The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-09-14
THE SNIITTEN ROCK.
LESSON XII, THIRD QUARTER, IN
TERNATiONAL SERIES, SEPT. 10.

I6SSON NVy fVV|NO 1OPN|C Nv
TERNATioNAL SERIES, SEPT. 10.
Text Of the Lesson. Mum. II. l-iS-COm-
matt Verses Z. 8-Goiden Text. Cor. 4,
documentary by Rev. ID. NJ. s,earns.
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of II. Is. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
publisher.
l. 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 COM
pare XXX, 2S, and xxxiii, 3S), 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 be-
cause OF disobedience and they have made
no progress. Here is brought before us a
weighty principle which we would do well to
consider When Abram left Bethel and went
down to Egypt because of the famine he was
out of communion with God, and found only
trouble until he got back to Bethel Gen.
xii, 10; xiii, 81 When he listened to Sarai
concerning Hagar, which was suggestion
Of the flesh, we find a blank in his life
of thirteen years. Gen. xvi, 10; xvii, ~ II
you would reconcile the apparent discrepancy
between the 480 years of / Kings vi, l, and
the 513 years Of Acts xiii, 1871, plus David's
40 and 5 of Solomon, total 573, you have
only to add up the lost time of the captivities
of Judges iii, 8, IA; Nv, 2, 3; vi, /; xiii, l,
which gives you 90 lost years when the ma
o,1tN ~ all IN hp0QuSA
of sin; this subtracted from 573 gives 4SO 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 vi, 12 when
ever he was defiled by any uncleanness, the
days Of his defilement were lost; SO every
day or hour in which we are not practically
separated to God is just time lost, for all is as
lost that is not done in fellowship with God.
2. ''No water, they gathered
against Moses" At Marah the bitter waters
had been made sweet, and at Reph1dim
abundance of water had been brought from
the smitten rock for them (Ex. XIV, xviii, but
they were SO forgetful and unbelieving.
3-5. "Would 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 that great
change are generally content to leave the
time and way to Him who orders all things
for 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 be revealed in u.s."
6 "They fell upon their faces; and the
glory of the Lord appeared unto them"
Thus did Moses and Aaron, and this is our
wisdom in every difficulty. We rest on Thee,
o Lord our God let not man prevail against
us was the cry of Asa. o our God, we have
no might. neither know we what to do, but
our eyes are upon Thee! was the prayer of
5ehoshaphat iii Chron xiv, IL; Xxx, 12), 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, will cause us more often
to seo' His glory
The orders were simple, and all that was re-
obedience to these orders and the results
would surely follow, just as the Lord said
The rock had been smitten at Rephidim 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
plies from Him daily. Christ our rock has
been once snstten, once for all, and the sup
ply of living water is abundant Our sins
were laid on Him on Calvary; He made pro-
pitiation for the sins of the whole world; He
now liveth to make intercession for all who
accept the forgiveness thus obtained There
is no more laying sins on Him, no more bruis-
ing of Him: but if we transgress and the
stream of grace runs low to us, we have only
to speak to Him in honest confession and
there shall be cleansing and restoration.
0. Moses took the rod from before the
Lord" After the rebellion of Korah, Da-
than and Abiram, tie rod Of Aaron which
budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed
blossoms, and yielded almonds, all in one
hight, was laid up before the Lord to be kept
'or a token against the rebels and their muir
nurings xvii, S-1O; this rod Moses was
20 take in his hand as witness against them
when he went forth to speak to the rock
10. "Must we fetch you water out of this
'ock?' Although they had been on their
aces before God, they still prove themselves
tut weak and sinful mortals; the flesh, the |
Id man, is not reckoned dead, and the Holy |
spirit is grieved. All the Moses and Aarons
hat ever lived could not fetch drop of |
water of any rock, but God hath said:
Speak, and it shall give forth his water"
'he sun gives its light and heat, and the
LIQUIDS give their rain, but all the philoso-
hers and scientists of the age cannot fetch
ither light or heat from the sun or a drop of
ain from the clouds. God has given to us
Lis Son, and in Him all blessings temporal
nd spiritual for time and eternity We have
My to open to Him that He may come in
nd feast us with His fullness.
II. 'He smote the rock twice" A gracious
rod would not let even this rebellious people
lffer because of the sin of His servant
Ioees, and so ''the water came out album
antly." One has said that ''Grace
spite of Moses failure" and is it
OF just SO every daya Who is there that
,rves God without sins And yet He per-
tits such sinful messengers as we are to be
lannels of blessing to Others
IL. Eye believed me not, to sanctify me-"
he eyes of Israel were by the words of Moses
!