The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 190

Ver. 6.-.A mute appeal. I. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ALL EXPOSTULATION WITH MEN 1s VAIN, at aU events the expostulation of certain people. Moses felt no word he could say would be of the slightest use. In vain you throw the pearls of truth and soberness before the swinish multitude, and it is the humbling testimony of history that only too often men get so embruted in their prejudices and passions as to be for all purposes of rational action little better than swine. Caleb and Joshua spoke, only to be threatened with stones. Moses and Aaron make no attempt to speak, but fn:11 o!l their faces before al\ the assembly. What the seventy elders were about all this time we know not. When even Moses has to be silent it is little wonder their presence should count for nothing. We need to recollect this madness and perversity of men, this ease and rapidity with which human passion mounts to the violence of a hurricane. The reasonableness of human nature is far too fre- quently glorified. There was a time when Paul's converts in Galatia would have plucked out their eyes, and given them to him; yet as years pass on, and they listen to another gospel, which is not another, he has to mourn that he seems to have become their enemy because he tells them the truth (Gal. iv. 15, 16). II. But when we can do nothing for men directly, WE MUST NOT, therefore, WAIT IN COMPLETE INACTION. Moses was obliged to be silent in words; not even.to God does he seem to have spoken ; but he fell to the ground in mute and humble appeal. There, prostrate before the tabernacle, were Moses and Aaron, the leader and the priest, brethren according to the flesh, united now by deep affliction, if a little while ago they were separated by envy. Nor was the lowly attitude simply an appeal to God; it might have effect on some of the beUer sort a'1T1,()11,g the multitude, finding a way to the heart by the eye, which for the time wns not open by the ear. Neither was the appeal simply for the sake of Moses and ..Aaron. The people had treated them badly, but this was a small matter compared with their treatment of God. How often we fume over injustice to ourselves, utterly forgetting the great world's huge and light-hearted negligence of him who made and redeemed it. Consider Martha, complaining so bitterly of Mary, while she herself was refusing the true hospitality to Jesus. A man with the mind of Christ Jesus in him will be always more affected by slights npon the Saviour than upon himself. III. There is always then this one thing we can do in the turmoil of human affairs: we CAN BECOGNIBE WITH DEEP HUMILITY THE AWFUL PRESENCE 01!' GOD. As we are driven into a sense of utter helplessness, let us think of him from whom, and by whom, and to whom are all things. It is only when we are humbled before him, and recollect his love and power in Christ, that we can be calm in the presence of the awful problems of human existence. How much better off was Moses in his extremity than the Israelites in theirs I They rejected Moses and the tabernacle to speak vain words about returning to Egypt ; he, shut out as it were from service to them, found his sure refuge in prostration before God (Ps. xlvi. 1-3).-Y. Vers. 6-10.-Speaking out: a last aneal. Moses is silent from necessity, his. power with men in abeyance, and he waiting humbly upon God. Joshua and Caleb, wLo were not only men of a different spirit, but also very imperfectly acquainted with Moses' peculiar burden, spoke out. As it was well for Moses and Aaron to be silent, it was also well for Cafeb and Joshua to speak out. Moses and Aaron were for the time separated, forsaken, and as it were condemned; but Caleb and Joshua are still in the multitude-Caleb indeed partly declared, and only waiting further opportunity to speak his mind fully on the subject. Now Joshua and he take their stand without any hesitation or chance of being mistaken. They had something to say which Moses could not say, for they had been through the land. Thus, when God's servant is compelled to be silent, friends arise to say what is right and just. Consider- !. THE HANNER OF THB BPEAXEBB. " They rent their clothes." This was the- symbol of hearts rent with grief and astonishment because of impending disaster. To the Israelites their only hope appeared in retracing their steps. To qaieb and Joshua this was the summary and utter extinction of a great opportumty. The multitude lo:iked on Canaan as worse than the grave, a scene of vam struggles and harassing prive.tions. Caleb and Joshua looked on the multitude as threatening th@ ()RB. xm., XIV,] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 171