The Tupelo journal., 1907-09-06
THE BRAZEN
SERPENT
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. 8. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

GOLDEN TExT.-"As Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, even SO
must the Son Of man be lifted up; that
whatsoever believeth in him should not
perish but nave eternal life."-John
3:14-i5.
TIME.-More than 3S years after our
last lesson. Aaron died on the first day
OF the fifth month tJuly-August) of the
fortieth year since leaving Egypt CNum.
1888. The fiery serpents attacked the
people a few weeks later, In September
B, G. 1852. according to the common
chronology.
PLACE-Aaron died at Mount Hor. on
the border OF the Edom range, along the
eastern border Of the Arabah. The ser
penis were In the great deep and broad
valley called the Arabah, south of the
Dead sea, and extending to the eastern
arm Of the Red sea.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
We left the Israelites, in our last les
son, at Kadesh Barnea, on the border
of the south land of Palestine and the
northern border of the great desert of
Paran. They had refused, through
fear and unbelief, to go up and take
possession of their inheritance, and
were condemned to remain in the des-
ert for SO years longer, till all over 20
years of age had died. They arrived
at Kadesh about a year and three
months after the exodus, and Seft it
nine months before taking possession
OF Canaan. During these years "Ka-
desh was probably their central nu-
cleus or rendezvous. They would nat.
urally change their locality from time
to time, like the Bedouins of all ages,
but still cherishing the hope of event
ually becoming possessors of the land
of promise. Meantime they are not to
be conceived as dwelling, in their in
tervals of repose, in a compact camp,
which the nature of the country for
babe to such an immense multitude,
but as expatiating in bands, here and
there, over the adjacent country, still
having the tabernacle as the center
and the rendezvous to which they
would return."-Bush. Some Of these
~wanderings are given in Mum. 1918
SO, extending as far south as Ezion
Geber on the eastern arm of the Red
sea Il Kings 9:26).
Some of the events recorded during
his period are: 1. Korah's Rebel
lion Numbers 16), which grew out of
the long delay and disappointed hopes.
2. Aaron's rod budded plumbers
I'D to prove that Aaron was the di.
vinely chosen high priest.
3. The death of Miriam, the sister
of Moses (Num. 20:D.
A.. Water from the rock at Meribah
and the sin of Moses that kept him
from entering the promised and
(Num. 20:2-13).
"And the people spake against God,
and against Moses" Their bitter feel
ings grew so strong that they were ex-
pressed in words. Their former muir
murings at Kadesh had been treated
leniently, and water had been sup
piled, apparently at their angry de
mand. They seem to have interpreted
the miracle there as an instance of
mercy in spite of their wicked course,
but as a response to it; and they there
fore now repeated the experiment of
insurrection.
Thus the Israelites tempted God q
Cor. 1879; Heb. 500. They put his
patience and forbearance to the test,
and did all they could to make him
give them up as hopeless.
The Fiery Serpents of Sin.-No bet
ter emblem of the results of sin could
have been given to the Israelites, or
to us. THE true, peculiar, pernicious.
fiery serpents were their murmuring
disposition and complaints against
Jehovah."-Lange. Sin is like a fiery
serpent, often beautiful in appearance.
and secret in its approach. But the e.
fects are pains that only fire can ex-
press.
Repentance and Salvation.-Vs. TO.
Confession. V. Z. 1--WE have sinned."
The evil effects of sin made them feel
conscious of their sin and its great
ness. The real evil is the sin, and not
the punishment. But it is only by the
punishment that men realize the evil
of sin itself.
Against the Lord, and against
thee" All crimes against man are
sins against God. And all sins against
God work wrong to man.
And Moses prayed for the people,"
expressing their desires and feelings.
There is real power in microscopy
prayer. lhcI pldyluS Alduc II WISE
and safe to give blessings that would
have been an injury to those who had
not the spirit of prayer. One of the
| objects of the punishment was to turn
their hearts to God.
The Cure.-Note in what a peculiar
and yet blessed way the prayer was
answered; not by removing the SER
penis, as they probably expected, but
by a way that healed their souls as
well as their bodies. So Paul's thorn
in the flesh was not removed, but
Gods grace was made to abound as a
blessed fruit growing on that stem.
AS the sin and punishment of the
Israelites were the fruits of unbeiief.
the true method of help was first to
restore faith and then healing.
Practical Points.
Christ crucified is the most conspic-
uous object in the history of the
world. 1t is the center around which
the whole moral and religious warfare
of the world is gathered.
The power did not lie in the brazen
serpent, but in God himself who could
bestow healing upon those who
showed by their looking up te>it at his
Word that they believed in God and
repented of their sin.
Salvation was by faith. the only way
~ III - 49,