The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-13

VI IA <tllEflCdH oOClcty Vi 1e-
iigious Education.
CThese lessons constitute the Sunday
school extension department of the above
named society. All who study them are
requested to send their names, postoffice
ADDRESS and denomination. mentioning
th'S paper, to the author at Washington,
l.. e, for enrollment-)
CONTEXT.-The Ten Commandments,
treated in our last lesson. were delivered
by the voice of God. The form of the reve-
lation was more than the people could
bear, and they prayed Moses that he would
speak to them in the place of God. He
therefore drew near to the thick darkness
where God was, while the people stood
afar off. And he received a series of pre-
cepts as a practical Interpretation of the
Decalogue. Part of these were civil. per-
tanning to the various relations of life, and
part of them covered sacred things. Pun
ishments were fixed for offenses. and in
structions were delivered concerning the
ark. the mercy seat. the golden candle
stick, the tabernacle, the altar. the priests
and their garments, the sacrifices and cere-
monies. All this was written down by
Moses. and the ten laws were craven in
stone by the finger of God. Forty days and
forty nights were thus passed in the noun
tain. (Ex. xiv, 49,
DIsCoNTENT.-At length the people
grew weary and restless. The monotony of
camp life led to suspicious and whisper
ings. They could not understand the long
delay, and lost confidence in Moses as a
leader. Not knowing when he would re-
turn Matt. xiv. 49,, they murmured as
they had done before lex xiv, iD, because
he had induced them to leave Egypt. But
I,A r-f, 4L>a- - L. ~ r&-l
of their fathers eek iii, I'D, and desiring to
be moving toward it. they determined on
another leadership. Thoroughly imbued,
however, with the religious spirit, they did
not thin of departing in their W
strength, nor yet did they propose to elect
public assembly TO consider the subject,
they demanded of Aaron, Moses's brother,
that gods should be made TO go before
of the commands just delivered. Ex. Xxx, 8.
A. They showed how unable they were to
hold to the high ideal of a monotheistic
system, and subject themselves to a su-
preme spirit. CActs xix, 26.)
WEAKNESS.-Aaron was not the man
f9r tee st 4ssayiSn, of He his DID bro n4s possess fo wh the
he was only an assistant eek. Nv, 1D; nei-
ther had he received such direct communica-
tions from God as Moses had eek. iii, ~
to confirm his faith. We cannot judge his
motive. whether he was timid or unbeliev-
ins-he seems afterward to have been ir-
T6SOlule anu SupefSlltfOuS. tEA. AAAltl, IL
24.) He yielded &c the popular clamor, and
directed the earrings TO be brought to
him for the entire assembly. These orna-
ments had been obtained from the Egyp-
tians lex. xii, 80. 36), and were marks of
honor. Ezek. xvi. IL, 12) The Orientalists
were accustomed to wear jewelry. Gene
a s1s n fylV' was ss-4 Very a great. s0" Sadses v 3hf
24-27.) The people cheerfully complied with
this request, and gave up their most
precious things, stripping themselves of or
nampnfS that idols might he made for
them. The spirit Of self-denial was ad-
mirable.
secrated their treasure the wa was open
to speedy national apostasy. The craving
tools. made for another purpose lEx.
xviii, 81, were used to carve out the form
of a calf, the emblem of Osiris, one of the
national divinities of Egypt This figure.
probably of wood, was covered with the
molten gold of the earrings. When the
workmen had completed their task Aaron
caused the calf to be set up on the plain
and an altar erected before it. Then came
the public proclamation, These be thy
gods" and on one OF the feast days, set
apart for divine worship. solemn rites were
offered to the new god. This done, with
engage in sports. after heather custom.
Thus Israel had cast off Jehovah and re-
turned to the god of Egypt. Five centuries
tablished by Jeroboam Il Kings, xii, 2S),
which sin was denounced by the prophets
Hos; viii. ., 81. and freauent illusions to
IL III saw GU S&Ao 49,
DIsCoVEREDEwhile all this was trans
piring Moses. 1.-THE man of God Oeut.
xxxiii, d., was in the mount, neither eating
nor drinking eek. xxxiy. 2g. receiving divine
instruction for Israels future. One man
alone for God, millions arrayed against
builded, and at the same time demolished.
In the heights. faith. In the low grounds.
unbelief. The interview between Moses and
from the latter that the people had gone
astray. Oversees 7-s) The all-seeing eye, that
penetrates into the remotest corner and be,
witnessed idoIatrous1 Israers wickedness
through the days of complaint, of consulta-
ton, of construction and of formal worship.
What a spectacle spread out before the
searching gaze of a beneficient God. Mans
sin illustrates Gods plan. Qsa. lx, % How
comprehend their privilege and cooperate
with God luke xix. 42) Go, get thee
down. was the Lords direction to Moses.
no more laws or institutions can be set
forth until the abomination is removed
from the plain.
CONFERENCE.-The lesson committee
omits verses 9 to 20. which the student
should read. The intercession of Moses for
his people. his descent from the mountain,
his destruction of the calf, his complaint
against Aaron, his slaughter OF three thou
sand offenders. his RECONSIDERATION of the
Levites, that he might be "a assured Sres of OF faith
how heroic deeds are required in an hour of
peril. When all this was done Moses spoke
to the people. Verse 30.) He came TO them
as a man sent from God Gohn i, 81, Jealous
for His honor. He charged them with their
sin. There was no word of apology or of
doubtful import. 1t was a direct. clear-cut
message: "Ye have sinned a great SIM
sent home to their consciences. Isa. lviii.
IL 1t was just such a message as every
minister will deliver if he is anxious to
save men from their transgressions. Blu
| Moses did not leave the people trembling
simply to condemn and convict. but to re-
claim and restore. Grateful, indeed. must
have been his prefer of intercession. Il
will so up unto the Lord. peradventure j
| shall make an atonement for your SIM"
| PRAYER.-Israel lay in their camps or
the plain, while Moses again sought the
mountain top. Their hopes now centereC
| courses by which the Almighty might &C
complish His plainly mercy and by justice
He had proposed the latter eek. 1O. Offering
to destroy Israel. as He had destroyed ths
antediluvian world. and TO make Noses him
self, as He had made Abraham, the progeni-
tor of a new race. Little did the :do,ater:
known that the sword Of divine justice was
already drawn for their destruction. Moses
went up into the mountain to stay the
| avenging hand and secure mercy. 1t was q
desperate case. He confessed before the
Lord that the people had sinned (Verse 80
and then he threw his own life PROSTATE
before God as a ransom, mat Israel might
live. 1t. was a remarkable self sacrifice
upon the altar for q nations sake. IF thou
wilt not forgive, blot me. l pray thee. out OF
thy book" Verse 3D. That was Christ
most marvellous display of vic~ariousness e
he found in tho Old Testament. 1t marks