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purpose　of　God。

It　is　important　to　believe　God's　word　and　act　upon　it　promptly；　while　His
angels　are　waiting　to　work　for　us。　Evil　angels　are　ready　to　contest　every
step　of　advance。　And　when　God's　providence　bids　His　children　go　forward；
when　He　is　ready　to　do　great　things　for　them。　Satan　tempts　them　to　displease
the　Lord　by　hesitation　and　delay；　he　seeks　to　kindle　a　spirit　of　strife　or
to　arouse　murmuring　or　unbelief；　and　thus　deprive　them　of　the　blessings　that
God　desired　to　bestow。　God's　servants　should　be　minutemen；　ever　ready　to
move　as　fast　as　His　providence　opens　the　way。　And　delay　on　their　part　gives
time　for　Satan　to　work　to　defeat　them。

In　the　directions　first　given　to　Moses　concerning　their　passage　through
Edom；　after　declaring　that　the　Edomites　should　be　afraid　of　Israel；　the　Lord
had　forbidden　His　people　to　make　use　of　this　advantage　against　them。　Because
the　power　of　God　was　engaged　for　Israel；　and　the　fears　of　the　Edomites　would
make　them　an　easy　prey；　the　Hebrews　were　not　therefore　to　prey　upon　them。
The　command　given　them　was；　〃Take　ye　good　heed　unto　yourselves　therefore：
meddle　not　with　them；　for　I　will　not　give　you　of　their　land；　no；　not　so　much
as　a　foot　breadth；　because　I　have　given　Mount　Seir　unto　Esau　for　a
possession。〃　Deuteronomy　2：4；　5。　The　Edomites　were　descendants　of　Abraham
and　Isaac；　and　for　the　sake　of　these　His　servants；　God　had　shown　favor　to
the　children　of　Esau。　He　had　given　them　Mount　Seir　for　a　possession；　and
they　were　not　to　be　disturbed　unless　by　their　sins　they　should　place
themselves　beyond　the　reach　of　His　mercy。　The　Hebrews　were　to　dispossess　and
utterly　destroy　the　inhabitants　of　Canaan；　who　had　filled　up　the　measure　of
their　iniquity　but　the　Edomites　were　still　probationers；　and　as　such　were　to
be　mercifully　dealt　with。　God　delights　in　mercy；　and　He　manifests　His
compassion　before　He　inflicts　His　judgments。　He

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teaches　Israel　to　spare　the　people　of　Edom；　before　requiring　them　to　destroy
the　inhabitants　of　Canaan。

The　ancestors　of　Edom　and　Israel　were　brothers；　and　brotherly　kindness　and
courtesy　should　exist　between　them。　The　Israelites　were　forbidden；　either
then　or　at　any　future　time；　to　revenge　the　affront　given　them　in　the　refusal
of　passage　through　the　land。　They　must　not　expect　to　possess　any　part　of　the
land　of　Edom。　While　the　Israelites　were　the　chosen　and　favored　people　of
God；　they　must　heed　the　restrictions　which　He　placed　upon　them。　God　had
promised　them　a　goodly　inheritance；　but　they　were　not　to　feel　that　they
alone　had　any　rights　in　the　earth；　and　seek　to　crowd　out　all　others。　They
were　directed；　in　all　their　intercourse　with　the　Edomites；　to　beware　of
doing　them　injustice。　They　were　to　trade　with　them；　buying　such　supplies　as
were　needed；　and　promptly　paying　for　all　they　received。　As　an　encouragement
to　Israel　to　trust　in　God　and　obey　His　word　they　were　reminded；　〃The　Lord
thy　God　hath　blessed　thee；　。　。　。　thou　hast　lacked　nothing。〃　Deuteronomy　2：7。
They　were　not　dependent　upon　the　Edomites；　for　they　had　a　God　rich　in
resources。　They　must　not　by　force　or　fraud　seek　to　obtain　anything
pertaining　to　them；　but　in　all　their　intercourse　they　should　exemplify　the
principle　of　the　divine　law；　〃Thou　shalt　love　thy　neighbor　as　thyself。〃

Had　they　in　this　manner　passed　through　Edom；　as　God　had　purposed；　the
passage　would　have　proved　a　blessing；　not　only　to　themselves；　but　to　the
inhabitants　of　the　land；　for　it　would　have　given　them　an　opportunity　to
become　acquainted　with　God's　people　and　His　worship　and　to　witness　how　the
God　of　Jacob　prospered　those　who　loved　and　feared　Him。　But　all　this　the
unbelief　of　Israel　had　prevented。　God　had　given　the　people　water　in　answer
to　their　clamors；　but　He　permitted　their　unbelief　to　work　out　its
punishment。　Again　they　must　traverse　the　desert　and　quench　their　thirst　from
the　miraculous　spring；　which；　had　they　but　trusted　in　Him；　they　would　no
longer　have　needed。

Accordingly　the　hosts　of　Israel　again　turned　toward　the　south；　and　made
their　way　over　sterile　wastes；　that　seemed　even　more　dreary　after　a　glimpse
of　the　green　spots　among　the　hills　and　valleys　of　Edom。　From　the　mountain
range　overlooking　this　gloomy　desert；　rises　Mount　Hor；　whose　summit　was　to
be　the　place　of　Aaron's　death　and　burial。　When　the　Israelites　came　to　this
mountain；　the　divine　command　was　addressed　to　Moses

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〃Take　Aaron　and　Eleazar　his　son；　and　bring　them　up　unto　Mount　Hor：　and　strip
Aaron　of　his　garments；　and　put　them　upon　Eleazar　his　son：　and　Aaron　shall　be
gathered　unto　his　people；　and　shall　die　there。〃

Together　these　two　aged　men　and　the　younger　one　toiled　up　the　mountain
height。　The　heads　of　Moses　and　Aaron　were　white　with　the　snows　of　sixscore
winters。　Their　long　and　eventful　lives　had　been　marked　with　the　deepest
trials　and　the　greatest　honors　that　had　ever　fallen　to　the　lot　of　man。　They
were　men　of　great　natural　ability；　and　all　their　powers　had　been　developed；
exalted；　and　dignified　by　communion　with　the　Infinite　One。　Their　life　had
been　spent　in　unselfish　labor　for　God　and　their　fellow　men；　their
countenances　gave　evidence　of　great　intellectual　power；　firmness　and
nobility　of　purpose；　and　strong　affections。

Many　years　Moses　and　Aaron　had　stood　side　by　side　in　their　cares　and　labors。
Together　they　had　breasted　unnumbered　dangers；　and　had　shared　together　the
signal　blessing　of　God；　but　the　time　was　at　hand　when　they　must　be
separated。　They　moved　on　very　slowly；　for　every　moment　in　each　other's
society　was　precious。　The　ascent　was　steep　and　toilsome；　and　as　they　often
paused　to　rest；　they　communed　together　of　the　past　and　the　future。　Before
them；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　was　spread　out　the　scene　of　their
desert　wanderings。　In　the　plain　below　were　encamped　the　vast　hosts　of
Israel；　for　whom　these　chosen　men　had　spent　the　best　portion　of　their　lives；
for　whose　welfare　they　had　felt　so　deep　an　interest；　and　made　so　great
sacrifices。　Somewhere　beyond　the　mountains　of　Edom　was　the　path　leading　to
the　Promised　Landthat　land　whose　blessings　Moses　and　Aaron　were　not　to
enjoy。　No　rebellious　feelings　found　a　place　in　their　hearts；　no　expression
of　murmuring　escaped　their　lips；　yet　a　solemn　sadness　rested　upon　their
countenances　as　they　remembered　what　had　debarred　them　from　the　inheritance
of　their　fathers。

Aaron's　work　for　Israel　was　done。　Forty　years　before；　at　the　age　of
eighty…three；　God　had　called　him　to　unite　with　Moses　in　his　great　and
important　mission。　He　had　co…operated　with　his　brother　in　leading　the
children　of　Israel　from　Egypt。　He　had　held　up　the　great　leader's　hands　when
the　Hebrew　hosts　gave　battle　to　Amalek。　He　had　been　permitted　to　ascend
Mount　Sinai；　to　approach　into　the　presence　of　God；　and　to　behold　the　divine
glory。　The　Lord　had　conferred　upon　the　family　of　Aaron　the

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office　of　the　priesthood；　and　had　honored　him　with　the　sacred　consecration
of　high　priest。　He　had　sustained　him　in　the　holy　office　by　the　terrible
manifestations　of　divine　judgment　in　the　destruction　of　Korah　and　his
company。　It　was　through　Aaron's　intercession　that　the　plague　was　stayed。
When　his　two　sons　were　slain　for　disregarding　God's　express　command；　he　did
not　rebel　or　even　murmur。　Yet　the　record　of　his　noble　life　had　been　marred。
Aaron　committed　a　grievous　sin　when　he　yielded　to　the　clamors　of　the　people
and　made　the　golden　calf　at　Sinai；　and　again；　when　he　united　with　Miriam　in
envy　and　murmuring　against　Moses。　And　he；　with　Moses；　offended　the　Lord　at
Kadesh　by　disobeying　the　command　to　speak　to　the　rock　that　it　might　give
forth　its　water。

God　intended　that　these　great　leaders　of　His　people　should　be
representatives　of　Christ。　Aaron　bore　the　names　of　Israel　upon　his　breast。
He　communicated　to　the　people　the　will　of　God。　He　entered　the　most　holy
place　on　the　Day　of　Atonement；　〃not　without　blood；〃　as　a　mediator　for　all
Israel。　He　came　forth　from　that　work　to　bless　the　congregation；　as　Christ
will　come　forth　to　bless　His　waiting　people　when　His　work　of　atonement　in
their　behalf　shall　be　ended。　It　was　the　exalted　character　of　that　sacred
office　as　representative　of　our　great　High　Priest　that　made　Aaron's　sin　at
Kadesh　of　so　great　magnitude。

With　deep　sorrow　Moses　removed　from　Aaron　the　holy　vestments；　and　placed
them　upon　Eleazar；　who　thus　became　his　successor　by　divine　appointment。　For
his　sin　at　Kadesh；　Aaron　was　denied　the　privilege　of　officiating　as　God's
high　priest　in　Canaanof　offering　the　first　sacrifice　in　the　goodly　land；
and　thus　consecrating　the　inheritance　of　Israel。　Moses　was　to　continue　to
bear　his　burden　in　leading　the　people　to　the　very　borders　of　Canaan。　He　was
to　come　within　sight　of　the　Promised　Land；　but　was　not　to　enter　it。　Had
these　servants　of　God；　when　they　stood　before　the　rock　at　Kadesh；　borne
unmurmuringly　the　test　there　brought　upon　them；　how　different　would　have
been　their　future！　A　wrong　act　can　never　be　undone。　It　may　be　that　the　work
of　a　lifetime　will　not　recover　what　has　been　lost　in　a　single　moment　of
temptation　or　even　thoughtlessness。

The　absence　from　the　camp　of　the　two　great　leaders；　and　the　fact　that　they
had