Ill. THAT THE ISRAELITES WERE IN PART SHIELDED FROM THE .FIERCE AND J.rATAL BEATS OP' THE DESERT MARCH BY THE CLOUD WHICH OVERSHADOWED THEM FROM ADOVII THE ARK. For that l~minous cloud which rested permanently over the ark was ~pread_ O\"er the follow1~g host when on the march. St. Paul says that the Jews were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Cor. x. 2), whence it appears that as the passage of the s~a represented in e. figure the baptism of water which separ_ates outwa.r~ly _unto 9hrist (the Moses of the better covenant), so did the over- ha!l&·rng cloud mth its moist c?olness reP.resent the baptism of the Spirit, which is an abiding refreshment to the f1uthful wlnle (but only while) they follow Chriat. And thus the old hymn, Veni Sanctus Spi1-i:l,ua-- Thou of Comforters the best ; Thou the soul's most welcome guest l Sweet refreshment here belool; In our labour rest most sweet, Grateful C®lness in the heat, Solace in t h e ~ of 10()8, Even so, therefore, the overshadowing presence ( cf. Luke i. 35) of the Holy Ghost is the blessed solace, comfort, and refreshment of the faithful in fiery trials fierce temptations, and weary disappointments ; and this overshadowing Presence :eachee us only from and through the glorified humanity of Jesue (our .Ark), and only while we walk in faith and patience (cf. John vii. 39; xvi. 7; Rom. viii. 14; 1 John ii, 20; 1 Pet. iv. 14). Note, that the unrecorded sufl:erings and vexations of such a host on such a march must have been beyond description ; but this much appears that the nearer they kept to the ark the more they were sheltered by the cloud: if any staid in camp, he ha.d no shade. The more closely we follow Jesus, the more comfort of the b'pirit shall we have amidst the unavoidable sorrows and sufferings of life. And note, that there are in the Old Testament very few symbols of the Holy Spirit, wheree.s there are an endless number of types of Christ-and this, no doubt, in accordance with the deep saying of John vii. 39 (oti,ru1 7dp ,}v 'll'VEii11a l.-y,ov). When, therefore, we find one which is recognised in the New Testament, it is the more precious. Consider, again, on vers. 35, 36- 1. THAT EVERY DAY 0.11' THE M.A..RCR HAD FOR MOSES ITS TWO SUPREME MOMENTS, OJI' BETTING OUT AND 0.11' SETTLING DOWN, AND EACH HAD ITS OWN DANGERS A.ND ANXIETIES. Even so every day in a Christian's life has its morning and evening, its opening and closing; its going forth to work, to business, to converse with the outer world, to manifold encounter with the strange, the unexpected, the difficult, perhaps the terrible; its coming in to rest, to ease, to ungua.rded relaxation, to the little circle where self is paramount, where the individual is all important. These two points a.re the critical points in the Christian's daily life. II. THAT MoBEB MADE HIS MORNING PRAYER ll'OR DIVINE DEFENCE AND AID AGAINST THE FOE. He knew that many enemies were hovering round (like the Amalekites) who might attack them at any time, even when least expected, and might find them, humanly speaking, an easy prey. He prayed that God would undertake their cause, and put to flight their foes. Even so the faithful soul, looking forward to the active hours of the day, knows from sa.d experience that spiritual foes will dog ite path to assail it by temptation and overthrow it by sin when least prepared. Therefore before it ventures forth, it beseeches God to be its succour and defence against ali the craft and subtlety of its foes. III. THAT MOSES HADE HIS EVENING PRAYER FOR THE CONTINUANOE OJI' THE DIVINlll PRESENCE IN THEIR MIDST. He knew that the people were helpless, and moreover stiff-necked and bard-hearted, and the.t mischief would breed in the camp as readily as it might meet them on the march, and that they mUBt perish miserably if left to themselves. Ile prayed that God would stay with them, and be their worship, and remain the centre of their life ab intra, as well as their defence ab e:ctra. _Even so the Cliri.stian's evening/rayer is," .Abide with u11. 1 ' The faithful !!OUl, when 1t ceases from outward cares 11n is most thrown upon itself, feels most bow lost would be its state without the abiding Presence and grace o-f God; and then it beseeches him- whom it has more or less offended-to return to it, because without him it were en. x. 83-36.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 101
empty, desolate, and destroyed. Note, that if we read with some, "Restore the many thousands of Israel," i. e. to their promised land, then it is the voice of the faithful, recognising e.t each pause in life that we are still strangers and wanderers here, and beseeching God to bring us to our true and only rest ( cf. 2 Cor. v. 4 ; Phil. iii. 11 ; Rev. vi. 10, 11). And cf. the e.ncient prayer, "Beseeching thee shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, nnd to hasten thy kingdom, that we with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and joy in thy eternal and everlasting glory." Or, if we read with the Septuagint, "convert the many thousands of Israel," then it is the voice of the faithful in the intervals of labour supplicating God for all who in any wise belong to the Israel of God, that the grace of a true and entire conversion-which is the one thing needful-may be granted unto them ( ci Luke_ xxii. 32 b. ; 2 Cor. xiii. 9 b. ; 1 These. iii. 10 b.).