imperishable, but God will opf.rove no man until his life is ordered in all things by the requirements of the gospe . IIL THE CLOUD BO APPEARING WAS A PROOB' OB' Goo's B'AVOUR, VISIBLE TO ALL A.ND APPRECIABLB BY 'l'BEM. All Israel could see the tabernacle and the cloud. God had told his people they were not to make any graven image, or likeness of any created thing, but they found the first and second commandments very hard to obey. They hankered after something they could see. The idolatries of Egypt had infected them, and even within sight of Sinai they made a golden calf, for which groes transgression the Lord terribly plagued them. Nevertheless, though there is no material or shape on earth fit to indicate Jehovah, he will minister to human weakness, remembering that we are dust, and he gives the glory-cloud for all to see. What a help to faith I What a warning to unbelief I What mercy amid severity I So God, whom no man hath seen or can see, becomes God manifest in the flesh. He who has seen the Son has seen the Father. IV. THE CLOUD BO APPEARING, VARIED IN ITS APPEARANCE, ACCORDING TO BUMAN NE0EBBITY. There was a cloud by day, and the appearance of fire by night. We need not suppose any change in the cloud itself as day slipt into night, and night back again into day. As darkness fell upon the scene the fiery element in the cloud became more noticeable and valuable. So there is encouragement for wandering and bewildered souls. The darker life becomes, and the more perplexing our path, the more manifest becomes the presence of God. During the days of a man's content with natural possessions and resources, when the sunshine of nature is falling on his life, then the cloud of God's providence appears, but let the night of spiritual distress, the great difficulties of sin, and death, and eternity darken the soul, then the bright, conspicuous fires of grace at once appear. V. THE CLOUD BY ITS MOVEMENTS DEC.A.ME AN INB'ALLIBLE GUIDE. Thus Jehovah showed that he, the invisible one, WBB the leader of the people. The resting and the moving cloud meant the resting and the moving people. It was ever with them to point the way, God's goodness does not pass o.way as the morning cloud and the early dew. The cloud said elainly, "Follow me.'' So Jesus says, "Follow me," reiterating, emphasizing, and illustrating the command. If we o.re ever to reach the rest that remaineth for the people of God, it must be by o.cting toward,s Jesus as the Israelites did towards the cloud in the wilderness (Deut. xxxii. 10-12 , 2 Chron. v. 13; Ps. xliii. 3; Isa. iv. 6; xlix. 10).-Y. ,
EXPOSITION.
CHAPTER X. trumpets were straight, long, and narrow, with nn expanded mouth. The shophdr, or THE Sll,VER TRUMPETS (vers. 1-10). Ver. trumpet of the Jubilee, on the other hand, 1.-And the Lord spoke. The comme.nd to we.s a buccina or comet, either made of a make the silver trumpets is introduced here, ram's horn, or shaped like one. Of a whole because one principo.l use of them we.s con• pieoe. Rather, "of beaten work." Hebrew, nected with the order of mnrch. It does not mikshak (see on Exod. xxv. 18). Septuagint, necessarily follow that the command was l>.ard!." 11"01i1au!." aiJrac, Probably they were actually given exactly at this time, or that mado of a single plate of silver beaten out all the dilleren t directions for use formed i~to the required shnpe, which we.s very part of ODO communicntion. They mar have Slillple. been gathered together for convenience sake. Ver. 3. -When they shall blow with Seo the Introduction on this subject. It is, them, i. e. with both of them. All the as- however, a mistake to suppose that this use sembly, i. e. by their natural or customary of trumpets hBB been anticipated in Levit. representatives. xxv. 9, or elsewhere, for the "trumpets" Yer. 6.-When ye blow an alarm. Hebrow, there mentioned were 11ltogether different in il}l~iJ;I. This seems to signify a continuous shape, as in material Ver. 2.-Jlllake thee two trumpets. He- peal, eo.sily distin~ished, wherever audible, , brew, khal,sot8,:rah. From the testimony of from the blowing 1n short, sharp tones (He- Jose).lhus, from the representation on the arch brew, 1-'~l;I) mentioned below, ver. 7. The of Titus, &nd from a com11arison of ancient peal of alarm we.s to be blown-CliJ'V.ta!Q~ - Egyptian trumpets, it is clear that these '' for their brooking up" -for that purpose, 02 THE BOOK OF NUllBERB. [OH. X, 1-10,