patriarchs and prophets-第77部分

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they　were　to　continue　their　journey　it　was　lifted　high　above　the　sacred
tent。　A　solemn　invocation　marked　both　the　halt　and　the　departure。　〃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　late　Thee　flee　before　Thee。
And　when　it　rested；　he　said；　Return；　O　Lord；　unto　the　many　thousands　of
Israel。〃　Numbers　10：35；　36。

A　distance　of　only　eleven　days'　journey　lay　between　Sinai　and　Kadesh；　on　the
borders　of　Canaan；　and　it　was　with　the　prospect　of　speedily　entering　the
goodly　land　that　the　hosts　of　Israel　resumed　their　march　when　the　cloud　at
last　gave　the　signal　for　an　onward　movement。　Jehovah　had　wrought　wonders　in
bringing　them　from　Egypt；　and　what　blessings　might　they　not　expect　now　that
they　had　formally　covenanted　to　accept　Him　as　their　Sovereign；　and　had　been
acknowledged　as　the　chosen　people　of　the　Most　High？

Yet　it　was　almost　with　reluctance　that　many　left　the　place　where　they　had　so
long　encamped。　They　had　come　almost　to　regard　it　as　their　home。　Within　the
shelter　of　those　granite　walls

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God　had　gathered　His　people；　apart　from　all　other　nations；　to　repeat　to　them
His　holy　law。　They　loved　to　look　upon　the　sacred　mount；　on　whose　hoary　peaks
and　barren　ridges　the　divine　glory　had　so　often　been　displayed。　The　scene
was　so　closely　associated　with　the　presence　of　God　and　holy　angels　that　it
seemed　too　sacred　to　be　left　thoughtlessly；　or　even　gladly。

At　the　signal　from　the　trumpeters；　however；　the　entire　camp　set　forward；　the
tabernacle　borne　in　the　midst；　and　each　tribe　in　its　appointed　position；
under　its　own　standard。　All　eyes　were　turned　anxiously　to　see　in　what
direction　the　cloud　would　lead。　As　it　moved　toward　the　east；　where　were　only
mountain　masses　huddled　together；　black　and　desolate；　a　feeling　of　sadness
and　doubt　arose　in　many　hearts。

As　they　advanced；　the　way　became　more　difficult。　Their　route　lay　through
stony　ravine　and　barren　waste。　All　around　them　was　the　great　wilderness〃a
land　of　deserts　and　of　pits；〃　〃a　land　of　drought；　and　of　the　shadow　of
death；〃　〃a　land　that　no　man　passed　through；　and　where　no　man　dwelt。〃
Jeremiah　2：6。　The　rocky　gorges；　far　and　near；　were　thronged　with　men；　women；
and　children；　with　beasts　and　wagons；　and　long　lines　of　flocks　and　herds。
Their　progress　was　necessarily　slow　and　toilsome；　and　the　multitudes；　after
their　long　encampment；　were　not　prepared　to　endure　the　perils　and
discomforts　of　the　way。

After　three　days'　journey　open　complaints　were　heard。　These　originated　with
the　mixed　multitude；　many　of　whom　were　not　fully　united　with　Israel；　and
were　continually　watching　for　some　cause　of　censure。　The　complainers　were
not　pleased　with　the　direction　of　the　march；　and　they　were　continually
finding　fault　with　the　way　in　which　Moses　was　leading　them；　though　they　well
knew　that　he；　as　well　as　they；　was　following　the　guiding　cloud。
Dissatisfaction　is　contagious；　and　it　soon　spread　in　the　encampment。

Again　they　began　to　clamor　for　flesh　to　eat。　Though　abundantly　supplied　with
manna；　they　were　not　satisfied。　The　Israelites；　during　their　bondage　in
Egypt；　had　been　compelled　to　subsist　on　the　plainest　and　simplest　food；　but
then　keen　appetite　induced　by　privation　and　hard　labor　had　made　it
palatable。　Many　of　the　Egyptians；　however；　who　were　now　among　them；　had　been
accustomed　to　a　luxurious　diet；　and　these　were　the

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first　to　complain。　At　the　giving　of　the　manna；　just　before　Israel　reached
Sinai；　the　Lord　had　granted　them　flesh　in　answer　to　their　clamors；　but　it
was　furnished　them　for　only　one　day。

God　might　as　easily　have　provided　them　with　flesh　as　with　manna；　but　a
restriction　was　placed　upon　them　for　their　good。　It　was　His　purpose　to
supply　them　with　food　better　suited　to　their　wants　than　the　feverish　diet　to
which　many　had　become　accustomed　in　Egypt。　The　perverted　appetite　was　to　be
brought　into　a　more　healthy　state；　that　they　might　enjoy　the　food　originally
provided　for　manthe　fruits　of　the　earth；　which　God　gave　to　Adam　and　Eve　in
Eden。　It　was　for　this　reason　that　the　Israelites　had　been　deprived；　in　a
great　measure；　of　animal　food。

Satan　tempted　them　to　regard　this　restriction　as　unjust　and　cruel。　He　caused
them　to　lust　after　forbidden　things；　because　he　saw　that　the　unrestrained
indulgence　of　appetite　would　tend　to　produce　sensuality；　and　by　this　means
the　people　could　be　more　easily　brought　under　his　control。　The　author　of
disease　and　misery　will　assail　men　where　he　can　have　the　greatest　success。
Through　temptations　addressed　to　the　appetite　he　has；　to　a　large　extent；　led
men　into　sin　from　the　time　when　he　induced　Eve　to　eat　of　the　forbidden
fruit。　It　was　by　this　same　means　that　he　led　Israel　to　murmur　against　God。
Intemperance　in　eating　and　drinking；　leading　as　it　does　to　the　indulgence　of
the　lower　passions；　prepares　the　way　for　men　to　disregard　all　moral
obligations。　When　assailed　by　temptation；　they　have　little　power　of
resistance。

God　brought　the　Israelites　from　Egypt；　that　He　might　establish　them　in　the
land　of　Canaan；　a　pure；　holy；　and　happy　people。　In　the　accomplishment　of
this　object　He　subjected　them　to　a　course　of　discipline；　both　for　their　own
good　and　for　the　good　of　their　posterity。　Had　they　been　willing　to　deny
appetite；　in　obedience　to　His　wise　restrictions；　feebleness　and　disease
would　have　been　unknown　among　them。　Their　descendants　would　have　possessed
both　physical　and　mental　strength。　They　would　have　had　clear　perceptions　of
truth　and　duty；　keen　discrimination；　and　sound　judgment。　But　their
unwillingness　to　submit　to　the　restrictions　and　requirements　of　God；
prevented　them；　to　a　great　extent；　from　reaching　the　high　standard　which　He
desired　them　to　attain；　and　from　receiving　the　blessings　which　He　was　ready
to　bestow　upon　them。

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Says　the　psalmist：　〃They　tempted　God　in　their　heart　by　asking　meat　for　their
lust。　Yea；　they　spake　against　God；　they　said；　Can　God　furnish　a　table　in　the
wilderness？　Behold；　He　smote　the　rock；　that　the　waters　gushed　out；　and　the
streams　overflowed；　can　He　give　bread　also？　can　He　provide　flesh　for　His
people？　Therefore　the　Lord　heard　this；　and　was　wroth。〃　Psalm　78：18…21。
Murmuring　and　tumults　had　been　frequent　during　the　journey　from　the　Red　Sea
to　Sinai；　but　in　pity　for　their　ignorance　and　blindness　God　had　not　then
visited　the　sin　with　judgments。　But　since　that　time　He　had　revealed　Himself
to　them　at　Horeb。　They　had　received　great　light；　as　they　had　been　witnesses
to　the　majesty；　the　power；　and　the　mercy　of　God；　and　their　unbelief　and
discontent　incurred　the　greater　guilt。　Furthermore；　they　had　covenanted　to
accept　Jehovah　as　their　king　and　to　obey　His　authority。　Their　murmuring　was
now　rebellion；　and　as　such　it　must　receive　prompt　and　signal　punishment；　if
Israel　was　to　be　preserved　from　anarchy　and　ruin。　〃The　fire　of　Jehovah　burnt
among　them；　and　consumed　them　that　were　in　the　uttermost　parts　of　the　camp。〃
The　most　guilty　of　the　complainers　were　slain　by　lightning　from　the　cloud。

The　people　in　terror　besought　Moses　to　entreat　the　Lord　for　them。　He　did　so；
and　the　fire　was　quenched。　In　memory　of　this　judgment　he　called　the　name　of
the　place　Taberah；　〃a　burning。〃

But　the　evil　was　soon　worse　than　before。　Instead　of　leading　the　survivors　to
humiliation　and　repentance；　this　fearful　judgment　seemed　only　to　increase
their　murmurings。　In　all　directions　the　people　were　gathered　at　the　door　of
their　tents；　weeping　and　lamenting。　〃The　mixed　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？　We　remember　the　fish；　which　we　did　eat　in　Egypt
freely；　the　cucumbers；　and　the　melons；　and　the　leeks；　and　the　onions；　and
the　garlic：　but　now　our　soul　is　dried　away：　there　is　nothing　at　all；　beside
this　manna；　before　our　eyes。〃　Thus　they　manifested　their　discontent　with　the
food　provided　for　them　by　their　Creator。　Yet　they　had　constant　evidence　that
it　was　adapted　to　their　wants；　for　notwithstanding　the　hardships　they
endured；　there　was　not　a　feeble　one　in　all　their　tribes。

The　heart　of　Moses　sank。　He　had　pleaded　that　Israel　should　not　be　destroyed；
even　though　his　own　posterity　might　then　become　a　great　nation。　In　his　love
for　them　he　had　prayed　that　his

380

name　might　be　blotted　from　the　book　of　life　rather　than　that　they　should　be
left　to　perish。　He　had　imperiled　all　for　them；　and　this　was　their　response。
All　their　hardships；　even　their　imaginary　sufferings；　they　charged　upon　him；
and　their　wicked　murmurings　made　doubly　heavy　the　burden　of　care　and
responsibility　under　which　he　staggered。　In　his　distress　he　was　tempted　even
to　distrust　God。　His　prayer　was　almost　a　complaint。　〃Wherefore　hast　Thou
afflicted　Thy　servant？　and　wherefore　have　I　not　found　favor　in　Thy　sight；
that　Thou　layest　the　burden　of　all　this　people　upon　me？　。　。　。　Whence　should
I　have　flesh　to　give　unto　all　this　people？　for　they　weep　unto　me；　saying；
Give　us　flesh；　that　we　may　eat。　I　am　not　able　to　bear　all　this　people　alone；
because　it　is　too　heavy　for　me。〃

The　Lord　hearkened　to　his　prayer；　and　directed　him　to　summon　seventy　men　of
the　elders　of　Israelmen　not　only　advanced　in　years；　but　possessing
dignity；　sound　judgment；　and　experience。　〃And　bring　them　unto　the　tabernacle
of　the　congregation；〃　He　said；　〃that　they　may　stand　there　with　thee。　And　I
will　come　down　and　talk　with　thee　there：　and　I　will　take　of　the　spirit　which
is　upon　thee；　and　will　put　it　upon　them；　and　they　shall　bear　the　burden　of
the　people　with　thee；　that　thou　bear　it　not　thyself　alone。〃

The　Lord　permitted　Moses　to　choose　for　himself　the　most　faithful　and
efficient　men　to　share　the　responsibility　with　him。　Their　influence　would
assist　in　holding　in　check　the　violence　of　the　people；　and　quelling
insurrection；　yet　serious　evils　would　eventually　result　from　their
promotion。　They　would　never　have　been　chosen　had　Moses　manifested　faith
corresponding　to　the　evidences　he　had　witnessed　of　God's　power　and　goodness。
But　he　had　magnified　his　own　burdens　and　services；　alm