patriarchs and prophets-第73章

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exposure　to　hunger；　thirst；　and　weariness；　and　in　the　striking
manifestations　of　His　power　for　their　relief；　is　fraught　with　warning　and
instruction　for　His　people　in　all　ages。　The　varied　experience　of　the　Hebrews
was　a　school　of　preparation　for　their　promised　home　in　Canaan。　God　would
have　His　people　in　these　days　review　with　a　humble　heart　and　teachable
spirit　the　trials　through　which　ancient　Israel　passed；　that　they　may　be
instructed　in　their　preparation　for　the　heavenly　Canaan。

Many　look　back　to　the　Israelites；　and　marvel　at　their　unbelief　and
murmuring；　feeling　that　they　themselves　would　not　have　been　so　ungrateful；
but　when　their　faith　is　tested；　even　by　little　trials；　they　manifest　no　more
faith　or　patience　than　did　ancient　Israel。　When　brought　into　strait　places；
they　murmur　at　the　process　by　which　God　has　chosen　to　purify　them。　Though
their　present　needs　are　supplied；　many　are　unwilling　to　trust　God　for　the
future；　and　they　are　in　constant　anxiety　lest　poverty　shall　come　upon　them；
and　their　children　shall　be　left　to　suffer。　Some　are　always　anticipating
evil　or　magnifying　the　difficulties　that　really　exist；　so　that　their　eyes
are　blinded　to　the　many　blessings　which　demand　their　gratitude。　The
obstacles　they　encounter；

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instead　of　leading　them　to　seek　help　from　God；　the　only　Source　of　strength；
separate　them　from　Him；　because　they　awaken　unrest　and　repining。

Do　we　well　to　be　thus　unbelieving？　Why　should　we　be　ungrateful　and
distrustful？　Jesus　is　our　friend；　all　heaven　is　interested　in　our　welfare；
and　our　anxiety　and　fear　grieve　the　Holy　Spirit　of　God。　We　should　not
indulge　in　a　solicitude　that　only　frets　and　wears　us；　but　does　not　help　us
to　bear　trials。　No　place　should　be　given　to　that　distrust　of　God　which　leads
us　to　make　a　preparation　against　future　want　the　chief　pursuit　of　life；　as
though　our　happiness　consisted　in　these　earthly　things。　It　is　not　the　will
of　God　that　His　people　should　be　weighed　down　with　care。　But　our　Lord　does
not　tell　us　that　there　are　no　dangers　in　our　path。　He　does　not　propose　to
take　His　people　out　of　the　world　of　sin　and　evil；　but　He　points　us　to　a
never…failing　refuge。　He　invites　the　weary　and　care…laden；　〃Come　unto　Me；
all　ye　that　labor　and　are　heavy…laden；　and　I　will　give　you　rest。〃　Lay　off
the　yoke　of　anxiety　and　worldly　care　that　you　have　placed　on　your　own　neck；
and　〃take　My　yoke　upon　you；　and　learn　of　Me；　for　I　am　meek　and　lowly　in
heart：　and　ye　shall　find　rest　unto　your　souls。〃　Matthew　11：28；　29。　We　may
find　rest　and　peace　in　God；　casting　all　our　care　upon　Him；　for　He　careth　for
us。　See　1　Peter　5：7。

Says　the　apostle　Paul；　〃Take　heed；　brethren；　lest　there　be　in　any　of　you　an
evil　heart　of　unbelief；　in　departing　from　the　living　God。〃　Hebrews　3：12。　In
view　of　all　that　God　has　wrought　for　us；　our　faith　should　be　strong；　active；
and　enduring。　Instead　of　murmuring　and　complaining；　the　language　of　our
hearts　should　be；　〃Bless　the　Lord；　O　my　soul：　and　all　that　is　within　me；
bless　His　holy　name。　Bless　the　Lord；　O　my　soul；　and　forget　not　all　His
benefits。〃　Psalm　103：1；　2。

God　was　not　unmindful　of　the　wants　of　Israel。　He　said　to　their　leader；　〃I
will　rain　bread　from　heaven　for　you。〃　And　directions　were　given　that　the
people　gather　a　daily　supply；　with　a　double　amount　on　the　sixth　day；　that
the　sacred　observance　of　the　Sabbath　might　be　maintained。

Moses　assured　the　congregation　that　their　wants　were　to　be　supplied：　〃The
Lord　shall　give　you　in　the　evening　flesh　to　eat；　and　in　the　morning　bread　to
the　full。〃　And　he　added；　〃What　are　we？　your　murmurings　are　not　against　us；
but　against　the

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Lord。〃　He　further　bade　Aaron　say　to　them；　〃Come　near　before　the　Lord：　for　He
hath　heard　your　murmurings。〃　While　Aaron　was　speaking；　〃they　looked　toward
the　wilderness；　and；　behold；　the　glory　of　the　Lord　appeared　in　the　cloud。〃　A
splendor　such　as　they　had　never　witnessed　symbolized　the　divine　Presence。
Through　manifestations　addressed　to　their　senses；　they　were　to　obtain　a
knowledge　of　God。　They　must　be　taught　that　the　Most　High；　and　not　merely　the
man　Moses；　was　their　leader；　that　they　might　fear　His　name　and　obey　His
voice。

At　nightfall　the　camp　was　surrounded　by　vast　flocks　of　quails；　enough　to
supply　the　entire　company。　In　the　morning　there　lay　upon　the　surface　of　the
ground　〃a　small　round　thing；　as　small　as　the　hoarfrost。〃　〃It　was　like
coriander　seed；　white。〃　The　people　called　it　〃manna。〃　Moses　said；　〃This　is
the　bread　which　the　Lord　hath　given　you　to　eat。〃　The　people　gathered　the
manna；　and　found　that　there　was　an　abundant　supply　for　all。　They　〃ground　it
in　mills；　or　beat　it　in　a　mortar；　and　baked　it　in　pans；　and　made　cakes　of
it。〃　Numbers　11：8。　〃And　the　taste　of　it　was　like　wafers　made　with　honey。〃
They　were　directed　to　gather　daily　an　omer　for　every　person；　and　they　were
not　to　leave　of　it　until　the　morning。　Some　attempted　to　keep　a　supply　until
the　next　day；　but　it　was　then　found　to　be　unfit　for　food。　The　provision　for
the　day　must　be　gathered　in　the　morning；　for　all　that　remained　upon　the
ground　was　melted　by　the　sun。

In　the　gathering　of　the　manna　it　was　found　that　some　obtained　more　and　some
less　than　the　stipulated　amount；　but　〃when　they　did　mete　it　with　an　omer；　he
that　gathered　much　had　nothing　over；　and　he　that　gathered　little　had　no
lack。〃　An　explanation　of　this　scripture；　as　well　as　a　practical　lesson　from
it；　is　given　by　the　apostle　Paul　in　his　second　epistle　to　the　Corinthians。
He　says；　〃I　mean　not　that　other　men　be　eased；　and　ye　burdened：　but　by　an
equality；　that　now　at　this　time　your　abundance　may　be　a　supply　for　their
want；　that　their　abundance　also　may　be　a　supply　for　your　want：　that　there
may　be　equality：　as　it　is　written；　He　that　had　gathered　much　had　nothing
over；　and　he　that　had　gathered　little　had　no　lack。〃　2　Corinthians　8：13…15。

On　the　sixth　day　the　people　gathered　two　omers　for　every　person。　The　rulers
hastened　to　acquaint　Moses　with　what　had　been　done。　His　answer　was；　〃This　is
that　which　the　Lord　hath

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said；　Tomorrow　is　the　rest　of　the　holy　Sabbath　unto　the　Lord：　bake　that
which　ye　will　bake　today；　and　seethe　that　ye　will　seethe；　and　that　which
remaineth　over　lay　up　for　you　to　be　kept　until　the　morning。〃　They　did　so；
and　found　that　it　remained　unchanged。　〃And　Moses　said；　Eat　that　today；　for
today　is　a　Sabbath　unto　the　Lord：　today　ye　shall　not　find　it　in　the　field。
Six　days　ye　shall　gather　it；　but　on　the　seventh　day；　which　is　the　Sabbath；
in　it　there　shall　be　none。〃

God　requires　that　His　holy　day　be　as　sacredly　observed　now　as　in　the　time　of
Israel。　The　command　given　to　the　Hebrews　should　be　regarded　by　all
Christians　as　an　injunction　from　Jehovah　to　them。　The　day　before　the　Sabbath
should　be　made　a　day　of　preparation；　that　everything　may　be　in　readiness　for
its　sacred　hours。　In　no　case　should　our　own　business　be　allowed　to　encroach
upon　holy　time。　God　has　directed　that　the　sick　and　suffering　be　cared　for；
the　labor　required　to　make　them　comfortable　is　a　work　of　mercy；　and　no
violation　of　the　Sabbath；　but　all　unnecessary　work　should　be　avoided。　Many
carelessly　put　off　till　the　beginning　of　the　Sabbath　little　things　that
might　have　been　done　on　the　day　of　preparation。　This　should　not　be。　Work
that　is　neglected　until　the　beginning　of　the　Sabbath　should　remain　undone
until　it　is　past。　This　course　might　help　the　memory　of　these　thoughtless
ones；　and　make　them　careful　to　do　their　own　work　on　the　six　working　days。

Every　week　during　their　long　sojourn　in　the　wilderness　the　Israelites
witnessed　a　threefold　miracle；　designed　to　impress　their　minds　with　the
sacredness　of　the　Sabbath：　a　double　quantity　of　manna　fell　on　the　sixth　day；
none　on　the　seventh；　and　the　portion　needed　for　the　Sabbath　was　preserved
sweet　and　pure；　when　if　any　were　kept　over　at　any　other　time　it　became　unfit
for　use。

In　the　circumstances　connected　with　the　giving　of　the　manna；　we　have
conclusive　evidence　that　the　Sabbath　was　not　instituted；　as　many　claim；　when
the　law　was　given　at　Sinai。　Before　the　Israelites　came　to　Sinai　they
understood　the　Sabbath　to　be　obligatory　upon　them。　In　being　obliged　to
ga