Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-08-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON N. THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 4.

Text Of the Lesson, Num. xiii. 1920, 2s-
33-Memory Verses. aO-GoIden Text.
Mum. xiv, 0 Commentary by the Rev.
ID. NJ. stearus.
Az Having left Horeb, where they HAD
been ~ long encamped, they came ~ Ka-
desh-barnea, on the south border of Try
land, which was IL days journey from
Horeb. Here the people asked that spies
might be sent TO search out the land ard
bring word as to the best way to enter
(Deut i, 2, n, 22). 1t seems strange
that Moses should be pleased with this
thought "a sending spics when God had
said that IL Was u good ana large Land
flowing with milk ana honey (Ex. iii. SD.
and when God Himself always went before
them in the cloud, but we remember the
story of Hobab.
IS Since God had testified as to the land
and had said that He would give it to
them, what did it matter whether the In
habitants were few Or many, strong or
weak Had not tho God of Israel shown
them His power III Egypt and At Tile Red
sea, and was not His presence a sufficient
assurance? But they did 20 forget God,
just as we do.
10. 1t looks as If they were going to see
If God meant what He said and if He was
as good as His word (Ex xiii. 5; xxxiii.
z, 81 But one may say, Why find fault
with the spies when God commanded
them (verscs 4, 2)Y But little attention
20 Deut. !, 22, will show that God only
permitted them To have their own way in
this matter, as He did afterward in that Of
king q Sam. viii, 6, Z, p, 22)
20. 1t seems odd to tell them to be Of
good courage when unbelief was sending
them forth. 1t requires faith in God to
make amy one to be ~ good courage, but
going to Ece ii His word was true would
hardly tend KY courage. Listen t0 Paul iii
the storm at "a when everything seemed
against him, II believe God, that it shall be
even as it was told me- (Acts xvii. 25).
%, p. One would think that all fears
would be dispelled by a visit to the very
place where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lay
buried. How could they help thinking Of
the faith Of Abraham and being strength
ened therebyS Then such grapes and pome-
granates and figs-how could their hearts
help crying out, II Tt IL All just ~ He saidg''
some one has suggested that these two
carrying the grapes make us think Of the
Old and New TCstaments-the one ahead
did not see what he was carrying. but the
one behind saw both the one ahead and
the grapes too. Yet both carried the same
fruit. Jesus, the True Vine IL the bur
den 81 the whole book, but N more clearly
revealed in the New Testament.
25 And they returned from searching
stff bs. 1ar. Haft 4.
Of their unbc1ief they, though 50 nearly
possessing the land, were turned back into
the wilderness to wander for 40 years. a
year for each day (Nuln. xiv, 54) Some
time we win see a deeper meaning in all
the forty day experiences Of Scripture
20. 27. They could not but bring good
report Of the land; they could not say
aught else concerning it than Surely it
ioweth with milk and honey, and this Is
the fruit of il" God always means what
He says, and we are perfectly safe in tax
ing Him ut His word When He makes a
statement, We must either honor Him by
believing it, OK dishonor Him by our I'M
belief and make Him a liar III John ", 18).
Rather let u believe His every word and
thus set to our seal that God is true
20, 90 Nevertheless the people be
and all the inhabitants Of the land and
the walled cities. God had mentioned these
nations and had said that He would drive
them out (Ex- xxziv, I'D. Observe His
Eeyenf0ld iii will " beginning ana ending
with n am Jehovah, id Fix. vi, 6-s, and
see what desperate unbelief these men were
guilty Of in putting the least obstacle be-
fore the people, instead Of the living God
who had already done so wondrousIy for
them It is refreshing to turn TO Caleb,
and listen TO him.
30. Let n 20 up at once and possess it,
for we are well able to overcome it. Here
Is confidence in God, and it l. well founded
1T rests Oh His power who made all
things and Of whom the prophet said, 4@Ah,
Lord God, behold Thou hast made the
heaven and the earth by Thy great power
and stretched out arm, and there is moth
ing too hard for Thee (Jer. xxi, III.
These encouraging words by which Caleb
sought to still the people were from Bis
heart (Joshua xiv, I'D, for he wholly fol-
lowed the Lord.
3l. I'VE be not able to I'D up against the
people for they are stronger than we. IL
was not question Of they and we, = but
only of them and God. He who brought
them out Of Egypt was able to bring them
into Canaan, and in that light Caleb and
Joshua saw it, for they said, " The Lord il
with Us: fear them not" (xiv, %. Until
we have learned our own inability I'd save
ourselves, We will mot be likely To let the
Lord save H., and until We have learned
our inability to keep ourselves we viii not
know the JOY of His keeping power. We
want a deeper knowledge and experience
Of all that is included in the words, Not
/, but Christ.
32, 33. "ThCy and We was TO the unbe-
LEVERS suggestive VI giants and grasshop-
pers, and resulted in much weeping and
murmuring Oil the part of the people, and
D call for 4 new captain who would lead
them back to Egypt, 70 that the Lord had
to say to Moses: How long viii this peO-
pie provoke Me? How long viii it be ere
they believe Me for all the signs which
have shewcd among thcm2" (xiv. I'D If
we place ourselves face to face with our
difficulties, wc will Ofttimcs be discOur-
Rged, butt when We place our difficulties
face t0 face with God, then victory l. sure,
and peace and joy are ours The matter THAT
He makes His own Is as good as accom-
plished In quietness and in confidence is
our strength CIsa XXX, 15)