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THE CHRISTIAN NATION. Vol. 69.
them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel
also wept again, and said, W'ho shall give
us flesh to eat? etc." God had fed Israel
with manna from heaven, the food of angels,
which was pleasant to the eye and suitable
to the taste and nourishing to the body. It
was also capable of being prepared in. a
number of ways, thus affording variety. Yet
the congregation was dissatisfied with it and
pined for the leeks and onions of Egypt. The
dissatisfaction arose first amongst the "mixed
multitude," the rabble that had tagged after
the Jews when they came out of Egypt. But
like scabbed sheep they soon infected the
whole flock of Israel, Dissatisfaction with
the goodness of God's house and the richness
of divine grace usually arises in the church
among those whb do not properly belong
there, but who bave joined themselves to the
congregation of God's people because of curiosity,
some personal attachments or some
material advantages expected. Then tbe
members of the fold begin to crave the
wealth and pleasures of the world or seek to
bring into the church those things wbich
will gratify their sensual desires. Israel should
have rid themselves of these hangers-on who
stirred up tbeir lusts even as the church today
should not receive into her fellowship
those who have not the tastes of tbe Israel
of God, but who find their delight in those
things' that are gratifying to the flesh.
II. MOSES BECOMES DESPOND­
ENT, (v. 10-15.)
"Then Aloses heard fhe people weep
throughout their families, Aloses also was
displeased. And if thou deal thus, with me,
kill me, I ,pra,y thee, out of hand, if I have
found favour in thy sight: and let me not
see my wretchedness." Israel had complained
once before, but it had been only secret
complaining. This discontent had become
general and bordered on a revolt. Concernisg
Moses' situation and conduct, one noted
authority has the following to say: '"Moses
had indeed a very difficult and burdensome
service, and tbe express similitude which he
used would be better understood by the Israelites
than by us: being taken from tbe
circumstances of tbe fathers carrying the
young children, during thie long marches in
the wilderness, for wbich the mothers were
generally unable. He cannot, however, be
excused in imitating the people by murmuring
against the Lord; in complaining of the
honors and favors bestowed upon him: in expostulating
witb God as if he dealt unkindly
and unjustly with him : in magnifying his
own services, and speaking as if he were required
to supply the people with flesh; and
above all in begging for immediate death, as
his only possible relief, and as the greatest
instance of favor which the Lord could show
him."
III. MOSES' BURDEN IS LIGHTEN­
ED BY CO-LABORERS, (v. 16, 17.)
".And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather
unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel,
whom thou knowest to be elders of the people,
and officers over them; and bring them
unto the tabernacle of tbe congregation, tbat
they may stand there with thee,—and they
shall bear the burden of the people with
thee." In order to lighten the burden of responsibility
resting on Moses a council of
seventy elders was to be formed which sbould
assist in the matters of government which
had to be attended to. No, doubt, in accord
with Jethro's advice, Moses had chosen out
civil rulers before this. But be himself had
lemained personally responsible to God for
the conduct of the nation. Now seventy elders
were endowed with, authority and had
corresponding respons|ibility laid upon them
for the conduct of Israel. These seventy men
were to Moses about tbe same as the elders
in the churcb are to tbe pastor of the congregation.
There were seventy of them, corresponding
to the number of souls that came
down into Egypt, tbe number of elders tbat
went up with Moses to Mount Sinai, the
number of disciples which Christ sent forth
to preach the gospel and the number of persons
which made up the Sanhedrim of the
Jews.
IV. / ISRAEL'S DEMAND IS COM­
PLIED WITH. (v. 18-23.)
"And say unto the people, therefore the
Lord will give you fl'eshi and ye shall eat."
"But even a whole month, until it come out
of your nostrils, and it ba loathsome unto
you: because ye have despised the ILord
which is among you, and have wept before
him saying. Why came we forth out of
Egypt?'' God often refuses to grant the
requests of His people when they ask amiss,
yet if they are stubborn and rebellious and
insist. He sometimes gives them according to
their asking. But in granting their petition
He warns them that unless they repent
they may expect to see a manifestation of His
divine wrath in connection with it.
V THE PROPHESYING OE ELAD
AXD MEDAD CAUSES CONFUSION IN
TFIE CAMP. (v. 24-28.)
"And they were of them that were written,
but went not out unto the tabernacle:
and they prophesied in the camp. And there
ran a young man, and told Moses." These
two elders had been nominated by Moses for
preferment in tbe government, but had failed
to appear at tbe tabernacle witb tbe rest to
receive the gift of tbe Spirit. Calvin conjectures
that the summons to appear in the
tabernacle did not reach them. Others suppose
that tbey stayed away through modesty
and humility, choice requisites for those who
are to be exalted to positions of honor. But
in this tbey erred. "Their principle was their
praise but their practice in not obeying orders
was their fauh." However "there was
a special providence in it that these two
should be absent, for thus it appeared tbat
it was indeed a divine Spirit wbich the elders
were actuated by, and that Moses gave
them not tbat Spirit, but God himself." •
VI. MOSES MANIFESTS A MAG­
NANIMOUS SPIRIT, (v. 29, 30.)
"And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou
for my sake? would God thatall the Lord's
people were Iprophets, and that the Lord
would put bis spirit upon them!" Jos-hua
seemed jealous for Moses' sake. He feared
that tbe honor and glory of Moses might be
marred or eclipsed by the unusual gift of
wisdom and discernment which these two elders
were displaying. But Moses reproved
him in words tbat showed that he was void
of selfishness in bis work as leader in Israel,
Meyer says, "It was as if be said, 'Do you
think that I alone am the channel throughi
which the Divine influences can pour? Do
you suppose tbat tbe suppHes in the being
of God are so meagre, tbat He must stint
what He gives through me, wben He gives,
^through others? If it sbould please Him to
create new stars, must He rob the sun of its
light to give them brilliancy?' This is the'
true spirit of magnanimity. A spirit of self-'
aggrandizement is set on retaining its exclusive
position as the sole depository of the;,
Divine blessing; , but) whenever thie eye is,
single for the glory of God, and positionisi
looked upon only as his gift to be used for^
his glory, and when the spirit is concentred'-
in' one eager and intense desire to see his
will done, the glory of tbat ligbt extinguishes!
the fires of ambition, and the faithful servani,
is willing to be anything or notihing, if only
the Divine purpose is accomplished." 'Wheni
tbe servant of God is emptied of self as was;
the Apostle Paul he is able to rejoice in the
preaching of the gospel by those who even
do so that tbey may add affliction to his.
bonds.—Philippians i :i6-i8. [
VII. ISRAEL RECEIVES THE RE-,
WARD OF THEIR LUST. (v. 31-33.) ^'
"And there went forth an east wind fronithe
Lord, and brought quails from the sea,
and let them fall by tbe camp, and whik
th,e meat was yet between tbeir teeth, the
Lord smote the people witb a very great
plague." By a wonderful act of providence?
God brought an immense multitude of quails
to the border of the camp of Israel. Upoii;
these the people seized with great eagerness,,
They gorged themselves with meat. They
gave full rein to their carnal desire. But
ere they were aware a curse rested upon
them. Perhaps tbe pestilence came for their
over indulgence of their appetites. In any
case this instance stands out as a warning to
those who are controlled by fleshly desires.
"God often grants the desire of sinners in
wrath, while he denies tbe desires of his own
people in love? He gave them their request,
but sent leanness into tbar
s'ouls."—Ps. 106:15. But tbe carnal mind
will gratify its lusts, though it be to the ruin
of its soul. It says: though He should slay
me, yet will I have my desire.
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Eskridge, Kansas. . -