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"And thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from Me, that they die not"
(Numb. 17: 10).
We are brought back therefore to the initial seed of this awful crop of death--
murmuring. Murmuring about God's sovereign disposal of glory, dignity or honour
reveals a failure to appreciate that the smallest and lowliest blessing we receive is all of
grace. Korah should have remembered the signal mercy that had led him out of Egypt,
and have been thankful that his bones were not bleaching with those of the Egyptians on
the shore of the Red Sea. No wonder Philippians, the epistle of the prize winner, is the
epistle of rejoicing, the epistle of contentment, the epistle that warns against murmuring.
Some, we fear, may resent this message: may it be a means of help to those who having
heard the higher call are seeking grace to run with patience.
#87.
The start from Kadesh (Numb. 20: - 25:).
pp. 66 - 71
Once again we have, interposed between chapters of history, further laws pertaining to
the priests and the people, full of matter and abundantly repaying careful study. It is not
our purpose, however, to investigate every detail of these books, time alone being against
us, so we pass over chapters 18: & 19: and take up the theme again in chapter 20:,
where another series of incidents is recorded, some of which are used in the N.T. and all
of which are full of needed lessons for those who, having been redeemed by the precious
blood, are pressing on like Caleb and Joshua to the inheritance ahead. It is not of our
choosing that these historic incidents should necessitate so much insistence upon the
Philippians aspect of truth, and we shall not shirk it because some may not readily
appreciate the lessons taught. We need all the counsel of God, and a faithful ministry
does not keep back anything that is profitable.
The section before us occupies six chapters, and for the first approach, the structure
found in The Companion Bible is of service in placing the distinct grouping of events
before the eye. The following analysis brings into prominence the features that
represents the lesson element, the features therefore that we mostly desire:--