14. Numbers.] There are several striking and decisive testimonies to this book which might be singled out from that crowd of references scattered over the Old and the New Testament. Of these the first which occur to us are the type of the brazen serpent-the red heifer by Paul in the epistle to the Hebrews-and the Nazarite by Matthew, ii. 23. The references from the earlier scriptures, as in Joshua, have often this remarkable distinctness in them, that they state a commandment to be found in the book of Numbers, as the commandment of Moses or of God by Mosesthus connecting with it the name of this prophet and inspired man. The following is a part of these scriptural testimonies. "And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting," Numb. xi. 4. "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted," 1 Cor. x. 6.-"My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house," Numb. xii. 7. “Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was in all his house," Heb. iii. 2.—" And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part, and thine inheritance, among the children of Israel," Numb. xviii. 20. "Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them," Josh. xiii. 14. "But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them," Josh. xiii. 33.-" And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived," Numb. xxi. 9. "He removed the high places and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan," 2 Kings xviii. 4. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up," John iii. 14.—“ And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass; and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times ?" Numb. xxii. 28. "But was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet," 2 Peter ii. 16.-"Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die," Num. XXXV. 30. "He that despised Moses' law died 14. Numbers.] There are several striking and decisive testimonies to this book which might be singled out from that crowd of references scattered over the Old and the New Testament. Of these the first which occur to us are the type of the brazen serpent-the red heifer by Paul in the epistle to the Hebrews-and the Nazarite by Matthew, ii. 23. The references from the earlier scriptures, as in Joshua, have often this remarkable distinctness in them, that they state a commandment to be found in the book of Numbers, as the commandment of Moses or of God by Moses thus connecting with it the name of this prophet and inspired man. The following is a part of these scriptural testimonies. "And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting," Numb. xi. 4. "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted," 1 Cor. x. 6." My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house,' Numb. xii. 7. "Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was in all his house," Heb. iii. 2." And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land. neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part, and thine inheritance, among the children of Israel," Numb. xviii. 20. 66 Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them," Josh. "But unto the tribe of Levi Moses xiii. 14. gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them," Josh. xiii. 33.-" And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived," Numb. xxi. 9. “He removed the high places and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan," 2 Kings xviii. 4. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up," John iii. 14.-" And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass; and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten "But me these three times ?" Numb. xxii. 28. was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet," 2 Peter ii. 16." Whoso killeth unv person, the murderer shall be put to death" th of witnesses; but one witness shall на without mercy under two or three witnesses," Heb. x. 28.* 15. Deuteronomy.] In this book we are told of two most important securities for its own preservation, if not rather for the preservation of the whole book of the law of Moses. The first is an injunction given to each king, that he should copy this law in a book and read it continually; Deut. xvii. 18, 19. And secondly there is an injunction for reading this law to all Israel once in seven years, for the sake both of the people's knowledge and of their children, Deut. xxxi. 9—13. The practice of far more frequent public reading than this is clearly stated in Acts xv. 21. "For Moses of old time, hath in every city them that Numb. xxv. 4.-Josh. xxii. 17. xxv. 7.-Ps. cvi. 30. xxvi. 65.-1 Cor. x. 5, 6. |