The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY 20.
lesson Text: ssThe Childhood Of
Moses" Exodus H., 1-1O-Golden
Text: Psalm xci., 15-Com-
mentary.

I. "And there went O man Of the house OF
Levi and took to wife daughter OF Levi.
| We learn from chapter VI. 20, that the mans
| name was Amram. which signifies an exalted
! people. and that his wife's name was Joche-
! bed, which signifies Jehovah IS honor, and
| that Amram lived 1877 years. Their names
are also given In Mum. xvi, So. with the
/ fact that they had three children-Aaron and
Moses and Miriam, their sister. Levi was
| the third son of Jacob and Leah and his
name signifies joined (Gen. xxx. 34). All
the Levites were atterward joined unto Aaron
| in the special ministry of the tabernacle
| CNam. xviii. q. They were separated from
! among the children of Israel as special
Offering unto the Lord instead OF the first
born Of all Israel and as gift unto Aaron
| CNum. viii. 1919.
| him son. And when she saw him that he
| was q goodly child she hid him three
months" It Is written In Acts viii, 20, that
I he was "exceeding fair" or, as In the mar
| gin, stair to God" He was the youngest Of
| the three children, Miriam being the Oldest
and Aaron next. The testimony In Heb
| Ii, %, Is, 'rBy faith Moses, when he was
born. was hid three months OF his parents,
because they saw he was proper child, and
| they were not afraid OF the kings command
ment" Faith implies promise on the part
| Of God-it Is simply confidence in God that
he will 90 as He has said. God had told
Abraham that he would bring his seed out OF
bondage In the fourth generation CGen.
xv, 16).
8. "And when she could not longer hide
him she took for him an ark Of bullrushes
and daubed it with slime and with pitch and
put the child therein, and she laid It In the
flags by the rive.'s brink" This is the Sec
ond of the three arks mentioned in Scripture,
each one being made for like purpose
viz, to preserve that which 1t contained. Let
any mother in her imagination pass through
this experience and say IL she does not want
to see Jochebed and ask her, How could you
do Il? The river. like the waters OF the
deiuee, meant death. The child is virtually
put In the place of death, and yet It Is evt.
| dent that the mother, like Abraham, believed
| that God would give her back her child.
| There Is no power for God In our lives till We
know the place OF death and resurrection.
See John xii, "a Phil. ILL.,, 10.
! L. "And his sister stood afar of to Wit
| what would be done to him." Let some SIS
| ter who has little baby brother imagine
herself in place Of Miriam. We can fancy
the mother. having obeyed the promptings
| of the Spirit of God, now giving herselfto
earnest prayer In the quiet OF her own home.
| She has obeyed even unto death and now
can truly say, "My soul, wait thou only upon
God, for my expectation Is from Him (Ps.
lxii., 81.
s. "And the daughter of Paaraoh came
down to wash herself at the river, and her
maidens walked along by the rivers side.
| and when che saw the ark among the flags
she sent her maid to fetch It," God Is work.
| ing. He Is in IL. ell, as he Is In everything
| that concerns His people, and Outlines we
| must Just stand still and see what He will do.
| Il Is not till We are at our wits end, all our
| own wisdom swallowed up, that we can see
kh. 4 fha nj
| 27-So, margin).
6. "And when she had opened 1t she saw
the child, and, behold, the babe wept. And
| she had compassion on him and said, This
! Is one OF the Hebrews children" See how
| God works. He gave the daughter OF Pha-
| raoh compassion for the babe. He made the
| babe to be pitied Of her Cps. evil, 49,. How
| little she dreamed who was watching her
and controlling her that day or that she was
looking upon q child chosen by God to shake
| her fathers kingdom to Its very centre! Old
| Simeon and Anna knew that the little child
| In Mary's arms was the Salvation Of Israel
| Gods great Deliverer duke H., 81, Ss) but
| this woman knew nothing.
-. Z. HThen said his sister to Pharaoh's
daughter. Shall go and cali to thee nurse
| Of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse
| thechild for theeY' Can you see Miriam
| standing afar of, and, while she watched the
| spot In the river where her brother lay, lift
| ing up her heart to the God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, that He would save her
| brother? Presently she sees the kings
| daughter draw near to the very spot. on,
how she prays Almost uncoasclously sne
herself draws nigh, she hears the baby cry,
she looks upon him, and with feelings re-
strained lest she betray herself le asks II
| she shall find a Hebrew nurse.
8 "And Pharaoh's daughter said to her,
| 60. And the maid went and called the
| child's mother" Quietly till out Of sight,
but then how swiftly sped she homeward!
| speak when she saw her mother, or must
| she wait to recover breath while the mother,
| with faith and expectation, waits to hear?
Some day they will tell US all about 1t, for It
was day never to be forgotten In that
home Perhaps O mother WHO could do as
! she had done could restrain her joy enough
to sayto Miriam, Let US give thanks to the
( God of Israel. See, my friends, how God
works Blessed indeed are all who yield so
| fully to Him that He can work In them un.
| hindered both TO will and to do Of His good
| pleasure (Phil. H.. 1S).
9. "And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her.
Take this child away and nurse 1t for me.
and will give thee thy wages. And the
| woman took the child and nursed It," With
| emotions controlled she receives into her
arms her own dear child with a promise Of
| wages If she will care for 1t. I wonderif she
| heard that promise OF wages or If Miriam
had afterward to remind her that they might
| as we'll as not have some money that was
| due them from the kings daughter. The
| spelling OF the Egyptians has already begun
| (Gen. xv., "A; Ex. Kill, 30(- And Pharaoh
is used by God to care for and nourish the
| child who shall lead Israel out of his king
| dom. What thanksgiving In the home Of
| Amram See the reward OF faith.
10. "And the child grew, and she brought
him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he be-
came her son. And she called his name
| Moses, and she said, Because drew him out
| OF the water" The king who ordered all
| the male children to be cast into the river Is
actually sheltering one Of those very children
! who shall be the instrument of God against
the kingdom OF Egypt. Thus He that sit
| teth in the heavens laughs ut the vain plot
ting OF satan and Of man against Him. "The
Lord brlngeth the council O. the heavens to
naught. He maketh the devices Of the peo-
pie Of none effect. The counsel Of the Lord
standeth forever the thoughts Of His heart
to all generations. Lesson Helper.