Story 52: Is'ra-el At Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a; Spies Are Sent Into Ca'naan l

   The children of Is'ra-el had now arrived at the border of the Promised Land, and there seemed to be no reason why they should not enter it and take possession at once. God Himself had declared that it was a good land, He had promised to guide them to it, and this promise had now been fulfilled. He was present with them in the majestic pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, He had miraculously provided for all their needs thus far on the journey, He had assured them that He would drive out the heathen nations of Ca'naan and give the Is'ra-el-ites possession of the land, and His order when they arrived at Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a was, "Go up and possess the land."
   But the hearts of the people were filled with fear and unbelief. They felt it necessary to take certain precautions which the Lord had not included in His plan for the immediate occupation of Ca'naan. Their answer to God's command that they "go up at once" was "Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us." Mo'ses was deceived as to the real purpose of this request; thinking that it was a wise precaution which would be followed by whole-hearted obedience to the command of God, he yielded to the advice of the people. Without suspecting the mixture of unbelief and cowardice which prompted this request, he conferred with God about it. Although such a course seems not to have been in the plan of God for Is'ra-el, He permitted it in order to teach the people a lesson. God will sometimes let man have his own way and lean upon his own understanding so that he will  find out the utter folly of his fancied wisdom.
   It would have been better for Is'ra-el if the sending of spies had never been suggested, if they had walked by faith instead of seeking to go by sight.
   After securing permission from God to send men into Ca'naan to explore the land, Mo'ses proceeded to appoint and instruct those who were to go on this mission. He chose twelve men, one from each tribe of Is'ra-el; all of these men had proved their courage and wisdom by noble deeds in the past. They were sent out to make a careful study of the entire land of Ca'naan, paying attention to its fertility, the measures which were taken to protect its towns, and the number and strength of the people. The report which they were to bring back was to be proved by samples of the fruit which they had found in the land.
   For forty days the spies traveled through the land of Ca'naan, from the southern border where they entered the country, over the fruitful hills of the interior, along the coast facing the Med'i-ter-ra'ne-an Sea, and into the most distant towns of the northern border.
   They visited many villages and towns of the country, finding some of them walled and strongly fortified. Special attention was given by the spies to He'bron, a town which was older than Zo'an, the most ancient city of E'gypt. Three generations of Is'ra-el ancestors had been buried near He'bron-Ab'ra-ham and Sa'rah, I'saac and Re-bek'ah, and Ja'cob and Le'ah. Here lived at the time of this visit three tribes of people who were giants in stature, and who were fierce and warlike by nature.
   As the twelve men surveyed the land of Ca'naan, they found that much of it was fertile, yielding the finest grains, fruits, and grass. Among the things they found were: grapes, olives, figs, pomegranates, apricots, dates, apples, quinces, various kinds of berries, almonds, walnuts, oranges, lemons, bananas, pears, and other fruits. Some of these were in great abundance.
   The vast forests of the country were filled with wild animals, many of which could be used for food. the whole country was alive with bees, so quantities of the finest honey could be found everywhere. It was, indeed, a "land flowing with rich foods and honey."
  

Story 51: The Journey Of Is'ra-el From Si'nai To Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a lll

   As a result of his humiliation in the punishment of Mir'i-am, Aa'ron humbly confessed to Mo'ses his sin and that of their sister, admitted that they had acted foolishly, and begged his brother to pray for the healing of Mir'i-am. He cried, "Let her not be as one dead," for leprosy is nothing short of a living death in its torturing pain and corrupting power over the body. No persons who were afflicted with this terrible disease were allowed to go near the House of God.
   The gracious, forgiving spirit of Mo'ses was then revealed in his earnest prayer to God for the healing of his sister. Instead of resentment in his heart, there was forgiveness and mercy. His prayer was earnest and persistent, and was answered immediately, but seven days passed before Mir'i-am was completely healed. This was done to give her sufficient time to meditate upon her sin, and for the instruction of Aa'ron and all Is'ra-el. What wonders are wrought through fervent prayer!
   Having been unduly delayed at Ha-ze'roth by the plot of Mir'i-am and Aa'ron, and the punishment inflicted upon them by the LORD, the Is'ra-el-ites then journeyed to Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a, on the southwest borders of the land of Ca'naan. They were now within sight of the Promised Land, and the reasons for their failure to enter the Divinely promised heritage at once will be related in our next story.

Story 51: The Journey Of Is'ra-el From Si'nai To Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a ll

   The Is'ra-el-ites then journeyed a short distance further east, encamping at Ha-ze'roth for a brief period. During the encampment in this place Mir'i-am and Aa'ron were guilty of a great offense. They united in speaking against Mo'ses, the Divinely chosen and anointed leader of the nation. Envious of his position and power, jealous of the authority with which he ruled Is'ra-el, and hoping to gain equal rank with him, they formed a plot against Mo'ses. Aa'ron had been made the head of the nation in religious matters, and Mir'i-am was distinguished as a prophetess, but both were lower in rank than Mo'ses, and did not enjoy the same close communion with God. For these reasons they were envious of the superior office and ability of their brother.
   This deadly poison of unholy ambition spoiled all the sweetness and beauty of virtues possessed by two honored servants of God. Their envy was like a fountain from which there flowed a stream of hatred and evil. They tried to injure Mo'ses by saying wicked, untrue things about him, but this brought harm only to themselves.
   The excuse which they used for slandering their brother was that after the death of his wife Zip-po'rah, he had married a Cush'ite woman. She was probably one of those who had been converted to the He'brew religion, and had come out of E'gypt with Is'ra-el at the time of the Exodus.
   Mo'ses was very much hurt by the unfriendly action of his own brother and sister, but suffered the attack in meekness and silence, making no effort to defend himself. but the LORD took notice of what Aa'ron and Mir'i-am had said.
   The LORD spoke to Mir'i-am, Aa'ron, and Mo'ses, telling them to come at once to the Tabernacle for trial before Him. He then upheld Mo'ses, and told the others that their brother had been chosen to receive the great messages from God because of his perfect faith and honesty. Mir'i-am and Aa'ron were sternly rebuked for daring to tell false tales about their brother.
   So wicked did the LORD regard this deed that He caused the pillar of cloud, which was the symbol of His presence, to vanish for a moment. Mir'i-am was suddenly smitten with leprosy, a terrible disease which was regarded as a stroke from the Hand of God. Her foul tongue was justly punished with a foul face; while Mo'ses was forced to hide his face with a veil because of the Glory of God, she was forced to hide hers in shame. she had been the leader in the plot against Mo'ses, and was, therefore, punished more severely. Aa'ron's punishment consisted in performing his priestly duty of examining Mir'i-am's leprosy, and keeping her away from the House of God.
  

Story 51: The Journey Of Is'ra-el From Si'nai To Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a l

   Silver trumpets had been provided by Mo'ses for the priests to use in calling together the Is'ra-el-ites for an assembly of any kind. When all was in readiness for them to start on their journey from Si'nai, the sound of the trumpets summoned the people to the line of march.
   The pillar of cloud which always rested over the Tabernacle by day was lifted by the LORD. Mo'ses directed the Le'vites to take down the Tabernacle, and to pack the various pieces so that they could easily be carried. The two golden staves prepared for carrying the Ark of the Cov'e-nant were passed through the rings of gold on each side, and certain priests were appointed to carry it before the host of Is'ra-el. The pillar of cloud which served as the Divine guide for Is'ra-el during their journeys in the wilderness then hovered over the Ark, going forward with it as the Sacred Chest was carried along. Whenever the pillar of cloud by day or pillar of fire by night ceased to go forward, there the Is'ra-el-ites paused and pitched their tents for encampment.
   After three days the pillar of cloud halted, and the Is'ra-el-ites encamped for a month at a place which was later called Kib-roth-Hat-ta'a-vah. Here some of the people fell into their old habit of murmuring. They complained about the hardships of travel in the wilderness, about the weather, and about the conditions under which they lived, just as many people do today. For this ungrateful spirit the LORD sent fire into the camps of Is'ra-el, and many of the people lost their lives.
   Some days later a number of the less worthy Is'ra-el-ites gathered in groups to complain of their hardships, and began to talk of revolting from the leadership of Mo'ses. Although they were being fed with manna from Heaven, a delicious and nourishing food, they were not satisfied.
   Fish was abundant and cheap in E'gypt, cucumbers flourished, and melons were one of the chief crops. Another favorite food in E'gypt was the sort of onion called leeks, besides a very highly flavored onion greatly prized by the E'gypt-tians, and the garlic which was the choicest appetizer of that land. So greatly did the Is'ra-el-ites crave these foods of E'gypt that they spoke with scorn of the manna which God provided.
   The cries and complaints of the Is'ra-el-ites distressed Mo'ses, and he felt that the management of such a multitude of unruly people was more than he could endure. He sought help from God, and was told to select seventy elders from the tribes of Is'ra-el to help him. This left Mo'ses free to give most of his time to matters of greater importance.
   In the land of A-ra'bi-a, where they were now encamped, there were many wild birds called quail. They migrated in great numbers from place to place, flying very close to the ground. The LORD caused a great wind to blow a huge flock of quail into the place where Is'ra-el was encamped, and there were so many of them that they covered the ground for miles around. Many of the Is'ra-el-ites were so greedy for the new food that they ate too much, and some of them died.
   The sickness caused by the natural effects of their gluttony was regarded as a plague sent by the LORD, and as a punishment for the complaining spirit of the Is'ra-el-ites. The section of the encampment where the people were smitten with fire was called Tab'e-rah, meaning "The place of burning," and the entire encampment was called Kib-roth-Hat-ta'a-vah, which means "graves of greediness."

Story 50: The Great Day Of Atonement And The Scapegoat ll

   The burning coals were placed at once in front of the Ark of the Cov'e-nant, and were sprinkled with finely grount incense until the Tabernacle was filled with a silvery cloud of smoke, symbolic of praise and prayer.
   Aa'ron then returnt for the vessel of blood, and sprinkled some of it upon the Mercy Seat as an a-tone'ment for his own sins and those of the priests who assisted him. This act of worship was performed seven times as a token of completeness.
   When Aa'ron stood once again before the Great Altar in the court of the Tabernacle, he was presented with two young goats which were just alike in appearance, and size, and value. These were placed by the altar with their backs toward the assembled people, and their faces toward the sanctuary of the LORD.
   Two lots of the same size, shape, and material were placed in an urn; on one was written, "for the LORD," while the other said, "to be sent away." After lifting this urn toward the people and shaking it, Aa'ron drew out the lots and placed one on the head of each goat. He then tied a piece of scarlet cloth around the neck of the goat which had been chosen for the LORD, and a similar cloth was tied on the horns of the one which was to be sent away.
   The goat on which the lot "For the LORD" had been placed was given as a Sin Offering for the people. This sacrifice was made in the same manner as the offering of the bullock. The blood was carried by the High Priest alone into the Holy of Holies, and was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat as an a-tone'ment for the sins of all Is'ra-el. By various ceremonies the Tabernacle and all its furnishings were newly sanctified. Thus full a-tone'ment was made for the sins of all the people, and by ceremonial rites they were dedicated anew to the service of the LORD.
   Then the High Priest turnt again to the Great Altar where there still remained the goat on which the lot "to be sent away" had fallen. This goat, which was given the name "scapegoat," was then turnt to face the assemble people, waiting for their sins to be laid upon him. Then it was sent into the wilderness, to a land "not inhabited."
   Before the goat was sent away, however, the priest laid his hand on its head and made the following prayer:
               "O LORD, the house of Is'ra-el, thy people, have trespassed, rebelled, and sinned before
               thee. I beseech thee, O LORD, forgive their trespasses and sins which they have committed,
               that they may be clean from all their sins before the LORD."
   The "scapegoat" was then led away to some distant place in the wilderness, so far away that it could never find the way back, and was turnt loose to wander wherever it pleased.
   In the sacrifice of the first goat there was blood a-tone'ment for sin, while the second goat was an example of the results of the a-tone'ment. Through the mercy and grace of God the sins of the people were carried away into the wilderness, never to return to the people from whom they had been separated, indicating full and perfect remission of sins. Having completed these ceremonies Aa'ron removed the white garments designed for the Great Day of A-tone'ment, donned his regular priestly robe, and made Burnt Offerings for the people as a token of gratitude and renewed consecration.
   Instructions were then given by Mo'ses for continuing the Great Day of A-tone'ment, and rules for its annual observance were announced. It was to be observed by the entire nation, whether in their own land or among foreign people, and was set apart as a Sab'bath of rest. All worldly pursuits were to be laid aside during the sacred observances, and the whole thought of the people was to be centered upon the sacrifices, ceremonies, and rites of that Great Day. It was also required that the day be observed with deep sorrow, humble confession of sin, and genuine repentance toward God. This Annual Feast Day was faithfully observed by Is'ra-el to the time when its symbols of A-tone'ment were wonderfully fulfilled by the LORD Jesus in His death on Calvary.

Story 50: The Great Day Of Atonement And The Scapegoat l

   One of the natural results of the sin of Na'dab and A-bi'hu, and of the severe penalty inflicted upon them, was to put in the mind of Aa'ron a feeling of dread, lest he, too, should err in the ministries of his office. For this reason the LORD soon appeared to Mo'ses with full instructions for the High Priest to carry out on the one day of each year in which he was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. That day was called the Great Day of A-tone'ment, and became the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
   The sacrificial system of Mo'ses reached its highest point in the worship which took place on the Great Day of A-tone'ment. It was an annual day for Is'ra-el to make atonement for all the sins of the past year which might have escaped notice in the regular daily sacrifices. It was the day on which the entire nation received pardon for such sins, and the sacrifices and ceremonies then performed marked the climax of all the others.
   The first observance of the Day of A-tone'ment took place soon after the tragic death of Na'dab and A-bi'hu for impiety, and was held on the tenth day of the seventh month in the He'brew year. It was at the critical period in Is'ra-el's history when the chosen nation was being firmly established, and when the Mo-sa'ic system of rites and ceremonies was being completed. It was also just before the Is'ra-el-ites departed from Si'nai for the journey to Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a, where they were to be severely tested as to their readiness to enter at once into the Promised Land.
   The sacrifices of the Great Day of A-tone'ment were made by Aa'ron alone, and in this respect they were different from the daily sacrifices, which could be offered by any of the priests. As the High Priest, Aa'ron had to perform all the rites and ceremonies of the day without any help from the other priests. The refueling of the fire on the Great Altar within the courts of the Tabernacle, the filling of the lamps within the Holy Place, the lighting and burning of the incense, and all the daily offices required, were performed by the High Priest.
   The appointed sacrifices for that day were a Sin Offering and a Burnt Offering. A bullock and two young goats, each one perfect in every respect, were furnished from the public treasury of the whole house of Is'ra-el. Before going out to make these offerings, Aa'ron washed himself thoroughly, and dressed in the priestly garments specially designed for this particular day.
   On the Great Day of Atonement the High Priest wore fine white linen breeches next to his body, a fine linen coat, clean and white; a white linen girdle, and a linen mitre for his head. These garments were symbolic of perfect righteousness and complete purity. On this occasion the splendid golden garments which the High Priest ordinarily wore as a sign of his office were laid aside for the plain, simple garments of Holiness. The mitre with a plate of pure gold around the brow, the wonderful breastplate studded with twelve precious stones, the ephod with its onyx stones and tinkling bells of gold-all these were put away on the solemn Day of A-tone'ment.
   First in the order of the sacrifices was that of a young bullock which was offered in atonement for the sins of the High Priest and his family. Aa'ron slew the bullock, and let its blood flow into a vessel used for that purpose while he entered the Holy of Holies, carrying a censer of burning coals in his right hand, and a platter of fragrant incense in his left.

Story 49: The Sin Of Impiety In Divine Worship; Its Punishment ll

   The dreadful sin of Na'dab and A-bi'hu, and the sudden punishment of death inflicted upon them by the LORD, struck their father a hard blow. He felt that God had been insulted, that Is'ra-el had been disgraced, and that his own honor had been dragged into shame. But he restrained himself from making any comment on what had happened, or complaining to the LORD. He bowed in complete obedience to God's will, and held his peace before all that Mo'ses had to say. Beautiful, indeed, was the spirit of Aa'ron under so terrible a misfortune. Unable to eat the portion assigned to the priests in a Peace Offering brought at that time, he quietly accepted the rebuke of Mo'ses, and bore with silence the deep sorrow in his heart.
   The LORD then made use of the tragic occasion to lay down strict rules concerning the use of wine by the priests. Mo'ses was directed to say, "Let no priest drink wine or strong drink of any kind before entering upon the sacred duties of his office." Severe warnings were given against any form of intemperance which would tend to becloud the mind, defile the body, or in any way make the priest unfit for the solemn duties of his office.
   These words of Mo'ses have a message for those who seek to worship God today. Everything which makes it impossible for one to worship God in the way that He has commanded must be strictly avoided. The spiritual sight must be kept clear, the heart and conscience pure and undefiled, the eye single, and the mind free from all distracting thoughts when we come before God in worship.
   Throughout the history of religion, both during the period of Ju'da-ism and under the new era brought by the Gospel of Christ, Divine worship holds the central place. Spiritual worship and the proper observance of appointed hours of worship must be kept up, or else everything connected with the life of religion will go wrong. The Christian who does not keep his priestly garments unspotted, who fails to free himself from all that leads to carelessness and irreverence in worship, and who neglects the Divinely-given laws of worship, will become fruitless and without joy in his religious life. We need to give the best that we have to His worship today:
               Take my soul and body's powers; take my memory, mind and will;
               All my goods and all my hours; all I know and all I feel;
               All I think, or speak, or do,-take my heart, but make it new.


               Now, O God, Thine own I am; now I give Thee back Thine own;
               Freedom, friends, and health and fame, consecrate to Thee alone;
               Thine I live, thrice happy I!  Happier still if Thine to die."
   After this event was over, and the bodies of the two unfaithful priests had been buried outside the camp of Is'ra-el, Aa'ron and his other two sons, whose names were E-le-a'zar and Ith'a-mar, continued to carry on the services and sacrifices of the LORD'S House. They were very careful, indeed, to perform them in exactly the place, manner, time, and spirit which God had commanded.

Story 49: The Sin Of Impiety In Divine Worship; Its Punishment l

   Not long after the Tabernacle was erected, and the priests had begun the daily services ordered by Mo'ses, two sons of Aa'ron committed a great sin against the laws of worship. The LORD had directed that the fragrant gum used for incense be lighted from the fire which He had kindled on the Great Altar. Instead of following these instructions, however, two priests named Na'dab and A'bi'hu took coals of fire from some other place to set the incense in flames.
   This act of the two young men who had so recently been consecrated as priests was unforgivable. It profaned their sacred office, disobeyed the clear command of God, and showed inexcusable carelessness. The fire from the Great Altar was to be used because it had been lighted by the LORD, because it had been consecrated by the blood of atoning sacrifices, and because it had been especially blessed by the LORD.
   It appears that the sinful act of the two young priests was the result of their own sinful indulgence. In the recklessness and the folly of youth, they had taken too much wine, and then had tried to take their part in Divine Worship with their minds beclouded by the evil drink.
   For this act of sacrilege the two young men were suddenly smitten with death. As they stood beside the holy altar of incense the fire of God struck them, and they dropped dead by the altar. Their clothing was unharmed, there was no scorch of fire, but they were dead.
   Their punishment was both sudden and severe, but was fully justified by the terrible sin which they had committed. Na'dab and A-bi'hu had dared to offer fire which was forbidden by the LORD, and so they were punished by a fire which took their lives. They had burnt their own fire in preference to that which God had commanded to be used in Divine Worship, And were justly consumed by the fire which they had failed to use.
   When Mo'ses was told of their act, and of the sudden punishment inflicted, he declared, "This is the token of the holiness of God's House; His worship must be Holy." He refused to allow Aa'ron or his two other sons to touch the dead bodies, but called for two distant relatives to remove them. The usual mourning for the dead was also forbidden, for the two unworthy priests had been slain for sin against the LORD.
   Surely this striking episode, which took place at the very beginning of the new system of worship, and within the doors of the place which had been appointed for it, was a stern lesson in the need for sobriety, thoughtfulness, and strict obedience to every detail in the code of worship which God had given. Carelessness in the worship of God has within it an explosive fire which is sure to fall upon all who are guilty of it. The Divine Command which should be written in letters of fire before every worshiper of God is, "Be not rash with thy mouth, for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."
   Our worship should always be filled with deep emotion and outpourings of the spirit, but care must be taken to preserve true reverence; there is no place in true religion for presumptuous, undignified acts of our own. Whatever services we render unto God must be performed in the way and in the spirit prescribed by God.








               "No sacred lore, howe'er profound,
               Nor all the long and varied round
               Of sacred rites, can bliss procure
               For worthless man, in heart impure.










               Altho' a man with zeal and skill
               Should all external rites fulfill,
               He reaps no fruit of all his toil
               If sin his inner man should soil.










               E'en he his all in alms who spends,
               With heart defiled, secures no meed;
               The disposition, not the deed,
               Has value-on it all depends."
              
  

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings lll

   The idea of fellowship was at the very center of the entire procedure, for in this sacrificial meal the donor enjoyed fellowship with God, with the anointed priest of God, and shared these blessed fellowships with his family and friends. It was a social meal in which there was Holy Communion with God, and blessed fellowship with one another.
   It is the right of God to say where and how He shall be worshiped. For one to look with scorn upon the ancient forms of sacrifice prescribed by the LORD is a sin unworthy of human intelligence, showing disgraceful ignorance and willful misunderstanding. The entire system of sacrificial offerings was provided by the LORD to meet Is'ra-el's great need of atonement for sin.
   The Tabernacle was the only proper place for Is'ra-el to worship God. The Great Altar was the only place of sacrificial worship, and on this holy place burnt a constant fire as the sign of God's willingness ever to forgive the sins of those who look to Him alone for salvation. It stood between the door of the Tabernacle and the symbol of the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, pointing to the Cross of Je'sus, without which no man may find shelter in His Loving Arms.
   Every detail of the sacrificial system of Is'ra-el was fulfilled in Christ. The offering of animal sacrifices, and the work of the priests in this respect have been set aside by the Gospel teachings of Christ, but the great spiritual truths taught by these offerings can never cease; they have full power upon us today in our relation and worship toward God through Christ the LORD.
              
               "He who would be cleansed from every sin
               Must to God's Holy Altar bring
               The whole of life-its joys, its tears,
               Its hopes, its loves, its powers, its years;
               The will, and every cherished thing."

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings ll

   In presenting this offering the donor must act entirely of his own free will; there was no element of extortion or force by the LORD. The one who made the offering placed his hands on the head of the animal as it was presented to the priest; this was to show that his guilt was to be transferred to the animal which he gave as a sacrifice for his sins. He was required to slay the animal himself, calling attention to the fact that his own sins were the reason for making the offering. The entire procedure of the sacrifice took place in the open, and in a reverent, orderly manner.
   In many respects the Sin Offering was similar to the Burnt Offering. The animals used and the requirements for perfection and cleanliness were the same, and the purpose in both sacrifices was that of removing sin. One difference appears in the fact that the Burnt Offering was made for the entire assembly of Is'ra-el, and for sins in general, although it was sometimes offered by individuals; while the Sin Offering was almost always made by an individual for his own benefit.
   The Sin Offering was also frequently made by a priest for his own sins, and in such cases the entire offering was burnt; while in offering it for others only a part of the animal was burnt, the remainder being given to the priests for food.
   This offering covered every kind of sin: sins of which the donor was conscious, and for which he made a direct confession; and sins which had been committed through ignorance, or without knowing that they were wrong. The sacrifice was an example of the hatefulness of sin in the sight of God, and required the one who made it to prove his repentance by looking upon sin with the same loathing. Through this offering sin was blotted out, and the eating of a part of the animal by the priest was a symbol of God's complete reconciliation with the sinner.
   In the Peace Offering, the donor brought to the priest some animal which had been selected because it was the best which he had. The sacrifice could be a bullock, a ram, a lamb, or a dove. Certain portions were offered to God in burnt sacrifices, while the remainder was eaten by the donor and the priest in a meal of thanksgiving and fellowship. Sometimes friends and relatives of the one who made the sacrifice were invited to take part in the feast. This offering was observed after the Burnt Offering and the Sin Offering, and could not properly be celebrated until peace had been made between God and man.
   There were elements of both confession and consecration in this offering. A portion of the animal was burnt unto the LORD, the blood was sprinkled upon the burnt offering, the donor placed his hands upon the head of the animal, and slew it himself, as in the previous offerings. The outstanding features of this sacrifice, however, were thanksgiving, fellowship, and friendship; and the donor came to the altar in a spirit of joy and spiritual delight.

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings l

   With the setting up of the Tabernacle a new order of worship for Is'ra-el was established. Up to this time Mo'ses alone had been the one through whom God spoke to the people, and who served as their spokesman to God. Now God dwelt among His people in an unseen and mysterious manner, but in a very real sense, in the Holy of Holies. Now there was also provided a means of reaching the LORD every day through the system of sacrificial offerings and ministries of the priesthood, and the people might secure pardon for their sins by offering the sacrifices of repentance.
   Just as the moral law had been issued through Mo'ses from Mount Si'nai, so the laws of worship for the system of sacrifices and ceremonies were given from the Tabernacle. Both were given with equal solemnity, and both were equally binding upon the Is'ra-el-ites.
   In giving Is'ra-el this code of sacrifices, God provided a way by which His people could always reach Him. From the beginning there had been a feeling in the heart of mankind that some sort of sacrificial offering was needed in the worship of God. This feeling grew out of a sense of sin and need, and the knowledge of obligation to God. It was to meet this sense of sin and need, and to provide for Is'ra-el the sacrifices which foreshadowed the atonement made for all believers by Je'sus Christ, that God gave the Mo-sa'ic, or Aa'ron-ic, system of offerings.
   The Divine way for man's approach to God has always been by sacrifice. The objects of the sacrifices appointed for ancient Is'ra-el were the following: to provide a satisfactory way for man to lay his problems before the LORD, to awaken and maintain reverence for God, to secure greater consecration and obedience, and to open a new channel for the expression of man's feelings toward his Maker.
   In the Divinely given ritual for the He'brews there were three principal classes of sacrifices: the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the peace offering. In addition, there were several sacrifices of less importance, including the meat offering, the trespass offering, and consecrations of various kinds. These were usually offered in connection with other sacrifices.
   The first of these sacrifices, both in the order in which they were given, and in importance, was the burnt offering. Its chief purpose was to make atonement for sin, and thereby to keep open man's channel of communication with God.
   The animal to be offered in making this sacrifice must be chosen from the best of the flocks or herds, and must be absolutely free from any flaws or defects. It was entirely consumed by the fire, with no part being withheld from God.
                                              

Story 47: Aa'ron Appointed High Priest; His Garments Of Gold lll

   In the pouch formed by the front and back of the breastplate were placed what was called the U'rim and Thum'mim. No description is given, and whether these words represented material objects, or simply the He'brew terms for "lights and perfections," is not known. They seem to have been a sign to Is'ra-el of God's solemn promise to send information for every need in answer to the prayer of the High Priest.
   Worn over his heart, this article of dress reminded both Aa'ron and the people of the loving care which he must always have for the nation, of the fact that he represented the people before God, and of the duty of faithfully reporting the will of God to Is'ra-el at all times.
   The turban or Mi'tre worn by Aa'ron on his head was made of fine linen, with a gold band encircling the front on which was inscribed "Holiness to the LORD." Crowned with this diadem symbolic of purity and majesty, the High Priest was constantly reminded of his complete consecration to God, and the people were reminded of the holiness which they must always seek.
   Thus we see that even the splendid garments worn by the High Priest had a spiritual meaning in keeping with the purposes of God in founding the whole priestly system of ancient Is'ra-el.
   How wonderfully do all these sublime provisions made for the High Priest of Is'ra-el point to our great High Priest at the right hand of God, who:
               "Exalted high at God's right hand,
                  And LORD of all below;
               Through Him is pardoning love dispensed,
                  And boundless blessings flow.
   The Tabernacle having been completed, the High Priest and his assistants having been provided with suitable garments, Aa'ron and his sons were set apart to their offices by a special service of consecration. They were washed thoroughly, and then anointed with holy oil; this was a symbol of peace, indicating the grace imparted to them by the LORD, and through them to all Is'ra-el. There was also the offering of burnt sacrifices to the LORD, and the sprinkling of blood upon the priests, signs which pointed to the nature of the ministry to which Aa'ron and his sons had been Divinely appointed.
   All these rites and ceremonies clearly signify the absolute necessity for thorough sanctification of heart and life for worshippers of God:
               "No spot or wrinkle on their holy brow,
               No film upon their robes of dazzling white,
               Most beautiful, most glorious; every saint
               HOLY in individual HOLINESS."
  
  

Story 47: Aa'ron Appointed High Priest; His Garments Of Gold ll

   The golden bells, ever tinkling as the High Priest performed the duties of his sacred office, proclaimed to the people that he had found access to God on their behalf, and that his ministries were pleasing to Him.
   The ephod worn by Aa'ron was an ornate upper garment with one part falling over his shoulders in front and covering his breast, and the other falling behind and covering his back. It was made of the same material as the inner curtain and draperies of the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, blue, purple, scarlet, and finely twined linen, interwoven with gold threads cut from plates of pure gold. It was tied around the waist with an embroidered girdle made of the same material.
   Upon each of the shoulder pieces of the ephod was an onyx stone set in borders of  gold, on these stones were engraved the names of the twelve heads of the tribes of Is'ra-el. The names of the six elder sons of Ja'cob were on one of these stones, and the names of the six younger sons were engraved on the other.
   This article of dress for the High Priest, expensive, gorgeous, and brilliant, indicated the beauty and glory of the priestly services in the Tabernacle; while the names of the heads of the twelve tribes of Is'ra-el carried upon the shoulders pointed out the High Priest as the only one who could speak for the nation with God. Since gold is the emblem of regal power, the golden garments of Aa'ron were a sign that he was the head of the nation in all religious matters.
   The breastplate was joined to the ephod by chains of gold. It was a highly decorated woven square about ten inches each way, and was worn over the breast. It was made of the same material as the ephod, but was made somewhat in the form of a pouch. It was adorned with twelve precious stones, arranged in three perpendicular rows of four each. Engraved on these sparkling jewels were the names of the tribes of Is'ra-el, one name on each.
   The twelve precious stones, representing each of the twelve tribes of Is'ra-el, were symbolic of the different traits of each one. In the first row were: the Emerald, of brilliant green , on which was the name of Zeb'u-lun; the Diamond, transparent or reddish yellow, bearing the name of Ash'er; the Amethyst, violet-blue, engraved with the name of Ben'ja-min; and the Jasper, dark red, representing Gad.
   In the second row were: the Topaz, golden tinged, engraved with the name of Ju'dah; the Sapphire, sky-blue, on which was placed the name of Sim'e-on; the Agate, of divers colors and transparent, bearing the name of Ma-nas'seh; and the Beryl, sea-green, on which the name of Naph'ta-li appeared.
   In the third row were: the Sardius, carnelian or blood-red, engraved with the name of Is'sa-char; the Carbuncle, of fine ruby color, on which the name of Reu'ben appeared; the Ligure, orange and transparent, representing E'phraim; and the Chrysolite, golden colored, on which the name of Dan was inscribed.
   This beautifully jeweled breastplate indicated the truth that the intercession of the High Priest must rest upon a foundation of purity, righteousness, and holiness; and these precious stones typified the purity and glory of Is'ra-el under the saving grace of God.
  

Story 47: Aa'ron Appointed High Priest; His Garments Of Gold l

   After giving Mo'ses full directions for building a place of worship, the LORD gave further instructions concerning the services to be held in the Tabernacle. The first requirement for these services was that there should be a High Priest, who would represent both the LORD and the people as a mediator, and who would have charge of all the ministrations within the House of God and its court. The High Priest was to have the assistance of other priests in carrying on the Tabernacle services.
   The LORD Himself chose Aa'ron as High Priest, and directed that his sons be appointed to assist him. It was His order that the office of High Priest should be continued in Aa'ron's family, and that the eldest son of each successive generation should be appointed to this office. The LORD also directed that all the male descendants, from one generation to another, were to be priests. Thus the priesthood of Is'ra-el was to remain in Aa'ron's family, and was to be limited strictly to his descendants. The appointment of any man outside the Aa'ron-ic family to the priesthood was to be unlawful, and death was the penalty for any person who attempted to fill this office without being properly anointed.
   Divine directions were given for an elaborate and impressive ceremony by which Aa'ron should be inducted into his office as High Priest, and for the dedication of his sons to the work of the priesthood. Aa'ron was to be gorgeously arrayed in specially prepared garments and bedecked with certain jewels as a sign of his office. Divine instructions were given in regard to all these details. His sons were also to have specially prepared garments and distinctive marks of office, and these were all prescribed by the LORD.
   The distinguishing garments and jewels which were to be prepared for Aa'ron were: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a girdle, a turban, two onyx stones, and twelve precious stones embedded in the breastplate. Underneath these garments he wore a close fitting coat of white linen.
   For the sons of Aa'ron, the priestly garments consisted of coats of white linen, bonnets of similar material, a turban, a girdle, and fine linen breeches. These were all prepared, as the LORD directed, from the finest materials and by the most skilled workmen of Is'ra-el.
   Aa'ron's robe was an upper garment made of one piece entirely woven without the use of a needle, with an opening at the top well hemmed to prevent rending; with arm-holes, but without sleeves, and blue in color. The fringe at the bottom was richly decorated with artificial pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet, and little golden bells placed between each pair of pomegranates.
   This robe distinguished the wearer as one whose duty was to preserve and declare God's truth. Made of one piece, it symbolized the unity of God's revelations, one in spirit and beauty and authority; God's word is all Truth, not partly true and partly false, not partly human and partly Divine, and not partly beautiful and partly unseemly. The color, which was the same as the lofty firmament of the Heavens, indicated that the Truth of God is the highest, purest, and only eternal revelation given to man.
   The ornaments on the fringe of Aa'ron's robe also had an important meaning. Pomegranates, with their pleasant odor, their sweet, refreshing juice, and the richness of their delicate meat, symbolized the refreshing, strengthening power of the Word of God as the spiritual food for His children.

Story 46: The Building Of The First House Of Worship lll

   The total cost of the Tabernacle would be about two million dollars. The value of the gold and silver and brass, or copper, exceeded one million dollars. The finest, most expensive workmanship was used in making boards for the walls, and in preparation of the fine linens and curtains. The altar and the interior furnishings were made from the very best materials by workmen of the greatest skill.
   One might ask how the He'brews could afford such enormous expenditures for the House of God, and from what source did they secure such quantities of precious metals? The answer lies in the fact that when these three million people left E'gypt they took with them great quantities of gold, silver, and other valuables in the form of ornaments and jewelry. They also brought quantities of flax for spinning fine linen, and the women were skilled in making the finest quality of linens and curtains. The fine woods which they used could be obtained from various parts of the A-ra'bi-an Peninsula, and skins could easily be had from their own flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. The fact remains, however, that the giving of all these valuable articles and services speaks well for the liberality and willingness to serve of the ancient Is'ra-el-ites.
   One might also ask why so much gold and other precious metals was used? First, to impress upon Is'ra-el the majesty and glory of the True God, whose presence among them was represented by the Tabernacle. They needed to learn at the very beginning of their national life that the BEST must be given to God, that the place built for His worship must be superior in every respect to their own homes, and that true love to the LORD is best shown by unselfishness and generosity. The LORD also wished to prevent them from having any occasion for pride, envy, or jealousy over their treasures. By giving the BEST that they had to the LORD'S service, the people had no reason to be jealous of one another's possessions.
  

Story 46: The Building Of The First House Of Worship ll

   The Tabernacle itself was a half-tent, half-wooden structure, about forty five feet long, fifteen feet wide, and fifteen feet high. It was divided into two rooms by a veil which hung down the roof. The larger room was at the east end, and was thirty feet long, while the other room was fifteen feet long.
   The walls of the Tabernacle were made of specially prepared boards which stood upright on silver bases, and were completely covered on each side with gold. The east end had no wall of boards, but could be closed by a curtain. The roof was made of four layers of curtains, the inner one forming a beautiful ceiling. The three other curtains were made of ram skins to keep out the rain and the sunshine.
   The larger room of the Tabernacle was called the Holy Place. On the right, as one came in from the opening at the east end, there was a table overlaid with gold, and upon the table were twelve loaves of bread. Each loaf of bread was placed there by one of the twelve tribes of Is'ra-el as a sign of complete consecration to the LORD. On the left stood the golden lampstand with seven branches, and on each branch there was a brilliant light. At the west end of the Holy Place, near the veil which separated this room from the smaller one, was a small golden altar of incense. Here offerings of incense were burnt as a symbol of love to the LORD.
   The smaller room on the west end of the Tabernacle was called the Holy of Holies. It was within this room that the presence of God was shown in a brilliant halo called the She-ki'nah. The room was furnished with nothing but a wooden chest overlaid with plates of gold and lined with gold, and called the Ark of the Covenant. The lid to this chest was made of solid gold, and had on it two golden ornaments called cherubim. The two stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments were kept in the chest, and later there was added a pot of manna and Aa'ron's wonderful rod which budded. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter this room, and even he could come in only once a year.
   The cost of the materials used in making and furnishing the Tabernacle was met by voluntary gifts from the Is'ra-el-ites. As soon as Mo'ses called the people together and told them what a wonderful building the Tabernacle would be, there was a quick, whole-hearted response from all the people. The elders of Is'ra-el informed the people what was needed to carry out the plans which God had revealed to Mo'ses, and they gladly brought in their gifts.
   There was no need to urge the Is'ra-el-ites to do their duty in providing the materials that were to be used in making the Tabernacle. God had graciously forgiven them for their idolatry, and now wished them to build for Him a house in which there would be a constant reminder of His presence. Such a sacred cause was reason enough to the Is'ra-el-ites for making generous gifts.
   The gifts of the people differed according to their means and skill. Some gave gold and silver, some gave badger skins, while the women spun fine linens, and made beautifully decorated curtains. The rich did not try to excuse themselves by mentioning other demands upon their wealth, nor did the poor refuse to help because they had only a little to give.
   In many instances there was voluntary labor in the work of construction. Both men and women used their strength and skill in preparing the materials, or in the actual work of building the Tabernacle. Gifts of love, and services of love filled the hearts of Is'ra-el; truly could they sing:
               "But what or who are we, alas!
                  That we in giving are so free?
               Thine own before our offering was,
                  And all we have, we have from Thee."
                

Story 46: The Building Of The First House Of Worship l

   Among all the provisions which God made for the safety and welfare of Is'ra-el in the wilderness, He was careful to include full instructions regarding Divine worship. The first of His Commandments was that they should worship God, and Him alone; the second Commandment forbade the making of graven images of any kind for worship, or the setting up of any god whatsoever.
   The first great sin committed by the Is'ra-el-ites after the LORD had given Mo'ses the Ten Commandments was the breaking of the first two Commandments. Evidently the Is'ra-el-ites needed more instruction, so when Mo'ses was called to the top of Mount Si'nai for the second forty day season with God he was told to build a house of worship for Is'ra-el. Complete details were given by the LORD concerning the size and shape of the building, the materials to be used, the furnishings to be placed within it, the outer court to be provided, and the altar to be placed before the entrance.
   Thus the command to worship God, the set time for worship, the type of building to be erected for worship, and the forms of services to be rendered, all directly from the LORD.
   The plans which God gave to Mo'ses for building a house of worship were intended to remove the temptation to bow down before idols. The LORD would provide for them a building which would remind them of His presence in Is'ra-el, and which at the same time would lead them away from the worship of graven images. He had taught them that the True God is a spirit, that He cannot be seen by the eyes of man, and that no graven image can give a true picture of the Divine. These truths would be kept before the people at all times in the building and furnishing of a house of worship.
   The Is'ra-el-ites were living in tents at the time when the house of worship was built, and they were constantly moving from place to place. It was, therefore, necessary for the house of worship to be made somewhat like a tent, so that it could easily be taken down and carried as often as the Is'ra-el-ites moved to another encampment. For this reason the building was called a Tabernacle. It was to be the best tent in all the camp of Is'ra-el, made of the finest materials, furnished with the most costly equipment, and made as beautiful as possible. It must also be planned to meet the purposes of worship in the most adequate and complete manner.
   The LORD directed that the Tabernacle be placed in the very center of the camp of the Is'ra-el-ites. The various tribes of Is'ra-el were to be arranged in an orderly manner, with their tents going back from the four sides of the court around the Tabernacle, and forming a great square with the house of God in the middle.
   The open court in which the Tabernacle occupied the central spot was one hundred and fifty feet long and seventy-five feet wide. It was enclosed with curtains of fine linen, in brilliant colors, hanging upon posts of brass or copper. These posts were held in place by cords fastened to tent pins driven into the earth, and the height of the enclosure was between seven and eight feet. This court was always placed with its ends facing east and west, and its sides north and south, with an entrance in the center of the east side. Midway between the two sides, and about midway between the eastern entrance of the court and the east gate to the Tabernacle, there stood a special altar for burnt sacrifices.

Story 45: Mo'ses On The Mount With God; The TEN COMMANDMENTS Written On Tablets Of Stone; Aa'ron Makes A Golden Calf lll

   Then Mo'ses entered the camps of Is'ra-el and gave this solemn command: "Who is on the LORD'S side, and not on the side of this idol? Let him come and stand by my side." One whole tribe, the descendants of Le'vi, came forward at once. Mo'ses said to them, "Take your swords, go through the camp, and slay every man his brother, and companion, and neighbor." As a result of this order about three thousand of the wicked Is'ra-el-ites were slain.
   After this terrible punishment had been inflicted, Mo'ses ordered a special sacrifice for those who had repented from their sins, and then he made one of the most wonderful prayers ever offered by man. He offered to take the place of Is'ra-el, and to suffer the punishment which his people deserved. God heard this prayer with favor, and granted forgiveness. The people were called to renewed consecration to God, and continued their journey under His Blessings.
   God then directed Mo'ses to prepare two tablets of stone similar to those which he had broken in his anger against Is'ra-el, and to come up into the mountain again to receive another copy of the Ten Commandments. Mo'ses obeyed the order, and went alone to the top of the mountain to commune with God. The Ten Commandments were written by the LORD on the two tablets of stone prepared by Mo'ses, and other important laws were revealed.
   Mo'ses remained on Mount Si'nai for another forty days and nights, and once again was kept in good health by the LORD during a fast which lasted for the same period. God's promise of continued blessings upon Is'ra-el was made even more clear than it had been during the previous season of converse. More elaborate and advanced rules for the government of Is'ra-el were given which Mo'ses put into permanent written form.
   When Mo'ses returned to the camp of Is'ra-el with the two tablets of stone upon which God had written the Ten Commandments, his face was so radiant with the glory of God that the people were afraid of him. For this reason he had to cover his face with a veil when the elders of Is'ra-el came to him to hear the message which he brought from God. Before long this glory passed away, and Mo'ses was no longer hindered in his dealings with Is'ra-el.

Story 45: Mo'ses On The Mount With God; The TEN COMMANDMENTS Written On Tablets Of Stone; Aa'ron Makes A Golden Calf ll

   Aa'ron said to the people, "Break off the gold from your earrings and bring this to me, and other jewels of gold." Then he took the gold furnished by the Is'ra-el-ites, melted it in the fire, and carved for them a golden calf which resembled some of the idols worshiped by the E'gyp-tians. One of the chief gods of the E'gyp-tians was a sacred bull, and the people often used little golden images of a bull in their heathen worship.
   In the hope of preventing the people from turning away from the true God during their worship around the golden calf, Aa'ron built an altar near the idol, and proclaimed a day of special worship unto the LORD. But once the first step toward idolatry had been taken, the people could not be controlled. Memories of the riotous worship they had seen in E'gypt filled them with sinful thoughts, and they began to dance around the golden calf shouting, "These are thy gods, O Is'ra-el, that brought thee out of the land of E'gypt."
   Both Is'ra-el and Aa'ron were guilty of sins against the LORD. Already they had broken the first of the Commandments spoken by the LORD just a short time before from the fiery top of Mount Si'nai. The golden idol had for the moment taken the place of God in the hearts of His chosen people, and the forbidden worship had led them on to other shameful sins.
   When Mo'ses came down from Mount Si'nai with the two tablets of stone upon which God had written the Ten Commandments, and saw the Is'ra-el-ites bowing down before an idol, his anger was so great that he hurled the tablets to the ground and broke them. Aa'ron tried to excuse himself for what had happened, but was severely blamed and rebuked by Mo'ses. His excuses were weak and false, and did not deceive the man of God. He said that the people had forced him to make the image, that he had cast the gold into the fire and the calf had come out, so that the blame for all this mischief rested upon the Is'ra-el-ites. But Mo'ses said, "Thou hast brought this great sin upon Is'ra-el."
   The people were also sternly rebuked for the sins which they had committed, and a severe punishment was inflicted upon them. God had seen the idolatry of Is'ra-el, and had heard their cries of worship for the golden calf. He, therefore, told Mo'ses that He intended to destroy the entire nation, and to make Mo'ses' descendants the chosen nation for which Is'ra-el had been intended. But Mo'ses set the welfare of the nation above the glory of his own family, and pleaded with God to spare the Is'ra-el-ites. God was moved by this prayer, and agreed to pardon Is'ra-el after suitable punishment.
   Mo'ses took the golden calf, burnt it in the fire, ground it into a fine powder, and sprinkled the powder upon water. The Is'ra-el-ites were then forced to drink the water filled with golden particles: token of the bitterness of their sin.

Story 45: Mo'ses On The Mount With God; The TEN COMMANDMENTS Written On Tablets Of Stone; Aa'ron Makes A Golden Calf l

   The Ten Commandments which form the principles upon which the Mosaic laws were based were first spoken by the LORD to all Is'ra-el, and then were written by God Himself on two tablets of stone. In this form they were kept by the Is'ra-el-ites for many centuries.
   God said to Mo'ses, "Come up to me on the Mount, and be there: and I will give thee tablets of stone, and a law, and Commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them."
   Mo'ses then told the children of Is'ra-el that he was going up to the top of Mount Si'nai, where God would talk with him at length, and would give him the laws by which they were to be governed. He also told the people that they were to remain obedient to God under the care of Aa'ron and Hur, who were to take his place while he was absent from them. Mo'ses took with him his servant Josh'u-a, who remained on the side of the mountain while Mo'ses went to the top for communion with God.
   The top of Mount Si'nai was still covered with the fiery cloud and with billows of smoke, showing the presence and glory of God. Mo'ses entered the cloud, and held intimate converse with God for forty days and nights. He walked among the flames and smoke without being harmed, and went without food for forty days and nights without losing strength. He was in deep communion with God, listening carefully to the instructions which the LORD gave him, and probably putting into written form the laws which he afterwards read to the people of Is'ra-el. It was a prolonged season of prayer and meditation, and of holy communion with the LORD God. For the entire period of forty days his intimate converse with God was free from interruption. There was nothing to disturb or distract him from the great experience of talking with God.
   During this long period of converse with God, Mo'ses was given the two tablets of stone on which it is said that the Ten Commandments had been written by the finger of God. These tablets were to be taken back to Is'ra-el and kept for the instruction of future generations.
   But forty days and nights was a long time for Is'ra-el to wait for the return of their great leader. They no doubt thought that God had taken him as He had E'noch many centuries before, and that he would never return to them. They had looked upon him as one who spoke with the authority of God, so now that no one else seemed capable of taking his place they felt that they must have some symbol of God's presence with them.
   The Is'ra-el-ites did not intend to forsake the God who had brought them out of the land of E'gypt, who had provided for them so graciously this far in their journey, and who had recently spoken to them from Mount Si'nai, but they did want some visible object to remind them of the presence of the LORD.
   They went to Aa'ron and said, "Make us a god that we may worship, and that will go up before us." Aa'ron thought it best to do what the people asked. He did not have the courage to deny the request of the Is'ra-el-ites for a god like those which they had seen in E'gypt, and so he took the first step in a course which led the people into a disgraceful state of idol-worship. It was his intention to hold them to their faith and loyalty to the true God, but he did not realize that they would soon worship the idol itself, instead of the God which it was supposed to represent.
  
  

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IV

They may be easily remembered by the use of a key-word for each, as follows:
   Duties to God, respecting: 1. God's Being. 2. God's Worship. 3. God's Name. 4. God's Day.
   Duties to others, respecting: 5. Parents. 6. Human Life. 7. Moral Purity. 8. Property Rights. 9. Truthfulness. 10. Covetousness.
   They all comprehended in the Two Great Commandments: Love God with all your Heart; Love thy neighbor as thyself.
   The people listened carefully to the announcement of these Commandments, kept a reverent and prayerful attitude, and greatly appreciated the direct message from God, but were all nearly overcome with fright and terror. For this reason they said to Mo'ses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." They asked that he talk with God for them, and that whatever God had to say to them should be said through Mo'ses.
   Inspired by the LORD, Mo'ses then told the Is'ra-el-ites that they were to fear God with the awe of true religion, but that they should not be frightened by His presence in any miraculous appearance, nor by His voice when the Commandments were given.
   Special attention was called to the LORD'S command against worshipping idols, and the Is'ra-el-ites were warned again not to make unto themselves gods of silver and of gold. Directions were also given for the offering of burnt sacrifices, and for other forms of worship.

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; THE TEN COMMANDMENTS lll

They are as follows:
    I.   Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
   II.   Thou shalt not make unto Thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is
          in Heaven  above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou
          shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
          visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
          them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My  
          Commandments.
   III.  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him
          guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
   IV.  Remember the Sab'bath Day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
          but the seventh day is the Sab'bath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,  
          thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,  thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor
          thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made Heaven and earth, the sea,
          and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sab'bath
          Day, and hallowed it.
   V.   Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days be long upon the land which the LORD thy God
          giveth thee.
  VI.   Thou shalt not kill.
 VII.   Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII.   Thou shalt not steal.
   IX.   Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
    X.   Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his
           man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.


   These TEN COMMANDMENTS were later inscribed on two stone tablets, the first four on one tablet, and the remaining six on the other. The first group concerns our duties to God; the second our duties to others.

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" ll

   On the third day after these orders had been given, and when all the people stood in readiness, there came a great rumbling in the midst of the mountain, like the sounding of many trumpets. The whole face of the mountain suddenly became a cloud of fire and smoke, and lightning flashed from it with a great crash of thunder while the entire mountain trembled. Then a mighty voice spoke from the midst of the cloud of fire.
   From the top of Mount Si'nai the LORD told Mo'ses, in the hearing of all the people, to come up to the top of the mountain. Through the blazing fire and smoke which covered the high mountain of God, Mo'ses bravely climbed until he was in the presence of God. He was then told to return to the people, and to warn the priests and all the people that no one must come near the mountain while it was aflame with the presence of God, and while He was uttering the words of His divine laws.
   Mo'ses returnt from the top of Mount Si'nai while the people stood lost in wonder and awe on the plain below. They were cautioned that God was about to speak, and that under the penalty of immediate death they must not touch the foot of the mountain, or go beyond the bounds already set forth.
   Then there resounded from the top of the mountain words which all could hear and understand. The LORD said:
   "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of E'gypt, and out of the house of bondage." There followed this solemn announcement the giving of that code of spiritual and moral laws which we know today as "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS." These laws were spoken by the voice of God from the top of Mount Si'nai. Three million Is'ra-el-ites heard them word for word, just as we have them today, except that they were spoken in the language of the He'brews. The translation given in the Bible is absolutely true to the meaning of the original words spoken By God Himself.
   The Ten Commandments spoken on this momentous occasion, and in the most remarkable manner of any communications ever given to man by God, stand out above all other revelations of the Old Testament scriptures. They mark the only direct utterance ever made by God to man since the Fall in the Garden of E'den.
                       

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" l

   Soon after Je'thro's visit the children of Is'ra-el traveled a short distance to the level plain which faced Mount Si'nai. It was on this plain that Mo'ses had received his final call to return to E'gypt to deliver Is'ra-el. It was now three months since the Is'ra-el-ites had left E'gypt. They encamped before the great mountain for a whole year, and some of the greatest messages from God in the history of Is'ra-el were given to Mo'ses during this period. The moral code for the government of the nation was spoken and written by the LORD, rules for the domestic, social, and religious life of the people were revealed to Mo'ses, and full instructions were given for the elaborate system of worship and priestly sacrifices. The Tabernacle was erected, its furnishings provided, a portable altar was built, and many other important customs were founded.
   The Mosaic Law was given from the high granite mountain called Si'nai. The mountain consists of three lofty peaks: the one on the northeast being called Ho'reb, the southwestern peak called Mount St. Cath'-er-ine, and the highest of all being known as Mount Si'nai.
   When the Is'ra-el-ites encamped before this mountain the LORD spoke secretly to Mo'ses, calling to mind the miraculous deliverance of Is'ra-el from E'gypt, and giving a new promise of love and grace if the people would only obey His voice and live according to His laws. The LORD said, "Is'ra-el shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is mine." The children of Is'ra-el were to be fenced in, preserved in their own manner of living, and kept apart from others until the Mes-si'ah reigned. Truly they might have sung!
               "We are a garden walled around,
               Chosen and made peculiar ground;
               A little spot enclosed by grace
               Out of the world's wide wilderness."
   Mo'ses called together the elders of Is'ra-el, and they in turn summoned all the people to hear the special message which God proclaimed to them. The people replied, "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do." Then Mo'ses informed the LORD of the hearty response of the people. But the great laws which God was now ready to give the Is'ra-el-ites were so important that He would not reveal them through any human being, not even through the mouth of one so good and loyal as Mo'ses.
   The LORD therefore told Mo'ses to have the people gather in a great assembly before Mount Si'nai, saying that He would appear in the midst of the mountain in fire and smoke. It was also promised that the LORD would declare His divine laws so clearly that all the people might hear them with their own ears, and see with their own eyes the majesty and power of their God.
   Special preparations were required of the people before this great revelation of God could be given. They were told to wash their bodies and their clothing, to separate their hearts from all sin, to dedicate themselves to God with renewed consecration, and to stand before the mountain in a humble, reverent attitude. They were also warned not to risk death by coming too near the mountain.

Story 43: Water Drawn From A Rock; Prayer Brings Victory In Battle ll

   Mo'ses chose from all the Is'ra-el-ites a noble and courageous young man named Josh'u-a as the military leader for this battle. He also called out the men who were most likely to be good soldiers, and sent them into battle against the invading enemies. While the battle was raging, Mo'ses stationed himself on a high mountain in order to watch the movements of his army, and at the same time to lift his heart in prayer to the LORD. On either side of him stood his loyal assistants: Aa'ron, his brother and trusted adviser in many previous trying hours, and Hur, the good friend who was the husband of his sister Mir'i-am.
   As the conflict grew fierce, Mo'ses lifted his hands toward Heaven in prayer. This attitude could no doubt be seen by Josh'u-a, and would give the young general new courage in the face of apparent defeat. At last Mo'ses became too weary to hold up his hands, and he sank down exhausted upon a stone. Then Aa'ron and Hur came to his aid, helped him to rise again, and held up his hands as he prayed.
   Through the prayers of Mo'ses the armies of Is'ra-el were given new strength, and Josh'u-a was able to lead them in victory over the Am'a-lek-ites. The intercession of the man of God stretched its hands out to Heaven, and the dark portentous clouds of destruction had been quickly scattered; for human hands linked to Divinity become as strong as God. "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."
   The children of Is'ra-el were taught many important lessons by this first experience of war after leaving E'gypt. They learnt to trust in the LORD when they were attacked by enemies, and to put their hopes before the LORD in earnest prayer. When the prayer of Mo'ses was interrupted, the enemy gaint the advantage; when his prayer was renewed, the Is'ra-el-ites won the battle.
   After the great victory over the Am'a-lek-ites special thanks were offered to God, with sacrifices which represented the gratitude of all the people of Is'ra-el. Mo'ses was instructed to make a permanent record of the event for the encouragement of future generations who might be attacked by savage enemies.