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256
The Beginning of the End
sins of blasphemy and willful Sabbathbreaking received the same
punishment, since they were equally an expression of contempt for
God’s authority.
Many who reject the Sabbath as Jewish urge that, if it is to
be kept, the penalty of death must be inflicted for its violation.
But blasphemy received the same punishment as Sabbathbreaking.
Though God may not now punish the transgression of His law with
earthly penalties, yet in the final judgment death is the fate of those
who violate His sacred laws.
During the entire forty years in the wilderness, the people were
reminded of the Sabbath every week by the miracle of the manna.
Yet God declares through His prophet, “They greatly defiled My
Sabbaths” (
Ezekiel 20:13-24
). And this is listed among the reasons
for keeping the first generation out of the Promised Land.
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When their period of time in the desert ended, “the people stayed
in Kadesh” (
Numbers 20:1
). Miriam died and was buried there.
From that scene of rejoicing on the shores of the Red Sea to the
wilderness grave that ended a lifelong wandering—such had been
the fate of millions who had come out of Egypt with high hopes.
Sin had dashed the cup of blessing from their lips. Would the next
generation learn the lesson?
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