Part 5

Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain bread from Heaven for you." In the morning they found it on the ground, and called it Manna. Each one gathered just enough to last through the day. This manna would keep fresh and sweet only one day. So they all had to depend on the Lord every day for the food they ate.

In Egypt the people had forgotten the Sabbath. Now the Lord would have them remember it. So on the seventh day no manna was given. But on the sixth day the people gathered enough for two days.

And the Lord kept it sweet for them over the Sabbath. This was a Sabbath lesson for them every week. The Sabbath was made for man, and given to him at creation as a memorial of God's great work of making the world in six days. But Israel had forgotten. God wants His Sabbath kept holy now as well as in the time of Israel in the wilderness.

When they came to Rephidim there was no water, and the people complained again to Moses. And the Lord told Moses to go to Mount Horeb and smite the rock with his staff. When he did so, water burst from the rock, enough for the whole camp. It was Moses who smote the rock, but the Lord made the waters to flow.

Whenever the camp was pitched after this they found good water flowing from the rock for them. This rock was to make them and us think of Christ, and the water flowing from it represents the living water of the Word of God which He gives to all who want it.

Soon a new danger arose. The Amalekites came out to attack them. Joshua led the armies of Israel against them. While the battle was going on, Moses stood on a hill and raised his hands to God and prayed for the success of Israel. When he became weary and lowered his hands, the Amalekites were successful. Then Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses until the sun went down, and Israel gained the victory.

This was to teach Israel that the victory came from God, and that he would hear and answer prayer. It also taught them that they should help their leader, Moses, in the great work he had to do.

Mount Sinai.

FROM Rephidim Israel journeyed to Mount Sinai. Here God would give His law to the people, and here they were to build the tabernacle for His holy service.

Before this time these people had no books to read. God's Word and His law had been told from father to son, and so remembered. But during the slavery in Egypt this instruction had been forgotten by many, until they had become like the heathen around them.

During their journey God had spoken to Israel only through Moses. But at this time all the people were called together, and God spoke His law to them with His own voice.

The scene which the people saw was terribly grand. There was a thick cloud on the mount, and amidst it were thunderings and lightnings. The whole mountain was shaken with an earthquake.

There was a loud blast of a trumpet from the mount, "so that all the people that was in the camp trembled." Then God spake His law to the people,--the ten commandments recorded in Exodus 20:3-17.

The children of Israel were always to remember this scene. It was to impress upon their minds the greatness and power of God, the importance of His law, and the necessity of obeying it.

Moses was called up into the very presence of God, on the top of the mountain. Here God gave him two tables of stone on which He had written with His finger the same ten commandments that He had spoken in the hearing of all Israel.

God's law is as enduring as the stone on which it was written. These two tables are called "the tables of the covenant." Deuteronomy 9:11. The ten commandments are called God's covenant with His people. "And He wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments." Exodus 34:28.

David said that His covenant, or law, was "commanded to _a thousand generations_." Psalms 105:8. It will _continue forever_. Christ Himself said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law." Matthew 5:17, 18.

Again He said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least (or, of no account) in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19.

The Apostle James said, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. Keeping nine of the commandments will not save us. If we break _one_ commandment, the law will condemn us as surely as if we broke all the ten.

Man can not change _one single commandment_ of God's law. If he tries to do so, it is then only a commandment of men. The worship of those who make or keep such commandments is useless, for God will not accept it. Christ said of those who do so, "But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9.

The only safe course is to take God's law _just as He gave it_ on Sinai, and obey it _as_ He gave it. Of those who will be alive when Christ comes it is written, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God." Revelation 14:12.

Heaven will be filled with commandment-keeping people; for it is written, "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14.

We can not keep these commandments ourselves any more than the children of Israel could in the wilderness. It is for this that Christ died on Calvary. Through Him we can have forgiveness for our sins, and receive help to overcome sin and obey the law of God.

While Moses was in the mount God gave him instructions for building the sanctuary. It was to be like the one in heaven. In it the Lord would meet His people and give them such instruction as they needed. Provision was also made in it for sacrifices and offerings, all of which were to show their faith in the Saviour to come.

Moses was in the mountain one-ninth of a year. The faith of the people was not strong enough to endure the long separation from their leader. They did not think he would return to them. They said, "As for this Moses, ... we wot not what has become of him."

They came to Aaron and said to him, "Up, make us gods, which shall go before us." They would make to themselves a calf as their leader to take the place of Moses, and then go on to the promised land without him. The old habits of idol worship in Egypt had come back to them.

So Israel brought their ornaments of gold to Aaron, and he made of them a golden calf. The calf represented Apis, the god held most sacred by the Egyptians.

When it was done the people gathered around it and cried, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." Exodus 32:4.

How could they so soon forget the wonders and plagues brought by the Lord upon Egypt! How could they forget the terrible day when God spake to them His law from the top of Mount Sinai!

And the Lord said to Moses, "Get thee down, for thy people have corrupted themselves." As Moses came in sight of the camp of Israel, and saw their heathen worship, he was filled with horror and anger.

In his hands he bore the tables of the sacred law which they were transgressing. He threw them down, and they were broken in pieces at the foot of the mount. This was to remind the Israelites that they had broken God's law which they had promised to obey. In consequence of this they could not claim the promise He had made them.

Through the pleading of Moses, God spared Israel at this time, but the rebellion and evil must be put away from among them.

Moses called for a separation in the camp. Some had not joined in the idolatry, but through it all had remained true to God. These were asked to take their place at the right hand of Moses. Many others saw how wicked they had been, and repented. These took their stand at the left.

Others were stubborn and would not repent, and would not come by the side of Moses at all. About three thousand of the leaders in wickedness perished at the command of the Lord, and the camp was cleansed.

Aaron confessed his sin in making the golden calf, and was forgiven. The calf was ground to powder and scattered in the waters of the brook from which they drank.

At the command of God, Moses hewed out two more tables of stone, and took them up to Sinai. On these God again wrote His law. When the sanctuary was completed, these tables were placed in a beautiful ark, overlaid with gold. For this reason it was called "The Ark of the Covenant."

This ark was the most sacred thing in all the earthly sanctuary. It was sacred because it contained the tables on which God had written His law. It was deposited in the most holy place, into which none but the high priest ever entered.

On the top of the ark was the mercy seat, and here was where the glory of God rested, and from this place He spake to His people.

When the children of Israel were taken captive by the Babylonians, the ark disappeared, and the Bible makes no mention of it since that time.

The Twelve Spies.

AFTER all the work on the tabernacle was done, the Israelites again took up their march toward the promised land. In eleven days they reached Kadesh, near the borders of Canaan.

Here twelve spies--one from each tribe--were sent to view the land. They were gone forty days, and on their return brought samples of the fruit of Canaan. They brought one cluster of grapes, so large that it was carried on a pole between two of the men.

In their report to Moses they said, "We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it." Numbers 13:17.

Oh, if they had only been willing to stop there in their report! But they went on to tell that the land was filled with strong nations. There were walled cities that could not be broken down, and there were giants, the sons of Anak.

Then Israel lost all hope and courage, "And all the congregation ... cried; and the people wept that night." And they murmured against Moses and Aaron, and said, "Would God we had died in Egypt! or ... in the wilderness.... Let us return to Egypt." Numbers 14:2, 4.

Where now was their faith and trust in God? They had forgotten the wonders and plagues and the deliverance from Egypt. They had forgotten the many times God had done wonderful things for them on their journey. Surely a God who could do such things could give them the victory over their enemies in Canaan.

Only two of the twelve spies kept their faith in God. Caleb and Joshua told the people that God was able to give them the land. "And Caleb said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." Numbers 13:30. But the people would not listen to them.

Then God spake to Moses, and told him that Israel had been so rebellious that those who came out of Egypt should never enter the land of promise. They should wander in the wilderness forty years until they died, and when their children were grown He would bring them into the land.

But Caleb and Joshua had been faithful to God. These two were excepted, and of all the men that left Egypt, only these two should finally enter Canaan. The other ten spies, who had caused Israel to sin, were smitten by the plague, and died in the sight of all Israel.

All the next night Israel spent in mourning. They now realized what they had lost. But in the morning a new hope came to them. They would make up for their lack of courage. They would now go up and take the land.

The armies of Israel gathered, but Moses said to them, "Go not up, for the Lord is not among you." They had lost their opportunity, and if they went up God would not fight for them.

But the army of Israel was a vast multitude of over half a million solders. They now felt able to attack their enemies. So against the command of God they went up to battle with the armies of the Canaanites that had come out to meet them.

But the ark of God remained in camp, and so did Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. Without a leader, and forsaken of God, the army of Israel was defeated with great slaughter.

Then the Israelites turned back to the wilderness.

The Brazen Serpent.

THE Israelites wandered in the wilderness nearly forty years. Then, at the command of the Lord, they again turned their faces toward Canaan.

On this journey they were permitted to meet many difficulties, that their faith and trust in God might be tested. They were sometimes short of food to eat and water to drink, and as they neared the promised land great armies came out to destroy them. But the Lord helped them in every trouble, and gave them the victory over their enemies.

Part of their way lay through a hot, sandy desert, where they suffered from heat and thirst. But, instead of being patient, they rebelled against God, and found fault with Moses.

Then the Lord let serpents come into the camp, whose bite was like fire, and brought sure death. Some in almost every tent were bitten.

This punishment showed them their sin, and they came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee. Pray unto the Lord that He take away the serpents from us." Numbers 21:7-9.

In answer to the prayer of Moses the Lord told him to make a serpent of brass, and raise it up on a pole, so that all in the camp could see it. Those who were bitten were told to look at this Serpent and they would be healed. The serpent could not heal them, but to look required faith, and faith brought the healing power.

The Lord could have healed them with a word, but the lesson must be complete. The lifting up of the serpent was to them a type of the lifting up of Christ on the cross, for through Him only could they receive pardon and relief from the consequences of sin. The brazen serpent was an object lesson to lead the children of Israel to look to Christ.

The Hebrews had the same Gospel, or good news of pardon and salvation through Christ, that we have. Speaking of them in the wilderness, the Apostle Paul says, "For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them." Hebrews 4:2.

Every sacrifice they made for sin, every lamb slain, was to show their faith in "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. The blood of the offering was a type of the blood of Christ.

Jesus Christ is the great central figure of the Gospel. It was Christ who was with Israel in all their journey from Egypt to the promised land.

Christ was the "Spiritual Rock" which followed them. He was in the pillar of cloud by day, and in the pillar of fire by night. He was the "Angel" that went before Israel; for Jehovah said, "My name is in Him." (See Exodus 23:21, 22.) No being bears the name of God but His Son.

So, in the history of the world, it has not been as some have supposed, God the Father in the Old Testament, and Christ the Son in the New Testament. It has been Christ with His people all the way.

In the Old Testament Christ was their "Spiritual Rock." In the New Testament, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." 2 Corinthians 5:19.

Both the Father and the Son have ever worked for the salvation of man; but Christ has been the active agent in this work. It was God who "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" for our redemption. It was Christ who made the terrible sacrifice for our salvation.

Entering the Promised Land.

AS Israel neared the promised land, both Moses and Aaron died. Joshua was then made commander in the place of Moses.

Soon they came to the River Jordan, which they must cross. Here again the Lord made a way for them. He told Israel to go forward, and as the feet of the leaders touched the water, the river stopped flowing from above, and the bed of the stream was left dry. Then the people passed over on dry ground, as their fathers had crossed the Red Sea forty years before.

The book of Joshua tells of the battles that Israel fought with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. These were very wicked nations, who were as bad as the people who lived before the flood. So the Lord used the armies of Israel to destroy those wicked people.

The first city overthrown was Jericho. This city had very strong and high walls, and the Hebrews were not able to break them down. But the Lord could do what man could not.

One day Joshua saw a man near the camp, with a sword drawn in his hand. "And Joshua went unto him and said, Art thou for us or for our adversaries?

"And he said, Nay; but as Captain of the host of the Lord am I come." Joshua 5:13-15. Then Joshua knew that it was Jesus Christ, for He is the Captain of the Lord's host.

The Lord told Joshua what to do. Each day, for six days, all the army of Israel was to march around the city. The soldiers were to go ahead, the priests with the ark of God were to come next, and all the rest of the people were to follow.

On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times. "And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city." Joshua 6:16.

And when the people shouted, the walls of Jericho "fell down flat," and the soldiers went into the city and utterly destroyed it as the Lord had told them to do. This was to show to all nations that God was fighting for Israel.

The tenth chapter of Joshua also tells of a very wonderful battle between Israel and five of the kings of Canaan. All day the battle lasted, and God fought for Israel, sending down great hailstones upon their enemies. More were killed by these hailstones than were slain by the Israelites.

As the conflict raged, Joshua saw that the day would be too short to finish the battle. Then, led by the Spirit of God, he commanded the sun and moon to stand still until the work should be fully done.

"So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it." Joshua 10:13, 14.

In this battle the armies of the wicked Canaanites were utterly destroyed, and their kings slain.

When the nations of Canaan were fully conquered, the land was divided up and given to the different tribes of Israel, as their home.

The Judges of Israel

AFTER the death of Joshua, Israel was governed by judges for many hundred years. Sometimes these judges were wicked men, and led the people into the worship of idols.

Then the Lord, although He still loved them, allowed their enemies to afflict them, that they might remember that He alone could save them from their foes and from sin.

Then when they returned to Him, confessed their sins, and put away their idols, He would choose good and wise men to be their judges. He would then go with their armies to battle, defeat their enemies, and deliver them.

At one time the armies of Midian afflicted Israel for seven years. At harvest time they would come "as grasshoppers for multitude," and take from Israel "all the increase of the earth." During these attacks the people fled to the dens, and caves, and strongholds of the mountains.

Then Israel cried to the Lord for help, and He raised up Gideon to deliver them. One day an angel appeared to him, as he was threshing grain in secret for fear of the invaders. And the angel told him that he was chosen to "save Israel from the hand of the Midianites."

Gideon then prepared food and brought it to the angel. He also asked for a sign that he might know that the words spoken by the angel came from the Lord. So instead of eating the food, the angel said to Gideon, "Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth."

When Gideon had done as he was told, the angel touched the food with the rod in his hand, and fire came out of the rock and burned it. Then the angel disappeared, and Gideon knew that it was the Lord who had spoken to him.

And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he made a call for soldiers. But before he dared take command of the army that gathered, he asked for other signs that he might be sure that God had really chosen him and would go with him.

So one night he spread a fleece of wool on the floor, and asked the Lord that if He had chosen him to lead Israel, to let dew fall on the fleece, and the rest of the floor be dry. And in the morning he found it so.

The next night he asked that the dew might fall on the floor and dampen it, and the fleece remain dry. This also was done. Then Gideon knew that the Lord had called him to lead the armies of Israel.

Gideon's army numbered only thirty-two thousand men, but their enemies were "like grasshoppers for multitude." Yet the Lord told Gideon that his army was too large. The Lord would show all Israel that He would deliver them if they would trust him.

So Gideon was told to let all who were fearful go back to their homes. As a result, twenty-two thousand men returned, leaving only ten thousand.

Yet _these_ were too many. The army must be so small that every one would know that it was God alone who gave the victory. So at the command of the Lord they were led to a brook to drink.

Those who kneeled down and drank were sent home. But there were three hundred men whose thoughts were only on the work before them. They dipped up the water in their hands, and drank as they went on, with their faces toward the enemy.

These three hundred men were then armed for their work, and in a strange manner. Each man was given a trumpet, a pitcher, and a blazing torch hidden in the pitcher. This little army was then divided into three companies, and, in the darkness of night, approached the hosts of Midian from three sides.

At a signal from Gideon, all three companies gave a blast of their trumpets to awaken the sleeping enemy. Then they broke the pitchers and let their torches flame up, and gave the battle cry,--"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." To the Midianites it appeared that they were surrounded by a great army.

In their fear they fled for life. They mistook their own companions for enemies, and killed one another. The news of the victory spread, and thousands of Israel joined in pursuit of their retreating foes, and the great army of Midianites was utterly destroyed.

The strongest and most wonderful Judge of Israel was Samson. According to instruction given his mother from the Lord, he was a "Nazarite" from his birth. This meant that he was to drink no wine, and the hair of his head was never to be cut.

As he grew up, the Lord gave him wonderful strength. One day as he was passing through a vineyard of the Philistines, a young lion met him. He had no weapons with him, but with his bare hands he tore the lion and killed him.

Soon after this a great army of Philistines came out against Israel. "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon Samson." His only weapon was the jaw bone of an ass; but with this he defeated the whole army of the Philistines, and slew a thousand of them.

Here was another lesson of what the Lord could do for His people. Gideon had three hundred men when he fought the hosts of Midian; but at this time one man alone won the battle against an army of the Philistines.