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We read before, that Jethro, the
father-in-law of Moses, came to visit him soon after the Israelites left
Egypt. Jethro had a son named Hobab, and he stayed with the
Israelites all the time they were at Mount Sinai, for that was not far
from his own country. But now God commanded the people to move, and
go on into the wilderness; so Hobab prepared to leave them, and return
home. But Moses did not wish to lose him, for he knew it would be
for Hobab's good to go with the people of God; and he knew too, that Hobab
might be very useful in telling them many things which they did not know,
about the places in which they would encamp in the wilderness. So
Moses said to Hobab, "We are journeying to the place of which the
Lord said, I will give it to you: come thou with us, and we will do
thee good." And was
Hobab willing to go with them? No: at first he was very
unwilling. He answered, "I will not go, but I will depart to my
own land, and to my kindred." Then Moses tried again to
persuade him. He said, "Leave us not, I pray thee; for thou
knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us
instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, that what
goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto
thee." The Bible does not tell us that Hobab went with the
Israelites as Moses wished, but we read of the children of Jethro living
in Canaan many years after; perhaps they were the descendants of Hobab. But
we have something to learn from this story of Hobab. God's people
now are, like the Israelites, traveling through a wilderness, and going to
a place which God has promised to give them. This world is the
wilderness, and Heaven is the pleasant land of Canaan beyond. The
way which they go is a safe and a good way, and they are guided in it by
God's work and God's Spirit, just as the Israelites were guided in their
way by the pillar o the cloud and of fire. But the people of God do
not like to travel by themselves to the promised land; they wish others to
go with them. They say to their friends what Moses said to Hobab,
"Come with us, and we will do you good." And those friends
should be willing and thankful to go; they should say with all their
hearts, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with
you." Zechariah 8:23.
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