Jotbathah

“And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.”

This twenty-ninth encampment is about thirty miles from the former, and in the same direction towards the Red Sea, away from Canaan. It has an agreeable name, although with an unpleasant addition. It means good-town; but hathah also signifies desert, and both are so mingled together, that it might be rendered “good desert.” If the children of Israel were acquainted with the name of the place beforehand, they would have been cheered in proceeding to it. If they gave the encarnpment subsequently this name, it is a proof how comfortable they were there. However, there was another Jotbathah in Canaan itself, where they were doubtless much better situated.

A variety of passages in the Old Testament prove that the name, Jothbah, has a pleasing signification, and implies prosperity, pleasure, beneficence. Let us, therefore, consider something of the blessings enjoyed by the true Christian, both in the wilderness of this life, and as in reserve for him beyond it.

Jotbathali, good- town, lay in the desert. Another of the same name in Canaan itself. The good that real Christians enjoy in the wilderness of this life, must not be derived from earthly things, nor must it be placed in the enjoyment, but in the possession of spiritual blessings by faith.

We must first of all ascertain who the persons are to whom this applies. They are true Christians — true, in contra-distinction to nominal, hypocritical, and pretended Christians. But who is a true Christian? The word originally means an Anointed One; and hence he is one, who has received the Holy Ghost, and no other; for “he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his,” and those only are children of God, who are led by the Spirit of God. But who possesses the Holy Spirit? This may be ascertained from the effects produced by him, which, however, manifest themselves more clearly in one individual than another. But the Lord knoweth them that are his. Where the Spirit of God is, there he works and operates. Having revealed to the previously careless and self-righteous individual his wretched, sinful, and lost condition, he continues to do so, “convincing the world of sin.” He commences the cure by wounding, and the healing by making the individual sick, or rather, causing him to feel his sickness.

The Spirit of God, as a Holy Spirit, further imparts to the man who had previously been in love with sin, a profound abhorrence of every thing of the kind, so that he avoids it with his utmost ability. He knows no greater misery than sin, nor any greater misfortune than to be under its sway, and to commit sin. He therefore most heartily desires to be delivered from the body of sin and death, and justly considers such a deliverance as the greatest benefit that can be bestowed on him. For this purpose, he wrestles, prays, and intreats.

The Holy Spirit then points out to him Jesus Christ as the way, and the only and complete Saviour of those who feel themselves lost sinners, and who came into the world for that purpose. He urges him to take refuge with him, and to entreat salvation of him. The man then hungers and thirsts after his favour, and is enabled to appropriate Christ to himself with all freedom and confidence, to be quite assured of salvation in him, and so to believe that he no longer doubts. And this is certainly being encamped in Jotbathah, or good-town.

And now the Holy Spirit continues his work of enlightening, humbling, correcting; the work of consoling, sanctifying, and renewing, and he now renders the soul meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, into which he will in due time be received. And these are the Spirit’s works, by means of which a man becomes a Christian; which each, therefore, must experience, and does so, if saved.

These are, therefore, the persons who are encamped in Jotbathah. But the blessings they possess are not of an earthly or temporal nature. They even fear the latter as a foe, against which it is necessary to be on their guard. The spiritual and heavenly mind implanted in them from above, longs after spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and says, “Thy favour is life, and thy loving-kindness is better than life.” The soul in the possession of these, can easily bear to be deprived of every thing else. But if they are withdrawn, nothing can supply their place. He that hath tasted of the power of the world to come, is, so to speak, weaned from the relish of earthly things, and woe to him, if this be not the case!

But if the blessings of Christians do not consist in temporal things, they consist so much the more in those that are spiritual. In this respect it is always well with them, and they are continually encamped, even in this world, at Jotbathah. Their names are written in heaven; the triune God loves them and is gracious to them, all their sins are forgiven them, and their sinful nature, with which they have continually to strive, is covered with the sufferings and death of Christ, until it is at length taken completely away. They have an intercessor with the Father. They are constantly kept by the power of God unto salvation. They are redeemed from all their sins. In one word, they are partakers of Christ, and all his gifts and treasures, the riches of which are unsearchable. How can it be otherwise than well with them under every circumstance, since they are accepted in the beloved, and since all things work together for their good?

All these blessings they have in possession, but not in continued enjoyment, yet occasionally they enjoy sweet seasons of refreshment from the presence of the Lord. The Spirit testifies powerfully with their spirits, that they are the children of God. The love of God is shed abroad in their hearts. They are perfectly conscious of their being in the divine favour. The clear light of the gospel shines upon them, so that they are able to confess and say, “We are made perfect in him.” They celebrate a happy Sabbath, in which they rest in a very refreshing manner from their labours, and are able to say, “Thy Spirit does my work, my prayer is enjoyment!” In one word, all is well with them. The Lord fulfils their desires, and, before they call, he answers. Nothing is difficult, but all is easy and na« tural to them. And this is being sensibly encamped in Jotbathah.

But the word “bathah” also means desert. They must not reckon upon the continuance of such a happy state. “We are saved,” says the Apostle, but still it is through hope. But the hope that is seen, is no longer hope, but enjoyment. Thus there are also two Jotbathahs, the one in the wilderness, the other in Canaan, which is mentioned in 2 Kings xxi. 19, with the omission of the last syllable, with which also the allusion to the wilderness ceases. If the church has already its Jotbathah, a better one still awaits her, to which the addition of imperfection, attached to that which she at present enjoys, will be wanting.

Hasten, therefore, to Jotbathah, if you wish to become true Christians! for he that is not a true Christian is an unhappy man, even were he a king. He that is a true Christian is happy, even in the midst of sufferings. Hence he who is wise, makes it his chief concern to become and continue a Christian. But this is the work of God alone. Yet, “if ye who are evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children — how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”