Caleb and Joshua
23
The Lord sent fire from his presence and consumed the men who
had brought the evil report, which made all the congregation murmur
against Moses and against the Lord. But Caleb and Joshua lived before
the Lord, and before the people which evidenced to them that their
report was correct.
When the people learned from Moses the purpose of God concern-
ing them, they mourned greatly. Early the next morning they gathered
themselves before Moses, all equipped for war, and said, “We be here,
and will go unto the place the Lord hath promised, for we have sinned.”
The Lord had said that they should not possess the land, but should
die in the wilderness, and if they should go up to battle they would
not prosper. Moses said, “Go not up, for the Lord is not among you;
that ye be not smitten before your enemies; for the Amalekites and
the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword;
because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will
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not be with you.” But they ventured to go out against their enemies,
without their appointed leader, and without the ark of the covenant of
the Lord, and they were met by their enemies, and smitten, and driven
before them. Here the Israelites repented too late, and when God had
said they should not go up to possess the land, they were as forward to
go, as they had been backward before.
Notwithstanding the recent murmurings of the Israelites, and the
declaration from God that they should die in the wilderness, they did
not walk carefully and humbly before him.
The Lord had made the case of Miriam a special example of warn-
ing to the Israelites. They had seen exhibited upon her the wrath of
God because of her jealousy and complaints against his chosen servant
Moses. The Lord then told them that Moses was greater than a prophet,
and that he had revealed himself to Moses in a more direct manner
than to a prophet. Said the Lord, “With him will I speak mouth to
mouth.” He then inquires of them, “Wherefore then were ye not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?” And Miriam became leprous.
The instructions given in this instance to Aaron and Miriam were not
intended alone for their benefit, but for the good of all the congregation
of Israel.
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