AFTER the people, in their unbelief, had over and over again expressed a wish that they had died in the wilderness, God told them that they should die there. The ten who brought the evil report were already dead. Caleb and Joshua lived; and the Lord was going to bring them into the promised land. The rest of them should wander in the wilderness and all die in it. As for their children who would be “a prey,” they had said. God would bring them in, and make them to know the land which they in their unbelief had despised. This word made the people mourn. Like Israel, we, too, are often rash, and would be sorry enough if God were to take us at our word. Let us be careful not to say before the Lord what we do not mean.
After getting this sad word, the people rose np early in the morning and went up into the top of the mountain. They said, “We will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised; for we have sinned.” Now they were ready to do what before they had refused to do. But it was too late. Moses told them not to go up for the Lord was not with them, and they would be smitten by their enemies if they went. He spoke faithfully to them, telling them that they had turned away from the Lord and now He would not be with them. Surely this should have been enough. But, no; in their willfulness and their folly they went to the top of the hill. The ark did not go before them to lead them, and Moses did not depart from the camp; but in their presumption they went on. What madness, do you say? Yes, it was madness to go in the face of God’s word, and when they were plainly told that the Lord would not be with them. But go they did, and the words that Moses had spoken came to pass—the Amalekites and the Canaanites came out against them and smote them.
Do you say, “Will they never learn— was greater folly ever seen? When God tells them to go, they hold back; when He tells them not to go, they push on, what presumption thus to go against God!” You are surprised as we trace the wilful, disobedient ways of Israel. But hold! Are you not sometimes found in the same case? The Lord would have you go forward, but you are not ready; you have not faith—you have not courage. Later, you take matters, into your own hand, and run unsent. No guidance of the Lord is there; you have presumed to go in your own strength, and sorrow and defeat must follow. Oh, be warned! Learn from the sad failures of others!
May we who know the Lord be ever ready to go forward, in the face of any difficulty that may come, at the bidding of the Lord; and may we be careful not to go unbidden, and without His presence with us! (Num. 14:40-4540And 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. (Numbers 14:40‑45).)
ML 05/15/1904