Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-07
BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE.
LESSON xl, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 9.

ILL., 1O-Conmcntary by Rev. d. M.
Stearns.
condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of II. s. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
publisher
This is the continuation of our last lesson,
and shows the sad results of unbelef. Jcho-
yah had delivered them from the power and
bondage of Pharaoh; had made way for
them through the Red sea; had fed them
with food from heaven day by day; had
brought them water out of the rock; had
given them flesh to eat in abundance; had
fought for them against Amalek and con-
quered; had spoken to them from the burn
Ing mountain; had shown them his great
love and power in SO many ways and had
come to dwell visibly among them in the tab
ernacle erected for Him in their midst; the
pillar of cloud and of fire, symbol of His
presence, was visible to all the millions OF
Israel and yet these ten unbelieving rulers
In Israel speak of the strength of the sons OF
Anak as an obstacle too formidable to be
overcome. Was there ever such unbelef and
such utter forgetfulness of n present
almighty Godl Let us see. Some one
who reads this has been told of
q Saviour who will give victory over
and most unworthy to live even here a life of
rest and peace and joy; and not only SO, but
YOU have seen it proved in some measure in
the lives of some who are known TO you. 1t
is a good land they have found, and you
know it, But to your eyes there are great
difficulties in the way of your getting there,
and you say: 81 am not able, it is not for
me-" Now, what is that but just the
language of these ten faithless rulersa
I. "All the congregation cried" but it was
neither cry of victory nor a cry for help;
it was q cry of despair, because they saw no
helper, had no faith in God. Contrast the
cry of Abiiah, and Asa. and Jehoshaphat. and
the speedy answers granted to them III Chon.
xiii, IA; xiv, Il; xviii, 81, and be of good
courage.
2. "And all murmured" In oh. xii, it
was Miriam and Aaron speaking against
Moses: now it is all Israel murmuring against
Moses and Aaron. "They despsed tho plea
SAINT land; they believed not His word; but
murmured in their fonts, and hcarkcned not
unto the voice of the Lord" Ps cvi, 24-2jl
They had murmured at Mazah and in the
wilderness Of sin (IIx. XIV, 2i; xvi, 10, and
oil these murmurincs were against the Lord
Gx. xvi, S. for all that is done to or for n
servant of the Lord He counts as done to
himself. luke X, 49, The love of God
which brought them out of Egypt was bring
ing them, in the best and kindest way, to a
glorious inheritance, but they despised it and
Him, and murmured and complained.
3, 4 Return into Egypt" The wish for
death was twice repeated in V. 2; the return
to Egypt is twice suggested in these verses.
At Horeb they made calf and worshiped
it instead of God: now they want a human
I 1If
with them as their captain.n QI Chron. xiii,
12) Nehemiah sayS that sin their rebellion
they appointed captain to return to their
bondage" (Neh tx, ~ Oh. what sin and
rebellion on the part of man. what long sui
fering and love and patience on the part OF
God. This God is our God; we are like
Israel, and all these things are written fol
our learning. Paul says: IL count all thing:
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before
l press toward tho mark for the prize of Tho
high calling Of God in Christ Jesus" phil
iii, 3, IL, A.. How few there are like Paul
how many like Lots wife, who though es
capcd from Sodom left her heart there anC
looked back Jesus said no man, havin;
put his hand to the plow, and looking bacl;
is fit for the kingdom Of God lisa. tx, G9) s.
these murmurcrs could not enter in bccaus
of unbclicf, but their carcases fell in T..
wilderncss.N Gieb. iii, 10; Mum xiv, 27-3G
8. "Moses and Aaron fell on their faces
See also XVI, 4, -, As; w, 6. This wa
the only thing to do in such a case: cry unit
God and leave them to Him. How wonder
full that God will let us plead with Him an
be moved by our pleading. See Abraham
pleading for Sodom and the Lord promsiu
to spare the city if ten righteous person
could be found in it. Gen. xviii, 23-32) Sc
Moses on this occasion. hear his prayer il
vs. 1919, and note the answer in " &c
Moses pleads not for himself, nor for hi
glory, but he is jealous for the Lord and TO
the glory of His name, The Lord heard am
pardoned, yet in after days there came
time when neither the prayers of a Moses no
a Samuel could have prevailed for then
DER. XIV, y, nor the Righteousness of NOAH
Daniel and job have saved them Ezek xiv
142W. Gle that being often reproved, hard
eneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed
and that without remedy" prov. XIX, H.
6. Joshua and Caleb rent their clothes
Caleb had spoken before xiii, 30, bu
now Joshua joins him III faithful testimony
and these are the only two of all the thou
sands in Israel who were over twenty year
of age when they left Egypt who entered tn
good land Tvs. 80, 3d. God does Away
honor those who have faith in him.
rs. "An exceeding good land" Even tn
unbelievcrs had to confess that (xiii, 81
but hear further these two faithful ones: Il
the Lord delight in us, He will bring us int
this land and give it u.s. They do not hoas
of any power or wisdom above the other tel
but testify to the power of the Lord "
labored moro abundantly than they all,
says Paul, yet not |, but the grace of Go
which was with me.n 'Iic that glorieth, l.
him glory in the Lord Il Cor. XIV, 10;
81 II any ask, How can the Lord take dc
light in such as We are; the answer is, I'll
Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Hin
IN those that hope in His mercy" Q'
cxlyi, H. "The Lord tai:eth pleasure
His people; lie viii baautity tho meek wit
salvati H." l'a cxlix, H. And rs to victor
over all enemies, This fSthe victory tina
oyercomcth the world even our faith"
John V, A. The battle is not ours, br
Gods" III Chrol. Xx, l5.l
o. "ltcbol not against the Lord" "Fca
not the people 50 the Lord is with us.n Con
fidence in and obedience to God, seeing Il