The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-08-29
THE BRAZEN
SERPENT
Sunday School Lesson Tor Sept. s. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

Dry verse ?,
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 have eternal hfe"-John
3If-i5.
TIME More than IS years after our
last lesson. Aaron died on the first day
81 the hfth month July-AugusD % the
forticth year since leaving Egypt Mum
$3.50. The fiery scrpents attacked the
people a few weeks later In September
Or. G. it52. according to the common
chronology.
PI.ACE-Aaron died at Mount Hor. on
the border OF the Edom range. along the
eastern border OF the Arahah. The ser
penis were In the great deep and broad
valley called the Arabah, south OF the
Dead sea. and extending 70 the eastern
arm OF the Red sea.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
We left the lsraelites. 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 80 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 left Il
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 20 which they
would return. Bush. Some OF these
wanderings are given in Mum. 1919
SO. extending as far south as Exon
Geber on the eastern arm OF the Red
sea q Kings $500.
Some Of the events recorded during
his period are: !. Korahs Rebel.
lion plumbers 80, which grew out Of
the long delay and disappointed hopes.
.. Aaron's rod budded plumbers
10 to prove that Aaron was the d.
vinely chosen high priest
3. The death Of Miriam. the sister
OF Moses mum. 2O:D.
4. Water from the rock at Meribah
and the sin of Moses that kept him
from entering the promised land
(Num. 2O:213).
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 70 have Interpreted
the miracle there as an instance of
mercy in spite Of their wicked course.
but as a response TO Il; and they there
fore now repeated the experiment OF
Instruction
Thus the Israelites tempted God q
Cor. 1879: Heb. 800 They put his
patience and forbearance 20 tie 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 20 the Israelites. OF
to u.s. The true. peculiar. pernicbus
fiery serpents were their murmurinR
disposition and complaints against
Jehovah. "--Lange. Sin Is like a fiery
serpent, often beautiful in appearance.
and secret in It's approach. But the ef
fects are pains that only fire can ex
press.
Repentance and salVation.--Vs. 10.
Confession. VI. We have slnned.
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 II 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. Their praying made 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 Pauls thorn
in tho 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 we're the fruits OF unbelfef
the true method of help was first to
restore faith and then healing.
Practical Points.
Christ crucifed is the most conspic
uous object in the history Of the
world. Il is the center around which
.ho ,.yboIa moral and raliqiouQ Warfa re