The National tribune., 1895-07-25
SUNDAY MEDITATION
A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Aug.
a. 1895. ts

Subject: The Report of tho Spies. Nu.,
13,I1-33.
lone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures As
indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION.
For keepinp Gods Word fast fixed in the
public mind we depend very much on the sun
day-school And that Institution is TO be main
tanned which has such worthy mission. We
cling to the Bible, and try TO explain it.
r. H. Dana wrote the following lines:
Gods Book rash doubter. holds the plain record ::
Dar'st talk of hopes and doubts against that
Word?
Oars, palter with it In a quibbling sense'
That Book shall judge thee when thou passost
Then.-wth Thy spirit from the body freed,
Then shalt thou know. see feel, what's life in-
deed,"
We are now to study very important para
graph.
The Latin poet, Albius Tibullus tB. c. 54)
wrote: Happy thou that learnest from
anothcr's gricfs not 10 subject myself to the
same"
Cunners and sculpins il thrown back after
biting a hook. snap at it again, foolish are
they, so inutile of experience. This same in
disposition to utilize personal injury 10 prevent
future calamity characterized the lsraelites,
for after being punished they often fell again
into sin.
In all our study of Bible history we must
seek lessons for our own good. Coniuclus
(B. C. 47s) said: "As we use glass to examine
the forms of things, so we must study an
tiquity to understand the present"
TWELVE SPIES SENT INTO CANAAN.
Data.
NJ. ID: 1873. One must study the entire
chapter.
We learn from NJ, 10: II, that the Israelites
left Mt Sinai on the Goth of the second month
of the second year after their departure from
Egypt. They remained about Mt. Sinai for
nearly q year. They left in the year 25l4
A. NJ, or 1890 b. c., or 1885 years ago. 1t took
them about three months to reach kadesh-
Baruea. Then the spies we're sent into Canaan.
aud were absent about 40 days. M, 1920.
Verse 90 of the lesson fixes quite definitely the
time OF the year, . the time was the time OF the
first ripe grapes" Rev. John w. Nevin, ID. d.,
in his Biblical Antiquities, p. 81, states: The
vintage or season for gathering grapes. began
early in the Fall, about the middle Of Septem-
Der (Tisri or Ethauim). and generally lasted
about two months" The first ripe grapes
would be on the vines early in September. We
remember the Feast of Tsbernacles, which was
a harvest festival, including the grape vintage,
began on the 18th of Tisri. E1., %; l6; Lev,
%: 80; Deu., 16: Is.
Place.
The Israeltes left Mt. Sinai, going north.
Their first station was Taberah. 11:3. Next
they reached Kibroth Hattaavah. II: 81, 30;
So: &c. II. The fourth stop was at Hazcroth.
II:35: 33:I7 is. HaZeroth was about lib
miles from Mt Sinai. Tho fifth station was
Kadesh- Barnea. 10; 26;. Deu., 1:19. We
learn from Deu.. :2, that Kadesh- Barnes was
IL days journey from Mt. Sinai. But the
Israelites did not go without stopping. They
remained at Kibroth Hattaavah for four
weeks. IL 20. At Hazeroth they stopped
for week. -: Is. TO-, In direct line
Kadesh. Barnea is about 100 miles from Mt.
Sinai. 1t is in the wilderness of Paran. 13:
%. That was the only station in all the wan
derings called city, 20: l6. 1t was in the
southern boarder of the Promised Land. 81:
4; JOSH. 10: Ill. They stopped at Kadesh-
Barnea many days." peu., / 46. Compare
"many days" in Nu., 8: 10.
Mt. Sinai to Taberab.. 37miles.
II. to Kibroth Hattaayah, 80 +"
X. to Hazeroth. 26 3"
H. to Kadesh- Barnea 60
Hence K. was 173 miles from Mt. Sinai.
a. Taberab. Nu., 1I:3. 80. 1t was three
days from Mt. Sinai.
The people complained bitterly. The cause
is not known. Jerome supposes it WAS because
of the length of the way. They had been at
rest for nearly one year, aud travelling was
very wearying to them. Perhaps they judged
they we getting on to the Promised Land too
slowly, only about IL miles day.
They were terribly punished for their CON-
planning.
b. Kibroth Hattaavah. Nu., IL: "a, 35; 80:
IL.
1sraelites complained at want of variety in
food God scnt great supplies of quaiIs and the
people became guttons. Many died. Staid
there one month.
c. Hazeroth. NJ. IL: 30; 80: II, is. Miriam
and AARON rebelled against Moses. Miriam was
struck with leprosy. but recovered ON Moses
praying for her. The wanderers remained at
least one week at HaZeroth.
Leaving Hazeroth they struck out into the
Wilderness Of Paran.
d. Kadesh. Barnea. M. 13: &c; Deu.. 1 10.
The only station of the Wilderness journeys
called city. 1t was on the southern boundary
of the Promised Land. NJ, "a: 4; JOS, 10:
IL.
The Twelve Spies were sent from there.
The 10 of them who discouraged the PROPOSE
ton TO go at once into Canaan died OF plague.
Only Caleb and Joshua were spared. They
two alone Of all then over 90 years OF age were
allowed to enter Canaan. All the rest died in
the wilderness.
God punished the people by not permitting
tucu W OH IulO tHe lShHu.
Then some presumptuous ones determined TO go
on at once. They were slain.
Aman was stoned there for picking up sticks
on the Jewish day Of worship.
Israeiites stopped there many days.
Leaving there they wandered about for SO
years.
II is to be noticed that the suggestion to
reconnoiter tho country was made to Moses by
the people. The thought Of sending spies was
not to discover best methods of entering the
land. That would be reasonable suggestion.
But the plan of spying was based on the APP.
prehenson the country was too strong to be
taken. 1t was shameful for 100000 armed men
so to distrust themselves, and yet more repre-
hensible was their distrust of Jehovah.
The state of things was proof the lsraelites
were not yet prepared to become indepen-
dent Nation.
The Spies.
These were selected one from each tribe.
We give in the list below the names of the
Twelve Tribes and opposite each tribe the
name of its respective spy:
]. Reuben. trs Shammua.
9. Simeon. 81 Shaphst.
3. Judah. Caleb.
a. lssachar. 90 Igal.
5. Ephraim. o7 'Oshea (Joshua).
6. Benjamin. i,i4 Palti.
2. Iebulon. ylt Gaddiel.
8. Joseph (Manasseh). Gaddi.
8. Dan. Dio Ammiel.
10. Asher Sethur.
ii. Naphtali. sss Nahbi.
12. Cad 81 "a Geuel.