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From Eternity Past
tempest of rebellious grief: “If the Lord delight in us, then He will
bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk
and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the
people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed
from them and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”
By the covenant of God, the land was ensured to Israel. But the
false report of the unfaithful spies was accepted. The whole congrega-
tion were deluded. The traitors had done their work. If only the two
men had brought the evil report and all the ten had encouraged them to
possess the land in the name of the Lord, they would still have taken
the advice of the two in preference to the ten, because of their wicked
unbelief.
The cry was raised to stone Caleb and Joshua. The insane mob
rushed forward with yells of madness, when suddenly the stones
dropped from their hands, and they shook with fear. God interposed.
The glory of His presence, like a flaming light, illuminated the taber-
nacle. None dared continue their resistance. The spies who brought
the evil report crouched terror-stricken and sought their tents.
Moses now arose and entered the tabernacle. The Lord declared to
him, “I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and
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will make of thee a greater nation.” But again Moses pleaded for his
people. “I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according
as Thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is longsuffering, and of great
mercy... . Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according
unto the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people,
from Egypt even until now.”
The Lord promised to spare Israel from immediate destruction; but
because of their unbelief and cowardice He could not manifest His
power to subdue their enemies. Therefore in His mercy He bade them
turn back toward the Red Sea.
In their rebellion the people had exclaimed, “Would God we had
died in this wilderness!” Now this prayer was to be granted: “As ye
have spoken in Mine ears, so will I do to you: your carcasses shall fall
in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to
your whole number, from twenty years old and upward... . But your
little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and
they shall know the land which ye have despised.” And of Caleb He
said, “My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and