Evening star., 1907-08-31
for SUNDAY &cbool8.
STAR LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER T.,
By Rev. J. E. Gilbert, DID,.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF RELIGIOUS EDUcArrc
THE REPORTS THE SPIES" Numbers xii:17s5

KNOWN The fruit was so large that they
cut off branches and bore them upon poles
as samples for the delight Of their coun-
trymen. At this day travellers speak in
hlgh terms of the fruits Of that locality,
although more than thirty centuries have
passed, and an inferior civilization has
neen established by a less thrifty people.
What must have been present before the
astonshed eyes of the twelve Israeltes
we can scarcely imagine.
PEOPLE.-This land which God pro-
posed to give Israel, which, in fact, He
mad, by promise. conveyed to Abraham
ana his posterity Gen, xii:15), was dense
ly populated. There were several tribes
or nations who had held the country for
many centuries. They are sometimes
mentioned in Scripture under the COM
prehensive title of Canaanites but in other
cases the various tribal names-Philis-
tines, Hlttites, Invites, Jebusites, Periz-
Zltes, Girga shites-are given. Judging
from their skill in war Josh, xvii:16 and
the number and strength of their cities.
tney must have attained an advanced CIV
llzation Why should they be dispossessed?
1t may be replied that the earth is the
LORDS (Psalm. xxiv:D, and that He ap-
points the habitations of men (Acts xvii :26)
A better answer would be that the Canaan
ties once served God, for Melchizedek, who
was or the same stock, was His priest (Gen.,
XIV, but that they had relapsed into
serve him Oan., u:2D.
notwithstanding the camp at
kadish-Barnea the spies presented the
clusters OF fruit. and proceeded In glowing
terms to relate what they had seen; con-
cerning the country and its productions
they were unanimous (verse 2O. But when
the practical question arose, how to enter
and possess. for the solution Of which they
had gone out. they were divided. Ten of
them had lost all their courage because
they had seen 1.-The sons Of the Anakims
men of prodigious size, in whose presence
they seemed to be but grasshoppers. We
are not able to go up against these people,"
they said, for they are stronger than We"
A murmur of disappointment passed
through the assembly as these words were
uttered, but Caleb, in whose opinion
Joshua concurred Numb.. xiv:6). the rep
xil:6-s), stilled the people and said: Let
US go up at once, for we are able' The
voice Of fear and the voice of faith had
been heard The former prevailed. With
camp, Israel abandoned the purpose to en-
ter the new home and turned back to wan
der in the wilderness. Deut., i:26; 35-36.)
CONCLUSION.-The people were test
ed and found wanting. They were not
ready for Canaan. otwithstanding the
many achievements under divine guidance
during the past year Ex., xiii:9, they had
expected success In their own strength
(Dan., iv:3O), and their hope departed in
the presence of obstacles God could not
use them He must raise up another gen.
GRAFTON. schooled by half a century or
longer time, If necessary e Peter iii:S) to
do His service. So has it been in all ma
tions and ages. Men have failed to reach
thelr possibilities because they have not
looked upward psalm. cxx:D nor grasped
the hand that is omnipotent Heb viii :9).
On the threshold Of a glorious future. be-
cause Of giants in the way" they have
turned back from golden fields and lus-
c1ous fruits, the free gifts of heaven. to
wandering, to hunger and WEAKNESS, and
to 1gnominious graves. The Calebs and the
Joshuas of whom we shall hear again are
the men who win victory and make his
tory PSALM cxXxviii:7-S).