SECTION 1. '505 elders of Israel, and said, to-day the Lord will appear unto you. Ver. 5. And all the congreation drew near and stood before the Lord. Ver. 0. And Moses said, this is the thing which the Lord commanded, that ye should do. And the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you. And when Aaron had offered the appointed offerings for himself and for the people, verse 23. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out and blessed the people ; and the glory of theLord appeared unto all thepeople. Verse 24. And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering- and the fat, which when all the people saw they shouted, and fell on their faces." Here it may be observed, that the Lord is said to appear to them; ver. 4. when ver. 23. it was theglory of the Lord appearing to the people, that is, abright light and a consuming fire, verses 23, 24. Num. xii.5. "And the Lord came down in the pillar óf it cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam, and they came forth. Ver. 6. And he said, hear now my words : If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. Verse 7. My servant Mosesis not sot who is faithful in all mine house. Verse S. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, andnot in dark speeches, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold : Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses ? Ver. 9. And the anger of the Lord, was kindled against them, and he departed. Verse 10. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle, and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow." It is not easy to say what the precise difference is between the various ways of God's ancient discoveries of himself to menu but I think thus much is very plain, which I before hinted, that though the common method of God's converse with the people and with Aaron was by a voice proceeding from the bright cloud or shekinah, yet that Moses was admitted to a more intimate converse with God ina way of dialogue, as one man talks freely with another, which the scripturecalls face to face, and mouth to mouth : and on some particular occasions he beheldGod in the shape or likeness of the body of a man, for it is said, He shall behold the similitude ofthe Lord, though perhapsa cloud of glory mightalways cover his face, because the face of God was not to be seen by him. Num. xxii. 9. " And God came unto Balaton, and said, What men are these with thee ? And Balsam said unto God, Balaie theking of Moab bath sent me, saying, Come nowcurse the people, that is Israel. Verse 12. And God said unto Ba= laam, Thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the
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