WHEN a right relationship with God on the basis of redemption, and the principles of holiness flowing from that are entered into, we are then ready, not before, to take up the wilderness walk. This is the general theme of the fourth book; its number speaks of the earth, as the third does of the sanctuary. It speaks of testing’s to which we are all subjected upon earth, and alas, of failure wherever the grace of God is not counted upon to uphold.
The book of Numbers therefore gives us the wilderness walk of Israel, after the legal covenant at Sinai had been confirmed and, most suggestively, after the elements of mercy had been added consequent upon the failure and apostasy at Horeb. The sacrificial features of the tabernacle service were emphasized in the book of Leviticus, as we have seen. In fitting accord with this, Israel’s relation to the sanctuary is taken up, in the opening of the present book. This will appear as we proceed.
Division 1. (Num. 1-10:10).
The camp gathered in order about the Tabernacle. We read that when the people came out of Egypt, a mixed multitude (literally, “a great mixture”) followed them, composed, no doubt, of Egyptians or half-breed Israelites. It was these who fell a lusting, and very likely started those murmurings which brought God’s chastening upon the people. In this book we see that such a mixture is not contemplated in God’s thought. Provision is not made for them. If the wilderness journey is to be taken aright, there are two great features which must control. First, there must be a divine center, about which the people are gathered in order and subjection; second, there must be a separation from all that would be inconsistent with such a Presence. Therefore our walk through the world is to be governed by these two principles: our individual and collective relationship to God’s center, and our corresponding separation from the world.
The first of these is given in chapters one and two, and supplemented by chapters three and four. The full census of the people is taken according to their tribes and their families. A prince of each tribe is selected who presides over the enumeration of that tribe. This enumeration is to include only the men of war, for it is in view of the dangers and trials of the journey that the census is taken. We have here, then, at the very outset, the thought of order emphasized. Not one Israelite warrior is to be omitted, but he finds his place in subjection to his tribal prince, while all are ranged as will be later seen, with reference to the tabernacle. This grouping around the sanctuary is most interesting. Space will permit only the briefest glance at that which down to its minutest details furnishes most suggestive instruction.
The twelve tribes are divided into four camps, each composed of three tribes with their respective leaders. The prominent tribe in each camp gives its name to the group, and these are stationed one on each side about the tabernacle. The tribe of Levi, set apart to the service of the tabernacle, is not included in this allotment. Its place is made up by the dividing of the tribe of Joseph into Ephraim and Manasseh.
We must condense what we have to say about the significance of these various camps, their position and their march, within the compass of a few words, which will, we trust, stimulate the interest of the reader to seek for the full orderly detail which can be found elsewhere.
The camp of Judah was stationed in the front, toward the east. There are two words for the east — “that which opposes,” and “sun-rising,” typical of what meets us in our wilderness joey, the opposition in the world, and the blessed hope of the coming day of the morning without clouds.
Judah means “praise.” The prince is Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. Nahshon means “a diviner;” Amminadab, “the people of the willing giver.” Associated with Judah are Issachar and Zebulon, whose princes are respectively Nethaneel, the son of Zuar, and Eliab, the son of Helon. Issachar means “hire,” and his prince Nethaneel, “the gift of God,” whose father is “little.” Zebulon means “dwelling,” and his prince Eliab, “God is a Father,” the son of Helon, possibly “the mighty one.”
Here then we have the suggestion of the power which is to meet the opposition in the world and lead God’s people victoriously onward to the coming day. The spirit of praise must be first — praise which comes from a knowledge of all the grace that has been shown and will be continued. Here, as ever, the singers are to be in the forefront of the battle. This is the true spirit of divination in the right sense, for he who knows God can foretell the future: “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” From Judah, too, He has come who is the true diviner, our Lord Jesus, the leader of our praises, the captain of the Lord’s host. Truly, we are “the people of the willing giver,” who has given us thus His blessed Son.
Associated with the spirit of praise, is the sense of responsibility suggested by Issachar, “hire,” reward for faithfulness; yet his captain suggests also that which is to control the thought of reward; it is Nethaneel, “the gift of God,” the son of Zuar, “little.” Truly, there must ever be the sense of our littleness, and that the very grace to make us faithful is God’s gift. So Paul could say: “Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given.”
In like manner, Zebulon, “dwelling,” speaks of abiding communion with God, which must be present if the spirit of true praise is to continue and the sense of responsibility to be kept in its rightful place. His captain, Eliab, “God is Father,” the son of Helon, “the mighty one,” speaks of that Spirit of adoption which is at once the power and the pledge of an abiding counion. “I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Thus the camp in front of the tabernacle is established and sets out first in the order of march, leading the way for the hosts of the Lord to follow on.
Reuben — “See, a Son” — leads the camp stationed on the south, “the right hand.” Although displaced from the leadership because of his instability (see Gen. 49: 4), he has here the place of dignity and responsibility beautifully maintained, not by a fleshly energy which fails, but by divine stability through true sonship. His captain is Elizur, “my God is a rock,” the son of Shedeur, “the Almighty is fire.” Associated with Reuben, are Simeon, “obedience,” whose prince Shelumiel, “at peace with God,” the son of Zurishaddai, “my rock is the Almighty,” emphasizes the same truth; and Gad, “increase,” whose captain Eliasaph, “God hath added,” the son of Reuel, “known of God,” shows the principle of true increase: “The Lord knoweth them that are His” and “The Lord added daily to the Church,” etc. Thus the camp on the south which sets forth second is established, furnishing stability and the assurance of increase in connection with the spirit of obedience.
The tabernacle with its attendant Levites comes next in the order of march. We will glance, however, at the two remaining camps before speaking of the Levites.
Westward, Ephraim accompanied by Manasseh and Benjamin, the children of Rachel, are grouped. The west, the opposite of the east, is “toward the sea,” the place of storm, but also of refreshing showers from it. Here Ephraim, “fruitfulness,” has his place, characterized by his captain, Elishama, “God hath heard,” the son of Ammihud, “the people of majesty” — fruitfulness comes from God. Manasseh, “forgetting,” whose prince Gamaliel, “God is a rewarder,” the son of Pedahzur, “the rock hath redeemed,” encourages us to forget the things that are behind and to seek our fruitfulness from the Rock who hath redeemed us. Benjamin, “the son of my right hand,” tells of the dignity of our position which is to be characterized by the prince Abidan, “my father is judge,” the son of Gideoni, “the feller, or cutter down,” where we have the sense of adoption and that godly fear which will remove pride from us. This is the true spirit of fruitfulness, which can gather out of the very trials of the way material for spiritual increase.
Lastly, on the north, and forming the rearguard on the march, we have the camp of Dan; associated with him are the tribes of Asher and Naphtali. There is a military ring about some of these names appropriate to the place they occupy; for those who bring up the rear must guard against stragglers and such sudden assaults as, for instance, that of Amalek, who inflicted loss upon the rearward of the children of Israel.
Dan, “judge,” his prince Ahiezer, “the brother of help,” the son of Ammishaddai, “the people of the Almighty:” these names combine the thoughts suggested of alertness, power and helpfulness. Associated with him is Asher, “happy,” whose prince, Pagiel, “the event of God,” son of Ocran, “afflicted,” shows us the paradox which grace alone can interpret, that affliction under the stroke of God produces a happiness which is not that of the world, but is a fitted safeguard against assaults from the rear. With him is Naphtali, “the wrestler,” another militant name, characterized by his prince Ahira, “brother for evil,” the son of Enan, “open-eyed,” suggesting that “Brother born for adversity,” whose eyes are ever watchful against the foe. Thus the camp is duly ordered and prepared for the march. The tabernacle, whether the people are at rest or on their journey, is surrounded by these men of war, all in due order.
It still remains to note briefly the place of the ministering tribe of Levi, who occupied positions immediately about the tabernacle, between the armies and the sacred dwelling (Num. 3, 4). In front, is Moses and the priestly family of Aaron, thus in immediate relationship with the tribe of Judah. Priesthood and praise go together. Levi takes the place of the firstborn of all the tribes spared in Egypt. They are
“joined” to the priesthood as a connecting link between worship and warfare, suggesting the ministry which links these two together. Their service was connected with the tabernacle and had to do with the care and carrying of its different parts through the wilderness. The tribe was divided into three families, of Gershon, “stranger;” Kohath, “assembly;” Merari, “bitterness:” their care respectively was the curtains; the holy vessels; and the boards, sockets and pillars of the tabernacle. Their places in the camp were, Gershon on the west associated with Ephraim, the ministry of Christ in His separation from the world; Kohath was on the south, the objective ministry of Christ as seen in the holy vessels; Merari on the north, the ministry of the truth of His people’s completeness in Him and standing upon Him with the responsibilities flowing out of this.
Thus the whole camp is ordered. As we have seen, all gathers about the center, the dwelling-place of God, which we need hardly say is the fullest type of Christ, in and through whom we draw near to God.
The second thought, of separation from evil, is brought out in the following chapters. Evil must be put out (Num. 5) and holiness maintained, while chapter 6 gives us in the familiar type of the Nazarite that separation which is to mark the people of God in their wilderness joey. We need to remember that Christ is the only true Nazarite, and it is only as His Spirit controls us that we shall be actually separated unto God.
The last part of this first division gathers up details which show how complete the provision is for the way. An exceedingly interesting chapter (7) is devoted to the gifts of the twelve princes, which they offered on successive days at the dedication of the altar. How beautiful to see that all this clusters about the work of Christ!
These gifts were identical in the case of each prince, but they are described in extenso. When we see the significance of the gifts, we are not surprised at the repetition of their enumeration as well as the total sum given at the close of the chapter. All here speaks of Christ in some one of His many aspects. There was one silver charger and a silver bowl. These suggest redemption price (see Ex. 30), and both were filled with fine flour for the meat offering, reminding us that the apprehension of Christ’s person is immediately connected with the truth of redemption by His blood. The golden spoon reminds us of our Lord’s deity, and this appropriately is filled with the incense, for there can be no true worship of Christ which ignores His divinity.
The sacrifices speak of the various aspects of our Lord’s work. The burnt offering of one bullock, one ram, one lamb, speak of the perfection of the one offering of Himself to God in death. The sin offering is present, but a single kid shows, we may say, the comparatively subordinate place which it occupies in God’s thoughts of Christ. Truly sin is put away, but the devotedness of Christ far outshines this effect of His death; while in the full complement of the peace offering with its numbers two and five, we see how God longs for communion with His people.
The chapter fittingly and beautifully closes, after this record of the perfections of Christ of which God never grows weary, with Moses going into the tabernacle and hearing the Voice speaking to him. That Voice (Num. 8) reminds him that the light of the candlestick must be undimmed in order that the beauties of the candlestick may ever be displayed. It is as though God would say to Moses and to us, “See to it that nothing dims your apprehension of the perfections of My beloved Son!”
In chapter 8 we see how the Levites are set apart for their special service of ministry. All is connected with sacrifice and purification.
Chapter 9 is interesting as showing the provision for the Passover to be kept by those who through defilement were prevented from observing it at its proper season. By such, it was to be kept in the second month, as we see it was done in Hezekiah’s time. We may be assured that whenever we allow defilement to relegate the redemption of our blessed Lord to a secondary place, even in His recovering grace God must show us that we have done so. Thus, the very grace which restores to God’s thoughts reminds us of our failure.
Lastly, the presence of God is seen throughout the entire journey. The cloud was to lead them and the silver trumpets were to declare the will of God for every stage. Thus there is full provision for the way.
Division 2. (Num. 10:11-16:3511And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 14In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came. 22And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward. 29And 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. 30And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31And 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. 32And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. 33And 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. 34And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 35And 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. 36And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel. 1And 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. 2And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched. 3And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them. 4And the mixt 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? 5We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color of bdellium. 8And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12Have 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? 13Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16And 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. 17And 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. 18And 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. 19Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20But 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? 21And 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. 22Shall 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? 23And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 24And 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. 25And 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 seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26But there remained two of the 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. 27And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29And 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! 30And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 31And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 32And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. 34And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 35And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth. 1And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. 3(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 4And 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. 5And 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. 6And 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. 7My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8With him will I speak mouth to mouth, 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? 9And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb. 13And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. 14And 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. 15And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again. 16And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran. 1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Send 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. 3And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. 4And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. 9Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua. 17And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 18And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19And 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; 20And 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 firstripe grapes. 21So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 22And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23And 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. 24The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. 25And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26And 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. 27And 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. 28Nevertheless 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. 29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32And 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. 33And 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. 1And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2And 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! 3And 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? 4And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 5Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7And 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. 8If 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. 9Only 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. 10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. 11And 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? 12I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. 13And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) 14And 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 day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 16Because 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. 17And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18The Lord is longsuffering, 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. 19Pardon, 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. 20And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. 22Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 24But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25(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. 26And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27How 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. 28Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29Your carcases 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, 30Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31But 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. 32But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34After 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. 35I 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. 36And 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, 37Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord. 38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. 39And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into 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. 41And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. 42Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 43For 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. 44But 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. 45Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah. 1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, 3And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savor unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock: 4Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil. 5And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 6Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil. 7And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savor unto the Lord. 8And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the Lord: 9Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. 10And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 11Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid. 12According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number. 13All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 14And 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 savor unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do. 15One 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. 16One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you. 17And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 18Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, 19Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord. 20Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. 21Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations. 22And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses, 23Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 24Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 25And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance: 26And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance. 27And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 28And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30But the soul that doeth ought 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. 31Because 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. 32And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. 37And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 38Speak 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: 39And 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, after which ye use to go a whoring: 40That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. 41I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God. 1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, 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: 2And 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: 3And 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? 4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 5And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord 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. 6This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: 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. 8And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, 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? 10And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 12And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 13Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. 15And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. 16And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 17And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 18And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron. 19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation. 20And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 24Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. 27So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 28And 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. 29If 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. 30But 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. 31And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33They, 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. 34And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. (Numbers 10:11‑16:35)).
Moral separation and departure from God manifested in the people’s history. This portion is in sad contrast with the order and the grace emphasized in the first division. There, Christ was the center and the supreme object, and all grouped in order about Him. Here we have the actual history of the people. At the very outset of the journey, although set forth after the due order, Moses himself fails to realize the sufficiency of the Lord as a true leader. He asks Hobah to be eyes for them in the wilderness, apparently forgetting that God was their leader. Jehovah, in grace, silently rebukes this thought by letting the ark of His presence go before them in three days’ journey to seek out a resting place. The ark and the cloud are the true and only leaders through the wilderness (chap. 10).
If the leader fails, we need not be surprised that the people, instigated by the mixed multitude, begin to murmur. The sweet, wholesome manna becomes wearisome to these, just as Christ in His infinite perfections palls upon the worldling, and the food of Egypt growing rankly in the mud from the river Nile, its leeks, onions, garlic, its melons and cucumbers, together with the fish from the river, eclipse in their thoughts “light bread” which God supplied. The lesson is solemn and obvious. If our journey through this world is to be for God, there must be feeding upon His food, Christ. The food of Egypt will never make pilgrims or warriors. God interposes through the spirit of prophecy, and in patient grace spreads a table for the people in the wilderness: the quails are sent, but He sends also leanness into their souls, and the graves of those who lusted show how lust after the food of this world brings low those who refuse to feed upon Christ.
Next (chap. 12) we have, more dreadful yet, the failure of Miriam and Aaron; moved by envy at the association of a Gentile bride with Moses they speak against him. This is a foreshadow of the subsequent rebellion so soon to be noted when the people openly apostatize from Jehovah’s leader. God marks His judgment upon Miriam with the plague of leprosy. She and Aaron, however, repent and are restored.
In chapters 13 and 14, we have the great refusal of the people to enter into their inheritance. The spies are sent up and bring back an evil report, while admitting the wondrous fertility and desirability of the land. Caleb and Joshua alone stand out for God. Caleb, “wholehearted,” a type of complete devotion, and Joshua as the subsequent leader of the people, a type of Christ in them, alone urge the people to go into the land; and these alone, of all that company, enter forty years later. The people in their hearts turn back into Egypt, and thus show the unfitness of that generation to take up their God-given privileges and responsibilities.
The next chapter (15), by the very abruptness of its contrast to the wretched failure of unbelief, shows the unrepenting grace of God and the secret of true overcoming in the face of unbelief. It is the provision for the meat and drink offerings which are proportioned to the various classes of burnt offerings. “When ye be come into the land” shows that, in spite of Israel’s unbelief, God will bring His people into their inheritance, and this will be due to no power of theirs, but to the sacrifice of Him whose perfect life recorded no such failure as that of the people here. This chapter thus makes full provision for failure and for sin, while in the stoning of the open defier of God, we see judgment which is withheld only for those who avail themselves of the grace of God. These latter, too, are to be marked by the tassels of blue, reminding them of their heavenly character and destiny.
The narrative now returns to the people and we see the culmination of their unbelief in the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram (chap. 16: 35). In Korah, of the tribe of Levi, we see the intrusion of those who had been granted a place of nearness in ministry, into the unique prerogatives of the high priest. This is a complete denial of the necessity of the priesthood of Christ, fittingly associated with open rebellion against His authority, as in Dathan and Abiram of the dispossessed tribe of Reuben. Nothing but judgment, instant and final, can be meted out to such wickedness. So, too, in the day that is coming, will God cause the Antichrist, the false prophet who would usurp the place of Christ, to be cast into the lake of fire.
Division 3. (Num. 16:36-24).
Priestly power in resurrection. Again in this portion God turns us from the weakness, failure and rebellion of the flesh, to His perfect provision for His feeble people. This is mingled with the history of judgment inflicted upon them to bring them to a sense of their own nothingness and of God’s supremacy. The censers in which the Levites had sought to show their priesthood, but had found only the fire of judgment, were put as a perpetual memorial upon the altar of burnt offering, emphasizing the fact that Christ alone is Priest. In Aaron’s rod that budded, this is shown from the side of divine power. All the tribes present each their rod, a stick cut down and dead. Among them all Aaron’s alone buds and bears blossoms and almonds, a type of the resurrection of Christ which proclaims His eternal priesthood (Num. 18). Thus, His supremacy in priestly grace is maintained.
The prerogatives and responsibilities of this priesthood are dwelt upon in the rest of the chapter (18), while chapter 19 shows the priestly functions carried out now in maintaining the people in communion with God through the water of separation, with the ashes of the red heifer. This reminds us of the gracious advocacy of our blessed Priest.
Following this (Num. 20, 21), the journey is resumed; but again we are reminded that no confidence can be placed in man. Miriam dies, and again the people murmur for lack of water; and here, solemn indeed, Moses himself breaks down utterly at the crucial moment. He, too, fails to sanctify Jehovah by presenting the testimony of Christ undimmed. In smiting the rock twice with the priestly rod, he denies at once the previous smiting, type of the one sacrifice of Christ which is eternally sufficient to secure the supply of every wilderness need, and mars the perfections of the risen Lord by using the rod with its fruit and blossoms in a way not intended. For this, he is governmentally debarred from entering the land.
The wearisome journey around Mount Edom shows that we cannot overcome the flesh, but must flee from its lusts which war against the soul. How often does the opposition of the flesh occasion a long digression in what should be a straight course from earth to heaven.
Next, Aaron passes away; his priestly garments of glory and beauty are transferred to his son Eleazar, who is a type of Christ in resurrection, the only power for true priesthood. It is the risen Lord who is our Priest.
In the brazen serpent, we have perhaps the last record of these failures. The weariness of the journey around Mount Edom frets the people again to murmuring against God, and the fiery serpents speak of the power of Satan which assails through turning away from God. In the serpent of brass lifted up, we have the well-known gospel of the uplifted Son of Man upon the cross, the remedy for all Satan’s blight, the pledge of forgiveness of every sin.
Fittingly following this, we draw near the confines of the land and a little song, unheard since the triumphant celebration of Moses at the Red Sea, again breaks forth. It celebrates the faithfulness of God in the very supply of the water which their murmurings had previously doubted. The enemy is then overthrown, and the victory begins on the east side of Jordan.
This division closes with the futile attempt of Balak, king of Moab (Num. 22-24) to bring a curse upon Israel through the false prophet Balaam. This lover of rewards is willing enough to curse, but is restrained by a power which he dare not defy. God’s ways with Balaam are a striking illustration of how He would throw every restraint upon evil to win man to obedience, and how, when the heart is fully set upon its own course, He overrules its purposes. Balaam beholds the people from three points, first from Bamoth Baal, “the heights of Baal,” where he beholds them at a distance. Here, however, in the presence of the seven altars, bearing witness of the perfect sacrifice of Christ, he has to declare that the people stand unique before God, and instead of a curse, he must pronounce a blessing. The people are looked upon from the top of the rocks. Who can curse those whom God ever beholds from the top of the rocks? — “That Rock was Christ.”
Next, Balaam looks upon them from the field of Zophim in the top of Pisgah, where a more complete view of the people is obtained. Here, however, he can but confirm his previous testimony.
God cannot repent. He has brought a people out of Egypt, and the shout of a king is amongst them. The third point of view is Peor, with its sinister associations soon to be noticed. “Toward the wilderness” would suggest that the people of God even in this present world have an order and a place which God would not allow to be permanently disturbed. Here, Balaam is again forced to pronounce a blessing.
“Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.” Balaam closes with the pronouncing of judgment upon the enemies of Israel in connection with the coming Star out of Jacob, looking forward of course to the, coming reign of Christ.
Division 4. (Num. 25-27).
Israel’s breakdown. How utterly worthless is the flesh! God has borne with the people time and again, recovering them from their wanderings, bearing them on eagles’ wings, refusing to allow the enemy to pronounce the slightest curse upon them, and yet, when left to themselves, they go on in worse shame and dishonor, if possible, than ever before.
Balaam having signally failed in his efforts to curse, makes the suggestion to Balak to attempt to corrupt the people. This succeeds in an awful way, and the illicit link with Moab shows again the terrible character of that which God speaks of throughout His word as spiritual adultery. Again the priesthood, as we have found throughout this entire wilderness book, shines forth. Phinehas, “the mouth of brass,” in the execution of judgment gains an abiding priesthood for himself. Our great Priest, in His inflexible judgment of the evil into which His people fall, shows His perfection and sufficiency for His glorious office.
The remainder of this division fittingly concludes the narrative of the wilderness experience by giving a second enumeration of the people at the close of their journey. A comparison of the numbers of the various tribes offers many suggestions as to the varying effect of the passage through this world upon different persons. This enumeration is, however, with reference to the coming inheritance. There is a solemn connection between the wilderness walk and the measure of capacity for the eternal inheritance. Each one will inherit all that he is capable of enjoying, but capacities are formed in this present world. The daughters of Zelophehad are appointed a portion in Israel, although their father left no sons. Faith knows neither male nor female, and feebleness is no barrier, sometimes the opposite, to entering into the portion God allots us.
Division 5. (Num. 28-36).
Closing instructions and lessons. The close of the wilderness journey is at last drawing near; the people’s faces are set forward, with their backs to the desert. This closing division therefore, as is common, partakes largely of the character of Deuteronomy, being indeed a Deuteronomic section to the wilderness book.
We have first (Num. 28, 29), a delightful detail of the various sacrifices appropriate to the set feasts of Jehovah. The details here are exceedingly interesting, but with the light already gathered need not much enlargement, for which we have not space here, and they can be found elsewhere. It will be noticed, however, that the burnt offering predominates here. It is the normal, characteristic offering of all, having in itself the elements in a certain measure of all the others. Closely connected with it is the meat offering. The person of Christ must never be separated from His work, and we get in the burnt offering the highest apprehension of that work in its aspect Godward. This includes the fact that it is for sin, in that death must come in, and that we share with God in it from the fact that it is we who present the offering.
Thus, throughout these feasts, it is the burnt offering which predominates. This was to be offered daily, morning and evening, to be doubled on the Sabbath, and at the beginning of each month to be multiplied, as well as on the Passover and other stated occasions. In the feast of tabernacles, at the close of the year, this multiplication of the burnt offering is emphasized in a marked way. How precious must Christ be to God when the Spirit thus dwells again and again upon the individual perfections of that sacrifice which went up as a sweet savor unto Him! In the light of that sacrifice, how petty are all legal vows! Well may we bless God that, under grace, such vows have been annulled. The only One competent to make them is He who has fulfilled His vows and has paid them in the presence of the Lord’s people (Ps. 116:14-18).
Next (Num. 31), in the conquest of the Midianites, we have a foreshadow of the victories in Canaan, an intimation also of the judgment that shall fall upon all corrupters of the people of God as well as upon His open enemies. Phinehas, the former executor of judgment, is fittingly here the leader of the avenging host. Balaam, the false prophet, falls here with the enemies whom he had advised in their corruption of Israel. How empty is the prayer of the wicked, while going on in sin and unbelief; “Let me die the death of the righteous.” The spoil is divided. What a wealth accrues to the saints of God in connection with the judgment upon their enemies!
The inheritance of the two and a half tribes on the east side of Jordan offers matter for sober reflection. Significantly, the tribes of Reuben and his associate, Gad, choose their inheritance on the east side of Jordan. Reuben, as having been displaced from his rights as firstborn, suggests a coming short of the full purposes of God in the calling of His people. Manasseh, “forgetting,” may remind us of the same. Half of that tribe also finds its lot eastward. It will be noticed that it is the cattle of the two tribes which keep them thus east of Jordan, on the wilderness side; we might say, bordering closely on the world. How often do business and earthly interests hold the children of God from entering fully and practically into their heavenly calling!
On the other hand, faith can lay hold of even the present life, using this world as not abusing it, and there is not an absolute condemnation of these tribes for choosing their portion thus. The ideal, as expressed in the millennium, was a portion on both sides the river, and this indeed Manasseh has, half the tribe being in the land and the other half in Gilead. The very fact, however, that the desire of these tribes raises questions both with Moses, and later on with the whole congregation, indicates the danger connected with such a position. Wherever one’s interests raise questions amongst the people of God, they should be carefully scrutinized. Moses guards, as far as possible, against any future rupture between the tribes, or failure on the part of these of whom we speak to enter into the reality of the oneness of their inheritance with the rest of Israel, by demanding that they shall bear their full share of the warfare, and only enter upon the actual enjoyment of their eastward possessions after the rest of Israel is installed in the land.
(Chapter 33.) We have next Israel’s itinerary from the beginning in Egypt to the borders of the land by Jordan. A whole volume might be written from this retrospective chapter. Every name doubtless has a special meaning which, together with the associations of many, would recall the whole wilderness journey. What a day will it be when at the judgment seat of Christ, He will review all our pathway with us, pointing out our failures and His faithfulness!
“Through scenes of strife, by graves of lust,
Our desert path hath been;
But here, O Lord, we’ve learned to trust
And love Thee, though unseen.”
Looking forward now into the land, we have (Num. 34) a still further Deuteronomic strain in the command to destroy all evidences of idolatry. The land thus purged is described in its borders, north, south, east and west. Here again each name conveys a thought which helps to mark out the grand lines of demarcation between the inheritance of the people of God and that which this world has as its portion.
The inheritance having been described, the portion of the Levites, who as a tribe have no territory, is allotted to them in the forty-two cities scattered throughout Israel, which is at once an illustration of the inflexible judgment of God, “I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel,” and of His grace which rejoices over judgment and turns it into a means of blessing; for the Levites thus scattered through the land and linked with God’s center at the tabernacle would answer to the significance of their name; and, as “joined” to all the tribes, unite them into one whole.
In addition to the forty-two cities of their inheritance, there were six cities of refuge, three east and three west of the Jordan, and these emphasize the same truth, with the added thought of redemption. Thus, throughout the entire inheritance, the people were reminded by these cities of refuge that they were a sheltered people, and that their whole land was thus marked by redemption defense. In view of their future guilt, already foreseen by God, in procuring our Lord’s death, how wondrous is the grace which by that very death provides shelter for those who were guilty of it!
One further provision closes the book (chap. 36). The inheritance assured to the daughters of Zelophehad must not pass from the tribe of of Manasseh to which they belong. Otherwise, the boundaries and integrity of that tribe would be affected. Thus, God assures the perpetuity of the portion of every one of His people and the integrity of their possession. Blessed close indeed to the shameful record of our wanderings in the wilderness, our manifold departures, our waywardness and unbelief! Ever onward, and faithfully, leads our blessed God to that inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.