True Christian Religion # 284
284. The details just quoted about the proclamation of the law, its holiness and power, are to be found in the following passages of the Word. Jehovah came down on Mount Sinai in fire, and the mountain then smoked and shook, there was thunder and lightning, an oppressive cloud and the sound of a trumpet: Exodus 19:16-18; Deuteronomy 4:11; 5:22-26. The people prepared and sanctified themselves for three days before Jehovah came down: Exodus 19:10-11, 15. The mountain was hedged about to prevent anyone approaching its foot and coming near and being killed; not even the priests approached, only Moses: Exodus 19:12-13, 20-23; 24:1-2. The law was proclaimed from Mount Sinai: Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The law was inscribed on two stone tablets, and written by the finger of God: Exodus 31:18; 32:15-16; Deuteronomy 9:10. When Moses carried the tablets down from the mountain the second time, his face shone so that he had to cover his face with a veil when talking with the people: Exodus 34:29-35. The tablets were laid up in the Ark: Exodus 25:16, 40:20; Deuteronomy 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9. The mercy-seat was mounted upon the Ark, and over it were placed cherubim made of gold: Exodus 25:17-21. The Ark together with the mercy-seat and the cherubim was put into the Tabernacle, constituting its first and thus most inward part; the table overlaid with gold, upon which was the bread of the Presence, the incense-altar of gold, and the lamp-stand and lamps of gold, made up the external part of the Tabernacle; the ten curtains of fine linen, purple and scarlet were its outermost part: Exodus 25:1-end; Exodus 26:1-end; Exodus 40:17-28. The place, where the Ark was, was called the Holy of Holies: Exodus 26:33. The whole people of Israel camped around the Tabernacle in the order of their tribes, and set out in order after it: Numbers 2:1-end. There was then a cloud over the Tabernacle by day and fire by night: Exodus 40:38; Numbers 9:15-end; Numbers 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:33. Jehovah spoke with Moses above the Ark, between the cherubim: Exodus 25:22; Numbers 7:89. The Ark was called from the law in it 'Jehovah-is-here'; for Moses said when the Ark set out 'Arise, Jehovah', and when it rested 'Return, Jehovah': Numbers 10:35-36; and further 2 Samuel 6:2 1 ; Psalms 132:7-8. On account of the holiness of the law Aaron was not allowed to go inside the veil, except with sacrifices and incense: Leviticus 16:2-14ff. By the presence of the Lord's power in the law contained in the Ark the waters of Jordan were parted, and the people crossed over on dry land, so long as it rested in the midst: ; 4:5-20. When the Ark was carried round them, the walls of Jericho fell down: Joshua 6:1-20. Dagon, the god of the Philistines, fell to the ground in the presence of the Ark, and afterwards was found lying on the threshold of the shrine with his head torn off and the palms of his hands cut off: 1 Samuel 5. The men of Bethshemesh were smitten because of the Ark to the number of many thousands: 1 Samuel 5, 6. Uzzah was killed by touching the Ark: 2 Samuel 6:7. The Ark was brought into Zion by David with sacrifices and jubilation: 2 Samuel 6:1-19. The Ark was brought by Solomon into the Temple at Jerusalem, where he made its inner shrine: 1 Kings 6:19ff; 1 Kings 8:3-9.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. The author's copy has in the margin: '2 Chronicles 6:14' for '2 Samuel 6:2'.
Joshua 7
1
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh's anger burned against the children of Israel.
2
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the land." The men went up and spied out Ai.
3
They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Don't let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don't make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them."
4
So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.
5
The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them, and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.
6
Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
7
Joshua said, "Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!
8
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!
9
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?"
10
Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you fallen on your face like that?
11
Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.
12
Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
13
"Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, "There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you."
14
"'In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which Yahweh selects shall come near by families. The family which Yahweh selects shall come near by households. The household which Yahweh selects shall come near man by man.
15
It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.'"
16
So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
17
He brought near the family of Judah; and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected.
18
He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19
Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don't hide it from me!"
20
Achan answered Joshua, and said, "I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
21
When I saw among the spoil a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it."
22
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
23
They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before Yahweh.
24
Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25
Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you this day." All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26
They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called "The valley of Achor" to this day.
