Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-10-01

This lesson is taken from the book
Of Numbers. "the book OF Journey.
ings," or aptly called the book of muir.
murings" The events Of Exodus and
Leviticus cover perhaps one or two
years, whereas those recorded in Mum
bers occupy about 3S years. Read IN this
connection Ps.95:1O and Cor. 10 From
Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea are found four
general murmurings. The first was
at Taberah. 1873. and the events of to-
days lesson which occurred at
Kibroth, 1884. The other two we're
at Hazeroth, 1915, l6, and Kadesh.
1925 This book is full Of impress.
i've warnings about worldliness
Moses Was Human.
I. Complaint and Controversy, w.
1918. Moses was great but he was
human No man is faultless. and In
this lesson we have another incident
illustrating the weakness OF Moses.
Yet despite all this we find inserted
In the very next chapter Gods esti.
mate of his character, 1873. Moses
had been subjected to a terrible strain,
the details Of his leadership. the con.
slant murmuring of the people I'M
der this load he gave way, just as he
had previously yielded to impulse, Elk.
2:12, and as he did subsequently. Oh
20:10-13. The Israeites are a strik.
ing illustration of the natural discon-
tent Of the human heart. Amy af-
Fiction, and discomfort or privation,
and we forget Gods marvellous works
Oh our behalf. His wonderful good
ness. That God was displeased is in
dictated by verse TO- but that did not
imply that Moses, too, was to lose
his temper to resort to murmuring,
and to accuse God of being respon-
sible for the burden or that he would
not help to share the load v IL. God
placed great honor upon Moses by
calling him to this task of leadership
and now he complains. and doubts for
moment Gods sustaining grace, 2
Cor. 1873; Phil. Alb. The language
here used, w. 1914, is wonderfully
suggestive. The utter weakness Of
the Israelites, the promised goal, the
hunger OF soul and body, the sorrows
or affection are all graphically set
before us. Moses own weakness is
revealed ". 1877 by his words, where
/ should have flesh to giye?" He seems
/ to forget absolutely Gods dealings
with Israel before they reached Sinai
lex. 16), as though God expected any
such thing from him. The height of
his petulance and bitterness is reach
ed when he exclaims, kill me l pray
thee and let me not see my
wretchedness," " Is. What a fool
ish prayer and how vastly different
from Paul's desire to depart" but
willingness to remain, Phil 1924. To
know that others have been guilty OF
this same folly should set US on guard
King 1874; Job 3:2O-23 $3.50 and
Jonah 4:3, s, 8. To crawl under some
juniper tree and pray God to trans
late us is not the part of true sol
der, | Kings 10 and Eph. 6:13-18.
Burden Distributed.
II. Comfort and Counsel. w, 1918
"a, rs. Moses had been warn met tc
bear the entire burden Oh srshiT
by his father-in-law, Jethro, Elk 1917
Is. Now that he is unwilling to take
the full honor of undivided Leadership
God most graciously grants his re
quest and appoints others to share the
burden and responsibility There wal
no more power, however, but more
machinery. God distributed the bur
den and revealed the fact that Moses
power was in proportion to his burden
Human nature always looks for thu
arm Of flesh upon which to rely, bu
such reliance usually brings a curse
not blessing upon those who seek it
Jer. 17:5. God dealt In mercy Will
Moses. Notice how gently he passe
by this exhibition of infrmity ant
Notwithstanding this lapse, bears ties
timony to his faithfulness (12:O. Ye
he is impartial in chronicling his fault
and thereby giving US an incidenta
and thereby giving us the truth.
What a suggestion in the words e
will come down and talk with thee,
yet that is the privilege of the believ
er in Christ, John 14:16, II and 1871
God calls tent meeting" V. 16 R. V
but before he meets them they mus
sanctify themselves, for so only
one prepared to meet God Elk. 1915
is, o. These people had been lust
ing for the food of Egypt even as t
day many who have professed to az
cept Christ are forever longing for tn
pleasures Of time and sense. The
forget the bitterness Of past slavery i
the privations of the present, entir,
ly forgetful of the goal of luxury an
freedom, Rom. 1928, 2 Cor. AIT Go
, granted their request, v IS, to thei
sorrow, v. 20. The whole trouble wa
, then rejected the Lord" v. 20 r. '
/ The granting of material prosperit
tends to leanness of soul, Ps. 1861 II
1t frequently happens that God doe
not answer our prayers because h
knows that to answer them actual
and literally would spell disaster /
our lives Once before at Jethro
suggestion Moses had chosen elder
, Elk. 1S:13-26. but here he chooses 9
the behest Of Jehovah which illu
tratee the contrast between ministr
exercised in human strength and /
the divine strength. Zech. 4:6; LUX
AIS and Acts 2. The word 'proph,
sled" Y. Is, is not restricted to th
foretelling Of events, but implies an
kind OF an utterance that is prepare
:. by God without reference to tim