patriarchs and prophets-第83部分

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anxiety　and　conflict。

402

The　men　who　had　perished　had　spoken　flattering　words　and　had　professed　great
interest　and　love　for　them；　and　the　people　concluded　that　Korah　and　his
companions　must　have　been　good　men；　and　that　Moses　had　by　some　means　been
the　cause　of　their　destruction。

It　is　hardly　possible　for　men　to　offer　greater　insult　to　God　than　to　despise
and　reject　the　instrumentalities　He　would　use　for　their　salvation。　The
Israelites　had　not　only　done　this；　but　had　purposed　to　put　both　Moses　and
Aaron　to　death。　Yet　they　did　not　realize　the　necessity　of　seeking　pardon　of
God　for　their　grievous　sin。　That　night　of　probation　was　not　passed　in
repentance　and　confession；　but　in　devising　some　way　to　resist　the　evidences
which　showed　them　to　be　the　greatest　of　sinners。　They　still　cherished　hatred
of　the　men　of　God's　appointment；　and　braced　themselves　to　resist　their
authority。　Satan　was　at　hand　to　pervert　their　judgment　and　lead　them
blindfold　to　destruction。

All　Israel　had　fled　in　alarm　at　the　cry　of　the　doomed　sinners　who　went　down
into　the　pit；　for　they　said；　〃Lest　the　earth　swallow　us　up　also。〃　〃But　on
the　morrow　all　the　congregation　of　the　children　of　Israel　murmured　against
Moses　and　against　Aaron；　saying；　ye　have　killed　the　people　of　the　Lord。〃　And
they　were　about　to　proceed　to　violence　against　their　faithful；
self…sacrificing　leaders。

A　manifestation　of　the　divine　glory　was　seen　in　the　cloud　above　the
tabernacle；　and　a　voice　from　the　cloud　spoke　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　〃Get　you　up
from　among　this　congregation；　that　I　may　consume　them　as　in　a　moment。〃

The　guilt　of　sin　did　not　rest　upon　Moses；　and　hence　he　did　not　fear　and　did
not　hasten　away　and　leave　the　congregation　to　perish。　Moses　lingered；　in
this　fearful　crisis　manifesting　the　true　shepherd's　interest　for　the　flock
of　his　care。　He　pleaded　that　the　wrath　of　God　might　not　utterly　destroy　the
people　of　His　choice。　By　his　intercession　he　stayed　the　arm　of　vengeance；
that　a　full　end　might　not　be　made　of　disobedient；　rebellious　Israel。

But　the　minister　of　wrath　had　gone　forth；　the　plague　was　doing　its　work　of
death。　By　his　brother's　direction；　Aaron　took　a　censer　and　hastened　into　the
midst　of　the　congregation　to　〃make　an　atonement　for　them。〃　〃And　he　stood
between　the　dead　and　the　living。〃　As　the　smoke　of　the　incense　ascended；　the
prayers　of　Moses　in　the　tabernacle　went　up　to　God；　and　the　plague　was

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stayed；　but　not　until　fourteen　thousand　of　Israel　lay　dead；　an　evidence　of
the　guilt　of　murmuring　and　rebellion。

But　further　evidence　was　given　that　the　priesthood　had　been　established　in
the　family　of　Aaron。　By　divine　direction　each　tribe　prepared　a　rod　and　wrote
upon　it　the　name　of　the　tribe。　The　name　of　Aaron　was　upon　that　of　Levi。　The
rods　were　laid　up　in　the　tabernacle；　〃before　the　testimony。〃　The　blossoming
of　any　rod　was　to　be　a　token　that　the　Lord　had　chosen　that　tribe　for　the
priesthood。　On　the　morrow；　〃behold；　the　rod　of　Aaron　for　the　house　of　Levi
was　budded；　and　brought　forth　buds；　and　bloomed　blossoms；　and　yielded
almonds。〃　It　was　shown　to　the　people；　and　afterward　laid　up　in　the
tabernacle　as　a　witness　to　succeeding　generations。　This　miracle　effectually
settled　the　question　of　the　priesthood。

It　was　now　fully　established　that　Moses　and　Aaron　had　spoken　by　divine
authority；　and　the　people　were　compelled　to　believe　the　unwelcome　truth　that
they　were　to　die　in　the　wilderness。　〃Behold；〃　they　exclaimed；　〃we　die；　we
perish；　we　all　perish。〃　They　confessed　that　they　had　sinned　in　rebelling
against　their　leaders；　and　that　Korah　and　his　company　had　suffered　from　the
just　judgment　of　God。

In　the　rebellion　of　Korah　is　seen　the　working　out；　upon　a　narrower　stage；　of
the　same　spirit　that　led　to　the　rebellion　of　Satan　in　heaven。　It　was　pride
and　ambition　that　prompted　Lucifer　to　complain　of　the　government　of　God；　and
to　seek　the　overthrow　of　the　order　which　had　been　established　in　heaven。
Since　his　fall　it　has　been　his　object　to　infuse　the　same　spirit　of　envy　and
discontent；　the　same　ambition　for　position　and　honor；　into　the　minds　of　men。
He　thus　worked　upon　the　minds　of　Korah；　Dathan；　and　Abiram；　to　arouse　the
desire　for　self…exaltation　and　excite　envy；　distrust；　and　rebellion。　Satan
caused　them　to　reject　God　as　their　leader；　by　rejecting　the　men　of　God's
appointment。　Yet　while　in　their　murmuring　against　Moses　and　Aaron　they
blasphemed　God；　they　were　so　deluded　as　to　think　themselves　righteous；　and
to　regard　those　who　had　faithfully　reproved　their　sins　as　actuated　by　Satan。

Do　not　the　same　evils　still　exist　that　lay　at　the　foundation　of　Korah's
ruin？　Pride　and　ambition　are　widespread；　and　when　these　are　cherished；　they
open　the　door　to　envy；　and　a　striving　for　supremacy；　the　soul　is　alienated
from　God；　and　unconsciously

404

drawn　into　the　ranks　of　Satan。　Like　Korah　and　his　companions；　many；　even　of
the　professed　followers　of　Christ；　are　thinking；　planning；　and　working　so
eagerly　for　self…exaltation　that　in　order　to　gain　the　sympathy　and　support
of　the　people　they　are　ready　to　pervert　the　truth；　falsifying　and
misrepresenting　the　Lord's　servants；　and　even　charging　them　with　the　base
and　selfish　motives　that　inspire　their　own　hearts。　By　persistently
reiterating　falsehood；　and　that　against　all　evidence；　they　at　last　come　to
believe　it　to　be　truth。　While　endeavoring　to　destroy　the　confidence　of　the
people　in　the　men　of　God's　appointment；　they　really　believe　that　they　are
engaged　in　a　good　work；　verily　doing　God　service。

The　Hebrews　were　not　willing　to　submit　to　the　directions　and　restrictions　of
the　Lord。　They　were　restless　under　restraint；　and　unwilling　to　receive
reproof。　This　was　the　secret　of　their　murmuring　against　Moses。　Had　they　been
left　free　to　do　as　they　pleased；　there　would　have　been　fewer　complaints
against　their　leader。　All　through　the　history　of　the　church　God's　servants
have　had　the　same　spirit　to　meet。

It　is　by　sinful　indulgence　that　men　give　Satan　access　to　their　minds；　and
they　go　from　one　stage　of　wickedness　to　another。　The　rejection　of　light
darkens　the　mind　and　hardens　the　heart；　so　that　it　is　easier　for　them　to
take　the　next　step　in　sin　and　to　reject　still　clearer　light；　until　at　last
their　habits　of　wrongdoing　become　fixed。　Sin　ceases　to　appear　sinful　to
them。　He　who　faithfully　preaches　God's　word；　thereby　condemning　their　sins；
too　often　incurs　their　hatred。　Unwilling　to　endure　the　pain　and　sacrifice
necessary　to　reform；　they　turn　upon　the　Lord's　servant　and　denounce　his
reproofs　as　uncalled　for　and　severe。　Like　Korah；　they　declare　that　the
people　are　not　at　fault；　it　is　the　reprover　that　causes　all　the　trouble。　And
soothing　their　consciences　with　this　deception；　the　jealous　and　disaffected
combine　to　sow　discord　in　the　church　and　weaken　the　hands　of　those　who　would
build　it　up。

Every　advance　made　by　those　whom　God　has　called　to　lead　in　His　work　has
excited　suspicion；　every　act　has　been　misrepresented　by　the　jealous　and
faultfinding。　Thus　it　was　in　the　time　of　Luther；　of　the　Wesleys　and　other
reformers。　Thus　it　is　today。

Korah　would　not　have　taken　the　course　he　did　had　he　known　that　all　the
directions　and　reproofs　communicated　to　Israel　were　from　God。　But　he　might
have　known　this。　God　had　given

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overwhelming　evidence　that　He　was　leading　Israel。　But　Korah　and　his
companions　rejected　light　until　they　became　so　blinded　that　the　most
striking　manifestations　of　His　power　were　not　sufficient　to　convince　them；
they　attributed　them　all　to　human　or　satanic　agency。　The　same　thing　was　done
by　the　people；　who　the　day　after　the　destruction　of　Korah　and　his　company
came　to　Moses　and　Aaron；　saying；　〃Ye　have　killed　the　people　of　the　Lord。〃
Notwithstanding　they　had　had　the　most　convincing　evidence　of　God's
displeasure　at　their　course；　in　the　destruction　of　the　men　who　had　deceived
them；　they　dared　to　attribute　His　judgments　to　Satan；　declaring　that　through
the　power　of　the　evil　one；　Moses　and　Aaron　had　caused　the　death　of　good　and
holy　men。　It　was　this　act　that　sealed　their　doom。　They　had　committed　the　sin
against　the　Holy　Spirit；　a　sin　by　which　man's　heart　is　effectually　hardened
against　the　influence　of　divine　grace。　〃Whosoever　speaketh　a　word　against
the　Son　of　man；〃　said　Christ；　〃it　shall　be　forgiven　him：　but　whosoever
speaketh　against　the　Holy　Ghost；　it　shall　not　be　forgiven　him。〃　Matthew
12：32。　These　words　were　spoken　by　our　Saviour　when　the　gracious　works　which
He　had　performed　through　the　power　of　God　were　attributed　by　the　Jews　to
Beelzebub。　It　is　through　the　agency　of　the　Holy　Spirit　that　God　communicates
with　man；　and　those　who　deliberately　reject　this　agency　as　satanic；　have　cut
off　the　channel　of　communication　between　the　soul　and　Heaven。

God　works　by　the　manifestation　of　His　Spirit　to　reprove　and　convict　the
sinner；　and　if　the　Spirit's　work　is　finally　rejected；　there　is　no　more　that
God　can　do　for　the　soul。　The　last　resource　of　divine　mercy　has　been
employed。　The　transgressor　has　cut　himself　off　from　God；　and　sin　has　no
remedy　to　cure　itself。　There　is　no　reserved　power　by　which　God　can　work　to
convict　and　convert　the　sinner。　〃Let　him　alone〃　（Hosea　4：17）　is　the　divine
command。　Then　〃there　remaineth　no　more　sacrifice　for　sins；　but　a　certain
fearful　looking　for　of　judgment　and　fiery　indignation；　which　shall　devour
the　adversaries。〃　Hebrews　10：26；　27。





（406）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　36

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　the　Wilderness


For　nearly　forty　years　the　children　of　Israel　are　lost　to　view　in　the
obscurity　of　the　desert。　〃The　space；〃　says　Moses；　〃in　which　we　came　from
Kadesh…barnea；　until　we　were　come　over　the　brook　Zered；　was　thirty　and　eight
years；　until　all　the　generation　of　the　men　of　war　were　wasted　out　from　among
the　host；　as　the　Lord　sware　unto　them。　For　indeed　the　hand　of　the　Lord　was
against　them；　to　destroy　them　from　among　the　host；　until　they　were
consumed。〃　Deuteronomy　2：14；　15。

During　these　years　the　people　were　constantly　reminded　that　they　were　under
the　divine　rebuke。　In　the　rebellion　at　Kadesh　they　ha