Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/218

 cursing and  blaspheming,  and  speaking  and  acting  as  if  God  were  not the one,  true,  almighty  Lord. These sins  were  all  the  more  grievous, because God  was  ever  before  their  eyes,  and  was  constantly  working wonderful miracles  for  their  benefit. They sinned  against  the  Fourth Commandment, by  rising  against  Moses,  the  servant  of  God;  and  also against the  Fifth  Commandment,  by  trying  to  kill  the  true  and  faithful spies, Josue  and  Caleb.

Cursing. The  people  called  a curse  on  themselves:  “Would  to God  that  we  might  die  in  the  wilderness!”  Their  sinful  wish  was  granted for their  punishment:  they  were  condemned  to  die  in  the  wilderness, and never  entered  the  Land  of  Chanaan. This should  be  a warning to us  to  avoid  all  kind  of  imprecations. The cry  of  the  unbelieving Jews in  the  time  of  our  Lord: “His  Blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our children" (New  Test.  LXXII),  is  another  terrible  instance  of  an  imprecation being  fulfilled.

The power  of  intercession.  Because  Moses,  the  just  servant  of  God, prayed earnestly  for  his  people,  God  forgave  them  their  many  and grievous sins.

Temporal punishment.  God  told  Moses  explicitly  that  He  forgave the people  their  sin  on  account  of  his  intercession. Nevertheless He visited  them  with  a temporal  punishment.

Lies and  scandal.  By  a lying  exaggeration  of  the  strength  of  the Chanaanites, the  spies  (with  the  exception  of  Josue  and  Caleb)  induced the Israelites  to  murmur  against  God. “Thou wilt  destroy  all  that  speak a lie” (Ps.  5,  7).

Sudden death  is  the  worst  punishment  that  can  befall  a sinner, because he  has  no  time  given  him  to  do  penance. Therefore, in  the Litany of  the  Saints,  the  Church  prays  thus:  “From  sudden  and  unprovided death,  O Lord,  deliver  us!”

Gods blessing  is  everything.  The  Israelites  were  completely  routed by the  Chanaanites  and  Amalekites,  over  whom  they  had  previously obtained a victory  (chapter  XXXV). This was  because  God  neither blessed nor  helped  them. Our help  comes  from  the  Lord:  without Him we  can  do  nothing.

The kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence.  The  grown-up  Israelites did not  enter  the  Promised  Land,  because  they  shrank  from  the  burdens involved in  the  journey. For the  same  reason  many  Christians  do  not reach heaven,  because  they  do  not  correspond  with  God’s  grace,  and will not  fight  against  the  enemies  of  their  souls. “The kingdom  of heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  bear  it  away”  (Mat.  11,  12).