xxxiv. It was grace that brought Moses to the top of Pisgah and showed

him the land of Canaan from thence. It was grace that led Jehovah to provide a grave for His servant and bury him therein. It was better to see the land of Canaan in company with God than to enter it in company with Israel. And yet we must not forget that Moses was prevented entering the land because of the unadvised speaking. God in government kept Moses out of Canaan: God in grace brought Moses up to Pisgah. These two facts in the history of Moses illustrate very forcibly the distinction between grace and government—a subject of the deepest interest, and of great practical value. Grace pardons and blesses, but government takes its course. Let us ever remember this. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This principle runs through all the ways of God in government, and nothing can be more solemn; nevertheless, “grace reigns through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.” All praise to Him who is at once the fountain and the channel of this grace!

From verses 14-20 of our chapter, we have the correspondence between Moses and the king of Edom. It is instructive and interesting to notice the style of each, and to compare it with the history given in Genesis xxxii, xxxiii. Esau had a serious grudge against Jacob; and albeit, through the direct interposition of God, he was not suffered to touch a hair of his brother’s head, still, on the other hand, Israel must not meddle with Esau’s possessions. Jacob had supplanted Esau, and Israel must not molest Edom. “Command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: 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. Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.” (Deut. ii. 4-6.) Thus we see that the same God who would not suffer Esau to touch Jacob, in Genesis xxxiii, now will not suffer Israel to touch Edom, in Numbers xx.

The closing paragraph of Numbers xx. is deeply touching. We shall not quote it, but the reader should refer to it, and compare it carefully with the scene in Exodus iv. 1-17. Moses had deemed Aaron’s companionship indispensable; but he afterwards found him to be a sore thorn in his side, and here he is compelled to strip him of his robes and see him gathered to his fathers. All this is very admonitory, in whatever way we view it, whether as regards Moses or Aaron. We have already referred to this instructive piece of history, and therefore we shall not dwell upon it here; but may the good Lord engrave its solemn lesson deeply upon the tablets of our hearts.