patriarchs and prophets-第85节

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hundreds；　and　captains　over　fifties；　and　captains　over　tens；〃　and；　lastly；
officers　who　might　be　employed　for　special　duties。　Deuteronomy　1：15。

The　Hebrew　camp　was　arranged　in　exact　order。　It　was　separated　into　three
great　divisions；　each　having　its　appointed　position　in　the　encampment。　In
the　center　was　the　tabernacle；　the　abiding　place　of　the　invisible　King。
Around　it　were　stationed

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the　priests　and　Levites。　Beyond　these　were　encamped　all　the　other　tribes。

To　the　Levites　was　committed　the　charge　of　the　tabernacle　and　all　that
pertained　thereto；　both　in　the　camp　and　on　the　journey。　When　the　camp　set
forward　they　were　to　strike　the　sacred　tent；　when　a　halting　place　was
reached　they　were　to　set　it　up。　No　person　of　another　tribe　was　allowed　to
come　near；　on　pain　of　death。　The　Levites　were　separated　into　three
divisions；　the　descendants　of　the　three　sons　of　Levi；　and　each　was　assigned
its　special　position　and　work。　In　front　of　the　tabernacle；　and　nearest　to
it；　were　the　tents　of　Moses　and　Aaron。　On　the　south　were　the　Kohathites；
whose　duty　it　was　to　care　for　the　ark　and　the　other　furniture；　on　the　north
Merarites；　who　were　placed　in　charge　of　the　pillars；　sockets；　boards；　etc。；
in　the　rear　the　Gershonites；　to　whom　the　care　of　the　curtains　and　hangings
was　committed。

The　position　of　each　tribe　also　was　specified。　Each　was　to　march　and　to
encamp　beside　its　own　standard；　as　the　Lord　had　commanded：　〃Every　man　of　the
children　of　Israel　shall　pitch　by　his　own　standard；　with　the　ensign　of　their
father's　house：　far　off　about　the　tabernacle　of　the　congregation　shall　they
pitch。〃　〃As　they　encamp；　so　shall　they　set　forward；　every　man　in　his　place
by　their　standards。〃　Numbers　2：2；　17。　The　mixed　multitude　that　had
accompanied　Israel　from　Egypt　were　not　permitted　to　occupy　the　same　quarters
with　the　tribes；　but　were　to　abide　upon　the　outskirts　of　the　camp；　and　their
offspring　were　to　be　excluded　from　the　community　until　the　third　generation。
Deuteronomy　23：7；　8。

Scrupulous　cleanliness　as　well　as　strict　order　throughout　the　encampment　and
its　environs　was　enjoined。　Through　sanitary　regulations　were　enforced。　Every
person　who　was　unclean　from　any　cause　was　forbidden　to　enter　the　camp。　These
measures　were　indispensable　to　the　preservation　of　health　among　so　vast　a
multitude；　and　it　was　necessary　also　that　perfect　order　and　purity　be
maintained；　that　Israel　might　enjoy　the　presence　of　a　holy　God。　Thus　He
declared：　〃The　Lord　thy　God　walketh　in　the　midst　of　thy　camp；　to　deliver
thee；　and　to　give　up　thine　enemies　before　thee；　therefore　shall　thy　camp　he
holy。〃

In　all　the　journeyings　of　Israel；　〃the　ark　of　the　covenant　of　the　Lord　went
before　them；　。　。　。　to　search　out　a　resting　place

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for　them。〃　Numbers　10：33。　Borne　by　the　sons　of　Kohath；　the　sacred　chest
containing　God's　holy　law　was　to　lead　the　van。　Before　it　went　Moses　and
Aaron；　and　the　priests；　bearing　silver　trumpets；　were　stationed　near。　These
priests　received　directions　from　Moses；　which　they　communicated　to　the
people　by　the　trumpets。　It　was　the　duty　of　the　leaders　of　each　company　to
give　definite　directions　concerning　all　the　movements　to　be　made；　as
indicated　by　the　trumpets。　Whoever　neglected　to　comply　with　the　directions
given　was　punished　with　death。

God　is　a　God　of　order。　Everything　connected　with　heaven　is　in　perfect　order；
subjection　and　thorough　discipline　mark　the　movements　of　the　angelic　host。
Success　can　only　attend　order　and　harmonious　action。　God　requires　order　and
system　in　His　work　now　no　less　than　in　the　days　of　Israel。　All　who　are
working　for　Him　are　to　labor　intelligently；　not　in　a　careless；　haphazard
manner。　He　would　have　his　work　done　with　faith　and　exactness；　that　He　may
place　the　seal　of　His　approval　upon　it。

God　Himself　directed　the　Israelites　in　all　their　travels。　The　place　of　their
encampment　was　indicated　by　the　descent　of　the　pillar　of　cloud；　and　so　long
as　they　were　to　remain　in　camp；　the　cloud　rested　over　the　tabernacle。　When
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