patriarchs and prophets-第78部分

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corresponding　to　the　evidences　he　had　witnessed　of　God's　power　and　goodness。
But　he　had　magnified　his　own　burdens　and　services；　almost　losing　sight　of
the　fact　that　he　was　only　the　instrument　by　which　God　had　wrought。　He　was
not　excusable　in　indulging；　in　the　slightest　degree；　the　spirit　of　murmuring
that　was　the　curse　of　Israel。　Had　he　relied　fully　upon　God；　the　Lord　would
have　guided　him　continually　and　would　have　given　him　strength　for　every
emergency。

Moses　was　directed　to　prepare　the　people　for　what　God　was　about　to　do　for
them。　〃Sanctify　yourselves　against　tomorrow；　and　ye　shall　eat　flesh：　for　ye
have　wept　in　the　ears　of　the　Lord；　saying；　Who　shall　give　us　flesh　to　eat？
for　it　was　well　with　us　in　Egypt：　therefore　the　Lord　will　give　you　flesh；
and　ye　shall　eat。

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Ye　shall　not　eat　one　day；　nor　two　days；　nor　five　days；　neither　ten　days；　nor
twenty　days；　but　even　a　whole　month；　until　it　come　out　at　your　nostrils；　and
it　be　loathsome　unto　you：　because　that　ye　have　despised　the　Lord　which　is
among　you；　and　have　wept　before　Him；　saying；　Why　came　we　forth　out　of
Egypt？〃

〃The　people；　among　whom　I　am；〃　exclaimed　Moses；　〃are　six　hundred　thousand
footmen；　and　Thou　has　said；　I　will　give　them　flesh；　that　they　may　eat　a
whole　month。　Shall　the　flocks　and　the　herds　be　slain　for　them；　to　suffice
them？　or　shall　all　the　fish　of　the　sea　be　gathered　together　for　them？〃

He　was　reproved　for　his　distrust：　〃Is　the　Lord's　hand　waxed　short？　thou
shalt　see　now　whether　My　word　shall　come　to　pass　unto　thee　or　not。〃

Moses　repeated　to　the　congregation　the　words　of　the　Lord；　and　announced　the
appointment　of　the　seventy　elders。　The　great　leader's　charge　to　these　chosen
men　might　well　serve　as　a　model　of　judicial　integrity　for　the　judges　and
legislators　of　modern　times：　〃Hear　the　causes　between　your　brethren；　and
judge　righteously　between　every　man　and　his　brother；　and　the　stranger　that
is　with　him。　Ye　shall　not　respect　persons　in　judgment；　but　ye　shall　hear　the
small　as　well　as　the　great；　ye　shall　not　be　afraid　of　the　face　of　man；　for
the　judgment　is　God's。〃　Deuteronomy　1：16；　17。

Moses　now　summoned　the　seventy　to　the　tabernacle。　〃And　the　Lord　came　down　in
a　cloud；　and　spake　unto　him；　and　took　of　the　spirit　that　was　upon　him；　and
gave　it　unto　the　seventy　elders：　and　it　came　to　pass；　that；　when　the　spirit
rested　upon　them；　they　prophesied；　and　did　not　cease。〃　Like　the　disciples　on
the　Day　of　Pentecost；　they　were　endued　with　〃power　from　on　high。〃　It　pleased
the　Lord　thus　to　prepare　them　for　their　work；　and　to　honor　them　in　the
presence　of　the　congregation；　that　confidence　might　be　established　in　them
as　men　divinely　chosen　to　unite　with　Moses　in　the　government　of　Israel。

Again　evidence　was　given　of　the　lofty；　unselfish　spirit　of　the　great　leader。
Two　of　the　seventy；　humbly　counting　themselves　unworthy　of　so　responsible　a
position；　had　not　joined　their　brethren　at　the　tabernacle；　but　the　Spirit　of
God　came　upon　them　where　they　were；　and　they；　too；　exercised　the　prophetic
gift。　On　being　informed　of　this；　Joshua　desired　to　check　such　irregularity；
fearing　that　it　might　tend　to　division。　Jealous　for　the　honor　of

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his　master；　〃My　lord　Moses；〃　he　said；　〃forbid　them。〃　The　answer　was；
〃Enviest　thou　for　my　sake？　would　God　that　all　the　Lord's　people　were
prophets；　and　that　the　Lord　would　put　His　Spirit　upon　them。〃

A　strong　wind　blowing　from　the　sea　now　brought　flocks　of　quails；　〃about　a
day's　journey　on　this　side；　and　a　day's　journey　on　the　other　side；　round
about　the　camp；　and　about　two　cubits　above　the　face　of　the　earth。〃　Numbers
11：31；　R。V。　All　that　day　and　night；　and　the　following　day；　the　people
labored　in　gathering　the　food　miraculously　provided。　Immense　quantities　were
secured。　〃He　that　gathered　least　gathered　ten　homers。〃　All　that　was　not
needed　for　present　use　was　preserved　by　drying；　so　that　the　supply；　as
promised；　was　sufficient　for　a　whole　month。

God　gave　the　people　that　which　was　not　for　their　highest　good；　because　they
persisted　in　desiring　it；　they　would　not　be　satisfied　with　those　things　that
would　prove　a　benefit　to　them。　Their　rebellious　desires　were　gratified；　but
they　were　left　to　suffer　the　result。　They　feasted　without　restraint；　and
their　excesses　were　speedily　punished。　〃The　Lord　smote　the　people　with　a
very　great　plague。〃　Large　numbers　were　cut　down　by　burning　fevers；　while　the
most　guilty　among　them　were　smitten　as　soon　as　they　tasted　the　food　for
which　they　had　lusted。

At　Hazeroth；　the　next　encampment　after　leaving　Taberah；　a　still　more　bitter
trial　awaited　Moses。　Aaron　and　Miriam　had　occupied　a　position　of　high　honor
and　leadership　in　Israel。　Both　were　endowed　with　the　prophetic　gift；　and
both　had　been　divinely　associated　with　Moses　in　the　deliverance　of　the
Hebrews。　〃I　sent　before　thee　Moses；　Aaron；　and　Miriam〃　（Micah　6：4）；　are　the
words　of　the　Lord　by　the　prophet　Micah。　Miriam's　force　of　character　had　been
early　displayed　when　as　a　child　she　watched　beside　the　Nile　the　little
basket　in　which　was　hidden　the　infant　Moses。　Her　self…control　and　tact　God
had　made　instrumental　in　preserving　the　deliverer　of　His　people。　Richly
endowed　with　the　gifts　of　poetry　and　music；　Miriam　had　led　the　women　of
Israel　in　song　and　dance　on　the　shore　of　the　Red　Sea。　In　the　affections　of
the　people　and　the　honor　of　Heaven　she　stood　second　only　to　Moses　and　Aaron。
But　the　same　evil　that　first　brought　discord　in　heaven　sprang　up　in　the
heart　of　this　woman　of　Israel；　and　she　did　not　fail　to　find　a　sympathizer　in
her　dissatisfaction。

In　the　appointment　of　the　seventy　elders　Miriam　and　Aaron

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had　not　been　consulted；　and　their　jealousy　was　excited　against　Moses。　At　the
time　of　Jethro's　visit；　while　the　Israelites　were　on　the　way　to　Sinai；　the
ready　acceptance　by　Moses　of　the　counsel　of　his　father…in…law　had　aroused　in
Aaron　and　Miriam　a　fear　that　his　influence　with　the　great　leader　exceeded
theirs。　In　the　organization　of　the　council　of　elders　they　felt　that　their
position　and　authority　had　been　ignored。　Miriam　and　Aaron　had　never　known
the　weight　of　care　and　responsibility　which　had　rested　upon　Moses；　yet
because　they　had　been　chosen　to　aid　him　they　regarded　themselves　as　sharing
equally　with　him　the　burden　of　leadership；　and　they　regarded　the　appointment
of　further　assistants　as　uncalled　for。

Moses　felt　the　importance　of　the　great　work　committed　to　him　as　no　other　man
had　ever　felt　it。　He　realized　his　own　weakness；　and　he　made　God　his
counselor。　Aaron　esteemed　himself　more　highly；　and　trusted　less　in　God。　He
had　failed　when　entrusted　with　responsibility；　giving　evidence　of　the
weakness　of　his　character　by　his　base　compliance　in　the　matter　of　the
idolatrous　worship　at　Sinai。　But　Miriam　and　Aaron；　blinded　by　jealousy　and
ambition；　lost　sight　of　this。　Aaron　had　been　highly　honored　by　God　in　the
appointment　of　his　family　to　the　sacred　office　of　the　priesthood；　yet　even
this　now　added　to　the　desire　for　self…exaltation。　〃And　they　said；　Hath　the
Lord　indeed　spoken　only　by　Moses？　hath　He　not　spoken　also　by　us？〃　Regarding
themselves　as　equally　favored　by　God；　they　felt　that　they　were　entitled　to
the　same　position　and　authority。

Yielding　to　the　spirit　of　dissatisfaction；　Miriam　found　cause　of　complaint
in　events　that　God　had　especially　overruled。　The　marriage　of　Moses　had　been
displeasing　to　her。　That　he　should　choose　a　woman　of　another　nation；　instead
of　taking　a　wife　from　among　the　Hebrews；　was　an　offense　to　her　family　and
national　pride。　Zipporah　was　treated　with　ill…disguised　contempt。

Though　called　a　〃Cushite　woman〃　（Numbers　12：1；　R。V。）；　the　wife　of　Moses　was
a　Midianite；　and　thus　a　descendant　of　Abraham。　In　personal　appearance　she
differed　from　the　Hebrews　in　being　of　a　somewhat　darker　complexion。　Though
not　an　Israelite；　Zipporah　was　a　worshiper　of　the　true　God。　She　was　of　a
timid；　retiring　disposition；　gentle　and　affectionate；　and　greatly　distressed
at　the　sight　of　suffering；　and　it　was　for　this　reason　that　Moses；　when　on
the　way　to　Egypt；　had　consented　to　her　return　to　Midian。

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He　desired　to　spare　her　the　pain　of　witnessing　the　judgments　that　were　to
fall　on　the　Egyptians。

When　Zipporah　rejoined　her　husband　in　the　wilderness；　she　saw　that　his
burdens　were　wearing　away　his　strength；　and　she　made　known　her　fears　to
Jethro；　who　suggested　measures　for　his　relief。　Here　was　the　chief　reason　for
Miriam's　antipathy　to　Zipporah。　Smarting　under　the　supposed　neglect　shown　to
herself　and　Aaron；　she　regarded　the　wife　to　Moses　as　the　cause；　concluding
that　her　influence　had　prevented　him　from　taking　them　into　his　counsels　as
formerly。　Had　Aaron　stood　up　firmly　for　the　right；　he　might　have　checked　the
evil；　but　instead　of　showing　Miriam　the　sinfulness　of　her　conduct；　he
sympathized　with　her；　listened　to　her　words　of　complaint；　and　thus　came　to
share　her　jealousy。

Their　accusations　were　borne　by　Moses　in　uncomplaining　silence。　It　was　the
experience　gained　during　the　years　of　toil　and　waiting　in　Midianthe　spirit
of　humility　and　long…suffering　there　developedthat　prepared　Moses　to　meet
with　patience　the　unbelief　and　murmuring　of　the　people　and　the　pride　and
envy　of　those　who　should　have　been　his　unswerving　helpers。　Moses　〃was　very
meek；　above　all　he　men　which　were　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　and　this　is
why　he　was　granted　divine　wisdom　and　guidance　above　all　others。　Says　the
Scripture；　〃The　meek　will　He　guide　in　judgment：　and　the　meek　will　He　teach
His　way。〃　Psalm　25：9。　The　meek　are　guided　by　the　Lord；　because　they　are
teachable；　willing　to　be　instructed。　They　have　a　sincere　desire　to　know　and
to　do　the　will　of　God。　The　Saviour's　promise　is；　〃If　any　man　will　do　His
will；　he　shall　know　of　the　doctrine。〃　John　7：17。　And　He　declares　by　the
apostle　James；　〃If　any　of　you　lack　wisdom；　let　him　ask　of　God；　that　giveth
to　all　men　liberally；　and　upbraideth　not；　and　it　shall　be　given　him。〃　James
1：5。　But　His　promise　is　only　to　those　who　are　willing　to　follow　the　Lord
wholly。　God　does　not　force　the　will　of　any；　hence　He　cannot　lead　those　who
are　too　proud　to　be　taught；　who　are