Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

600 Testimonies for the Church Volume 1[653]the special sacredness of the ark and all that appertained thereunto,lest they should look upon these things without realizing their holinessand should be cut off from Israel. All things pertaining to the mostholy place were to be looked upon with reverence.The travels of the children of Israel are faithfully described; thedeliverance which the Lord wrought for them, their perfect organizationand special order, their sin in murmuring against Moses and thusagainst God, their transgressions, their rebellions, their punishments,their carcasses strewn in the wilderness because of their unwillingnessto submit to God’s wise arrangements—this faithful picture is hung upbefore us as a warning lest we follow their example of disobedienceand fall like them.“But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they wereoverthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples,to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, Thepeople sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let uscommit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one daythree and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of themalso tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, assome of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and theyare written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world arecome. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest hefall.” Has God changed from a God of order? No; He is the same inthe present dispensation as in the former. Paul says: “God is not theauthor of confusion, but of peace.” He is as particular now as then.And He designs that we should learn lessons of order and organizationfrom the perfect order instituted in the days of Moses for the benefitof the children of Israel.