N
U M B E R S
CHAP. XIV.
This
chapter gives us an account of that fatal quarrel between God and Israel upon
which, for their murmuring and unbelief, he swore in his wrath that they
should not enter into his rest. Here is, I. The mutiny and rebellion of Israel
against God, upon the report of the evil spies, ver. 1-4. II. The fruitless
endeavour of Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, to still the tumult, ver.
5-10. III. Their utter ruin justly threatened by an offended God, ver. 11, 12.
IV. The humble intercession of Moses for them, ver. 13-19. V. A mitigation of
the sentence in answer to the prayer of Moses; they shall not all be cut off,
but the decree goes forth ratified with an oath, published to the people,
again and again repeated, that this whole congregation should perish in the
wilderness, and none of them enter Canaan but Caleb and Joshua only, ver.
20-35. VI. The present death of the evil spies, ver. 36-39. VII. The rebuke
given to those who attempted to go forward notwithstanding, ver. 40-45. And
this is written for our admonition, that we "fall not after the same
example of unbelief."
|
The
Murmuring of the Israelites.
|
B.
C. 1490.
|
|
|
1 And all the
congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that
night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and
against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we
had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this
wilderness! 3 And 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? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and
let us return into Egypt.
Here we see what mischief the evil spies made by their unfair representation.
We may suppose that these twelve that were impanelled to enquire concerning
Canaan had talked it over among themselves before they brought in their report
in public; and Caleb and Joshua, it is likely, had done their utmost to bring
the rest over to be of their mind, and if they would but have agreed that
Caleb, according to his pose, should have spoken for them all, as their
foreman, all had been well; but the evil spies, it should seem, wilfully
designed to raise this mutiny, purely in opposition to Moses and Aaron, though
they could not propose any advantage to themselves by it, unless they hoped to
be captains and commanders of the retreat into Egypt they were now meditating.
But what came of it? Here in these verses we find those whom they studied to
humour put into a vexation, and, before the end of the chapter, brought to
ruin. Observe,
I. How the people fretted themselves: They lifted up their voices and cried
(v. 1); giving credit to the report of the spies rather than to the
word of God, and imagining their condition desperate, they laid the reins on
the neck of their passions, and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish
froward children, they fall a crying, yet know not what they cry for. It would
have been time enough to cry out when the enemy had beaten up their quarters,
and they had seen the sons of Anak at the gate of their camp; but those that
cried when nothing hurt them deserved to have something given them to cry for.
And, as if all had been already gone, they sat down and wept that night.
Note, Unbelief, or distrust of God, is a sin that is its own punishment. Those
that do not trust God are continually vexing themselves. The world's mourners
are more than God's, and the sorrow of the world worketh death.
II. How they flew in the face of their governors--murmured against Moses
and Aaron, and in them reproached the Lord, v. 2, 3. The
congregation of elders began the discontent (v. 1), but the contagion
soon spread through the whole camp, for the children of Israel murmured.
Jealousies and discontents spread like wildfire among the unthinking
multitude, who are easily taught to despise dominions, and to speak evil of
dignities. 1. They look back with a causeless discontent. They wish that
they had died in Egypt with the first-born that were slain there, or in the
wilderness with those that lately died of the plague for lusting. See the
prodigious madness of unbridled passions, which make men prodigal even of that
which nature accounts most dear, life itself. Never were so many months spent
so pleasantly as these which they had spent since they came out of Egypt,
loaded with honours, compassed with favours, and continually entertained with
something or other that was surprising; and yet, as if all these things had
not made it worth their while to live, they wished they had died in Egypt. And
such a light opinion they had of God's tremendous judgments executed on their
neighbours for their sin that they wished they had shared with them in their
plagues, rather than run the hazard of making a descent upon Canaan. They wish
rather to die criminals under God's justice than live conquerors in his
favour. Some read it, O that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness! O
that we might die! They wish to die, for fear of dying; and have not sense
enough to reason as the poor lepers, when rather than die upon the spot they
ventured into an enemy's camp, If they kill us, we shall but die, 2
Kings vii. 4. How base were the spirits of these degenerate Israelites, who,
rather than die (if it come to the worst) like soldiers on the bed of honour,
with their swords in their hands, desire to die like rotten sheep in the
wilderness. 2. They look forward with a groundless despair, taking it for
granted (v. 3) that if they went on they must fall by the sword, and
pretend to lay the cause of their fear upon the great care they had for their
wives and children, who, they conclude, will be a prey to the Canaanites. And
here is a most wicked blasphemous reflection upon God himself, as if he had
brought them hither on purpose that they might fall by the sword, and that
their wives and children, those poor innocents, should be a prey. Thus do
they, in effect, charge that God who is love itself with the worst of malice,
and eternal Truth with the basest hypocrisy, suggesting that all the kind
things he had said to them, and done for them, hitherto, were intended only to
decoy them into a snare, and to cover a secret design carried on all along to
ruin them. Daring impudence! But what will not that tongue speak against
heaven that is set on fire of hell? The devil keeps up his interest in the
hearts of men by insinuating to them ill thoughts of God, as if he desired the
death of sinners, and delighted in the hardships and sufferings of his own
servants, whereas he knows his thoughts to us-ward (whether we know them so or
no) to be thoughts of good, and not of evil, Jer. xxix. 11.
III. How they came at last to this desperate resolve, that, instead of going
forward to Canaan, they would go back again to Egypt. The motion is first made
by way of query only (v. 3): Were it not better for us to return
into Egypt? But the ferment being high, and the spirits of the people
being disposed to entertain any thing that was perverse, it soon ripened to a
resolution, without a debate (v. 4): Let us make a captain and
return to Egypt; and it is lamented long after (Neh. ix. 17) that in
their rebellion they appointed a captain to return to their bondage; for
they knew Moses would not be their captain in this retreat. Now, 1. It was the
greatest folly in the world to wish themselves in Egypt, or to think that if
they were there it would be better with them than it was. If they durst not go
forward to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go back to Egypt. What did
they want? What had they to complain of? They had plenty, and peace, and rest,
were under a good government, had good company, had the tokens of God's
presence with them, and enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if
they had but hearts to be content. But whither were they thus eager to go to
better themselves? To Egypt! Had they so soon forgotten the sore bondage they
were in there? Would they be again under the tyranny of their taskmasters, and
at the drudgery of making brick? And, after all the plagues which Egypt had
suffered for their sakes, could they expect any better treatment there than
they had formerly, and not rather much worse? In how little time (not a year
and a half) have they forgotten all the sighs of their bondage, and all the
songs of their deliverance! Like brute-beasts, they mind only what is present,
and their memories, with the other powers of reason, are sacrificed to their
passions. See Ps. cvi. 7. We find it threatened (Deut. xxviii. 68), as the
completing of their misery, that they should be brought into Egypt again, and
yet this is what they here wish for. Sinners are enemies to themselves; and
those that walk not in God's counsels consult their own mischief and ruin. 2.
It was a most senseless ridiculous thing to talk of returning thither through
the wilderness. Could they expect that God's cloud would lead them or his
manna attend them? And, if they did not, the thousands of Israel must
unavoidably be lost and perish in the wilderness. Suppose the difficulties of
conquering Canaan were as great as they imagined, those of returning to Egypt
were much greater. In this let us see, (1.) The folly of discontent and
impatience under the crosses of our outward condition. We are uneasy at that
which is, complain of our place and lot, and we would shift; but is there any
place or condition in this world that has not something in it to make us
uneasy if we are disposed to be so? The way to better our condition is to get
our spirits into a better frame; and instead of asking, "Were it not
better to go to Egypt?" ask, "Were it not better to be content, and
make the best of that which is?" (2.) The folly of apostasy from the ways
of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before us, a land flowing with milk and
honey; those that bring up ever so ill a report of it cannot but say that it
is indeed a good land, only it is hard to get to it. Strict and serious
godliness is looked upon as an impracticable thing, and this deters many who
began well from going on; rather than undergo the imaginary hardships of a
religious life, they run themselves upon the certain fatal consequences of a
sinful course; and so they transcribe the folly of Israel, who, when they were
within a step of Canaan, would make a captain, and return to Egypt.
|
The
Expostulation of Joshua and Caleb.
|
B.
C. 1490.
|
|
|
5 Then Moses and Aaron
fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the
children of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son
of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their
clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of
Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an
exceeding good land. 8 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. 9 Only rebel not ye against the
LORD,
neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us:
their defence is departed from them, and the LORD
is with us: fear them not. 10 But all the congregation bade
stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD
appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of
Israel.
The friends of Israel here interpose to save them if possible from ruining
themselves, but in vain. The physicians of their state would have healed them,
but they would not be healed; their watchmen gave them warning, but they would
not take warning, and so their blood is upon their own heads.
I. The best endeavours were used to still the tumult, and, if now at last they
would have understood the things that belonged to their peace, all the
following mischief would have been prevented.
1. Moses and Aaron did their part, v. 5. Though it was against them
that they murmured (v. 2), yet they bravely overlooked the affront and
injury done them, and approved themselves faithful friends to those who were
outrageous enemies to them. The clamour and noise of the people were so great
that Moses and Aaron could not be heard; should they order any of their
servants to proclaim silence, the angry multitude would perhaps be the more
clamorous; and therefore, to gain audience in the sight of all the assembly,
they fell on their faces, thus expressing, (1.) Their humble prayers to God to
still the noise of this sea, the noise of its waves, even the tumult of the
people. (2.) The great trouble and concern of their own spirits. They fell
down as men astonished and even thunder-struck, amazed to see a people throw
away their own mercies: to see those so ill-humoured who were so well taught.
And, (3.) Their great earnestness with the people to cease their murmurings;
they hoped to work upon them by this humble posture, and to prevail with them
not to persist in their rebellion; Moses and Aaron beseech them, as though by
them God himself did beseech them, to be reconciled unto God. What they said
to the people Moses relates in the repetition of this story. Deut. i. 29, 30, Be
not afraid; the Lord your God shall fight for you. Note, Those that are
zealous friends to precious souls will stoop to any thing for their salvation.
Moses and Aaron, notwithstanding the posts of honour they are in, prostrate
themselves to the people to beg of them not to ruin themselves.
2. Caleb and Joshua did their part: they rent their clothes in a holy
indignation at the sin of the people, and a holy dread of the wrath of God,
which they saw ready to break out against them. it was the greater trouble to
these good men because the tumult was occasioned by those spies with whom they
had been joined in commission; and therefore they thought themselves obliged
to do what they could to still the storm which their fellows had raised. No
reasoning could be more pertinent and pathetic than theirs was (v.
7-9), and they spoke as with authority.
(1.) They assured them of the goodness of the land they had surveyed, and that
it was really worth venturing for, and not a land that ate up the
inhabitants, as the evil spies had represented it. It is an exceedingly
good land (v. 7); it is very, very good, so the word is; so
that they had no reason to despise this pleasant land. Note, If men
were but thoroughly convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion,
they would not stick at the services of it.
(2.) They made nothing of the difficulties that seemed to lie in the way of
their gaining the possession of it: "Fear not the people of the land,
v. 9. Whatever formidable ideas have been given you of them, the lion
is not so fierce as he is painted. They are bread for us," that
is, "they are set before us rather to be fed upon than to be fought with,
so easily, so pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we
master them." Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat (Ps. lxxiv.
14), and the Canaanites will be so too. They show that, whatever was suggested
to the contrary, the advantage was clear on Israel's side. For, [1.] Though
the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, they are naked: Their defence has
departed from them; that common providence which preserves the rights of
nations has abandoned them, and will be no shelter nor protection to them. The
other spies took notice of their strength, but these of their wickedness, and
thence inferred that God had forsaken them, and therefore their defence had
departed. No people can be safe when they have provoked God to leave them.
[2.] Though Israel dwell in tents they are fortified: The Lord is with us,
and his name is a strong tower; fear them not. Note, While we have the
presence of God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against us.
(3.) They showed them plainly that all the danger they were in was from their
own discontents, and that they would succeed against all their enemies if they
did not make God their enemy. On this point alone the cause would turn (v.
8): "If the Lord delight in us, as certainly he does, and will if
we do not provoke him, he will bring us into this good land; we shall
without fail get it in possession by his favour, and the light of his
countenance (Ps. xliv. 3), if we do not forfeit his favour and by our own
follies turn away our own mercies." It has come to this issue (v.
9): Only rebel not you against the Lord. Note, Nothing can ruin sinners
but their own rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him from
them; and they die because they will die. None are excluded the heavenly
Canaan but those that exclude themselves. And, now, could the case have been
made more plain? could it have been urged more closely? But what was the
effect?
II. It was all to no purpose; they were deaf to this fair reasoning; nay, they
were exasperated by it, and grew more outrageous: All the congregation bade
stone them with stones, v. 10. The rulers of the congregation, and
the great men (so bishop Patrick), ordered the common people to fall upon
them, and knock their brains out. Their case was sad indeed when their leaders
thus caused them to err. Note, It is common for those whose hearts are fully
set in them to do evil to rage at those who give them good counsel. Those
who hate to be reformed hate those that would reform them, and count them
their enemies because they tell them the truth. Thus early did Israel begin to
misuse the prophets, and stone those that were sent to them, and it was
this that filled the measure of their sin, Matt. xxiii. 37. Stone them with
stones! Why, what evil have they done? No crime can be laid to their
charge; but the truth is these two witnesses tormented those that were
obstinate in their infidelity, Rev. xi. 10. Caleb and Joshua had but just
said, The Lord is with us; fear them not (v. 9): and, if Israel
will not apply those encouraging words to their own fears, those that uttered
them know how to encourage themselves with them against this enraged multitude
that spoke of stoning them, as David in a like cause, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. Those
that cannot prevail to edify others with their counsels and comforts should
endeavour at least to edify themselves. Caleb and Joshua knew they appeared
for God and his glory, and therefore doubted not but God would appear for them
and their safety. And they were not disappointed, for immediately the glory
of the Lord appeared, to the terror and confusion of those that were for
stoning the servants of God. When they reflected upon God (v. 3), his
glory appeared not to silence their blasphemies; but, when they threatened
Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and his glory appeared
immediately. Note, Those who faithfully expose themselves for God are sure to
be taken under his special protection, and shall be hidden from the rage of
men, either under heaven or in heaven.
|
The
Intercession of Moses.
|
B.
C. 1490.
|
|
|
11 And the LORD
said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be
ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make
of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. 13 And Moses said
unto the LORD,
Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people
in thy might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to
the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD
art among this people, that thou LORD
art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that
thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of
fire by night. 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this
people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will
speak, saying, 16 Because the LORD
was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them,
therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. 17 And now, I
beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast
spoken, saying, 18 The LORD
is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the
greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even
until now.
Here is, I. The righteous sentence which God gave against Israel for their
murmuring and unbelief, which, though afterwards mitigated, showed what was
the desert of their sin and the demand of injured justice, and what would have
been done if Moses had not interposed. When the glory of the Lord appeared
in the tabernacle we may suppose that Moses took it for a call to him
immediately to come and attend there, as before the tabernacle was erected he
went up to the mount in a similar case, Exod. xxxii. 30. Thus, while the
people were studying to disgrace him, God publicly put honour upon him, as the
man of his counsel. Now here we are told what God said to him there.
1. He showed him the great evil of the people's sin, v. 11. What passed
between God and Israel went through the hands of Moses: when they were
displeased with God they told Moses of it (v. 2); when God was
displeased with them he told Moses too, revealing his secret to his servant
the prophet, Amos iii. 7. Two things God justly complains of to Moses:--
(1.) Their sin. They provoke me, or (as the word signifies) they reject,
reproach, despise me, for they will not believe me. This was the
bitter root which bore the gall and wormwood. It was their unbelief that made
this a day of provocation in the wilderness, Heb. iii. 8. Note, Distrust of
God, of his power and promise, is itself a very great provocation, and at the
bottom of many other provocations. Unbelief is a great sin (1 John v. 10), and
a root sin, Heb. iii. 12. (2.) Their continuance in it: How long will they
do so? Note, The God of heaven keeps an account how long sinners persist
in their provocations; and the longer they persist the more he is displeased.
The aggravations of their sin were, [1.] Their relation to God: This
people, a peculiar people, a professing people. The nearer any are to God
in name and profession, the more he is provoked by their sins, especially
their unbelief. [2.] The experience they had had of God's power and goodness,
in all the signs which he had shown among them, by which, one
would think, he had effectually obliged them to trust him and follow him. The
more God has done for us the greater is the provocation if we distrust him.
2. He showed him the sentence which justice passed upon them for it, v.
12. "What remains now but that I should make a full end of them? It will
soon be done. I will smite them with the pestilence, not leave a man of
them alive, but wholly blot out their name and race, and so disinherit them,
and be no more troubled with them. Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries.
They wish to die; and let them die, and neither root nor branch be left of
them. Such rebellious children deserve to be disinherited." And if it be
asked, "What will become of God's covenant with Abraham then?" here
is an answer, "I shall be preserved in the family of Moses: I will
make of thee a greater nation." Thus, (1.) God would try Moses,
whether he still continued that affection for Israel which he formerly
expressed upon a like occasion, in preferring their interests before the
advancement of his own family; and it is proved that Moses was still of the
same public spirit, and could not bear the thought of raising his own name
upon the ruin of the name of Israel. (2.) God would teach us that he will not
be a loser by the ruin of sinners. If Adam and Eve had been cut off and
disinherited, he could have made another Adam and another Eve, and have
glorified his mercy in them, as here he could have glorified his mercy in
Moses, though Israel had been ruined.
II. The humble intercession Moses made for them. Their sin had made a fatal
breach in the wall of their defence, at which destruction would certainly have
entered if Moses had not seasonably stepped in and made it good. Here he was a
type of Christ, who interceded for his persecutors, and prayed for those
that despitefully used him, leaving us an example to his own rule,
Matt. v. 44.
1. The prayer of his petition is, in one word, Pardon, I beseech thee, the
iniquity of this people (v. 19), that is, "Do not bring upon
them the ruin they deserve." This was Christ's prayer for those that
crucified him, Father forgive them. The pardon of a national sin, as
such, consists in the turning away of the national punishment; and that is it
for which Moses is here so earnest.
2. The pleas are many, and strongly urged.
(1.) He insists most upon the plea that is taken from the glory of God, v.
13-16. With this he begins, and somewhat abruptly, taking occasion from that
dreadful word, I will disinherit them. Lord (says he), then the
Egyptians shall hear it. God's honour lay nearer to his heart than any
interests of his own. Observe how he orders this cause before God. He
pleads, [1.] That the eyes both of Egypt and Canaan were upon them, and great
expectations were raised concerning them. They could not but have heard that
thou, Lord, art among this people, v. 14. The neighbouring
countries rang of it, how much this people were the particular care of heaven,
so as never any people under the sun were. [2.] That if they should be cut off
great notice would be taken of it. "The Egyptians will hear it (v.
13), for they have their spies among us, and they will tell it to the
inhabitants of the land" (v. 14); for there was great
correspondence between Egypt and Canaan, although not by the way of this
wilderness. "If this people that have made so great a noise be all
consumed, if their mighty pretensions come to nothing, and their light go out
in a snuff, it will be told with pleasure in Gath, and published in the
streets of Askelon; and what construction will the heathen put upon it? It
will be impossible to make them understand it as an act of God's justice, and
as such redounding to God's honour; brutish men know not this (Ps. xcii.
6): but they will impute it to the failing of God's power, and so turn it to
his reproach, v. 16. They will say, He slew them in the wilderness
because he was not able to bring them to Canaan, his arm being shortened, and
his stock of miracles being spent. Now, Lord, let not one attribute be
glorified at the expense of another; rather let mercy rejoice against
judgment than that almighty power should be impeached." Note, The
best pleas in prayer are those that are taken from God's honour; for they
agree with the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, Hallowed be thy name.
Do not disgrace the throne of thy glory. God pleads it with himself (Deut.
xxxii. 27), I feareth the wrath of the enemy; and we should use it as
an argument with ourselves to walk so in every thing as to give no occasion to
the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, 1 Tim. vi. 1.
(2.) He pleads God's proclamation of his name at Horeb (v. 17, 18): Let
the power of the Lord be great. Power is here put for pardoning mercy; it
is his power over his own anger. If he should destroy them, God's power would
be questioned; if he should continue and complete their salvation,
notwithstanding the difficulties that arose, not only from the strength of
their enemies, but from their own provocations, this would greatly magnify the
divine power: what cannot he do who could make so weak a people conquerors and
such an unworthy people favourites? The more danger there is of others
reproaching God's power the more desirous we should be to see it glorified. To
enforce this petition, he refers to the word which God had spoken: The Lord
is long-suffering and of great mercy. God's goodness had there been spoken
of as his glory; God gloried in it, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Now here he prays that
upon this occasion he would glorify it. Note, We must take our encouragement
in prayer from the word of God, upon which he has caused us to hope,
Ps. cxix. 49. "Lord, be and do according as thou hast spoken; for
hast thou spoken, and wilt thou not make it good?" Three things God had
solemnly made a declaration of, which Moses here fastens upon, and improves
for the enforcing of his petition:-- [1.] The goodness of God's nature in
general, that he is long-suffering, or slow to anger, and of great mercy; not
soon provoked, but tender and compassionate towards offenders. [2.] His
readiness in particular to pardon sin: Forgiving iniquity and
transgression, sins of all sorts. [3.] His unwillingness to proceed to
extremity, even when he does punish. For in this sense the following words may
be read: That will by no means make quite desolate, in visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children. God had indeed said in the
second commandment that he would thus visit, but here he promises not to make
a full end of families, churches, and nations, at once; and so it is very
applicable to this occasion, for Moses cannot beg that God would not at all
punish this sin (it would be too great an encouragement to rebellion if he
should set no mark of his displeasure upon it), but that he would not kill
all this people as one man, v. 15. He does not ask that they may
not be corrected, but that they may not be disinherited. And this proclamation
of God's name was the more apposite to his purpose because it was made upon
occasion of the pardoning of their sin in making the golden calf. This sin
which they had now fallen into was bad enough, but it was not idolatry.
(3.) He pleads past experience: As thou hast forgiven this people from
Egypt, v. 19. This seemed to make against him. Why should those be
forgiven any more who, after they had been so often forgiven, revolted yet
more and more, and seemed hardened and encouraged in their rebellion by the
lenity and patience of their God, and the frequent pardons they had obtained?
Among men it would have been thought impolitic to take notice of such a
circumstance in a request of this nature, as it might operate to the prejudice
of the petitioner: but, as in other things so in pardoning sin, God's thoughts
and ways are infinitely above ours, Isa. lv. 9. Moses looks upon it as a good
plea, Lord, forgive, as thou hast forgiven. It will be no more a
reproach to thy justice, nor any less the praise of thy mercy, to forgive now,
than it has been formerly. Therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed,
because they have to do with a God that changes not, Mal. iii. 6.
|
God's
Answer to Moses; The Israelites Threatened.
B. C.
1490.
|
|
|
|
20 And the LORD
said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21 But as
truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I
did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times,
and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see
the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it: 24 But 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. 25 (Now the
Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and
get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 26 And the
LORD
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I
bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard
the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD,
as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 Your
carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you,
according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have
murmured against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land,
concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son
of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 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. 32 But as for you, your
carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children
shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until
your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34 After the number of
the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a
year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall
know my breach of promise. 35 I the LORD
have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are
gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and
there they shall die.
We have here God's answer to the prayer of Moses, which sings both of mercy
and judgment. It is given privately to Moses (v. 20-25), and then
directed to be made public to the people, v. 26-35. The frequent
repetitions of the same things in it speak these resolves to be unalterable.
Let us see the particulars.
I. The extremity of the sentence is receded from (v. 20): "I
have pardoned, so as not to cut them all off at once, and disinherit
them." See the power of prayer, and the delight God takes in putting an
honour upon it. He designed a pardon, but Moses shall have the praise of
obtaining it by prayer: it shall be done according to thy word; thus,
as a prince, he has power with God, and prevails. See what countenance and
encouragement God gives to our intercessions for others, that we may be
public-spirited in prayer. Here is a whole nation rescued from ruin by the
effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man. See how ready God is to forgive
sin, and how easy to be entreated: Pardon, says Moses (v. 19); I
have pardoned, says God, v. 20. David found him thus swift to show
mercy, Ps. xxxii. 5. He deals not with us after our sins, Ps. ciii. 10.
II. The glorifying of God's name is, in the general, resolved upon, v.
21. It is said, it is sworn, All the earth shall be filled with the glory
of the Lord. Moses in his prayer had shown a great concern for the glory
of God. "Let me alone," says God, "to secure that effectually,
and to advance it, by this dispensation." All the world shall see how God
hates sin even in his own people, and will reckon for it, and yet how gracious
and merciful he is, and how slow to anger. Thus when our Saviour prayed, Father,
glorify thy name, he was immediately answered, I have glorified it, and
will glorify it yet again, John xii. 28. Note, Those that sincerely seek
God's glory may be sure of what they seek. God having turned this prayer for
the glorifying of himself into a promise, we may turn it into praise, in
concert with the angels, Isa. vi. 3, The earth is full of his glory.
III. The sin of this people which provoked God to proceed against them is here
aggravated, v. 22, 27. It is not made worse than really it was, but is
shown to be exceedingly sinful. It was an evil congregation, each bad, but
altogether in congregation, very bad. 1. They tempted God--tempted his power,
whether he could help them in their straits--his goodness, whether he
would--and his faithfulness, whether his promise would be performed. They
tempted his justice, whether he would resent their provocations and punish
them or no. They dared him, and in effect challenged him, as God does the
idols (Isa. xli. 23), to do good, or do evil. 2. They murmured
against him. This is much insisted on, v. 27. As they questioned what
he would do, so they quarrelled with him for every thing he did or had done,
continually fretting and finding fault. It does not appear that they murmured
at any of the laws or ordinances that God gave them (though they proved a
heavy yoke), but they murmured at the conduct they were under, and the
provision made for them. Note, It is much easier to bring ourselves to the
external services of religion, and observe all the formalities of devotion,
than to live a life of dependence upon, and submission to, the divine
Providence in the course of our conversation. 3. They did this after they had
seen God's miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, v. 2. They would
not believe their own eyes, which were witnesses for God that he was in the
midst of them of a truth. 4. They had repeated the provocations ten times,
that is, very often: the Jewish writers reckon this exactly the tenth time
that the body of the congregation had provoked God. First, at the Red Sea,
Exod. xiv. 11. In Marah, Exod. xv. 23, 24. In the wilderness of Sin, Exod.
xvi. 2. At Rephidim, Exod. xvii. 1, 2. The golden calf, Exod. xxxii. Then at
Taberah. Then at Kibroth-Hattaavah, ch. xi. And so this was the tenth.
Note, God keeps an account how often we repeat our provocations, and will
sooner or later set them in order before us. 5. They had not hearkened to his
voice, though he had again and again admonished them of their sin.
IV. The sentence passed upon them for this sin. 1. That they should not see
the promised land (v. 23), nor come into it, v. 30. He
swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, Ps. xcv. 11.
Note, Disbelief of the promise is a forfeiture of the benefit of it. Those
that despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The promise of God
should be fulfilled to their posterity, but not to them. 2. That they should
immediately turn back into the wilderness, v. 25. Their next
remove should be a retreat. They must face about, and instead of going forward
to Canaan, on the very borders of which they now were, they must withdraw
towards the Red Sea again. To-morrow turn you; that is, "Very
shortly you shall be brought back to that vast howling wilderness which you
are so weary of. And it is time to shift for your own safety, for the
Amalekites lie in wait in the valley, ready to attack you if you march
forward." Of them they had been distrustfully afraid (ch. xiii.
29), and now with them God justly frightened them. The fear of the wicked
shall come upon him. 3. That all those who had now grown up to men's
estate should die in the wilderness, not all at once, but by degrees. They
wished that they might die in the wilderness, and God said Amen to
their passionate wish, and made their sin their ruin, snared them in
the words of their mouth, and caused their own tongue to fall upon
them, took them at their word, and determined that their carcases
should fall in the wilderness, v. 28, 29, and again, v. 32,
35. See with what contempt they are spoken of, now that they had by their sin
made themselves vile; the mighty men of valour were but carcases, when the
Spirit of the Lord had departed from them. They were all as dead men. Their
fathers had such a value for Canaan that they desired to have their dead
bodies carried thither to be buried, in token of their dependence upon God's
promise that they should have that land for a possession: but these, having
despised that good land and disbelieved the promise of it, shall not have the
honour to be buried in it, but shall have their graves in the wilderness. 4.
That in pursuance of this sentence they should wander to and fro in the
wilderness, like travellers that have lost themselves, for forty years; that
is, so long as to make it full forty years from their coming out of Egypt to
their entrance into Canaan, v. 33, 34. Thus long they were kept
wandering, (1.) To answer the number of the days in which the spies were
searching the land. They were content to wait forty days for the testimony of
men, because they could not take God's word; and therefore justly are they
kept forty years waiting for the performance of God's promise. (2.) That
hereby they might be brought to repentance, and find mercy with God in the
other world, whatever became of them in this. Now they had time to bethink
themselves, and to consider their ways; and the inconveniences of the
wilderness would help to humble them and prove them, and show them what was
in their heart, Deut. viii. 2. Thus long they bore their iniquities,
feeling the weight of God's wrath in the punishment. They were made to groan
under the burden of their own sin that brought it upon them, which was too
heavy for them to bear. (3.) That they might sensibly feel what a
dangerous thing it is for God's covenant-people to break with him: "You
shall know my breach of promise, both the causes of it, that it is
procured by your sin" (for God never leaves any till they first leave
him), "and the consequences of it, that it will produce your ruin; you
are quite undone when you are thrown out of covenant." (4.) That a new
generation might in this time be raised up, which could not be done all of a
sudden. And the children, being brought up under the tokens of God's
displeasure against their fathers, and so bearing their whoredoms (that
is, the punishment of their sins, especially their idolatry about the golden
calf, which God now remembered against them), might take warning not to tread
in the steps of their fathers' disobedience. And their wandering so long in
the wilderness would make Canaan at last the more welcome to them. It should
seem that upon occasion of this sentence Moses penned the ninetieth Psalm,
which is very apposite to the present state of Israel, and wherein they are
taught to pray that since this sentence could not be reversed it might be
sanctified, and they might learn to apply their hearts unto wisdom.
V. The mercy that was mixed with this severe sentence.
1. Mercy to Caleb and Joshua, that though they should wander with the rest in
the wilderness, yet they, and only they of all that were now above twenty
years old, should survive the years of banishment, and live to enter Canaan.
Caleb only is spoken of (v. 24), and a particular mark of honour put
upon him, both, (1.) In the character given of him: he had another spirit,
different from the rest of the spies, an after-spirit, which furnished
him with second thoughts, and he followed the Lord fully, kept close to
his duty, and went through with it, though deserted and threatened; and, (2.)
In the recompence promised to him: Him will I bring in due time into the
land whereinto he went. Note, [1.] It ought to be the great care and
endeavour of every one of us to follow the Lord fully. We must, in a course of
obedience to God's will and of service to his honour, follow him universally,
without dividing,--uprightly, without dissembling,--cheerfully, without
disputing,--and constantly, without declining; and this is following him
fully. [2.] Those that would follow God fully must have another spirit,
another from the spirit of the world, and another from what their own spirit
has been. They must have the spirit of Caleb. [3.] Those that follow God fully
in times of general apostasy God will own and honour by singular preservations
in times of general calamity. The heavenly Canaan shall be the everlasting
inheritance of those that follow the Lord fully. When Caleb is again mentioned
(v. 30) Joshua stands with him, compassed with the same favours and
crowned with the same honours, having stood with him in the same services.
2. Mercy to the children even of these rebels. They should have a seed
preserved, and Canaan secured to that seed: Your little ones, now under
twenty years old, which you, in your unbelief, said should be a
prey, them will I bring in, v. 31. They had invidiously charged God
with a design to ruin their children, v. 3. But God will let them know
that he can put a difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them
off without touching their children. Thus the promise made to Abraham, though
it seemed to fail for a time, was kept from failing for evermore; and, though
God chastened their transgressions with a rod, yet his loving kindness he
would not utterly take away.
|
Death
of the Evil Spies.
|
B.
C. 1490.
|
|
|
36 And the men, which
Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to
murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the
plague before the LORD.
38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were
of the men that went to search the land, lived still. 39
And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people
mourned greatly. 40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat
them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will
go up unto the place which the LORD
hath promised: for we have sinned. 41 And Moses said, Wherefore
now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD?
but it shall not prosper. 42 Go not up, for the LORD
is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye
shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD,
therefore the LORD
will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill
top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
and Moses, departed not out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites
came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and
discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
Here is, I. The sudden death of the ten evil spies. While the sentence was
passing upon the people, before it was published, they died of the plague
before the Lord, v. 36, 37. Now,
1. God hereby showed his particular displeasure against those who sinned
and made Israel to sin. (1.) They sinned themselves, in bringing up a
slander upon the land of promise. Note, Those greatly provoke God who
misrepresent religion, cast reproach upon it, and raise prejudices in men's
minds against it, or give occasion to those to do so who seek occasion. Those
that represent the service of God as mean and despicable, melancholy and
uncomfortable, hard and impracticable, needless and unprofitable, bring up an evil
report upon the good land, pervert the right ways of the Lord, and
in effect give him the lie. (2.) They made Israel to sin. They
designedly made all the congregation murmur against God. Note,
Ring-leaders in sin may expect to fall under particular marks of the wrath of
God, who will severely reckon for the blood of souls, which is thus spilt.
2. God hereby showed what he could have done with the whole congregation, and
gave an earnest of the execution of the sentence now passed upon them. He that
thus cut off one of a tribe could have cut off their whole tribes suddenly,
and would do it gradually. Note, The remarkable deaths of notorious sinners
are earnests of the final perdition of ungodly men, 2 Pet. ii. 5, 6. Thus the
wrath of God is revealed, that sinners may hear and fear.
II. The special preservation of Caleb and Joshua: They lived still, v.
38. It is probable that all the twelve spies stood together, for the eyes of
all Israel were now upon them; and therefore it is taken notice of as very
remarkable, and which could not but be affecting to the whole congregation,
that when the ten evil spies fell down dead of the plague, a malignant
infectious distemper, yet these two that stood among them lived, and were
well. God hereby confirmed their testimony, and put those to confusion that
spoke of stoning them. He likewise gave them an assurance of their continued
preservation in the wilderness, when thousands should fall on their right hand
and on their left, Ps. xci. 7. Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by
oversight that were designed for life, though in the midst of those that were
to die.
III. The publication of the sentence to all the people, v. 36. He told
them all what the decree was which had gone forth concerning them, and which
could not be reversed, that they must all die in the wilderness, and Canaan
must be reserved for the next generation. It was a very great disappointment,
we may well think, to Moses himself, who longed to be in Canaan, as well as to
all the people; yet he acquiesced, but they wept and mourned greatly. The
assurance which Moses had of God's being glorified by this sentence gave him
satisfaction, while the consciousness of their own guilt, and their having
procured it to themselves, gave them the greatest vexation. They wept for
nothing (v. 1), and now they have cause given them to weep; so justly
are murmurers made mourners. If they had mourned for the sin when they were
faithfully reproved for it (v. 9), the sentence would have been
prevented; but now that they mourned for the judgment only their grief came
too late, and did them no service; they found no place for repentance,
though they sought it carefully with tears, Heb. xii. 17. Such mourning as
this there is in hell, but the tears will not quench the flames, no, nor cool
the tongue.
IV. The foolish fruitless attempts of some of the Israelites to enter Canaan,
notwithstanding the sentence.
1. They were now eager to go forward towards Canaan, v. 40. They were
up early, mustered all their force, got together in a body, and begged of
Moses to lead them on against the enemy, and now there is no more talk among
them of making a captain to return into Egypt. They confess their fault: We
have sinned; they profess reformation: Lo, we be here, and will go up.
They now desire the land which they had despised, and put a confidence in the
promise which they had distrusted. Thus when God judges he will overcome, and,
first or last, will convince sinners of the evil of all their ungodly deeds,
and hard speeches, and force them to recall their own words. But, though God
was glorified by this recantation of theirs, they were not benefited by it,
because it came too late. The decree had gone forth, the consumption was
determined; they did not seek the Lord while he might be found, and now he
would not be found. O, if men would but be as earnest for heaven while their
day of grace lasts as they will be when it is over, would be as solicitous to
provide themselves with oil while the bridegroom tarries as they will be when
the bridegroom comes, how well were it for them!
2. Moses utterly disallows their motion, and forbids the expedition they were
meditating: Go not up, v. 41-43. (1.) He gives them warning of
the sin; it is transgressing the commandment of the Lord, who had
expressly ordered them, when they did move, to move back towards the Red Sea.
Note, That which has been duty, in its season, when it comes to be mistimed
may be turned into sin. It is true the command he refers to was in the nature
of a punishment, but he that has not obeyed the law is obliged to submit to
the penalty, for the Lord is our Judge as well as Lawgiver. (2.) He gives them
this warning of the danger: "It shall not prosper, never expect
it." Note, It is folly to promise ourselves success in that which we
undertake contrary to the mind of God. "The Canaanites are before you
to attack you, and the Lord is not among you to protect you and fight
for you, and therefore look to yourselves that you be not smitten before
your enemies." Those that are out of the way of their duty are from
under God's protection, and go at their peril. It is dangerous going where we
cannot expect God should go along with us. Nay, he plainly foresees and
foretels their defeat: You shall fall by the sword of the Amalekites
and Canaanites (who were to have fallen by their sword); Because you are
turned away from the Lord, from following the guidance of his precept and
promise, therefore the Lord will not be with you. Note, God will
certainly leave those that leave him; and those that are left of him lie
exposed to all misery.
3. They venture notwithstanding. Never was people so perverse and so
desperately resolved in every thing to walk contrary to God. God bade them go,
and they would not; he forbade them, and they would. Thus is the carnal
mind enmity to God: They presumed to go up unto the hill-top, v.
44. Here, (1.) They struggled against the sentence of divine justice, and
would press on in defiance of it. (2.) They slighted the tokens of God's
presence, for they would go though they left Moses and the ark of the covenant
behind them. They had distrusted God's strength, and now they presume upon
their own without his.
4. The expedition speeds accordingly, v. 45. The enemy had posted
themselves upon the top of the hill, to make good that pass against the
invaders, and, being informed by their scouts of their approach, sallied out
upon them, and defeated them, and it is probable that many of the Israelites
were killed. Now the sentence began to be executed that their carcases
should fall in the wilderness. Note, That affair can never end well that
begins with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success against
our enemies, is to make God our friend, and keep ourselves in his love. The
Jews, like these their ancestors, when they had rejected Christ's
righteousness, attempted to establish their own, and it sped as this.
Contents
|
Next
Section
