 and Zechariah 14, on which we do not now
attempt to dwell;
we merely refer to them as showing the marvellous fullness and beauty
of these glorious
parables. The reader may meditate, with much spiritual profit, upon
these and kindred
scriptures; but let him carefully guard against the fatal system falsely
called spiritualising,
Which, in fact, consists mainly in applying to the professing church
all the special blessings
of the house of Israel, while, to the latter, are left only the curses
of a broken law. We may
rest assured that God will not sanction any such system as this. Israel
is beloved for the
fathers' sakes; and "the gifts and calling of God are without
repentance." Romans 11.
We shall close this section by a brief reference to Balaam's last
parable. Balak, having beard
such a glowing testimony to Israel's future, and the overthrow of all
their enemies, was not
only sorely disappointed, but greatly enraged; "And Balak's anger
was kindled against
Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I
called thee to curse
mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these
three times. Therefore
now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great
honour; [?] But, lo, the Lord
hath kept thee back from honour. and Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I
not also to thy
messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me
his house full of
silver and gold [the very thing his poor heart craved intensely,] I
cannot go beyond the
commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but
what the Lord
saith, that will I speak. And now, behold, I go unto my people: come
therefore, and I will
advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter
days. [This was coming to
close quarters.] And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son
of Beor hath said, and
the man whose eyes are open hath said: he hath said, which heard the
words of God, and
knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the
Almighty, falling into a
trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall
behold him, but not
nigh: [tremendous fact for Balaam!] there shall come a Star out of
Jacob, and a Sceptre shall
rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy
all the children of Sheth."
Verse 10-17.
This gives great completeness to the subject of these parables. The
top-stone is here laid on
the magnificent superstructure. It is, in good truth, grace and glory.
In the first parable we see
the absolute separation of the people; in the second, their perfect
justification; in the third,
their moral beauty and fruitfulness; and, now, in the fourth, we stand
on the very summit of
the hills—on the loftiest crag of the rocks, and survey the wide plains
of glory in all their
length and breadth, stretching away into a boundless future. We see the
Lion of the tribe of
Judah crouching; we hear his roar; we see Him seizing upon all his
enemies, and crushing
them to atoms. The Star of Jacob rises to set no more. The true David
ascends the throne of
His father, Israel is pre-eminent in the earth, and all his enemies are
covered with shame and
everlasting contempt.
It is impossible to conceive anything more magnificent than these
parables; and they are all
the more remarkable as coming at the very close of Israel's desert
wanderings, during which
they had given such ample proof of what they were—of what materials
they were made—and
what their capabilities and tendencies were. But God was above all, and
nothing changeth
His affection. Whom He loves, and as He loves, He loves to the end; and
hence the league
between the typical "beast and false prophet'' proved abortive.
Israel was blessed of God and
not to be cursed of any. "And Balaam rose up, and went, and
returned to his place: and Balak
also went his way."
Numbers 25.
Here a new scene opens upon our view. We have been on the top of
Pisgah, hearkening to
God's testimony respecting Israel, and there all was bright and fair,
without a cloud, without a
spot. But now we find ourselves in the plains of Moab, and all is changed.
There, we had to
do with God and His thoughts. Here, we have to do with the people and
their joys. What a
contrast! It reminds us of the opening and the close of 2 Corinthians
12. In the former, we
have the positive standing of the Christian; in the latter, the
possible state into which he may
fall if not watchful. That shows us "a man in Christ" capable
of being caught up into
paradise, at any moment. This shows us saints of God capable of
plunging into all manner of
sin and folly.
Thus it is with Israel, as seen from "The top of the rocks,"
in "The vision of the almighty,"
and Israel as seen in the plains of Moab. In the one case, we have
their perfect standing; in
the other, their imperfect state. Balaam's parables give us God's
estimate of the former; the
javelin of Phinehas, His judgement upon the latter. God will never
reverse His decision as to
what His people are as to standing; but he must judge and chasten them
when their ways
comport not with that standing. It is His gracious will that their state
should correspond with
their standing. But here is, alas! where failure comes in. Nature is
allowed to act in various
ways, and our God is constrained to take down the rod of discipline, in
order that the evil
thing which we have suffered to manifest itself may be crushed and
subdued.
Thus it is in Numbers 25. Balaam, having failed in his attempt to curse
Israel, succeeds in
seducing them, his wiles, to commit sin, hoping whereby to gain his
end. "And Israel joined
himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against
Israel. and the Lord
said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up
before the Lord against
the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from
Israel." (Ver. 3, 4.) Then
we have the striking record of the zeal and faithfulness of Phinehas:
"And the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
priest, hath turned my
wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous For My
sake among them, that I
consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say,
Behold, I give unto him
my covenant of peace: and he shall have it, and his seed after him,
even the covenant of an
everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an
atonement for the
children of Israel." Verse 10-13.
God's glory and Israel's good were the objects that ruled the conduct
of the faithful Phinehas
on this occasion. It was a critical moment. He felt there was a demand
for the most stern
action. It was no time for false tenderness. There are moments in the
history of God's people
in the which tenderness to man becomes unfaithfulness to God; and it is
of the utmost
importance to be able to discern such moments. The prompt acting of
Phinehas saved the
whole congregation, glorified Jehovah in the midst of His people, and
completely frustrated
the enemy's design. Balaam fell among the judged Midianites; but
Phinehas became the
possessor of an everlasting priesthood.
Thus much as to the solemn instruction contained in this brief section
of our book, May we
profit by it. May God's Spirit give us such an abiding sense of the
perfection of our standing
in Christ, that our practical ways may be more in accordance with it!
Numbers 26
This, though one of the longest chapters in our book, does not call for
much in the way of
remark or exposition. In it we have the record of the second numbering
of the people, as they
were about to enter upon the promised land. How sad to think that, out
of the six hundred
thousand men of war which were numbered, at the first, only two
remain—Joshua and Caleb!
All the rest lay mouldering in the dust, buried beneath the sand of the
desert, all passed away.
The two men of simple faith remained to have their faith rewarded. As
for the men of
unbelief, the inspired apostle tells us "Their carcasses fell in
the wilderness."
How solemn! How full of instruction and admonition for us! Unbelief
kept the first
generation from entering the land of Canaan, and caused them to die in
the wilderness. This
is the fact on which the Holy Ghost grounds one of the most searching
warnings and
exhortations anywhere to be found in the compass of the inspired
volume. Let us hear it!
"Wherefore .....take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you
an evil heart of unbelief, in
departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily while it is
called To day; lest any
of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made
partakers of Christ, if
we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while
it is said, To day, if ye
will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For
some, when they had
heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
But with whom was he
grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, Whose
carcasses fell in the
wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his
rest, but to them that
believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of
unbelief. Let us therefore
fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of
you should seem to come
short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:
but the word preached
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard." Hebrews 3: 7—Hebrews
4: 1, 2.
Here lies the great practical secret. The word of God mixed with faith.
Precious mixture! the
only thing that can really profit any one. We may hear a great deal; we
may talk a great deal;
we may profess a great deal; but we may rest assured that the measure
of real spiritual
power—power to surmount difficulties—power to overcome the world—power
to get on—
power to possess ourselves of all that God has bestowed upon us—the
measure of this power
is simply the measure in which God's word is mixed with faith. That
word is settled for ever
in Leaven; and if it is fixed in our hearts, by faith, there is a
divine link connecting us with
heaven and all that belongs to it; and, in proportion as our hearts are
thus livingly linked with
heaven and the Christ who is there, shall we be practically separated
from this present world,
and lifted above its influence. Faith takes possession of all that God
has given. It enters into
that within the veil; it endures as seeing Him who is invisible; it
occupies itself with the
unseen and eternal, not with the seen and the temporal. Men think
possession sure; faith
knows nothing sure but God and His word. Faith takes God's word and
locks it up in the very
innermost chamber of the heart, and there it remains as hid
treasure—the only thing that
deserves to be called treasure. The happy possessor of this treasure is
rendered thoroughly
independent of the world. He may be poor as regards the riches of this
perishing scene; but if
only he is rich in faith, he is the possessor of untold
wealth—"durable riches and
righteousness"—"the unsearchable riches of Christ."
Reader, these are not the pencillings of fancy—the mere visions of the
imagination. No; they
are substantial verities—divine realities, which you may now enjoy in
all their preciousness.
If you will only take God at His word—only believe what He says because
he says it—for
this is faith—then verily you have this treasure, which renders its
possessor entirely
Independent of this scene where men live only by the sight of their
eyes. The men of this
world speak of "the positive" and "the real,"
meaning thereby what they can see and
experience; in other words, the things of time and sense—the
tangible—the palpable. Faith
knows nothing positive, nothing real, but the word of the living God.
Now it was the lack of this blessed faith that kept Israel out of
Canaan, and caused six
hundred thousand carcasses to fall in the wilderness. And it is the
lack of this faith that keeps
thousands of God's people in bondage and darkness, when they ought to
be walking in liberty
and light—that keeps them in depression and gloom, when they ought to
be walking in the
joy and strength of God's full salvation—that keeps them in fear of
judgement, when they
ought to be walking in the hope of glory—that keeps them in doubt as to
whether they shall
escape the sword of the destroyer in Egypt, when they ought to be
feasting on the old corn of
the land of Canaan.
Oh! that God's people would consider these things in the secret of His
presence and in the
light of His word! Then indeed they would better know and more fully
appreciate the fair
inheritance which faith finds in the eternal word of God—they would
more clearly apprehend
the things which are freely given to us of God in the Son Of His love.
May the Lord send out
His light and His truth, and lead His people into the fullness of their
portion in Christ, so that
they may take their true place, and yield a true testimony for Him,
while waiting for His
glorious advent.
Numbers 27.
The conduct of the daughters of Zelophehad, as recorded in the opening
section of this
chapter, presents a striking and beautiful contrast to the unbelief on
which we have just been
commenting. They, most assuredly, belonged not to the generation of
those who are ever
ready to abandon divine ground, lower the divine standard, and forego
the privileges
conferred by divine grace. No; those five noble women had no sympathy
with such. They
were determined, through grace, to plant the foot of faith on the very
highest ground, and,
with holy yet bold decision, to make their own of that which God had
given. Let us read the
refreshing record.
"Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son
of Gilead, the son of
Machir, the: son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of
Joseph: and these are
the names of his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and
Tirzah, and they
stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the
princes and all the
congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
saying, Our father died in the
wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered
themselves together against
the Lord, in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no
sons. Why should the
name of our father be done away from among his family because he hath
no son? Give unto
us, therefore, a Possession among the brethren of our father."
Verses 1-4.
This is uncommonly fine. It does the heart good to read such words as
these at a time like the
present, when so little is made of the proper standing and portion of
God's people, and when
so many are content to go on from day to day, and year to year, without
caring even to inquire
into the things which are freely given to them of God. Nothing is more
sad than to see the
carelessness, the utter indifference, with which many professing
Christians treat such great
and all important questions as the standing, walk, and hope of the
believer and the Church of
God. It is not, by any means, our purpose to go into these questions
here. We have done so
repeatedly in the other volumes of the series of "Notes." We
merely desire to call the reader's
attention to the fact, that it is at once sinning against our own rich
mercies, and dishonouring
the Lord, when we! evince a spirit of indifferentism in reference to
any one point of divine
revelation as to the position and portion of the Church, or of the
individual believer. If God in
the aboundings of His grace, has been pleased to bestow upon us
precious privileges, as
Christians, ought we not to seek earnestly to know what these
privileges are? Ought we not to
seek to make them our own, in the artless simplicity of faith? Is it
treating our God and His
revelation worthily, to be indifferent as to whether we are servants or
sons—as to whether we
have the Holy Ghost dwelling in us or not—as to whether we are under
law or under grace—
whether ours is a heavenly or an earthly calling?
Surely not. If there be one thing plainer than another in scripture, it
is this, that God delights
in those who appreciate and enjoy the provision of His love—those who
find their joy is
Himself. The inspired volume teams with evidence on this point. Look at
the case now before
as in our chapter. Here were those daughters of Joseph—for such we must
call them—
bereaved of their father—helpless and desolate, as viewed from nature's
standpoint. Death
had snapped the apparent link which connected them with the proper
inheritance of God's
people. What then? Were they content to give up?—to fold their arms, in
cold indifference?
Was it nothing to them whether or not they were to have a place and a
portion with the Israel
of God? Ah! no, reader; these illustrious women exhibit something
totally different from all
this—something which we may well study and seek to imitate—something
which, we are
bold to say, refreshed the heart of God. They were sure there was a
portion for them in the
land of promise, of which neither death nor anything that happened in
the wilderness could
ever deprive them. "Why should the name of our father be done away
from among his people
because he hath no son?" Could death—could failure of male
issue-could anything—frustrate
the goodness of God? Impossible. "Give unto us: therefore, a
possession among the brethren
of our father."
Noble words! words that went right up to the throne and to the heart of
the God of Israel. It
was a most powerful testimony delivered in the ears of the whole
congregation. Moses was
taken aback. Here was something beyond the range of the Lawgiver. Moses
was a servant,
and a blessed and honoured servant too. But, again and again, in the
course of this marvellous
Book of Numbers, this wilderness volume, questions arise with which he
is unable to deal, as
for example, the defiled men in chapter 9, and the daughters of
Zelophehad in the section
before us.
"And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. And the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying,
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a
possession of an
inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the
inheritance of their
father to pass unto them." Verses 5-7.
Here was a glorious triumph, in the presence of the whole assembly. A
bold and simple faith
is always sure to be rewarded. It glorifies God, and God honours it. Need
we travel from
section to section, and from page to page of the holy volume to prove
this? Need we turn to
the Abrahams, the Hannahs, the Deborahs, the Rahabs, the Ruths of Old
Testament times? or
to the Marys, the Elizabeths, the centurions, and the Syro-phoenicians
of The New Testament
times? Wherever we turn, we learn the same great practical truth that
God delights in a bold
and simple faith—a faith that artlessly seizes and tenaciously holds
all that He has given—
that positively refuses, even in the very face of nature's weakness and
death, to surrender a
single hair's breadth of the divinely given inheritance. What though
Zelophehad's bones lay
mouldering in the dust of the wilderness; what though no male issue
appeared to sustain his
name? faith could rise above all these things, and count on God's
faithfulness to make good
all that His word had promised.
"The daughters of Zelophehad speak right." They always do so.
Their words are words of
faith, and, as such, are always right in the judgement of God, it is a
terrible thing to limit "the
Holy One of Israel." He delights to be trusted and used. It is
utterly impossible for faith to
overdraw its account in God's bank. God could no more disappoint faith
than He could deny
Himself. He can never say to faith, "You have miscalculated; you
take too lofty—too bold a
stand; so lower down, and lessen your expectations." Ah! no; the
only thing in all this world
that truly delights and refreshes the heart of God is the faith that
can simply trust him; and we
may rest assured of this, that the faith that can trust Him is also the
faith that can love Him,
and serve Him, and praise Him.
Hence, then, we are deeply indebted to the daughters of Zelophehad.
They teach us a lesson
of inestimable value. And more than this, their acting gave occasion to
the unfolding of a
fresh truth which was to form the basis of a divine rule for all future
generations. The Lord
commanded Moses, saying, "If a man die, and have no son, then ye
shall cause his
inheritance to pass unto his daughter."
Here we have a great principle laid down, in reference to the question
of inheritance, of
which, humanly speaking, we should have heard nothing had it not been
for the faith and
faithful conduct of these remarkable women. If they had listened to the
voice of timidity and
unbelief—if they had refused to come forward, before the whole
congregation in the
assertion of the claims of Faith; then, not only would they have lost
their own inheritance and
blessing, but all future daughters of Israel, in a like position, would
have been deprived of
their portion likewise. Whereas, on the contrary, by acting in the
precious energy of faith,
they preserved their inheritance; they got the blessing; they received
testimony from God;
their names shine on the page of inspiration; and their conduct
furnished, by divine authority,
a precedent for all future generations.
Thus much as to the marvellous results of faith. But then we must
remember that there is
moral danger arising out of the very dignity and elevation which faith
confers on those who,
through grace, are enabled to exercise it; and this danger must be
carefully guarded against.
This is strikingly illustrated in the further history of the daughters
of Zelophehad, as recorded
in the last chapter of our book. "And the chief fathers of the
families of the children of
Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the
sons of Joseph, came
near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers
of The children of
Israel: and they said, The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for
an inheritance by lot
to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the Lord to
give the inheritance of
Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. And if they be married to
any of the sons, of the
other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be
taken from the inheritance
of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe
whereunto they were received:
so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. And when the
jubilee of the children of
Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the
inheritance of the tribe whereunto
they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the
inheritance of the tribe of
our fathers. And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to
the word of the Lord,
saying, "The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well."
Numbers 36: 1-5.
The "fathers" of the house of Joseph must be heard as well as
the "daughters." The faith of
the latter was most lovely; but there was just a danger lest, in the
elevation to which that faith
had raised them, they might forget the claims of others, and remove the
landmarks which
guarded the inheritance of their fathers. This had to be thought of and
provided for. It was
natural to suppose what the daughters of Zelophehad. would marry; and
moreover it was
possible they might form an alliance outside the boundaries of their
tribe; and thus in the year
of jubilee—that grand adjusting institution instead of adjustment,
there would be confusion,
and a permanent breach in the inheritance of Manasseh. This would never
do; and therefore
the wisdom of those ancient fathers is very apparent. we need to be
guarded on every side, in
order that the integrity of faith and the testimony may be duly
maintained. We are not to
carry things with a high hand and a strong will, though we have ever
such strong faith, but be
ever ready to yield ourselves to the adjusting power of the whole truth
of God.
"This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the
daughters of Zelophehad,
saying, Let them marry to whom they think best, only to the family of
the tribe of their father
shall they marry; so shall not the inheritance of the children of
Israel remove from tribe to
tribe; for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to
the inheritance of the tribe
of his fathers........ Even as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the
daughters of Zelophehad;
for they [the five daughters] were married unto their father's
brothers' sons. And they were
married into the families of the sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph;
and their inheritance
remained in the tribe of the family of their father." Verses 6-12.
Thus all is settled. The activities of faith are governed by the truth
of God, and individual
claims are adjusted in harmony with the true interests of all; while,
at the same time, the
glory of God is so fully maintained, that at the time of the jubilee,
instead of any confusion in
the landmarks of Israel, the integrity of the inheritance is secured
according to the divine
grant.
Nothing can be more instructive than this entire history of the
daughters of Zelophehad. May
we really profit by it!
The closing paragraph of our chapter is full of deep solemnity. The
governmental dealings of
God are displayed before our eyes in a manner eminently calculated to
impress the heart.
"The Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim and
see the land which I
have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it,
thou also shalt be gathered
unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled
against my
commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to
sanctify me at the
water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh, in the
wilderness of Zin."
verses 12-14.
Moses must not go over Jordan. It is not only that he cannot officially
bring the people over,
but he cannot even go himself. Such was the enactment of the government
of God. But, on
the other hand, we see grace shining out, with uncommon lustre, in the
fact that Moses is
conducted, by God's own hand, to the top of Pisgah, and from thence he
sees the land of
promise, in all its magnificence, not merely as Israel afterwards
possessed it, but as God had
originally given it.
Now, this was the fruit of grace, and it comes out more fully in the
close of Deuteronomy,
where we are also told that God buried His dear servant. This is
wonderful. Indeed there is
nothing like it in the history of the saints of God. we do not dwell
upon this subject here,
having done so elsewhere;* but it is full of the deepest interest.
Moses spake unadvisedly
with his lips, and for that he was forbidden to cross the Jordan. This
was God in government.
But Moses was taken up to Pisgah, there, in company with Jehovah, to
get a full view of the
inheritance; and then Jehovah made a grave for His servant and buried
him therein. This was
God in grace—marvellous, matchless grace! grace that has ever made the
eater yield meat
and the strong sweetness. How precious to be the subjects of such
grace! May our souls
rejoice in it more and more, in the eternal fountain whence it
emanates, and in the channel
through which it flows!
{*See an article entitled "Grace and Government" in
"Things New and Old," Vol., 4. p. 111.
G, Morrish, 20, Paternoster Square.}
We shall close this section by a brief reference to the lovely
unselfishness of Moses in the
matter of appointing a successor. That blessed man of God was ever
characterised by a most
exquisite spirit of self-surrender—that rare and admirable grace. we
never find him seeking
his own things; on the contrary, again and again, when opportunity was
afforded him of
building up his own fame and fortune, he proved, very distinctly, that
the glory of God and
the good of His people so occupied and filled his heart that there was
no room for a single
selfish consideration.
Thus it is in the closing scene of our chapter. When Moses hears that
he is not to go over
Jordan, instead of being occupied in regrets as to himself, he only
thinks of the interests of
the congregation. "And Moses spake unto the Lord saying, Let the
Lord, the God of the spirits
of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before
them, and which may
go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring
them in; that the
congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd."
Whet unselfish breathings are here How grateful they must have proved
to the heart of that
One who so loved and cared for His People! Provided that Israel's need
were met Moses was
content. If only the work was done he cared not who did it. self, his
interest, and his
destinies, he could calmly leave all in the hand of God. He would take
care of him, but oh!
his loving heart yearns over the beloved people of God; and the very
moment he sees Joshua
ordained as their leader, he is ready to depart and be at rest forever.
Blessed servant! Happy
man! Would there were even a few amongst us characterised, in some
small degree, by his
excellent spirit of self-abnegation, and jealous care for God's glory
and His people's good.
But alas! alas! we have to repeat, with deepening emphasis, the words
of the apostle, "All
seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's." O Lord,
stir up all our hearts to desire a
more earnest consecration of ourselves, in spirit, soul, and body, to
thy blessed service! May
we, in good truth, learn to live, not unto ourselves, but unto Him who
died for us—who came
from heaven to earth about our sins; and is gone back from earth to
heaven about our
infirmities; and who is coming again for our eternal salvation and
glory.
Numbers 28—Numbers 29
These two chapters must be read together; they form a distinct section
of our book—a section
pregnant with interest and instruction. The second verse of chapter 28
gives us a condensed
statement of the contents of the entire section. "And the Lord
spake unto Moses, saying,
Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my
bread for my
sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe
to offer unto me in their
due season."
In these words the reader is furnished with a key with which to unlock
the whole of this
portion of the Book of Numbers. It is as distinct and simple as
possible. "My offering" "My
bread" "My sacrifices," "A sweet savour unto
Me." All this is strongly marked. We may learn
here, without an effort, that the grand leading thought is Christ to
Godward. It is not so much
Christ as meeting our need—though surely He does most blessedly meet
that—as Christ
feeding and delighting the heart of God. It is God's bread—a truly
wonderful expression, and
one little thought of or understood. we are all sadly prone to look at
Christ merely as the
procuring cause of our salvation, the One through whom we are forgiven
and saved from
hell, the channel through which all blessing flows to us He is all
this, blessed for ever be His
Name. He is the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him.
He bore our sins in
His own body on the tree He died, the just for the unjust, to bring us
to God He saves us from
our sins, from their present power, and from their future consequences.
All this is true; and, consequently, throughout the whole of the two
chapters which lie open
before us, and in each distinct paragraph, we have the sin offering
introduced. (See Num. 28:
15, 22, 30; Num. 29: 5, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38) Thirteen
times over is mention
made of the sin offering of atonement; and yet, for all that, it
remains true and obvious that
sin or atonement for sin is not, by any means, the great prominent
subject. There is no
mention of it in the verse which we have quoted for the reader,
although that verse plainly
gives a summary of the contents of the two chapters; nor is there any
allusion to it until we
reach the fifteenth verse.
Need we say that the sin offering is essential inasmuch as man is in
question, and man is a
sinner? It would be impossible to treat of the subject of man's
approach to God, his worship,
or his communion, without introducing the atoning death of Christ as
the necessary
foundation. This the whole heart confesses with supreme delight. The
mystery of Christ's
precious sacrifice shall be the wellspring of our souls throughout the
everlasting ages.
But shall we be deemed Socinian in our thoughts if we assert that there
is something in Christ
and in His precious death beyond the bearing of our sins and the
meeting of our necessities?
We trust not. Can any one read Numbers 28 and 29 and not see this? Look
at one simple fact
which might strike the mind of a child. There are seventy-one verses in
the entire section;
and, out of these, thirteen allude to the sin offering, and the
remaining fifty-eight are
occupied with sweet savour offerings.
In a word then, the special theme here is God's delight in Christ.
Morning and evening, day
by day, week after week, from one new moon to another, from the opening
to the close of the
year, it is Christ in His fragrance and preciousness to Godward. True
it is thanks be to God,
and to Jesus Christ His Son—our sin is atoned for, judged, and put away
for ever—our
trespasses forgiven and guilt cancelled. But above and beyond this, the
heart of God is fed,
refreshed, and delighted by Christ. What was the morning and evening
lamb? Was it a sin
offering or a burnt offering? Hear the reply in God’s own words:
"And thou shalt say unto
them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the
Lord; two lambs of the
first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. The
one lamb shalt thou
offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; and
a tenth part of an ephah
of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of
beaten oil. It is a
continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai, for a
sweet savour, a sacrifice
made by fire unto the Lord."
Again; what were the two lambs for the Sabbath? a sin offering or a
burnt offering? "This is
the burnt offering of every Sabbath." It was to be double, because
the Sabbath was a type of
the rest that remaineth for God's people, when there will be a two fold
appreciation of Christ.
But the character of the offering is as plain as possible. If was
Christ to Godward. This is the
special point in the burnt offering. The Sin offering is Christ to
usward. In this, it is a
question of the hatefulness of sin; in that, it is a question of the
preciousness and excellency
of Christ.
So also, at the beginnings of their months (ver. 11), in the feast of
the Passover and
unleavened bread (ver. 16-25), in the feast of firstfruits (ver.
26-31), in the feast of trumpets
(Num. 29: 1-6), in the feast of tabernacles (ver. 7-38). In a word,
throughout the entire range
of feasts, the leading idea is Christ as a sweet savour. The sin
offering is never lacking; but
the sweet savour offerings get the prominent place, as is evident to
the most cursory reader.
We do not think it possible for any one to read this remarkable portion
of scripture and not
observe the contrast between the place of the sin offering and that of
the burnt offering. The
former is only spoken of as "one kid of the goats," whereas
the latter comes before us in the
form of "fourteen lambs," "thirteen bullocks" and
such like. Such is the large place which the
sweet savour offerings get in this scripture.
But why dwell upon this? Why insist upon it? Simply to show to the
Christian reader the true
character of the worship God looks for, and in which He delights. God
delights in Christ; and
it should be our constant aim, to present to God that in which He
delights. Christ should ever
be the material of our worship; and He will be, in proportion as we are
led by the Spirit of
God. How often, alas! it is otherwise with us the heart call tell. Both
in the assembly and in
the closet, how often is the tone low, and the spirit dull and heavy.
We are occupied with self
instead of with Christ; and the Holy Ghost, instead of being able to do
His own proper work,
which is to take of the things of Christ and show them unto us, is
obliged to occupy us with
ourselves, in self-judgement, because our ways have not been right.
All this is to be deeply deplored. It demands our serious attention
both as assemblies and as
individuals-in our public reunions and in our private devotions. Why is
the tone of our public
meetings frequently so low? Why such feebleness, such barrenness, such
wandering? Why
are the hymns and prayers so wide of the mark? Why is there so little
that really deserves the
name of worship? Why is there such restlessness and aimless activity?
Why is there so little
in our midst to refresh the heart of God? so little that He can really
speak of as "His bread, for
His sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto him?" We are
occupied with self and its
surroundings—our wants, our weakness, our trials and difficulties; and
we leave God without
the bread of His sacrifice. We actually rob Him of His due, and of that
which His loving heart
desires.
Is it that we can ignore our trials, our difficulties, and our wants?
No; but we can commit
them to Him. He tells us to cast all our care upon Him, in the sweet
and tranquillising
assurance that He careth for us. He invites us to cast our burdens upon
Him, in the assurance
that He will sustain us. He is mindful of us. Is not this enough! Ought
we not to be
sufficiently at leisure from ourselves, when we assemble in His
presence, to be able to
present to Him something besides our own things? He has provided for
us. He has made all
right for us. Our sins and Our sorrows have all been divinely met. And
most surely we cannot
suppose that such things are the food of God's sacrifice. He has made
them His care, blessed
be His name; but they cannot be said to be His food.
Christian reader, ought we not to think of these things—think of them,
in reference both to
the assembly and the closet?—for the same remarks apply both to the one
and the other.
Ought we not to cultivate such a condition of soul as would enable us
to present to God that
which He is pleased to call "His bread?" The truth is we want
more entire and habitual
occupation of heart with Christ as a sweet savour to God. It is not
that we should value the
sin offering less; far be the thought! But let us remember that there
is something more in our
precious Lord Jesus Christ than the pardon of our sins and the
salvation of our souls. What do
the burnt offering, the meat offering, and the drink offering set
forth? Christ as a sweet
savour-Christ the food of God's offering—the joy of His heart. Need we
say it is one and the
same Christ? Need we insist upon it that it is the same One who was
made a curse for us that
is a sweet savour to God? Surely, surely every Christian owns this. But
are we not prone to
confine our thoughts of Christ to what He did for us, to the virtual
exclusion of what He is to
God? It is this we have to mourn over and judge—this we must seek to
have corrected; and
we cannot but think that a careful study of Numbers 28, 29 would prove
a very excellent
corrective. May God, by His Spirit, use it to this end!
Having, in our "Notes on Leviticus," offered to the reader
What God has given to us in the
way of light on the sacrifices and feasts, we do not feel led to dwell
upon them here. That
little volume can be had of the publisher, and the reader will find in
chapters 1—8 and
chapter 33 what may interest and help him in reference to the subjects
treated of in the two
chapters on which we have been dwelling.
Numbers 30.
This brief section has what we may term a dispensational bearing. It
applies specially to
Israel, and treats of the question of vows and bonds. The man and the
woman stand in
marked contrast, in relation to this subject. "If a man vow a vow
unto the Lord, or swear an
oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he
shall do according to all
that proceedeth out of his mouth." Verse 2.
In reference to the woman, the case was different. "If a woman
also vow a vow unto the Lord,
and bind herself by a bond, being in her fathers house in her youth;
and her father hear her
vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father
shall hold his peace at
her: then all her vows shall stand, and every word wherewith she hath
bound her soul shall
stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not
any of Her vows, or of her
bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord
shall forgive her, because
her father disallowed her." (Ver. 3-5) The same thing applied in
the case of a wife. Her
husband could either confirm or disannul all her vows and bonds.
Such was the law with regard to vows. There was no relief for the man.
He was bound to go
right through with whatever had proceeded out of his mouth. Whatever he
undertook to do,
he was solemnly and irreversibly held to it. There was no back door, as
we say—no way of
getting out of it.
Now we know who, in perfect grace, took this position, and voluntarily
bound himself to
accomplish the will of God, whatever that will might be. We know who it
is that says, "I will
pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people."
"The man Christ Jesus,"
who, having taken the vows upon Him, discharged them perfectly to the
glory of God, and
the eternal blessing of His people. There was no escape for Him. We
hear Him exclaiming, in
the deep anguish of His soul, in the garden of Gethsemane, "If it
be possible, let this cup pass
from me." But it was not possible. He had undertaken the work of
man's salvation, and He
had to go through the deep and dark waters of death, judgement, and
wrath; and perfectly
meet all the consequences of man's condition. He had a baptism to be
baptised with, and was
straitened until it was accomplished. In other words, He had to die in
order that, by death, He
might open the pent-up flood gates, and allow the mighty tide of divine
and everlasting love
to flow dawn to His people. All praise and adoration be to His peerless
name for ever!
Thus much as to the man and his vows and bonds. In the case of the
woman, whether as the
daughter or the wife, we have the nation of Israel, and that in two
ways, namely, under
government and under grace; Looked at from a governmental point of
view, Jehovah, who is
at once the Father and the Husband, has held his peace at her, so that
her vows and bonds are
allowed to stand; and she is, to this day, suffering the consequences,
and made to feel the
force of those words, "Better that thou shouldest not vow, than
that thou shouldest vow and
not pay."
But, on the other hand, as viewed from the blessed standpoint of grace,
the Father and the
Husband has taken all upon Himself, so that she shall be forgiven and
brought into the
fullness of blessing by and by, not on the ground of accomplished vows
and ratified bonds,
but on the ground of sovereign grace and mercy, through the blood of
the everlasting
covenant. How precious to find Christ everywhere! He is the centre and
foundation, the
beginning and the end, of all the ways of God. May our hearts be ever
filled with him! May
our lips and lives speak His praise! May we, constrained by His love,
live to His glory all our
days upon earth, and then go home to be with Himself for ever, to go no
more out!
We have here given what we believe to be the primary thought of this
chapter. That it may be
applied, in a secondary way, to individuals, we do not, by any means,
question; and further,
that, like all scripture, it has been written for our learning, we most
thankfully own. It must
ever be the delight of the devout Christian to study all the wars of
God, whether in grace or
government—His ways with Israel—His ways with the Church—His ways with
all—His
ways with each. Oh! to pursue this study with an enlarged heart and an
enlightened
understanding!
Numbers 31
We have here the closing scene of Moses' official life; as in
Deuteronomy 34 we have the
closing scene of his personal history. "and the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying, Avenge the
children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered
unto thy people. And
Moses spake unto the People, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the
war, and let them go
against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every tribe a
thousand, throughout
all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. So there were
delivered out of the thousands
of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
And Moses sent them to
the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, to the
war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
And they warred against
the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the
males Verses 3-7.
This is a very remarkable passage. The Lord says to Moses, "Avenge
the children of Israel of
the Midianites." And Moses says to Israel, "Avenge the Lord
of Midian." The people had
been ensnared by the wiles of the daughters of Midian, through the evil
influence of Balaam
the son of Peor; and they are now called upon to clear themselves
thoroughly from all the
defilement which, through want of watchfulness, they had contracted.
The sword is to be
brought upon the Midianites; and all the spoil is to be made to pass
either through the fire of
judgement or through the water of purification. Not one jot or tittle
of the evil thing is to be
suffered to pass unjudged.
Now, this war was what we may call abnormal. By right, the people ought
not to have had
any occasion to encounter it at all. It was not one of the wars of
Canaan. It was simply the
result of their own unfaithfulness—the fruit of their own unhallowed
commerce with the
uncircumcised. Hence, although Joshua, the son of Nun, had been duly
appointed to succeed
Moses, as leader of the congregation, we find no mention whatever of
him in connection with
this war. On the contrary, it is to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the
priest, that the conduct of
this expedition is committed; and he enters upon it" with the holy
instruments and the
trumpets."
All this is strongly marked. The priest is the prominent person; and
the Holy instruments, the
prominent instrumentality. It is a question of wiping away the stain
caused by their unholy
association with the enemy; and therefore, instead of a general officer
with sword and spear,
it is a priest with holy instruments that appears in the foreground.
True, the sword is here; but
it is not the prominent thing. It is the priest with the vessels of the
sanctuary; and that priest
the selfsame man who first executed judgement upon that very evil which
has here to be
avenged.
The moral of all this is, at once, plain and practical. The Midianites
furnish a type of that
peculiar kind of influence which the world exerts over the hearts of
the people of God—the
fascinating and ensnaring power of the world used by Satan to hinder
our entrance upon our
proper heavenly portion. Israel should have had nothing to do with
these Midianites; but
having, in an evil hour—an unguarded moment—been betrayed into
association with them,
nothing remains but war and utter extermination.
So with us, as Christians. Our proper business is to pass through the
world, as pilgrims and
strangers; having nothing to do with it, save to be the patient witnesses
of the grace of Christ,
and thus shine as lights in the midst of the surrounding moral gloom.
But, alas! we fail to
maintain this rigid separation; we suffer ourselves to be betrayed into
alliance with the world,
and, in consequence, we get involved in trouble and conflict which does
not properly belong
to us at all. War with Midian formed no part of Israel's proper work.
They had to thank
themselves for it. But God is gracious; and hence, through a special
application of priestly
ministry, they were enabled, not only to conquer the Midianites, but to
carry away much
spoil. God, in His infinite goodness, brings good out of evil. He will
cause the eater to yield
meat, and the strong sweetness. His grace shines out, with exceeding
brightness, in the scene
before us, inasmuch as He actually deigns to accept a portion of the
spoils taken from the
Midianites. But the evil had to be thoroughly judged. "Every
male" had to be put to death—
all in whom there was the energy of the evil had to be completely
exterminated; and finally
the fire of judgement and the water of purification had to do their
work on the spoil, ere God
or His people could touch an atom of it.
What holy lessons are here! May we apply our hearts to them! May we be
enabled to pursue a
path of more intense separation, and to press on our heavenly road as
those whose portion
and whose home is on high! God, in His mercy grant it?
Numbers 32.
The fact recorded in this chapter has given rise to considerable
discussion. Various have been
the opinions advanced in reference to the conduct of the two tribes and
a half. Were they
right or were they wrong in choosing their inheritance on the
wilderness side of Jordan! This
is the question. Was their acting in this matter, the expression of
power or of weakness? How
are we to form a sound judgement in this case?
In the first place, where was Israel's proper portion—their divinely
destined inheritance?
Most surely, on the other side of Jordan, in the land of Canaan. Well,
then, ought not this fact
to have sufficed? would or could a really true heart—a heart that
thought, and felt, and
judged with God—have entertained the idea of selecting a portion other
than that which God
had allotted and bestowed Impossible. Hence, then, we need not to go
further, in order to
have a divine judgement on this subject. It was a mistake, a failure, a
stopping short of the
divine mark, on the part of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of
Manasseh, to choose any
boundary line short of the river Jordan. They were governed, in their
conduct, by worldly and
selfish considerations—by the sight of their eyes—by carnal motives.
They surveyed "the
land of Jazer and the land of Gilead," and they estimated it
entirely according to their own
interests, and without any reference to the judgement and will of God.
Had they been simply
looking to God, the question of settling down short of the river Jordan
would never have been
raised at all.
But when people are not simple, not true-hearted, they get into
circumstances which give rise
to all sorts of questions. It is a great matter to be enabled, by
Divine grace, to pursue a line of
action, and to tread a path so unequivocal as that no question can be
raised. It is our holy and
happy privilege so to carry ourselves as that no complication may ever
arise. The secret of so
doing is to walk with God, and thus to have our conduct wholly governed
by His word.
But that Reuben and Gad were not thus governed, is manifest from the
entire history. They
were half-and-half men; men of mixed principles; mere borderers; men
that sought their own
things, and not the things of God. Had these latter engrossed their
hearts, nothing would have
induced them to take up their position short of the true boundary line.
It is very evident that Moses had no sympathy with their proposal. It
was a judgement upon
his conduct that he was not allowed to go over. His heart was in the
promised land; and he
longed to go thither in person. How could he then approve of the
conduct of men who were
not only prepared, but actually desirous, to take up their abode
somewhere else? Faith can
never be satisfied with anything short of the true position and portion
of God's people. A
single eye can only see—a faithful heart only desire—the inheritance
given of God.
Hence, therefore, Moses at once condemned the proposition of Reuben and
Gad. True, he
afterwards relaxed his judgement and gave his consent. Their promise to
cross the Jordan,
ready armed, before their brethren, drew from Moses a kind of assent.
It seemed an
extraordinary manifestation of unselfishness and energy to leave all
their loved ones behind,
and cross the Jordan, only to fight for their brethren. But where had
they left those loved
ones? They had left them short of the divine mark. They had deprived
them of a place and a
portion in the true land of promise—that inheritance of the which God
had spoken to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. and for what? Just to get good pasture for
their cattle. For an
object like this did the two tribes and a half abandon their place
within the true limits of the
Israel of God.
And now let us look at the consequences of this line of action. Let the
reader turn to Joshua
22. Here we have the first sorrowful effect of the equivocal conduct of
Reuben and Gad.
They must needs build an altar—"a great altar to see to" lest
in time to come their brethren
might disown them. What does all this prove? It proves that they were
all wrong in taking up
their position on this side of Jordan. And only mark the effect upon
the whole assembly—the
disturbing, alarming effect of this altar. At the first blush, it wore
the aspect of actual
rebellion. "and when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children
of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war
against them. And the
children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the
children of Gad, and to the half
tribe of Manasseh,* into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, and with
him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes
of Israel; and each one
was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of
Israel. And they came unto
the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half
tribe of Manasseh, unto
the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying, Thus saith the
whole congregation of
the Lord [Did not the two and a half belong to it?] what trespass is
this that ye have
committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from
following the Lord, in that ye
have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the
Lord? Is the iniquity of
Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day,
although there was a
plague in the congregation of the Lord, but that ye must turn away this
day from following
the Lord and it will be, seeing ye rebel to-day against the Lord, that
to-morrow he will be
wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. Notwithstanding, if the
land of your possession
be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the
Lord, wherein the Lord's
tabernacle dwelleth, [what burning words] and take possession among us:
but rebel not
against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside
the altar of the Lord our
God." Joshua 22: 12-19.
{*As though the two tribes and a half were actually detached from the
nation of Israel.}
Now all this serious misunderstanding, all this trouble and alarm, was
the result of failure on
the part of Reuben and Gad. True, they are able to explain themselves
and satisfy their
brethren, in reference to the altar. But then there would have been no
need of the altar, no
demand for explanation, no cause of alarm, had they not taken up an
equivocal position.
Here was the source of all the mischief; and it is important for the
Christian reader to seize
this point with clearness, and to deduce from it the great practical
lesson which it is designed
to teach. It can hardly be questioned, by any thoughtful, spiritually
minded person who fully
weighs all the evidence in the case, that the two tribes and a half
were wrong in stopping
short of the Jordan, in taking up their position. This seems to us
unquestionable, seen on the
ground of what has already come before us; and if further proof were
needed, it is furnished
by the fact that they were the very first to fall into the enemy's
hands. See 1 Kings 22: 3.
But it may be that the reader is disposed to ask, "What has all
this to say to us? Has this piece
of history any voice, any instruction for us" unquestionably. It
sounds in our ears, with
accents of deep solemnity, "Beware of falling short of your proper
position—your proper
portion—of being content with the things which belong to this world—of
taking any stand
short of death and resurrection—the true, the spiritual Jordan."*
{*No doubt there are many sincere Christians who do not see the
heavenly calling and
position of the Church—who do not enter into the special character of
truth taught in the
Epistle to the Ephesians—who are, nevertheless, according to their
light, earnest, devoted,
and true-hearted; but we feel persuaded that such persons lose
incalculable blessing in their
own souls, and fall very short of the true Christian testimony.}
Such, we conceive, is the teaching of this portion of our book. It is a
grand point to be whole-
hearted, decided, and unequivocal in taking our stand for Christ.
Serious damage is done to
the cause of God and the testimony of Christ, by those who profess to
be Christians denying
their heavenly calling and character, and acting as though they were
citizens of this world.
This is a powerful engine in the hands of Satan. An undecided,
half-and-half Christian is
more inconsistent than an open out-and-out worldling or infidel. The
unreality of professors
is more injurious by far to the cause of God than all the forms of
moral pravity put together.
This may seem a strong statement; but it is too true. Christian
professors who are only mere
borderers—men of mixed principles—persons of doubtful deportment—these
are the men
who most seriously damage the blessed cause, and promote the designs of
the enemy of
Christ. What we want, just now, is a band of whole-hearted,
thorough-going, unmistakable
witnesses for Jesus Christ—men who shall declare plainly that they seek
a country—earnest,
unworldly men.
These are the men for the present crisis. What can be more deplorable,
more saddening and
discouraging, than to find those who make a lofty profession, who talk
loudly of death and
resurrection, who boast of their high doctrines and heavenly
privileges, but whose walk and
ways give the lie to their words? they love the world and the things of
the world. They love
money and are eager to grasp and hoard as much as possible.
Beloved Christian reader, let us see to these things. Let us honestly
judge Ourselves as in the
very presence of God, and put away from us everything, no matter what,
that tends to hinder
the complete devotion of ourselves in spirit and soul and body to him
who loved us and gave
Himself for us. May we, to use the language of Joshua 22 so carry
ourselves as not to need
any altar to see to, nor anything to declare where we belong to, where
we worship, whose we
are and whom we serve. Thus shall everything about us be transparent
and unquestionable,
our testimony shall be distinct, and the sound of our trumpet certain.
Our peace, too, shall
flow like an even river, and the entire bent of our course and
character shall be to the praise
of Him whose name is called upon us. May the good Lord stir up the
hearts of His people, in
this day of hateful indifferentism, lukewarmness, and easy-going
profession, to more genuine
self-surrender, true consecration to the cause of Christ, and unshaken
faith in the living God.
Will the reader join us in pleading for all this?
Numbers 33, Numbers 34.
The first of these sections gives us a wonderfully minute description
of the desert wanderings
of the people of God. It is impossible to read it without being deeply
moved by the tender
love and care of God so signally displayed throughout the whole. To
think of His deigning to
keep such a record of the journeyings of His poor people, from the
moment they marched out
of Egypt until they crossed the Jordan—from the land of death and
darkness to the land
flowing with milk and honey. "He knoweth thy walking through this
great wilderness: these
forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked
nothing." He went before
them, every step of the way; He travelled over every stage of the
wilderness; in all their
afflictions He was afflicted. He took care of them like a tender nurse.
He suffered not their
garments to wax old, or their feet to swell, for these forty years; and
here He retraces the
entire way by which His hand had led them, carefully noting down each
successive stage of
that marvellous pilgrimage, and every spot in the desert at which they
had halted. What a
journey! What a travelling companion!
It is very consolatory to the heart of the poor, weary pilgrim to be
assured that every stage of
his wilderness journey is marked out by the infinite love and unerring
wisdom of God. He is
leading His people by a right way, home to Himself; and there is not a
single circumstance in
their lot, or a single ingredient in their cup, which is not carefully
ordered by Himself, with
direct reference to their present profit and their everlasting
felicity. Let it only be our care to
walk with Him, day by day, in simple confidence, casting all our care
upon Him, and leaving
ourselves and all our belongings absolutely in His hands. This is the
true source of peace and
blessedness, all the journey through. And then, when our desert
wanderings are over—when
the last stage of the wilderness has been trodden, He will take us home
to be with Himself for
ever.
"There with what joy reviewing
Past conflicts, dangers, fears–
Thy hand our foes subduing,
And drying all our tears–
Our hearts with rapture burning,
The path we shall retrace,
where now our souls are learning,
The riches of Thy grace."
Numbers 34 gives the boundaries of the inheritance, as drawn by the
hand of Jehovah. The
selfsame hand which had guided their wanderings here fixes the bounds
of their habitation.
Alas! they never took possession of the land as given of God. He gave
them the whole land,
and gave it for ever. They took but a part, and that for a time. But,
blessed be God, the
moment is approaching when the seed of Abraham shall enter upon the
full and everlasting
possession Of that fair inheritance, from which they are for the
present excluded. Jehovah
will assuredly accomplish all His promises, and lead His people into
all the blessings secured
to them in the everlasting covenant—that covenant which has been
ratified by the blood of
the Lamb. Not one jot or tittle. shall fail of all that He has spoken.
His promises are all Yea
and Amen in Christ Jesus, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever. All praise to the
father, and unto the Son, and to the holy Spirit!
Numbers 35.
The opening lines of this most interesting chapter set before us the
gracious provision which
Jehovah made for His servants the Levites. Each of the tribes of Israel
was privileged—that
we say not bound—to furnish the Levites with a certain number of cities
with their suburbs,
according to their ability. "All the cities which ye shall give to
the Levites shall be forty and
eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. And the cities
which ye shall give shall be
of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many
ye shall give many; But
from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his
cities unto the Levites,
according to his inheritance which he inheriteth." Verses 7, 8.
The Lord's servants were wholly cast upon Him for their portion. They
had no inheritance or
possession saving himself. Blessed inheritance! Precious portion! None
like it, in the
judgement of faith. Blessed are all those who can truly say to the
Lord, "Thou art the portion
of my cup, and the lot of my inheritance." God took care of His
dependent servants, and
permitted the whole congregation of Israel to taste the hallowed
privilege—for such it most
assuredly was—of being co-workers with Him in providing for those who
had willingly
devoted themselves to His work, abandoning all besides.
Thus, then, we learn that, out of the twelve tribes of Israel, forty
and eight cities, with their
suburbs, were to be given over to the Levites; and out of these again,
the Levites had the
privilege of furnishing six cities to be a refuge for the poor
manslayer. Most lovely provision!
Lovely in its origin! Lovely in its object!
The cities of refuge were situated, three on the eastern and three on
the western side of
Jordan. whether Reuben and Gad were right or wrong in settling east of
that significant
boundary, God in His mercy would not leave the slayer without a refuge
from the avenger of
blood. On the contrary, like Himself, He ordained that those cities
which were designed as a
merciful provision for the slayer should be so situated that wherever
there was need of a
shelter that shelter might be near at hand. There was always a city
within reach of any who
might be exposed to the sword of the avenger. This was worthy of our
God. If any slayer
happened to fall into the hands of the avenger of blood, it was not for
want of a refuge near at
hand, but because he had failed to avail himself of it. All necessary
provision was made; the
cities were named, and well defined, and publicly known. Everything was
made as plain, as
simple, and as easy as possible. Such was God's gracious way.
No doubt, the slayer was responsible to put forth all his energy to
reach the sacred precincts;
and, no doubt, he would. It is not at all likely that any one would be
so blind or so infatuated
as to fold his arms, in cool indifference, and say, "If I am fated
to escape, I shall escape, my
efforts are not needed. If I am not fated to escape, I cannot escape,
my efforts are of no use."
We cannot fancy a manslayer using such silly language, or being guilty
of such blind fatality
as this. He knew too well that if the avenger could but lay his hand
upon him, all such notions
would be of small account. There was but the one thing to be done, and
that was to escape
for his life—to flee from impending judgement to find his safe abode
within the gates of the
city of refuge. Once there, he could breathe freely. No evil could
overtake him there. The
moment He crossed the threshold of the gate, he was as safe as God's
provision could make
him. if a hair of his head could be touched, within the bounds of the
city, it could but be a
dishonour and a reproach upon the ordinance of God. True, he had to
keep close. He dared
not venture outside the gate. Within, he was perfectly safe. Without,
he was thoroughly
exposed. He could not even visit his friends. He was an exile from his
Father's house. He was
a prisoner of hope. Absent from the home of his heart's affections, he
waited for the death of
the high priest, which was to set him perfectly free and restore him,
once more, to his
inheritance and to his people.
Now, we believe that this beautiful ordinance had special reference to
Israel. They have
killed the Prince of life; but the question is, As which are they
viewed by God, as the
murderer or as the slayer? If the former, there is no refuge, no hope.
No murderer could be
sheltered within the city of refuge. Here is the law of the case, as
stated in Joshua 20, "The
Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel,
saying, Appoint out for
you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
that the slayer that
killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they
shall be your refuge
from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those
cities shall stand at
the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in
the ears of the elders of that
city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a
place, that he may dwell
among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they
shall not deliver the
slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly,
and hated him not
beforetime, And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the
congregation for
judgement, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in
those days: then shall the
slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto
the city from whence
he fled." Vv 1-6.
But with respect to the murderer; the law was rigid and unbending
"The murderer shall surely
be put to death. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer,
when he meeteth
him." Numbers 35.
Israel, then, through the marvellous grace of God, will be treated as a
slayer and not as a
murderer. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do." These potent words
ascended to the ear and to the heart of the God of Israel. They were
heard and answered; nor
are we to suppose that the answer was exhausted in its application on
the day of Pentecost.
No; it still holds good, and its efficacy will be illustrated in the
future history of the house of
Israel. That people are now under God's keeping. They are exiles from
the land and the home
of their fathers. But the time is coming when they shall be restored to
their own land, not by
the death of the high priest—blessed be His deathless name! He can
never die—but He will
leave His present position, and come forth, in a new character, as the
Royal Priest, to sit upon
His throne. Then shall the exile return to his long-lost home, and his
forfeited inheritance.
But not till then, else it would be ignoring the fact that they killed
the Prince of life, which
were impossible. The manslayer mast remain out of his possession until
the appointed time;
but he is not to be treated as a murderer, because he did it
unwittingly. "I obtained mercy"—
says the Apostle Paul, speaking as a pattern to Israel because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief."
"And now, brethren," says Peter, "I wot that through
ignorance ye did it, as did also your
rulers."
These passages, together with the precious intercession of the slain
One, do, in the most
distinct manner, place Israel on the ground of the manslayer, and not
on the ground of the
murderer. God has provided a refuge and a shelter for His much-loved
people, and in due
time they shall return to their long-lost dwellings, in that land which
Jehovah gave as a gift to
Abraham his friend for ever.
Such we believe to be the true interpretation of the ordinance of the
city of refuge. Were we
to view it as bearing upon the case of a sinner taking refuge in
Christ, it could only be in a
very exceptional way, inasmuch as we should find ourselves surrounded,
on all hands, by
points of contrast rather than by points of similarity. For in the
first place, the manslayer, in
the city of refuge, was not exempt from judgement, as we learn from
Joshua 20: 6. But for
the believer in Jesus there is and can be no judgement, for the simplest
of all reasons, that
Christ has borne the judgement instead.
Again, there was a possibility of the slayer's falling into the hands
of the avenger, if he
ventured outside the gates of the city. The believer in Jesus can never
perish; he is as safe as
the Saviour himself.
Finally, as regards the slayer, it was a question of temporal safety
and life in this world. As
regards the believer in Jesus, it is a question of eternal salvation
and life everlasting in the
world to come. In fact, in almost every particular, it is striking
contrast rather than similarity.
One grand point there is common to both, and that is, the point of
exposure to imminent
danger and the urgent need of fleeing for refuge. If it would have been
wild folly on the part
of the slayer to linger or hesitate for a moment, until he found
himself safely lodged in the
city of refuge, it is surely still wilder folly, yea, the very height
of madness, on the part of the
sinner, to linger or hesitate in coming to Christ. The avenger might
perhaps fail to lay hold on
the slayer even though he were not in the city; But judgement must
overtake the sinner out of
Christ. There is no possibility of escape, if there is the thickness of
a gold leaf between the
soul and Christ. Solemn thought! May it have its due weight in the
heart of the reader who is
yet in his sins! May he find no rest—not one moment’s rest, until he
has fled for refuge to lay
hold of the hope set before him in the gospel. Judgement impends,
certain, solemn
judgement. It is not only that the avenger may come, but judgement must
come upon all who
are out of Christ.
Oh! unconverted, thoughtless, careless reader—should this volume fall
into the hands of
such—hear the warning voice! Flee for thy life! Tarry not, we entreat
thee! Delay is madness.
Every moment is precious. You know not the hour in the which you may be
cut down, and
consigned to that place in the which a single ray of hope, not even the
faintest glimmer, can
ever visit you—the place of eternal night, eternal woe, eternal torment—the
place of a
deathless worm and an unquenchable flame. Beloved friend, do let us
entreat thee, in these
few closing lines of our volume, to come now, just as thou art, to
Jesus, who stands with
open arms and loving heart, ready to receive thee, to shelter, to save,
and to bless, according
to all the love of His heart, and the perfect efficacy of His name and
His sacrifice. May God
the Holy Spirit, by His own resistless energy, lead thee, just now, to
come. "Come unto me,"
says the loving Lord and Saviour, "all ye that labour and are
heavy laden and I will give you
rest." Precious words! May they fall, with divine power, upon many
a weary heart!
Here we close our meditations upon this marvellous section of the
volume of God;* and, in
doing so, we are impressed with a profound sense of the depth and
richness of the mine to
which we have sought to conduct the reader, and also of the excessive
feebleness and poverty
of the suggestions which we have been enabled to offer. However, our
confidence is in the
living God, that He will, by His Holy Spirit, lead the heart and mind
of the Christian reader
into the enjoyment of His own precious truth, and thus fit him, more
and more, for His
service in these last evil days, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
may be magnified, and
His truth maintained in living power. May God, in His abounding mercy,
grant this, for Jesus
Christ's sake!
{*Chapter 36 has been referred to in our meditation on chapter 17}
C. H. M.