The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 135

Ill, THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAKL WERE CARRIED AWAY WITH IT, IN SPITE 011' TBB WARNmG THEY HAD so RECENTLY RECEIVED AT TABEERAH. No doubt it spread the more rnpidly because, (1) it fell in with their own secret feelings, (2) it was recommended by considerations of friendship and relationship, (3) the voice of prudence is scarcely ever a match for the promptings of desire. Even so it is the most striking feature of si~ i_n feeling or in act_that it becomes nn epidemic which only a very sound and vigorous spmtual state can resist. Compare the case of Judas and the other apostles (Matt. :x.xvi. 8, 9; John xii. 4, 5); compare St, Peter and the Judaisers (Gal. ii. 12, 13); compare the Corinthians (1 Cor. v. 1, 2, 6, 11); and the sins which each generation of Chris• tians has committed or does commit in common-such as lying, duelling, swindling. There is no sin against which more fearful warnings and examples lie than that of covetousness ; yet there is none of which Christians are more genernlly guilty under stress of bad example and the low moral tone and degraded traditions of society, of trade, of business, &c. The warnings of the New Testament, though always fre'sh in the hearing and clear in the remembrance of Christian people, are absolutely in- effective as against the common promptings of evil desire. IV. THAT WHAT THEY EVILLY DESIRED WAS NOT EVIL IN ITSELF, There was no harm in eating flesh, nor were any of the cheap luxuries they coveted objectionable in themselves. Even so we ever excuse ourselves for wanting, because what we want is not forbidden, but only deni.ed. There is no harm (absolutely) in being rich, therefore we take no shame at covetousness. There is no harm (absolutely) in the pleasures of the flesh, therefore we are ready to excuse any iudulgence in them. Christian morality is a law of liberty, unbound by formal rules, therefore we boldly strain that liberty to our immediate advantage, and fancy that the absence of pro- hibition is tantamount to actual allowance on the part of God. V. THAT WHAT THEY DESIRED WAS WRONG, BECAUSE, (1) IT WAS SUPERFLUOUS, (2) DELONGED TO THE DAYS OF BONDAGE, (3) HAD DEEN WITHHELD DY Goo, WHO ALONE COULD GIVE IT. (1) Inasmuch ns the food they had given them was nutritious, wholesome, and abnndant for the short journey which lay before them. (2) Inns• much as the savoury and luscious things they wept for were peculiarly Egyptian, and went hand in hand (as they do still) with cruel oppression and degradation: ;t was the food of slavery. (3) Inasmuch as such things were clearly not to be expected in a wilderness such as God was leading them through. Even so sinful greed among Christians is known by the same three tokens. (1) It is a craving for superfluities. What God has given UB (however little compared with our desires) is enough ; for it will suffice, if well used, to bring us to our home in health and strength (Philip. iv. 11 ; 1 Tim. vi. 6-8; Heb. xiii. 5). More than we have must be more than enough for God is pledged to give us that (Matt. vi. 33, 34; Luke xii. 32 ; Rom. viii. 32). (2) It is a craving for things essentially connected with the bondage of sin and worldliness, from which we are escaped. Such luxuries as wealth, rank, or fashion can afford are (without being in themselves evil) so closely connected with evil that every earnest Christian must dread rather than covet them (Matt. Yi. 19, 21, 31, 32 a.; Luke vi. 24; xvi. 19, 25; James v. 1). (3) It is an open contempt of God's appointment, who hath not given us any inheritance here, and hath told us to expect tribulation, and to love poverty and reproach, because it is good for us (Luke vi. 20, 22; John xvi. 33; Acts xiv. 22; Rom. viii. 24; 2 Cor, iv. 18; 1 Tim. vi. 9; Heh. xiii. 14; James ii. 5). VJ. THAT THE UNREST!!AINED WEEPING 01r THE PEOPLE l!'OR THE DAINTIES THEY COULD NOT HAVE WAS EXCEEDING HATEFUL IN TilE BIGHT OF Goo. It did indeed make no account of all his mercies, but rather reproached him for bringing them out of Egypt and setting them free. It wa.~ as good as saying th_ey_ wisl~ed he had never troubled himself about them. Even so the greed of Clmstlans 1s an open reproach against him that loved them and gave himself for them, as though h~ had done nothing to earn their trust and gratitude, and had rather treated them unkm~ly. He who passionately desires earthly gains, or bitterly laments earthly losses, flmge contempt upon the gifts of Heaven and reproach upon his God and Saviour. Wherefore it speaks of "the covetous, whom the Lord abhorre!h" (PH. x. 3; «·f. Luke xii. 15; Eph. v. 3; Col. iii. 5; James iv. 3, 4). VII. THAT.TU~ LORD, IN ORDER TO PUNlBB THE PEOPLE, GAVE TIJRr,f AN ADUNDANCB OIi, XI. 4-35.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 11!