Bible Commentaries

"Handfuls of Purpose"

For All Gleaners

"In the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation"— Numbers 1:1

The wonderful conjunction of names and situations in life.—Here we have "wilderness" and "tabernacle."—We cannot be blind to the "wilderness"; sometimes a teacher is required to point out the "tabernacle."—The "tabernacle" is always to be found by the earnest searcher.—The wilderness, as to mere space is incomparably larger than the tabernacle, but the tabernacle as to its quality and radiance destroys the unhappiest aspects and influences of the wilderness.—The wilderness may represent what nature can do for man; the tabernacle is the peculiar and distinctive work of God, showing how the supernatural subdues and glorifies everything with which it comes in contact.—Sometimes the tabernacle is in the man's heart; if indeed its spirit is not there no outside building can supply its place or offer such security as cither reason or feeling can really enjoy.—Be afraid of no wilderness in which there is a tabernacle.—By setting up his tabernacle God means to make the wilderness blossom as the rose.—Life itself may often assume the desolation of a wilderness; this it must do in the absence of supernatural influences; decorate it as we may, scatter upon it all the wild flowers that hands can gather, it is a wilderness still: in such circumstances the traveller must cry out for the living God, and yearn for a dwelling place not made with hands.—The tabernacle may be some quickening thought, or sacred memory, or inspiring promise, or the companionship of a kindred soul; the tabernacle of God has a thousand aspects, and is consequently different in its representation according to the circumstances in which every man looks upon it.—The tabernacle is never so beautiful as when seen in contrast with the wilderness.—As the weary night makes the dawn doubly welcome, so the great wilderness develops in the tabernacle a beauty and a splendour which would be otherwise unrecognised.—As in darkness we see the stars, so in the wilderness we ought to see the spiritual glory of the tabernacle.

The Census and Its Meaning

Genesis 49:8 : "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise." So we find, in the numbering, Judah stood first—the largest of the host. We find, too, that Ephraim had a number larger than Manasseh. Was this a mere incident, hardly to be accounted for? There are no such incidents in life: everything is accounted for, or to be accounted for, by those who search into roots, beginnings, motives, and divine intentions. In Genesis 48:20, we find how Israel blessed the sons of Joseph,—"And he blessed them that day, saying,... God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Numbers 1:3

Then there are difference's amongst men; some being able, and others unable to go forth to war.—Forgetfulness of these differences leads to indiscriminate and cruel criticism.—There is always a war in life.—Sometimes a real battle is only known to the man himself.—In all solitary conflicts the man himself is of course alone responsible.—Even in such conflicts the warrior needs inspiration and encouragement from without.—There is a solitude that leads to despair, and in the darkness of that solitude the war goes against the soul.—The words of the text refer to open or public battle, in which every man is expected to appear in the fulness of his strength.—The statistics of the army are kept in heaven.—The spirit of this text forbids every man to look only at his weakness.—Every man is called upon to make the most of himself in the presence of the enemy.—Sometimes the very going forth to war develops the power of battle.—Let every man take a hopeful view of his capacity.—The wars to which men are called in this day may be of the nature of controversy, testimony under difficult circumstances, consistency in the midst of subtle and persistent temptation; because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, it does not follow that we have no conflict with principalities and powers and innumerable enemies out of sight.—The spirit of Christianity is a spirit of war.—The Christian is at war with every form and action of evil.—There can be no doubt as to the side which the Christian will take in every moral conflict.—The suggestion of the text is that some men are not called upon to engage in public strife.—They may be soldiers, nevertheless, suffering heroically, illustrating the majesty of patience, and proving by joyful resignation how possible it is to wait without complaining, and to sing in the darkness and weariness of night.—Cowardice is nowhere commended in the Bible.—The distinguishing feature of Christianity in relation to all the forces of life is heroism.—Let imagination picture the scene; the Christian is not afraid to go forth where ignorance is densest, where rebellion is most violent, where cruelty is most desperate, and even where infection is most contagious; the picture is always vivid with heroic colour, and expressive of consecration, which can neither be daunted or discouraged.—"The Son of God goes forth to war."— It is too commonly supposed that Christianity is a bed of roses, a new variety of luxury, a sentiment which, while it excuses, also aggravates the natural selfishness of the heart.—Every man should put to himself the question, Why am I not at the war?—Every wound that testifies to honourable battle is a sign of true soldiership.—Do not be ashame of wounds and scars that tell o suffering only see that they are on the breast, and thereby indicate fearlessness, and not on the back, and thereby prove fear and faithlessness.