The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-23

tlee uQtO PQardO0, tuat tnOu HayeSt DING
forth My people, the children Of Israel, out
of Egypt" We are In this lesson about eighty
years farther on than in the last, for Moses
remained at the court of Pharaoh till he was
forty, and then forsaking Egypt he kept
sheep In Mldian for forty years (Acts vii,
%, 30). He is now at Mount Horeb, and
God is talking to him out of the burning
bush-the bush that burned with fire and
was not consumed (verse p, so suggestive
Of Israel's whole history. To understand
this lesson it is necessary to read Acts vii,
2l-34 Heb. xi., 24-27.
II. "And Moses said unto God, Who am
that I should 60 unto Pharaoh, and that
I should bring forth the children OF Israel
ont OF Egypt2" Three great rs In one little
sentence show that Moses did not take In
the greater OF the previous verse. When
he was forty, he supposed that the people
Of Israel would have understood that he
was their deliverer CActs vii, 25), but he
was then running before he was sent. Now
when God would send him he is unwilling
to 20. Such is man even at his best.
IL. Sand He said, Certainly will be with
thee, and this shall be token unto thee
that have sent thee. When thou hast
brought forth the people out OF Egypt, ye
shall serve God upon this mountain" The
great lesson OF our life is to learn that we
are nothing, but that God is everything.
The promise OF His presence is to my mind
the greatest OF all promises for this present
life. Consider 1t we'll as it was atterward
given to Joshua, to Gideor. to jeremiah and
to the apostles by the Lord Himself (Josb.
l., s; judy. VI, 16; Jer. l., s, 19; Math.
xviii, 20). To many OF us It comes with
greatest power in the words OF our golden
text and Isa. xii, 13.
49, Sand Moses said unto God, behold.
when I come unto the children Of Israel and
shall say unto them, The God OF your fathers
hath sent me unto you, and they shall say
unto me, What is His name2 What shall
say unto them?" This was q far greater
consideration than the ''who am l" Of verse
II. Moses now asks God: "Whom shall
soy that you are?" Jesus was always saying
, that the Father sent Him. You will find Him
referring to 1t over thirty times in the gospel
by John. In His prayer He said concerning
the apostles, "As Thou hast sent Me into
the world. even SO have also ntthem into
the world" (John xviii, 1S). How little We
seem to appreciate it
Il "And God said unto Moses, am that
am. And He said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the children OF Israel, am hath sent me
unto you." Some one has compared this
great name Of God to blank check for any
amount, like the promise OF John xiv, IA,
'If ye shall ask anything in My name, will
do It."
See Jesus filing It in in such passages as
John w., 4S. 81 viii, 12; XIV, 6; xv., /,
and often where we read II am He' it is
really ~ am" the "He' being in italics, as
In John w.. 26: viii, "a, 2S.
Is. .'The Lord God of your fathers, the
, God of Abraham, the God OF Isaac and the
God Of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This
Is my name forever, and this is my memorial
unto all generations" 1t seems to refer to
His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
to give them the land Cps. cv.. S-12). O coy-
cnant which is as lasting as His covenant
with day and night (Jer. xxxiii., 25, 26). and
which He will yet fulfill with His whole heart
and soul (Jer. xxxii., AZ.
l6. $50 gather the elders OF Israel to-
gether and say unto them. The Lord God OF
! your fathers, the God Of Abraham, OF Isaac
and Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, have
surely visited you and seen that which is
! done to you In Egypt" What God says He
will do Is rs sure as il it was already done
Elsa. xiv, "a, 27). He had snid He would
visit them and bring them out OF bondage
(tIen. xv.. IA J., 24). His covenants are on
His part ordered in oil things and sure III
Sam. xiii. 81. and though we may fail He
a5ideth faithful. There is nothing done to
Bis people which He does not count as done
10 HIMSELF whether 1t be good or bad Czech.
II. "And have said, will bring you up
out Of the af1iction OF Egypt unto a land
flowing with milk and honey" See also
verse and chapters xiii, s. xxxii., 8. 1t
may have seemed TO Israel for many long
day that God had forgotten them, and that
their Affections were more than they could
bear, but hear Him in verse 7, 81 have sure.
ly seen the afflction OF My people and have
heard their cry, for know their sorrows."
So to-day He sees all the sufferings OF His
afflicted people and Of the oppressed every
where, and He will deliver. but He urges pa.
tience till He comes (Jas. W, Z, 81
18. "And they shall hearken to thy voice,
and thou shalt come, thou and the elders OF
Israel, unto the King of Egypt, and ye shall
say unto him, The Lord God OF the Hebrews
hath met with u.s." The rest Of the verse
states the request they were to make OF the
was saying all this to Moses out OF the midst
Of the bush that burned with fire, but was
not consumed oversees 2 and ~. 1t was,
however, only when Moses turned aside to
see the strange sight that God spoke with
him. There are many strange things in our
daily lives out OF which God would speak to
! US II We would but turn aside moment to
hear His voice. He tries again and again to
gain our attention, but we are too busy 10
hear.
10. "And am sure that the King CT Egypt
Will hot leC you BO-uO, Aol oy q A1i1faeJ
hand" And SO it turned out, for when
Moses and Aaron went to Pharoah with the
message from the Lord his answer was, Il
know not the Lord neither will I let Israel
90" (chapter v. o. The Lord searcheth all
hearts and understandeth all the magma
tions Of the thoughts q Chron.. xviii, 81,
yet He does not compel, but leaves each one
free to obey or disobey as they think best:
He Is not willing that any should perish (iI
Pet ill.,. 81.
20. "And I will stretch out My hand and
snite Egypt with all MY wonders which I
will do In the midst thereof. and after that
he will let you 60" Pharoah hardened his
heart and refused to humble himself before
God Chapters tx. "a X, 81. The Lord
hardened Pharoahs heart by laying upon
him commands which he would not obey
e., 90, 27 xi., 9, 10), and this led to multi
plying the Lords wonders. Greater won
ders than those Of Pharoah's time are yet to
be wrought in connection with the restora-
tion Of Israel from all lands, and worse
than Pharoah is yet to be dealt with, but the
whole earth shall yet be filled with the glory
of God (AIic. vii, Is, 16; Jer. xiii, 7, 3;
Rev. Kill, S, 6; xvii, Il Ps. lxxii, u, w.
Lesson Helper.
nf la11nre.