The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-06-28
GOD IN ISRAEL.
LESSON |, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY I.

~ " AA' AoAS<h ASAs
LESSON |. THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY I.
The Text of the Lesson L. to he Found
in Ex. xiv. 1-l2-Goiden Text. He
brews viii. IO-Commentary by Rev.
d. NJ. Stearns.
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of H 8. Hoffman, Philadelphia pub
lisher.l
After spending twelve months on the
Gospel by Matthew-the Gospel Of the
King and the kingdom-we now return to
the history of the beginning Of the existence
Of Israel as a nation, the people whom God
formed for Himself to show forth His praise
a people terrible from their beginning hith-
erto: nation yet to blossom and bud
and fill the face of the earth with fruit
lsa xiii, 81; xviii, 81; xvii, g. The lessons
of the next six months, upon which we now
enter. will be of greatly increased interest to
us if we remember few scriptural facts and
become fully persuaded that these things
am about to mention are indeed plainly and
most emphatically asserted in the Scriptures
In our lesson today they are three months
out Of Egypt, having crossed the Red sea on
dry land and journeyed down to Mount
Sinai, where they arc now encamped, having
bean guided thither by the Lord, who went
before them by day In q pillar Of cloud to
lead them the way. and by night In a pillar
of fire TO give them light With bread from
heaven were they fed morning by morn
ing, aad water from the rock quenched
their thirst A supernatural people as to
their origin, their deliverance from their op-
pressors. the supply Of their daily wants and
victory over their enemies-but, oh, how
natural and how sinful as to their daily lifel
for already had they more than once muir
INJURED against God and in their hearts turned
back to Egypt. How strange that God,
knowing beforehand just how they would
act. chose them for His people. In them we
see ourselves, and in Him the Interchangeable
Jehovah.
Moses, Aaron and two of his sons, with
seventy Of the elders Of Israel, are invited to
come up ON the mount to meet God; the more
full account Of this we have in verses to II
of our lesson But notice here that "Moses
alone shall come near" the others are to
worship afar off, they shall not come nigh
The Tabernacle at this time not being built
nor Aaron and his sons set apart as priests,
Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face
Deut. xxxiv, l0, stands before US as type Of
the true mediator and daysman, the Lord
Jesus Christ, our prophet, priest and king
Deut. xviii, 1919. By the finished work of
the Lord Jesus all who receive Him are made
nigh Eph. il, 13), and all who trust in His
merits and are washed in His blood have
access at all times to the very presence of
God by faith in Him One of the most beauti-
full names of Israel Is that In Ps. cxlviii, IA:
IA people near unto HIM" the full meaning
of which is yet to be made manifest All true
believers In Jesus Christ are even now 80
near to Him that we are called ''members of
His body, Of His flesh and of His bones"
Eph. v, 30, and IL we would but believe
that we are as near to Him and as dear to
Him as He says we are. we would surely be
constrained by His love to honor Him and
seek His glory more than we do
g. Moses came and told the people all the
words of the Lord, and all the judgments. {"
In connection with the receiving of the law
and the instructions about the Tabernacle
Moses went up to God m the Mount just seven
times, and on two occasions he remained with
God forty days and forty nights, and neither
did eat bread or drink water Ex. xix,
g. 8, 20; x, 81; xiv, l2; xxi, 80; xxxiv,
~ This verse tells us of his return from his
fourth visit, at which time be repeated to the
people the words which we have in chapters
xxi-niii; and the people, not knowing the
sinfulness and deceitfulness Of their own
hearts, replied with ono voice: IAN the
words which the Lord hath said will we do. I"
"And Moses wrote all the words of the
Lord" All the words Of the Lord were very
precious to Moses, he spake them to the peo-
pie and wrote them down for future use.
the people were to set their hearts upon them
as their life Deut xxi, 49,; they were to
have them in their hearts, teach them unto
their children and talk of them in the house
and by the way Deut. vi, 80. 1t is to be
feared that many Christians think that they
can get along quite well with very few of
the words of the Lord and that there are
some who consider a large portion of the
Bible unnecessary for them to give any heed
to. There may be some teachers who are
sorry that our lessons for the next six
months are in the Old Testament, forgetting
that the Old Testament. as we call it, was the
book that Jesus loved, and that He was ever
quoting from, expounding, and in His life
fulfilling, and that all the Scriptures were
concerning Himself II we have in any way
,r in the least degree slighted or neglected
any portion of Scripture let us seek forgive
aess and begin at once to appreciate more
fully "all the words of the Lord"
8. Burnt offerings-Peace offerings -
Two different aspects of the one great and
all sufficient sacrifice of the Lord Jesus; the
first signifying His giving Himself an offer
ing and a sacrifice to God for us. and the sec
ond telling US Of the result Of that sacrifice
As we receive Him, rest in Him and feed
upon Him, we have peace with God and true
fellowship, being made partakers of Christ
and all the benefits which fiow from Him.
6a sand Moses took the blood, and
sprinkled it on the people" He also
sprinkled it on the altar ". g., and on the
book Heb. tx, 18. 1t is the application Of
the blood that in any case makes it effica-
cious. On the night ON which they left
Egypt the blood of the passover lamb might
have been shed, but unless it had been
sprinkled on the door posts and the Intel the
angel of death would surely have entered the
house So now, although Jesus has shed His
blood, unless it is applied to us, unless we
truly accept Him and give ourselves to Him,
it viii not avail for us, but in Him every
blessing of the covenant is made sure to
every one in Him.
oil. ''They saw God, and did eat and
drink" And yet Jesus said; "Ns man hath
seen God at any time, the only begotten Son
who is in the bosom Of the father. He hath
declared Him" John |, 18). Now, while there
are in the Scriptures this and other apparent
contradictions, there cannot possibly be any
real contradictions uttered by the Holy
Spirit, for He ia q faithful witness and a
spirit of truth We need only to consider
all he nas said on. any subject, and He Him
self win give us light in due time Every
revelation Of God the Father has always been
through the Eternal Son, and only through
the Son can we know the father
12-lS "Moses went into the midst of the
cloud" ~. 49,. This was his fifth ascent and
the first occasion on which he remained forty
days II was at this time be received the
stwo tables which were tho work of God
written on both sides with the writing Of
God Tex. xxi, Is. l6). ~
When the covenant spoken Of In our golden
text shall have been made with Israel. we
shall have gone up In immortal bodies to
meet our Lord in the air so a. to return with
Him when be comes a king Of Israel May
the fire OF His holiness so consume all our
dross even here and now that we may abid.
in Him and reflect His glory while we wait
for that glad day.
! 20 | aAs. ~