Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-06-07
Sunday School.
LESSON FOR JUNE 0.
~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~
The Passover.-Exodus II :21-3O.
Golden Text.-When + see the blood, :
will pass over you.-E1. IL :13.
Moses, became Gods cmisary to Pha-
raoh to demand the release Of the Israel
ties. The Israelites, on their part, when
they saw the miracles that Moses worked,
accepted him as their God-chosen guide.
But Pharaoh, accustomed as he was to
the exercise of autocratic authority, did
not propose to listen to any demands that
did not accord with his wishes. BE want
ed to keep the Israelites as his slaves to
build his temples and pyramids. There
fore he steadfastly refused to let them
60 out Of Egypt.
He soon became convinced that there
was a God back of Moses and of the de-
mand for the release Of the slaves. But
he hardened his heart" against God. He
set his will in opposition to the will OF
God.
knowingly he did this, for after q
number Of the plaques had come upon
the land he acknowledged that he had
sinned, and yet would not let the people
60. He made several concessions that
seemed a little like a movement toward
| repentance but in reality it was not his
| sin that he repented of. He only wished
to escape it's consequences. He did not
want any more plaques to come upon him
and his land. There are many people
| who repent to that extent, but as soon as
they think they are secure from further
harm they harden their hearts.
Pharaoh held out longer than his cour-
tiers, who warned him that Egypt was be-
ing destroyed by his obstinacy. But 1t
is probable that the whole Egyptian peo-
pie had been more or ISIS involved in the
enslavement and detention of the He
brews. Pharaoh was the head and 'front.'
Of the offense, but others also had hard
ened their hearts and all needed a final.
supreme, evidence Of Gods wrath and
power. Nothing short Of the death of all
the irst-born throughout the land would
suffice to persuade the Egyptians to give
in thoroughly. That last plague even was
only effective for a short time in over
coming Pharaoh's opposition; for no soon
er did he realize that he was going to lose
these slaves that were 80 valuable to him
than be sent an army to bring them back
1t will be well, however, to postpone
the discussion of Gods dealing with Pha-
'raoh, and with all who persist in rebellion
against Him, until next lesson, which
naturally brings up that subject.
In our lesson we nave one step In q
progressive revelation Of Gods plan OF
salvation. There had already been vague
promises concerning the coming of Christ,
and these were to become increasingly
definite as the time for His appearing ON
earth approached. But something more
than promises was needed, and God pro-
vided the symbolism of the mosaic econ
omy to educate mems minds in regard to
the nature of sin and the way of escape
from condemnation because of sin.
The Israelites were not told at the time
to what these passover rites pointed. They
were not perhaps even given to under
stand that they had any reference to Tar
off events. They were merely required ia
obey. When the time for Christ's sacrt-
fee did actually come the habits Of
thought engendered by the sacriiicial rites
Of the passover feast would prepare those
who witnessed that great event to under
stand the full meaning Of the Cross Ths
cross of Christ would stand forth before
their eyes as an altar Of sacrifice, upon
which once for all was made the great
sacrifice which made possible q complete
reconciliation between God and man, and
a complete deliverance Of man from hi
bondage Of sin.
The necessity for this sublime sacri6cl
on the part of God Is explained by Pau.
IL Rom. 8 :33'For what the law c0ult
not do, in that 1t was weak through thu
flesh. God (did), sending His own Sor
in the likeness Of sinful flesh Inc as ar
offering for sin, Chez condemned sin II
the flesh, that the ordinance of the law
might be fulfilled in us who walk moi
after the flesh but after the Spirit
There were two things that the aw q
God could not do, because it was veal
through the flesh" 1t could not keel
man from SHINING because the impulses
of his lower nature were stronger thar
his reverence for God. And 1t could MOI
effectively condemn mans sin without
condemning the sinner to death because o.
his sin. That was it's inevitable sentence
apa inst all sinners 1.-THE soul that sin
meth. it shall die" 1.-THE wages of sin ar,
death"
God wished to save the sinner, but !
was absolutely necessary that the horri
bleness of sin should be demonstrated and
that the sinner should be enabled to SCI
himself as separated from his sin, and !
was also necessary that the sinners hear
should be captivated SO that love and rev
erence for God would become stronge,
passions thai his natural love for sin
The passover feast and blood-sprinkhn,
were to be a reminder from generation Il
generation of what God had done for HI
people. and a witness to VIA He wa
ready at all times to do for them. Tn
Hebrews needed the impressive symbol
ism to make the facts ever real to them
One can imagine how the children woul
look and wonder as their father performe
the solemn rite of sprinkling. They wouJ
ask questions the answers to which wonl
take their minds away back to that tim
when God had released their ancestor
from the power Of Pharaoh. They woul
understand that God had been very goo
to their people at that time, and the
would see in His wish for q perpetuatio
of the memory of these happenings a
assurance that He would continue to loy
and cherish them.
The ordinance Of the Lords upper ha
a fuller, clearer meaning for us than til
passover had for the Israelites. 1t ais
is a to be passed down throug
all generations that each successive on
NAV wonder at, ask about, and learn, tn
meaning of its wonderful symbolism.
Miss Birdie Robinson, Rumburyl
England, assisted in ringing a peal
500 changes, lasting two hours an
ffty-two minutes, on the church bell