The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-10-03

| 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, Ex
PIP, and as he did subsequently, CHI
20: 1913. The Israelites are a strik
ing illustration of the natural discon.
tent of the human heart Any af.
Fiction, and discomfort or privation,
and We forget Gods marvellous works
on our behalf. His wonderful good
ness. That God was displeased Is in
dicated by verse 10, 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. II. God
placed great honor upon Moses by
calling him to this task of leadership
and now he complains, and doubts for
a moment Gods sustaining grace, 2
Cor. 1873; Phil. Alb. The language
here used. Wv. 1914, is wonderfully
suggestive. The utter weakness of
the lsraelites, the promised goal, the
hunger Of soul and body, the sorrows
or aftiiction are all graphically set
before us. Moses own weakness is
revealed ". 49, by his words, where
should have flesh to give?" He seems
to forget absolutely Gods dealings
with Israel before they reached Sinai
(Ex. 16), as though God expected any
such thing from him. The height of
his petulanee and bitterness is reach
ed when he exclaims, kill me / pray
thee and let me not see my
wretchedness," v. Is.
Burden Distributed.
IL. Comfort and Counsel. w. 1918,
"a, Is. Moses had been warned not to
bear the entire burden of leadership
by his father-in-law, Jethro, Elk. 1917,
IL. 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 was
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 the
arm Of flesh upon which to rely, but
such reliance usually brings a curse
not blessing upon those who seek it,
Jer. 17:5. God dealt in mercy with
Moses. Notice how gently he passes
by this exhibition of infrmity and
Notwithstanding this lapse, bears tes-
timony to his faithfulness Q2:O. Yet
he is impartial in chronicling his faults
and thereby giving us an incidental
and thereby giving US the truth.
What suggestion in the words 81
will come down and talk with thee"
yet that is the privilege of the beliey.
er in Christ, John 1916, II and 1918.
God calls tent meeting" 16 r. ",
but before he meets them they must
sanctify themselves, for SO only is
one prepared to meet God, Elk. 1910
10, %. These people had been lust.
ing for the food of Egypt even as to.
day many who have protested to &C.
cept Christ are forever longing for the
pleasures of time and sense. They
forget the bitterness of past slavery in
the privations of the present, entire
'y forgetful of the goal of luxury and
freedom, Rom. 1923, 2 Cor. All. God
granted their request, v. IS, to their
sorrow, V. 20. The whole trouble was
hen rejected the Lord" v. 20 r. V.
The granting Of material prosperity |
ends to leanness of soul, Ps. lO6:15. |
It frequently happens that God does |
lot answer our prayers because he |
Knows that to answer them actually |
ind literally would spell disaster in
,ur lives.
Conclusion. This lesson brings
Noses very near to us. Such re.
man as he is he sometimes
Gems to be far removed from GU.
.ctual experiences in life. Yet as we
consider him faltering for moment
'eneath his staggering, crushing bur.
en of responsibility, with strength
nd courage gone, we share our sym.
athy with him and he seems to enter
nto the actualities of our daily life.
God reveals himself as one who'un.
erstands perfectly, one who knows
xactly all that his servant felt, and
ne who in tender compassion had not
word OF rebuke.