patriarchs and prophets-第66节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


they　were　as　secure　from　want　as　if　surrounded　by　fields　of　waving　grain　on
the　fertile　plains　of　Canaan。

The　manna；　falling　from　heaven　for　the　sustenance　of　Israel；　was　a　type　of
Him　who　came　from　God　to　give　life　to　the　world。　Said　Jesus；　〃I　am　that
Bread　of　life。　Your　fathers　did　eat　manna　in　the　wilderness；　and　are　dead。
This　is　the　bread　which　cometh　down　from　heaven。　。　。　。　If　any　man　eat　of
this　bread；　he　shall　live　forever：　and　the　bread　that　I　will　give　is　My
flesh；　which　I　will　give　for　the　life　of　the　world。〃　John　6：48…51。　And　among
the　promises　of　blessing　to　God's　people　in　the　future　life　it　is　written；
〃To　him　that　overcometh　will　I　give　to　eat　of　the　hidden　manna。〃　Revelation
2：17。

After　leaving　the　wilderness　of　Sin；　the　Israelites　encamped　in　Rephidim。
Here　there　was　no　water；　and　again　they　distrusted　the　providence　of　God。　In
their　blindness　and　presumption　the　people　came　to　Moses　with　the　demand；
〃Give　us　water　that　we　may　drink。〃　But　his　patience　failed　not。　〃Why　chide
ye　with　me？〃　he　said；　〃wherefore　do　ye　tempt　the　Lord？〃　They　cried　in　anger；
〃Wherefore　is　this；　that　thou　hast　brought　us　up　out　of　Egypt；　to　kill　us
and　our　children　and　our　cattle　with　thirst？〃　When　they　had　been　so
abundantly　supplied　with　food；　they　remembered　with　shame　their　unbelief　and
murmurings；　and　promised　to　trust　the　Lord　in　the　future；　but　they　soon
forgot　their　promise；　and　failed　at　the　first　trial　of　their　faith。　The
pillar　of　cloud　that　was　leading　them　seemed　to　veil　a　fearful　mystery。　And
Moseswho　was　he？　they　questioned；　and　what　could　be　his　object　in　bringing
them　from　Egypt？　Suspicion　and　distrust　filled　their　hearts；　and　they　boldly
accused　him　of　designing　to　kill　them　and　their　children　by

298

privations　and　hardships　that　he　might　enrich　himself　with　their
possessions。　In　the　tumult　of　rage　and　indignation　they　were　about　to　stone
him。

In　distress　Moses　cried　to　the　Lord；　〃What　shall　I　do　unto　this　people？〃　He
was　directed　to　take　the　elders　of　Israel　and　the　rod　wherewith　he　had
wrought　wonders　in　Egypt；　and　to　go　on　before　the　people。　And　the　Lord　said
unto　him；　〃Behold；　I　will　stand　before　thee　there　upon　the　rock　in　Horeb；
and　thou　shalt　smite　the　rock；　and　there　shall　come　water　out　of　it；　that
the　people　may　drink。〃　He　obeyed；　and　the　waters　burst　forth　in　a　living
stream　that　abundantly　supplied　the　encampment。　Instead　of　commanding　Moses
to　lift　up　his　rod　and　call　down　some　terrible　plague；　like　those　on　Egypt；
upon　the　leaders　in　this　wicked　murmuring；　the　Lord　in　His　great　mercy　made
the　rod　His　instrument　to　work　their　deliverance。

〃He　clave　the　rocks　in　the　wilderness；　and　gave　them　drink　as　out　of　the
great　depths。　He　brought　streams　also　out　of　the　rock；　and　caused　waters　to
run　down　like　rivers。〃　Psalm　78：15；　16。　Moses　smote　the　rock；　but　it　was　the
Son　of　God　who；　veiled　in　the　cloudy　pillar；　stood　beside　Moses；　and　caused
the　life…giving　water　to　flow。　Not　only　Moses　and　the　elders；　but　all　the
congregation　who　stood　at　a　distance；　beheld　the　glory　of　the　Lord；　but　had
the　cloud　been　removed；　they　would　have　been　slain　by　the　terrible
brightness　of　Him　who　abode　therein。

In　their　thirst　the　people　had　tempted　God；　saying；　〃Is　the　Lord　among　us；
or　not？〃〃If　God　has　brought　us　here；　why　does　He　not　give　us　water　as　well
as　bread？〃　The　unbelief　thus　manifested　was　criminal；　and　Moses　feared　that
the　judgments　of　God　would　rest　upon　them。　And　he　called　the　name　of　the
place　Massah；　〃temptation；〃　and　Meribah；　〃chiding；〃　as　a　memorial　of　their
sin。

A　new　danger　now　threatened　them。　Because　of　their　murmuring　against　Him；
the　Lord　suffered　them　to　be　attacked　by　their　enemies。　The　Amalekites；　a
fierce；　warlike　tribe　inhabiting　that　region；　came　out　against　them　and
smote　those　who；　faint　and　weary；　had　fallen　into　the　rear。　Moses；　knowing
that　the　masses　of　the　people　were　unprepared　for　battle；　directed　Joshua　to
choose　from　the　different　tribes　a　body　of　soldiers；　and　lead　them　on　the
morrow　against　the　enemy；　while　he

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　299

himself　would　stand　on　an　eminence　near　by　with　the　rod　of　God　in　his　hand。
Accordingly　the　next　day　Joshua　and　his　company　attacked　the　foe；　while
Moses　and　Aaron　and　Hur　were　stationed　on　a　hill　overlooking　the
battlefield。　With　arms　outstretched　toward　heaven；　and　holding　the　rod　of
God　in　his　right　hand；　Moses　prayed　for　the　success　of　the　armies　of　Israel。
As　the　battle　progressed；　it　was　observed　that　so　long　as　his　hands　were
reaching　upward；　Israel　prevailed；　but　when　they　were　lowered；　the　enemy　was
victorious。　As　Moses　became　weary；　Aaron　and　Hur　stayed　up　his　hands　until
the　going　down　of　the　sun；　when　the　enemy　was　put　to　flight。

As　Aaron　and　Hur　supported　the　hands　of　Moses；　they　showed　the　people　their
duty　to　sustain　him　in　his　arduous　work　while　he　should　receive　the　word
from　God　to　speak　to　them。　And　the　act　of　Moses　also　was　significant；
showing　that　God　held　their　destiny　in　His　hands；　while　they　made　Him　their
trust；　He　would　fight　for　them　and　subdue　their　enemies；　but　when　they
should　let　go　their　hold　upon　Him；　and　trust　in　their　own　power；　they　would
be　even　weaker　than　those　who　had　not　the　knowledge　of　God；　and　their　foes
would　prevail　against　them。

As　the　Hebrews　triumphed　when　Moses　was　reaching　his　hands　toward　heaven　and
interceding　in　their　behalf；　so　the　Israel　of　God　prevail　when　they　by　faith
take　hold　upon　the　strength　of　their　mighty　Helper。　Yet　divine　strength　is
to　be　combined　with　human　effort。　Moses　did　not　believe　that　God　would
overcome　their　foes　while　Israel　remained　inactive。　While　the　great　leader
was　pleading　with　the　Lord；　Joshua　and　his　brave　followers　were　putting
forth　their　utmost　efforts　to　repulse　the　enemies　of　Israel　and　of　God。

After　the　defeat　of　the　Amalekites；　God　directed　Moses；　〃Write　this　for　a
memorial　in　a　book；　and　rehearse　it　in　the　ears　of　Joshua：　for　I　will
utterly　put　out　the　remembrance　of　Amalek　from　under　heaven。〃　Just　before
his　death　the　great　leader　delivered　to　his　people　the　solemn　charge：
〃Remember　what　Amalek　did　unto　thee　by　the　way；　when　ye　were　come　forth　out
of　Egypt；　how　he　met　thee　by　the　way；　and　smote　the　hindmost　of　thee；　even
all　that　were　feeble　behind　thee；　when　thou　wast　faint　and　weary；　and　he
feared　not　God。　。　。　。　Thou　shalt　blot　out　the　remembrance　of　Amalek　from
under

300

heaven；　thou　shalt　not　forget　it。〃　Deuteronomy　25：17…19。　Concerning　this
wicked　people　the　Lord　declared；　〃The　hand　of　Amalek　is　against　the　throne
of　Jehovah。〃　Exodus　17：16；　margin。

The　Amalekites　were　not　ignorant　of　God's　character　or　of　His　sovereignty；
but　instead　of　fearing　before　Him；　they　had　set　themselves　to　defy　His
power。　The　wonders　wrought　by　Moses　before　the　Egyptians　were　made　a　subject
of　mockery　by　the　people　of　Amalek；　and　the　fears　of　surrounding　nations
were　ridiculed。　They　had　taken　oath　by　their　gods　that　they　would　destroy
the　Hebrews；　so　that　not　one　should　escape；　and　they　boasted　that　Israel's
God　would　be　powerless　to　resist　them。　They　had　not　been　injured　or
threatened　by　the　Israelites。　Their　assault　was　wholly　unprovoked。　It　was　to
manifest　their　hatred　and　defiance　of　God　that　they　sought　to　destroy　His
people。　The　Amalekites　had　long　been　high…handed　sinners；　and　their　crimes
had　cried　to　God　for　vengeance；　yet　His　mercy　had　still　called　them　to
repentance；　but　when　the　men　of　Amalek　fell　upon　the　wearied　and　defenseless
ranks　of　Israel；　they　sealed　their　nation's　doom。　The　care　of　God　is　over
the　weakest　of　His　children。　No　act　of　cruelty　or　oppression　toward　them　is
unmarked　by　Heaven。　Over　all　who　love　and　fear　Him；　His　hand　extends　as　a
shield；　let　men　beware　that　they　smite　not　that　hand；　for　it　wields　the
sword　of　justice。

Not　far　distant　from　where　the　Israelites　were　now　encamped　was　the　home　of
Jethro；　the　father…in…law　of　Moses。　Jethro　had　heard　of　the　deliverance　of
the　Hebrews；　and　he　now　set　out　to　visit　them；　and　restore　to　Moses　his　wife
and　two　sons。　The　great　leader　was　informed　by　messengers　of　their　approach；
and　he　went　out　with　joy　to　meet　them；　and；　the　first　greetings　over；
conducted　them　to　his　tent。　He　had　sent　back　his　family　when　on　his　way　to
the　perils　of　leading　Israel　from　Egypt；　but　now　he　could　again　enjoy　the
relief　and　comfort　of　their　society。　To　Jethro　he　recounted　the　wonderful
dealings　of　God　with　Israel；　and　the　patriarch　rejoiced　and　blessed　the
Lord；　and　with　Moses　and　the　elders　he　united　in　offering　sacrifice　and
holding　a　solemn　feast　in　commemoration　of　God's　mercy。

As　Jethro　remained　in　the　camp；　he　soon　saw　how　heavy　were　the　burdens　that
rested　upon　Moses。　To　maintain　order　and　discipline　among　that　vast；
ignorant；　and　untrained　multitude　was　indeed　a　stupendous　task。　Moses　was
their　recognized

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　301

leader　and　magistrate；　and　not　only　the　general　interests　and　duties　of　the
people；　but　the　controversies　that　arose　among　them；　were　referred　to　him。
He　had　permitted　this；　for　it　gave　him　an　opportunity　to　instruct　them；　as
he　said；　〃I　do　mak