The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-07-13
GODS GREAT PROMISE.
LESSON ul, THIRD QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES. JULY is.


The Tcxt of tho Lesson Is to Dc Found
in Ex. xxxiii, 12-23-Golden Text, Matt.
xiii, 2o-Commentary by Rev. d. NJ.
Stearns.
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of II. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia, pub.
lisher.l
Moses is now for tho sixth time in the
mount with God After the Levites had
slain about three thousand because of
tho sin concerning the golden calf Moses
said: "Ye have sinned great sin; and
now | will go up unto tho Lord Per-
adventure shall make an atonement for
your sin" Ex. xxxii, 30.) How glorious
to see Jesus Christ, the prophet like unto
Moses, ascending up to God, having made
atonement for tho sins of tho whole world
Il John il, o, a sufficient atonement for all,
but efficient only for those who truly receive
Him. In verse IL it is written, "Tbe Lord
spake unto Moses face to faceas man speak
eth unto his friend, not that Moses saw God,
for mo man hath seen God at any time'
(John /, 1S), and verse 30 of our lesson today,
ssThere shall no man see Me and live;;n but
the intercourse Of Moses with God was as a
man with his friend. Since Jesus has died
and risen again, and is at the Fathers right
hand for us who believe in Him, our inter
course with God through Christ ought surely
to be as with a;friend; but how few seem to
know Him thus intimately; even Ills own re-
deemed seem moro interested in decking these
| mortal bodies and in becoming intimate with
sinners like themselvea
| IL Bring up this people," When God
sent Moses unto Pharaoh, and Moses said,
| "Who am that should go unto Pharaoh,
and that 1 should bring forth the children of
Israel out of Egypts' God said unto him,
Certainly l will be with thee' (Ex iii,
1913; but because of their sin God had now
said that He could not so up in the midst of
them, lest He consume them ". 81, and it Isl for
this reason that Moses now pleads for O guide
and deliverer. Hepleads what God has said:
II know thee by name, and thou hast also
found grace in my sight" This is safe plead
ing, and sure of success. In lisa. xii, 6
tmarginal reading), we are called ssthe Lords
remembrances," and are urged to plead His
promises; and again, in Isa xiii, &C. He
says: "Put mo in remembrance; let us plead
together" The promises Of God are bank
checks which we arc to indorse and present
for payment, sure that they will be honored,
for 'sall the promises of God in Jesus Christ
are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of
God by u.s." III Cor. i, 20.)
Is. "Shew me now thy way, that 1 may
know thee" 1t seems strange to hear one
with whom God spoke face to fnce, praying
to know Him;it seems strange to hear Paul
praying 'that I may know Him phil iii, 10y;
but thereis more In "knowing God" than
appears at first sight, and tits only those who
know Him best, as we think, who feel in their
| to- ft,at how
said: 'sThis is life eternal, to know thee,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom thou hast sent" John xvii, 81
Not to know about Him, but to know
Him personally, intimately, as our own
| God and Father, and Jesus as our owl,
Saviour and Brother.
II "My presence shall go with thee, and
will give thee rest" "The angel of His
presence saved them; in His love. and in His
pity Heredeemed them" qsa. xiii, 81 am
fully persuaded that if the promise contained
in our Golden Text for today was more
fully understood and appreciated, be-
levers would be filed with power to
serve Christ and would prove true fellow
laborers with God. His presence means full
ness of joy and perfect peace and rest
Why, then, have we not this power and Joy
and rest2 Simply because Israel's sin is our
sin; "they tempted God they spake against
God, they believed not in God, and trusted
not in His salvation" Ps lxxviii, 10. 10.
22)
16. 81 and thy people," Twice In this
verse wo have this expression showing how
Moses identified himself with the nation. The
Son of God identified Himself with us by be-
coming man, partalzer Of flesh and blood,
and in all-points tempted like as we are, call
ing us Hissbrethren. Heb. Ii, 1918.
II. "Thou hast found grace In my sight,
and know thee by name" This is the 9th
time in this lesson for the first part of this
sentence, and the second time for the last
part. The name, in Scripture, seems to in
dicate character, what the person is, and
that implies conduct, or what the person
6, z, confirms this view; also Gen. xxi,
81, 2S, where Jacob supplanter) becomes
Israel 10 prince of Cod, and many other
passages might be referred to.
10. "Gracious to whom / will be gracious n
''He doeth according to His will in the army
; of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth; and none can stay His hand, or say
unto Him, What doest thoul" Dan iv, 35.)
1t is not for the clay to find fault with ths
potter; but oh, how we should rejoice that
He is not willing that any should perish
III Pet. iii, o., and has said: "Him that
cometh unto Me Will in no wise cast out"
(John vi, 37) 'Whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely" Rev. xii, 17.) 1
know Of nothingto prevent any one receiv-
! ing His grace now and His glory by and by
but their own unwilingness.
| 20 "Thou canst not see My face; for there
shall no man see Me and live:" dwelling
in>light unapproachable, whom no mai hath
seen or can see." 4 Tim vi, 49, R. w
''Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God" "They saw God and did eat and
drink" G1att. v, s; Ex. xiv, LIZ There
arc some apparent contradic ions in the book,
but no real.ones; somo things hard to be up-
derstood, which many wrest to their own
destruction. There is milk for babes and
meat for those Of full age, and abundance of
light for all. "Now We see in q mirror.
darkly; but then face to face; now know
in-part; but then shall know fully, oven as
also have been known fully" Let us yield
our bodies living Il Cor. xiii, 12, r. w
sacrifice, not confornled to this world, sepa-
rated unto Christ and Els service, having
clean hands and pure heart and an eye to
His glory in everything; thus shall our whole
bodies be full of light and soon shall we sec
Jesus.
q. "Thou shalt stand upon tho roc;n R.
| W "He set my feet upon the rce;S n.ld es-
tablished my going" Ps Il, s., '.:'ne Lord
is my rock" Ps xviii, 1917 ''Fh:.aa rock w,s
Christ" 4 Cor. x, A. If wearo cio4l; OF
! the word Ws are building on t;la .r..l. ,rt iP