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Israel sprang not merely from feelings natural in such circumstances, but was connected
with the hope of the coming Messiah. Till He appeared, each family would fain have
preserved its identity. Several instances of such changes from one tribe to another,
through maternal inheritance, are recorded in Scripture (comp. 1 Chronicles 2:34, 35;
Numbers 32:41, and Deuteronomy 3:14, 15, and 1 Chronicles 2:21-23; and notably,
even in the case of priests, Ezra 2:61, 62, and Nehem. 7:63 and 64).
- God intimated once more to Moses his impending death, before actual entrance into
the Land of Promise (Numbers 27:12-14). In so doing, mention of the sin which had
caused this judgment was repeated, to show God's holiness and justice, even in the case
of His most approved servants. On the other hand, this second reminder also manifested
the faithfulness of the Lord, Who would have his servant, as it were, set his house in
order, that he might meet death, not at unawares, but with full consciousness of what
was before him. It is touching to see how meekly Moses received the sentence. Faithful
to the end in his stewardship over God's house, his chief concern was, that God would
appoint a suitable successor, so "that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep
which have no shepherd" (vers. 15-17). To this office Joshua, who had the needful
spiritual qualifications, was now set apart by the laying on of Moses' hands, in presence
of Eleazar the priest and of the congregation. Yet only part of Moses'" honor" - so much
as was needful to ensure the obedience of Israel - was put upon Joshua, while his public
movements were to be directed by "the judgment of the Urim" and Thummim. Thus did
God not only vindicate the honor of His servant Moses, but also show that the office
which Moses had filled was, in its nature, unique, being typical of that committed in all
its fullness to the Great Head of the Church. - Now that the people were about to take possession of the land, the sacrificial
ordinances were once more enjoined, and with full details. The daily morning and
evening sacrifice had already been previously instituted in connection with the altar of
burnt-offering (Exodus 29:38-42). To this daily consecration of Israel were now added
the special sacrifices of the Sabbath -symbolical of a deeper and more special
dedication on God's own day. The Sabbatic and the other festive sacrifices were always
brought in addition to the daily offering. Again, the commencement of every month was
marked by a special sacrifice, with the addition of a sin-offering, while the blast of the
priests' trumpets was intended, as it were, to bring Israel's prayers and services in
remembrance before the Lord. If the beginning of each month was thus significantly
consecrated, the feast of unleavened bread (from the 15th to the 21st of Abib), which
made that month the beginning of the year, was marked by the repetition on each of its
seven days of the sacrifices which were prescribed for every "new moon." The Paschal
feast (on the 14th of Abib) had no general congregational sacrifice, but only that of the
lamb for the Paschal supper in each household. Lastly, the sacrifices for the feast of
weeks were the same as those for the feast of unleavened bread, with the addition of the
(^)