Israel was nearing the end of their journey. We are at the close of our wilderness journey: we are about to enter, as this people were, into the promised inheritance.
Two things are strikingly presented in the chapters before us—the condition of the people, the wondrous and marvelous manifestations of the grace of God. Every step of our journey we prove it, but very markedly at the end, and in a different way. This passage brings before us the patient grace of God. You will observe the people’s determination utterly to destroy the enemies of God. They would have now no quarter whatever for that which was opposed to the people, the purposes, and the counsels of God. Israel vowed a vow unto Jehovah, and said, “If Thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their cities.” One of the main charges of God, when Israel had left Egypt (Deut. 7), was that everything that pertained to the people in the land whither they went to possess it, should be utterly destroyed. “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth,”— v. 6-8. Their altars, their pillars, were to be utterly destroyed, and their graven images to be burnt with fire. Every trace of idolatry was to be purged away. What sorrow the neglect of this injunction wrought. O what wretchedness and misery to this present hour, for Israel is still bearing the indignation of Jehovah by reason of their manifold transgressions and their mighty sins.
When they would destroy the Canaanites and their cities the Lord harkened to the voice of Israel, delivered up their enemies into their hand. When the heart was right there was no difficulty. God then became the sovereign actor in the seem, and Israel utterly destroyed the Canaanites and their cities. Now, beloved, it is just at such a moment we get one of these remarkable reactions in the history of the people. The Lord had delivered them from their enemies and from the power of their adversaries. Shall I say they forgot themselves? They forgot God. The present bitter circumstances turned away their heart from Him. They had been promised rest; they had conflict still, they were not yet in the land. Their faith failed. How low we sink when faith goes down “The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. They spake against God and against Moses.” One of the most serious of evils, is this murmuring. They spake against the Lord God. The heart of the people rose in rebellion. How did God meet this sin of His people? We get one of these illustrations here of the wonderful free grape of God. The brazen serpent is brought in. It occurs at the beginning of the Gospel of John. Everything is over as regards this world, and as regards man. The Jew is under judgment. The whole scene by which we are surrounded is regarded as under darkness. “The light shone in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” So it continues, light and darkness, darkness and light. He had weighed men. He could not commit himself to them. He needed not that any should testify of man. He knew all men. He knew what was in man. He knew the whole history of man, and He did not commit himself unto them. In John 3 we get the Lord bringing into the midst of this scene of death and darkness, eternal life. The question of sin must be as truly put out of the way as the question of the enemy. What was the brazen serpent to Israel? God had said to them by the fiery serpents, if you cast me off you shall know what the serpent is. He lets the serpent loose upon them. They are bitten. What is the remedy? The serpent is lifted up, the brazen serpent; lifted up because of sin. The remedy for sin was not to be found anywhere on the earth. Something is lifted up, you must look at that. It is not remedy. It is absolutely another thing brought in. As many as looked on it lived, “it came to pass that if the serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” One great leading fundamental truth, that He who knew no sin, God made Him sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We go forth as those that have been healed of the bite of the serpent.
Verse 10.-And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in Oboth. They set forward. God forbid we should settle on our lees. It is no time, no day for that. The powers of darkness are all abroad, they are mustering their hosts. Israel journeyed from Oboth and pitched toward “the sunrising,” a happy little word for us. From thence they removed across Arnon. “Wherefore it, is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, what he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, and at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Arnon, and leaneth on the border of Moab.” 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.” Very touching is this instance of the grace and of the tender pity of God. He knows the trials of his people. However unwatchful and prone to rest upon our oars, after all it is those blessings that come from Himself, that strengthen and refresh us for our onward journey. “Gather the people together and I will give them water.” Here we are, at the end of our journey, not knowing when the trumpet may sound for us to cross Jordan. Without any effort, “I will give them water.” It is very pleasant to the people. “Then sang Israel this song, ‘Spring up’ (ascend, marg.) O well; sing (answer, marg.) ye unto it!” There was a noble and glorious song at the start, at the Red Sea, rejoicing in the victory the Lord had wrought over His enemy. “Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth Thy people whom Thou hast redeemed, Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation.” How soon that song had died away. Here is a little song at the end of the journey; a more subdued note. “The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people dug it with their staves.” Here is refreshing for us as we get to the end of our journey. God is not going to do great new things; it is not the smiting of the Rock again, to which He calls us.
If you will use diligence, if you will dig, I will give you water. “Spring up O well.” May the Lord make this a time of profitable instruction, and refreshing to our souls; for His own name’s sake. Amen.