Numb. xxi. 4. And the soul of the people was much discouraged
because of the way.
THE history of human nature is nearly the same in all ages. Successive generations ought progres- sively to advance in wisdom, because they have the advantage of others' experience. But youth will not avail themselves of the instructions of their fore- fathers : they will go forward in their own ways ; exactly as if they had no compass whereby to steer, nor any chart of the rocks and shoals, on which so many thousands have been shipwrecked. " The way of their predecessors has been folly; and yet their posterity, in practice at least, applaud their saying." A new generation had been born in the wilderness since the departure of the Israelites from the land of Egypt; and they had ample means of information
respecting the rebellious conduct of their fathers, and the chastisements inflicted on account of it: yet on similar occasions they constantly acted in a similar manner, murmuring and complaining as soon as any new trial arose, and wishing themselves dead, to get rid of their present troubles. Thus it was with them at this time. We propose to inquire into,
I. The causes of their discouragement —
Doubtless, to those who could not implicitly con- fide in the wisdom and goodness of God, there was ground for discouragement. There was, 1. A perplexing providence — [The period fixed for their entrance into Canaan was nearly arrived. They had just had a severe engagement with one of the Canaanitish kings, who had come forth against them with all his forces ; and, after suffering a partial defeat, had entirely vanquished him. But they were not suffered to follow up their success, or to proceed to the immediate invasion of his land. On the contrary, having been refused permission to pass through the territories of the king of Edom, they were directed to " compass his whole land, and to go back to the Red Sea," perhaps as far as to Ezion-gaber a. This was after they had been thirty-nine years and six months in the wilderness ; after two of their leaders, Miriam and Aaron, were taken from them by death ; and when there remained but six months to the time fixed for their entrance into the promised land. How unac- countable did this appear ! Must they wait to be attacked in the wilderness, and never be permitted to reap the reward of victory ? Must they wait in the wilderness till their enemies should be willing to resign their land ? Had God forgotten his promise, or determined that they should spend another forty years in the wilderness? If the promise was to be fulfilled, why give them the trouble of traversing the wilderness again ? If it was not to be fulfilled, they had better die at once, than protract a miserable existence under such vexatious and cruel disappointments.
Whilst they viewed the dispensation in this light, we do not wonder that " their soul was much discouraged."
In truth, this is a very common source of discouragement to ourselves. Persons, on their first commencement of their jour- ney heaven-ward, are apt to be sanguine, and to expect that they shall speedily arrive at the promised land. At one time they seem near it, but are turned back again, in order that by a long course of trials, they may be better prepared to enjoy it.
a Deut. ii. 8.