The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-08
Eessotr Series tnr 1888.
THIRD QUARTER.
STUDIES In THE OLD TESTAMENT,
September IG, 1888.
LESSON XXXVII.-THE SMITTEN
ROCK.
By REV. ROBERT e POLK.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
Numbers Xxx. LIB
INCIDENTS.

lNUlU6NlS,
OF TIME AND PLACE.-The s,ene of this
Lesson is the same as the last two, -Kadesh
in the wilderness of Yin, or Paren (see Map
AMI Study Sept. 2),-but the time is more
than thirty-seven years later. The Israelites
had sojourned all these years in the wilder
ness, and new generation had grown up
better qualified to make the conquest of Ga.
naan and possess the Promised Land than
were their fathers who we're so terrified by
the report of the spies and doomed to die in
the desert because of their unbelieving and
rebellious spirit. No account of their wan
behring's in the wilderness is given. From
Kadesh the people dispersed, probably coat
tering over the entire region south of Canaan
and between the two arms of the Red Sea,
the Tabernacle being moved from place to
place as the rallying point of the host and
center of the theocratic government of Israel.
When the fearful and unbelieving generation
had fallen in the wilderness by the decree of
GoD, and new generation had taken their
places in the army of JEHOVAH, they were
again assembled at Kadesh to make prepara-
ton for the invasion of the country their ia
theirs had feared to enter. TIE time of the
second encampment at Kade sh was in the
first month of the fortieth year (xxxiii. 3S)
after the departure from Egypt, in March or
April B. @. 1852. The places of encampment
where the Tabernacle was set up, from the
departure from Kadesh TO the return again,
is probably recorded in xxxii. 1896. Rith-
NAH is thought to be another name for Ka-
desh or that of locality included in the re-
gion of Kadesh, to which they would arrive
at and depart from Kadesh
For generation Israel had led nomadic
life, passing from place to place as pasturage
invited, though Kadesh had been their GEN.
ter. The men who had come from Egypt
gradually died out, and their SONS had grown,
under the inspiration of Moses, and those as
ISOLATED with him, into a strong and vigor-
GUS nation. The energies called forth by the
necessities and peris of a desert life; the
quickening breath of the pure air of the will
derness; love of freedom kindled into a
passion by its enjoyment for a generation;
the communion with nature IN its silent vast
ness and sublimity, bringing them face to
face with GoD and their own thoughts; the
interdependence fostered by common action
as a people; the free constitution they en-
joyed, and, above all, the grand religious
conceptions which reused all that was noble
in the soul, and had effaoed the servile faint
of Egypt, called out the slumbering qualities
of the race and restored them to the vigor-
GUS tone of their shepherd ancestors Geitie,
Hours with the Bible"
THE DEATH OF MIRIAM.-At this time
and place Miriam, the prophecies, Moses
sister, is said to have died and was buried.
1t was she, probably who watched the infant
"Moses in the bulrushes " and brought his
mother for a nurse when he was reasoned by
the EgyntisG prireass, VII adopted him as
nsf son and brought min. up in the palace of
Pharaoh Exodus ii. 4-10). She was an aged
woman, not less than a hundred and thirty
years old when she died. According to Jo-
sephus she was the wife of Hur, who with
Aaron was associated with Moses in admin
istering the government of Israel exodus
xvii 1912; xiv. 14), in which relation she
might be the grandmother of Bezaleel, the
architect aud master workman of the Taber-
nacle Exodus XXI. p. Moses honored her
with costly public funeral, the ceremonies
of mourning continuing thirty days. Her
tomb was on the summit of hill in the vii
derness of Tin (see Study Sept. p. AT the
time of Jerome, about B. G. 375, her grave
was pointed out near Petra, the ancient cap
ital of Edom. Moses was ten or twelve
years younger than his illustrious sister. 1t
is among the chief griefs Of old age that the
friends of youth drop off one by one and
leave the survivors more and more compan-
ionless, until at last they may be wholly SOL
itary.
MURMURINGS.-The Israelites appear to
have remained some time in the neighbor-
hood of Kadesb. Moses sent messages to
the king of the Edomites,-tho descendants
of Esau, the elder brother of Jacob, called
Israel, the patriarch of the Israelites to whom
he old the patriarchal birthright for mess
of pottage Genesis XIV. 29-35)-for the priv
ilege of journeying peaceably through their
country on their way to Canaan (l4f). They
may have tarried at Kadesh for the mes sen-
gers to return. During the sojourn there
the supply of water gave out, either because
the springs and torrent pools were not sufi-
cient to supply so large an encampment, or,
because of a drought which was of frequent
occurrence in the desert. The people became
discouraged and bitterly complained of their
hard lot. In the temper of their spirits the
new generation appear to have been much
like their fathers, whose faith and fidelity
were insufficient to trustfnlly and patiently
endure long privations and great hardships.
1t appears that the lesson of faith and per-
feet trust which will insure patient endur-
ance is hard to learn, Notwithstanding the
evidences of Cons faithfulness and his eter-
nal goodness are abundant. revolt against
the administration of Moses and Aaron ap-
pears to have been organized, and the faith
less discomfort of the people was expressed
in the old cry of despair, 80, that we had
died when our brethren died before JEHo-
YAH" This may have been the expression of
the older generation who had seen their
brethren fall away one by one during the
long soiourn in the wilderness by the decree
of GoD. "Why," they murmured once more
against their leaders, shave ye assembled the
people of COP in this desert to perish with
their cattle2 Why have ye brought them out
of Egypt into this evil land where there are
no harvests to CATHERINE seed, no fg-trees
and pomegrsnstes, no vines, and no water to
drink?''
"THE GLORY OF THE LORD"
HE SUPPLIES THE WANTS OF HIS PEG
PLE.-Suoh state of discomfort, long con-
tinued and publicly expressed would soon