UM 20-21{Sophy. Where were the children of Israel all the time that God was telling them all these things about wearing the blue ribbands, and about the red heifer
Mamma. They were traveling about the wilderness, where in their unbelief they wished that they might die. You remember God raid they should die there, and that only their children should see the promised land, besides the two good spies, Caleb and Joshua.
And in the first month of the fortieth year they carne again into the desert of Zin, and pitched their Lents in Kadesh. And Miriam died and was buried there.
S. Oh, I am sorry she did not see the promised land!
M. In this place there was no water for the people to drink, and they rose up against Moses and Aaron, and said angry words to them as they did before, and Moses and Aaron went away from them to the door of the tabernacle, and fell on their faces before the Lord, and His glory appeared to them. And the Lord said, Take the rod, and gather the people together, and you and Aaron shall speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give out its water for the thirsty people and for their beasts. And Moses took the rod, as the Lord told him, and called the people; but, alas! he was thinking of the naughty people, instead of thinking of the blessed God; so he said, Hear now, you rebels; must we fetch water for you out of this rock? Then Moses lifted up his hand, and with the rod he struck the rock twice; and the water flowed out abundantly, and the people drank, and their beasts also.
S. Was it very wrong of Moses to strike the rock, instead of speaking to it, as God said?
M. Yes; it was the most sorrowful moment in the whole life of this dear servant of God. For God was above all the people's sin, and when He raid, Take the rod, He meant them to under stand how He would act in grace, with that beautiful rod which He had made to blossom and bear fruit, as a sign of the priesthood He had set up. Moses had struck the rock before, as we read in the book of Exodus; and we learned how it was a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was smitten once, that all blessing might flow out from Him to us.
Moses ought to have been above the people's sin with God, and then he would have been able to act in the grace of God but he was not, for no man was ever perfect in everything, but Jesus, when He took the place of the servant of God down here.
S. Was the Lord displeased with Moses?
M. Yes; and He said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, you shall not bring them into the land which I have given them. And again the Lord called the place Meribah, which means strife.
S. Oh, I am sorry! I used to think how lovely it would be for Moses to see the land he had so often talked about.
M. So used I, Sophy. When I was a little girl, I remember crying because Moses was not allowed to go into the land of Canaan. But God did not love Moses less than before. It was because He loved His servant that He punished him. And now they were getting very near the end of the wilderness, but there were enemies in their way. They were close to Edom, which was Esau's country, and Moses sent a message to the king to ask him if they might pass through his country. And Moses said, You know all, that has happened to us; how we were in Egypt, and how the Egyptians ill-treated us, and the Lord delivered us, and now we are in Kadesh, which is very near your country: will you let us pass through it? We will not walk in the fields or in the vineyards, or drink your water; we will just pass through on the king's high road. And the king of Edom said, You shall not pass through my country. I will come out and fight against you. So Israel turned away from him, for Esau was Jacob's brother, and the Lord would not allow the children of Israel to destroy his country. So they went round another way and carne to Mount Hor.
And the Lord said: Aaron shall die in Mount Hor, because you rebelled against my word at Meribah; and now take Aaron and Eleazar his son to the top of the mountain, and take off Aaron's garments and put them on Eleazar; and the three men went up, while all Israel looked after them. And Moses took off Aaron's clothes and put them on his son, and Aaron died. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount, and all Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days.
S. How quiet they must have felt!
M. It was very solemn to see God's word fulfilled before their eyes, and to know that unbelief was the cause of all their sorrow.
And now another enemy came in their way, for one of the kings of Canaan had heard about the spies, and when he found that the children of Israel were coming the same way he went out to fight against them; and Israel made a vow, and said, if the Lord would give them victory over these people they would quite destroy their cities. And the Lord heard what they said to Him and granted their request. Then they traveled on, going all round the land of Edom, and the people were much discouraged by the long way; and they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, There is no bread here, and no water, and we are tired of this manna; then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among them, which bit them dreadfully, so that many died. And they came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, pray for us. So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord told Moses to make a serpent of brass and to put it on a pole, and that whoever looked up at it should live, and Moses did so.
S. Why did looking up at a serpent on a pole make the people well?
M. Because it was simple faith in God's word. All who had lost the land, lost it by unbelief, and now God was only going to bring in those who "looked and lived;" all who did not look died of the deadly sting. We can fancy them in fearful pain and misery turning round to where the pole was planted, and looking up at it, and immediately the pain and sickness ceased, and they were well; the look of faith had given them new life.
To us it is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the Cross to make man well of the Serpent's deadly sting, and all who look to Him live. The children of Israel were made well in their bodies; but those who look to Jesus find that their souls are made alive for evermore, for it is eternal life He gives, and it is Satan's power that He has destroyed.
Now, they traveled on to a great many places, and at last they came to a well, and the Lord said to Moses: Gather the people together and I will give them water. And these people who had received the blessing of faith were able to sing, instead of murmuring, for all Israel sang: Spring up, O well; sing ye to it. The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves.
S. I am so glad they sang again!
M. Yes, they had entered the wilderness with the song of redemption; and now, in the fortieth year, they carne out of it with a song. God had made the water to flow in dry places like a river. The journey was over. God had brought forth. His people with joy and His chosen with gladness.
After this they traveled on to Mount Pisgah, and Moses sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived in that country, to ask him if they might pass through his land; but Sihon refused, and came out to fight with Israel. But Israel defeated him, and destroyed his people, and took all his cities, and lived there. Next they carne to Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan came out with his army to fight against them. But the Lord said: Do not be afraid of him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land. So Israel destroyed Og and all his people, and they possessed his land.
Look! look! the serpent's lifted up
On yonder pole so high;
What wonder is there in the light
That catches every eye?
Wonder of wonders!—God has said
That he who looks shall live;
So each poor sufferer's eye is turned,
One feeble 'look' to give.
And as he looks, his pains depart,
The serpent's sting is gone;
And he can sing of sin forgiven,
Can tell what GOD has done.
Yet greater things than these we tell
Of Him who sent His Son—
Jesus was lifted up for us
God's own beloved One.
He bore the Cross—He went on high—
Savior and Lord to be;
I 'look' to Him—in Him I 'live'
For all eternity.