THE SPIRITUAL DRINK OF ISRAEL AS SEEN IN THE WILDERNESS
[p. 123] THE SPIRITUAL DRINK OF ISRAEL AS SEEN IN THE WILDERNESS
Exodus 15:27; Exodus 17:5 - 7; Numbers 20:7 - 13; Numbers 21:16 - 18
JT These scriptures will be familiar to the brethren, but the Lord, I believe, will give us something from them fitting in with current exercises that are among us. The subject of drink is always important and interesting, and has in mind that the people of God should be satisfied; and it appears in the middle of these books which treat of the wilderness, for the wilderness circumstances occasion thirst and complaint. One finds in Exodus 17 and Numbers 20 the spirit of complaint, and in order that this should be met we get a word earlier in the book of Exodus for those who serve, those who would minister to the Lord’s people in a specific way. The early part of Exodus is largely to prepare such ministers. So we find a great minister, that is Moses, sitting by a well in chapter 2. It is a very significant attitude, as indicating that he had learnt not to trust to himself in the service. There can be no meeting the thirst of the saints as the ministers trust to themselves. So that the great typical minister, the one who is said to be faithful in all God’s house, is seen sitting by a well; and what comes out after deliverance is effected is how the experience thus acquired is effective in the ministerial provision, that is, the seventy palm trees and the twelve wells. That is what I was thinking of, if the brethren are free to move on in it. The passages, as I said, are well known, and the teaching of the history is particularly to help young christians.
HEF What have you in mind in speaking of the seventy palm trees and the twelve [p. 124] wells?
JT I think the numeral seventy alludes to ministerial provision; that is, it is early instruction that is in mind. It raises the question whether there are those today whom God can use under this heading, and the twelve wells point to the abundance; there is administrative means.
HES Is there any connection between this passage and the twelve apostles in the New Testament, and the Lord appointing “seventy others also”, Luke 10:1?
JT I think the allusion to the seventy indicates the resources of God, that He has more than twelve. The Lord has more: “seventy others”.
WCP It says, “they encamped there by the waters”, as though there were only the twelve wells. Is there a distinction made in that way in connection with the character of God’s resources as seen in the seventy palm-trees and the twelve wells?
JT “They encamped there by the waters”: I think it means the people were satisfied now to accept the position in the wilderness — a very great matter — God making such provision for them. In the next chapter they complain in relation to food, and Aaron spoke to them, and they looked toward the wilderness; that is, they are sustained by priestly ministry in their view toward the wilderness. It is the acceptance of the wilderness by the young ones which is so important.
MWB Is that why Marah comes in first before this? I was wondering whether Marah was definitely the acceptance of the wilderness. Consequent on that there is God’s ample provision for them, as they encamp there.
JT Yes; the first waters presented to them were brackish, a very great test; but the waters that had been offensive were made sweet by the wood. The passage really is remarkable as bringing out God’s gracious consideration for us in our circumstances.
[p. 125] He comes in and shows Moses wood; that is, He calls the minister’s attention to Christ. The point is first to get in our minds the thought of the minister God provides. He calls the attention of the minister to the wood; it says, “Jehovah shewed him wood, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet” Exodus 15:25. That is the minister’s move; it is left to him. God, having instructed, educated and explained things to his servants, helps them and calls their attention to some feature of Christ, and they know how to use it, and use it effectively. What you find with regard to Moses throughout this book is that, whilst we constantly get the expression, “As Jehovah said unto Moses”, or “As the Lord commanded Moses”, yet Moses acts of himself; as, for instance, with regard to the instruction relative to the passover in chapter 12, you find it is a lengthy instruction, but Moses, when speaking to the people about it, epitomises it, and his epitome — or his presentation of what Jehovah gave to him — brings about worship in the people. That means that you know how to present impressions you receive from God so that they become effective in the saints.
MWB So that in taking the two together — the well in chapter 2 by which Moses sat, and then the wood to which his attention is drawn, would give a very wholesome suggestion as to not depending on ourselves, and as to having intelligence to use and apply that which is of Christ.
JT That is right. You have a certain service to perform; you have certain needs before you in connection with the saints; you get before the Lord about it, and He gives you some inkling, or impression. Then it is for you as a minister to know how to use that, how to present it so that it becomes effective. You know the brethren you have to deal with (or you should know them), and you know how to use what the Lord gives you.
JHB [p. 126] In what way is Christ typified by the wood?
JT It is a feature of the wilderness; it has a great part in the wilderness — that is, wood of a particular kind, acacia wood. (We are not told what wood this was.) As in the wilderness it suggests Christ, presented so as to afford material for building. But He is cast into the waters. The idea of wood comes into the mind, and that wood is Christ; so that the wood is seen as altering the circumstances.
WRP How do you apply the fact that at first they found no water, and then when they did find water it was brackish?
JT It is a test; God would give us to taste what the Lord Jesus passed through. The brackish waters denote death; they denote what typically the Lord Jesus passed through in the Red Sea — the bitterness of death. It is well to taste the bitterness of death; it is intended to give character to us; but as accepted it becomes sweet to the soul, as we find it is part with Christ, and understand that typically (as it says here) He was cast into the waters.
MWB I had not noticed that Moses was not instructed to do that; as in other instances in the book, his own spiritual intelligence seems to come into great evidence.
JT That is what I thought we might see, that in seeking to serve the saints we get inklings — impressions — from the Lord; then He assumes that you profit by the education you have been through. The earlier chapters are full of that thought of education. Moses begins with the great impression he receives in connection with the angel of Jehovah in the bush, the fiery bush that burned and was not consumed. You would be impressed with the thought that there was a representative of God there; he was to be that himself, for he was told later that he was to be God to Pharaoh, and Aaron was to be his prophet; Exodus 7:1.
[p. 127] You get the great thought of representation, and for representation of God there must be the knowledge of God. God loves to see us act in our service according to the knowledge we have; that is, the servant knows what he is doing.
AWGT He is marked by spiritual initiative?
JT Quite so, spiritual initiative is a good expression. He profits by the experience connected with those forty years of education — quite a long time. He sat by the well, we are told, and presently the seven daughters of Jethro came with their father’s flock, and he watered the flock. As soon as you take that attitude you find something to do. No true minister in this attitude has far to go for service, but it comes to hand, and what his hand finds to do he does with his might, as Moses did in this case; he watered the flock, and he maintained the place of subjection and contentment in a foreign land; for that is the idea — he says, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”, Exodus 2:22. He accepts the position, though it was not what he would desire naturally; it was the very opposite to that. So it says, “Moses was content to dwell with the man” Exodus 2:21.
MWB Are those restful conditions more or less reproduced in Israel for the moment at Elim?
JT Yes, they encamped by the waters; it is a fine result, God helping the minister, so that the saints are restful, accepting the wilderness, and that with satisfaction, for there is plenty of water. The plentifulness of it is suggested, but still it is under control, because the number of the wells is twelve.
JHB What would the water at Elim represent?
JT It is ministry, I think; it is not yet the Spirit in the christian, but so far it is what is objective, what is brought to him. “They encamped there by the waters”. The saints at a meeting like this, listening with interest to the things of the Lord, are [p. 128] encamping by what is provided; as valuing it they take up a position in relation to it, and are not going to be turned away by the world’s allurements from such a place of resourcefulness. The seventy palm-trees give a suggestion of beautiful shade and freshness in the desert, and there is plenty of water to drink; that is surely attractive, and if we are spiritual we shall encamp there.
RES Is this at all in line with Psalm 23?
JT That is exactly the idea. How beautiful it is to see the saints of God turning aside from that which this world provides on an afternoon like this, and encamping by the waters! How pleasing to God that is, and how ready the Lord is to meet such a state of things among us. “Assemble the people, and I will give them water”, He says; Numbers 21:16.
ECR Do the seventy palm trees involve the idea of victory and overcoming?
JT That is the thought; the palm is usually a sign of victory. When you have seventy of them you have a great result; it shows the earlier instruction to Moses and Aaron in the type has borne fruit. The servant has learnt to sit by the well. Sitting means a permanent attitude; he says, ‘I am never going to move from this position in regard of my ministry; I am never going to exercise my will or energy again’. That is what is meant by sitting, and the result is seen here. There is victory in the ministers; they have overcome, and now are affording shelter for the people of God, and there is plenty of water. The twelve apostles allude to the presence of love which would make room for one another in mutuality, free from all pretension as regards one being above another. “Seventy” is a different number; it is seven times ten, and alludes to a responsibility in the Spirit.
WRP Would that be the place for education, sitting by the well of water?
JT It is rather the evidence that the minister [p. 129] has learnt; sitting is a permanent suggestion, meaning that he would always take that attitude in his service.
HEF Is that in contrast to what he had done previously?
JT Yes, it is in contrast to natural energy. “I keep under my body ... lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway”, says Paul; 1 Corinthians 9:27.
JHL Is there any significance in the fact that Moses’ life was divided into periods of forty years, the first forty being spent in Egypt, the next in the backside of the desert, and the last forty years in the wilderness?
JT The first two periods of forty years point to the long training and education required by all of us. There is no short road to the service of God; you have to go all the way round. The first forty years has rather to be undone; the unlearning is the most difficult thing; but Moses apparently made haste on that line. The journey from Egypt to Midian was a long one; even today it would take a long time. He learnt on the way, apparently, and as soon as he arrives he sat by the well — a very remarkable thing.
JAP What were you alluding to when you said the apostle kept his body under?
JT He did not allow the natural side. The allusion is an athletic one. You have to sacrifice with that in view, so that the result is wholly spiritual. The natural is brought under restraint, so that one is not a castaway after having ministered to others. Moses was not a castaway. I think the result of these seventy palm trees and the twelve wells is very significant as pointing to the effectiveness of the ministry and the effectiveness of the divine training.
Rem So that if our service is to promote restful conditions among the saints we must learn [p. 130] to be restful ourselves.
JT Yes, the minister learns to be quiet and restful; he affects his hearers according to what he is.
GCG Is Simon Peter another of the Lord’s servants who had to come this way? He said at one time that he would follow the Lord even to prison and to death. Did he not have to learn not to trust in himself?
JT That is what he had to learn; the Lord said to him: “When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst where thou desiredst” — that is the natural, as Moses slew the Egyptian — “but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and bring thee where thou dost not desire”, John 21:18. It is against your will. “If not of my own will”, the apostle says, “I am entrusted with an administration”, 1 Corinthians 9:17. No one goes into the ministry and takes it up in a natural way. So the Lord says in John 12: “Where I am, there also shall be my servant” John 12:26; it is not ‘would be’, but what “shall be”. John presents it abstractly; the true servant is in accordance with Christ, and in order to make that fit in Peter’s case the Lord puts him under discipline so that he is in correspondence with Christ in his death, and glorifies God.
GCG Would the attitude of Paul and Silas in the jail at Philippi show how they were maintained in this satisfied and restful attitude?
JT That is very beautiful; they were undergoing one of the greatest tests, you might say, but in prayer they sang praises to God at midnight — a very great triumph. If you were to have seen them or heard them you would have said: ‘What victory that is!’ That is what is meant by the seventy palm trees. Such ministers must bring to light results, and the assembly at Philippi is the result in that case.
EuR Would the being shown wood impress the heart with the perfect dependence on God that marked [p. 131] the Lord Jesus in His pathway of service here on earth in these conditions, in contrast to the tendency of our hearts to trust in the flesh?
JT Very fine: you have a bit of service before you, and you want an impression. God gives you that as you seek it, and now how are you going to use it? I think the dependence of the servant is seen in being shown the wood, but the skill is seen in that he knows what to do with it.
EuR So Paul and Silas used it well in the case of the jailor?
Ques Would you say how the skill is acquired?
JT We were tracing that in connection with the history of Moses, and alluding to the fact that his life was divided into three parts of forty years each, eighty of which you might say were educational, so that only a third of his life was properly occupied with his commission. Now, we have to analyse all that we have of those eighty years to see how the minister is fitted for his service. That is what we get in the earlier part of the book.
Rem He would never again turn to the wisdom gained in Egypt.
JT He had to unlearn all that. Stephen says, “Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds”, Acts 7:22. Sitting by the well means that he has learned not to trust in that; whereas the universities are ever turning out ministers instructed in the very education which Moses had to unlearn — not that ordinary education is not necessary, but I refer to the spiritual thing.
WCP What is the value in a practical way of the casting into the water? Moses did that, as you were pointing out; did he recognise the death of Christ as the basis of all service?
JT Yes, it is to complete the type of the Red Sea, showing how Christ having been in death has [p. 132] changed the situation for the believer. The change is in you, not in the water, for the antitype has to be understood thus. I acquire a new taste; I learn to accept death. God rolls it in upon us, and it gives us character. I believe Miriam represents that here, for her name means ‘bitterness’.
EuR Is it like Romans 6: “Reckon yourselves dead to sin” Romans 6: 11 — that is like the life of Egypt — and then the result is “newness of life” Romans 6:4?
JT Yes, Romans 6 is what answers to this; and then there is the provision for us in the minister that God raises up. The young believer finds this wonderful heritage which he knows God has provided to protect him; for the seventy palm trees suggest victory, as seen in Paul and Silas, and the jailor would know what these men were; he could trust them.
HMG Would the gain of the seventy palm trees and the twelve wells fit us for the next step, for they journeyed at once?
JT The fact that they encamped there at Elim shows that they accepted the position, but then they had to move on, and that brings in the thought of murmuring in relation to food. Then in chapter 17 there is another murmuring, which is met by the smiting of the rock. Perhaps chapter 17 is less understood than we think. One thing to be observed is that in that chapter it does not say that the people drank at all, whereas in Numbers 20 it says that the people drank and their cattle. I think the point in Exodus 17 is to take account of the gift of the Spirit of God as the outcome of the sufferings of Christ. The rock was not spoken to here, but smitten, and not in the presence of the people as such, but in the presence of the elders, suggesting the idea of responsibility.
MWB Is that why in Corinthians it says, “they drank of a spiritual rock” — not of the water — “a spiritual rock which followed them”, 1 Corinthians 10:4?
[p. 133] JT Quite so; the allusion there would be, I suppose, to the actual drinking spoken of in Numbers 20. No doubt they drank here in Exodus 17, for they were thirsty, but God is not going to call it drinking till they are appreciating the thing; and the time has not yet come to say of such believers that they have drunk. The Lord says, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” John 7:37, that means I appreciate the provision for me.
WRP And yet the rock followed them.
JT You mean in the antitype? Quite so. They drank, undoubtedly, but the fact that it is not said that they drank is to be noted; it is initial, and what you get instead of drinking is conflict, meaning Romans 7.
Ques What did you mean by the water being under control in connection with the twelve wells at Elim?
JT Twelve is an administrative number. It is not like a river that runs off. The wells are there, and they are to be used.
MWB Do you think there is an allusion in these early incidents to the idea of authority and subjection, meaning that it is only as I abide in those conditions that the gain of these privileges is realised?
JT Exactly; so that at the end of chapter 15 it says, “There he made for them a statute and an ordinance; and there he tested them. And he said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, and do what is right in his eyes, and incline thine ears to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the complaints upon thee”. Exodus 15:25,26. That is what you mean?
MWB Exactly; and then the reference to the elders in Exodus 17, and to the staff or rod being taken, again introduces the thought of authority.
JT I see what you mean: it is the rod carefully specified here; it says, “Take with thee of the elders of Israel, and thy staff with which thou didst smite the river, take in thy hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock on Horeb; and thou shalt strike the rock, and there shall come water out of it”. Exodus 17:5,6. The rod is an interesting consideration. Here it is really Moses’ own rod, but there is no differentiation between the rod of Moses and the rod of Aaron so far, because Aaron apparently used it. It is the rod of authority, and the one idea is linked with both Moses and Aaron, till Aaron’s rod budded, blossomed and yielded almonds; that is where the great difference is made. Aaron’s rod (according to Numbers 17) had in mind Christ’s death and resurrection, and that is the rod to be used in Numbers 20.
ECR What is the force of “thy staff with which thou didst smite the river”? Would it emphasise the sufferings of Christ that we might have the Spirit?
JT The smiting of the river would mean that it was effective. It was not only the rod that had been turned into a serpent, and had been brought back again to its normal condition, but it had become effective in its use. The thing that becomes effective is the one to use. When we come to the death of Christ, it is on the suffering side — the smiting, with the elders present — that it is seen in its effectiveness.
ECR Why is the emphasis laid on the expression, “I will stand before thee there upon the rock”?
JT It is to bring out the solemnity of it. God is having to do with it; it is the judgment of God.
EuR Did you allude to Romans 7 in connection with this?
JT Yes, as to the conflict with Amalek.
EuR You mean that there being no mention of their drinking in Exodus 17 suggests that the conflict of Romans 7 is unsolved as yet?
JT [p. 135] That is right. The Spirit is there before Romans 7, but the conflict has to come in before we appreciate that fact. It is the conflict which hardly any young christian would not understand. Of course they drank, but instead of that being stated you have the conflict, because before we come to the full appreciation of the Spirit of God the conflict has to be gone through, the analysis which involves conflict in Romans 7.
MWB Do you mean that the victory that is gained over Amalek is practically the way they would realise what the drinking means?
JT That is right; Romans 7 prepares us for Romans 8; but the Spirit is there before — not that the experience of Romans 7 implies that one has the Spirit actually, but the principle is there according to Romans 5.
WRP On God’s side the Spirit is given, and on our side we have to receive it.
JT So that you have not the idea of the reception of the Spirit in John 4; the reception is in John 7; “which they that believed on him were about to receive” John 7:39. Reception means that I value the thing.
HEF Have you in mind that when Scripture speaks of our drinking we should afterwards be characterised by what we have drunk?
JT Yes, and so that the inward state of the saint should be intelligent to him (it is known to God) Romans 7 is given.
HEF So in John 7 it says, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” John 7:38.
JT Well, that is the other side.
HES Your point is that in Exodus 17 the emphasis is on what God did.
JT Yes, there is the thought of judgment there: “God, having sent his own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh”. Romans 8:3.
[p. 136] There was an action of smiting. It touches the heart when by the Spirit I see what God has passed the Lord Jesus through in suffering. In Numbers 20 the smiting and the suffering are not in view; it is a question of speaking to the rock.
EuR How do you distinguish between this smiting and what is set forth in the brazen serpent?
JT We shall have to come to it presently. I quoted from Romans 8, which alludes to Numbers 21, but only to bring out the reality of the Lord’s sufferings, not only that my sins should be forgiven, but that I might receive the Spirit and drink.
MWB Apart from the thought of the greatness of the Spirit, that ought to make us value the gift of the Spirit as seeing that Christ suffered for us that we might have such a gift.
JT That is the way Exodus 17 is intended to affect us as we read it; it should touch our hearts to see how Christ suffered.
ECR Should not that help to maintain us in the conflict?
JT Quite.
Ques Could we have a word about the speaking to the rock in Numbers 20 in contrast to what we have been dwelling upon in connection with the smiting spoken of in Exodus 17?
JT It is the other side. It is one subject, really — one theme: He died and He rose. Numbers 20 contemplates the resurrection of Christ; it contemplates His being in heaven; in fact, it is more like John 7; “The Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified” John 7:39. It is not now a question of smiting as in Exodus 17, but the rod to be used in Numbers 20 is the rod which is Aaron’s; that is the only one now — the one which had budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds overnight; and that one is not to be used in smiting at all. Aaron is not brought into the matter in Exodus 17, but he is in Numbers 20. “Take the staff ... thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock”; and all the people are to be there — it is not now a question of the elders — “Gather the assembly together ... and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock, and shalt give the assembly and their beasts drink”. It is the fulness of the thing now, without smiting. It is the rod that denotes life — that is, the resurrection of Christ.
WCP Does it not fit in very well with the thought of “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”, Romans 8:2?
JT It does; it is the law of the Spirit of life. Moses disregarded the word to him, but in spite of his action the water flowed. The allusion, I think, is to the clerical conditions of today; in spite of their action which is so detrimental, and so opposed to the free flowing out of the Spirit, the water flows. They did not act rightly at all: Moses smote the rock and called the people rebels — a very sorrowful situation; and yet the grace of God rose above that and caused the water to flow.
HES Was Moses going back to natural resources on this occasion?
JT He and Aaron were relying on themselves, whereas the apostle says, “That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”, 2 Corinthians 4:7.
MWB So that this chapter must be read in the light of Numbers 17, where we read of the rod that budded, and God rising above the rebellion of Korah.
JT That is right; you must have the two sides — that is, the sufferings of Christ, and the death and resurrection of Christ, and, we may say, the ascension of Christ; for it is only after Christ’s ascension that we could have the Spirit.
JHB Does the water in Numbers 20 [p. 138] refer to something different from the water of Elim in Exodus 15?
JT Yes, it is directly from Christ in Numbers 20. The rock would hardly apply in connection with the water of Elim; it is not mentioned there. The water of Elim is what comes in through ministry, but where you have the rock it is the Spirit as come direct from Christ to the believer; firstly, as the outcome of His sufferings and death, and secondly, on the principle of asking. I see that, and I must have it; and the cattle get it, too; that is to bring out the plentifulness of it. The emphasis is laid on the drinking in this chapter, whereas nothing is said about that in Exodus 17.
EuR So you would encourage us to face this conflict, and get deliverance from the thirst and dissatisfaction that marks the flesh, and get the gain of the Spirit in the way of satisfaction?
JT That is it; because we shall never be any testimony to God as unsatisfied. Satisfied christians are what are needed, those who are satisfied with what God provides. “We ... have all been given to drink of one Spirit” 1 Corinthians 12:13, which means we are mutually satisfied, satisfied together. I think it is very encouraging to see how the brethren have come together now, to see how persistent the interest is, so that our brethren are ready to sacrifice — to encamp, as it were, by the waters. How delighted the Lord is to give the water; but in giving it to us He would tell us that He has suffered, and died, and that He has risen and gone into heaven in order that we might have the Spirit. Why not have the water? It is in abundance; but the conflict in Exodus 17 is what is so necessary, so that we might discover what is inside, and carry out the analysis and what is involved in it, so that we might know what is going on, and be able to call upon all that is within us to bless [p. 139] the Lord.
EuR Does this speaking to the rock involve the love of God coming into the heart?
JT It is the principle of the dispensation — the word of God, and men freely addressing Him; 1 Timothy 4:5. The word of God and prayer are the great principles of the dispensation. It is not the time of smiting — that is all over; it is the word of God and prayer.
WCC Would that be in keeping with what we get in Luke 11: “How much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13?
JT That is exactly the point. That passage comes in at the end of a section that contemplates provision for the local assembly. How are we to carry on without the Spirit? The Lord would teach us to ask the Father and He will give Holy Spirit. Not that the Spirit is given from heaven now, for He is here; so to speak, the water is here to be drunk.
WCC It is “the Father who is of heaven”. Luke 11:13 That is right; it is not ‘in heaven’, but “of heaven”, suggesting the character of it, for the Spirit is here. In the first feeding of the multitude the Lord looks up to heaven, but in the second feeding He does not look up, for He is recognising what is here — a very important thing; for, indeed, God is here in the Spirit.
WCC In the light of that it is very solemn what Stephen says, “Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, ye also”, Acts 7:51.
JT Quite; the Holy Spirit is here, and hence “whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming one”, Matthew 12:32.
GP Do you not think there is some significance in the fact that in Exodus 17 it says, “That the people may drink”, but in Numbers 20 it is, “Thou shalt ... give the assembly ... drink”?
JT There is something in that: the word ‘assembly’ has its own meaning there; and then the cattle were to drink, too, referring to all the surroundings; the whole realm in which christians are is to be affected by the Spirit. It is the Spirit’s day, and as affected by the Spirit, a state of holy satisfaction characterises not only the man himself, but his family and his whole environment. That is what God provides.
MWB “The water came out abundantly” (verse 11).
JT That is very significant.
MWB It does not say that in Exodus 17, but it says it here.
JT In Numbers 20 it is to bring out the character of christianity in type, and that in spite of the official class. There is plenty of water. God is overcoming the obstacle, and the result is that Israel now is able to speak of himself as having “feet” Numbers 20:19. He is on his way to Canaan, and is ready to walk on his own feet.
HES Did the Lord have that in view when He said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”, John 10:10?
JT That is so; He emphasises the plentifulness of it.
MWB Are you referring to Numbers 20:19: “I will ... go through on my feet”?
JT That is what I was thinking of; the christian now has to do with Edom, and he is not to quarrel with him. It is a question whether we are great enough not to quarrel with brethren, even though they may be very provocative and unreasonable. Israel is great enough now to turn aside and go another way to avoid quarrelling with the brethren; he is ready, however, to go on the highway on his own feet. That represents that he is satisfied and set up [p. 141] of God.
ECT Would you say he is now becoming a tree? Balaam likens Israel to trees in Numbers 24:6.
JT That is right: “The trees of Jehovah are satisfied”, Psalm 104:16.
JAP How does the exercise of Numbers 21 come in?
JT Now you have another thing, a deeper thing. You observe in the beginning of Numbers 21 Israel is victorious over the Canaanite: “The Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the south, heard that Israel came by the way of Atharim, and he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners” Numbers 21:1. That is a very bitter experience; but still they are victorious in the main: “Then Israel vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If thou give this people wholly into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And Jehovah listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them, and their cities. And they called the name of the place Hormah”. Numbers 21:2,3. That is how the name Hormah is given; although it is mentioned in chapter 14:45, the name is given here. Then it says, “They journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go round the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became impatient on the way”. Numbers 21:4. Now there is a fresh test. You may already have been victorious over the Canaanite, and have journeyed, but you have to go round because of the brethren; you have to comply, and you have to accept the unreasonableness of the brethren. They had undertaken to accept it; but to prove it, and to go all the way round — that is the test! It is because of the unreasonableness of the brethren, and we are all unreasonable, more or less. Edom is still the brother; it does not say yet that God hated him. Nothing tests us more, I think, than the unreasonableness of the brethren, and what it involves — that I have to go round another way; but I have to do it.
[p. 142] It brings out what is in me — something that I did not know before was there. The brethren have been unreasonable, and I did not know that I could not stand that; and they could not stand it here. They complain: it says, “The soul of the people became impatient on the way; and the people spoke against God, and against Moses” — a very sorrowful and terrible thing that they spoke against God and against Moses, and all because they had to go round a longer way, because the brethren were so unreasonable.
HLT Whereas if they had accepted the position they would have gained.
JT Surely; if you have to go round because of the unreasonableness of the brethren you do not suffer in the long run. You may sacrifice and suffer in the meantime, but you gain through it. It is a lesson to be learnt.
LDM We get a similar circumstance in Luke 9 in relation to the Lord, and it brought out the spirit that marked Him. When His disciples desired Him to call down fire on the Samaritan village that would not receive Him, He rebuked them, saying, “Ye know not of what spirit ye are. And they went to another village” Luke 9:55, 56. Do not the next three chapters, 10,11 and 12, bring out the Holy Spirit, and spiritual things?
JT That is very excellent. The Spirit is given for the asking. What a beautiful spirit the Lord exhibited on that occasion! He tells them, “Ye know not of what spirit ye are”. “When they persecute you in this city, flee to the other”, Matthew 10:23. If He was not received by the uncircumcision (Luke 9) He goes on; but then it is sorrowful for the city which does not receive; that is another matter. The point here is what Israel had to endure because of the refusal of Edom.
MWB You would make a very great distinction between Edom, whom we have to recognise as our [p. 143] brother, and the Canaanite in the early part of Numbers 21, which is definitely an evil element?
JT That is right; these books contemplate him as the brother; it is only later that he is said to be hated.
HES Your thought is that all these different conditions which we have been considering bring to light our state; and the recognition of that should open the way for blessing?
JT That is right. The instruction for us is in connection with what is brought out as to the state of the people. They spoke against God and against Moses. Then the brazen serpent is lifted up, which deals with a deeper thing, involving what I have learnt in the conflict implied in Romans 7.
Ques How would this apply to us locally, going round brethren who are difficult?
JT The idea is that if they do not let you go through you accept it; you wait and are patient. “The soul of the people became impatient”. There was lack of patience. “Let patience have her perfect work”, James 1:4. It is a question of the Inner thing in a man’s soul; he had not discerned before, perhaps, that he was so impatient. “But let patience have her perfect work”; the result is sure.
WCC This incident is not referred to by Rahab the harlot when she spoke to the spies of the victories they had won, and of how the heart of the people of Jericho melted; does that show that this incident in connection with the land of Edom represents a secret thing?
JT Quite so; though she refers to what God did at the Red Sea, and what they did to Sihon and Og, she does not refer to this experience which comes a little earlier, and which I think brings out what we did not expect to be in us, this impatience of soul. So the serpent is lifted up to deal with all this. The believer looks at the lifted up serpent and lives. It [p. 144] is the great question of life coming in here. Then the verse we read refers to the Spirit viewed as in the believer now, “Well which princes digged”. There is again an allusion to ministerial service, only it is princely here; that is, persons of great moral weight are having to do with things. It says, “Well which princes digged, which the nobles of the people hollowed out at the word of the lawgiver”, and the result is that they sing. The people are now fully recognising the Spirit. “Spring up, O well: sing ye unto it” (verse 17). It is a question of assembling: “Assemble the people” (verse 16); and then “Sing unto it” suggests that there is response to the Spirit; but it is a poetic composition showing that the saints are brought into it intelligently and feelingly. Then they move on to Pisgah, where they look “over the surface of the waste” (verse 20).
MWB So here it is not so much a question of circumstances, as in the earlier part of Exodus, but the deep springs of the moral elements of a man’s life here.
JT That is right; it is the impatience that you did not know was there, perhaps. “The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience” 2 Corinthians 12:12. That is the first thing mentioned.
Ques In John 7 the Lord’s brethren wanted Him to go up to the feast at Jerusalem, but He answered, “My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready”, John 7:6. Were they not somewhat impatient?
JT Yes, they were impatient; they wanted the Lord to show Himself.