Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-23
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments Fer
August "a.
Subject: Report OF the Spies, Mum. Aiii.. Is
and xiii, Is TO xiv. Goden Text. Pisa.
xl.. 4-Memory Verses. 30.33-Com'
mcntary on the Days Lesson.

ready Tor taking possession OF Canaan,
provided the people had the necessary
faith and courage. Accordingly Moses
commanded them i'll the name OF Jehovah
,Deut. !: ~. 2ll 10 % M and take posses.
sioa of the land. They only needed 10
trust in God and 90 forward. and III less
chan two years from leaving Egypt the
land would have been theirs. The God
who had delivered them with \ mighty
hand. who had made path through the
sea. who had raned bread from heaven,
and brought water from rock and spoken
rom Sinai and entered into covenant
With them. and was leading them WITH
His visible prcseHce-thj> God babe them
20 mp and take possession OF Che land OF
promise. They should have trusted and
obeyed"
, send thou men" The pcop.e were
afraid to 70 forward. and had asked
Moses to send spies tn search ont the Land.
Deut. l: -. Although ii would have been
better for them 10 have had faith in God
and to nave at once entered upon their
promised possessions. yet in order 10 sat
isiy the peop.e the Lord ordered Moses
to send the snies. Oh every tr!he-a
man" Moses selected Twelve leading
men. every one a prince tR. W in or
der that the best possible results might lie
realized. The object OF the expedition
was On to learn what We're the attrac-
tions OF the country. ~ to discover the
d faculties III the way OF taking possession.
81 to lind ont the best way OF reaching
the country. ~ to learn what prepare
lions it was necessary to make.
4-2i. In verses l-l5 we have the names
Of the spies. IN verses l1-2l Moses gives
them special directions. They were to
travel the whole length OF the land to the
Lebanon mountain region. and lind ont eli
about the land and the people. and to
bring back some Of the fruit OF the land.
~ =
OF the frlit they brought back with them.
-. "Returned-aiter forty days" For
" days were sufficient for journey OF
go miles and the return. The spies could
rest six Sabbaths and travel 800 miles
going at the rate OF less than fifteen miles
a day. 1t is not probable that they went
in body. but singiy or by twos.
Is To Kadesh" Kade-h means holy
Showed them the fruit" They had
brought bacl; cranes. pomegranates and
figs. The bunch Of grapes was very large
81. ''Fioweth with milk and honey"
This was poetcal description OF coun.
try rich in pasturage and produce. Thus
far the reports OF the spies agree. They
all commend the richness AID fruitfuiness
OF the sol
2S. Nevertheless" The report was
given publicly ard il was artfully arranged
To begin with concentrations. il order
that their subsequent SANDERS might re-
ceive credit. This would introduce the
goddess majority report: there Is IN ii no
reference to Jehovah. 1t is an infdel doe
ument; Children OF ,Anak:, Long
necked. famous giants. descendants from
Arba. founder OF the city Of Hebron. ne
spies were terrified at sight OF them
%. The Amalekites." etc These peo
pie had already attacked the Israeltes
once. EX. l.: SIG. The Httites were a
strong. warlike people. The .Jehusites held
the region about Jerusalem. The Amor.
ties We're mountainecrS.
30. Caleb. The SLY from the tribe Of
Judah. He begins the minority report
with an unwaverins trust IN God. Joshua
also joined with him. u: 6. 30. "Stilied
the people 4 bitter wall OF desDair was
going up from the vast !hrong OF poole.
81. I'VE be not able" This had not
been asserted before. The ten spies are in
creasing IN their opposition.
3. Evil rerort -eateth up." How nm
belief grows. At first it was only = sug.
gestion Tvs 2S. 29). then it became an rs
sertion ". 81. then il assumed the form
OF an ''evil report" The spies canno, mean
that the land was barren and the inha biz,
ants dying Of famine. for the fruit they
brought with them and their first report
would contradic; this. but it has been
though; THAT there was : peStiicrce i'll the
land II this time. and also that the spies
had learned tina: the people were constant
~ engaged in wars to maintain their indie
pendence.
So Sons Of -Anal;." Anak literally si...
niiied long neelkcd: The sons OF Anak
were a race Of giants in strength. II
seems to be fact that in primitive times
there were men o: great stature.
]. 'All the congregation" There zero
a few MODS executions. however. ''Wep.
that night" These loud walings. reSound-
ing by night from tent to tent and from
tribe TO tribe. spread the contagious do
spondency through the whole camp. They
were surrounded by the dark and chilling
clouds OF unheiief. ard we've occupied with
themselves and their difficulties instead
of with God and His resources. All this
grief was on account of imaginary troubles
.. :. 'Bstter-to return" They muir
INJURED against Moses and Aaron and
wished TO return to their former life OF
servitude. Their wish to return to the
groanings, burdens. tasks and irsif,ts OF
the brick wards OF Eevnt from which 4
nitving Jehovah had led them forth was
indicative ii \ base ingratitude and scr
Witty of spirit exceedingly offensive
4. Make q captain" They renudiated
Moses and Aaron and Jehovah. According
to Nehemiah .: u they actually appointed
captain 70 lead them back to the task
masters lash IN Egypt. Moses and Aaron
then fell on Their faces before the neop.e
and Joshua and Caleb rent their clornes
rs sign Of their grea; grief. and made a
strong appeal to the congregation in ia
vor OF taking the land at once. Eut the
people Ike frenzicd mob tried to stone
them To death. and were prevented from
so doing only by tho glory OF the Lord
shining fortl from the tabernacle. ''rhe
majesty OF Jehovah flashed forth suddenly
10 strike the neopic with terror in their
rec"llion. and 70 deter them from their
wicked design" God now threatened the
"ation with destruction. and they would
have persisted BIZ: for the PRAYER OF Moses.
The ten spies were smitten with the
plague and lied. Every person over TWEEN
~ Years Of age. cycept the two faithful
spies. was "a de before The nation entered
Canaan. As n reward for their faithful
ness C'lco and Joshua were permitted To
enter the promised land. Caleb received
Hebron as his possession. the very place
he searched as 4 spy. where were the hest
fruits and the strongest enemies. Joshua
had his name changed from Oshea to
Joshua. wlich signifies savior, and was
also honored by being chosen as Moses
successor II lead the people into Canaan.
Thus does God reward the faithful and
punish the wicked.
BASIS of Loving Cup.