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<< Numbers 13: The Spies: Aaron's Rod: Second Gift of Water >>
 WE must keep the map before us and see how the children of Israel went when they journeyed on from Sinai. They followed the rough mountain valleys from Sinai northeastward by Hazeroth to Ezion-geber, at the head of the Red Sea, and then passed up the desert valley which leads towards the Dead Sea. Having gone about half its length,they turned into the upland country on its west side. They were now drawing near to the South Country of Palestine. They camped at Kadesh, where there was no doubt some water and more of greenness than on the plains and hills about.
At Kadesh the people were at a gateway of the promised land. They rested there while twelve spies—a ruler from each tribe—went up through the land to learn what kind of a land it was and what kind of people lived in it. We must remember the names of two of the spies, Caleb of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, Moses' servant, of the tribe of Ephraim.
The people had heard many things about the land of Canaan. The story of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been told from one to another. We have heard the story, too, and we know some of the places which the spies would see. As they went up from Kadesh they would come first to the South Country. They passed the open pastures where the flocks of Abraham and Isaac used to graze, and so up into the hills. It was July or August, the time of the first ripe grapes. They passed Hebron, high among the hills, with rich valleys about it green with vineyards. Here Abraham had lived and here was the cave which Abraham had bought for a burial-place. Hebron was a very old town, perhaps one of the oldest in the land.
The spies found giants living in Hebron, the children of Anak. They lived, too, in some other towns, but afterwards they were destroyed, except in some Philistine cities. But the spies did not delay at Hebron. We think of them passing on, perhaps by Bethlehem and the hills where afterwards Jerusalem would stand. So the way led up by Bethel and Shechem. It is interesting to think of their passing Abraham and Jacob camped, where Jacob dug the well, and where Joseph had come looking for his brethren. They kept on, and saw the rich plain of Esdraelon and the hills of Galilee as far as Rehob, near the springs of the Jordan.
The spies came back after forty days, bringing pomegranates and figs to show the people, and the great bunch of grapes from the valley of Eshcol, which perhaps was near Hebron. They told the people about the good land rich and fertile, but also about the giants and walled cities, and made them afraid.
We remember some of the names of the native tribes. The Amalekites, a part of the same people who fought with the children of Israel near Sinai, were in the south; the Amorites, the highlanders, lived in the hills through the middle of the land; the Canaanites, the lowlanders, in the plains by the sea and by the Jordan. The Hittites were the remnants of an ancient people who were in Hebron and other towns. Jebus, the city of the Jebusites, was where Jerusalem afterwards stood. Caleb and Joshua tried to quiet the people's fears, knowing that they would be able, with the Lord's help, to overcome all their enemies. But the people would not listen, and they were then told that they must wander in the wilderness forty years till all those who would not trust the Lord had died.
We think of the people as spending all these years in the region about Kadesh. There were few towns and there was little land good for farms and orchards, but still there were green places in some valleys where flocks could feed. The people lived in tents as the Bedouins do to-day, and moved about with their flocks from place to place wherever there was pasture. They also had the manna all these years.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes. So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.---Numbers XIII. 1-3, 17-33; XIV. 1-10.
During the years that the children of Israel lived and wandered in the wilderness, some of the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron, saying that they ought not to make themselves rulers over their brethren; and the Lord gave the people a beautiful sign which should remind them always that, the tribe of Levi was chosen to serve at the tabernacle and the family of Aaron was chosen from all the rest to be the family of priests.
Before we read about the sign, let me ask, How many of us have seen the little flowering almond trees in the gardens? The pink blossoms open very early, before the leaves, and are among the first signs of spring. In Palestine they open as early as January, and this, probably, is the reason for the Hebrew name for the almond, "watchful." The princes of the tribes perhaps carried rods as a sign of office.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.---Numbers XVII. 1-11.
Once before on the journey, when the people were thirsty, the Lord had given them water from the rock. And now again, in Kadesh, He gave them water in the same way. But, this time Moses and Aaron did not help the people to trust in the Lord. Moses spoke as if it were he who was giving them water, and because of this the Lord told Moses and Aaron that they should not bring the people into the land.
We will read the story.
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20:8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.---Numbers XX. 1-13.
Author: William L. Worcester 1904
Spiritual Correspondences
Spiritual Meaning
NUMBERS XIII
1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
I. Further, there is revelation from the Lord by Divine Truth giving perception concerning inmost temptations.
2. Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
2. That the man of the church should, by means of truths, examine his inmost life which ought to be a form of heaven; and that this examination is to be effected by the universal and primary truths of the church,
3. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
3. Also by means of the Divine light of truth, received from the Lord's Divine Human, although obscurely, for this flows in and enlightens
17. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
17. But it is the duty of man, from or according to Divine Truth, to examine his own quality, and his capacity for the heavenly life; and perception is given to him that he should do this by means of the universal truths of the Word, in a state of enlightenment from the Lord, and under the influence of Divine Love.
18. And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;
18. And a man must scrutinize his own spiritual state both as to truth and as to good, or as to form and as to life, internally, interiorly, and externally;
19. And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
19. And also what it is in ultimates as to good or evil, and as to truth or falsity there;
20. And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
20. And lastly as to the specific quality of his affections of good and truth, and as to the presence of ultimate good from the Lord. And all this is to be done with zeal and determination, and with particular reference to the quality of charity, as embodied in actions, even at the beginning of regeneration.
21. So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
21. And the extension of this searching examination is from where truth and good are in obscurity and coldness, through the multiplication of truths, to a zealous state of natural good, and its truths confirmed in ultimates.
22. And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
22. It involves also a state of spiritual light from the good of the Spiritual Church giving interior perception, and then leads to the discovery of interior persuasions of falsity from the pride of selfish love, having reference to the will, understanding, and actions.
But the interior good of the church which is celestial, is insinuated into man in infancy, before he is consciously in scientifics or knowledges;
23. And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
23. Whence he has a perception, according to his state, of the principle of good or charity in its general form, even when that state is low, supporting It by the literal sense of the Word with all the power of the will and understanding; and thence also. he has natural truth and natural good.
24. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
24. And indeed, charity is manifested in the literal sense of the. Word in general; and from It the general idea of charity is procured by the man of ,the Spiritual Church,
25. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
25. And besides this, self-examination involves also a complete state of trial and temptation.
26. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
26. And this leads to the confirmation of Divine Truth and Divine Good; and of the truths of the church thence derived in a state of spiritual light from the Divine Human wh.ich is a holy state, and which affords interior evidence to the man of the church internal and external of the realiity of Divine and heavenly thing's which may be manifested in the exercises of faith and charity;
27. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
27. And that thus the external man, both as to thought and, will, is brought into harmony with the internal and realizes that the heavenly state is also one of the good of truth, and of delight as expressed in all good works.
28. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
28. But the merely natural man is also fully impressed with the difficulty of overcoming the evils, and falsities by which evil is defended fully discerning the strength of the persuasions of pride from selfish love,
29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
29. Of the delusions of falsities from interior evil of the. corrupted principles in which there is yet something of good, of falsifications in which there is yet something of truth, of interior evils in general, and of external worship, without internal which prevails with the natural man both as to his affections and thoughts.
30. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
30. He who is in the principle of good, however, discerns. the harmony of external with internal truth, is elevated above merely natural considerations, and is sure that good will triumph, because power is given to overcome evil;
31. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
31 While they who are not in good and yet appear to be so outwardly, are unwilling to enter into the conflicts against evil and error, conceiving that selfish love and its falsities are all-powerful.
32. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
32 Moreover, they misrepresent the good and truth of the Spiritual Church, which they can yet discern through their understandings, being persuaded that what is called good is in reality consuming evil, and that what is called truth is opposing falsity.
33. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
33. And more than all that: the doctrines of the Spiritual Church are not inconsistent with the direst lusts from the pride of selfish love, which will not admit of conjunction with the Lord, and that these lusts cause the good and truth of the church to appear insignificant to those who are only outwardly in them, as well as to those who are in the evil of pride.
NUMBERS XIV
1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
1. But in the continuance of the strong temptation the man of the church is in a state of distress and grief on account of the obscurity which prevails with him.
2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
2. And there is opposition against Divine Truth and Divine Good, and a state of despair arising from the merely natural loves, and from ignorance as to truths.
3. And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
3. At the same time that the life of religion seems to be threatened, through falsities, with the extinction of the love of good and with the destruction of innocence, so that the tendency becomes strong to yield to the natural man by giving up the contest.
4. And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
4. While the perception is, that the reasoning of the natural man is a sufficient guide in life, and that natural delights alone are to be desired.
5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
5. But the consequence of this is a state of profound humiliation as to internals, apparently before prevailing externals;
6. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
6. And the interior principles of truth from good, and of good from truth, which have truly discerned the glory of the heavenly life, now mourn on account of apparently lost truth.
7. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
7· But yet there is perception thence even with the external man, that the heavenly life, notwithstanding appearances, is the only genuine life;
8. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
8. That he who is in the delight of good from the Lord, is confident that he will receive good and truth from Him in externals; and that therefore he shall yet experience the conjunction of good and truth and natural delight there;
9. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
9· Provided only that the natural man is willing to submit himself, and no longer to fear that evil will prevail with him, because by temptations man becomes receptive of good, and because in evil there is no power when resisted from a principle of good; for a state of good destroys fear.
10. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
10. But the merely natural man regards all these truths as falsities, while by the spiritual man they are seen in the light of Divine Truth made manifest through all the heavens in the state of worship.
NUMBERS XVII
1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
1. There is revelation from the Lord by Divine Truth giving the perception,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
2. By influx with the man of the church, that the power of truth is manifested according to the good from which it proceeds, or in other words, according to the ruling love in societies and individuals; and according to the primary truths derived from that love in all completeness, the quality of the good of everyone being known and confirmed by his truths.
3. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
3. And thus that the quality of celestial love is manifested in celestial truth, and consequently
the quality of spiritual love in spiritual truth, love itself having no power and no quality except by means of truths in every particular case.
4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
4. It is to be ackriowledged also that all truths in general and in particular are derived from Divine Good, which by truths forms and distinguishes the heavens, and thus in particular the inmost heaven through which is revelation from the Lord.
5. And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
5· So that it is of the Divine Providence that truth conjoined with good is powerful to produce good works; and that he who is in this state is no longer in temptations, nor does he oppose Divine Truth from the love of power derived from selfish love.
6. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
6. And so by the influence of Divine Truth in general, the external man is moved to action, and, through the primary truths of faith acknowledges the supremacy of that truth, and that from it particular truths have power from the particular good to which they give a quality, and this in all completeness, the power of truth from celestial good being particularly distinguished.
7. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
7. And all truths are thus acknowledged to be from the Lord through the celestial heavens, where good is intimately conjoined with truth and is in the greatest power in consequence.
8. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
8. And hence it happens continually that when, man enters into interior states through the reception of good, his truths are conjoined with good, and. particularly celestial good conjoined with its truth, thereby producing the fructification of good and truth in successive degrees in all the heavens.
9. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
9. And thence it is made manifest by Divine Truth that everyone has truths in their power according to his good from the Lord; and that everyone, as from himself, understands and practises truths.
10. And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
10. And revelation is therefore made from the Lord by Divine Truth that celestial truth from celestial good is inmost truth in which is all power to govern lower truths; that there is no power in truths profaned from selfish love; and thus that temptations must cease with the spiritual man, when he is fully governed by truths conjoined with good and made fruitful in good works. Nor can persons in such a state ever be overwhelmed with evil and error.
11. And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
11. And all this is from Divine Truth, which is the governing power with man from the Lord.
NUMBERS XX
1. Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
1. But the man of the church, both as to the will and the understanding now passes into another state, which is one of the obscurity of the natural man arising from a tendency to defend the truth from selfish impulses, and yet, as regards the interiors, one of faith under the influence of the affection of truth, which is a state of contention about truths, in which merely natural faith ceases and is extinguished.
2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
2. And secondly, truths appear to fail, and the external man is elevated against the internal both as to truth and good.
3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
3· And the External is arrayed against the Internal from the affection and the perception that it would have been better to have yielded to the delights of the merely natural man, in previous states of conflict, than to suffer this trial.
4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
4. For why is this obscurity with those who have truths from the Lord? And why does it appear that good affections both interior and exterior must perish?
5. And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
5. And why have we been led from the delights of the natural life into such conditions as this, in which we are deprived of truth, of good, and of knowledge as to spiritual good internal and external? A state in which, indeed, even general truths can neither be acquired nor appropriated.
6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
6. But in this extremity interior principles are separated from the merely natural man; are brought into communication with essential truth leading to and derived from heavenly good, into a state of profound humility; and into the perception of heavenly good and truth from the Lord.
7. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
7. And hence there is revelation from the Lord by Divine Truth giving further, perception,
8. Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
8. That man, as of himself, must exercise the power of interior truth, in controlling and bringing into order the natural man, but really from inmost truth and good; that there must be influx of life from the Lord in searching the Word, so that comforting truth may appear, and thus that the natural man may be refreshed both inwardly and outwardly.
9. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
9· And the internal man receives from the Lord the power to resist. evil, by influx and correspondence.
10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
10. But the man of the church as to truth and good, in a state of temptation, controls and arranges the natural man, appealing to the Word; but, in this case, even the internal man is impelled to obey from a state of indignation and to search the Word from self-derived intelligence.
11.And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
11. And thus it happens that such intelligence and such affection applied to the Word, seem to be the cause of an abundance of truths for the support of the natural man internal and external.
12.And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
12. But Divine. Good declares, concerning such natural intelligence and affection, that because they are contrary to true faith in the Lord, which ought to guide the man of the church, in devoting himself outwardly as well as inwardly to the service of the Lord, and this both as to good and truth, therefore they cannot lead man to the heavenly state, which is entirely from the Lord.
13. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
13. For even the truths of the Word under such influence seem to intensify temptation, and not to remove it, by a state of continual contention and strife, while yet it is the evil of the natural man, which causes the temptation by opposing Divine Good; and it is the Lord Himself who really delivers man, and brings the Natural into harmony with the Spiritual.
Author: Rev. HENRY MACLAGAN (1911)
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