patriarchs and prophets-第86节

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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

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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；　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