Providence of restoration centering on Moses

Chapter Providence of Restoration centering on Moses and Jesus

Section II

The providence of restoration centering on Moses

1. The general view of the providence of restoration centering on Moses

The providence of restoration centering on Moses was to be accomplished on the foundation to receive the Messiah, which had already been established in the providence of restoration centering on Abraham. However, Moses was no exception to the principle of restoration in that he had to build the foundation to receive the Messiah after having restored through indemnity both the foundation of faith and the foundation of substance. Since the central figures in charge of the providence changed, the new persons could not fulfill the will of the providence of restoration without carrying out their own portions of responsibility. Besides, the scope of the providence was broadened from the family level to the national level. However, in the providence of restoration centering on Moses as shown by the following records, the contents of the condition of indemnity for the establishment of this foundation were changed greatly, compared with the previous ones.

(1) The Foundation of Faith

(i) The Central Figure to Restore the Foundation of Faith

Moses was the central figure to restore the foundation of faith in the course of the Israelites's returning to the blessed land of Canaan after the 400 years of slavery in Egypt which had come about due to Abraham's failure in the symbolic offering. Before knowing how Moses established the foundation of faith, we must first know in what respects Moses was different from other personages, such as Adam, Noah or Abraham, who had been trying to restore the foundation of faith in the providential course before Moses.

First we should know that Moses was in the place of God, substituting for God Himself. Therefore, God told Moses that he should be as God to Aaron, the prophet of the Israelites (Ex. 4:16). Again, God told Moses that He would make him a God to Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1).

Second, Moses was the model for Jesus, who was to come in the future. As discussed above, God made Moses as God before Aaron and Pharaoh. However, since Jesus is God in the flesh, the expression that "God made Moses as God" signifies that God set him up to walk the course that Jesus was to later walk. In this manner, Moses was the model for Jesus and pioneered the way for Jesus, just as John the Baptist had to make straight the way of Jesus (John 1:23). Let us now study how Moses walked this course.

Moses, as a descendant of Jacob, who had established the foundation to receive the Messiah, was not only the central personage for restoration, but also the one who walked figuratively the model course of Jacob which Jesus was to walk later. Moses was also standing on the foundation established by Joseph in the course of Jacob's family's entry into Egypt.

Joseph was another model for Jesus. Joseph was the son born of Rachel, who was Jacob's wife on the Heavenly side, and was the younger brother to the sons of Leah. Joseph, who was in the position of Abel, barely escaped death when his elder brothers, who were in Cain's position, plotted to kill him. However, he was sold to a merchant; he went into Egypt ahead of all. He became the prime minister of the country at the age of 30. Then his brothers and his parents came to Egypt and bowed before him (in surrender) just as heaven had instructed in his childhood (Gen. 37:5-11). On that foundation in the providential course, the Israelites' course of slavery in Egypt for the separation from Satan began. This course of Joseph foreshadowed that Jesus would come later to the Satanic world, and, after becoming the King of Kings at the age of 30, through the way of suffering, he would subjugate the whole of mankind, including his forefathers, and separate them from the Satanic world, thus restoring them all to the Heavenly side. Thus Joseph's whole life was the very model for the path of Jesus.

On the other hand, Moses' birth, growth and death were also the model for what Jesus was to go through. Moses at birth was on the verge of being killed by Pharaoh. After his mother raised him in concealment, he went into Pharaoh's palace and was brought up safely among his foes. In like manner, Jesus also was at the point of being killed by King Herod. After his mother took him into Egypt and raised him in concealment, he was brought back into the dominion of King Herod and was brought up in safety even among his foes. Further, nobody knew the whereabouts of Moses' body after his death (Deut. 34:6). This, too, was the pattern for what was going to happen to Jesus' body.

Furthermore, Moses' course of restoration into Canaan on the national level was the true model for the worldwide course of restoration into Canaan, which Jesus was going to walk later. We can well understand that Moses was thus the model for Jesus from Biblical passages, which say:

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren...and whoever will not give heed to my words which he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. (Deut. 18:18-19)

Again, the Bible says (John 5:19) that Jesus can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. This also signifies that God had already shown through Moses what Jesus was going to do in the future.

(ii) Conditional Objects to Restore the Foundation of Faith

Moses, as discussed above, was standing in a position different from that of the other central figures who had restored the foundation of faith in the providential course before him. Therefore, Moses could restore through indemnity the foundation of faith, merely by having established the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan, centering on God's words, even without offering the symbolic sacrifice as Abel, Noah, or Abraham did.

First, Moses stood on the foundation of having completed the providence through symbolic offerings established by Abel's, Noah's and Isaac's having succeeded three times in the symbolic offerings.

Second, the offering was the conditional object which was set up in place of the words, because fallen men became unable to receive God's words directly. At the time of Moses, the symbolic offering for the foundation of faith became unnecessary. Because the providential period for the foundation of restoration (pre-Abramic age), in which the foundation of faith was restored by setting up the offering as the conditional object, had passed into the providential age of restoration (Old Testament Age) in which man could receive God's Word directly.

Third, since the providence centering on Adam's family had been prolonged on and on, conditions had to be set up to restore through indemnity the providential age which had been thus prolonged due to the invasion of Satan. In order for Noah to establish the foundation of faith through the ark, the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan became necessary. Abraham, too, could offer the symbolic sacrifice to establish the foundation of faith only after he had placed himself on the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan, having restored through indemnity the 400-year period. The Israelite nation suffered 400 years of slavery in Egypt in order to restore through indemnity the foundation of faith invaded by Satan due to Abraham's failure in the offering, by restoring through indemnity the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan.

Thus, in the providential age of restoration, the foundation of faith was supposed to be restored if one could stand, centering on God's Word in place of offerings, on the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan.

(2) The Foundation of Substance

In the providential age for the foundation of restoration, God operated His providence of establishing the foundation of substance on the family level. However, in the providential age of restoration, God worked His providence of establishing the foundation of substance on the national level. Meanwhile, Moses, who was to restore the foundation of faith on the national level, was in the position of Jesus because he was the substitute for God (Ex. 4:16, 7:1). For that reason, Moses was in the position of parent (father) to the Israelite nation. Moses was also in the position of child to Jesus, as a prophet with the mission of pioneering the way of Jesus. Therefore, he was also able to stand in the position of Abel, as the central figure to establish the foundation of substance on the national level.

Abel could establish his own position for the substantial offering along with the foundation of faith, which Adam should have established, by being successful in his offering, because Abel offered sacrifices from the position of a parent (father) in place of Adam. According to the same principle, Moses, being in the position of both parent and child at the same time, could establish the position of Abel (who was to offer the substantial offering) from the position of a child, if and when he had restored through indemnity the foundation of faith from the position of a parent.

In this way, after Moses had established the position of Abel, if the Israelites had set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature, through Moses, from the position of Cain, the foundation of substance on the national level would have been established.

(3) The Foundation to Receive the Messiah

If and when Moses had restored through indemnity the foundation of faith on the national level and the Israelites, centering on Moses, had restored through indemnity the foundation of substance on the national level, that would have become the foundation on the national level to receive the Messiah.

If the Israelites, on that foundation, had received the Messiah, removed the original sin through rebirth, and restored the original nature endowed at the creation by becoming one body with God in heart and feeling, they would have been able to become "perfected substantial individuals".

2. The Course of Restoration of Canaan on the National Level centering on Moses

Moses' course of returning to Canaan, the land of God's promise, by leading the chosen nation of the Israelites out of Egypt, the Satanic world, with miracles and signs, and then leading them across the Red Sea and detouring through the wilderness was a veritable foreshadowing of Jesus' way. Jesus was going to restore Eden in the original form of creation, as God promised, by leading the Christians, the Second Israelites, out of the sinful world with miracles and signs and by leading them across the troubled sea of the sinful world and detouring through the desert without the water of life.

Just as the course of restoration of Canaan on the national level centering on Moses had been prolonged three times due to the disbelief of the Israelites, the course of the restoration of Canaan on the worldwide level centering on Jesus was also prolonged three times due to the disbelief of the Jewish people.

Let us avoid complicated explanations and detailed comparisons between Moses' course and that of Jesus. Their relationship will be clarified by comparing this section with the next.

(1) The First Course of Restoration into Canaan on the National Level

(i) The Foundation of Faith

The period of indemnity on the national level, which had been brought about due to Abraham's failure in the symbolic offering, ended in the Israelites suffering slavery in Egypt for 400 years. Then, in order for Moses to become the central figure to restore the foundation of faith, he had to establish the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan by indemnifying again, on the individual level, the 400 years which was the period of indemnity on the national level.

For this purpose, Moses had to spend 40 years in the palace of Pharaoh, the center of the Satanic world, in order to restore through indemnity the number 40, which Adam, before the fall, had to set up for the foundation of faith (cf. Part II, Ch. 3, Sec. II, 4--381).

Moses put an end to his 400-year period in Pharaoh's palace where he received an education from his own mother, hired in the palace as his nurse unknown to anyone. This education encouraged his strong consciousness of Israel as God's elect. With unchanging loyalty and fidelity to the lineage of the chosen nation, he left the palace, preferring to suffering with God's people rather than to enjoy the sinful ephemeral pleasure of Pharaoh's house (Heb. 11:24-25). In this way, Moses could restore through indemnity the foundation of faith, having established the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan through his 40 years of life in Pharaoh's palace.

(ii) The Foundation of Substance

Moses came to establish Abel's position in setting up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature as already discussed above, at the same time as he established the foundation of faith.

The Israelites, who were in Cain's position, should have obeyed with faith and surrendered to Moses, who was in the position of Abel as their parent and at the same time as a child. By inheriting God's will from Moses, they should have multiplied goodness. Then, they could have restored through indemnity the foundation of substance on the national level, having set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature. The period in which the Israelites thus left Egypt, following Moses, and returned to Canaan became also the period for them to establish the foundation of substance.

With Moses' act of killing an Egyptian, God commenced the "providence for the start". Moses, seeing that his brethren were ill-treated by the Egyptian, could not restrain his fervent love for his brethren; he killed the Egyptian (Ex. 2:12). In fact, this was the expression of God's heartfelt resentment when He saw the misery of His people (Ex. 3:7). Whether or not the Israelites became one, centering on such a leader as Moses, was to decide whether or not they could successfully start the course of restoration into Canaan, traversing the desert under Moses' leadership.

The reason that Moses, who had been chosen by God, had to kill the Egyptian was that, through the archangel's act in causing the first human ancestors to fall and by Cain's killing Abel, Satan had formed the sinful history of mankind from the position of the eldest son. Therefore, unless the Heavenly side could set up the condition to restore through indemnity by smiting the Satanic side, which was in the position of the eldest, it could not start the course of restoration into Canaan. Also it was to have Moses cut off his attachment to Pharaoh's palace and to place him in a situation in which he was unable to return, while, at the same time, it was to make the Israelites trust Moses by showing them his patriotism. It was for this same reason that God smote all the first-born men and cattle of the Egyptians in the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level.

If the Israelites, upon witnessing, such an act of Moses, had been deeply touched by his patriotism with the same heart as God's, and if they had respected him, trusted him, served him and followed him with more ardor, they could have entered the blessed land of Canaan through the direct route by the land of the Philistines, without having to cross the Red Sea or to make a detour by way of the wilderness of Sinai, centering on Moses, who led them as God. They could have established the foundation of substance then and there. Again, this would have become the 21-day course restoring Jacob's 21-year course in Haran. It is recorded (Ex. 13:17):

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.".

From this we understand that God intended to have the people go the first course of restoration into Canaan on the national level through the direct way of the Philistines. But due to the Israelites' distrust of Moses, this course was annulled even before it started. At the time of the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, God led them across the Red Sea and through the wilderness, lest they should return to Egypt on the way of restoration into Canaan due to their disbelief.

(iii) The Failure in the First course of Restoration into Canaan on the National Level

If the Israelites, who were in the position of Cain, had entered the land of Canaan by obeying and surrendering to Moses, who was in the position of Abel, they would have set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature and establish then the foundation of substance. However, when they saw Moses kill the Egyptian, they misunderstood him and badly publicized the fact. Pharaoh, hearing it, sought to kill Moses (Ex. 2:15). Then, Moses was compelled to escape from Pharaoh and, leaving the Israelites, fled to the wilderness of Midian. Naturally, the foundation of substance was not established and the Israelites; course of restoration into Canaan, centering on Moses, was prolonged to a second and eventually a third time.

(2) The Second Course of Restoration into Canaan on the National Level

(i) The Foundation of Faith

Due to the failure of the "first course of restoration into Canaan on the national level" caused by the disbelief of the Israelites, Moses' 40-year period in Pharaoh's palace, which he had set up as his foundation of faith, was invaded by Satan. Therefore, in order for Moses to start the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, he had to set up again the period to restore through indemnity his 40-year period of life in Pharaoh's palace, which had been annulled by Satanic invasion, and then had to restore the foundation of faith. The purpose of Moses' 40 years in the wilderness of Midian, after he escaped from Pharaoh, lay here. During this 40-year period of the Israelite nation also led a miserable life due to their disbelief of Moses.

Moses again established the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan through his 40 years in the wilderness of Midian; thus, he could restore the foundation of faith for the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level. Therefore, God appeared before Moses and said:

I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites...and now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt (Ex. 3:7-10).

(ii) The Foundation of Substance

Moses' 40 years in the wilderness of Midian re-established the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan and restored the foundation of faith. At the same time, he established the position of Abel in setting up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature. Accordingly, as in the case of the first course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, the Israelites, who were in the position of Cain, should have absolutely trusted and followed Moses, who was in the position of Abel. Then they could have entered into the land of Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey, as God had said, and there they could finally have set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature and then could have established the foundation of substance.

For the same purpose as when Moses killed the Egyptian, God had Moses smite the Egyptians by giving him the power of three great miracles and ten calamities when he was about to start his second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level. Through this, God commenced the providence for the start.

The reasons that Moses had to smite those on the side of Satan were, as already elucidated: first, to restore through indemnity the position of the eldest son which had been invaded by Satan; second, to have the Israelites cut off their attachment to Egypt; and third, to let the Israelites know that Moses was sent by God (Ex. 4:1-9). Again, there was another reason for Moses to be able to kill the Egyptian. This was because, despite the fact that the Israelites had completed the 400-year indemnity period of slavery in Egypt, caused by Abraham's failure in his symbolic offering, as God had said, they were suffering 30 years more of the slavery (Ex. 12:41); hearing their lamentation, God pitied them (Ex. 2:24-25).

What did the three great miracles foreshadow in the course of the providence of restoration?

The first miracle, which God had ordered and showed (Ex. 4:3-9), was that by Moses' command Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and it became a serpent. Pharaoh, seeing this, summoned his magicians and had them cast down their rods and their rods became serpents. However, Aaron's serpent swallowed their serpents (Ex. 7:10-12).

What, then, did the miracle foreshadow? This showed us symbolically that Jesus would come as the Savior and destroy the Satanic world. The rod which performed the miracle before Moses, who was set up in place of God Himself (Ex. 7:1), symbolized Jesus with his authority and might, who in the future would perform such a miracle before God. At the same time, a rod has the mission of supporter, of a protector, and of a righteous leader always smiting unrighteousness; therefore, it also symbolized Jesus in the aspect of his mission, because it foreshadowed that Jesus would come before the whole of mankind in the future with such a mission.

Besides, the fact that the rod symbolizing Jesus became a serpent showed us that Jesus also had to play the role of a serpent. For this very reason, Jesus likened himself to a serpent, saying, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up." (John 3:14). Again, Jesus told his disciples to be "wise as serpents" (Matt. 10:16). By this he meant that, since the first human ancestors in the beginning fell by the temptation of the evil serpent, Jesus, in order to restore this through indemnity, had to come as a good serpent of wisdom, to tempt and lead the evil men into goodness. Therefore, his disciples also had to follow the wisdom of Jesus, who came as a good serpent, thus leading evil men into goodness. On the other hand, the fact that Moses' serpent swallowed up the magicians' serpents showed us, symbolically, that Jesus would come as a heavenly serpent to swallow up the Satanic serpent and destroy it.

The second miracle was that, upon God's command, Moses put his hand into his bosom and it became leprous. But, upon God's second command, he again put his hand into his bosom and it was healed (Ex. 4:6-7). This miracle symbolically showed us that Jesus would come in the future as the second Adam and, with the Holy Spirit as the deity of the second Eve (cf. Part I, Ch. 7, Sec. IV, 1--214), would perform the work of redemption. When his hand was first put into his bosom and it became leprous, this meant that the archangel first put Eve into his bosom and men fell into a position incapable of salvation. Again the fact that when he put his hand into his bosom the second time it was healed represented that Jesus as the father spirit of mankind would come and restore the Holy Spirit as the mother spirit of mankind (cf. Part I, Ch. 7, Sec. IV, 1--214); then, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings (Matt. 23:37), he would restore the whole of mankind completely by gathering them into his bosom and giving them rebirth.

The third miracle was that Moses took some water from the Nile and poured it upon the dry ground and it became blood (Ex. 4:9). This represented symbolically that a lifeless thing like water would be restored into a thing of life like blood. Water signifies the people of the world who lost their lives due to the fall (Rev. 17:15). This sign showed us that Jesus and Holy Spirit would come in the future and restore fallen men deprived of life into the children of life.

God manifested these three powers in order to set up the symbolic condition of indemnity, in the future, enabling Jesus and the Holy Spirit to come before the Israelites as the True Parents of mankind, and to restore the whole of mankind as their children and then restore the original four position foundation taken by Satan.

When Moses asked God for one who could speak for him (for he was not eloquent) God gave him Aaron his brother (Ex. 4:14), then Miriam, the prophetess, his sister (Ex. 15:20) to assist him. This shows us figuratively (in image) that in the future, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as the Word in substance, would come and restore men, deprived of the Word due to the fall, to the substance (incarnation) of the Word. Therefore, Aaron and Miriam exalted the will of Moses, who was in the position of God in the course of restoration into Canaan, and carried out their mission of leading the people in place of Moses. This showed figuratively (in image) that in the future, Jesus and the Holy Spirit would exalt the will of God in the worldwide course of restoration into Canaan and carry out the mission of redemption in place of God.

When Moses was going before Pharaoh with God's command, Yahweh (the Lord) appeared on the way and sought to kill him. At that time, Moses was spared his life through his wife Zipporah's circumcision of his son (Ex. 4:24-26). By Moses' having overcome the test through the circumcision, his family survived and consequently the Israelites could come out of Egypt. This also foreshadowed that, even when Jesus would come in the future, God's providence of salvation would not be fulfilled unless the Israelites went through the process of circumcision.

Let us then study what the significance of circumcision is. The first human ancestors, due to the blood relationship with Satan, received the blood of death through the foreskin. Therefore, in order for fallen men to be restored as God's children, they began to circumcise themselves as the condition representing the draining the blood of death by shedding the blood from the foreskin as the condition of indemnity. The fundamental significance of the circumcision is, firstly, the sign of shedding the blood of death; secondly, the sign of restoring male dominion; and thirdly, the sign of promise to restore the position of the children of original nature. There are three kinds of circumcision: the circumcision of mind (Deut. 10:16), the circumcision of the flesh (Gen. 17:10) and the circumcision of all things (Lev. 19:22-23).

Next, God saved the Israelites from the land of Egypt, by performing the signs of ten calamities through Moses (Ex. 7:10-12:36). This, too, showed that in the future Jesus would come and save God's chosen people through miracles and signs. When Jacob suffered the drudgery of 21 years in Haran, Laban deceived Jacob ten times without giving him the due wage (Gen. 31:7). Consequently, in the course of Moses, who was to go through Jacob's model course, we see that Pharaoh not only put the Israelites under more than due slavery, but also deceived them ten times without keeping his promise of liberating them. Therefore, as the condition of indemnity, God could smite Pharaoh by afflicting him with ten calamities. Let us, then, study what these ten calamities foreshadowed.

There were three days' darkness on the side of Egypt, while there were three days' light on the side of Israel, showing that, in the future when Jesus would come, there would be darkness on the side of Satan, while there would be light on the Heavenly side. Next, God smote all the first-born of the Egyptians, including the first-born of the cattle, but the Israelites could avoid the calamity with the blood of the lamb painted on their doorposts. This was to enable the second son, who was in the position of Abel, to restore the position of the first-born by God's smiting the first-born, because all the first-born on the side of Satan were in the position of Cain. This calamity also foreshadowed that, when Jesus would come, he would restore the original position of the first-born, thus resulting in the decline of the Satanic side which took initiative in the course of the providence, and in the salvation of the Heavenly side due to the redemption through the blood of Jesus. Moses also took great wealth from Egypt (Ex. 12:35-36), and this, too, foreshadowed the restoration of all things by Jesus, which was to occur in the future.

Whenever God worked miracles of calamity, He hardened Pharaoh's heart (Ex. 10:27). The first reason was to show the people of God that God was the God of the Israelites, by manifesting His power before Pharaoh and the Israelites (Ex. 10:12). The second reason was to make Pharaoh abandon his attachment to the Israelites even after they left Egypt. God desired that Pharaoh, after having tried his very best to catch the Israelites, realize his inability to stop them, and thus finally let them go. A third reason was to help the Israelites cut off their attachment to Egypt by causing them to have a feeling of hostility against Pharaoh.

In the first course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, God worked the "providence for the start" when Moses killed the Egyptian. However, the people distrusted Moses, and this course ended in a failure before it even started. But, the Israelite nation in the second course came to believe that Moses was their true leader, sent by God, when they saw the three signs and ten calamities which God showed them as the "providence for the start". The Israelites, by trusting and following Moses, who had established Abel's position on the foundation of faith on the national level, were able to start their second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level.

The mere fact that the Israelites obeyed and surrendered to Moses temporarily could not make possible the establishment of the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature. Since the providential course of establishing the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature had been invaded by Satan, and a long providential period was cast into the hands of Satan, the Israelites should restore through indemnity an equivalent period on the national level. Therefore, the Israelites, who were in Cain's position to Moses, could never set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature unless they believed in and followed Moses with complete obedience throughout the whole period of their journey in the wilderness. Accordingly, the foundation of substance on the national level was not to be realized before the Israelites had passed through their course in the wilderness by obeying Moses and had entered into Canaan.

In this manner, the "providence for the start" in the second course of restoration into Canaan was done with greater grace than in the first one. But, since it was due to their disbelief, the condition of indemnity that the Israelites had to establish in the second course was additionally heavy. In the first course, they would have been led directly through the land of the Philistines, by being afraid of possible war and thus falling into disbelief again as in the first course. Therefore, God did not lead them through this path but had them enter Canaan only after crossing the Red Sea and traversing the wilderness, thus spending 21 months.

In this way, the Israelites, centering on Moses, started their 21-month course through the wilderness. Let us study how this could become, as previously stated, the model course of restoration into Canaan on the worldwide level, centering on Jesus, who was to come later.

When Pharaoh, having surrendered to Moses, permitted the Israelites to offer sacrifices there, Moses deceived Pharaoh and obtained three days' permission by saying:

It would not be right to do so; for we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God offerings abominable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? We must go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he will command us. (Ex. 8:26-27)

Thus Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.

This three-day period was truly the period which Abraham needed for the separation from Satan before offering the sacrifice of Isaac. After that, this became the period of indemnity necessary for the separation from Satan whenever anyone started any providential course. Even when Jacob was about to start his period of restoration into Canaan, he left Haran by deceiving Laban and had the three-day period of separation from Satan (Gen. 31:19-22). Likewise, Moses also, before starting his course of restoration into Canaan, had to have the three-day period of separation from Satan by deceiving Pharaoh and thus taking free action. This also showed us that later Jesus, too, would have to take the three-day period of resurrection for the separation from Satan before he could start the spiritual providence of restoration. Thus, 600,000 Israelites, mostly young, left Ramses on the fifteenth of January (Ex. 12:6-37, Num. 33:3).

After the Israelites had reached Succoth by acceptably setting up the three-day period, God gave them grace and led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21). The pillar of cloud by day (positivity) which led the Israelites on Moses' course represented Jesus, who would later lead the Israelites through the course of restoration into Canaan on the worldwide level. The pillar of fire by night (negativity) symbolized the Holy Spirit, who was to lead them as a female spirit.

Moses, according to God's command, divided the Red Sea with his rod and crossed it as if it were land, but the pursuing Egyptian chariots were all drowned in the water (Ex. 14:21-28). As already discussed, Moses, when he went before Pharaoh, symbolized God (Ex. 7:1), and the rod in Moses' hand symbolized Jesus, who was to manifest the power of God. Therefore, this sign shows us that later when Jesus would come, Satan would come in pursuit of the believers in Jesus who would follow Jesus through the course of restoration into Canaan on the worldwide level. But Jesus, coming with the mission of a rod, would strike the bitter sea of the world lying in front of the people with the rod of iron (Rev. 2:27, Ps. 2:9). Then the bitter sea of the world would become like a smooth way before the saints, and Satan, in pursuit of the people, would perish. As already discussed in the chapter on the "Last Days" in Part I, the rod of iron signifies God's Word. Then, in a Biblical passage (Rev. 17:15) this sinful world is likened to water. From this meaning we also can call the world "the bitter sea".

The people of Israel crossed the Red Sea and came to the wilderness of Sin, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from Egypt (Ex. 16:1). God fed the people of Israel with manna and quail until they came to habitable land (Ex. 16:35). This shows us that later Jesus would feed all men, in the course of restoration into Canaan on the worldwide level, with his flesh (manna) and blood (quail), which were the elements of life for men. Therefore, the Bible says:

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died;...I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;...unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (John 6:49-54)

When the people of Israel left the wilderness of Sin and camped at Rephidim, God commanded Moses to strike the rock at Horeb so that water should come out of it for the people to drink (Ex. 17:6). Again the Bible says, "The Rock was Christ." (I Cor. 10:4). Therefore, it showed us that later Jesus would come and make the people alive with the spring of the living water (John 4:14). The two tablets of stone that Moses later received on Mount Sinai symbolized Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the rock, being the root of the tablets of stone, also symbolized God. Since Moses struck the rock, the root of the tablets of stone, to give water to the people of Israel so that they might live, Moses, on this foundation, could receive the tablets of stone, and could make the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle.

Joshua fought with Amalek at Rephidim, and whenever Moses help up his hand, Israel prevailed. Whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Therefore, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put under Moses, and he sat upon it, and they held up his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side; and Joshua defeated Amalek and his people (Ex. 17:10-13). This also foreshadowed what would happen when Jesus would come in the future. Joshua was the symbol of the believers in Jesus, Amalek was that of the Satanic world, and Aaron and Hur symbolized Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Again, the fact that Joshua smote and defeated Amalek before Aaron and Hur, who held up Moses' hands, foreshadowed that the believers serving the Trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit could smite and destroy Satan.

(iii) The Providence of Restoration Centering on the Tabernacle

We must first learn the details of how the Israelites received the tablets, the tabernacle and the ark. After having triumphed in the fight against Amalek, they reached the wilderness of Sinai in the beginning of the third month (Ex. 19:1). From there, Moses went up Mount Sinai with 70 elders and met God (Ex. 24:9-10). God called Moses to the summit of Mount Sinai, and Moses fasted for 40 days and 40 nights so that he might receive the Ten Commandments written on the tablets of stone (Ex. 24:18). While he fasted on the mountain, he received instructions about the ark and the tabernacle from God (Ex. 25:31). When he had finished the 40-day fast, Moses received from God the two tablets of stone on which were written the Ten Commandments (Ex. 31:18).

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of stone and went to the people of Israel, they were worshipping the golden calf, which they had Aaron make, as the god which led them out of Egypt (Ex. 32:4). Moses' anger burned hot when he saw this, and he threw the tablets to the ground and broke them at the foot of the mountain (Ex. 32:19). God appeared again to Moses and told him to cut two tablets of stone like the first, that He might write upon them the Ten Commandments that were on the first tablets which he had broken (Ex. 34:1). When Moses had finished fasting 40 days and 40 nights the second time according to God's words, God again gave him the Ten Commandments written on the tablets (Ex. 34:28). When Moses again appeared before the Israelites with the tablets of stone, the people ministered to Moses; and they, then, built the ark and the tabernacle (Ex. 35:10-12).

a) The significance and the purpose of the tablets, the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant

What do the tablets of stone signify? The fact that Moses received the two tablets of stone with the words written on them means that the providential age for the foundation of restoration, in which men, due to the fall, contacted God only through offerings, had passed; and men had entered the providential age of restoration, in which fallen men could contact God through the words which they had thus restored. As already elucidated in the "Introduction" of Part II, if Adam and Eve, who had been created by the Word, had perfected themselves, they would have become the "perfect incarnation of the Word". However, due to the fall, they lost the Word. Now, the fact that Moses received the two tablets of stone with the words written on them through the 40-day period to separate Satan signifies that Adam and Eve, long lost in the Satanic world, were restored as the symbolic incarnation of the Word. Accordingly, the two tablets of stone with the words written on them were the symbols of restored Adam and Eve, again symbolizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who would later come as the incarnation of the Word. The Bible symbolized Christ as a white stone (Rev. 2:17) and also states that the Rock was Christ (I Cor. 10:4), for the same reason. The two tablets of stone, thus symbolizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit symbolize heaven and earth as well.

Next, what is the significance of the tabernacle? Jesus likened the temple of Jerusalem to his body (John 2:21). Again, the saints who believed in him were called "God's temple" (I Cor. 3:16). Therefore, the temple is the representation in image of Jesus himself. If the Israelites, centering on Moses, had succeeded in their first course of restoration into Canaan, they would have prepared to receive the Messiah by building the temple as soon as they entered the land of Canaan. However, due to their faithlessness, they had not even started the first course. In their second course, they built a tabernacle in place of the temple, because they had to wander in the wilderness after having crossed the Red Sea. Therefore, the tabernacle was the symbolic representation of Jesus himself. For this reason, God, when He commanded Moses to build the tabernacle, said, "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." (Ex. 25:8).

The tabernacle consisted of the "holy place" and the "most holy place" (holy of holies). The latter was the place where only the chief priest entered once a year to offer sacrifices. In it was the ark, and it was supposed to be the place of God's presence. Thus, the most holy place symbolized the spirit of Jesus. The holy place was the place where they entered ordinarily, and this symbolized Jesus' body. Consequently, it can also be said that the most holy place symbolized the invisible substantial world, while the holy place symbolized the visible substantial world. When Jesus was crucified, the curtain between the holy place and the most holy place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51), meaning that by the completion of the providence of spiritual salvation through Jesus' crucifixion, the way to communicate between the spirit man and the physical man, and between heaven and earth, opened up.

Then what was the ark? The ark was that of God's covenant, which was to be enshrined in the most holy place. In it were the two tablets of stone, symbolizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and, naturally, heaven and earth. In the ark there was manna, which had been the food of life for the Israelites in their course in the wilderness, and symbolized Jesus' body. The manna was contained in a golden urn that symbolized the glory of God. Also included was Aaron's rod that budded, which showed God's power to the Israelites (Heb. 9:4). In this respect, the ark, generally considered, was the condensed body of the cosmos, while on the other hand it was the condensed body of the tabernacle.

The mercy seat overshadowed the ark, and God said that they should make two cherubim of hammered gold and cover the two ends of the mercy seat. Then He would meet with them there, between the two cherubim, and speak with them of all that He would give them as commandments for the people of Israel (Ex. 25:16-22). This showed us that, later, when Jesus and the Holy Spirit, represented by the tablets of stone, would come and redeem the people through the work of moving their hearts, God would appear in the mercy seat; at the same time the cherubim, which had blocked the way for Adam to attain the Tree of Life in the garden of Eden, would be separated on each side, to the right and left, and everyone would enjoy the chance of going before Jesus, as the Tree of Life, and receiving God's words.

What, then, was God's purpose in giving them the tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark? The Israelites, after having finished the 400-year period of indemnity brought about by Abraham's failure in the symbolic offering, smote the Egyptians with the three signs and ten calamities, drowned the countless Egyptian soldiers and chariots pursuing them by dividing the waters of the Red Sea, and then made their way into the wilderness. The Israelites had left Egypt with much resentment and hostility. So, for the Israelites, who were in a situation which compelled them to continue their way without having to return to Egypt, the restoration into Canaan was the inevitable course which had to be followed at all costs. Therefore, God performed many miracles and signs in the "providence for the start", and He had the Israelites cross the Red Sea, thus putting them in a situation where they were incapable of returning.

Nevertheless, the Israelites all fell into faithlessness. At the end, there was danger that even Moses might possibly act faithlessly. Here, God had to set up an object of firm faith, that would never change, even though man might change. That is to say, whenever there is even one man of absolute faith, God has this man succeed to the attendance of the object of faith, thus gradually realizing the will of His providence.

By what could man, then, set up the object of faith? The tabernacle, which symbolized the Messiah, by enshrining the ark with the tablets of stone inside, was this object. Therefore, the construction of the tabernacle meant that the Messiah had already come symbolically.

Consequently, if the Israelites, centering on Moses, had exalted the tabernacle as the Messiah with profound loyalty and thus had been restored into the blessed land of Canaan, the foundation of substance on the national level would have been realized at that time. Even though all the Israelites had fallen into faithlessness, if Moses alone had remained to keep the tabernacle, the nation could have again set up the condition of indemnity and could have been restored upon the foundation centering on Moses, who served the tabernacle. Further, even if Moses would have fallen into faithlessness, if any single man of Israel had kept the tabernacle to the end in place of Moses, it would have been possible for God to work again His providence of restoring the whole nation, which had fallen into faithlessness, by centering on the single man left.

If the Israelites had not fallen into faithlessness in their first course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, Moses' family could have played the role of the tabernacle. Moses could have substituted for the tablets of stone and the ark of the covenant, and the family law of Moses could have been the substitute for the heavenly law. Thus, they could have entered into the land of Canaan without need of the tablets of stone, the ark, and the tabernacle; and there they could have built the temple. The tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark were what God gave the Israelites in order to save them, after they had fallen into faithlessness. The tabernacle, being the symbolic representation of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, was what they needed until the erection of the temple. The temple, being the image-representation of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, was what they needed until the coming of the Messiah, who was to be the substantial temple.

b) The foundation for the tabernacle

Just as the foundation to receive the Messiah must be realized in order to be able to receive the Messiah, the "foundation for the tabernacle" must be established in order to be able to receive the tabernacle, which is the symbolic Messiah. Therefore, there should be no question that they had to establish both the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, and the foundation of substance for the tabernacle, in order to establish the foundation for the tabernacle. Then, what should the Israelites have done, centering on Moses, in order to establish these two foundations?

If Moses had acceptably established the 40-day period of separation from Satan through fasting and prayer, by obeying God's words for the tabernacle, the foundation of faith for the tabernacle was to be established. And, if the Israelites had obeyed in surrender and faith to Moses, who had to set up the ideal of the tabernacle, the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature for the tabernacle was supposed to be set up. Accordingly, the foundation of substance for the tabernacle was also to be established. The tabernacle here means the whole thing, including the tablets of stone and the ark of the covenant.

The first foundation for the tabernacle

Man is the substantial being (incarnation) of the word (John 1:3), and he was created on the sixth day. Therefore in order for God to work the providence of giving man the words of re-creation for the restoration of fallen man, He had to sanctify the number "six" corresponding to the period of creation invaded by Satan. Consequently, God sanctified Mount Sinai by covering it with clouds in the glory of Yahweh for six days. Appearing in the clouds on the seventh day, He called Moses (Ex. 24:16). From that time on, Moses fasted for 40 days and 40 nights (Ex. 24:18). This was for God to have Moses establish the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, which was the symbolic Messiah, by having him set up the 40-day period of separation from Satan, when God saw that the Israelites had again fallen into faithlessness after crossing the Red Sea.

As already discussed, the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature in the course of restoration into Canaan was to be fulfilled not by the Israelites' simply trusting and obeying Moses temporarily, but only by their remaining in that state until they had entered Canaan, had built the temple, and had received the Messiah. In the same manner, even in their establishing the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature and then the foundation of substance for the tabernacle before erecting the tabernacle, the Israelites should have trusted, served, and obeyed Moses until he finished erecting the tabernacle. However the Israelites fell into faithlessness while Moses was fasting and praying. They had Aaron make a golden calf for them, and worshipped it, saying it was their god who had led them out of the land of Egypt (Ex. 32:4). In this way, the Israelites failed in setting up the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature which they had to set up for the tabernacle, and naturally failed also in establishing the foundation of substance for the tabernacle.

God led the Israelites with signs and miracles. However, even God could not interfere with their action during the period in which man himself was to restore the Word by his own portion of responsibility, because it was man himself that had lost the foundation of the Word. Moses raged in anger upon seeing the people dancing before the idol, and threw the two tablets of stone at the foot of the mountain, thus breaking them (Ex. 32:19). This resulted in Satan's invasion of the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, which Moses had established through the 40-day period to separate Satan. The two tablets of stone, as already clarified above, symbolize the second Adam and the second Eve, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The fact that Moses broke the two tablets of stone symbolizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit, because of the faithlessness of the Israelites, shows us symbolically that later, when Jesus would come, Jesus and the Holy Spirit could possibly fail to accomplish the original mission given by God, by Jesus' bring crucified, if the Jewish people should fall into faithlessness.

Such faithlessness of the Israelites frustrated God's providence, which was designed to have the Israelites establish the foundation for the tabernacle. God's providence to establish the foundation for the tabernacle was prolonged to the second and third time because of the continued faithlessness of the Israelites.

The second foundation for the tabernacle

All the Israelites centering on Moses fell into faithlessness to God's providence. Since they were already on the foundation of having drunk the water from the rock at Rephidim (Ex. 17:6), which was the root of the tablets of stone, God could appear again to Moses after he had broken the tablets of stone and tell him to cut two tablets like the first that He might write upon them the words that had been on the first tablets (Ex. 34:1). But Moses could not restore the tabernacle centering on the tablets of stone without restoring the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, by setting up again the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan. Therefore, he could restore the ideal of the tabernacle and the second tablets of stone with the words of the Ten commandments written on them, only after the second 40 days and 40 nights of fasting (Ex. 34:28).

The fact that the tablets of stone, once broken, were restored through the fasting and prayer of 40 days and 40 nights, showed us that though Jesus was crucified, Christ could come again and commence the providence of salvation on that foundation, if and when the saints, believing in him, should set up the condition of indemnity to receive him through the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan.

During the 40-day period of separation from Satan, in which Moses restored, for the second time, the ideal of the tabernacle centering on the tablets of stone, the Israelites not only obeyed and surrendered to Moses but also created the tabernacle according to God's direction and Moses' instruction. This was on the first day of the first month in the second year (Ex. 40:17).

Thus, the chosen people of Israel erected the tabernacle on the foundation for the tabernacle which they had established by fulfilling the foundation of substance for the tabernacle, after having set up the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature. However, as previously discussed, the foundation of substance in their second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level was not to be established merely by erecting the tabernacle. They should have exalted and honored the tabernacle with undiminishing ardor until they entered Canaan, entered the temple, and received the Messiah.

On the 20th day of the second month in the second year, the Israelites started from the wilderness of Sinai centering on the tabernacle, under the guidance of the pillar of cloud (Num. 10:11-12). However, God burnt their camp in wrath, because the people again fell into faithlessness and bore a grudge against Moses (Num. 11:1). Nevertheless, the Israelites were not awakened to God's will, and continued to have resentment against Moses, grumbling that there was no fish and no fruit, except the manna, and that they missed the land of Egypt (Num. 11:4-6). Therefore, the foundation for the tabernacle was invaded by Satan. The providence of restoring this foundation had to be prolonged once again.

The third foundation for the tabernacle

The second foundation of faith for the tabernacle was invaded by Satan, because the people again fell into faithlessness. Due to Moses' unchanging faith and loyalty, however, the tabernacle stood firmly on the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, set up by Moses. The Israelites stood on the foundation of having drunk the water from the rock at Rephidim (Ex. 17:6); the rock was the root of the tablets of stone which were the center of the tabernacle. On these foundations, therefore, if the Israelites had succeeded in the establishment of the 40-day foundation of separation from Satan and obeyed in complete surrender to Moses, centering on the tabernacle, they should have restored through indemnity the foundation for the tabernacle for the third time. The 40-day period of spying was the condition God gave them in order to accomplish this.

God sent into the land of Canaan the twelve persons whom He had chosen, one from each tribe of the Israelites, as the chief of the tribe (Num. 13:1), and had them spy on the land for 40 days (Num. 13:25). However, all returning from the land, except Joshua and Caleb, presented faithless reports. That is, they reported that the Israelites would not be able to destroy the city and the people there, saying that the people dwelling in the land were strong and that the cities were fortified (Num. 13:28). Besides, they said that the land would devour its inhabitants and that all the people they saw in it were men of great stature alongside whom they seemed to be like grasshoppers (Num. 13:32-33). The Israelites, hearing this report, murmured against Moses and cried in lamentation, saying that they should choose a captain and go back to Egypt.

Nevertheless, Joshua and Caleb cried out, saying that they should not rebel against the Lord, that they should attack the people dwelling in the land without fear. They proclaimed that the Lord was with the Israelites, and that the Canaanites would become their prey, since their protection was removed from them (Num. 14:9). But the congregation tried to stone Joshua and Caleb (Num 14:10). Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and the Lord said to Moses:

How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs which I have wrought among them? (Num. 14:11)

He again said:

but your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. (Num. 14:31-34)

In this way, the third foundation for the tabernacle was unable to be restored, and their second course in the wilderness of 21 months was prolonged to a third course in the wilderness of 40 years.

(iv) The Failure in the Second Course of Restoration into Canaan on the National Level

Due to the faithlessness of the Israelites, the foundation for the tabernacle was invaded by Satan for the third time. Therefore, the establishment of the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature in the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level was a failure. In consequence, they failed in the establishment of the foundation of substance, which they were to set up for the second time, naturally the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level was a failure, and it was prolonged into the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level.

(3) The Third Course of Restoration into Canaan on the National Level

(i) The Foundation of Faith

Due to the faithlessness of the Israelites, the second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level ended in failure. Therefore, the 40-year period in the wilderness of Midian, which Moses had established in order to restore the foundation of faith in that course, was again invaded by Satan. Because the Israelites failed to set up the 40-day period of spying in faith and obedience, it took them 40 years, each day calculated as a year, to wander in the wilderness and to return to Kadesh-barnea. This 40-year period was for Moses to separate Satan, who had invaded the foundation of faith in the second course, who had invaded the foundation of faith in the second course, and to restore through indemnity the foundation of faith for the third course. Moses, who had kept and exalted the tabernacle in utter faith and loyalty during the 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness until his return to Kadesh-barnea, succeeded in establishing the foundation of faith for the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level. Accordingly, the position of Abel for the substantial offering on the national level of this course was firmly established.

(ii) The Foundation of Substance

Due the Israelites' failure, through faithlessness and rebellion, in setting up the 40-day course of spying, the foundation for the tabernacle remained invaded by Satan. Therefore, the foundation of substance for the second course was not established. However, the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, set up by Moses, who had exalted and kept the tabernacle with loyalty, remained a success. On this basis, if the Israelites had established the foundation of separation from Satan, who invaded the 40-day period of separation from Satan, who invaded the 40-day period of spying, by obeying Moses who was exalting the tabernacle in an unchanging faith during their 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness, they could have established both the foundation of substance for the tabernacle and the foundation for the tabernacle, at that time. If the Israelites had, on this foundation, entered Canaan honoring Moses, centering on the tabernacle through faith and obedience, the foundation of substance in the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level would have been established at that time.

For Moses, the 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness was the period for the establishment of the foundation of faith in the third course. For the Israelites, it was the period to fulfill the "providence for the start" in the third course, by restoring their position of having honored Moses, who had erected the tabernacle in the second course.

The foundation of substance centering on Moses

It was previously clarified that the Israelites received the tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark because they fell into faithlessness in the wilderness. Their faithlessness enabled Satan to invade the three great signs, which God manifested before them as the "providence for the start", in their second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level. Therefore, God had them go through the 40-day trial period, in order to restore through indemnity what they failed to do, and then granted them the three great gifts of the tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark.

Again, God performed the ten calamities in order to restore through indemnity the fact that Laban had deceived Jacob ten times when Jacob was going to return from Haran into the land of Canaan. But the Israelites again fell into faithlessness, and God gave them the Ten Commandments to restore it through indemnity. Therefore, if and when the Israelites had kept the Ten Commandments and the three gifts by exalting the tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark, they were supposed to restore the position of having started from Egypt by the aid of the three great miracles and ten calamities in their second course. The tablets of stone were the condensed body of the ark, and the ark was that of the tabernacle, so the tablets of stone were the condensed body of the tabernacle. Therefore, the ark and the tabernacle could be represented either with the tablets of stone or with the rock, their root. Consequently, the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level would begin by starting from Kadesh-barnea according to the "providence for the start", centering on the rock.

How, then, did God intend to fulfill the "providence for the start", centering on the rock? In order to give life to the Israelites, who were falling into faithlessness without having acceptably set up the 40-year period in the wilderness (Num. 20:4-5), God had Moses strike the rock with his rod before the congregation of the Israelites, to have water and to let them drink (Num. 20:8). Had Moses' first strike against the rock, bringing water and giving drink to the Israelites, made them awe-stricken with God's power to such an extent that they all became one, centering on their leader, they could have stood on the foundation for the tabernacle, together with Moses; on that foundation, they could have fulfilled the "providence for the start", centering on the rock. If they had trusted and obeyed Moses from that time on and entered Canaan under his leadership, they could have set up the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature, and could then have also established the foundation of substance, centering on Moses, for their third course. However, Moses, upon seeing the people murmur in resentment against him for having no water, raged in such an anger that he struck the rock twice with his rod. Therefore, God said:

Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. (Num. 20:12)

Moses thus failed to fulfill the "providence for the start" centering on the rock by striking it twice, when he should have struck just once. Therefore, he could never enter the blessed land of Canaan, the land of promise, although it was in his sight (Num. 20:24; 27:12-14).

We now must understand why Moses should have struck the rock just once and how his striking it twice became such a crime. Christ is symbolized as a white stone (Rev. 2:17); again it is said that the Rock was Christ (I Cor. 10:4). Meanwhile, as clarified in the chapter on the Fall of Man, Christ came as the Tree of Life (Rev. 22:14). Naturally, the Rock is also the Tree of Life. On the other hand, the Tree of Life was the symbol of Adam in perfection in the Garden of Eden. Since this Tree of Life is symbolized by the Rock, the Rock is also the symbol of Adam in perfection.

In the Garden of Eden. Satan struck Adam, who was supposed to become the Rock. Consequently, Adam could not attain the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:24). Accordingly, he also failed to become the Rock that would yield the "water of life" from God, which his descendants would drink forever. Therefore, the rock, before Moses struck it, that had not yielded water, symbolized fallen Adam. Satan, by once striking Adam and causing him to fall, made him "Adam as the rock not capable of yielding water". Therefore, God intended to set up the condition to restore through indemnity "Adam as the rock capable of yielding water", by once striking the rock representing Adam incapable of yielding water and by bringing water from it. Consequently, the rock which Moses struck once to bring water symbolized Jesus, who was to come and give the drink of the water of life to all fallen men. Therefore, Jesus said:

Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:14)

God allowed Moses to strike the rock only once, as the condition to restore through indemnity the first Adam of the fall into the second Adam of perfection, or Jesus. But Moses' act of striking the rock the second time became the action representing the possibility of striking Jesus, who was to come as the restored Rock and give the drink of the water of life to all mankind. In this way, the faithlessness of the Israelites and the act of Moses' twice striking the rock in rage established a condition which enabled Satan to come directly before Jesus, the "Rock in substance", if and when the Israelites would ever fall into faithlessness later, at the coming of Jesus. Therefore, Moses' act became a crime.

Moses' act of breaking the tablets of stone once could be restored, but his mistake of twice striking the rock could not be restored. We must study the reason for this.

Seen from the viewpoint of the providence of restoration, the tablets of stone and the rock have the relationship of the external and the internal. The tablets of stone, with the Ten Commandments written on them, were the center of Moses' law, and accordingly, the center of the Old Testament. The Israelites of the Old Testament Age could enter the sphere of salvation of this age by believing in the ideal of the tablets of stone. In this respect, the tablets of stone were the external representation of Jesus, who was to come later.

According to the passage "the Rock was Christ" (I Cor. 10:4), the rock symbolizes Jesus, and at the same time forms the root (origin) of the tablets of stone. Therefore, it also symbolizes God, who is the root (origin) of Jesus, the substantial tablets of stone. In that sense, the tablets of stone are external while the rock is internal. If we liken the tablets of stone to our body, the rock corresponds to our mind. If we liken the tablets of stone to the holy place, the rock can be likened to the most holy place. Further, if we liken the tablets of stone to the earth, the rock corresponds to heaven. Therefore, the rock is the internal representation of Jesus and bears a greater value than the tablets of stone.

Since the tablets of stone are the external representation of Jesus, they also symbolize Aaron, who was set up as the external representation of Jesus, before Moses, the symbol of God (Ex. 4:16, 7:1). Meanwhile, the Israelites had Aaron make a calf of gold (Ex. 32:4). Thus Aaron became a failure, together with the tablets of stone. Nevertheless, Aaron could revive through repentance on the foundation of having drunk the water of life from the rock at Rephidim. Therefore, the tablets of stone symbolizing Aaron could also be restored by again setting up the condition of indemnity on the internal foundation of the water of life from the rock. However, the rock representing the root of the tablets of stone symbolizes both Christ and God, who is his root. Therefore, the act of striking them could never be recovered.

What kind of result did Moses' act of striking the rock twice bring about? Moses' act of striking the rock a second time was caused by his impatience and anger against the Israelites' falling into faithlessness (Ps. 106:32-33). This act was what he did from the standpoint of Satan. Consequently, God's "providence for the start", which He had intended to fulfill through the rock, resulted in the invasion by Satan.

Thus, Moses' external act of having struck the rock twice was an act of Satan; but in the internal reality, the Israelites were given drink from the spring of water coming from the rock. Therefore, the external Israelites who had come out of Egypt could not enter Canaan, God's promised land, except Joshua and Caleb. Moses, too, died at the age of 120 with the land of hope and desire within his sight (Deut. 34:4-5). In place of Moses (Num. 27:18-20), Joshua entered Canaan leading the internal Israelites, who had been born in their course in the wilderness, where they had drunk of the water from the rock and exalted the tabernacle (Num. 32:11-12).

If Moses' act of twice striking the rock had resulted in Satan's invasion, the rock could not have yielded the water. How, then, could the rock yield water? In their second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, Moses already had provided the base by which to bring water from the rock, by obeying God's command at Rephidim, by striking the rock to bring water, and by giving drink to the Israelites (Ex. 17:6). The tablets of stone, the tabernacle and the ark, which were set up on this foundation, were passed on to the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, because of the faith of a single man, Moses, who had kept God's command firmly on the foundation of faith for the tabernacle that he had set up through the 40-day fast and prayer, even when the Israelites all fell into faithlessness in the rage against the people, but his heart-and-zeal toward heaven were unchangeable. Furthermore, Joshua kept and exalted the tablets of stone, the tabernacle and the ark with unchanging faith on the foundation for the tabernacle which he had set up through his 40-day spying in Canaan. Therefore, the foundation of the spring from the rock set up at Rephidim also remained intact, centering on Joshua.

In this manner, even though Moses' external act of faithlessness resulted in Satan's external invasion of the second rock, the water was yielded from the rock internally so that the people drank it, due to the internal basis of Moses' unchanging heart and Joshua's faith and loyalty.

Moses' act of twice striking the rock resulted in his taking the position of Satan. Satan therefore took possession of the stone. It was for this reason that Jesus, who came as the substantial stone, went into the wilderness, when the Jewish people fell into faithlessness in their worldwide course of restoration into Canaan, in order to find and restore the stone that had been lost in the wilderness. That is why he first suffered the temptation of being told by Satan to make bread out of stone.

Due to Moses' twice striking the rock externally in rage against the faithlessness of the Israelites, his flesh was invaded by Satan and he died in the wilderness, but internally, he could bring water from the rock and gave drink to the people because of his unchanging heart-and-zeal. That made it possible for him to enter Canaan spiritually. This foreshadowed the possibility that when Jesus, the substantial Rock, would come, his flesh might be invaded by Satan by the crucifixion, because of the people's disbelief, thus learning unaccomplished the worldwide restoration into Canaan physically. In this case, he would accomplish it only spiritually.

After Moses had struck the rock twice, God sent fiery serpents to the Israelites, who were falling into faithlessness, and the serpents bit them to death (Num. 21:6). When the Israelites came to repent, God had Moses make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole, so that if a serpent had bitten any man, the man might look at the bronze serpent and live (Num. 21:9). The fiery serpent symbolized Satan, the ancient serpent, who had caused Eve to fall (Rev. 12:9), and the bronze serpent set on the pole symbolized Jesus, who would later come as the heavenly serpent (John 3:14). This foreshadowed for us that, just as God had put the Israelites into the hands of the Satanic serpent when they had fallen into faithlessness, and had brought them into life again when they repented and restored their faith, similar things would happen in the time of Jesus. That is, if the Jewish people fell into faithlessness, God would have to put them into the hands of Satan; then, Jesus would be compelled to die on the cross, as the heavenly serpent, in order that the whole of mankind might live. Whoever repented of his faithlessness and believed in the redemption through the cross would be saved. Therefore, Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up." (John 3:14). This, in fact, became a remote cause that made Jesus start his spiritual course through the cross, in the third worldwide course of restoration into Canaan, centering on Jesus.

When Moses had struck the rock twice, God predicted that Moses would not be able to enter the land of Canaan (Num. 20:12). Moses then prayed to God to let him enter Canaan (Deut. 3:25), but he finally died with the promised land in his sight. After his death, he was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, but no man knows the place of his burial to this day (Deut. 34:6). This foreshadowed that later, Jesus also might die on the cross if the Jewish people fell into faithlessness. Though he might pray with ardor that God would let the cup of death pass from him, that he might fulfill the worldwide restoration into Canaan, he would finally die without realizing this will, and the whereabouts of his body would be unknown.

The foundation of substance centering on Joshua

Because Moses struck the rock twice, God's will for the Israelites to enter Canaan with the "providence for the start" centering on the rock was not fulfilled. Due to Moses' striking the rock twice (Num. 20:1-13), Satan could invade externally, but due to the foundation of having brought water from the rock at Rephidim, Moses could give drink eternally to the Israelites. This showed us another course of God's providence. That is, those belonging to the "external Israelites", who had been born in Egypt (the Satanic world) and had fallen into faithlessness in the wilderness, all died in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb, who had set up the 40-day period of spying in good faith. Only the "internal Israelites", born during their life in the wilderness when the people drank the water from the rock and exalted the tabernacle, entered Canaan, centering on Joshua in place of Moses (Num. 32:11-12). Therefore, God said to Moses:

Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; cause him to stand before Eleazer the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. (Num. 27:18-20)

Joshua was one of the two, who, in contrast to the Israelites who fell into faithlessness during the 40-day period of spying, stood firmly on the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, set up by Moses. Joshua was thus able to establish the foundation for the tabernacle with unchanging faith and loyalty, exalting the tabernacle to the end. In this way, even though Moses had fallen into faithlessness, the tablets of stone, the tabernacle and the ark remained intact on the foundation for the tabernacle set up by Joshua.

Therefore, God intended to fulfill the "providence for the start", centering on the water from the rock, by setting up Joshua in place of Moses, and having the internal Israelites obey him and stand with him on the foundation for the tabernacle. In accordance with this providence, God intended to have the people enter the land of Canaan, establish the condition of indemnity on the national level to remove the fallen nature, and accomplish the foundation of substance centering on Joshua in their third course.

Therefore, God said:

He [Joshua] shall go over [into Canaan] at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land which you [Moses] shall see. (Deut. 3:28)

Then God said to Joshua:

...as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. (Josh. 1:5-6)

When Moses had accomplished, according to God's will, the 40-year period in the wilderness of Midian, God appeared to Moses and commanded him to lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey (Ex. 3:8-10). Likewise, God called Joshua, in place of Moses, and commanded him saying:

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all the people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. (Josh. 1:2)

Joshua, in obedience to God's command, called the officers of the people and conveyed God's will (Joshua 1:10-11). Then they answered him saying:

All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.... Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage. (Josh. 1:16-18)

Thus they were determined to follow Joshua at the risk of their lives. In that way, Joshua, who had the mission of substituting for Moses, can be viewed as a symbol of the Lord of the Second Advent, who comes in order to succeed and fulfill the mission of Jesus. Therefore, the course of Joshua, who was to restore through indemnity the course of Moses, was the course representing the way of the Lord of the Second Advent, who is to restore through indemnity, both spiritually and physically, the course of spiritual restoration by Jesus.

There were 12 men whom Moses sent, in their second course into Canaan, to spy on the land (Num. 13:1-2). Of these, only two accomplished their mission in unchanging loyalty. On the foundation of their heart-and-zeal, Joshua sent two men into Jericho to spy on the city (Josh. 2:1). After having accomplished their mission the two men reported in faith, saying, "Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of us." (Josh. 2:24). Then, all the descendants of Israel born in the wilderness believed the words of the spies. Through their faith, they could indemnify the sin of their forefathers, who had not been able to accomplish their 40-day spying in accordance with God's will.

In this manner, the internal Israelites, having pledged at the risk of their lives to obey Joshua who stood on the foundation for the tabernacle, could also stand on the same foundation with Joshua. Thus, through the "providence for the start", which they had established centering on the spring of water from the rock, they restored the position of their forefathers, centering on Moses, who had fulfilled the "providence for the start", through the three great signs and ten calamities in their second course. Therefore, just as the Israelites, centering on Moses, had accomplished the three-day course before crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites, centering on Joshua, also accomplished the three-day course before crossing the Jordan (Josh. 3:2). Meanwhile, just as the Israelites, after their three-day course, had been led to the Red Sea by the pillar of clouds and the pillar of fire, the Israelites centering on Joshua, also after their three-day course, were led to the Jordan by the ark of the covenant (Josh. 3:3, 3:8), which symbolized Jesus and the Holy Spirit, representing the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire.

Just as the Red Sea had been split by the rod, opening the way for Moses and the people, the waters of the Jordan, overflowing the bank, were separated when the priests bearing the ark entered the stream (Josh. 3:16), and all Israel passed over the river on dry ground (Josh. 3:17). The rod was a representation of Jesus who was to come. The ark of the covenant, containing the two tablets of stone, together with manna and Aaron's rod, was the substance symbolizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The fact that in the presence of the ark, the waters of the Jordan were separated and the Israelites were restored into the land of Canaan without difficulty foreshadowed that later, in the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the sinful world, symbolized by waters (Rev. 17:15), would be separated through judgment, and all the saints would accomplish the worldwide restoration into Canaan. At this time, God commanded Joshua, saying:

Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'. (Josh. 4:2-3)

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. (Josh. 4:19-20)

What did this foreshadow? As already discussed, the stone symbolized Jesus, who was to come. Therefore, the fact that the twelve men representing the twelve tribes honored the twelve stones, taken in the midst of the Jordan where the waters were cut off by the ark, showed that later the twelve disciples of Jesus, elected as representatives of the twelve tribes, should honor Jesus, in the midst of a sinful world, separated into good and evil, according to the words of Jesus.

After they had taken the twelve stones and set them up in the camp in land of Canaan, Joshua said:

...so that all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty; that you may fear the Lord your God for ever. (Josh. 4:24)

This foreshadowed that only when the twelve disciples of Jesus later should become one, in one place, with complete unity of mind and will, would the worldwide restoration be accomplished, and the almightiness of God be praised through eternity.

Just as Jacob had set up the altar of stone wherever he had been, the representatives of the twelve tribes, who were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons, also set up the altar of prayer to praise God by gathering twelve stones, showing that later a temple would be erected in a like manner. This showed us truly that the twelve disciples of Jesus ought to honor and serve Jesus, as the Temple, with all their zeal put together. Later, when his disciples failed to become one, Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19). In fact, the twelve disciples failed to become one in harmony, and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot caused the destruction of Jesus, the Temple, through crucifixion; and in three days he was raised from death, and gathered again his scattered disciples. Then his disciples served and honored the resurrected Jesus only as the spiritual Temple. The substantial Temple will be established at the time of the Second Advent.

Just as the Israelites, when they commenced their second course towards the land of Canaan, observed the feast of Passover on the 14th day of the first month of the year before they journeyed (Ex. 12:17-18), the Israelites, centering on Joshua, who encamped in Gilgal, also observed the feast of passover on the 14th day of the first month of the year before journeying toward the fortified city of Jericho. When they began to live on the products of the land, God stopped feeding them with manna, after his 40 long years of care for them. From then on, they had to rely on what they cultivated by their own sweat. Even during the moment of breaking through the last toll-gate to the Satanic city, they had to fulfill their own portion of responsibility, which was man's part. According to God's commandment to the Israelites, 40,000 soldiers were in the vanguard, followed by seven chief priests marching with seven trumpets, who preceded the ark of the covenant, carried by the Levite priests (Josh. 3:3). then, the entire host of the Israelites marched in the rear line (Josh. 6:8-9).

As God had commanded them, the Israelites marched around the city in this formation for six days, making one tour each day; but there was no change caused in the city. They had to restore through indemnity in utter patience and obedience, the six-day period of creation which had been invaded by Satan. After having set up the six days through such obedience, on the seventh day, the seven priests with the seven trumpets marched around the city seven times blowing the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, "Shout; for the Lord has given you the city!". Upon his command the people raised a great shout, and the walls crumbled (Josh. 6).

This course showed us that later, through the power of Jesus and his disciples, the Satanic barrier between heaven and earth would fall down. Therefore, Joshua said:

Cursed before the Lord be the man that raises up and rebuilds the city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates. (Josh. 6:26)

because this Satanic barrier was never to be set up again.

Thus Joshua destroyed the enemy with an irresistible force, defeating 31 kings altogether (Joshua 12:9-24). This also foreshadowed that Jesus would come as the King of Kings and establish the earthly Kingdom of God, in unity, by destroying all the gentile kings, and unifying the peoples of the whole world.

(iii) The Foundation to Receive the Messiah

The Israelites failed in their second course of restoration into Canaan on the national level because they could not set up the 40-day spying period for the separation from Satan. Then, in order to indemnify this period again, they started their third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level, and after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness they came back to Kadesh-barnea. At this time, Moses could establish the foundation of faith for the third course and the Israelites could stand on the foundation for the tabernacle.

However, due to the faithlessness of the Israelites, and Moses' striking the rock twice, both foundations were invaded by Satan. Therefore, the external Israelites who had left Egypt centering on Moses were all destroyed in the wilderness; but Joshua and Caleb could establish the foundation for the tabernacle, because they set up the 40-day spying period of separation from Satan with faith and loyalty, based upon the foundation of faith and the foundation of faith for the tabernacle, which had been established by Moses in the second course. Thus, the external Israelites, centering on Moses, all died in the wilderness. But the internal Israelites, born during their life in the wilderness when they exalted and served the tabernacle, could cross the Jordan bearing the ark of the covenant in utter loyalty, centering on Joshua in place of Moses. Then, having destroyed the city of Jericho, they entered Canaan, the land of their desire.

Thus the foundation of substance in the third course of restoration into Canaan on the national level was established. Accordingly, the foundation to receive the Messiah for this course was also laid. After the foundation to receive the Messiah on the family level, established by Abraham, and after the indemnity course of the 400-year slavery in Egypt, caused by Abraham's failure in the offering, the foundation to receive the Messiah on the national level was established. Meanwhile, fallen men at that time erected a powerful kingdom; that is, Egypt, centering on Satan, and they held their stand against the heavenly providence of restoration. As already discussed (cf. Part II, Ch. 1, Sec. III, 3--279), the Messiah could not come before the kingdom was built on the side of God, which could cope with Satan, even though the foundation to receive the Messiah on the national level centering on Joshua had been established. However, the internal Israelites, having entered Canaan, again fell into faithlessness, and the providence was prolonged again, until the time of Jesus.

3. Lessons learned from Moses' Course

In the long course of history since the time of Moses up to the present moment, numerous saints, serving the divine will, have repeatedly read the Biblical record with respect to Moses. However, they thought these words were merely the record of Moses' history, and there has not been a single man among them who knew that God intended to teach us, through Moses, certain secrets concerning His providence of restoration. Even Jesus only intimated it by saying, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing." (John 5:19), and left unclarified the fundamental meaning of Moses' course (John 16:12).

We have clarified already how Moses went through the typical or formulary course for the providence of restoration. The fact that his course foreshadowed the course which Jesus was later to tread will be made clearer in comparison with Section III of this chapter. Looking into God's providence centering on Moses, alone, we cannot deny the fact that God is behind human history, leading it toward one absolute purpose. Next, Moses' course shows us that the degree of man's accomplishment of his own portion of responsibility would decide the success or failure of God's predestination. Even God's predestined will could not succeed, centering on a particular person, if and when the person set up for the predestination should fail to accomplish his own portion of responsibility. God predestined His will to have Moses lead the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, and commanded Moses to do so. Nevertheless, when he and his people had failed to accomplish their responsibility, only Joshua and Caleb, out of all the Israelites who had left Egypt, entered Canaan, and the rest of them all died in the wilderness.

Moses' course also shows us that God does not interfere in man's portion of responsibility, but deals only with the result. God had led the Israelites with wonderful miracles and signs, but He interfered in neither the people's act of making the idol of the golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving the tablets of stone, nor in Moses' act of striking the rock twice, because these were their own portions of responsibility which they had to accomplish by themselves.

On the other hand, God showed us, through Moses' course, the absoluteness of His predestined will. It is positive and absolute for God to fulfill the will He once predestined. Therefore, when Moses failed to fulfill his responsibility, God set up Joshua in his place and finally fulfilled the will he once predestined. In this way, if a person whom God has set up in the position of Abel should fail to accomplish his mission, the person who has been loyal in the position of Cain would replace him, succeeding the mission of Abel. Jesus meant this when he said, "...the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force." (Matt. 11:12).

Still another lesson that Moses' course teaches us is that the greater a man's mission, the heavier the temptations he may be offered. Since the first human couple fell by not believing in God and by rebelling against Him, the personage in charge of restoration of the foundation of faith had to overcome the temptation or suffering of God's deserting him without care. Therefore, Moses was entitled to be the leader of the Israelites only after he had overcome the trial of God's seeking to kill him (Ex. 4:24).

Even God cannot grant man grace unconditionally, because, originally, Satan came to possess man under the condition of the fall, and could accuse God of unfairness if grace were given without a corresponding temptation. Therefore, when God grants man grace, He is sure to give him a temptation, either preceding or following (or both) the grace, in order to prevent Satan's accusation. To take examples from Moses' course: Moses was granted the grace of the first Exodus only after his suffering of 40 years in Pharaoh's palace. He was again granted the grace of the second Exodus only after suffering 40 years in the wilderness of Midian (Ex. 4:20). God granted Moses the three great signs and the miracles of ten calamities (Ex. 4:24-25). There came the grace of the pillar of clouds and the pillar of fire (Ex. 13:21) only after the suffering of the three-day course (Ex. 10:22). On the other hand, only after the suffering while crossing the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21-22) could the gift of manna and quail come (Ex. 16:13), and only after the suffering through the fight against the Amalekites (Ex. 17:10) came the grace of the tablets of stone, the tabernacle, and the ark of the covenant (Ex. 31:18-40:38). Again, only after the suffering of 40 years wandering in the wilderness (Num. 14:33) was there the grace of the water from the rock (Num. 20:8), and only after the suffering of the fiery serpent (Num. 21:6) was there the grace of the bronze serpent (Num. 21:9). Thus we can see that Moses' course teaches us many lessons.