Story 56: How A Dumb Animal Talked With A Prophet l

   The Is'ra-el-ites were now encamped on the plains of Mo'ab on the east side of the river Jor'dan, their camp reaching back five or six miles toward the high plateau of this area. They looked eagerly across the river to the land promised to their fathers, no doubt expecting the LORD to tell them to cross the river at any moment.
   But the time had not yet come for Is'ra-el to occupy the land of Ca'naan. There were other territories east of the Jor'dan to be conquered, and the LORD had some important lessons to teach them before they would be ready to conquer the land west of the river.
   In much of their recent travels the Is'ra-el-ites had occupied certain parts of the territory of the Mo'ab-ites, and had crossed their borders without opposition. Instead, the most friendly relations had been enjoyed by both nations, and the Mo'ab-ites had sold food and water to the children of Is'ra-el.
   But the defeat of the two strong kings of the Am'o-rites, and the conquest of all their territory by the Is'ra-el-ites, had brought suspicion and fear to the heart of Ba'lak, king of the Mo'ab-ites. The army of Is'ra-el numbered 601,730 warriors who had shown great courage and skill in fighting the Am'o-rites. Ba'lak feared that they might attack his own people, and dared not meet them in open battle.
   In a small territory near Mo'ab there lived a people called the Mid'i-a-nites. They were a different branch from those of the same name who had given shelter to Mo'ses during the forty years of his exile from E'gypt. This branch had settled on the grassy plains between the lands of the Mo'ab-ites and Am'o-rites before the days of I'saac and Ja'cob. They were stock-raisers, and traded with the caravans which passed through their land. No conflict between them and the Is'ra-el-ites had occurred up to this time. The Mid'i-an-ites were neither very strong nor warlike. In their early history they had been defeated by the E'dom-ites, and later were subdued by Si'hon, who made them subjects of the Am'o-rites.
   Ba'lak's alarm was without cause, for the Is'ra-el-ites had shown no unfriendliness whatever toward his people. The LORD had instructed them not to harm the Mo'ab-ites, and they had carefully obeyed His order.
   Knowing that he could not defeat the Is'ra-el-ites in battle, Ba'lak took a course which he hoped would deprive them of the protection and aid of God which had been so manifest in their battles against the Am'o-rites. There was a magician among the Mid'i-a-nites whose name was Ba'laam, and who also possessed the gift of prophecy. He claimed to speak with God, and to have the power of reading the future. Ba'lak decided to have this magician utter a curse against Is'ra-el, and in this way to offset the special favor which they enjoyed from the LORD.
   In those days some men were given the power to bless or to curse others, and Ba'laam probably had such power. The most gifted man of God, however, could not bring a curse upon others without reason. No man can curse those whom God is blessing.
  

Story 55: Is'ra-el's March From Ka'desh To The Plains Of Mo'ab lV

   The Am'or-ites were descendants of E'mer, the fourth son of Ca'naan, and were both strong and numerous in the land. Two strong kings ruled over large areas east of the river Jor'dan, and five over territory west of the Jor'dan. Og, who was another king east of the Jor'dan, was later conquered by the Is'ra-el-ites under Mo'ses, and the territory of Si'hon and Og was given to the tribes of Reu'ben, Ma-nas'seh, and Gad. The five kings west of the Jor'dan were later conquered by Josh'u-a.
   After conquering all the territory under the rule of Si'hon, the Is'ra-el-ites carried the war against the Am'or-ites into the northern district of Ba'shan, which was ruled by Og. He and his people were very powerful, and Og himself was so large that he had a bedstead of iron twelve feet long and six feet wide. The giant king and his warriors made the mistake of leaving their fortified cities, and making war against Is'ra-el on the plains. Is'ra-el won a great victory over Og, taking possession of all his territory.
   Is'ra-el's warfare against the Am'or-ites east of the Jor'dan was one of extermination. God had commanded them to wipe out these heathen people because of their idolatry and wickedness. And so the lands of the Am'or-ites became the property of God's chosen people, and Is'ra-el was enriched by herds and flocks, and the spoils of many cities.
   A triumphant war-song celebrating the victory over these powerful peoples, and giving all honor for it to God, was sung by all Is'ra-el. The people then moved to the plains of Mo'ab, which ran along the eastern border of the Dead Sea and of the river Jor'dan. The city of Jer'i-cho was on the west side of the river, near its mouth, and just opposite the place where Is'ra-el was encamped. Many preparations, however, had to be made before Is'ra-el could cross the river and take possession of the land then known as Ca'naan. The more important of these preparations will be reviewed in our next chapter.

Story 55: Is'ra-el's March From Ka'desh To The Plains Of Mo'ab lll

   The LORD Jesus referred to this image as a token of the Divine cure for sin, and to the faith of those who looked upon it as an example of the simple trust required of all who would be saved from the deadly effects of sin through the "Uplifted Savior."
   Just as the Is'ra-el-ites who were bitten by those fiery serpents suffered from a communicated, painful, and deadly poison; so humanity under the curse of sin has a fatal spiritual malady. Just as the uplifted brazen serpent was provided as a cure by the Sovereign Grace of God; so God freely gave His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin, and for sin, as the only cure for the malady of the soul. Just as Is'ra-el was healed by looking; so men today are healed by believing.
   In their superstitious awe the Is'ra-el-ites preserved the brazen serpent, and, in times when they forgot the LORD, some of them would set it up in a high place and bow before it in idol-worship. Four hundred and fifty years later the good king Hez-e-ki'ah, about whom we shall learn in future stories, completely destroyed the image. Thus we are taught that the material things through which God's blessings are brought to us should never be worshiped; the LORD is the source of all blessings, and He alone should be worshiped.
   After the snakes had been removed from their camp, the Is'ra-el-ites continued their journey in a northeasterly direction. The names of several encampments are given, but the exact location is not certain until the people reached the plains of Mo'ab directly east of the Dead Sea. The Mo'ab-ites were descendants of Lot, and the LORD had directed Mo'ses not to make war upon them, or to take their land.
   The Is'ra-el-ites encamped for some time at a place called Ar, which was on the plains of Mo'ab. Here they dug a well, and praised the LORD in special hymns for the gracious way in which He was leading them on their perilous journeys.
   Continuing the journey, and making brief stops at several stations, they arrived at Ja'haz, on the border between the Mo'ab-ites and Am'or-ites. Here Mo'ses sent messengers to Si'hon, king of the Am'or-ites, with a similar request to the one presented to the king of the E'dom-ites. Si'hon's answer to this request was a prompt refusal, and immediate war against Is'ra-el. The Is'ra-el-ites, however, overwhelmingly defeated Si'hon, and occupied his territory. Among the important towns captured was Hesh'bon, which was Si'hon's capital.
  

Story 55: Is'ra-el's March From Ka'desh To The Plains Of Mo'ab ll

   It was here on the top of this mountain that Aa'ron died, not by accident, but according to the Will of God. The LORD said, "Aa'ron shall be gathered unto his fathers: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Is'ra-el, because he rebelled against my word at the rock gushing water, of Mer'i-bah."
   Just before Aa'ron died on the top of Mount Hor, Mo'ses removed the priestly garments which he wore, and placed them upon E-le-a'zar. Thus by Divine Appointment a son of Aa'ron took his place as High Priest of Is'ra-el. In his dying moments Aa'ron had the satisfaction of knowing that his office would not die with him, and that his work would be carried on by his own son. When the congregation of Is'ra-el learnt of the death of Aa'ron, a thirty day season of mourning was proclaimed. E-le-a'zar was named to take his place, and this appointment was confirmed by the people.
   Taking advantage of this period of mourning, one of the kings of southern Ca'naan, whose name was A'rad, attacked the Is'ra-el-ites in the valley of A'ra-bah, and captured some of them. The Is'ra-el-ites then made a solemn vow unto the LORD that when they had taken possession of the Promised Land they would completely destroy A'rad's people. This vow was later accomplished, and the place was called Hor'mah, meaning "utter destruction."
   While crossing this steep and barren land on their roundabout journey to a place where they might safely enter Ca'naan, the Is'ra-el-ites became very much discouraged, and began to make new complaints against Mo'ses. As a punishment for these murmurings, the LORD caused the poisonous snakes of that region to infest their camp in great numbers. They were called "fiery serpents" from the burning, deadly pain caused by their bites. Is'ra-el had complained for want of water, and the LORD sent a plague upon them which caused a thirst no water could quench; they had shown a preference for death in the wilderness, and the LORD sent death to many of them near the Promised Land.
   Then the Is'ra-el-ites repented for their sins, pleaded with Mo'ses to speak to the LORD on their behalf, and asked that the poisonous snakes be driven away from the camp. The LORD not only drove the snakes away, but provided a cure for the people who had been bitten by them.
   The LORD directed Mo'ses to make a serpent of brass, similar in every way to the poisonous serpents of the desert, and to place the brazen image on a high pole in the midst of the camps of Is'ra-el. Then those who had been bitten by the "fiery serpents" were told to look upon the "brazen serpent," and all who obeyed this command were healed at once. There was no way by which man could stop the deadly ravages of these serpents, nor was there any earthly remedy for their bites. But the means of cure provided by the LORD was free to all who obeyed His command to look upon the "brazen serpent."
  

Story 55: Is'ra-el's March From Ka'desh To The Plains Of Mo'ab l

   When the children of Is'ra-el came for the second time to Ka'desh, which was on the southeastern border of Ca'naan, they planned to enter at once into the land which God had promised them. Just across the border, however, were two strong heathen tribes known as the Ca'naan-ites and the Am'o-rites. Mo'ses did not think it wise to make war against these strong tribes at this time, so he decided to take the southern route across the land which was then held by the E'dom-ites. This route would bring them to Ca'naan from the east of the river Jor'dan.
   The E'dom-ites were descendants of E'sau, the twin brother of Ja'cob, from whom the blessing of the firstborn had been craftily taken. They were closely akin to the Is'ra-el-ites, so Mo'ses hoped that they would show a brotherly feeling for his people. Mo'ses knew that the Is'ra-el-ites needed help in their plans to occupy the land which the LORD had promised them in the days of their fathers. But the memory of the feud between E'sau and Ja'cob had been kept alive among the E'dom-ites, and they were now envious of the growing power of the Is'ra-el-ites.
   Mo'ses sent a messenger to the king of the E'dom-ites with this request: "You know all the misfortunes which have befallen your brethren, the Is'ra-el-ites-how for more than two hundred years we were enslaved in E'gypt-and you know how the LORD delivered us from E'gyp-tian bondage and directed us to occupy the land which He promised to the descendants of A'bra-ham, I'saac, and Ja'cob. You also know of the trials we have suffered for forty years in the wilderness of the A-ra'bian Peninsula. Now we ask permission to cross your country, that we may enter Ca'naan from the east side. We promise to march only on the highway, and to do no harm to your fields, or vineyards, or other properties; if our people or cattle drink from your wells, we will pay for the water used."
   This request of Mo'ses was coldly refused by the king of E'dom. The old breach between Is'ra-el and E'dom was widened, and the hatred which had been handed down from one generation to another could not be reconciled. Mo'ses had been told by the LORD that he must not make war upon the descendants of E'sau, so there was nothing else for him to do but seek another route.
   The only other course open to them was a roundabout way near the southern border of E'dom, so they journeyed back toward the Red Sea down a little stream known as Ar'a-bah until they came to the place called Ak'a-bah, or E'zi-on-Ge'ber. Here they turnt in a northeasterly direction and travelled through the mountain of Seir to the land of Mo'ab, east of the Dead Sea.
   This was a very dreary and desolate country, a frightful desert where the ground was covered with loose gravel and rough stones, so that even a camel found it difficult to pick its way. Round hills of naked stone and gravel rose high into the heavens, there was very little vegetation of any kind, and it was hot and dry. Here the Is'ra-el-ites found very rough going.
   During the early days of the march Mo'ses was directed by the LORD to take Aa'ron and his son E-le-a'zar up onto the top of a very high mountain called Hor, which was on the east side of the valley of Ar'a-bah, and not far from the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an coastline of eastern E'dom. It is the highest and most conspicuous peak of the entire mountain range of that region, raising its twin peaks 4800 feet above sea level, 4000 feet above the Ar'a-bah valley, and 6000 feet above the level of the Dead Sea.

Story 54: Is'ra-el At Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a A Second Time; The Death Of Mir'i-am; The Sin Of Mo'ses In Striking The Rock ll

   The LORD was greatly displeased by the conduct of Mo'ses and Aa'ron. Mo'ses had fallen short of God's command by his silence before the rock, and had gone beyond his orders by striking it. As a fitting punishment for such disobedience the LORD declared that neither Mo'ses nor Aa'ron should be permitted to lead Is'ra-el into Ca'naan.
   What a striking example of human weakness! Mo'ses, who was one of the holiest men who ever lived, gave way to anger in the presence of the LORD. At a time when all his thoughts should have been directed to the solemn duty to which the LORD had called him, Mo'ses could not forget the unjust complaints of the people. For this reason he sinned against God by failing to do what the LORD had ordered, and in performing an evil deed which brought shame to him in the presence of all Is'ra-el.
   As an everlasting warning to all future generations the name of the place where Mo'ses and Aa'ron sinned was changed from Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a to Mer'i-bah-Ka'desh, which means "place of strife," or "place of bitterness." This name would also serve as a living memorial to the sin of Is'ra-el in rejecting the command which God had given thirty-eight years before, and as a constant warning against similar sins.
   This incident also illustrates the need for guarding the strong points of character; for at the very point where one feels secure and considers vigilance unnecessary, the evil one sometimes makes his most subtle attacks. Mo'ses, noted for meekness, becomes petulant; A'bra-ham, celebrated for his faith in God, twice grievously sinned because of doubts; E'li'jah, famed for fearlessness, fled in panic before the vengeance of Jez'e-bel.

Story 54: Is'ra-el At Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a A Second Time; The Death Od Mir'i-am; The Sin Of Mo'ses In Striking The Rock l

   After thirty-eight years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Is'ra-el came once more to Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a, and once again sorrow befell them. In the first month of the fortieth year after the departure from E'gypt, death came to Mir'i-am, the sister of Mo'ses and Aa'ron. She was then about one hundred and thirty years old; her life had been long and full of interesting events. In her early years she had carefully watched over the life of her infant brother. During the years which followed, while Mo'ses was growing up in the palace of the E'gyp-tian king, she cherished in her heart the hope that some day her people would be delivered from bondage in E'gypt. When Mo'ses fled into Mid'i-an, and while he was lost to his people for forty years, she reflected upon the strange providences of God.
   When Mo'ses and her older brother Aa'ron were chosen to lead in the deliverance of her oppressed people, Mir'i-am aided them in every possible way. She was honored as a prophetess, and known as a sweet singer in Is'ra-el.
   At one time she became jealous of Mo'ses, envying him for all the honors conferred upon him by the LORD. She persuaded Aa'ron to join her in making false charges against Mo'ses, but was punished for this evil deed by a stroke of leprosy. Mo'ses quickly forgave her, and his prayers caused the leprosy to be removed, but her name does not appear again in the history of Is'ra-el until the account of her death.
   Even in obscurity, however, Mir'i-am continued to serve God and her people, and when she died the whole congregation of Is'ra-el assembled in her honor. For thirty days there was a great mourning among the Is'ra-el-ites, then Mir'i-am was buried just outside the Promised Land for which she had longed all the days of her life.
   When the season of mourning was over, the Is'ra-el-ites began to complain of their unhappy lot, for there was not enough water to meet their needs. It was under these trying circumstances that Mo'ses and Aa'ron committed the sin for which they were not permitted to live to lead Is'ra-el into the Promised Land.
   The LORD directed Mo'ses to take Aa'ron, and to call the Is'ra-el-ites together by a great cliff in that vicinity. He told him to speak to the rock, promising that in answer to his voice sufficient water would burst forth to meet all the needs of the Is'ra-el-ites and their herds and flocks.
   Once before, during the early days of Is'ra-el's sojourn in the wilderness, he had smitten a rock in the vicinity of Si'nai; a stream of water burst forth, and continued to flow as long as the Is'ra-el-ites were encamped at Si'nai. Now, after forty years in the wilderness, he was told again to speak to a rock for a similar blessing.
   When all the people of Is'ra-el had gathered before him, Mo'ses reproached them bitterly, showing a spirit of impatience and anger. His patience had been worn out by the constant murmuring of the people.
   Instead of speaking quietly to the rock, as the LORD had commanded, Mo'ses walked up to it and struck two violent blows with a rod. At once a great stream of water began to flow from the rock.