Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-07

Kew. ID. M. Stearns.
Copyright, 1907, by American rress Association
The fourteenth chapter ends With the
record of some who insisted OH going
up to take tho land when they found
that their unbelief was 10 cost them
forty years In the wilderness, so they
went In their presumption and were
slain.
The fifteenth chapter also tells of the
prcsulnptuous Sin Of one who dared 10
break the Sabbath by gathering sticks.
ana 1t Is plainly stated that disObcdi-
encc is presumption and dcspising the
word of the Lord (xv. 80, 80. This
last sin led to the frlnges IN the bor-
dcrs of their garments with II ribbon
of blue. that they might look upon 1t
and be holy unto the Lord who had
brought ilicm out OF Egypt tXv. Bid.
Chapter XVI Is full Of the rebellion
OF Korah ana his companions against
Moses. their punishment, the sympathy
Of the people With the guilty and the
plngie from the Lord that took away
SO many thousands of them Chapter
XVII Is Gods miraculous testimony to
His choice OF Aaron by causing his rod
TO bud ma blossom ana bear almonds
In one night, while the other eleven
rods remained only dry sticks Chapter
xviii establishes the prc-cmncnce of
the tribe OF Levi, their special scpnra-
ton unto the Lord nnd that the Lord
Himself was specially their portion
(versc 20). Chapter XIX is the remark
ably typical story of the red hclfcr or
the provision for cleansing by the way
Compare Heb. TX, 10; l John 1, I.
Chapter XXX begins With the death OF
Mirlamnand ends with the death of
Aaron and contains the record of
Moses Sin, which cut him Off from lead
Ing Isrnel into the promised land He
believed not God. gave way to self aud
smotc the rock instead of speaking to It,
LII to,lay's lesson we have first n sig
nal victory OF Israel over their enc
niles and then another outbreak against
God. followed by Il Christening and dc-
livcrance. That God should ever hear
or do anything for such rcbcllious
people is written for our encourage
ment and that we may adopt Jerc-
miah's plea. 20 Lord, though our In
iQultics testify against us. do Thou 1t
for Thy names sake" Ucr. xiv, y. He
Will specially bless all whole hearted
ness against ain or FOR Him. and tlls
, seems to be tile special point In tho
first three verses df our lesson. In III
Cor. vi, Il. to vii. /. there is good
comment upon 1t, and another good
promise In connection with II IN III
Chron. XVI. o. AS In the days of Israel.
Gn In Nttt- 1ot, 10 ta .l-s,
who IRE willing to be wholly set apart
for Himself who will checrfully be
Ills portion and let Him be peculiarly
their portion lex. xix. 40: rs. v. 3:
Tit. H. II. II. v: Ps. cxxxv. 4; lXxill,
&c; Lam. i'll. % Through such and on
behalf OF such He will specially reveal
Himself
Tho last part OF our lesson is sad
record. and yet their sin and Gods
manner OF dcl!ycrance Is one OF the
most suggestive lessons In tile Bible
concerning Coils way OF redemption
for the sinner. II type that our Lord
specially dwclt upon and used concern
! Ing Himself In John Ill, II. Is. We
know TINT Aaron died In the forticth
year after their coming ont OF Egypt
| Chapter SXXiii 3S). and IL this event
was In that year. ns 1t would seem to
, be. wo see Israel rebclllous to the last
aud the rising generation mlicriting tho
sin OF their fathers. Discouraged be-
cause of the way" and speaking
against God and against Moses OVERSEES
!. %, so they began and so they con-
tlnued Gen. xvi and XVII; Mum. Xi, I-G).
and 30 we continue In spite of all the
lessons. saying. What shall we cat. or
what shall we drink, or whercwithal
shall wo be clothcdy Matt. vi, 80
acting as II we had no Father in hcnv-
en- and therefore making self our cen
ter instead of Cod The same pntiant
Lord bears with the same sins In us.
Christening lis and ever seeking to win
us wholly to Himself.
The fiery serpcnts causing death can
not but suggest that old serpent, the
devil, through whom came the sin that
has bitten us all Gen. iii /; Rev. xii, o..
by one man sin entered the world and
death by sin" Qiom. V. 1o, When
there Is n consciousness and confession
OF sin. as in verse Z OF our lesson. then
there Is forgiveness for ''if we confess
our sins He Is faithful and Just to for
give us our sins md to cleanse us from
all unrlglteousiiess" Il John !. 81. The
likeness of that which caused their
death set upon II pole suggests the
death of that which caused their death.
think the verse that covers it most
fully In connection with John Ill. II.
10, Is ii Cor. V. 21, God hath made
Him to he sin for us who knew no
sin. that we might be made the right
cousncss of God In Him"
The fact In lsracrs case was that IL