November 4, 1880

Nearing the Promised Land

EGW

After passing to the south of the land of Edom, the Israelites turned northward, and again set their faces toward the promised land. Their route now lay over a vast, elevated plain, where the air was pure and cool, and the breezes swept refreshingly around them. It was a pleasant change from the hot, scorched valley and the dreary deserts through which they had been traveling, and they pressed forward, buoyant and hopeful. Having crossed the brook Zered, they pressed to the east of the land of Moab; for the Moabites and the Ammonites being descendants of Lot, the Lord had commanded his people not to molest them in any way.ST November 4, 1880, par. 1

Still pushing northward, the hosts of Israel soon reached the country of the Amorites. This strong and warlike people originally occupied the southern part of the land of Canaan; but increasing in numbers, and being attracted by the rich lands east of the Jordan, they crossed the river, made war upon the Moabites, and gained possession of a portion of their territory. Here they had settled, holding undisputed sway over all the land, from the Arnon as far north as the Jabbok. It was necessary to pass through this territory in order to reach the Jordan, and Moses sent a friendly message to Sihon, the Amorite king, at his capital:ST November 4, 1880, par. 2

“Let me pass through thy land; I will go along by the highway, I will neither turn to the right hand nor to the left. Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, and I may drink; only I will pass through on my feet, until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the Lord our God giveth us.”ST November 4, 1880, par. 3

The answer was a decided refusal; and all the hosts of the Amorites were marshaled to oppose the progress of the invaders. This formidable army struck terror to the hearts of the Hebrews, who were poorly prepared for an encounter with well-armed and well-disciplined forces. Moses was filled with anxiety. He knew that so far as skill in warfare was concerned, their enemies had every advantage. To all human appearance, a speedy end would be made of Israel. Moses had implicit faith in God, but he had little confidence in the people. He knew that God would be true to his covenant with Israel, that his power would be sufficient to carry them through every danger; but he had been so many times disappointed in the people,—they had so often failed in their allegiance to God, and had so often been filled with rage against himself,—that he now had little hope of seeing them pass safely this trying ordeal. Would they, he anxiously questioned, by unbelief and rebellion separate from God, as they had so often done before, and thus bring upon themselves disaster and defeat? He saw them hopeful because of their recent victory, but he could not discern a deeper humility before God, a firmer reliance upon his mighty arm, and a more lofty courage. He knew that obedience to the divine command would make all the difference between success and failure, triumph and defeat. If God's power were withdrawn, well might sinful Israel fear for themselves and for their children, in the day of peril and conflict.ST November 4, 1880, par. 4

Moses kept his eye fixed upon the cloudy pillar that enshrined the Son of God, and strengthened his soul with courage as he was assured that the Guiding Hand was with them still. He encouraged the people with the thought that the token of God's presence was still vouchsafed to them, and sought to inspire their hearts, by words of faith and holy cheer: This mighty God, who has so many times delivered his people Israel, is our God still. If we are obedient to his voice, he will be our guide, and will deliver us in every emergency. Therefore obey the divine command with ready mind and cheerful heart, and God will open our passage through the land where he has bidden us to go. The trials and hindrances which you now fear will be removed as you march forward with firm and resolute step in the path where God leads the way.ST November 4, 1880, par. 5

Moses not only encouraged the people to trust in God, but to do all that human power could do in preparing for war. Their enemies were violent and blood-thirsty, ready and eager for the excitement of conflict, and confident that with their superior skill and numbers they would wipe out the unprepared Israelites from the land. But the mandate had come from the Possessor of all lands, in view of the refusal of these nations to let Israel pass through their borders, “Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon. Behold, I have given unto thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish, because of thee.”ST November 4, 1880, par. 6

These nations on the borders of Canaan God would have spared, had they not stood in defiance of his word, to oppose the progress of Israel. The Lord had shown himself to be long-suffering, of great kindness, and tender pity, even to these idolatrous nations. Abraham was shown in vision that his seed, the children of Israel, after his death should be strangers in a strange land, and should be afflicted four hundred years. But the Lord gave him the promise, “In the fourth generation, shall they come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.” At the appointed time, the descendants of Abraham were to receive the land of Canaan for a possession, from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates.ST November 4, 1880, par. 7

Although the Amorites were an idolatrous people, violent and cruel, God spared them four hundred years to give them unmistakable evidence that he was the only true and living God, the maker of the heavens and the earth. All his wonders in bringing Israel from Egypt, the judgments visited upon the Egyptians because they refused to let his people go, his mighty miracle in opening a passage through the Red Sea, and destroying Pharaoh's host; his wonderful works in the wilderness, the bread sent down from Heaven, the pure water brought from the rock, the punishment of the rebellious in Israel,—with all these facts those idolatrous nations were familiar. Sufficient evidence was given; they might have known the truth, had they been willing to turn from their idolatry and licentiousness to serve the living and true God. But none were to be compelled to believe, against their will. They were free moral agents, and must decide for themselves their future destiny.ST November 4, 1880, par. 8

Pharaoh once proudly inquired, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?” He learned by his own experience that it was He that hath power to create or to destroy. So the light had been given in the revelation of God's power to those fierce idolatrous nations, that they might know the true and living God. That light had been spurned, rejected; they had turned away from the true God to serve and worship idols, and their cup of iniquity was well nigh full.ST November 4, 1880, par. 9

When the Lord brought his people, after their long wandering in the wilderness, a second time to the borders of the promised land, additional evidence of his power was granted to those heathen nations. They could see that God was with Israel in the victory gained over king Arad and the Canaanites. They had still another evidence, in the miracle wrought to save those who were perishing from the deadly sting of the serpents. Although the Israelites had been harshly refused a passage through the land of Edom, thus being compelled to take the long and difficult route by the Red Sea, yet in all their journeyings and encampments, past the land of Edom, of Moab, and Ammon, they had shown no hostility; they had done no injury to the people or their possessions. On reaching the border of the Amorites, Israel had asked permission only to travel directly through the country, promising to observe the same rules which had governed their intercourse with other nations. When the Amorite king refused this courteous solicitation, and defiantly gathered his hosts for battle, their cup of iniquity was full. God would now exercise his power for their destruction, even as he had fought against Pharaoh and his hosts.ST November 4, 1880, par. 10

Again the great Commander of nations had bidden his people “Go forward.” In obedience to the divine command they immediately crossed the river Arnon, and advanced upon the foe. An engagement took place, in which the armies of Israel were victorious; and following up the advantage gained, they were soon in full possession of the country of the Amorites.ST November 4, 1880, par. 11

It was the captain of the Lord's host who vanquished the enemies of his people. He would have done the same, thirty-eight years before, had Israel believed and trusted in him. They might have gained full possession of the land then, as they were obtaining it now. Here the Lord again proved to his people that he alone was their helper; for no other power could have delivered them in this emergency.ST November 4, 1880, par. 12