Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-10-24

mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Thy sight. o Jehovah.
my rock and my redeemer." Ps. 1874
Forty years have passed since Isreal
committed it's fatal mistake of DISC
bedience. This lesson is three-sided
picture. A murmuring, blindly disc
bedient people; God, the righteous d.
rector of the affairs of men; Moses
and Aaron, the divinely appointed but
sorely tested leaders of the people.
|. The peoples petition, w. 1.5-The
name of this place was Meribah ".
49,, which means strife. 1t was not
the fault of God nor the desired lead
| ings of Moses that brought these peo-
pie to this place. Forty years of wan
dering seemingly had not taught them
this lesson. Many people accuse God
when they themselves are to be
blamed for the evil that comes upon
them James 1:13-15. What terrible
sin ingratitude is and how incredibly
ungrateful these people are.
Their Usual Plan.
II. Gods Plan, w. 6-8. Moses and
Aaron followed their usual, and the
wisest plan of taking their difficulty
to God. Separated from the people
they throw themselves upon their
faces before him and he graciously
manifested himself unto them and
gave them explicit directions ". 81.
Other times Noses had had this same
experience, CHI. 14:5; 1874, Elk. 17:4.
etc. 1t is an inspiration to recall the
multiplied times God has used these
common agencies in the hands of his
consecrated servants to work his
mighty deeds-an ox-goad. a boys
sling, a lamp and a pitcher, few
loaves and two small fishes.
III. Moses and Aaron's Pride, w.
9-t3. These servants began very prop
erly to carry out Gods instructions.
They took the rod from God, 'as COM
mandedn (v. 81. They gathered the
people together in the right place be
fore the rock But then began their
failure. Some may plead extenuatine
circumstances or great proyocation
But Moses, for he takes the place OF
leadership, made a four-fold mistake
which was too serious to be over
looked or to go unpublished. ID He
deceived the people. He had just
come from tent Of meeting" ". 81
and as heretofore, the people expPct
ed some message from Jehovah
/, wlfereas be gave them not Gods
words, but those Of his own coming
This ought TO be warning TO minis
: tiers and teachers, viz, that the people
| have a right to expect from their God
called and instructed leaders. hi:
word, not the opinions Of man MOI
j the wisdom of the sages.
Considered Them Rebels.
Moses in his pride separated him
self from the people. He assumed
"holier-than thou" attitude HI
looked upon the people, over this lin
of separation, as being rebels, and Coz
will not allow Christian leaders t.
hand out admonition upon a platte
of anger. (3) He took the glory Il
himself. This was more serious still
and was in direct violation OF TIL
spirit of those laws he had receive'
upon the Mount, Elk. 20:5 Must w
fetch you water" is quite differen
from Thou shalt bring them forth,
This is that which has set aside man.
Christian workers. We must not leal
to our own understanding nor fail t.
acknowledge that 1t is God that work
and to him be the glory. Look u
Gen. 40:S; Dan. 2:2S-30; Acts 3:12-16
l. Cor. 3:7. (4) Moses smote tn
rock. God had told Moses to ''spea
unto the rock" w. 81 whereas h
smote the rock as though the powe
were in the rod or the strong arr
back of the rod Exact obedience
expected by God and to do anythin
else is to doubt his power, to relied
upon his word and to draw attentio
away from him and upon ourselve:
Our attention has been called to tn
fact that Oh a previous occasion, 81
17.b. G. God had commanded Nose
ia smite the rock, that the rock SUI
q gests Christ e. Cor. 10:4), that he wa
Z To be smitten but once and thereafte
nearly word of prayer would br1n
forth water, see Luke 11:1S. No ma
OF is essential to Gods plan though God
re plans are always worked out throug
Id men. When men fail to see TIL
o. God speedily sets them aside and a.
DOlDtS DLleT lGduGIS. NlOoCo al
p Aaron fell through unbelief ". Il
Il. and Moses is compelled to give up h
IN Mace of leadership and is not above
mt to enter the land of promise thong
ce graciously granted view of it, (Deu
ca S:28-2G; s2:49, SO; Bad. Most
ne "spake unadvisably with his lips
al Moses had also to suffer for Israt
ut ". The chief points. There al
ne three great teachings in this lesso
Oh The wrong of having a provoke
or spirit, one contrary to that of Il
be God of Mercy and Grace. 1t is hal
,s' to learn that God is hindered by tho
who profess to be his servants b
Ite who manifest such a spirit. Aga
ri God must be represented, glorifie
m by those who profess to be his ser
n ants. To let our methods, our p'
IS sonality or our ideals come betwe
u man and God invokes his Jealous