The Afro-American., 1895-09-07
bAbbA II 81 IA
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
AUGUST III.
Lesson Text: aThe Brazen SER
pent' Mum. XXI. 4-9-Golden
Text: john ffi.. IL
Commentary.

& And they jionEneyed from Mount Ho,
/ by the way of the Red Sea. to compass NM
/ land of Edom, and the soul of the neonIe
| was much discouraged because of the wav. -
/ Edom was Esau, Jacobs brother. So the
EdOmites We're near kinsmen of Israel
according to the flesh. Yet they refused ~
allow Israel to pass through their land. nj.
though Israel offered to pay for the water
they might use while passing through Xxx,
1920. In the previous chapter we have
also an account of the death of Miriam
in the first month. ana the death of Aaron
| in the fifth month ~ s.ne fortieth year.
See chapter xxxiii., IS. We find Israel in
this lesson about where we saw them in the
last lesson. but it is thirty-eight years later
in the story Hundreds of thousands hava
died in the wfldarness, and a new genera
ton has grown 31p. yet of those thirty-eight
years OF wanderings because of their IN
belief we know scarcely anything. They
were out of fellowship, and it was lost time
We are reminded of the thirteen wears of
Abrams life of which we know nothing
(Gen. xvi, 16; xvii. y. and Of the lost time
ofthe Nazarite (Num. vi. 12). When we are
out of fellowship with God through unbe-
lief or worldliness, the time is lost We are
reminded that the journey of life is often a
weary one to the flesh. but if we are in Christ
who is ''the way" (John xiv, g.. and will
continually consider Him" and 'look unto
Him" Heb xii, 2, 81, we will be greatly
helped and strengthened and will not be dis.
cOuraged, even through our own relations
turn against US. Think of the brother of
Abel the brethren of Joseph and of David
and even the brethren Of Jesus did not at
one time believe in Him John vii. S.
5. "And the people spake against God and
against Moses Wherefore have We brought ma
up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for
there is no bread, neither is there anv water
and our soul loatheth this light bread. Pa
xvii. tells the story of their sin from he
ginning to end. In Deut. tx. "a, Moses Save
''Ye have been rebellioUs against the Lord
from the day that knew you" In Mum.
XII, l, it is written that ''when the neonja
complained, it displeased the Lord" And in
Ps. Kew, 10, the Lord Himself saws nFortv
years long was grieved with this genera
ton. What a relief to turn to Him of whom,
1t is said by the Father, ''This is My Beloved
Son, in whom [ am we'll pleased and ia
hear the Son Himself say, 81 do ALWAYS
those things that please Him (DIath. xvii. 5:
John viii. 29). The Word for us is. "Do ali
things without murmurings or disputinos y
BE content with such things as We have
(Phil. H., IA; Heb. xiii, s; see also | Cor
x, 6-13).
6. And the Lord sent fiery sernents
among the people, and they bit the people
and much people of Israel died. " In James
I'LL; ., Il IS said that the tongue is an unruly
evil full OF deadly poison. and of sinners 4
is said in Rom ill.,, Is, "The poison Of asns
is under their lips" The people ba d been
slandering God with the poison of their
tongues and now they are reaping as tbev
sowed. They sowed the wind and thew ara
reaping the whirlWind (Gai. vi, 7: Hos. viii
y. Sometimes a swift reckoning overtaIes
the sinner, us III the case of KOrah and his
companion, Achan also, and Ananias and
Sapphira. but it is always preceded bv 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, y. Because there is wrath
lest He take thee away with His stroke: then
great ransom cannot deliver thee
dob. XXxvi., 1877
Z Therefore the people came to Moses
and said. We have sinned, for we have
spoken against til Lord AMI arains .+bna
Pray unto the Lord that He take away the
serpeEts from u.s. And Moses pravei for
the people. IN Ps. evil. we reaI again and
AGAIN that they cried unto the Lord in their
trouble, ana He heard and delivered them.
lie IS Iull OF compassion and forgiveness.
and for US it is written that 'if we confess
our sins, de is faithful and Just to forgive ms |
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrirh+
q John j.. 81. There is a better |
way to live, however, than that of constant
SHINING and rependng. We may walk in the
light as He is in the light, have fellowship |
with Him and rejoice in the blood that |
oleanseth from all sin Il John j.. ~ We i
shall never on this side of the glory cease ia /
need that cleansing blood. but we NAV have |
wonderful victory over sin and fellowship
with God
& And the Lord said unto Moses, Make /
5hee Il fiery serpent and set it upon a pole. and !
it snail come to pass that every one that is
"a H.
How strange the remedy, Il likeness eff that
which slew them! How suggestive of tho |
Lord Jesus, who took upon Him our like
leSs, the likeness of sinful flesh and was |
made sin for us (Rom. viii. 8. II Cor y. 21). /
The serpent brought death and the likeness !
IL the serpent brought life BY Adam came !
3lis and death and the curse. By the Son OF |
Iod, IN the likeness OF Adam made curse
or US, come lie and health and peace from |
y, 12., II; Gal. ill.,. 13). How simple the way !
If life! Though all but dead from the SER
1ent's bite, if but the glazing eye could see
he brazen serpent there was life.
8. And Moses made a serpent of brass and |
)ut it upon pole, and it came to pass that
f a serpent had bitten any man, when he
)eheld the serpent of brass, he lived" In
Tohn ill.,, IA, Is, see the Saviours applica-
ion of this to Himself. Write your own
lame in full in John ILL.,, 16. instead of the
words 1.-The world" and whatsoever and
,elieye that God means you, and the beHev-
ng look upon Him who died for you in the
light of John l., 70, will surely bring you
lie. II c. H. Spurgeon, now resting from
lis labors, passed from death to life by a
ook, in obedience to Isa. XIV. %, you can
10 the same if you will. The atonement has
cen made; the work Of providing redemp-
ton has been finished. Christ died for our
ms, according to the Scriptures; He was de-
vered for our offenses and raised again for
ur justification, and now the penitent sinner
rho honestly receives Him is instantly JUST
ed from all things and MADE accepted in
be Beloved q Cor. XIV, 8; Rom. w, IS;
ph. j., 6, Z; Acts xiii, 80, 39).-Lesson
[elper.