The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-08-08
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
AUGUST ~.
Lesson Text: "The Brazeu Ser
pent." Mum. xxi, 4-o-Golden
Text; John ILL.,, IA
Commentary.

=. And thcy lourneyet from Mount n VI
by the way OF the Red Sea, 10 compass ths
land OF Edom, aud the soul of the peoplr
was much discouraged because Of the wgv "
Edom was Esau, Jacobs brother. So the
Edomites were near kiusmen of Israel.
according TO the flesh. Yet they refused to
allow Israel 10 pass through their land, al
though Israel offered to pay for the water
they might use while passing through (xN.,
1S-2D. In the previous chapter we have
also an account OF the death OF Mirinn
in the first month. ana the death Of Aaron
in the lith month of the fortieth wear
Sec chapter XNXiii.. 80. We find IsrRel I'm
this lesson about where we saw them ir the
last lesson. but II is thirty-eight years later
In the story. Hundreds Of thousands have
died In the wilderness, aud "A new genera
ton has grown up. vet OF those thri weight
years of wanderings because of their nm.
belief we know scarcely anything. They
were out Of fellowship. and IL was los, time.
We are reminded OF the thirteen wear. ot
Abrams life Of which we know nothing
(Gen. xvi, lG; xviii. ~. and Of the lost time
otthe Nazariie (Num. vi, I'D. When We mr.,
out Of fellowship with God through unbs.
lief or wOrlhliness. the time H. lost. We nrp
reminded that the journey of life is often n
weary one to the flesh. but " we ARE in Christ
who is 1.-THE way (John xiv. G). and will
continually "considcr Him" and "look unto
Him (lieb. xii., 3 81, we will be- greatly
helped and strengthened and will not bp ,lis-
couraged. even through our own relations
turn against us. Think of the brothcrof
Abel. the brethren Of Joseph and Of David.
and even the brethren Of Jesus did NOT nj
one time believe In Him John vii, -.
8. "And the people spakc against God and
against Moses, Wherefore have We brought H.
up out of Egypt to die In the wilderncssY for
there Is no bread, neither is there any wntnr
and our soul loathcth this light bread" rs.
ixxviii tells the story Of their sin from Ina.
lFlnninv 4 p
"Ye have been rebellioGs against the Lord
from the day that | knew YOU" In Mum.
Xi.. 1. IL is written that "whcn the pponlr
complained, II displcased the Lord" And In
Ps. Kew, 10, the Lord Himself SAYS. .Tnrtv
years long was | grieved with this prnnrn.
ton What relief 10 turn 20 Him ot whom
Il Is said by the Father. This IL Nv Beloved
Son, In whom / am well plcaspd," and to
hear the Son Himself say, II do alwnys
those things that please Him (Nlath. xviii. I.
John viii. 800. The Word for US Is. DO nj,
things without murmurings or disputing.
''Be content with such things ~ We have
Qhil. H., Ii; Heb. Kill. D; see also Cor
x, 6-l3).
o. "And the Lord sent fiery .prppni.
among the people, and they bit tho proplr
and much people Of Israel died" In Jninr.
ill.,, s, II Is said that the tongue IL an unruiy
evil full OF deadly poison AMI of sinner. il
Is said In Rom. ILL.,, 10, "rhc poison of asp4
Is under their lips" The people had bcrp
slandering God with the poison of their
tongues and now they are rcapiug as they
sowed. They sowod the wind and they nrp
reaping the whirwind (Gal. vi. :: Hos. viii.
y. Sometimes n swift reckoning overtnkp,
the sinner, as In the case OF Korah and his
companion, Achan also. and Annnias ami
Sapphira, but II is always preceded by much
long suffering and patient forbearance as in
the days OF Noah He that being often re-
proved, hardeneth his neck. shall suddenly
be destroyed and that without remedy
prov. xxx, u. because there Is wrath.
lest lie take thee away with His stroke; then
great ransom cannot deliver thee"
Dob. xxxvi., 49,
Z. Wherefore the people came 10 Moses
and said. We have sinned, for we have
spoken against the Lord aud against thee.
Pray unto the Lord that lie take away the
serpents from US. And Moses prayed for
the people, In Ps. evil. we read again and
again that they cried unto the Lord in their
trouble, and IIo heard aud delivered them.
He IL iull OF compassion and forgiveness.
and for Us II IL written that 'if we confess
our sins, He Is faithful and just to forgive "
our sins and TO cleanse Us from all unright.
oousness' Il John L., ~. There f. a better
way to live, however, than that of constant
SHINING and repcnting. We may walk In the
light as He is In the light, have fellowship
with Him and rejoice in the blood that
cleanseth from all sin Il John l., -. We
shall never on this side Of the glory ceasc To
need that cleansing blood. but we may have
wonderful victory over sin and fellowship
with God.
y. "And the Lord said unto Moses. Make
thee fiery serpent and set 1t upon u pole. aud
| II shall come 10 pass that every ono that il
! bitten when he looketh upon IL shall live. "
How strange the remedy, Il likeness ef that
which slew them! How suggestive Of tho
| Lord Jesus, who took upon Him our like
ness, the likeness Of sinful flesh aud was
made sin for US (Rom. wilt, >. III Cor. ", I'D
| The serpent brought death, and the likeness
OF the serpent brought life. by Adam came
sin and death and the curse by the Son of
! God In the likeness OF Adam made u curse
| for us, come life and health and peace (RDm.
W, 12.. III Gal ILL.,, l3). How simple the way
| OF life! Though all but dead from the ser
| pent's bite, II but the glazing eye could see
| the braZen serpent there was life
o. And Moses male q serpent OF brass and
put II upon pole, and II came 10 pass that
II a serpent had bitten any man, when he
! beheld the serpent OF brass, he lived" Ia
| John ill.,, Il, 10, see the Saviour applica-
ton OF this 70 Himself. Write your own
name in full In John ill.,, 10, instead OF the
| words 1.-THE world and whatsoever and
| believe TINT God means you, and the beiey-
| ing look upon Him who died for you, In the
light of John l., ~, will surely bring you
| life. III G, ii. Spurgcon, now resting from
his labors, passed from death to life by n
| look, la obedience to Isa. XIV. 22. you can
| do the same II you will. The atonement has
been made; the work Of providing redcmp.
iton has been finished. Christ died for our
sins, according to the Scriptures; He was de-
| livered for our offenses and raised again for
our justification, and now the penitent sinner
who honestly receives Him is Instantly justi.
fled from all things and made accepted IN
| the Beloved q Cor XIV, 3; Rom iv.. 80;
Eph. l., O. 7; Acts Kill, 80, 39).-Lesson
Helper.