The Jasper weekly courier., 1907-07-05
God Feeds Israel in
the Wilderness
SUNDAY School Lesson Tor Juiy7. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper

GOLDEN TENT am the living
bread which came down from heaven."-
John 6.5l
| Tlme.-Accordlng 10 the common chro-
nology the crossing OF the Red Sea was
about the first OF April. b G. 1897. Pro-
fessor Beecher regards this early date Al
| probably the correct one. near the be-
ginning OF the fifteenth century. Il. c."
Many scholars regard the date about
1909 B C.. and some "a late as 1900 IL. c.
There is great uncertainty as 70 the ex-
act time. This lesson belongs about a
month after the last regular lesson.
PLACE.-Thc northern part OF the Will
derness OF Sin. long plain bordering the
Gulf OF Suez on the east
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Six hundred thousand men, besides
children and a mixed multitude. had
escaped from Egypt and it's slavery.
crossed the Red sea, and were now be-
ginning their journey to Palestine. II
took them 40 years. although It could
as easily have been accomplished in
40 weeks.
Three routes were possible Cd The
Phiistia road the northern road.
around the Mediterranean This they
avoided, because 1t would lead them
through the warlike tribe Of Palestine
! 90 The Way OF Shur," directly east.
They rejected this. because il trav.
ersed the worst OF the desert. (3l
Therefore they were guided to take
the lower road running southeasterly
along the eastern shore of the Red
sea.
" 3. Would to God we had died
in the land OF Egypt" like the first
born of the Egyptians. The contrast
as to fertility between the wilderness
and Egypt was very great. But they
| forgot their sufferings from slavery
there, and the wonderful deliyerances
from God. They did not appreciate
their freedom, their spiritual training
and privileges, and all that would lead
to higher life.
Note CD that they might have been
sure that God would provide them
with food. Would he have done such
wonders on the field Of Zoan and at
the Red sea. if he meant them TO die
in the wilderness? They only needed
to look up to God and on what he had
done TO strengthen their faith They
were like Christian in Doubling Cas-
tie, who forgot thai he had in his
bosom the key of deliverance.
"A friend Of mine was once wander.
ing in a thick fog lie could not sec
a step behind or before, and his soul
was filled with gloomy thoughts. or
a sudden he looked upward. and 10,
the sky was visible, full of stars He
was walking through thick fog that
reached only a few feet above his
| head. So in all our troubles: We have
only TO look up and we can see Gods
kindness through em"-Amos r.
Wells.
Note (2) God was only waiting till
they had learned their lesson Of faith.
They put material comfort before spir-
itual life. Gods way was to have
them seek first the character which
would prepare them for their Promised
Land
" u. "At even ye shall eat flesh.
the flesh OF ". 13) quails which came
up from the Arabian gulf OF the Red
sea, across which they fly in the
spring in great numbers. and ara
often so faugued after their passage.
and fly so low. as 10 become an easy
prey wherever they alight Il
have myself found the ground in Al
geria, in the month of April. covered
with quails for an extent OF many
acres at daybreak, where on the pre-.
ceding afternoon there had not been
one. Tristan. The quails. as ap-
pears by the subsequent narrative.
were supplied. not regularly. but only
on rare occasions; in fact $50 far as
appears. only here in the wilderness
of Sin. and at Kibroth-Hattaavah in
the wilderness OF Paran Mum. 1881
34
The gift OF the quails came through
natural means. like most of their food
and ours. All our daily food is the gift
of God. however much we may work
for it ourselves. 1t forever points us
to God and claims our thanks
This kind Of miracle, we believe. our
Father is constantly working for his
God has made nature like
a vast machine. and gone away and
left it. He lives in all his works
the sun, rain, wind the very birds OF
the air. and continually uses nature
10 bless those who honor him.
V. 15 They said one to another.
What is it?" r. " Mamma is said
% owe its name 10 this question. Man
lu?' What is it?' PROF McAllster.
n Hastings Bible Dictionary.
What war the mamma? 1t was (v.
80 like coriander seed white; and
he taste OF It was like wafers made
With honey" THE taste Of IL Mum.
1881 was as the taste of fresh oil" IL
vas ground in mills. beaten in NOR
ars. seethed In pots, and used TO make
axes. IL fell with the dew. In Psa.
S:24, % ii IS called 'the corn OF
eaven' the bread OF the mighty"
ad II sustained the lsraelites through
much toll but II did not pamper their
enses
'ynnboI OF the True Bread OF Heaven.
1t is impossible now to read this
arratlve without connecting il with
he Sayiour's discourse to the Jews