Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-05-25

or the law, the rearing of the tabernacle
the organization of the priestly service
and the sacrificial worship of the true
God, and yet all this association and
knowledge did not make him one OF
Gods children. He was with the Jews
but not of the Jews. If he was to be-
come Jew and cast his lot in with them.
he must be circumcised and come un-
der the blood of the sacrificial lamb
But to have seen Hobab as he mingled
with children OF Israel and came and
went from the midst OF Moses house
hold. no striking difference would have
been noted between him and Gods
people. And so IL is to-day. In the midst
OF Gods people there are the Hobabs
who have not been redeemed by the
precious blood OF Christ. AS TO outward
appearances and conduct they compare
well and favorably with Gods children
perhaps, but they are not journeying
the same way. They belong back there
in the world. And another thing about
Hobab. His relationship to so good and
great a man as Moses could not give
him an inheritance in the Promised
Land, any more than human ties and
a
port to Heaven. The Coolest man who
ever lived cannot bring into Heaven un-
der his cloak the unregenerate loved
one OF his household. Each soul must
stand by itself Each soul must decide
for itself its destiny.
WHAT great privilege and oppor-
w tunity were Hobab's. Long as
ISOLATION with Gods people and the
opportunity of going into the Prom
ised Land with them. During those
months of sojourn in the wilderness
he became familiar with the history
OF Gods wonderful dealings with Is
rael. he became conscious OF the near
approach of God in the smoking
mountain, and the cloudy pillar. he
heard the law and observed the sug-
gestive tabernacle service, he knew
Gods promises. and beheld Moses
confident trust in them, and what a
weight OF responsibility rested upon
him because of all this. II he had
never come from his home in INDIAN
IT would have been different; but now
that he had. and had beheld the glory
and majesty and purpose of God. how
could he escape IL he neglected so
great opportunity. And the Hobabs
of to-day are in the same perilous DO.
sition. Think OF your privilege OF as
ISOLATION with Gods people. Consider
how you have heard Gods Word read
how you have shared in the worship
and service, how you have beheld the
saving power of Gods Son manifested
in other lives, how lives have been
transformed and you have marked the
change that has been wrought and
have marveled thereat. Consider all
this, and then remember how Jesus
spoke His strongest denunciations of
judgment against those places which
had seen His greatest works. which
had had the largest opportunities of
knowing Him. Hobab had great priv
ilege and opportunity in his sojourn
with Gods people. and he came under
the greater condemnation for that
very reason. And so il is with you
who mingle day after day with Gods
people and come under Christian infiu-
ence, and hear and know the truth OF
God as it is in Christ Jesus. Yours
is the privilege of knowing and un-
derstanding Gods purpose for you;
yours is the opportunity Of joining
Gods people and journeying with
them to Heaven. Great privilege and
opportunity. surely, and they will not
always be yours. Some day your
privilege will have been lost and your
opportunity gone forever.