Part 10 (1/2)
'The reason why G.o.d commanded Moses to adopt this course has not been recorded; but the fact would probably be susceptible of a satisfactory explanation, if we were acquainted more fully with the serpent-wors.h.i.+p which existed among the ancient people of Egypt. In the absence of certain information, it may be supposed that the Israelites had been taught to hold serpents in great respect whilst they were in Egypt, and that Moses availed himself of their superst.i.tion to bend them the better to his will.'
In our version, verse 8, Moses is told to make a 'fiery serpent:' in the Douay, he is told to make a 'brazen serpent'--fiery serpents are very rare animals.
Verse 14. 'The Book of the wars of the Lord.' What book is this? Who was the author of it? What has become of it? Was it inspired? Was it more ancient than the Pentateuch? In answer to all these questions, we can say but little, except this, that the book referred to is one of several books quoted from in our Bible, and now lost; the authors.h.i.+p is unknown; it must have been a well-known book at the time Numbers was written, and, consequently, more ancient than Numbers. There are many other books quoted from, which are also lost.
The following is from the 'Hebrew Records,' in reference to this subject:--
'In St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, ix., 19, we read thus:--
'”For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people.”
'The writer of this epistle must also have had more sources of information than we now possess; for the account which he gives in the verse before us does not exactly tally with any of the various verses in the Levitical Law, where the subject is related. Nothing is said of the ”book” being sprinkled with the blood, even if the other parts of the description are allowed to bear a sufficient resemblance.
'Another remarkable instance bearing upon my present argument, is the account which St. Jude gives of a contest between Michael and the Devil:--
'”Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'Lord rebuke thee!'”
'It is not known to what St. Jude alludes in this verse; nothing is said in the Old Testament of any contest between the Devil and the archangel Michael.
'In St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy, chap, iii., v. 8, are found {77} the names of two of the magicians who competed with Moses in magical arts in the presence of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
'”Now, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”
'It is presumed that the names, ”Jannes” and ”Jambres,” not found in the Books of Moses, became known to St. Paul through the medium of other writings, in which many particulars of Jewish history were recorded, but now no longer in existence.
Several circ.u.mstances of the life and acts of Moses are known to us, only because they are noticed in the New Testament, no mention being made of them in the old Jewish Scriptures. For instance, in Acts vii., v. 22, etc., we are told that--
'”Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren of Israel, etc.”
'But in the Book of Exodus the account of these things is much shorter, and nothing is said of the age of Moses at the time referred to.
'Neither is there any authority in the Pentateuch for the remark which occurs in Hebrews xi., 24:--
'”By faith Moses, when he came to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.”
'These circ.u.mstances make it probable that there were other original records in the time of St. Paul, which have since perished.
'This conclusion is supported by the admitted fact that many books which have perished are quoted in the Old Testament itself. Such are the books of Jasher, Enoch, the Wars of the Lord, and many others.
A perplexing train of argument opens to us from a consideration of these facts. If the books which have perished were of value, why have they perished? If they were of no value, why have valuable writers, like St.
Paul, quoted them? It is supposed that they were of inferior authority, but this point has not been proved. If the existing books are genuine relics of a high antiquity, yet some of the lost books were more ancient still. The same Providence which has preserved the one has suffered the others to sink, even though those which have floated down the stream of time are imperfect on many points, which the others would have supplied.
*Chapter xxii., v. 1. 'On this side Jordan:' the Douay has it 'beyond the Jordan:' the Hebrew is [------] (beyond, across, over, or on the other side), see also page 6. It is evident in this case either that the translators must have falsified the text to support their theory that Moses was the writer of the book, or that there is a very extraordinary coincidence of error. The whole of this subject has been carefully examined in Dr. Giles's 'Hebrew Records,' pp. 284 to 289.
*Chapters xxii., xxiii., and xxiv. It is not at all wonderful that the barbarous Midianites and Moabites should have looked upon Balaam as a prophet, whose curse or blessing would affect the success of the {78} Jews. In the dark ages we have many instances of persons revered by the people of their countries, because they were believed to possess supernatural powers; but is an inexplicable matter when we find the superst.i.tions of the ignorant people shared by G.o.d himself. G.o.d communicated with Balaam. G.o.d said, 'Thou shalt not curse this people.'
G.o.d came to Balaam repeatedly; at first he forbade him to go to Balak, and afterwards gave him permission; and then G.o.d's anger is kindled because Balaam, in consequence of such permission, went with Balak's messengers, and the angel of the Lord is sent to stand in Balaam's way.
I have remarked upon angels in pages 33 and 34; those who wish to read more orthodox comments are referred to Dr. Pye Smith's 'Christian Theology,' p. 327. This angel is invisible to the wise man, Balaam, but is at once perceived by his a.s.s. Is this intended as a covert sneer? Did the writer mean that a.s.ses are always the first to perceive invisible angels? The angel has 'his sword drawn in his hand'--this sword (being also only visible to the a.s.s), must have been (like Macbeth's dagger) manufactured from different material from the swords commonly in use.
The a.s.s obstinately refusing to go forward (and a.s.ses very often do refuse to go forward, rather staying because a church, an angel, or a Bible stops the way, than progressing with Freethinking searchers toward the truth), is beaten by Balaam. The a.s.s indignantly remonstrates, inquiring why he is beaten; and as Balaam manifested no surprise whatever when his a.s.s spoke, we must conclude that the phenomenon was not entirely new to him. The fable concludes by relating that Balaam blessed the Jews, instead of cursing them.