Morning
“Look unto me, and be ye saved.”
Numbers 21:4-8
Numbers 21:4
At mount Hor, Moses had seen his brother Aaron die, and now, all alone, he has to bear anew the contentions of the people; yet he was not alone, his God was with him. The people were getting weary of tent life, and of the inconveniences of perpetually moving, but they forgot their many mercies, and the great deliverances which the Lord had wrought for them. Fretting, groaning, and complaining are very easy, but they are ungrateful, unholy, and useless habits.
Numbers 21:5
What a weariness it is to read this repetition of the stale complaint! It is always the same old and cruel slander; but each time there is more sin in it, because it is committed against a longer experience of the divine faithfulness. How wretched a thing is discontent it rails at the bread of heaven, and despises the clear crystal leaping from the rock.
Numbers 21:6
They acted like serpents in hissing at Moses, and now serpents are sent to punish them. God has many ways of chastising sinners. He who made Moses rod a serpent, can also use a serpent as his rod to smite Israel. He will sting those who sting his servants.
Numbers 21:7
Admirable meekness. He prays at once for the aggravating people who had been so basely libelling him. They had but to say “pray,” and Moses prayed. O! for the like holy readiness to return good for evil.
Numbers 21:8
It was “like curing like,” an uplifted serpent heals the mischief wrought by a serpent: by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead. The serpent on the pole was, as it were, executed by hanging on a tree, and so was the more lively type of the Crucified One, who was made a curse for us. A look was demanded of all who were bitten; there was one command for princes and paupers; they must all look, and look in one direction, for no other remedy was provided. It was the duty of Moses to lift up the serpent, but he could do no more, he had no mystic power in his own person to heal the wounded: even thus, ministers are to preach Christ Jesus to us, but they cannot save us, they are as weak as other men in such matters. Our Lord applied to himself the incident before us, we will read his words in
John 3:14-17
John 3:14-17
We have but to look to Jesus, and whoever we may be, we shall find immediate deliverance from all our sins. One glance of faith brings a present salvation. This gospel is for all mankind, and no man of woman born need hesitate to trust his soul’s eternal interests in the hands of the Son of God. Whoever trusts him is and shall be saved.
So did the Hebrew prophet raise
The brazen serpent high;
The wounded felt immediate ease,
The camp forbore to die.
“Look upward in the dying hour,
And live,” the prophet cries:
But Christ performs a nobler cure
When faith lifts up her eyes.
Evening
“We are more than Conquerors.”
Deuteronomy 2:26-37
About this time happened the defeat of Sihon and Og. Moses thus narrated the matter to the people in his discourse.
Deuteronomy 2:26-29
Nothing could be more fair or friendly than this request, and Sihon had good evidence that Israel would act in good faith, for though some of the Edomites and Moabites had refused the nation a passage, yet others had granted it, and had suffered no injury, therefore Sihon might have rested sure that Israel would do him no harm.
Deuteronomy 2:30
When men are mad with sin they only need leaving to themselves, and they are hardened at once, and being hardened they become their own executioners.
Deuteronomy 2:35
God thus swept away guilty nations, whose sins he could no longer endure. How gracious is he to our sinful isle!
Deuteronomy 2:36 , Deuteronomy 2:37
If we advance only where God bids us, and forbear where he gives us no leave, our course will be full of prosperity.
Deuteronomy 3:1-5
Deuteronomy 3:1
One battle over, another begins. Blessed be God, the power which overthrew Sihon, is quite able to cope with Og also.
Deuteronomy 3:2
Former mercies are types of coming favours. He who helped us yesterday is the same to-day and for ever.
Deuteronomy 3:5
Thus shall God’s chosen go from victory to victory. Sin, death, and hell, shall fly before us. None shall be able to resist the divine power which girds us for the battle. Where the Lord leads the van, the enemy’s rout is certain and complete.
Jesu’s tremendous name
Puts all our foes to flight:
Jesus, the meek, the angry Lamb,
A Lion is in fight.
By all hell’s host withstood;
We all hell’s host o’erthrow;
And conquering them, through Jesu’s blood
We still to conquer go.