The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-12-19
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
for December -, 1OOI-Some
Christmas Thoughts.

. UOGu tobS uuy the CITY baN tu
SaNiOur.-Luke 2;lI.
Lesson TeXt.-isaiah 9:l-7. At the
time of this prophecy. Jerusalem
was threatened with attack by the
combined forces of Pekah, king of
Israel, and Rein, king of Damascus.
Isaiah tries to strengthen the timid
Ahaz, king of Judah, by pointing him
to God as a sufficient helper. 1t is in
| this endeavor that we have this por-
trait of the Messianic King.
The king of judah, Ahaz, was
weak, timid and wicked. When Rein,
king of Damascus; and Pckah, king
of Israel, combined against him, he
was at "A complete loss how to meet
their attack. lie tried every scheme
he could think of except a hearty re-
pentance and return to the service of
| God. The people as Il whole took the
same attitude, and the passage be-
| fore us opens in S:l9 with rcbuke
of those who sought guidance and
dclivcrancc from the spirits of the
dead instead of from God, who had
S''N' Wv ~" thh I'lo oNlNt lllt Tvs
timony of His prophets for that pur-
pose. because of the peoples re-
fusal to turn TO God they must pass
through time of darkness and
anguish in which they find no relief.
From weakened remnant, dimin-
ished by foreign foes, the nation
would again begin to increase rapid
ly under Gods blessing. and would
rejoice in such prosperity as is be-
tokencd by bountiful harvests and
such security as is indicated by the
division of an enemy's spoil. The joy
and security predicted are to come
through personal Dclverer of whom
Isaiah goes on to speak.
"Prince of Peace" indicates the
blcsscdncSs which pcrvadcs the king
dom over which the Coming One
should he ruler.
THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA
GOLDEN TENT will sing unto the
Lord. for lie hnth triumphed glOri-
Ousiy.-EN. 1881.
This is one of the greatest events in
history. although the important les
son involved will, perhaps necessarily,
be more or less crowded by the fes-
tivitics so closely following this date.
The international committee provided
an alternative lesson (as given
above), but it will hardly be wise to
omit altogether lesson so impor-
tant, The passage assigned for study
is Exodus II: 1927. Read the whole
story up to and including Exodus
1921. A brief analysis of this section
Of Scripture follows:
The pillar OF fire. TX l3:l7-22.
The pursuit Ex. l4:l-l2
Passage OF the Red sea. Ex. l4,l3.2l
Moses song. Ex l5l-2l.
The Pillar of Fire.-A journey Of
$50 miles would bring the Hebrews
to Hebron. il they went by the most
direct route, but in that case they
would have no opportunity for or
ganizing n nation, and would almost
Immediately be forced to make way
for themselves by fighting. The jour
ney actually made was much longer
and rougher, but more useful to the
development of the people than the
other would have been. The visible
sign of Gods guiding presence was
probably more like n torch than like
the great mass so often seen in pic.
lures. Torches. appearing smoky by
day and fiery by night, have often
been used as standards.
The Pursuit Apparently Moses
started first for the lSthmuS of Sucz,
and then turned back to the shallow.
est part of the Red sea. 1t is gen
orally believed that the place where
the crossing was made is now land,
being little south of the Bitter
lakes. This movement brought the
Hebrews within the reach of Pharaoh.
and it looked TO the people, and per-
haps to Moses, as though a grievous
mistake had been made. But if they
had gone directly on they could not
have escaped the Egyptians, who
would certainly have ovcrtaken them
within two or three days.
Passage of the Sea.-Conditions
have so changed about the Red sea
that it is impossible to say just how
the lsraelites were placed 1t is GER
tain. however. that. the situation
seemed so serious, as the Egyptians
were close behind and the sea in
front. The complaint Of the Israel
ties was not unnatural. and obedience
to the command of 1915 required
great faith. The presence of God he.
tween the Egyptians and the Israel
ties prevented the night attack. which
would have been easy and overwhelm.
ing The clearing of path through
the sea was not miracle in the
strict sense of that word. because it
was brought about by known natural
causes. The shape of the sea. the tide
the strong wind blowing diagonally
across the shallow place beside which
the Israelites had encamped, com.
bined to make passage through the
sea. Similar combinations had he.
fore produced the same results. and
the same thing happened afterwards.
But that it should happen just when
Israel needed deliverance, and that
I ,1 hn Sac ~