The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-08-30
THE SPIES In CANAAN.
international Sunday School Les
son for September q, 1899
Moses Obtains Information CeDcorning the
Land Of Canaan-A Difference Of Opln.
ion-The Israelites Fearful
Faith and UnbelieE


ion-The Israelitcs Fearful
Faith and Unbeliof.
Especially arranged from 8. 8. Quartcrly.l
LESSON TExT--Num. 13:1733.
GOLDEN TExT-Let us go up at once, and
possess III for we are well able to overcome
t.--Num. 1890
CENTRAL TRUrn-Every processing Chris
tian brings good or evil report Of his re-
ligion to the world.
TME-July, August, b. G. 1890 ", 2O).
PARALLEL--Deut. 1:1-98.
PLAcE--The Israelites were encamped at
Kadesh-Barnea, just below the southern
border Of Palestine, fifty miles south Of
Beersheba. 1t was in the northern part Of
the desert of Paran.
INTRODUCTION = In our last lesson we
studied the plan Of Divine guidance through
the wilderness. After the people had been
about year at Sinai, in May, on the Goth Of
the second month of the second year (Num.
10;11), they left Sinai and moved toward
Canaan. Their number was G03,550 men,
besides $4,000 Levites, or, at least 1900, 900
in all They reached Kadesh-B Barnea prob
ably in July or August ". 20).
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-17. Sent them:
twelve chiefs, one from each tribe. THIS
uWD SOttetuufu ThtucTs lHtO LHc k0OuV0-OOuns
try, the southern region Of Palestine, but
north Of their encampment at Kadesh. 20.
Time Of first ripe grapes: July, August. 81.
Wilderness Of Zin. the northern part Of the
desert of Paran, in which Kadesh was
(v.26). 81. Reho6: near the sources of Jordan.
As men come TO Klamath: the entering.in Of
Klamath, now valley Of Baelbek. This was
the northern frontier of Canaan. 90 Chit
drcn Of Andk: giants. %. Brook OF Eshcol.
near Heshbon. Beticeen ttco upon a std6: be.
cause 1t would be crushed II carried any
other way. Some clusters weigh ten or
twelve or even eighteen pounds. 30 Caleb
stflled the people: together with Joshua. Tho
people were excited by the emphasis laid by
the ten spies on tho difficulties Of the way.
They forgot Gods power and His previous
marvellous works, and hence IL was an evil
report. 80. A land that catch up the Ghabitdnts
thereof: either by scarcity Of products, or by
unhealthiness or by feuds and strifcs
CoMMENTs-When Israel came to the bor-
ders Of the promised land, Moses picked out
twelve mon, one from each tribe, and sent
them as spies into the land, that they
pie. The men went, and returned, and told
Of what they had seen. The land was
very fruitful land and, rs they expressed
1t, Flowed with milk and honey" They
also brought back some of the fruit Of the
land, that the people might see with their
own eyes that their report was not exag-
gerated. But when 1t came to the ques-
tion as to whether they were able to drive
out the inhabitants of tho country, the
twelve were divided in their opinion. Ten
of them affirmed that it was impossible for
them to conquer the tribes that dwelt there.
They said that in the sight OF those men
they were but as grasshoppers. The giants
were too many and too strong for them to
encounter safely. Caleb and Joshua,
however, prepared minority report, in
which they said that with Gods help they
were quito competent to occupy the land.
They said that instead of being only grass.
hoppers, they would themselves "eat up"
the people, 80 that they would be STOOD for
u.s." Tho report of the majority made the
deepest impression upon the people, who
were filed with fear, and, as we shall SEQ
in our next lesson, rebelled against God and
Moses.
We have seon how Unbelief said /" No."
and how Faith said " Yes," to the question
as to whether they could possess the land.
Now let the teacher pass on to consider
how in these times the same answers are
given by different persons as the ques-
tions Of duty are presented to them. Often
in o time Of revival the question as TO
whether we ought to become Christians is
presented to US. Tho anxious soul looks
out into tho future, and secs all manner Of
difficulties ahead. Possibly, like the ten
spies, he acknowledges that the land of
Christian experience is good land, and he
longs to possess it. But then there arc the
difficulties in tho way, and they appear to
him again like "giants." In view of them
he feels like grasshopper. He says: "I
can not overcome my old appetites and pas
sions, for they are too strong" Or he sees
that he will have to break with his old COM
panions, and he Is afraid that the pull will
be too great. Or else he thinks he will have
TO give up some things that he dearly
loves, and he is afraid to do that Or it
may be that he Is troubled with the thought
that he will not bo able to hold out. Ten
voices cry out that he is not able to possess
the land, and so he gives up the thought,
and turns his face backward to Egypt once
more. Is that person right in his judgments
Yes no is right in every thing but ono.
What Is tho one thing in which he 10 In the
wrongi 1t is this: He has counted without
God. No one alone can fight the good fight
successfully. We may well exclaim "Who
Is sufficient for these things?" But II only
we will do as Caleb and Joshua did, and
look upward to God, all will change at once.
Then VIC can say, as the apostle Paul said |:
II con do all things through Christ, who
strengthencth me-" God and Israel to-
gether are stronger than all the giants of
Canaan. And just so God and the weakest
child are stronger than all the temptations
that the world can offer to throw in my
pathway,-Rep A. r, SehduIfer
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
/. God Is leading us toward tho promised
land of holy life and Heaven.
2. God has sent to US in this life foretastes
of the blossedness beyond.
3. There arc difficulties in the way, enc
mics, opposition, temptations, troubles.
4. But God has proved that He will over
come them for US,
8. Christians are ever making reports to
the world of their religion, by word and by
life.
0. Those who yield to sin, who see the
dangers more than the good, who distrust
God, bring an evil report.
Z. Those who live good lives, who trust In
God, who are filled with joy, peace and good
works, bring good report.
s. We ought TO become Christians, what
ever difficulties ore In the way.
-
NEVER give way to melancholy. Nothing
encr0aches more. fight against il vigor-
ously One great remedy is to take short
views Of life. Are you happy' Arc you
likely to remain SO till this evening, or
next month, or next yeari Then why destroy
v,raao,,t hanniuaaa hu dictant ,,t.o-,,