power of Jehovah; and if they found not wells. of water they rebelled and murmured against Him. By the command of the Lord, Aaron filled a pot with manna, and laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept as a memorial for their future generations. Here was a memorable type of the spiritual bread-the heavenly manna-on which the Christian feeds, and by which he is "nourished up unto eternal life;" even the Lord Jesus Christ; who declared, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.' Again He said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Thus indicating the quickening power, the living operation of the Holy Spirit on the soul of man, imparted, through the sacrifice of Christ, to all who receive Him in faith, and depend on Him for the supply of their spiritual need. The provision of manna for the Hebrews was characterised by another remarkable circumstance. On the sixth day of the week the portion which each individual

gathered was doubled, and served for their sustenance during that day and on the following one-but on every other day of the week it was gathered fresh; or "it bred worms and stank." On the seventh day, that which was reserved from the preceding day was good. Thus, before the giving of the law-before the ten commandments were miraculously inscribed by "the finger of God,"—was the Sabbath divinely consecrated. And, although its rigid observance, as ordained in the Mosaic code, was shown by Christ not to be binding on His disciples, yet His expression, “The Sabbath was made for man," indicates that, for all mankind, the setting apart a portion of time for rest and worship was graciously designed.

CHAP. XXXVI.-And the Israelites journeyed, according to the command of the Lord, and pitched their tents at Rephidim, where there was no water; and the people again tempted God by their murmurings: and the Lord directed Moses to take his rod and smite the rock of Horeb. Moses did so, "and the waters gushed out ;"

and the place was called

Massah, and Meribah, (i. e. temptation and dispute.) The stream that thus refreshed the Israelites was a type of "the water of life," which flows from Jesus Christ, the Rock of our salvation, who was smitten for us; who, on the "great day of the feast, stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." The Evangelist John adds, that Jesus spake of the Holy Spirit, "which they that believe on Him should receive.” The encampment was now in the vicinity of Edom, a country inhabited, as we have before read in chapter xxii., by the descendants of Esau. And the Lord spake unto Moses, thus: "Command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore. Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot-breadth; because I have given Mount Seir unto Esau for a possession."

The

Moabites and Ammonites also dwelt in territories contiguous to Edom, and the Lord said to Moses, "Distress not the Moabites, neither

contend with them in battle; for I will not give thee of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot."-" And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them, for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession, because I have given it unto the children of Lot." Thus was the mercy of Jehovah manifested toward the seed of his people; but we find that these nations made ungrateful returns. Of one of their tribes we have an awful record: for the descendants of Amalek, a grandson of Esau, called one of "the Dukes of Edom," came against the Israelites at Rephidim, when they were "faint and weary;" and the sacred historian remarks that Amalek "feared not God." And Moses charged Joshua to "Choose out men, and 'fight with Amalek," whilst he would stand on the hill with "the rod of God" in his hand. The impiety of the Amalekites was strikingly marked; for they were so near to the Red Sea, that they must have been apprized of the mighty wonders wrought by Jehovah for the deliverance of His people.

And Moses, in his triumphant song, when he "saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore," said, "The Dukes of Edom shall be amazedfear shall fall upon them." Amalek could not stand before "the hosts of the Lord.” Moses held up the miraculous rod, and whilst he did so, Israel prevailed; and when his hands were heavy, Aaron and Hur supported them. "And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi ;" (i. e. The Lord my Banner, or the Lord's Banner;) signifying that the banner of Jehovah's warfare against Amalek should be upheld "from generation to generation." What can be conceived more dreadful than thus to have "provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel," and to have. brought down, upon a guilty race, the perpetuation of His exterminating and righteous judgments? As they "encamped at the mount of God," (where Moses had been first