Kadesh

“And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in Ihe wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh,”

This thirty-second encampment is some days* journey distant from the former, and approaches the promised land. The silence observed respecting the children of Israel, during the long period of thirty-eight years, is at length broken. History again opens its mouth, but only to continue its old lamentations.

Let us first attend to the meaning of the word Zin. This word has three significations. First, it signifies coldness, which in the East is an image of refreshment, because of the great heat, and hence a cool shade is particularly refreshing and agreeable. And how pleasant it is, when Christ, as the Good Shepherd, “leads us into green pastures and by the still waters, and restoreth our souls.” If the sun does not always shine, neither does it constantly rain, blow, or thunder. There are also verdant spots in the wilderness, which look the more lovely, because of being surrounded with so much sterility.

But Zin also certainly signifies thorns. In this sio — nification it occurs in the fifty-fifth verse of this chapter, where the Lord says to the Israelites, “If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides.” The world is full of thorns and thistles, and we have great need of a Noah, “to corofort us for all our toil and labour upon earth, which the Lord hath cursed.” We do not here speak of natural thorns, nor solely of the various sufferings with which this life is interwoven, and which often shoot up unexpectedly. We refer more particularly to the curse, which by sin has come upon all flesh, and which is the source of every sorrow, vexation, misfortune, and mournful event which menaces, and frequently pervades, in various forms, this earthly life.

We mean the curse which renders everything, even the excellent gifts of God, a bane to man, so that one individual perishes through prosperity, as another through adversity; the one being seduced through riches to pride, the other through poverty to meanness, deceit, and robbery, and both to forgetfulness of God. To how many have distinguished talents been like loaded fire-arms to children! The most beautiful of the serpent tribe are often the most poisonous, and tigers wear the handsomest skin.

Do not we walk in the wilderness of Zin, amongst thorns as signs of the curse, when we look around us either at social, moral, or religious life? Look at the heavens; what a terrific dress do they not sometimes assume! Storms roar through the air in savage fury, as if they would make the whole earth a plain, and the sea into a mountain. Forked lightnings remind us how insecure our life and property are. Dreadful thunders complete the horror. Whole forests are stripped of their verdure, the corn-fields ravaged by hail, and the hope of a year blasted in half an hour. Instead of a gentle shower, the reservoirs of heaven seem to burst, and repeat the desolations of the flood. Rivers burst their bounds, carrying death and destruction along with them. One year, the sun withholds his beams; another, the clouds their rain. And whit is the cause of it all? The curse under which earth groans, and from which we ought to seek deliverance.

Shall we contemplate the effects of the curse still further, and examine the abodes of sickness and sorrow? Our eye refuses for a moment to look, and our ear to listen. The softest couch can become too hard for thee; the choicest food, disgusting. Behold how many are exclaiming, “When I lie down, I say, when shall I arise, and the night be gone;” and in the morning, when will it be evening? “My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life.” And in this howling wilderness death reigns, ,and walks about blasting all the joys of life, and mocking the art of the physician. What sufferings also in social life from the vile tempers of those around us, losses in business, &c., and finally, what a curse prevails in a moral and religious respect I What a list of the blackest crimes and vices does the history of mankind present, and how grossly does evil manifest itself on every hand! How corrupt the examples which are frequently set, how bold the blasphemy and deceit that is promulgated! If this be not the wilderness of Zin, where is it to be found? And to .complete the misery, many even turn the law and the gospel into a curse by their abuse of them. Instead of the law serving to bring them to Christ, they go about with the works of the law, and thus continue under the curse. Instead of being allured by the gospel, they become enemies to it, and even seek to prevent others from entering into the kingdom of heaven. Thus we wander in a thorny wilderness; but happy is he who does not sow under thorns, and through faith in him who dwelt in the bush, is redeemed from the curse, and translated into a state, where every thing becomes a blessing to him.

If wandering through the desert be something so dangerous, and to many so destructive, we must observe that the word Zin has a third and better meanino;, since it may also be rendered, “a great shield.” Thus David uses the word in Psalm v. 12, “with favour wilt thou compass the righteous as with a shield;” and when this is the case, who can penetrate through such a defence? If any one asks how the same word can mean a thorn and shield at the same time, or offence and defence, the answer is easy. The disposition of the individual causes a different effect to be produced. Thus, give wine to the weak, and it will strengthen him, whilst it acts as poison to one in a fever. Temptation destroys the wicked, but purifies the godly. The same gospel is the savour of death unto one, and of life to the other.

But woe unto him, who walks without this defence! He will not only be lacerated by the poisonous thorns, but be also mortally wounded by the fatal arrows of the lurking wicked one, yea, the divine indignation will consume him, and the curse devour him.

Has the man this shield in himself? Yes, if he is a Christian. ‘’ He that is born of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” He that is in him is greater than he that is in the world. “Ye are strong, and have overcome the wicked one.” “He that is born of God sinneth not.” But he is only safe as long as he abides in Christ his fortress. He that dreams of being safe without him, will awake in jhe horrors of destruction.

And what is the true shield? The cross of Christ, from which, as from an impenetrable shield, every arrow rebounds. Thus is the church of God encamped in the wilderness of Zin — on one side the thorns; on the other the sure defence. It is like the tower of David, builded for an armoury, on which hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. The Wonderful, the Counsellor, the mighty God is its shield, even Christ. This shield may, therefore, well be called Kadesh — that is holiness. It is composed of the gold of wisdom, righteousness, ,sanctification, and jedemption. If any one is in Christ, and abides in him, he is safe. “Who is it, therefore, that looks forth as the morning, fair as the mjoon, bright as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” Believe with all your strength on Jesus Christ. ‘’ Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life;” who can preserve you blameless, and present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Amen.