Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-05-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson VIII. Second Quarter,
For May rs, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text of the Lesson, Elk. II, 1.15-Men-
ory Verses, 9, 1o-GoIden Text, Acts
vii, documentary Prepared BY
Row. D. M. Stearns.


Rev. D. M. Stearns.
copyright, 1907 by American Press Asscciation.l
The Lord chooses men before they
are born to do His will and ofttimes
calls them by name long before thelr
birth, as in the case of Josiah and Cy-
rus. who were named hundreds OF
years before birth and some of the
things they would do specified q Kings
xiii, 3; xiii, 10; lisa. Xiv, %; xiv, u.
Every simple minded believer rejoices
to believe that he was chosen IN Christ
before the foundation of the world
Eph. i, A., but he also believes that he
was chosen to be holy and without
blame before Him in love.
1t is wondrously comforting truth
that God has q time for every event.
and happy are all who contentedly
leave their time in His hands acts
xvii, &c; Ps. XXI, 49,. In todays les
son we are introduced to Amram anu
Jochebed of the tribe of Levi, the par.
ents of Aaron and Miriam and Moses
CEx. vi, 20; Mum. XVI, 59). for the time
was drawing near to deliver Israel, &C.
cording to the Lords promise to Abra-
ham Gen XIV, 14, and He would have
His man ready for the eventful time.
Faith is not a feeling or emotion or
thought or hope or desire, but rest
inc on the sure word of God; therefore
we conclude from Heb. Xi, %, that God
had been talking with these parents
about this child, for, apart from a
communication from God, there is no
ground for faith. Faith cometh by
hearing the word of God" (Rom. x, 10.
So this child was hidden three months
by his mother, in obedience to Him
who so carefully hid Elijah that Ahab
and all his searchers could not find
him. Then at an appointed time for
the babe to be adopted by Pharaoh's
daughter the mother is doubtless in
structed to prepare the ark of bull
rushes and place it in the flags by the
rivers brink, not knowing the out
come. but having faith in God that he
would work out His plan in His own
way. A study of the three arks OF
Scripture, NOah's, Jochebed's and Mo-
ses'. in connection with the fact that
each was prepared to preserve what
was put in it and each made by divine
direction, is most helpful.
Soon the daughter of Pharaoh and
her maidens approach the river to
battle. The little ark is seen, brought
to her, opened. The babe weeps; her
heart is touched; she is sorry for the
beautiful babe and its unknown moth
er. Miriam is at hand. "Shall l go
and call to thee nurse of the Hebrew
women that she may nurse the child
for thee? go" And the maid went
and called the child'S mother oversees
So.
Why do we not trust Him fully? Be-
cause we do not know Him. Perhaps
Miriam did not hurry too fast away
from the presence of the kings daugh'
ter. but a little later-well, did you
ever see a young girl run when she
had a good reason for running? And
what did she find her mother doingI
Possibly in prayer to the God of Is
rael or possibly expecting and looking
for the return of Miriam. The child
is out of breath, but can say Come"
as she takes her mothers hand and
hdrries her along, telling her what had
happened as they hasten to the river.
Jochebed is face to face with Phara-
obs daughter, but l think she scarcely
has eyes for royalty, only for her babe.
But perhaps she fears to show too
much interest Just then. But listen:
Take this child away and nurse 1t for
me. and | will give thee thy wages
(verse 81. Now the song wells up In
her heart and cannot be long restrain
ed. perhaps till she reaches home or Is
at least far enough away from the
kings daughter and her maids not to
be overheard: then it may be that both
Miriam and her mother started up,
"Sing We to the Lord, for He hath trl'
umphed gloriOusly" (Ex. XIV, 21), as
Miriam did long years afterward.
Did any mother who reads these
notes ever hear the Lord say to hel
these words Of Pharaohs daughter tC
Jochebed? If not it may have been
because Of ears that were not anointed
for if eating and drinking can be done
to the glory of God q Cor. X, 81, how
much more the training of children FOL
Him! AS to wages for loves service
we will find it even so (Rev. xxi, ~
How truly wonderful is our God and
all His plan for His own!
Perhaps two or three years with bis
mother, growing dearer to her every
day. and then she gives him up to the
kings daughter to be her son, trusting
the God Of Israel to work out His eter'
nal purpose and remembering His won
derful working when the babe was
only three months old. Yet 1t was
hard to give him up, and there were nc
doubt tears and heartache, and she
did not know John iii, 16, for it had
not come to pass. Think also of Han
nah and her Samuel.
SO Pharaoh's daughter took the little
boy and nouriShed him for her own
son. And Moses was learned in al
the wisdom of the Egyptians and was
mighty in words and deeds acts vii
81, 90. His mother must have known
something of this and probably was
glad of her sons welfare, possibly hop
ing it might fit him for the dellveranct
of Israel, of which, believe, she knew
Years pass. and now he is forty years
old (Acts vii, 23) and thinks the time
has come for him to act on behalf OF
his people, but he has much to Learn
in another school, a postgraduate
course in Gods special school.