News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-09-13
THE |. S. S. LESSON.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Fol
SEPTEMBER 10,

! Lesson Text: THE Feast of Tab
ernacles," Lev, xiii, 33-44-
Golden Text Ps. cxviii.,
15-Commentary on
the Lesson.
| I. The first verse of our lesson finds the
| people once more at Kadesh, just where we
left them in our last lesson xiii, 26). Thirty
| eight years have passed since the spies
| searched out the land, the forty years from
| Egypt have now about expired compare Xxx,
| 2S, and xXxiii., 3Sl, and they are again at the
| borders of the promised land. OF the history
| of those thirty eight years we know almost
| nothing; it was time lost because OF dlsoOe-
| dience, and they have made no progress
| Here is brought before us a weighty prlncl-
| pie which we do well to consider. When
| Abram left Bethel and went down to Egypt
| because of the famine he was out of COM
munion with God, and found only trouble
| until he got back to Bethel. Gen. XII, 10;
| xiii, s. When he listened to Saral con-
| corning Hagar, which was suggestion
| of the flesh, we find blank in his lie OF
| thirteen years. Gen. xvi, l6 xvii, IL Ii
| you would reconcile the apparent diScrep-
| ancy between the $50 years of l Kings vi, l,
| and the 5l3 years of Acts xiii, 11-2l, plus
| David's 40 and 3 of Solomon, total 513, you
|
tivities of Judges iii, S, II; iv., :, 3; vi, l;
| xiii |, which gives you IS lost years when
| the nation was out of fellowship with God
| because of sin; this subtracted from 513 gives
| $50 and proves both records correct. When
we can look at things from Gods standpoint
| we shall find all the apparent contradictions
| in Scripture vanish as mist before the sun.
| In the law of the NaZarite (Num. wi, ~
| whenever he was defiled by any unceanness,
| the days of his defilement were lost; so every
!,
! separated to God is just time lost, for all Is
| as lost that is not done in fellowship with
| God.
?. 'No water, ;" they gathered
| against Moses" At Marah the bitter
| waters had been made sweet, and at
Rephidim abundance of water had been
brought from the Smitten rock for them
lex. XIV, xviii, but they were SO forgetful
and unbeiieving. How refreshing it would
have been to such as Moses and Aaron, Caleb
and Joshua if the leaders had only come say
ing, let US wait upon God who supplied our
need at Marah and Rephidim, for our supply
seems to be failing us. But no, they were
too much like ourselves; forgetful of past
mercies, willful and ungrateful, it is easier
and more natural to get provoked and find
fault because everything is not Just at hand
he moment we want it.
3-5. "Wnuld God that we had died.
Those who seem so anxious for death are not
always the most ready when it comes; and
those who are really ready for tn great
change are generally content to leave the
time and way to Him who orders all things
Tor the best to those who love HIM. ITO die
is GAIN for all those who can truly say: For
me to live is Christ" To depart and be with
Christ is far better than such suffering as
Paul endured, and yet Paul was willing to
endure, knowing that ''the sufferingS of this
present time are not worthy TO be compared
with the glory which shall I've revealed in us
! wish that all who read this might see clearly
that our fitness for heaven depends solely
and entirely on the merits of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
This evil place; no seed, or figs, or vines,
or pomegranates. OF water 1t is surel Y toe
bad to refuse the good things which God of
feTs to us, and then complain of the evil
things of our own choice. They might have
been living in the land of figs and vines for
the last thirty-eight years, and had no one to
blame for being out of it tut themselves God
offers to us life eternal the forgiveness of all
our sins and .Oint heirshp with Christ in
His kingdom: an earnest of the JOY and peace
and glory of this kingdom is ours here and
now and every day by simple faith i'll God
looking unto Jesus and a willing surrender
and obedience to the holy spirit. If we are
not en- ioying constantly this rest of faith,
this Righteousness and peace and Joy in the
Holy Ghost there can only be one reason, and
that is our unbelief. A mind STAYED on Him
is perfect peace, and faith in Him is con
slant victory.
J. They fell upon their faces; and the
glory of the Lord appeared unto them"
Thus did Moses and Aaron, and this is cur
wisdom in every difficulty. We rest on Thee,
o Lord our God, let not man prevail against
us! was the cry of Asa. y cur God, we have
no might, neither know we what to do but
our eyes are upon Theel was the prayer of
Jehoshaphat IL Chron. xiv, IL; XX, ~, and
in each case there was great victory. More
humbling of self in the dust before God and
whole hearted reliance upon Him, with a
readiness to do whatever He says, or be still
and see Him work, viii cause Us more often
to see HIS glory.
{, s. Take the rod, speak unto the rorll'
The orders were simple, and all that was Te-
CURED of Moses was simple and imp icit
obedience to those orders ami the results
would surely follow, Just as the Lord said.
The rock had been smitten at Rephidm and
water in abundance had flown forth; that
water went with them, and if there was any
deficiency in the supply it was because of
their sin, to prove them and lead them back
to Him, for He would have us draw our sup
ply from him daily. Christ our rock has
been once smitten. once for all, and the sup
ply of living water Is abundant.
9. Moses took the rol from before the
Lord After the rebellion of kOrah Ia
than and Abiram, the rod of Aaron which
budded. and brought forth buds, AMI
bloomei blossoms, AMI yielded almonds, all
i'll one night, was laid up before the Lord TO
be kept for token against the rebels and
their murmurings xvii, $40; this rod
Moses was to take in his hand as witness
against them when he went forth to speak to
the rock. That rod was q testimony to the
chosen and sanctified priesthood Of Aaron
and to the constantly flowing streams of
grace to Israel through that priesthood.
10. Must we fetch you water out of this
rockm Althou III they had been on their
faces before God, they still prove Themselves
but weak and sinful mortals; the flesh, the
Old man, is not reckoned dead, and the Holy
Spirit is grieved. All the Moses and Aarcns
Hl,,N g. Il, i ~xDf
water of any rock, but God hath said
Speak, and it shall give forth his water"
The sun gives its light and heat, and the
clouds give their rain. but all the philoso-
pliers and scientists of the age cannot fetch
either light or heat from the sun or drop of
rain from the clouds. God has given to us
His Son, and in Him all blessings temporal
and spiritual for time and eternity. We
have only to open to Him that He may come
in and feast us with His fullness.
IL. He smote the rock twice. A gracious
Col would not let even this ebellious people
suffer because of the sin of Ii is servant Moses,
and so 1.-THE water came out abunda ntly."
One has said that 'Grace triumphed spite of
MoseSS failure and is it not just every
day! Who is there that serves God without
sin? And yet He permits such sinful mes
sengers as we are to be channels of blessing
to others. Surely His grace is exceeding
abundant
u tYe believed me not, to sanctify me-
The eyes of Israel were by the words of
Moses and Aaron directed to them, an | not
to the Lord, as if Moses and Aaron were sup
plying their need. 1t is written: 81 am the
Lord; that is Nv name, and My glory will |
not give to another" lisa. xiii, s., and again:
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord"
Il Cor. l., 81. Whenever as teahers or
preachers we allow the eyes of the people to
rest on US or our talents or our wisdom we
are then failing to sanctify the Lord before
them and disqualifying ourselves to be their
leaders.
Is. He was sarctified in Them What |
ever be the sin and failure of the people or
their leaders God will through it all main
ain the glory of his name. That name is
'ecorded in Elk. xxxiv, 81, as 1.-The Lord, the |
Lord God, merciful and gracious" etc, and |
rully His mercy and grace are magnifed i'll
his lesson 1t all seems to come home to us.
aging: Let Him who redeemed you have |
His own way with you, and rejoice thou in
Him: let Him lead you as He will, and fol |
ow thou closely, resting in His love, and let /
your song ever be, not |, but Christ; mag |
lify His holy name.-LeSsOH Helper.
The balance of trade between this
country and Europe is now positively |