The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-11-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER !.

Subject: The Call Of Moses, Ex. ILL.,, liz
Golden Text: Ex. Ill.,. 1?-Memov3
Verses, ,9-12-Commentary on the Days
Lesson.
!ntroductior-The life of Moses is di-
vided into three periods of forty years
each. /. He was in Egypt forty years,
during which time he was trained, first
in his own home, and afterwards in the
household of Pharaoh. .. He was in
Midian for:y years, caring for the sheep
of his ffather.ln-law, in the very wilder
ness where he was to lead forth the
years of his life were only preparation
for his life work. which was the deliver.
ance of Israel. For forty years he led
the people of God in their wanderings,
as they iourneyed towards Canaan.
l. Priest of Midian." Or prince, or
both priest and prince: "the original has
both meanings" lied the flock" For
abou; forty years Moses had been serv-
ing as. a shepherd. caring for the focks
of his father-in-law. "Back of the vii. .
derness," (R. W During all these years
he had been holding communion with
God, and was being prepared for his life
and ability such as Moses had, being held
down for forty years with a few Sheep!
Yet this was evidently Gods plan. His
wanderings would make him thoroughly
acquainted with this whole region, and
this would be of great Importance to him
when he came to lead his people out
from Egypt. Mountain of God" Some
times named Horeb, at other times Sinai.
It was called the mountain of God be-
cause God apDeared upon it to Moses.
Q. "Angel of the Lord" Not Gre
ated ANGEL for he is called Jehovah. vs..
4, 6. This was none other than Jesus
flame of fire." Representing Gods mai
esty, purity and power, and showing that
He was about to bring destruction to His
enemies, and light and comfort to His
people. 'The bush burned" /. As an
emblem it instructs. 2. As miracle it
astonishes. 8. As magnet it attracts.
4. AS monitor it warns. This is, !. An
emblem of the state of the Israelies in
their distress. 2. OF the state of the.
church in the, world. 8; OF the state Of
every true Christian. 'Not consumed"
Showing that this was fire from heaven.
8. why the bush," etc.. He desires
appearance. God will reveal to listening
souls all they need to know in order to
be able to follow and obey Him.
4. "God called-out of the BUSH"
Flame is the best symbol Of God. |. Il
is immaterial. 2. It is glorious. 8. It
is mysterious in its nature. 4. As light,
it is everywhere-omnipres s. It
enlightens the world. 6. It is source
Of life, beauty and power. Z. It is un-
de6led and undeflable, absolutely pure.
8. 1t is terrible as destructive power.
ing. "And said Moses" Moses being
&b,,, olI h,yy
more surprised by what he heard than by
what he saw.
' S. "Put off thy shoes" Putting of
the sandals is very ancient practice in
worship. The rabbins say that the priests
perform their service with bare feet in
token of purity and reverence; All Mo-
hammedans, Brahmins and Parsees wor-
ship barefooted to the present day.
'This was required of Moses as a token
of his reverence for God, of his humilia.
ton for his sins. of his putting away all
impurity in his life and Of his submission i
O. IT am the God" God does not
say I "was" the God of thy fathers, but
I "am" their God. The patriarchs were
still living, for God is not the God Of the
"Afraid to look" He was overawed by
Gods presence.
7. "Seen the afliction." That is, I
have considered their Affections. Their
oppressed state, their sorrows: their tears:
their sighs, their heavy bondage had all
come in review before Him; for He
counts the sighs Of His people and puts
8. cam come down" When God did
something very extraordinary He was
said to "come down" to do it, as in lisa.
64:l. So Christ came down from heaven
to save fallen man. "And large" Ca
naan was large co: lpared with Goshen.
"With milk and honey" God called His
people out of Egypt, with it's idolatry and
impurity, into q good land filled with
good things. The milk and honey are
typical Of the richness and fulness OF
Gods grace. H.,
had not come down to see whether the
Condition as to merit His salvation, neith-
er was He attracted by their excellenees
or their virtures; but it was sufficient for
Him that they needed the great deliver
ance that He was able to give,
10. "I will send thee" About forty
years before this Moses had undertaken
70 deliver his people in his own way and
by his own strength. Now he had learned
the other lessons God would teach him
and his time had come: There ils vast
difference between God sending a man
and a man running unsent.
II. "Who am T." Moses was the best
prepared for this work of any man hv-
ing: eminent for learning, wisdom, ex,
perience, and yet he says, Who. am 1!
The better prepared any one IS TOR serv-
ice. the less opinion be has of himself.
''That should CO." Doubtless he. was
affected by the remembrance OF his form
er failure. The work to be done was
great and dangerous. !. His life might
be in danger. 2. What could shep-
herd do to influence king? 8. 1t was
not likely that the Egyptians would
give up 2,OOO.OoO people who were doing
their work without compensation, l.. Io
organize and discipline such a host OF
unframed men would require great pa
tiepce and ability. :. 1t would be dit-
ficult to induce the 1sraelites to risk all,
and leave Egypt for an unknown land;
l2. "Will be with thee" My counsel
shall direct thee, and NV power shall
bring all these mighty things, to pass.
"Upon this mountain" God shows him
that in their return from Egypt they
would stop at this mountain on their
wav. and would worship God in this place.
This would confirm the faith of Moses tor
all the work of the long years which
were to follow.