Lesson 91 - Junior

Memory Verse

"Come thou with us, and we will do thee good" (Numbers 10:29).

Notes

Israelites Organised at Sinai

For a year the great host of the Israelites had camped around Mount Sinai. From the top of the mountain, amid thunder, fire, and great smoke, God had spoken to the Children of Israel and given them His law. Moses had drawn near to God in the cloud, and had received the Ten Commandments on tables of stone. In the wilderness of Sinai the Tabernacle had been built according to the plan God had given to Moses in the mount, and fire from Heaven had burned the sacrifice upon the altar, showing that God had accepted their work. God had also given Moses many instructions, teaching the people how to live together in peace and happiness, both while in the wilderness and when they should enter Canaan. God had appointed feast days and celebrations that should be kept for many years ahead. Everything was organised, and now the time had come for the Children of Israel to start their journey to the Promised Land.

Led by the Pillar of Cloud

The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night had led the Children of Israel from the time they left Egypt. When the Tabernacle was completed, the cloud had come down from the mountain and rested over the Lord's House. It had remained at Sinai for a whole year while the Israelites awaited instructions to move. That was always to be their guide: when the cloud rested, the Children of Israel camped; and when it lifted and moved forward, they marched, whether it was by day or by night. Sometimes they would camp only a few days, sometimes a month, and sometimes even a year or longer. But they always camped as long as the cloud remained over the Tabernacle.

Moses was commanded by God to make two trumpets of silver, which the priests would blow whenever they wanted the attention of the Israelites. Some calls would be for the heads of the tribes to come together to the Tabernacle to listen to Moses for instructions; others would be calls to war, or to march. When the marching began, each tribe could tell by the trumpet blast when it was their time to move.

Someone must always keep watch, even while the people slept, because sometimes the pillar of cloud might move in the night time, and the Children of Israel must follow immediately. The pillar was an indication of the will of God, and the people must know His will to do it. As soon as the cloud moved, the trumpets must arouse the people to go forward.

We must always be on the alert to be sure to know the will of God. There may be times when we become very busy in our work, or taking care of our homes, or perhaps even in our physical labour for the Lord, and we will not be careful to know the will of God in everything we do. So we must have ministers who watch over us and "blow the trumpet" for us so we will not be caught napping and disobey God.

The March Begins

The Children of Israel were now organised and had their instructions for life in Canaan, and it was time for them to go into the Promised Land. The realisation of the hopes seemed near, because Canaan was only an eleven-days' journey from Mount Sinai.

With what eager anticipation they must have started out! Three million people with all their flocks and herds! Soon they would be in the land "flowing with milk and honey." Soon they would have homes of their own where they could live in comfort and safety. They would possess this good land that God had promised to Abraham for his descendants, and they would never need to be slaves again. All this God would have given them if they had not disobeyed Him.

With what enthusiasm a new convert starts out to serve God! He feels very confident that he can overcome everything, and will soon be enjoying the richest blessings God has promised. If he keeps his trust in Jesus he retains that confidence, and God does great things for him. But trials will come; and many times people will look at their troubles and get their eyes off Jesus, and they become very discouraged. The way grows hard, and they lose the eagerness with which they started to live for the Lord. Soon they grow weary in His service, and forget that He has promised to fight their battles for them. We should take warning from the examples given us by the Children of Israel. We can see the blessings they missed by disobeying God, so we should be careful that we please Him in all we do. Then we will enjoy the promises He has given to His children.

Each Tribe in Its Place

The trumpet had blown directing the tribe of Judah to begin the march. Under the standard of Judah marched the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun also, and they are sometimes included in Judah without being particularly named. These were the tribes that camped east of the Tabernacle, at the side of its entrance.

By the time the people under the standard of Judah had moved forward, the Gershonites and the Merarites had taken down the Tabernacle and were ready to fall into line. Six covered wagons, each drawn by two oxen, carried the heavy parts of the Tabernacle.

When the trumpets blew again it was time for the Israelites who camped on the south side of the Tabernacle to take up the march. These were the tribes, which moved under the standard of Reuben, and included Simeon and Gad. Then came the Kohathites, carrying the furnishings of the Tabernacle upon their shoulders. God said these things were too sacred to ride in wagons, and must be carried reverently by those Levites to whom they had been entrusted.

The next blowing of the trumpets set the camps on the west end of the Tabernacle on the march. The tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin moved under the standard of Ephraim. And behind them, under the standard of Dan, came the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, with the mixed multitude bringing up the rear.

"Come Thou with Us"

The family of Moses' wife lived near Sinai where the Israelites had spent the year, and when God's children prepared to move, Moses asked his brother-in-law if he would not come with them. God had promised so many good things to His people that Moses wanted to share it with his loved ones. The Land of Canaan was a much better land than this wilderness could ever be, and it was to be the possession of the Israelites. Would not Hobab come along and enjoy its hospitality?

We who serve God enjoy His blessings, and we know He has even greater things prepared for those who love Him. We long to tell others of God's great love in such a way that they, too, will want to serve Him. We cannot understand why many people will not give up their sinful ways, which bring so much trouble to them, in order to have the happiness that only the children of God can know. How happy we are when someone decides to come with us and enjoy the blessings Jesus gives us now on our journey to the Promised Land, and share with us in the heavenly inheritance when the Lord comes back to claim His own.

Questions

1. How long had the Israelites been at Mount Sinai?

2. Name some of the things that had happened here.

3. How did the Children of Israel know it was time to move?

4. Where were the Children of Israel going, and how far was it?

5. What did Moses say to his brother-in-law?