The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-01
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Aug.
II, 1895.

II, 1895.
Subject: The Brazen Serpent. Nu., ALAG.
zone reading these notes should first carefully
| study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated above! ; -
INTRODUCTION.
1t is interesting to notice the revived eager
| ness to understand Gods Word. The Bible is
| indeed wonderful book, and it cannot be
sighted without harm TO State, home, Church.
| The Rev. Dr. NJ w. Jacobus wrote the follow
! ing: I'm pleading for a thorough mastery
of this volume as the bounden duty of every
man, without regard TO his profession, it is
enough to say that this Book is the basis of all
| history for n whole generation of centuries
giving history before other history begins-the
| basis of literature and science, and art Joso-
phus says that whereas other legislators had
| made religion to be n part OF virtue, Moses
made virtue to be part of religion. 1t IS idle
| to ignore the Book. The who affects in
dependence Of it, can yet scarcely think, or
| speak. or act without confessng in fact his in
| dcbtedness TO its wonderful oracles. Yet the
| ignorance remains. The lawyer must surely
know that all Jurisprudence among civilized
! nations POUNDS itself upon the elements of law
as given in this Book. And the politician
may as well admit though he may not consider
or care. that the pattern and principle OF all
| GOOD government Is IOunu III tDo
THE FIERY SERPENTs.
Data.
NJ, 2i:4-6 Read also ST. John, 3: Ii, Is.
| The Wisdom of Solomon, one of the apochryphal
! books, 16: 5-I2 throws much light Oh this sub
| iect Every teacher should read it. No al
| fusion is made to the fiery serpents nor 10 the
brazen SERPENT in the Old Testament save in 2
! XII, 1874.
Lest some may find it inconvenient to get a
copy of the Apochrypha, we give the account
AS there recorded: For when the horrible
fierceness of beasts came upon these, and they
persisted with the stings OF crooked serpents,
thy wrath endured not forever; but they were
| troubled for a small season, that they might be
admonished, having sign of salvation, to put
them in remembrance Of the commandment OF
| thy law For he that turned himself toward
| it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but
By thee, that art the Savior Of all.
But thy sons not the very teeth of venomous
dragons ovorcame; for thy mercy was ever by
them and healed them. For they were pricked
that they should remember thy words; and
| were quickly saved, that not falling into deep
| forgetfulness they might be continually mind
| full of thy goodness For it was neither herb,
nor modifying plaster. that restored them to
| health; but thy word, o Lord, which healeth
! all things"
The Book of Wisdom was written about 100
Be.
| Time.
We date A. NJ 2553. or B. C. 1451-or 3346
| years ago-the 39th year of the Exodus.
We may suppose the account of the fiery SER
penis was written by Moses on the spot.
Place
From Kadesh Barnea the children of Israel
wandered about for 80 years, arriving at length
| at Kadesh. The land of Edom then lay be-
| tween them and the land OF Canaan. They
! sought privilege of going through the territory
of Edom. but were refused. 20: l4-2l. In
deed the Edomites came out in strong forces to
resist any attempted theirs to cross the land
! This refusal obliged the Israelites to make a
long. very tedious and trying route. 1t is no
| wonder that. when 50 near their Promised
| Land it must have been very discOnTaging to
set out again through wilderness tracks.
Edom's earlier name was Mt. SER. 1t was
bounded on the north by Zered, on the south
| by Gulf of Akaba, on east and west by deserts.
! We may estimator as 100 miles long and 20
wide running north and south. Edom is the
same as Idumea meaning red, aud hence CORE
| spending in devotion with the word Esau. 1t
had been Esau's home aud the people were de-
scendants of Esau.
"By the way Of the Red Sea-" V. A. The
! Red Sea throws out two arms. including within
the embrace the Wilderness Of Sinai. The left
hand outreach is known as the Gulf of Suez;
! the righthand one the Gulf of Akaba. BY
Red Sea" in Y. 4 VIC to understand the
eastern gulf or the Akaba Gulf. 1t is also
called the Gulf of Eiath.
| The Israclites were obliged again to put oHt
for the SOUTH a direction opposite to tho course
| leading to Canaan. 1t was not only question
| of time but Of comfort.
The route of the Israelites NOW lay down
the Valley Of ARABIAN. The limestone cliffs Of
| Tih were at their right Tor the westb
they descended toward tho south; the granite
range of Mt. SER was to the east. They went
| in line so parallel to their going up to IA
| desh as almost to touch again at Ezon Geber.
! Not far to the northeast of that place there was
| n gap through the mountains allowing the Is
raelites TO pass TO tho other side into the land
| of Moab, up which they could make a north
ern march into the part of Canaan east OF the
! Jordan.
The Arabah Valley was one very hard, very
annoying very fatigung for travel. We have
accounts by persons experienced in that re-
| gion. Mount H0r is on the southern border
| of Edom, as the boundaries of that country
were then, and from the Mount to Moab, by
the regular routes, was short distance. Now
| the lsraelites, on account OF the mountain
range of SER, across which there is no passage,
must 20 south, to the head OF the Gulf of k
| aba where they would find an opening into
| territory that would allow them TO pursue
| their Journey unmolested. The district which
| they passed over in this attempt to flank the
mountains and the land of Edom was of a ma
| ture to discourage a more hopeful and less
weary multitude of travellers. The wady III
| Arabah, through which the lsraelites went to
| the pass at Akaba, is a desert OF sand aud
gravel, bearing only a few sickly shrubs, which
| contend with the forces OF nature for life, and
| do a little to redeem the spot from utter desc
lation. Into this valley, however. open few
| other wadys which, at their mouth, support
small patches Of fertility. But the region as 4
whole is destitute, arid. Astounding in snakes.
aud often smitten with binding storms of
sand"
They are now obliged to go down that sandy
| depressed plain between tw" lofty mountain
ranges called the 'Arahal ling from the
| foot Of the Dead Sea 10 the Eani-
| tic Gulf. in order to r.a- 'untain-pass
through which they mus compass the
! Journey, by the way of the Red Sea-
| Prof. c. +. Keil wrote: A horrible desert.
with loose, sandy soil, aud drifts of granite and
| other stones, where TERRIBLE sandstorms some
| times arise, and tho want of food might fire.
quently be accompanied by the absence of
| drnkable water" KIN
Mt Hor.
Mt Hor was near Kadesh, little to the
northeast, just the edge of Edom- Aaron
| died there. The people paused for 30 days OF
| mourning 1t is near Petra 1t rises 5000
| feet, a mass of red rock. There is now on one
| of its SUBMITS building, domed, called Aaron's
| tomb. Mt. Hor is in the Seir range of mount
aims 1t is yet called Jebel Harum, or Mount of