patriarchs and prophets-第95部分

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in　a　weary　land。〃　Isaiah　26：4。　（margin）；　32：2。　And　he　records　the　precious
promise；　bringing　vividly　to　mind　the　living　stream　that　flowed　for　Israel：
〃When　the　poor　and　needy　seek　water；　and　there　is　none；　and　their　tongue
faileth　for　thirst；　I　the　Lord　will　hear　them；　I　the　God　of　Israel　will　not
forsake　them。〃　〃I　will　pour　water　upon　him　that　is　thirsty；　and　floods　upon
the　dry　ground；〃　〃in　the　wilderness　shall　waters　break　out；　and　streams　in
the　desert。〃　The　invitation　is　given；　〃Ho；　every　one　that　thirsteth；　come　ye
to　the　waters。〃　Isaiah　41：17；　44：3；　35：6；　55：1。　And　in　the　closing　pages　of
the　Sacred　Word　this　invitation　is　echoed。　The　river　of　the　water　of　life；
〃clear　as　crystal；〃　proceeds　from　the　throne　of　God　and　the　Lamb；　and　the
gracious　call　is　ringing　down　through　the　ages；　〃Whosoever　will；　let　him
take　the　water　of　life　freely。〃　Revelation　22：17。

Just　before　the　Hebrew　host　reached　Kadesh；　the　living　stream　ceased　that
for　so　many　years　had　gushed　out　beside　their　encampment。　It　was　the　Lord's
purpose　again　to　test　His　people。　He　would　prove　whether　they　would　trust
His　providence　or　imitate　the　unbelief　of　their　fathers。

They　were　now　in　sight　of　the　hills　of　Canaan。　A　few　days'

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march　would　bring　them　to　the　borders　of　the　Promised　Land。　They　were　but　a
little　distance　from　Edom；　which　belonged　to　the　descendants　of　Esau；　and
through　which　lay　the　appointed　route　to　Canaan。　The　direction　had　been
given　to　Moses；　〃Turn　you　northward。　And　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。　。　。　。　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。〃　Deuteronomy　2：3…6。　These　directions　should　have
been　sufficient　to　explain　why　their　supply　of　water　had　been　cut　off；　they
were　about　to　pass　through　a　well…watered；　fertile　country；　in　a　direct
course　to　the　land　of　Canaan。　God　had　promised　them　an　unmolested　passage
through　Edom；　and　an　opportunity　to　purchase　food；　and　also　water　sufficient
to　supply　the　host。　The　cessation　of　the　miraculous　flow　of　water　should
therefore　have　been　a　cause　of　rejoicing；　a　token　that　the　wilderness
wandering　was　ended。　Had　they　not　been　blinded　by　their　unbelief；　they　would
have　understood　this。　But　that　which　should　have　been　an　evidence　of　the
fulfillment　of　God's　promise　was　made　the　occasion　of　doubt　and　murmuring。
The　people　seemed　to　have　given　up　all　hope　that　God　would　bring　them　into
possession　of　Canaan；　and　they　clamored　for　the　blessings　of　the　wilderness。

Before　God　permitted　them　to　enter　Canaan；　they　must　show　that　they　believed
His　promise。　The　water　ceased　before　they　had　reached　Edom。　Here　was　an
opportunity　for　them；　for　a　little　time；　to　walk　by　faith　instead　of　sight。
But　the　first　trial　developed　the　same　turbulent；　unthankful　spirit　that　had
been　manifested　by　their　fathers。　No　sooner　was　the　cry　for　water　heard　in
the　encampment　than　they　forgot　the　hand　that　had　for　so　many　years　supplied
their　wants；　and　instead　of　turning　to　God　for　help；　they　murmured　against
Him；　in　their　desperation　exclaiming；　〃Would　God　that　we　had　died　when　our
brethren　died　before　the　Lord！〃　（Numbers　20：1…13）；　that　is；　they　wished　they
had　been　of　the　number　who　were　destroyed　in　the　rebellion　of　Korah。

Their　cries　were　directed　against　Moses　and　Aaron：　〃Why　have　ye　brought　up
the　congregation　of　the　Lord　into　this　wilderness；　that　we　and　our　cattle
should　die　there？　And　wherefore　have　ye　made　us　to　come　up　out　of　Egypt；　to
bring　us　in　unto

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this　evil　place？　it　is　no　place　of　seed；　or　of　figs；　or　of　vines；　or　of
pomegranates；　neither　is　there　any　water　to　drink。〃

The　leaders　went　to　the　door　of　the　tabernacle　and　fell　upon　their　faces。
Again　〃the　glory　of　the　Lord　appeared；〃　and　Moses　was　directed；　〃Take　the
rod；　and　gather　thou　the　assembly　together；　thou　and　Aaron　thy　brother；　and
speak　ye　unto　the　rock　before　their　eyes；　and　it　shall　give　forth　his　water；
and　thou　shalt　bring　forth　to　them　water　out　of　the　rock。〃

The　two　brothers　went　on　before　the　multitude；　Moses　with　the　rod　of　God　in
his　hand。　They　were　now　aged　men。　Long　had　they　borne　with　the　rebellion　and
obstinacy　of　Israel；　but　now；　at　last；　even　the　patience　of　Moses　gave　way。
〃Hear　now；　ye　rebels；〃　he　cried；　〃must　we　fetch　you　water　out　of　this　rock？〃
and　instead　of　speaking　to　the　rock；　as　God　had　commanded　him；　he　smote　it
twice　with　the　rod。

The　water　gushed　forth　in　abundance　to　satisfy　the　host。　But　a　great　wrong
had　been　done。　Moses　had　spoken　from　irritated　feeling；　his　words　were　an
expression　of　human　passion　rather　than　of　holy　indignation　because　God　had
been　dishonored。　〃Hear　now；　ye　rebels；〃　he　said。　This　accusation　was　true；
but　even　truth　is　not　to　be　spoken　in　passion　or　impatience。　When　God　had
bidden　Moses　to　charge　upon　Israel　their　rebellion；　the　words　had　been
painful　to　him；　and　hard　for　them　to　bear；　yet　God　had　sustained　him　in
delivering　the　message。　But　when　he　took　it　upon　himself　to　accuse　them；　he
grieved　the　Spirit　of　God　and　wrought　only　harm　to　the　people。　His　lack　of
patience　and　self…control　was　evident。　Thus　the　people　were　given　occasion
to　question　whether　his　past　course　had　been　under　the　direction　of　God；　and
to　excuse　their　own　sins。　Moses；　as　well　as　they；　had　offended　God。　His
course；　they　said；　had　from　the　first　been　open　to　criticism　and　censure。
They　had　now　found　the　pretext　which　they　desired　for　rejecting　all　the
reproofs　that　God　had　sent　them　through　His　servant。

Moses　manifested　distrust　of　God。　〃Shall　we　bring　water？〃　he　questioned；　as
if　the　Lord　would　not　do　what　He　promised。　〃Ye　believed　Me　not；〃　the　Lord
declared　to　the　two　brothers；　〃to　sanctify　Me　in　the　eyes　of　the　children　of
Israel。〃　At　the　time　when　the　water　failed；　their　own　faith　in　the
fulfillment　of　God's　promise　had　been　shaken　by　the　murmuring　and　rebellion
of　the　people。　The　first　generation　had　been　condemned　to　perish

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in　the　wilderness　because　of　their　unbelief；　yet　the　same　spirit　appeared　in
their　children。　Would　these　also　fail　of　receiving　the　promise？　Wearied　and
disheartened；　Moses　and　Aaron　had　made　no　effort　to　stem　the　current　of
popular　feeling。　Had　they　themselves　manifested　unwavering　faith　in　God；
they　might　have　set　the　matter　before　the　people　in　such　a　light　as　would
have　enabled　them　to　bear　this　test。　By　prompt；　decisive　exercise　of　the
authority　vested　in　them　as　magistrates；　they　might　have　quelled　the
murmuring。　It　was　their　duty　to　put　forth　every　effort　in　their　power　to
bring　about　a　better　state　of　things　before　asking　God　to　do　the　work　for
them。　Had　the　murmuring　at　Kadesh　been　promptly　checked；　what　a　train　of
evil　might　have　been　prevented！

By　his　rash　act　Moses　took　away　the　force　of　the　lesson　that　God　purposed　to
teach。　The　rock；　being　a　symbol　of　Christ；　had　been　once　smitten；　as　Christ
was　to　be　once　offered。　The　second　time　it　was　needful　only　to　speak　to　the
rock；　as　we　have　only　to　ask　for　blessings　in　the　name　of　Jesus。　By　the
second　smiting　of　the　rock　the　significance　of　this　beautiful　figure　of
Christ　was　destroyed。

More　than　this；　Moses　and　Aaron　had　assumed　power　that　belongs　only　to　God。
The　necessity　for　divine　interposition　made　the　occasion　one　of　great
solemnity；　and　the　leaders　of　Israel　should　have　improved　it　to　impress　the
people　with　reverence　for　God　and　to　strengthen　their　faith　in　His　power　and
goodness。　When　they　angrily　cried；　〃Must　we　fetch　you　water　out　of　this
rock？〃　they　put　themselves　in　God's　place；　as　though　the　power　lay　with
themselves；　men　possessing　human　frailties　and　passions。　Wearied　with　the
continual　murmuring　and　rebellion　of　the　people；　Moses　had　lost　sight　of　his
Almighty　Helper；　and　without　the　divine　strength　he　had　been　left　to　mar　his
record　by　an　exhibition　of　human　weakness。　The　man　who　might　have　stood
pure；　firm；　and　unselfish　to　the　close　of　his　work　had　been　overcome　at
last。　God　had　been　dishonored　before　the　congregation　of　Israel；　when　He
should　have　been　magnified　and　exalted。

God　did　not　on　this　occasion　pronounce　judgments　upon　those　whose　wicked
course　had　so　provoked　Moses　and　Aaron。　All　the　reproof　fell　upon　the
leaders。　Those　who　stood　as　God's　representatives　had　not　honored　Him。　Moses
and　Aaron　had　felt　themselves　aggrieved；　losing　sight　of　the　fact　that　the
murmuring　of　the　people　was　not　against　them　but　against　God。　It　was　by

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looking　to　themselves；　appealing　to　their　own　sympathies；　that　they
unconsciously　fell　into　sin；　and　failed　to　set　before　the　people　their　great
guilt　before　God。

Bitter　and　deeply　humiliating　was　the　judgment　immediately　pronounced。　〃The
Lord　spake　unto　Moses　and　Aaron；　Because　ye　believed　Me　not；　to　sanctify　Me
in　the　eyes　of　the　children　of　Israel；　therefore　ye　shall　not　bring　this
congregation　into　the　land　which　I　have　given　them。〃　With　rebellious　Israel
they　must　die　before　the　crossing　o