“WE were speaking the other evening, Charley,” said his aunt, “of the time when the Israelites broke up their encampment near Mount Sinai: they had been there more than a year, and I dare say they were glad when the silver trumpets sounded, and the march began—that march which was, as they believed, to take them to the land God had promised to their fathers.”
“I can fancy how much they must have looked forward to that good land, and how glad they must have felt to know that they had really left Egypt behind forever, where they had suffered such hard slavery,” said May; “they must have begun their journey joyfully.”
“Did they march in the same order—the Tabernacle with its curtains was carried after the first three tribes—Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon; and the Ark was carried first of all, for God Himself would lead His people along their unknown way, and would seek out a resting-place for them.”
“Can people now travel by the very same way?”
“No, May; it has been found impossible to track the Israelites along their journey, for the old names of places are lost, and we cannot really be sure of their route till they reach Kadesh Barnea, which you can find on the map.”
“Here it is,” said Charley, “close to the land of Edom. I remember it was from that place the spies were sent.”
“Of the position of even Kadesh Barnea we cannot now be quite certain, but it is a memorable name in the history of the Israelites: from this place, so near the borders of the promised land, they had to turn back again to wander for forty years in the dreary, monotonous desert, until of all those who had sung the song of triumph on the shores of the Red Sea, none should be left except the faithful spies Joshua and Caleb. Such was the terrible punishment of those who, in their unbelieving fear, reproached God.”
“How sad it must have been to hear the people crying all night, after they had heard about the giants in the land of Canaan, and wishing they had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness,” said May. “And then they wanted to make a captain, that he might lead them back to Egypt,” said Charley. “I can’t help being sorry,” he continued, thoughtfully, “that they ever sent the spies at all.”
“But God told them to send them, so it was right, wasn’t it, Aunt Edith?”
“It would have been right, May, if God had given them the command, but if you look at Deut. 1:2222And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come. (Deuteronomy 1:22) you will see that it was at the suggestion of the people the spies were sent. It must, indeed, have been a wonderful scene: the despairing, angry people reproaching their God, Moses and Aaron on their faces, while Joshua and Caleb, with their clothes rent in token of grief, pleaded with them, saying, ‘It is an exceeding good land; if Jehovah delight in us, then He will bring us in and give it us. Rebel not against Jehovah, neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their defense is departed from them, and Jehovah is with us; fear them not.’ Then, when they were about, in their blind fury, to stone Joshua and Caleb, suddenly the glory of Jehovah appeared in the Tabernacle.”
“How little they thought that God had heard all they said, and that they were really going to die in the wilderness,” said May. “But, Aunt Edith, did the Tabernacle go back into the wilderness with them?”
“Yes; God did not forsake His rebellious people, and the Ark, the sign of His presence among them, was with them in all their wanderings, during those thirty-eight years of which we know little, except that it was a time when God was teaching them, even by these sad wanderings. It has been thought that the Book of Job was written by Moses during the years in the desert. The Israelites came back to Kadesh at last; the very place from whence they had started, but only the children of those who had displeased God returned; all the generation that had done evil in the sight of Jehovah was consumed.”
“I know they must have brought the Tabernacle back with them, Aunt Edith,” said Charley; “because, you know, the Ark went over Jordan, and was carried round and round the city of Jericho.”
“I remember you read to me about the Ark being carried by the priests into the midst of the river Jordan, and of how it stayed there until all the people had passed over, and was a type of the Lord Jesus, the true Ark of the covenant, going down into the river of death and destroying all its power, and making it life for those who trust Him.”
“You remember very well, May. I think, Charley, you can tell us why the Ark was carried round and round Jericho?”
“It must have been as the sign of the presence of God, I suppose. I have often thought how the people inside their strong walls must have watched the procession, and wondered at the army marching past, all silent, and at the Ark carried after it by the seven priests blowing their trumpets of rams’ horns. Just imagine all this going on, day after day, for six days: then, on the seventh, the seven marches round, and then the tremendous shout as the walls fell crashing down. But, Aunt Edith, I don’t remember what became of the Tabernacle after the people came to the Land of Promise.”
“It is believed that it remained at Gilgal during Joshua’s wars, but was removed to Shiloh, and there kept from the last days of Joshua to the time of Samuel. I will write down one or two references for you, and you can look at them by-and-by.” And their aunt gave Charley a slip of paper, on which she had written, “Josh. 18:31; Judg. 18:31; 21:1931And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. (Judges 18:31)
19Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. (Judges 21:19); 1 Sam. 4:33And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. (1 Samuel 4:3).”
“Thank you,” said he, “I like sometimes to find out things for myself; I remember them so much better. Are there any ruins at Gilgal now? It must have been such an interesting place to the Jews—the place where they first slept after crossing the Jordan.”
“And it was at Gilgal they set up those twelve stones which were taken from the dry bed of the river,” said May.
“It is interesting, too, as being the place where the first Passover in the land of Canaan was kept,” said their aunt. “But,” she continued, “there are no remains of a town there, Charley; indeed, modern travelers have not been able to decide where Gilgal was, and can only suppose it must have been a rising ground not far from Jericho. I am sorry we cannot have a longer talk this evening, but it is later than I thought.” C. P.