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full　sway；　and　the　people　seemed　bereft　of　reason。　They　cursed　Moses　and
Aaron；　forgetting　that　God　hearkened　to　their　wicked　speeches；　and　that；
enshrouded　in　the　cloudy　pillar；　the　Angel　of　His　presence　was　witnessing
their　terrible　outburst　of　wrath。　In　bitterness　they　cried　out；　〃Would　God
that　we　had　died　in　the　land　of　Egypt！　or　would　God　we　had　died　in　this
wilderness！〃　Then　their　feelings　rose　against　God：　〃Wherefore　hath　the　Lord
brought　us　unto　this　land；　to　fall　by　the　sword；　that　our　wives　and　our
children　should　be　a　prey？　were　it　not　better　for　us　to　return　into　Egypt？
And　they　said　one　to　another；　Let　us　make　a　captain；　and　let　us　return　into
Egypt。〃　Thus　they　accused　not　only　Moses；　but　God　Himself；　of　deception；　in
promising　them　a　land　which　they　were　not　able　to　possess。　And　they　went　so
far　as　to　appoint　a　captain　to　lead　them　back　to　the　land　of　their　suffering
and　bondage；　from　which　they　had　been　delivered　by　the　strong　arm　of
Omnipotence。

In　humiliation　and　distress　〃Moses　and　Aaron　fell　on　their　faces　before　all
the　assembly　of　the　congregation　of　the　children　of　Israel；〃　not　knowing
what　to　do　to　turn　them　from　their　rash　and　passionate　purpose。　Caleb　and
Joshua　attempted　to　quiet　the

390

tumult。　With　their　garments　rent　in　token　of　grief　and　indignation；　they
rushed　in　among　the　people；　and　their　ringing　voices　were　heard　above　the
tempest　of　lamentation　and　rebellious　grief：　〃The　land；　which　we　passed
through　to　search　it；　is　an　exceeding　good　land。　If　the　Lord　delight　in　us；
then　He　will　bring　us　into　this　land；　and　give　it　us；　a　land　which　floweth
with　milk　and　honey。　Only　rebel　not　ye　against　the　Lord；　neither　fear　ye　the
people　of　the　land；　for　they　are　bread　for　us：　their　defense　is　departed
from　them；　and　the　Lord　is　with　us：　fear　them　not。〃

The　Canaanites　had　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　iniquity；　and　the　Lord
would　no　longer　bear　with　them。　His　protection　being　removed；　they　would　be
an　easy　prey。　By　the　covenant　of　God　the　land　was　ensured　to　Israel。　But　the
false　report　of　the　unfaithful　spies　was　accepted；　and　through　it　the　whole
congregation　were　deluded。　The　traitors　had　done　their　work。　If　only　the　two
men　had　brought　the　evil　report；　and　all　the　ten　had　encouraged　them　to
possess　the　land　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　they　would　still　have　taken　the
advice　of　the　two　in　preference　to　the　ten；　because　of　their　wicked
unbelief。　But　there　were　only　two　advocating　the　right；　while　ten　were　on
the　side　of　rebellion。

The　unfaithful　spies　were　loud　in　denunciation　of　Caleb　and　Joshua；　and　the
cry　was　raised　to　stone　them。　The　insane　mob　seized　missiles　with　which　to
slay　those　faithful　men。　They　rushed　forward　with　yells　of　madness；　when
suddenly　the　stones　dropped　from　their　hands；　a　hush　fell　upon　them；　and
they　shook　with　fear。　God　had　interposed　to　check　their　murderous　design。
The　glory　of　His　presence；　like　a　flaming　light；　illuminated　the　tabernacle。
All　the　people　beheld　the　signal　of　the　Lord。　A　mightier　one　than　they　had
revealed　Himself；　and　none　dared　continue　their　resistance。　The　spies　who
brought　the　evil　report　crouched　terror…stricken；　and　with　bated　breath
sought　their　tents。

Moses　now　arose　and　entered　the　tabernacle。　The　Lord　declared　to　him；　〃I
will　smite　them　with　the　pestilence；　and　disinherit　them；　and　will　make　of
thee　a　greater　nation。〃　But　again　Moses　pleaded　for　his　people。　He　could　not
consent　to　have　them　destroyed；　and　he　himself　made　a　mightier　nation。
Appealing　to　the　mercy　of　God；　he　said：　〃I　beseech　Thee；　let　the　power　of　my
Lord　be　great　according　as　Thou　hast　spoken；　saying；　The　Lord　is
long…suffering；　and　of　great　mercy。　。　。　。　Pardon；　I　beseech　Thee；　the
iniquity　of　this　people　according　to　the　greatness　of　Thy

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mercy；　and　as　Thou　hast　forgiven　this　people；　from　Egypt　even　until　now。〃

The　Lord　promised　to　spare　Israel　from　immediate　destruction；　but　because　of
their　unbelief　and　cowardice　He　could　not　manifest　His　power　to　subdue　their
enemies。　Therefore　in　His　mercy　He　bade　them；　as　the　only　safe　course；　to
turn　back　toward　the　Red　Sea。

In　their　rebellion　the　people　had　exclaimed；　〃Would　God　we　had　died　in　this
wilderness！〃　Now　this　prayer　was　to　be　granted。　The　Lord　declared：　〃As　ye
have　spoken　in　Mine　ears；　so　will　I　do　to　you：　your　carcasses　shall　fall　in
this　wilderness；　and　all　that　were　numbered　of　you；　according　to　your　whole
number；　from　twenty　years　old　and　upward。　。　。　。　But　your　little　ones；　which
ye　said　should　be　a　prey；　them　will　I　bring　in；　and　they　shall　know　the　land
which　ye　have　despised。〃　And　of　Caleb　He　said；　〃My　servant　Caleb；　because　he
had　another　spirit　with　him；　and　hath　followed　Me　fully；　him　will　I　bring
into　the　land　whereinto　he　went；　and　his　seed　shall　possess　it。〃　As　the
spies　had　spent　forty　days　in　their　journey；　so　the　hosts　of　Israel　were　to
wander　in　the　wilderness　forty　years。

When　Moses　made　known　to　the　people　the　divine　decision；　their　rage　was
changed　to　mourning。　They　knew　that　their　punishment　was　just。　The　ten
unfaithful　spies；　divinely　smitten　by　the　plague；　perished　before　the　eyes
of　all　Israel；　and　in　their　fate　the　people　read　their　own　doom。

Now　they　seemed　sincerely　to　repent　of　their　sinful　conduct；　but　they
sorrowed　because　of　the　result　of　their　evil　course　rather　than　from　a　sense
of　their　ingratitude　and　disobedience。　When　they　found　that　the　Lord　did　not
relent　in　His　decree；　their　self…will　again　arose；　and　they　declared　that
they　would　not　return　into　the　wilderness。　In　commanding　them　to　retire　from
the　land　of　their　enemies；　God　tested　their　apparent　submission　and　proved
that　it　was　not　real。　They　knew　that　they　had　deeply　sinned　in　allowing
their　rash　feelings　to　control　them　and　in　seeking　to　slay　the　spies　who　had
urged　them　to　obey　God；　but　they　were　only　terrified　to　find　that　they　had
made　a　fearful　mistake；　the　consequences　of　which　would　prove　disastrous　to
themselves。　Their　hearts　were　unchanged；　and　they　only　needed　an　excuse　to
occasion　a　similar　outbreak。　This　presented　itself　when　Moses；　by　the
authority　of　God；　commanded　them　to　go　back　into　the　wilderness。

392


The　decree　that　Israel　was　not　to　enter　Canaan　for　forty　years　was　a　bitter
disappointment　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　Caleb　and　Joshua；　yet　without　a　murmur
they　accepted　the　divine　decision。　But　those　who　had　been　complaining　of
God's　dealings　with　them；　and　declaring　that　they　would　return　to　Egypt；
wept　and　mourned　greatly　when　the　blessings　which　they　had　despised　were
taken　from　them。　They　had　complained　at　nothing；　and　now　God　gave　them　cause
to　weep。　Had　they　mourned　for　their　sin　when　it　was　faithfully　laid　before
them；　this　sentence　would　not　have　been　pronounced；　but　they　mourned　for　the
judgment；　their　sorrow　was　not　repentance；　and　could　not　secure　a　reversing
of　their　sentence。

The　night　was　spent　in　lamentation；　but　with　the　morning　came　a　hope。　They
resolved　to　redeem　their　cowardice。　When　God　had　bidden　them　go　up　and　take
the　land；　they　had　refused；　and　now　when　He　directed　them　to　retreat　they
were　equally　rebellious。　They　determined　to　seize　upon　the　land　and　possess
it；　it　might　be　that　God　would　accept　their　work　and　change　His　purpose
toward　them。

God　had　made　it　their　privilege　and　their　duty　to　enter　the　land　at　the　time
of　His　appointment；　but　through　their　willful　neglect　that　permission　had
been　withdrawn。　Satan　had　gained　his　object　in　preventing　them　from　entering
Canaan；　and　now　he　urged　them　on　to　do　the　very　thing；　in　the　face　of　the
divine　prohibition；　which　they　had　refused　to　do　when　God　required　it。　Thus
the　great　deceiver　gained　the　victory　by　leading　them　to　rebellion　the
second　time。　They　had　distrusted　the　power　of　God　to　work　with　their　efforts
in　gaining　possession　of　Canaan；　yet　now　they　presumed　upon　their　own
strength　to　accomplish　the　work　independent　of　divine　aid。　〃We　have　sinned
against　the　Lord；〃　they　cried；　〃we　will　go　up　and　fight；　according　to　all
that　the　Lord　our　God　commanded　us。〃　Deuteronomy　1：41。　So　terribly　blinded
had　they　become　by　transgression。　The　Lord　had　never　commanded　them　to　〃go
up　and　fight。〃　It　was　not　His　purpose　that　they　should　gain　the　land　by
warfare；　but　by　strict　obedience　to　His　commands。

Though　their　hearts　were　unchanged；　the　people　had　been　brought　to　confess
the　sinfulness　and　folly　of　their　rebellion　at　the　report　of　the　spies。　They
now　saw　the　value　of　the　blessing　which　they　had　so　rashly　cast　away。　They
confessed　that　it　was　their　own　unbelief　which　had　shut　them　out　from
Canaan。　〃We

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　393

have　sinned；〃　they　said；　acknowledging　that　the　fault　was　in　themselves；　and
not　in　God；　whom　they　had　so　wickedly　charged　with　failing　to　fulfill　His
promises　to　them。　Though　their　confession　did　not　spring　from　true
repentance；　it　served　to　vindicate　the　justice　of　God　in　His　dealings　with
them。

The　Lord　still　works　in　a　similar　manner　to　glorify　His　name　by　bringing　men
to　acknowledge　His　justice。　When　those　who　profess　to　love　Him　complain　of
His　providence；　despise　His　promises；　and；　yielding　to　temptation；　unite
with　evil　angels　to　defeat　the　purposes　of　God；　the　Lord　often　so　overrules
circumstances　as　to　bring　these　persons　where；　though　they　may　have　no　real
repentance；　they　will　be　convinced　of　their　sin　and　will　be　constrained　to
acknowledge　the　wickedness　of　their　course　and　the　justice　and　goodness　of
God　in　His　dealings　with　them。　It　is　thus　that　God　sets　counteragencies　at
work　to　make　manifest　the　works　of　darkness。　And　though　the　spirit　which
prompted　to　the　evil　course　is　not　radically　changed；　confessions　are　made
that　vindicate　the　honor　of　God　and　justify　His　faithful　reprovers；　who　have
been　opposed　and　misrepresented。　Thus　it　will　be　when　the　wrath　of　God　shall
be　finally　poured　out。　When　〃the　Lord　cometh　with　ten　thousand　of　His
saints；　to　execute　judgment　upon　all；〃　He　will　also　〃convince　all　that　are
ungodly　among　them　of　all　their　ungodly　deeds。〃　Jude　14；　15。　Every　sinner
will　be　brought　to　see　and　acknowledge　the　justice　of　h