g was intimacy of intercourse. It is a little
unfortunate that in reading our Bibles we sometimes allow the gaps that
come in the printing to break the continuity of thought. There is a
break for instance between the last verse of Exodus and the first verse
of Leviticus. The reading is meant to be continuous, and shows that
after the infilling, and the explanation about guidance, that God
"_called_" Moses to Him and _commenced talking about their new life_.
Now in connection with that call, and all their after talks, notice a
remarkable statement in the last verse of that long seventh chapter of
Numbers. It explains just _how_ God talked with Moses. Listen: "Whenever
Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, _then he heard
the voice_ speaking unto him from above the mercy-seat that was upon the
ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and _He_ speaketh
unto him." There was the living, loving voice of their Companion-God,
which Moses could plainly hear, and which others heard, talking
familiarly and intimately about all their affairs. Several times when in
doubt what to do Moses promptly went off into the tent, then the cloud
would come down nearer, and Moses would state his difficulty, and back
would come that clear distinct voice with an answer. Group up those four
things--obedience; the never-to-be-forgotten infilling; the controlling
guidance; and intimate companionship.

That is the very best illustration I can find of the meaning of that
word which Jesus now chooses out and uses as the new name which would
most vividly tell what the Holy Spirit was to be to all believers after
His own departure. All that the presence of God in that pillar was to
those people, and to Moses personally, all that the Holy Spirit will be
to you. And my own conviction is that Jesus had that Old Testament scene
in His mind. For if you will turn again to that last night's talk you
will find a striking repetition of the steps or peculiarities of that
wilderness experience. Though here the whole experience is on a much
higher, finer plane. There is a closeness of personal regard, a depth of
that deepest of all loves, friendship love, that is not found in the Old
Testament story, except perhaps between Moses himself and God.

But now read the twenty-first verse of the fourteenth chapter of John:
"He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father a