The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-07-16

| was born, man was given a heaven
ly vision also, and that acting in &C
cordance with what he was told to dc
| he became one of the greatest men OF
all times. Let us see as to this
vision.
1t will be recalled that Moses after
his vain attempt to free his people
by his own methods, had left Egypt
and wandered out in the Arabian
desert. There he became part of the
household of one Jethro and married
one of his daughters. For occupa
ton he tended the sheep of his faith
er-in-law. He was said to have been
forty years old when he entered the
desert and now nearly his life years
had been doubled, and he was eighty
years old. We are not misjudging
him when saying that while remem.
bering the woes of his people back in
Egypt he did not think for a moment
OF ever personally engaging in con-
test for setting them at liberty. He
may have been believing his life a
great failure, getting only comfort out
of the thought that he had done the
right thing in refusing to become an
Egyptian prince, and being a Jew in
practice, as we'll as by birth.
Moses had the wisdom, training
ability, but needed something of the
extraordinary TO arouse him to action.
At the time of his call he asked for
some visible sign that God was spe-
cially with him. 1t will be remem-
bered that in later years Gideon would
not believe that he had been chosen
as the deliverer of his people until he
saw visible sign such as the dry and
wet fleece. Then he was ready to CO.
Moses had his vision in this way:
He was out tending his sheep on the
plains and dreary mountains on a GER
tain day, when his observing eye dis
covered what seemed to him a bush
of the desert on fire, and the strange
thing about it was that the bush was
not consumed, did not fall down into
ashes. He decided to make closer OBJ
servation, when what must have been
his surprise, a voice called to him,
Moses, Moses" He responded,
Here am H. Then the voice called
to take off his shoes, as he stood on
holy ground.
Now comes the command to Moses.
He is given to understand that God
the Jehovah whom he worshipped was
talking to him and he was told that
he was about to be sent to appear be-
fore the ruler of Egypt with the re-
quest that the 1sraelites, his people,
be allowed to depart out of slavery
and bondage.
Understanding the greatness of the
task, Moses did not rush to the un-
dertaklng with enthusiasm. He knew
how hard it would be to get the
Egyptians to release their slaves, and
how difficult it was to gain the lead
ership of the Jews. He made the
plea that he was not gifted with ora
tory, was not persuasive speaker,
and this was helped out by the prom
Use that Aaron his brother should be
spokesman for him. Later he wanted
a sign of his divine authority and was
told to throw the staff he had in his
hand on the ground, and on it becom-
ing snake, was directed to grasp it
by the tail when it was the original
staff again. 1t would appear that when
once convinced that God was with
him, he faltered not.
1t is the men and women who have |
a vision and then are not disobedient
to it, who make great success in the
christian life. Paul on receiving his
vision was not disobedient and his |
name ranks in the highest place. OF
course we cannot have mountain top
live in the blaze of SUI
perior light, be surrounded by SYM
friends encouraging us on
every day of our lives. If we expect |
this, failure is certain. The vision,
the call for service, the determination
to consecrate ones life to Gods cause,
must be so strong as to carry one right
over the discouraging places. The
of the vision or call
must be stored deep in the heart, and
upon it give enthusiasm
when far removed from the seeming
sources of these 1t need not be said,
however, that God is ever at hand
and prayer to Him will bring strength.
Of the many helpful things for us
from the lesson of today might be
mentioned the following: First. |
Weakness, a humble spirit is no hind
erance for Gods work if we have His