The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1892-11-29

Deut. 1921. "Behold the Lord your
God hath set the land before thee; go
up and possess It."
The children of Israel had reached
the border of the land of Canaan.
They had passed through various
scenes in which the power of God
had been displayed. They had seen
the plaques, with which Egypt had
been visited to induce Pharaoh to re-
lease them from bondage, until they
were contaminated in the death OF
Egypt's first-born. They had beheld
the cloud which went before them by
day and the pillar of fire which pre-
cede9 them by night to guide them
until, pursued by the Egyptian hosts,
! they removed and went behind them
| to protect them from their enemies.
lThey had witnessed the dividing of
1 the waters of the Red Sea, permitting
! the hosts Of Israel to pass over on dry
land, but proving a means OF destruc-
ton to Egypt's proud army. For
nearly two years they had journeyed
| through desert and wilderness, look
ing forward anxiously to the time
when they should enter the land
promised their fathers. All the way
had the glory of God been revealed to
them. They saw it in the Mama
which they gathered for food, but
which, like the dew of the morning
vanished before the rising sun
They found it in the quails, provided
as change of diet, of which they
were permitted to partake in great
abundance. They heard it in the rum.
blings of the thunder and the flash
ings of the lightning at the foot o.
Mount Sinai, when God spoke tc
them with mighty voice. Can il bt
that they will ever forsake that Goo
who has been leading them SO faith
fully? Oh, how soon they forget Hi
leadings and assistance! Their fee
are standing On the brink of Canaan
and the command comes: go up ant
passes the land the Lord your Coz
hath set it before you and into you
hands will He give it."
Behold in this command "the OPP
portunity of Gods chosen People!"
For many lohg years had they bee
looking forward to the time when the,
should become great nation ant
dwell in the land of Canaan whicl
God had promised to their fathe
Abraham. The blessings with whic
fathers blessed their sons was OK
pressive of the desire that they nigh
inherit the land of promise. The par
ing WORDS of Isaac to his son Jaco
were: '.And God Almighty bles
thee, and make thee fruitful, and mul
tiply thee, that thou mayest be mul
titude of people and give the, blessin
of Abraham to thee, and to thy see
with thee, that thou mayest inheri
The land which God gave unto Abra
ham"
When Jacob left that land and wei
down to Egypt at the summons {
Joseph, it was only as sojourner an
with the promise from the Lord thf
there he should become great natio
and should return again to posses
the land. Through all the years {
their bondage they never forgot I'll
promise, and they cried for deliver
ance from the bondage of Egyp
God heard their cry and delivere
them out Of the hands of the Egyl
tians. And now after their long an
. weary journey The opportunity
given them of entering into their pc
session.
: 1t was no mean inheritance tn;
= was theirs. While they had been il
!, creasing in numbers in Egypt, the
promised land had been increasing
wealth. The God who watched ov,
them in their bondage had bee
caring also for their land and W;
, fitting it up for them. It was indee
i land flowing with milk and hone
e The streams which coursed through
= watered its valleys and gave to it
freshness and caused the vegetatio
% to grow with an abundance whiC
gladdened the hearts of the peopl
who had journeyed SO long through
a desert land. The fruit which it bo
h in great abundance could not
re- found in the valley of the Nil
II Olives, pomegranates, figs and crap
is grow with great luxuniance. III