News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-09-27
THE |. S. S. LESSON.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER 80,
The Last Quarterly Review-Golden
Text: "John iv., 45-Sugges-
tions for the Review.

Text: "John iv., 45-Sugges-
tions for the Review.
The scene of the series of lessons for the
first six months of 1887, was lad IN Eden,
Babylonia, MeSopotamia, Canaan, Egypt
and the Sinaitic peninsula, covering period
according to the ordinary chronology OF over
twenty-six hundred years. The scene or the
series for the present quarter IS LAID IN the
wilderneSSeS of Sinai and Paran ana covers
a period of forty years
Gods object in promising Israel Canaan
was not merely to provide them with land
flowing with milk and honey; it was to give
them a land where they might be holy
nation, peculiar people. The giving was
not to be all on one side God was ready to
give to His people beautiful county and to
bless them in every way, but he required
that they should render Him faithful ODE
dience. He therefore at Mount Sinai en-
tered into a solemn covenant or agreement
with them, in which He pledged them IN the
blood of bullocks, ii at He would fulfill
every promise, and in which they pledged
Him by the same sign, faithful obedience
lex. XIV, IS.
Tie blood of the these animals was a SYM
boil of the death to which the covenant
breaker would be exposed if he broke the
law or the conditions of the covenant As
the people could not keep the law, in due
time the God man, representing God and
man in his divine and human nature, dies
for man who through the weakness of the
flesh could not keep the law rom. ", q;
viii, 81.
Only forty days had expired since the pub
lie proclamation of the commandment ana
the giving of the book of the covenant by
Moses, when the people broke the second
commandment in worshlpplng the golden
calf and while they probably thought they
were worshiping Jehovah by means of an
image, really broke the first lex. xxi,
1920.
Such conduct brought Gods anger upon
them The covenant was broken. BY its
terms all the people deserved to die, and sew
eral thousand of them were put to death by
the Levites lex. XXXli., q, 2S). God threat
ened to withdraw entirely from his People.
But through the intercession of his servant
Moses he promised that his angel, the angel
of the covenant, should still go among them
IF x xxi, 81; xxxiii., ~.
God saw that his people needed some visi-
bic sign of his presence, and although he had
forbidden that any image should be made of
him, he condescended to their need to such
an extent as to propose that a tabernacle
should be built. Although the heavens could
not contain him Il Kings viii, III, he con-
descended to allow them to think that he
would pitch his tent among them like an
earthly king.
For the construction of this tent he re-
ceived the free-will offerings of their Jew
els ana Clelr most precious Urlnh6IS pOS-
sessions. he did net levy any tax upon
Them but accepted those things that came as
the expression of their devotion lex. xxXv-,
20-2g.
The tent was the tabernacle of the divine
King In the holy of EoleS, which was his
audience chamber was his throne, the mercy
seat resting up the ark of the covenant,
which contained the tables of stone (Ex Xxx
", 1922; xxXvi., 81. which represented the
righteousness and Judgment which were the
r. -. e l.. II H. 4
Revised Version, and which at the same
time was testimony against the people. In
the holy place were the altar of incense and
the table of shew-bread, symbols of prayer
and of the source of temporal supply.
Outside the tabernacle the court (Ex.
xvi, 9-lS) into which the people might enter
with their sacrifices that they might be
offered by the priests upon the altar LEV.
l., $50.
Immediately around the tabernacle wers
encamped the tribe of Levi, including the
priests, the divine Kings body-guard
Mum. l., 1853, and at a greater distance the
other tribes (Num. il, 1-2
As the covenant had been broken, the only
terms on which communion could be restored
between God and his people, and on which
be could consent to dwell among them was
by means of sacrifice. Over the heads OF the
victims the people confessed their sins com
pare Lev. l.. and xvi, 81, and the animals
we're slain in their stead who deserved to die
IS covenant breakers, thus pointing forward
% the Lamb of God who should take away
he sins of the world.
But these sacrifices were not complete
Although there was the morning and evening
acritfce, and such sacrifices as individuals
night offer, there was a consciousness of sin
Heb. x, l, p. The consciences of the peo-
pc were troubled: hence once in the year
there was day of atonement in which all the
sins of the people, including those of the high
priest and rulers OF the people, were atoned
for LEV. xvi, l-l9). As symbol of the COM
a1nNa IF NO.
the wilderness to Azazel LEV. xvi, $40, 20
22l, who perhaps represented Satan, thus sig
nifYing that the author of sin received the
sins of the congregation but could not get
the forgiven sinner.
Happy in the sense of pardon, they were
ready to celebrate the mott JOYOUS festival of
the year. the feast of tabernacles u1ev. Xxx iii,
53-44l, which was a memorial of what great
things God had done for his people, and
which in later times perhaps became d type
Of him who was the fountain of life John
vii, 81, 36), and the light OF the world John
viii, I3).
With such a people redeemed and sancti-
Fed, the symbols of thu Lords presence in
the pillar of cloud by day and OF fire by night
,ould abide Their King was with them,
eading them: when the cloud was lifted they
iourneyed when it rested they encamped
Mum. tx, 1929.
The way was therefore prepared for them
to enter the promised land. Spies were sent
10 explore it Mum. xiii, 1873 and bring a
report, for they might not seek revelation
from God regarding that which they could
discover by their own investigation.
While the spies united in praising the land,
The majority brought back an unfavorable
report, the influence OF which the faith and
enthusiasm of Caleb and Joshua were not
able to overcome.
Notwithstanding all the miracles that God
lad DONE and the promises that He had made
that the people should possess the land, and
he encouragement offered by Caleb and
Joshua, the people gave way to rebellion and
lnbelief; hence the entire generation except
Moses and Aaron and Caleb and Joshua were
excluded from the land and were to die in
he wilderness Mum. xiv, Ito.
1t is not easy to picture the feelings of
doomed. hopeless people, who knew they
we're never to leave the wilderness, exposed to
The glare of the sun and its burning sands,
1ften without water These sufferings Gull
minated at Kadesh. where the whole congre-
cation was in rebellion against Moses and
Aaron, and where these faithful servants in
moment of impatience forgot to recognize
God and to honor Him before the people.
They were therefore shut out from the land
Mum. Xxx, 1-13).
The last scene in this history is the death
md burial of Moses. God shows His servant
he land of promise from Mount Nebo
Noses dies, and the Angel of the Covenant,
who had so often spoken with Him and
,uided Him in all His ways, tenderly lays his
)ody in an unknown grave (Deut xxxiv.,
10 until the time should come for Him,
With the saints of all ages, to enter upon the |
heavenly Canaan.
World.