Numbers 13:22 contains a short parenthetical fact . . . “Now Hebron was built 7 years before Zoan in Egypt.” That portion of scripture verses sounds complete, simply stated, but in those 10 words is the Holy Spirit through Moses, telling us something? Brother Harry Tennant of England asked the listeners of his Pomona Ecclesial exhortation to seek out that answer.
How many times has each of us in our scheduled daily Bible reading skimmed that 22nd verse of Numbers without giving any heed? 5 times — 10 times—even 15 times would produce little inkling if further study were not involved. Following is a brief account of this study.
At the onset, we must answer questions . . . What is happening in the 13th chapter? Why are the cities, Hebron and Zoan, compared in a construction time frame? Can we discern an underlying theme, a message that can be approximated to us at the near approach of Christ’s return?
The history of the 13th chapter has Moses already leading the 3.5 million Israelis for a period of a little more than 2 years. They have arrived at Paran and are ready to go in and possess the promised land, but the people first want to be sure that they will be able to accomplish this. Moses, in compliance to God’s instructions, selects 12 spies — one from each tribe — to go in and search out the land and bring back their report.
Now the spies have to go up, ascending to a height 2800′ above the Mediterranean Sea, to reach Hebron. But they are not the first of the chosen people to go there. No, at about the year 2000 B.C. Abraham had been there, Sarah was buried there, and much later King David reigned from this place. Between Genesis 13:18 where Hebron is first mentioned and 2 Chronicles 11:10, or the last time, there are 73 places where Hebron is listed in the Old Testament.
Zoan, first mentioned in Numbers 13:22 is younger than Hebron by 7 years. History tells us that Zoan (Tanis) was the capital of Lower Egypt. It was a very impressive site that was one of the principal capitals of the Pharaohs. Egypt was at its zenith in the ruling of the Pharaohs –it boasted the most elegant antiquity—and yet this verse tells us that Hebron is older than the magnificent Zoan by 7 years. Why?
After 40 days of searching the land with its verdant crops, its huge clusters of grapes, 10 of the 12 spies are ready to bring back their evil report . . . “the land floweth with milk and honey — but the people be strong” — they are giants! The people become afraid, they could not take the land. Brother Tennant has exhorted us to watch out for giants (oppositions to Truth) that will keep us from possessing eternal life.
Now there are 7 references to Zoan in the Holy Writ and Psalms 78:12 tells us that it was at the plains of Zoan where the plagues of Egypt were incurred. ‘What then?
The Israelis were only 2 years removed from the splendor of Egypt. They had actually lived (though they were slaves) among the grandeur of the Pharaohs. Their eyes had witnessed the devastation caused by the 10 plagues that had been centered around Zoan. And now the great God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob was ready to give them a city, Hebron, built some 400 years earlier and older yet than the apostate region of Zoan.
The message to the Israelis then was . . . Before Zoan was — Hebron was built. You have seen great destruction in Egypt (Zoan) and you are being told to go and possess an older city where your Father Abraham has walked. Shouldn’t this have caused them to listen to Joshua and Caleb (The 2 spies with the good report) and go in and claim the land? But they did not. They wandered for 38 years until all those above 20 years had died in the desert.
Our pilgrimage, in like manner, is upward. The 12 spies ascended upwards to Hebron to view the land. The dirt of Egypt is always at our feet—but we are commanded to walk as did the 12 apostles who have received the promise of eternal life as rulers in the Kingdom that is coming. So let us then “Look up (lift our eyes above the sin grovelling powers of Egypt) for our redemption draweth nigh.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One