The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-09-13
THE SMITTEN ROCK.
LESSON XII THIRD QUARTER, IN
TERNaTlONAL SERIES, SEPT. 1e.
uait Verses :, 8-Go1den Text, Cor. T.
4-CommentaEy by Rev. d. M. E.earns.

rait Verses :, S-Go1den Text, L Cor. X,
documentary by Rev. d. M. Sssarns. |
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by |
permission Of FL. s. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
pubIisher.l
l. The first verse of our lesson finds the |
people once more at Kadesh, just where we
left them in our last lesson (xfii, &c. |
Thirty eight years have passed since the
spies searched out the Land, the forty years
from Egypt hav6 now about expired com
pare Xxx, sS, apd xxxiii, So, and they are
again at the borders OF the promised land. |
OF the history of those thrty-cight years we
know almost nothing, it was time lost be-
cause OF disCbedionee, and they have made |
no progress. Here Is brought before Us q
weighty principle which we would do well to
consider. When Abram left Bethel and went |
down 10 Egypt because OF the famine he was |
out of communion with God, and found only
trouble until be got back 90 Bethel (Gen.
xii, 10; xiii, 81 When he listened to Sarai
concerning Iagar, which was a suggestion |
of the flesh, we find "a blank in his life !
of thirteen years. (Gen. xvi, IS; xvii, ~ II |
you would reconcile the apparent discrepancy
between the $50 years OF Kings vi, 1, and
the 513 years of Acts xiii, 17-21, plus David's
30 and of Solomon, total 673, you have |
only TO add up the Lost time Of the captivft+es |
of Judges lii, 8, IA; iv, Q, 8; vi. /; xiii, /, !
which gives you 90 lost years when the ma
ton was out Of fellowship with God because !
Of sin; this subEraeted from 57S gives 4S0 and |
proves beth records correct. When we can |
look at things from Gods standpoint we
shah find all the apparent contradictions in
Scriptrue vanish as mist before the sun In
the law Of the Eazarite QNum. vi, 12 when
ever he wad deflted by any uncleanDess,, the
days of his daffement were lost; 30 every
day Or hour in which we are not practically
separated to God is just time Lost, for all Is as
lostthat Is not done In fellowship with God
q mo water, they gathered
against Afoses.' AS Marah the bitter waters
had been made sweet, and at Rephidim
abundance of water had been brought from
the snitten rock for them (Ex. XIV, XVIII, but
they wore SO forgetful ami unbelieving
3-5. Would God that we bad died"
Those who seem so anxious for death are not
always the most ready when it comes; and
those who are really ready for that great
change are generally content to leave the
time and way to Him who orders all things
for the best TO those who love Him "To die
is gatnn forall those who can truly say "for
me to live Is Christi To depart and be with
Christ is far better than such suffering as
Paul endured, and yet Paul was willing to
endure, knowing that ''the sufTerings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us"
9. "They fell upon their faces; and the
glory of the Lord appeared unto them"
Thus did Moses and Aaron, and this Is our
wisdom In every difficulty. We rest on Thee,
o Lord our God, let not man prevail against
us was the cry of Asa o our God, we have
no might. neither know what to do, but
our eyes are upon Theei was the prayer Of
Jehoshaphat iii Chron. xiv, IL; Xxx, 1g, and In
each case there was great victory More
humbling OF self in the dust before God, and
whole hearted reliance upon Him. with
readiness to do whatever He says or be still
and see Him work, will cause us moro often
to seaHjs glory.
Z, 8.N'Take the rod, speak unto the rock"
The ordeSs were simple, and all that was re-
quired OF Moses was simple and implicit
obedience to f5ese orders and the results
would surely follow, just as the Lord said.
The rock had been smitten at Rephtdim and
water in abundance had flown forth; that
water went with them, and If there was any
deficiency In the supply it was because OF
their sin, to prove them and lead them back
TO Him, for He would have US dIaw our sup
DllGS lIOll Illll Chl lou OuA iOSA AGto
been once snf.tten, once for all, and the sup
ply of living water is abundant Our sins
were laid on Him on Calvary; He made pro-
pitiation for the sins of the whole world; He
now liveth 10 make intercession for all who
accept the forgiveness thus obtained. There
Is no more laying sins on Him. no more bruis-
ing of Him. but If we transgress and the
stream of grace runs low to us, we have only
70 speak to Him in honest confession and
there shall be cleansing and restoration.
o. ''Moses took the rod from before the
Lord" After the rebellion of Korah, Da-
than and Abiram, the rod Of Aaron which
budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed
blossoms, and yielded almonds, all in one
night, was laid up before the Lord to be kept
for a token against the rebels and their muir
murings xvii, $40; this rod Moses was
to take in his hand as witness against them
when he went forth to speak to the rock.
10 seMust we fetch you water out of this
rockY' Although they had been on their
faces,before God, they still prove themselves
but weak and sinful mortals the flesh, the
old man. IS not reckoned dead, and the Holy
Gnirit is crieyed All the Moses and Aarons
that ever lived could not fetch a drop of
water of any rock, but God hath said:
"Speak. and it shall give forth his water"
The sun gives itsHlight and heat, and the
clouds give their rain, but ell the phlloSo-
pliers and scientists of the age cannot fetch
either light or heat from the sun or drop of
rain from the clouds. God has given to us
His Son, and in Him all blessings temporal
and spiritual for time and eternity. We have
only to open to Him that He may come in
and feast us with His fullness.
H. ''He smote the rock twice" A gracious
God would not let even this rebellous people
op 4ha Ci, n Hia mt
Moees, and SO 'the water came out abun-
dainty" One has said that "Grace
triumphed spite of Moses failure" and is it
not Just SO every dayl Who is there that
serves God without sin9 And yet He per-
nits such sinful messengers Us we are to be
channels of blessing to others
IL. aye believed me not, to sanctify me-"
Tho eyes of Israel were by the words of Moses
and Aaron directed to them, and not to the
Lord, as if Moses and Aaron were supplying
their need. 1t is written, II am the Lord;
that is My name, and My glory will 1 not
give to another Qsa xiii, 81, and again, "He
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord
Il Cor. /, 3D Whenever ms teachers or
preachers we allow the eyes of the people to
rest on us or our talents or our wisdom we
are then falling to sanctify the Lord before
them and disqualifying ourselves to be their
leaders,
l3 ''He was sanctifed in them" What
ever'be the sin and failure of the people oil
their leaders God will through it all main
tain the glory of his name. That name il
recorded in Ex. xxxiv, 60, as "The Lord, the
Lord God, merciful aud gracious" ETC., ant
truly His mercy and grace are magnified il
this lesson. 1t all seems TO come home to us
saying: Let Him who redeemed you have
His own way with you, and rejoice thou il
Him; let Him lead you rs He will. and fol
low thou closely, resting in His love, and le
Sour song ever be, net !, but Christ; mag