The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-22
y .1E .11E9EG6ROKEYN-
TABERNACLE
AABIBEE.sTUDY.oN- 80
A Good MANS Sin

Let the words of my mouth, and the
meditation of my heart, be acceptable
In Thy sight, Lord, my strength, and
my Redeemer. Psalm 1el14
Fer ss years the Israeltes resided In
the wilderness, making Kadesh-B Barnea
their camp center, but really occupy
ing q considerable portion OF the vii
derness with their floeks and herds.
In April of the fortieth year, by divine
command through Moses. they as
sembled at Kadesh, prepared to enter
the Land of Promise. But the water
supply was seant. Murmurings arose,
and inquiries whether Ii were not bet
ter to have perlshed in Egypt or else
where than to perish there from thirst.
Moses and Aaron went to the Lord
with the matter, desiring guidance from
on high. The Lord graciously mani
Tested Himself-quite probably to Israel
also, who looked on. This glory which
appeared unto them is surmised to have
been ray of light enanating from the
mercy seat In the most holy.
Moses and Aaron were instructed to
take the rod. presumably "Aaron's rod
that budded." and that was kept in the
ark In the most holy. That rod would
remind the people of the Lords spe-
cial acceptance of Aaron as high priest
and Moses assistant and of the divine
favor which hitherto had guided their
nation and would continue to guide all
who trusted in the Lord.
Shifting the Rock Sin
The Lord particularly directed that
Moses should speak to the rock. and
waters would rush forth. About 3S
years before, In a similar experience
near Mt. Sinai, Moses had been in
structed to smite the rock; but in this
case the rock was not to be smitten.
Here Moses and Aaron sinned. "The
meekest man In all the earth" forgot
himself, and allowed a spirit some what
akin to pride. self-sufficiency and
anger to control him for the moment.
smiling the rock, he cried aloud to the
people, "Ye rebels, must | bring you
water out of this rock?"
The water indeed came forth as the
Lord had promised. The people got the
blessing needed, but one of the most
illustrious servants of God fell under
divine disapprobation. The Lords de-
cree was that neither Moses nor Aaron
should enter Canaan. Moses, however,
was permitted to go with the people
to their journeys end and then from
Mt. Nebo to see the land across the
Jordan. -
This condemnation does not signify di-
vine reprobation to eternal torment or to
any lasting dishonor. Moses got his en-
tire punishment then and there. before
death, as do all Gods sanity ones.
Whatever stripes, chastisements, punish
ments of the future shall be meted out
to mankind in general because of present
wrongdoings, there are none reserved for
the saints. st. Paul explains that these
cha in tbaf
they may not come into condemnation
with the world by and by
They Drank of That ROck-Christ
st. Paul also points out that the smit-
ing of the rock was symbolical. The re-
freshing water from the rock symbol
lied the blessings flowing from Christ $
sacrifice. The shifting of the rock at the
beginning of Israels experience was au-
thorized of God. 1t was necessary that
upon Jesus should fall the rod of afflic-
ton, even unto death:
ID The Lord laid upon Him (the death
penalty for) the iniquity of us all;
p by His stripes we are healed. -
Isaiah 53.5, g.
Just what was symbolized by the Sec
ond shifting, which God did not author
ize, is not explained by ST. Paul. The
fact that 1t was punished tells us that it
was wrong, and thatAit symbolizes some
improper course the part of the pro-
fessed people of God. Two suggestions
come to us, either or both, of which may
be applicable
u rms second smiting. just as the peo-
pie Were about to be led into the prom
fsed land, may symbolic a shifting of
the body of Christ, the church. num-
ber of scriptures appertaining to the
gospel age give the inference that some
of the sanity members of the body Of
Christ at the and nf MIL h..
TO shame, or perhaps to death-and thus
enter into glory, as did the Master
In our Lords case, the high priest de-
clared it expedient that one suffer. rather
than the nation perish. (John 11:5O) The
suggestion has been offered that similar
ly, In the end of this age, religious rul-
ers, moved by similar motives of self
preservation, may conspire for the in
jury of some of the Lords followers II
this be proper Interpretation of the
type, 1t indicates that under divine proyi-
dence blessings will flow from the wrong
course, yet no greater than would have
come by pursuing the right course of
speaking to the rock
CD The other thought is that any de-
NAL OF the Redeemer on the part of His
consecrated followers signifies a cruelty
ing afresh, putting to shame. a smit-
ing of the rock a second time ST. Paul
explains that such a reputation by those
once enlightened would mean unWorthi-
ness of any place In the heavenly king
dom-that they would die the second
death.
The fact that neither Moses nor Aaron
entered Canaan signifies that the very
highest dignitaries and most enlightened
members of the royal priesthood might
be in danger of committing the sin typi-
fied-the second and unauthorized shifting
of the rock. Those who smote the rock
the first time did so ignorantly and
merely fulfilled the divine purpose--Acts
3:17, l Corinthians 2:S
There never was time when the hon.
esty and the faithfulness OF the Lords
servants We're more severely tested than
now. All need meekness, patience. long
suffering, brotherly kindness, love-loy-
atty to God.
EdOmites, MOabites, Midianites
The peoples of Canaan We're not related
to Abraham; but the Edomnites, Moabites
and Midianits, dwelling south and east
OF Canaan, were of blood relationship to
Israel. The divine programme. was that
1sreal leave these related peoples unmo-
lested, except when they made the attack.
From Kadesh the nearest route to Canaan
was through Edom. Israel asked permits.
sion to cross Edom and offered to pay
any damage. Permission being refused, in
harmony with the covenant between Esau
and Jacob, Israel detoured to the south
and passed through Moab.
This detour of so vast a company was
disheartening. Again there came .mur-
muring against Moses, who really repre-
sented God to them. Their murmurings