2? BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the
Lord, neither fear the people of the land, for they are
bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and
the Lord is with us: fear them not.” Caleb and Joshua
spoke thus at the hazard of their lives. They stood
alone in opposition to the whole multitude ; many hun-
dred thousands of enraged men were against them. This
shews us how fearless they are who know they have the
Lord on their side.

Marianne. But were the people wicked enough to touch
them, grandfather ?

Grandfather. Yes, they were preparing to stone them
to death, but the glory of the Lord appeared in the Taber-
nacle, so that they did not dare to doit ; they were awed
by the sight. The Lord did not interfere when they were
murmuring against Him, but when they threatened the
lives of His faithful servants, he appeared for their de-
fence. This shews us that “ them that honour Him,
He will honour.” The Lord then told Moses that he
would destroy this people with the pestilence, and would
make of him a great nation, and mightier than they.
This was the second time that this offer had been made
to Moses ; but he resisted, and pleaded with the Lord to
pardon the people according to the greatness of His
mercy, saying that the Egyptians and the other heathen
nations would hear of their destruction, and would say
that the Lord had killed the people in the wilderness,
because he was not able to bring them into the land
which He had promised. The conduct of Moses sets us