The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-09-08
UNBELIEF.
International Sunday.school Les
son for September o. 1888.
Tho Israelites Murmur Against Moses and
Aaron - Joshua and Caleb Declare
Them seives-The Consequences
of the Rebellion.
Especially arranged from S. S. Quarterly.

GOLDEN TEXr-So we see that they could
not enter in because Of unbelief-Heb.
3l9.
CENTRAL TRUTH-Unbehef leads 10 weak
ness and failure and sin; and shuts out OF
Heaven.
TINE ugust-Se b. c. 1890 Soon
after the return OF the spies
PLAcE-Kadesh-B arnea, at Ain Kadecs,
on the southern border Of Palestine.
NEW TESTAMENT LIGuT-Heb. 3:7-l9
MOSES REvIEw-Deut l:l946. CALEBs
REvIEw-Josh. IA 6-l4.
CIRCUMATANCEs-The children OF Israel
were on the borders Of the promised land.
They were commanded TO go up and possess
it, but were afraid and sent twelve spies.
These all reported an exceeding good land,
but defended by warriors, giants and walled
cities. Ten Of the spies discouraged the
people, forgetting Gods power to overcome
ali enemies. The people were greatly dis
heartened, in spite Of the efforts Of the
other two spies.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs-Lifted up their
coiee: in loud wailing and crying q Muir
INJURED against Moses: and thus against God,
who had appointed and guided him. Would
God that We had died: death in the wilderness
seemed better than the lsbors and dangers
of conquest. 3. Wherefore hath the Lord:
they complain now directly against God. 8.
Noses and Aaron feu on their faces: in prayer.
3. Rent their clothes: in token Of sorrow and
of the evil to which the people exposed
themselves. 2. An exceeding good land: this
was their first argument g. II the Lord:
this was their second argument; God would
give the land to them. 9. only rebel not:
another argument Refusal to go was re-
bellion. 1t was better to have the giants
against them, than to have God against
them. They are bread for us: we will eat
them up as q hungry man eats bread. Their
d>fense is departed: God was against them,
condemning them to destruction for their
sins. Internal wars or danger Of An attack
from Egypt may have weakened them. 10.
The glory Of the Lord app AIRED: in unusual
brillixnce, in flashes of dangerous light in
the pillar Of cloud.
TIE FRUITS OF UNBELIEF--God proposed
to Moses to destroy the Israelites with
pestilence and make new nation from
Noses Tvs. IL, 49,
The INTERCEssIoN-Bu But Moses interceded
for the people with all his heart.
The PARDoN-God granted the people
pardon, but it did not include relief from
all the consequences Of their sin. They
were not disinherited; but they needed
to inherit the promised land.
THE PUNIsHMENT-Every person over
twenty years of age must die before the
nation could enter Canaan, and the people
must endure forty-years' discipline IN the
wilderness. Only the two faithful spies, of
all tho people, should see the land Of prom
Use. Their unbelief led to cowardice cow
ardice to rebellion; rebellion TO exclusion
from their lOngcherished hopes.
NOrE-Forgiveness does not remove all
the consequences Of SIM but it restores to
Gods favor, it keeps US in the family OF
God.
NoTn-Unbelief keeps US from every
promised land. 1t keeps US out Of Heaven;
but it also keeps US from usefulness. from
success, from goodness, from happiness.
CoMxENrs-After the unbelieving report
of the ten spies, the people were filled with
fear. All night the voice Of weeping was
heard in the camp. Plunged in despair, the
people murmured against Moses and his
brother, and wished that they had died in
Egypt, or persisted IN the wilderness. They
went further than this, and actually charged
God with having brought them into the
wilderness to fall by the sword. They then
began to take counsel to elect for them
selves q leader, and return to the land Of
their captivity! To stay the tide Of sense
less feeling, Moses and Aaron fell on their
faces before the people, while Caleb and
Joshua tried in vain to reassure them that,
with the help Of God, they were well able
to possess the land. But all was useless
The people in their blind rage took up stones
and were about to stone them to death
Had 1t not been for the miraculous interpo-
sition Of God, these noble men would have
hnA HI 1o1 hn
jurcture, God revealed His glory in such
Overwhelming manner that the people were
restrained from carrying out their
wicked designs. The consequence Of this
rebellion of theirs was that none Of
those who were over twenty years OF
age entered the land, but all, after forty
years of wandering, fell in the desert.
"They could not enter in because of unbe-
liefr' Had they only trusted the power and
promise of God, they would all have been
safe IN the land, probably, within less than
month. AS it was, they never got in at all.
How was it that the people acted as they
didi How could they thus rebel against
their earthly rulers, and even against God
Himselfl 1t was because they were more
willing to listen to the words Of men than
to the promises Of God. Had they listened
! to the voice of Faith, they would have heard
her say: "God has already delivered US
often. He has never failed us in our times
of need Therefore He will not fail us now"
Instead, therefore, Of murmuring, they
would have betaken themselves to prayer,
aud the result would have been that God
would have given them victory over all
their foes. 1t was the hearkening to the
voice of unbelief, that was the source Of all
their woes. Faith said: 1--WE can get in"
And it would have got in. Unbelief said:
1--WE can not get in" And it did not enter
the land.-Reu. 4. r. Schauticr.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
l. Unbelief is weak, cowardly, discourage
ing, unhappy.
9 According to your faith it shall be done
unto you; the Israelites did not believe they
could enter the promised land, and they did
not enter.
( 8 Unbelief is the short road to failure.
l. Prayer and work are our resources in
! the time Of trouble.
S. 1t is only bad cause that needs to per-
secute opponents.
,.sa6 God comes in time to defend His chill
Iren.
z. The presence of God convinces Of SIM
g. Those who will hot believe shut them