The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-26

break two OF the commands Just deiv-
cred. EXODUS. Xxx, 3-4) They showed
how unable they were to hold to the high
ideal of monotheistic system. and sub
Ject themselves to n supreme test. (Acts
xix, 26.)
WEAKNESS. Aaron was not the man
for the occasion. lie did not possess the
native strength of his brother, to whom
he was only an assistant (F,xodus, iv, lD,
neither had he received such direct com
muncations from God as Moses had (E'x-
odus. Ill, ~ to confirm his faith We
cannot Judge his motive, whether he was
timid or unbelievlng-he seems after
ward to have been irresolute and super
stitious. exodus. xxxiiI, 2i-24) Yield
Ing to the popular clamor, he directed
the earrings to be brought to him from
the entire assembly. These ornaments
had been obtained from the Egyptians
tExodus. xii, 35-36). and were marks of
honor. OEzekiel. xvi, 111Y. The orlen-
talists were accustomed to wear jewelry
Genesis, xiv, 22-iO. and sometimes the
quantity was very great. tJudges. vi'i
24-27) The people cheerfully complied
with this request. and gave up their most
precious things, stripping themselves of
ornaments, that idols might be made for
them. The spirit of self-denial was ad-
mirable.
1DOLATRY.-The people having thus
consecrated their treasure, the way was
open to speedy national apostasy. The
craving tools, made for another purpose
tExodus xviii, % were used to carve
out the form Of a calf. the cmbiom of
Osiris, one of the national divinities of
Egypt. This figure, probably of wood
was covered with the molten gold of the
earrings When the workmen had COM
pleted their task. Aaron caused the calf
TO be set UP on the plain. and an altar
erected before it. Then came the public
proclamation, "'rhese be thy gods.' and
on one of the feast days, set apart for
divine worship, solemn rites were offered
to the new god. This done, with SEEM
ing satisfaction the people arose to en-
gage In sports, after heather custom
Thus Israel had cast off Jehovah and
returned to the god of Egypt. Five CEN
turtles after, the worship Of the calf was
again established by Jereboam q Kings
xii. 2S. which sin was denounced by the
prophets Hosea. viii. 5-6), and frequent
illusions to it entered into sacred litera-
ture. Qsaiah, xi, 1926; Acts, xviii 29)
DISCOVERED.-While all this was
transpirlng, Moses, "thc man of God"
deuteronomy, xxxii, y was in the
mount. neither eating nor drinking (F;x-
odus, NNXiv. 2S), receiving divine instruc-
tion for 1sraels future One man alone
for God. millions arrayed against Him.
The structure of thcocracy being builded.
and at the same time demolished! In the
heights faith! In the low grounds, un-
belief! The interview between Moses and
his instructor was cut short by intelli-
gence from the latter that the people
had gone astray. (Verses 7-S) The all
seeing eye, that penetrates into the re-
motest corner and beholds the minutest
act proverbs, XIV, 81, had witnessed
idolatrous Israel's wcscdness through
the days of complaint, of consultation
of construction and of formal worship.
What spectacle spread out before the
searching gaze of n benencent God
Mans sins frustrate Gods plan. Usaiah
liX, - How the weary centuries have
waited for men to comprehend their
privilege and cooperate with God! duke
xix. 42) Go, get thee down. was the
Lords direction to Moses. Nothing more
can be done in the mountain, no more
laws or institutions can he set forth, I'M
til this abomination is removed from the
plain.
CONFERENCE.-THE lesson committee
omits Verses to %. which the student
should read. The intercession of Moses
for his people, his descent from the
mountain, his destruction of the calf, his
complaint against Aaron, his slaughter
of three thousand offenders, his recon-
secration of the I.eviteS, that he might
be assured of faithful mlnisters-all this
shows how one man, loyal to God is
mighty In Il good cause, what heroic
deeds are required in an hour of peril.
When all this was done Moses spoke to
the people. Verse 30.) He came to them
as man sent from God Gohn. l. 81,
jealous of His honor. He charged them
with their sin. There was no word of
apology or of doubtful import. 1t was a
direct clear-cut message. "Ye have
sinned a great SIM sent home to their
consciences. Usaiah, xiii, - 1t was
just such message as every minister
will deliver if he is anxious to save men
from their transgressons. But Moses
did not leave the people trembling under
the sense of ill-desert. He sought not
simply to condemn and convict. but to
reclaim and restore. Grateful, indeed,
must have been his proffer of interces-
sion. II will go up unto the Lord; per-
adventure I shall make an atonement
for your SIM"
PRAYER.-Israe lay in their camps on
the plains, while Moses again sought the
mountain top. Their hopes now CEN
tered in him as an intercessor. There
were two courses by which the Almighty
might accomplish His plainly mercy
and by justice. He had proposed the
latter EXODUS, 1O), offering to destroy
Israel, as He had destroyed the ante
diluvian world, and to make Moses him
self as He had made Noah, the pro-
genitor of IA new race, Little did the
idoatOrs know that the sword of divine
justice was already drawn for their de-
struction. Moses went up into the noun
tain to stay the avenging hand and Sc
cure mercy. 1t was a desperate case.
He confessed before the Lord that the
people had sinned Verse 80. and then
he threw his own life prostrate before
God as a ransom that israel might live.
1t was remarkable self-sacrifce upon
the altar for n nations sake. "If thou
wilt not forgive, blot me, | pray Thee,
out of Thy book" (Verse 3D. That was
Christ-ike and divine. Il John, ii, H.
1t is the most marvellous display of
vicariousness to be found in the Old
Testament. 1t marks this man as wor-
thy to be leader and law-giver of the
people of God
ANSWER.-Sucha a prayer could not be
rejected, The ground for answer is in
the nature of God and of man, TO turn
aside such Il leader would send conster-
nation among all intelligences and dis
turb the spiritual equilibrium of the uni
verse. Il John, l. 80 The details of the
answer are exceedingly interesting.
whatsoever hath slnned him wilt | blot
out of my book" The guilty shah suffer
no others. Some of the multitude We're
not greatly at fault. They had yielded
to the suggestions and influence of 9TH
ers and might be forgiven. The trans
gressors, the rebels against God and
Moses shall be cut off-not Immediately