Numbers 10:31-11:531And 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: (Numbers 10:31‑11:5)
It appears that Moses’ purpose in asking his father-in-law to come with them was partially for his own convenience. I believe there is a lesson for us here, for if we desire the salvation of our loved ones, we should ask it for the Lord’s glory and not merely to make things easier for ourselves. We must remember that God knows the secrets of our hearts, and He would have us seek His glory first. Perhaps there was a danger of Moses’ leaning on his father-in-law, just as Abram had leaned on his father long before and missed the path the Lord had for him, so the Lord did not allow Hobab to come. Moses said Hobab would be to them “instead of eyes,” but this would never do—the Lord was to be their Leader, and not Hobab. How often we would like to lean on someone else in our wilderness journey! We would like to have a very good doctor to lean on, or some very wise person to give us advice in trouble, or someone’s promise to care for us in need, but often the Lord has to remove these “props” to make us lean on His everlasting arms which will never fail. Sometimes He takes away in death a loved one, upon whom we have leaned, and then shows us how wonderfully He can act the Father’s part. His ways are always perfect in wisdom and love—always.
Undoubtedly this is just what we learn here, for when Hobab, who knew the way through the wilderness so well, turned back, then the Lord Himself went before His people to seek out a resting place for them. How much better this was than Hobab! May we see in all this that if the Lord brings some disappointment into our lives, it is only that we might lean more heavily upon Him, and prove His guidance, grace, and care.
We notice it was a three day’s journey here which the Lord took in seeking a restin place for His peoplem and it reminds one so forcibly of the cross. We think of the Lord Jesus bearing our sins in those three hours of darkness on Calvary, and then rising again from the dead on the third day, and going up on high to prepare a place for us. What a resting place that is! And soon He is coming to receive us urti; Himself. (John 14:2, 32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3).) Why should we seek rest in this polluted scene, when there is a much better home waiting for us? If we seek rest lion, we are sure to be disappointed, fur the Lord loves us too much to let us rest where He cannot. Soon He will say, “Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away.” Song of Sol. 2: 13. In the meantime, as we follow in the path He has marked out through this scene, we know He has overcome our enennt, for us at the cross, and we are safe in His keeping. We can look forward joyfully to the day when He will first return for the Church, His bride, to take her to the Father’s house above, then afterward to Israel to establish a rest for them upon the earth.
After all the Lord had done for the children of Israel they were still dissatisfied. They murmured and complained against Him, asking for flesh to eat, because they were getting tired of the manna He had so graciously provided for them. They spoke of the fish, of which they had plenty in Egypt, as well as the leeks, the onions, and the garlic they fed upon there. We can see in all this a picture of how easily our affection for the Lord grows cold, if we are not watchful, and then how our hearts hanker after the world and all it has to offer.
ML 09/09/1951