Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-07-14
I.fsSon 3.
THE CALL OF MOSES.


well in the land of INDIAN, the PENN.
sula of Sinai. The particular spot re.
ferred TO was probably the southeastern
portion, near the apex OF the peninsula.
While waiting here, the daughters OF a
priest of INDIAN, Reuel or Jethro by
name, came to draw water for their
fathers flock. And certain shepherds
also came and drove them away. With
his accustomed courage and hatred of
injustice, Moses interpoScd for the help
of the maidens, repellod their rude AS
sailants, and watcred their Hook. This
was his introduction To the family OF
lethro, into whose services he entered
whose daughter I,pporah he married,
and with whom he remained during
the second forty year, OF his life.
II is ut the end O! this last period
that we find lin in the present lesson.
lie has not grown rich. In the midst
of the luxurles and splendors of Egypt,
ne had learned how little satisfaction
for the heart is to be found in either.
His life in the desert has been spent in
communion with himself and with God.
Just now he has gone with his flock
westward to IIoreb, called the "Moun.
tain of Cod as having been the scene
OF a number OF wonderful divine man.
ifestations. We have in this lesson a
record of one of these. 1t was that OF
"A flame of fire out of the midst of
bush the marvel being that the bush
burned, and yet it was not consumed.
No doubt the bush, which was the
wild and thorn. bearing Acacia, was in
tended to represent the people Of God
and the flame the fiery trials Of which
they had had painful experience. The
Church of God has often appeared in.
significant, and its suiterings have been
many and great, yet, because of Gods
presence, it has never been destroyed.
1t is remarkable that he who speaks
out of the bush is first called The IN.
gel of the Lord" and then "The Lord
This may simply indicate that the Lord
appeared in an angelic form. And yet
this particular phrase, The Ange! of
the Lord has a peculiar use in the
Old Testament Scriptures. 1t seems
never to be applied to created angels,
but always to a specific messenger OF
God, who Is also represented a deity.
To him divine attributes are ascribed.
Was not this he who in the beginning
''was with God and was God - In the
beginning, and in all times, he was the
WORD" the one reyealer of God.
Many suppose that he who appeared in
the bush was none other than Christ.
Thus the great truth symbolized by
the burning bush was not simply that
the Church is in every age exposed to
fiery trials, but that the presence of
Christ saves it from being destroy ed,
and makes all its sutIerings a means of
good.
The special object OF this remarkable
appearance comes out IN the verses
which follow. The attention of Moses,
being drawn to the strange sight, God
speaks TO him out Of the bush. lie ns
sures him that he has seen the afflc.
tions of his people, and knows their
sorrows, and is now about TO appear for
their deliverance. Then follow the
summons and commission of Moses TO
be their leader: "Come now. therefore.
and | will send thee unto Pharaoh. "
1t was to prepare him for this great re-
sponsibility and most difficult under
taxing that he had been so long at
school, first in Egypt and now in the
desert.
Two things are to be noted in the re.
sponse of Moses, The first il his hu.
mility. And in this how greatly chang.
ed from what he was when, unsolicited,
he once before offered himself az the
champion of Israel Then he was self
confident, naughty, impetuous. Now
he is self -distrustful and humble. His
judgment is sobered. lie sees the dit
ticulties to be surmounted. In solitude
he has acquired hardihood and learned
patience. lie has come TO be at home
IN that very wilderness through which
Israel is to be led to know its every
fountain and spot OF green, its best line
of march and places of rest. lie has
come closer to God. lie has also dis.
covered the imperfections of his own
wisdom and strength. lie is at last
willing to be taught of God, and to
wait upon his will. Now, therefore,
God not only calls him, but assufes him
of his own guiding and sustaining pres.
ence, and that the final issue shall be a
sufficient token that the call he now
hears is truly from God.
The other thing to be noted in the
response of Moses is his apparent doubt
of the readiness of the people to re.
ceive and to trust him. "When they
shall say to me, What is his name
What shall | say unto them ?"
Just what Moses had in mind was not
n mere designating title. 4 name is
that by which one Is known. One may
be known by his attributes or perfec.
tions. Israel already knew God by
more titles than one. What new reve.
Iation OF himself would he make to
themi In what character might they
expect henceforth to know him. The
phrase, 81 AN THAT AN" implies al.
solute being and supreme power; per.
fections sovereign, eternal and unchang.
ing. Such being Israel might implic.
lilly trust, and such they should find him
TO be. Under a leader sent and sus.
tanned by him they could not but pre-
vail.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
]. The unfolding OF Gods providence
may seem slow, but in the end his fidel.