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should hardly believe that a redeemed people, so recently sighing under the bitter
bondage of Egypt, should so soon forget the bitterness and remember the tasty morsels
like leeks, onions and garlick. They said "we remember", and the apostle in Phil. 3: 13
says, "forgetting those things which are behind", and Heb. 11: 15 says: "Truly, if they
had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned." Stephen, in Acts 7: 39, tells us that Israel turned back
again in their hearts unto Egypt, while in Numb. 14: 4 we read that they actually said:
"Let us make a captain, and let us return unto Egypt."
No one with a knowledge of Hebrews, with its double reference to "The Captain of
our salvation" (Heb. 2: 10), and "The Captain and Perfecter of faith" (Heb. 12: 2), will
fail to see the solemn bearing of this spirit upon the alternatives of Hebrews, viz., "On to
perfection" or "Back to perdition". The poet has said: "Distance lends enchantment to
the view", and Israel's memory was biased; they forgot the bondage while they
remembered the fish, etc., and we do well to profit by this lesson.
How awful the words sound when we think of their setting:--
"There is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes" (Numb. 9: 6).
It is almost like crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting Him to
open shame. It is comparable with Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
It is parallel with those who were failing of the prize as these Israelites were, whose "god
was their belly". It is not without deep reason that the first temptation of Adam, and of
Christ, revolved around something to eat. This is the first avenue of temptation, and
sometimes it is enough.
There is something infectious about evil. The mixed multitude start lusting, the
children of Israel begin to weep and complain, and now Moses under the heavy strain
begins to speak:--
"Wherefore hast Thou afflicted Thy servant? . . . . . Have I conceived all this people?
Have I begotten them, that Thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a
nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou swearest unto their
fathers?" (Numb. 11: 11, 12).
Poor Moses--mighty leader as he was, man of faith that so wondrously overcame--he
was nevertheless a shadow only of Him Who was to come:--
"For it became Him . . . . . in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of
their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Heb. 2: 10).
There came a day when the patience of Moses snapped, he spoke unadvisedly with his
lips and lost entry into the land of promise. He was a saved man, he appeared upon the
Mount of Transfiguration, he was faithful, as a servant, in all his house--few, if any,
have even walked so closely with the Lord or been so highly honoured--yet the greatest
and the best are unworthy to loose the latchet of the Saviour's shoes. Every crown must