The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-01
y TT BROOKLYN
TABERNACLE
BIBLE. STUDY on 80

Numbers IL l:4-34-OctOber
THE supplication of a righteous man
avaieth much in it's working. james,
516.
The Israelites remained at Mount Sinai
about year. The people were learning
important LESSONS, as a result of their
new conditions. The Tabernacle was pre-
pared and set UP as meeting place be-
tween God and the people God was rep
resented by the pillar of cloud, which
rested upon it's top, and which at night
famed up like torch.
Gods presence inside the Tabernacle
was seen only by Moses and Aaron, in
conjunction with their privileged services.
He was represented by the glorious She
kinah brightness upon the Mercy Seat.
Thus the Tabernacle became the center
of the nations life and interest in relation
to their God, who was their leader, and
who communicated to them through the
mediator of the law covenant Moses.
The people had hocks and herds; and
these would necessitate their being at
some distance from the camp. But the
pillar of cloud by day and its fiery torch
by night would always guide their minds
to the thought that they were Gods
adopted people. to whom belonged the
gracious promises made to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob.
The Sin of Murmuring
Those who accept God as their leader
should never murmur-never complain
To do SO is to dispute the divine wisdom
and the divine promises, and to that ex-
tent to break their covenant of faith, obe-
dience and loyalty. st. Paul reminds us
that the mirmuring OF the Israelites on
tf,tf
Hebrews 3:7-9; i:1-1l.
The Lords dealings with Israel show us
that justice, love, mercy, loyalty to God
and to principle, are in the divine esti-
nation the highest qualities, sand viola
tions of these the most serious crime. II
this is not the way we have looked at
matters, 1t behooves us to change our
viewpoint and to take the Amightys.
This murrnuring against the Lord was
on the score of the mamma, for which at
first the people mad been very thankful
They allowed their minds to grow so
vexed that they wept like children as they
thought of the fleshpots of Egypt. They
murmured against the Lord and against
Moses in desiring to have back the condi-
tions which they had left Little did they
comprehend the situation Had they re-
turned to Egyptian bondage. even after
a years freedom, their lot would have
seemed more wretched than ever
Moses Too Greatly Burdened
The result of the murmuring was Sc
we're upon Moses He was the people $
representative before the Lord, and the
Lords representative before the people.
Heart broken, he sought the Lord, saying
that his burden was too heavy. He re-
hearsed the Lords promises to take Israel
as His people and to bring them into the
land promised to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. He urged that II this burden must
remain with him, it would be better for
him to die.
Then it was that God directed the insti-
tuition of the Jewish Sanhedrin--70 of the
elders of the people-to be the court of
judgeN responsible to the people, to deal
with them, to hear their murmurings and
to counsel them properly. While Moses
remained head of the nation, the 10 elders
shared his responsibility.
BY divine direction Moses made out the
list of these elders, and directed them to
meet him at the rabernarle. All but two
came. There God manifested the honor
which He had bestowed upon Moses as
the head of the people by communion
with him, ana then placed share of the
responsibility of leadership upon the 70.
This was indicated by their miraculous
prophesying Even the. two who re-
maincd IN the camp prophesied at the
same time. The Lord thus indicated that
they should be co-laborers under Moses in
respect to the reople.
Quail in Over-supply
God then sent word TO Israel through
Moses, the message probably being con-
yeyed by the 20 elders, that He was
about to send them 30 days supply Of
flesh. such as they had been murmurins
for Under the Lords providence. a
strong wind across the Red sea drove
thousands of quail to the vicinity of the
camp. The. people ate freely, and pre-
pared dried quail for full 30 days spp-
ply, as the Lord had said. Two days and
nights they ceased A.5t to gather quail.
Some agnostics have questioned this