The Privations of Man and the Resources of God
W. Jones. Numbers 20:2-13 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.… I. THERE ARE PRIVATIONS IN THE PILGRIMAGE OF HUMAN LIFE. One man thinks that without health his life would be worthless; yet he has to submit to its loss for a time. To another man prosperity seems essential; to another, friendship, or some one friend or relative; yet of these they are sometimes deprived. Life, in our view, has many privations. This characteristic of our pilgrimage is for wise and gracious ends. Privation should remind us that we are pilgrims — incite us to confide in God — and discipline our spirits into patience and power. II. THE PRIVATIONS IN THE PILGRIMAGE OF LIFE SOMETIMES DEVELOP THE EVIL TENDENCIES OF HUMAN NATURE. This murmuring of the Israelites was — 1. Unreasonable. 2. Cruel. 3. Ungrateful. 4. Degraded. 5. Audaciously wicked. III. THE PRIVATIONS IN THE PILGRIMAGE OF LIFE, AND THE EVILS WHICH ARE SOMETIMES OCCASIONED BY THEM, IMPEL THE GOOD TO SEEK HELP OF GOD. 1. Consciousness of need. 2. Faith in the sufficiency of the Divine help. 3. Faith in the efficacy of prayer to obtain the Divine help. 4. Faith in the efficacy of unspoken prayer. IV. THE PRIVATIONS IN THE PILGRIMAGE OF LIFE ARE SOMETIMES REMOVED IN ANSWER TO THE PRAYER OF THE GOOD. (W. Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. WEB: There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.