Part 2 (1/2)
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
The Israelites journeyed onward and encamped before Mount Sinai. There G.o.d talked with Moses, and instructed him to remind the people of the great things He had done for them; and to say that if they obeyed Him, and kept His covenant, they should be a peculiar treasure to Him above all people, and a holy nation.
When the people heard G.o.d's message, they answered, ”All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” How happy would they have been if they had always kept this promise! But, alas! they did not do so; and great punishments came upon them in consequence.
G.o.d also said that on the third day He would descend upon Mount Sinai; and commanded the people to prepare themselves for that great and solemn event. None were to approach the mount, for if they did so they would die. On the third day, according to the command, the people gathered before Mount Sinai. A thick cloud covered the mountain, which smoked and quaked, and there were thunders and lightnings; a trumpet also sounded exceeding loud, so that all the people trembled. Then G.o.d spake from the midst of the fire, and gave the people the Ten Commandments. These you will find in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; and little folks with sharp eyes can read them in our picture.
We are told that ”all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking;”
and when they saw it they were so much afraid that they stood afar off. How holy is G.o.d's law, and how careful should we be to obey it!
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.]
BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.
After G.o.d had given the Ten Commandments, He called Moses up into the mountain; where he remained forty days and forty nights. During that time, G.o.d told him to speak to the Israelites, asking them to give gold, silver, bra.s.s, blue, purple, fine linen, oil, precious stones, and other things, to make a tabernacle or sanctuary, where G.o.d would dwell among them. G.o.d showed Moses the pattern of this tabernacle, with its coverings, its holy place and most holy place, its ark of the covenant with the cherubims and mercy-seat, its table for the shewbread, golden candlestick, and altar of incense, and the garments for Aaron and his sons, etc.; everything was accurately described by G.o.d. Then G.o.d instructed Moses as to who could do the work He had commanded to be done, and named two to whom He had given special wisdom and skill: these two were Bezaleel and Aholiab.
When Moses came down from the mountain he called Aaron and all the people of Israel, and told them what G.o.d had commanded. The people willingly brought gifts, till more than enough was provided. Then Bezaleel and Aholiab, and other wise-hearted men, worked diligently until the tabernacle and all things belonging to it were made exactly as G.o.d had instructed. Some worked in gold and silver, others in bra.s.s and wood; wise women spun cloth of blue, purple and scarlet, and fine linen; precious stones were set for the high priest's ephod and breastplate; and, at last, all was finished. Then we are told ”Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded.” Then Moses blessed them.
[Ill.u.s.tration: BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.]
THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
Jesus Christ says that ”As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” What did Jesus mean?
Nearly forty years had pa.s.sed since G.o.d gave His law from Mount Sinai; and frequently the people had sinned during that time. Through their disobedience they were compelled to wander in the wilderness for many long years, instead of going straight to Canaan. While thus wandering they pa.s.sed round the land of Edom, and became grieved and impatient because of the dreariness and difficulty of the way. They murmured against G.o.d and against Moses, and said, ”Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.”
They meant the manna which G.o.d gave them daily.
G.o.d allowed fiery serpents to come among the people because of their sin, which bit them, and many died. Then they came to Moses, saying, ”We have sinned ... pray unto the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” Moses did so; and G.o.d told him to make a serpent of bra.s.s and to put it on a pole; and said that all who looked to the serpent should live. The serpent of bra.s.s could not heal them, but G.o.d healed them as they obeyed his command to look to the serpent. It was _look_ and _live_.
Now I think we see what Jesus means. G.o.d has said that all must die because of sin; but those who look to Jesus and trust in Him will have their sins pardoned, and will live with Him in glory forever.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BRAZEN SERPENT.]
THE Pa.s.sAGE OF THE JORDAN.
Having wandered for forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites drew near to the river Jordan, at a place opposite Jericho. Moses was dead, and Joshua was now the leader of the host. G.o.d told him that the time had come when the people of Israel were to enter Canaan; to which land they had all this long time been travelling, but which previously they had not been permitted to enter on account of their sin. A description of this sin is given in the Bible, in the fourteenth chapter of Numbers.
But the people were now to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan. They were a very great mult.i.tude, and the river lay before them. How were they to cross? G.o.d told them! He commanded Joshua that the priests were to take the ark of the covenant and to go before the people; who were to follow a short distance behind. Could the priests and the people walk across the deep water? No. But as soon as the priests reached the river, and their feet were dipped in the water, G.o.d divided the Jordan into two, leaving dry ground for the Israelites to cross upon.