Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-08-21

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| GOLDEN TExT-"Jesus saith unto
them am the bread OF lfe."-John 6:s5.
The Psalm of praise eek t5) is fol-
lowed by the sorrows of sin. After
leaving the bitter waters of Marah
! t1k:23-26) the Israelites encamped for
a time at Elm ". cd They then en-
tered the wilderness of sin esd.
This name is certainly suggestive for
1t was the sin of unbelief that lay be-
hind their murmurings.
!. Despair, w. 2, 8. We sometimes
censure the Israelites for their COM
planning within a month after their
miraculous deliverance from the Red
| Sea, but If we examine ourselves
closely we will not be surprised at
their lack OF faith nor at the Savior's
delight when he discovered faith
! luke 7:9). Their song, Chapter Is,
| of deliverance has scarcely died on
their lips when new danger con-
fronts them, viz, that of privation.
How many today fail at just this point,
and think only of the "fiesh-pots."
They complained more over the priva-
tons of Gods service than over the
slavery of Pharaoh, though as a mat
ter of fact the man in Egypt does not
have bread to the full" John 4:13,
Eccl. rs. Truly Moses and Aaron
had task ON their hands for "the
whole congregation murmured." They
had to bear the bruns OF It all for they
we're Gods visible representatives
| FPS. 69:9; Rom. 1879. Human ma
ture is ever the same. Rather to die
stomach than to live in a freedom
which was accomplished by any priva-
tons The trouble was that having
everything done for them they lacked
that moral backbone, that fixedness of
purpose, which a great principle In
spires and moves men to suffer and to
overcome. The life of slavery In Egypt
had made the Israelites craven
Gods Answer.
II. Deliverance, w. 4-10. God an
swered their grumbling with a most
gracious promise. He met their bitter
cry with a bounteous provision Of
| bread. That they might know 1t was
he who provided, God said II will rain
| bread from heaven" But to guard
against oriental improvidence or ex-
cess, they were directed to gather a
days PORTION for the day ". marg.)
This provision was also to be test
to see IL they would obey him, walk
! in my law, or no. Some of them
failed at the very first, and that which
they attempted to keep over spoiled,
see w 10, 90 To hoard is to lose, to
use is to increase, Prov. 11:24, rs.
| To hoard wealth, whether II be tenn
poral or spiritual, is to distrust God,
and it was this very distrust which
God was combating 1t was a super
natural gift and was type Of Christ,
John 6: 31-33, 35. The mama sustain
ed life for day at a time; he, Christ,
sustains forever, John 6:58. Notice,
God did not place the mamma In their
mouths, each must gather, appro-
pirate, for himself. SO also must they
who feed on the bread of life, Christ
Jesus, and as they were to gather
daily, 80 also must we feed anew
each day on Jesus. Matt GIL.
Visible Proof.
That the Israelites might realize
fully that Moses and Aaron were not
working some trick of necromancy, or
| taking advantage of some botanical or
pathological knowledge of the coun-
try, God revealed to all, at the break
Of day, his glory, v. 10; and that their
descendants might see and know OF
Gods marvellous goodness and deliv-
erance, they were commanded to fill
| a vessel with mama as visible con-
vincing proof ". 32). Nor did this
v. 35, Phil 4:19.
III. Delight, w. 11-16. What emo
tons must have filled the hearts of
the Israelites when at evening they
beheld the quails and in the morning
the mama. The mighty God who
brought them out of Egypt has again
Chown his power. The mama was to
teach them that man does not live
by bread alone but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth Of the
Lord" Deut. 8:2, 8. Do not lose time
specializing upon what the mama was
like, simply read w. 14-37 and Mum.
11:7, 8. Strangely enough not all
were satisfied with the bread from
heaven (Num. 2l;5) but they had to
| eat it or die. Some cried out for the
food of Egypt, (Num. 11:5, g. even as
today some who profess to be Chris-
tians are not satisfied with Christ AS
against these feelings of delight there
must have been sense of rebuke ".
81 when God through Aaron com
manded the Israelites 70 come near
before the Lord"
w. The Teaching. The gift of the
mamma taught the Israelites that they
must depend upon God. Man not only
needs spiritual relationship but mate
rial sustenance for the maintenance
of his life.
| The words of the golden text we're
| spoken in connection with our Lords
feeding the multitude. He is able to
/ i g..