Moses and Hobab

Numbers 10:29-31

            The fugitives whom Moses led reached Sinai in three months after leaving Egypt. They remained there for at least nine months. Some times before the encampment broke up, a relative of Moses by marriage, Hobab by name had come into camp on a visit. He was a Midianite by race, one of the wondering tribes from the south east of the Arabian Peninsula. He knew every foot of the ground. So moses, who had no doubt forgotten much of the little desert skill he had learned in keeping Jethro’s flock, prays Hobab to remain with them and give them the benefit of his practical knowledge.

I.                   A sense of the unknown wilderness before us

1.      A general complexion of the future may be roughly estimated. We know very early in life that the thread of our days is a mingled strand and the prevailing tone a sober, neutral tint. The main characteristics of what we shall meet we well enough know.

2.      The Particular Events of the future are hidden. It is strange and impressive when we come to think how providence, working with the same uniform materials in all human lives, can yet, like some skillful artist, produce endless novelty and surprises in each life. The solemn ignorance of the next moment is sometimes stimulating and joyous. But to all there come times when their ignorance is saddening.

3.      The aspect of life Represented as a wilderness. There are dangers and barren places and a great solitude in spite of love and companionship, and many marching’s and lurking foes, and grim rocks, and fierce suns, and parched wells, and shadiness sand wastes enough in every life to make us quail often and look grave always when we think of what may be before us.

II.                The true leader of our protest

1.      Israel’s true Leader. The true leader of the children of Israel in their wilderness journey was not Moses, but the Divine Presence in the cloud with a heart of fire, that hovered over their camp for a defense and sailed before them for a guide (Exodus 13:21).

2.      The Christian’s true Leader. In sober reality we have God’s presence; and waiting hearts which have ceased from self-will may receive leading as real as ever the pillar gave to Israel.

3.      The Christian’s responsibility to his Leader.

a.      Obedient step by step following: No doubt in all our lives there come times when we seem to have been brought into a blind alley, and cannot see where we are to get out; but it is very rare indeed that we do not see one step in advance,, the duty which lies next to us. And be sure of this, that if we are content to see but one step at a time, and take it, we shall find our way made plain.

b.      Certainly of God’s will: Do not seek to outrun God’s guidance, to see what you are to do a year hence or to act before you are sure of what is His will; do not let your wishes get in advance of the pillar and the ark, and you will be kept from many a mistake and led into a region of deep peace.

c.       Reverent following: “Go after the ark, yet there shall be a space between it and you; come not near it, that ye may know the way ye ought to go’ (Joshua 3:3-4). If we impatiently press too close on the heels of our guide we lose the guidance. There must be a reverent following which allows indications of the way full time of develop themselves and does not fling itself into new circumstances on the first flush of apparent duty.

III.             The desire for a Human guide has been met in the gift of Christ

1.      Hobab’s Qualification. Moses sought to secure this Midianite guide because he was a native of the desert and had travelled all over it. His experience was his qualification.

2.      Christ Qualification. He travelled every foot of the road by which we have to go. He knows ‘how to encamp in this wilderness,’ for he himself has ‘tabernacle among us’ and by experience has learned the weariness of the journey and the perils of the wilderness.

3.      The Believer’s Pattern. His life is our pattern. Our marching orders are brief and simple: follow your leader, and plant your feet in His footprint.

            If we only ask him to be with us ‘instead of eyes’ and accept his gentle leading, we shall not walk in darkness, but may plunge into thickest night and the most unknown land, assured that he will ‘lead us by the right way to the city of habitation’ (Psalm 107:7)