The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-06
THE sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.
September z, 10O2-DeuterOnOmyx xviii,
0-19-The Prophet Like Moses.

0.l9-The Prophet Like Moses.
Israel was on the point of moving into a new
environment to exchange the wilderness for
Canaan. The dangers Of the desert were mostly
physical. The perls of the new environment
were TO be largely moral In the peninsula ii
was hunger and thirst and the occasional incur
sion of the Bedouin. The moral evil was mostly
subjective, rising from the peoples heart and
consisting Of murmuring and kindred vices.
But in the new land, which was the goal OF the
caravan nation, the conditions were all to
change Physical evils were reduced to a mini
num- The country one Of abundance flow
ing with milk and honey. There were to be no
more pains of hunger and thirst. Here, how
ever Israel was about to be tested as never
before He was to come into close and perma-
nent contact with the most vicious races OF the
world idoatrous, drunken and lascVious'
Would he stand this subtle and persistent test!
The browning vice of the Canaanites was the
prostitution of their religious natures. Instead
of using the natural monitiors OF their hearts
for their elevation. they perverted them SO en-
tirely and inveterately as TO debase themselves
by the very means intended to exalt Divina-
ton augury, magic, corcery. incantatfon, black
art and human sacrifice some Of the specih-
cations under the general charge Of religious
prostitution. The very number Of these specifi-
cations is evidence of the completeness OF this
debasement. Here. IL ever, was total depravity
Into such a mephitic moral atmosphere Israel
was about to move Dangers Of the desert fade
into insignihcance in comparison. 1t Is ma
tional crisis 1t has even larger scope than that
AS the moral destiny of other peoples Is wrapped
ND i'm that of Israel Ii may well be said to be
test on nations telling
The goodness Of God is seen In the thorough
ness with which Israel was forewarned. No
''hgure-four trap was set for him. The moral
situation was described to the minutest detail.
The subtleness of solicitation. the spiritual
havoc of compliance, the divine displeasure in
cident-ail were set forth in the unequivocal
words of Moses The penalty OF religious prosti-
tuition is named as national extinction. The
divine prohibition. Thou shalt not!' is enun-
ciated The pains and penalties are attached
But the goodness Of God does not stop with
warning and prohibition. 1t recognizes the
spirit of religious Inquiry. OF which the deeds
of the heather were perversions. 1t provides a
new means of divine communication. Here We
witness the rise of the prophetic order. Not
that no enc before had the prophetic az
aatus. but now more distinctly and continuously
God would speak to the fathers by prophets.
BY this new means he will instruct, direct and
warn his people Thus the superstition and
apostasy prevailing in the land they were about
to enter was to be Offset by this new institu-
ton 1t is as IL Goo saying to his people:
There will be no need to consult with the
OWNERS and soothsayers you will find in Ca
naan. IL will afford you the benefit Of divinely-
appointed prophets, for judging OF whose Gre
dentials a sure criterion will be given"
Thus thoroughly forewarned and forearmed
Israel took up his march upon the enchanted
ground to Canaan-> The very atmosphere Of his
future association was such as to dull his SEN
sibilities toward God. and the way strew
with pitfalls planned with devilish subtIlity.
But Israel could never say he had not been
told of the impending dangers.
The Messianic character OF the promised
prophet is OF course. induhitable. The first
reference is. no doubt. TO Joshua. He raised
UP as Moses's immediate successor. He was
lone OF the Hebrew brethren" He like
Moses" Humanely speaking. the destiny of
Israel depended upon his ''hearkening'' to
Joshua. But the scope Of the promise is evil
IDENTIFY larger than Joshua and all his successors.
This word OF Moses more than anything else
kindled the Messiah aspiring hope OF Israel.
1t was a keynote for ages Well may Luther
say: This Is the most renowned passage of
this book. and Moses introduces IL here in the
most fitting way when he speaking Of the
priesthood the authorities and of all the serv-
ants OF Cod
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
The very name OF this book indicates II 10 be.
in a sense, a repetition. Deuteronomy. literally.
"a second word No more appropriate close
TO the Pentateuch could be imagined 1t is. In
a sense. resume. Its more remarkable parts
are Mosess farewell addresses and ode. the COM
mission OF his successor his benediction and
obituary.
The practical unity of the Psntateuch Is APP
parent and admirable 1t is "a one ive-divided
whole" II has been denied that the Pentateuch
is Mosaic yet the personality OF Moses is
the thread which, in large measure. binds IL to-
gether.
The inveteracy OF black art is OF the curl
osities OF history The literature OF all nations
Is strewn with evidences Of IL. II IL wrought
into the monuments OF all countries. IL was es-
pecially dominant in Europe In the middle ages.
1t survives and has modern forms In our day.