The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-08-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Leason I'm the international Series
for August II, 1OO2-The
Draxen serpent.
THE LESSON TEXT.
(Numbers, I:l-9D

which dwelt In the south, heard tell that
Israel came by the way of the spies; then
he fought against Israel. and took some Of
them prisoners.
and said, II thou wilt indeed deliver this
people into my hand. then l will utterly
destroy their cities.
!. And the Lord hearkened to the voice
of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites:
and they utterly destroyed them and their
cities; and he called the name Of the place
Hormah.
4. And they journeyed from Mount Hor
py the way of the Red sea. TO compass the
land of Edom: and the soul of the people
was much discouraged because of the way.
s And the people spake against God. and
against Moses. Wherefore have ye brought
US up out OF Egypt TO die in the wilderness?
for there is no bread neither is there any
water; and our soul loatheth this light
bread.
6. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among
the people, and they bit the people; and
much people of Israel died
Z. Therefore the people came to Moses.
and said. We have sinned, for We have
spoken against the Lord, and against thee;
pray unto the Lord. that He take away the
serpents from us. And Moses prayed for
the people.
s. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make
thee iery serpent, and set It upon a pole:
and 1t shall come to pass, that every one
that Is bitten. when he looketh upon 1t.
shall live.
3. And Moses made a serpent of brass.
and put 1t upon pole, and 1t came to pass
that II serpent had bitten any man. when
he beheld the serpent Of brass, he lived
GOLDEN TENT.-And ns Moses lifted
up the serpent In the wiIderncss,
even 40 must the Son of man he lifted
up' that whOsOever believeth i'm Him
should not perish, but have eternal
life.-JOhn 3:I4, Is.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
korah, Dathan and Abiram. Mum, xvi
budding of Aarons rod ......... Mum. xvii.
Sin OF Moses and Aaron. Mum, 2:l-13
heiusal OF Edom ..............Num., 2o:li-Y.
Deatn OF Aaron ......,........N Mum, g:22-.S.
bltten by serpents..............Nu p :l-9.
TlME.-B. c. I'LL and 1i52
PLACE.-Meribah. Kadesh, Mount Hor,
and The Arabah
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Wilderness Life.-The sentence
OF the Lord was carried out. and for
4O years in all, the Israeltes wan
dered in the wilderness. The genera
ton that was too cowardly to fight
found graves in it's solitudes. Dur
ing that time the people led a nomad-
ic shepherd life, with headquarters Mt
kadesh-barnea. Two incidents only
are recorded which appear to belong
to that period. Now we are to see
what was the temper of the new gen
Grafton.
korah, Dathan and Abiram. - The
lsraelites stayed near Kadesh-barnea
for 3s years, living the life of nomads,
with no permanent settlements, but
roaming far and wide with their cat
tie, as the Bedouin do to-day. Prob
ably the tabernacle was not moved
during all that time, but continued
to be the center of the theocratic
government. The movement Of Ko-
rah is another indication of the gen.
eral feeling that the Sorcrnnreno of
| Moses was autocratic rather than
theocratic. Discipline had to be
maintained at any cost or the people
would fall apart into scattered and
helpless groups, and never be able to
conquer Canaan. Against the severity
of the punishment the people protest
ed, blaming Moses and thus showing
that the spirit of rebellion was not
dead,
Budding of Aaron's Rod.-The Incl
dent recorded here Is intended as n
guarantee of the Divine appointment
of Aaron to the priesthood. 1t pro-
duced the desired effect, and, as II:
-, 13 show, intmidated the people.
The subsection of the people was Sc
cured by fear.
The Sin of Moses and Aaron.-2O:1 I
refers to the gathering of the pco-
pie, preparatory to moving on the
promised land. Kadcsh is we'll
watercd neighborhood, but the dis
trict in which it stands is arid. and
the people would have to travel long
before reaching suitable water sup
ply. The sin of Moses and Aaron is
somewhat obscure. some supposing it
to have been impatient anger Others
finding it in an attempt to take to
themselves the credit for the miracle.
Refusal of Edom. - The hope of
Moses was for peaceful passage
through Edom, but the Edomites
made so curt refusal and so strong
show of resistance that the people
had to go about, thus gaining tar
more advantageous military position
for the conquest.
Bitten by Serpents.-Thc Canaanite
king who attacked Israel did not need
to cross Edom. He thought the peo-
pie intended to come by way of his
territory, and attacked them in the
hope of preventing such a movement
Utter destruction or devotion" was
! -, 4, I,, 1,,,