The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-20
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
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BobJeet: Report OF tno Spies' num- 1h~
l.3, and KILL. 25 % XIV, <-Golden Text,
Psa. H.. - Memory Verses. $685.
Commentary on the Days Lesson.
Explanatory. Everything was now
ready for taking possession OF Canaan,
provided the people had the necessary
faith and courage. Accordingly Moses
commanded them in the name Of Jehovah
(Deut: !; 20. 2il to 60 up and and take s Ro;'es ~
trust in God and 60 forward, and in less
land would have been theirs. The God
who had delivered them with a mighty
hand, who had made a path through the
sea. who had rained bread from heaven,
and brought water from a rock. and spoken
from Sinai and entered into covenant
with them, and was leading them with
His visible presence-this God badc them
60 up and take possession OF the land OF
promise: They should have trusted and
obeyed."
,s Send sa .d h0s o1%a,S sn The .ns People ,:s.S Jsss
Moses to send spies to search out the land.
Deut. ]: %. Although it would have been
better for them TO have had faith in God
and to have at once entered upon their
promised possessions, yet in order to sat.
to send the spies. "Of every tribe-s
man." Moses selected twelve leading
men, every one prince" (R. w., in or.
der that the best possible results might be
realized. The object of the expedition
was ~ to learn what +, were the atsrse.
difficulties in the way Of taking possession,
(3) to find out the best way of reaching
the country, "a to learn what prepare.
tions it was necessary to make"
423. In verses 4-l5 we have the names
OF the spies. In verses l7.20 Moses gives
them special directions. They were TO
travel the whole length OF the land to the
Lebanon mountain region, and find out all
about the land and the people, and to
bring back some OF the fruit Of the land.
In verses q and "a we have q description
of the fruit they brought back with them.
25. "Returned-after forty days" For:
80 mics and the return. The spies could
going at the rate OF less than fifteen miles
day. 1t is not probable that they went
in a body, but singly or By twos.
26. 10 Kadesh." Kadesh means holy.
"Shewed them the fruit" They had
brought back grapes. pomecranates and
figs. The bunch Of grapes was very large.
n. "Floweth with milk and honey"
This was q poetical description OF coun.
try rich in pasturase and produce. Thus
far the reports of the spies agree. They
all commend the richness and fruitfulncss
of the soil.
q. Nevertheless" The report was
given publicly and it was srtfully arranged
to begin with Communications, in order
that their subsequent ISLANDERS might re-
ceive credit. This would introduce the
goddess majority report; there 10 in it no
reference 20 Jehovah. It is an infidel doc
ument. Children Of Anak." Long
necked. famous giants. descendants from
Afba. founder of the city of Hebron. The
spies S..e terrified at sight Of them"
%. The Amalekites." etc. These peo-
pie had already attacked the Iraeiites
once. Ex. IL. SIG. The Hittites were q
strong, warlike people. The Jebustes held
the region about Jerusalem. The Amor.
ties were mountaineers.
Judah. He begins the minority report
also joined with him. Il: 6, 30. "Stilled
the people" A bitter wall Of despair was
going up from the vast throng OF people.
81. I'VE be not able" This had not
been asserted before. The ten spies are in.
creasing in their opposition.
80. Evil report-eateth up" How un'
belief grows. At first it was only q sugs
gestion Tvs. %, 29), then it became an as.
sertion ". 81, then it assumed the form
OF an "evil report" The spies cannot mean
that the land was barren and the inhabit.
ants dying of famine. for the fruit they
brought with them and their first report
thought that there was q pestilence in the
land at this time. and also that the spies
had learned that the people were constant
~ engaged in wars to maintain their inde-
pendence.
80. "Sons of Anak." Anak literally sig.
nifed long necked. The sons Of Anak
were race of giants in strength. It
seems to be a fact that in primitive times
there were men Of great stature.
]. "All the congregation" There were
n few noble exceptions. however. "Wept
that night" These loud wailings, resound-
ing by night from tent to tsnt and from
spondency through the whole camp. They
were surrounded BY the dark and chilling
clouds OF unbelief. and were occupied with
themselves and their difficulties instead
OF with God and His resources. All this
grief was Oh account Of imaginary troubles.
2, 3. "Better-to return" They mur-
INJURED azainst Moses and Aaron and
wished to return to their former life OF
servitude. Their wish to return to the
eroanings. burdens. tasks and insults Of
the brick yards Of Egypt. from. which q
pitving Jehovah had led them forth was
indicative OF base insratitude and SER
s'' Make q p.'' a captain. aSH they repudiated
Moses and Aaron and Jehovah. According
to Nehemiah @: II they actually appointed
a captain to lead them hack to the task
masters lash in Egypt. Moses and Aaron
then fell on their faces before the people
ard Joshua and Caleb rent their clothes
as a sign Of their great grief. and made a
strong appeal to the congregation in ia.
vor Of taking the land at once. But the
people like frenzied mob tried to stone
them to death, and were prevented from
50 doing only By the glory OF the Lord
shining forth from the tabernacle. The
majesty of Jehovah flashed forth suddenly
to strike the people with terror in their
rebellion. and to deter them from their
wicked design" God now threatened the
nation with destruction, and they would
have pershed hut for the prayer of Moses.
The ten spies were smitten with the
plague and died. Every person over TWEEN:
~ years OF csc. except the two faithful
spies, was to die before the nation entered
Canaan. As n reward for their faithful.
ness Caleb 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 aId the strongest enemies. Joshua
Rad his name changed from Oshea 10
Joshua. which signines savior, and was
also honored by being chosen rs Moses
successor to lead the people into Canaan.
Thus does God reward the faithful and
punish the wicked.
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