The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-10-23
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 2
SIN OF MOSES AND AARON.

LESSON TExT-Numbers o:1-is
GOLDEN TExT-'Let the words OF my
mouth and the meditation OF my heart
be acceptable in Thy sigia, o Jehovah.
my rock and my redeemer." Ps 19:n
Forty years have passed since Isreal
committed its fatal mistake of DISC
bedience. This lesson is a 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. f-5-The
name Of this place was Meribah ".
1877, which means strife. Il 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 1:1a16. What q terrible
sin ingratitude 10 and how incredibly
ungrateful these people are.
Their Usual Plan.
u. Gods Plan, w. SO. 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 E~-es had had this same
experience, Oh. 1875; 1884, Ex. 17:4,
etc. Il IL 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. q boys
sling, q lamp and q pitcher, . few
! loaves and two small fishes.
~. Moses and Aaron's Pride, w.
e-t3. These servants began very prop
erly to carry out Gods instructions.
They took the rod from God. "as com
handed" ". %. They gathered the
people together in the right place ~
fore the rock" But then began their
failure. Some may plead extenuating
circumstances or great provocAtion.
But Moses, for he takes the place Of
leadership, made q fourfold mistake
which was too serious to be over
looked or to 60 unpunished. ~ He
deceived the people. He had Just
come from tent Of meeting" ". 81
and, as heretofore. the people expect
ed some message from Jehovah.
whereas he 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 q right to expect from their God
called and instructed leaders, his
word. not the opinions Of man nor
the wisdom Of the sages.
Considered Them Rebels.
Moses in his pride separated him
self from the people. He assumed
a ''holier-than thou" attitude. He
looked upon the people, over this line
of separation. a. being rebels, and God
will not allow Christian leaders to
hand out admonition upon a platter
of anger. (3) He took the glory to
himself. This was more serious still
and was In direct violation of the
spirit Of those laws he had received
upon the Mount, Ell. 20:5. Must We
fetch you water" IL quite different
from Thou shalt bring them forth"
This is that which has set aside many
Christian workers. We must not lean
to our own understanding nor fail to
acknowledge that II 10 God that works
and to him be the glory. Look up
Gen. 40:S: Dan. 2:2s-30; Acts 3:l2-1s;
!. Cor. 81. a. Moses smote the
rock. God had told Moses to "spoah
unto the rock" ". 81 whereas he
smots the rock a. though the power
were In the rod or the strong arm
back Of the rod. Exact obedience II
expected by God and to do anything
else is to doubt his power. to reflect
upon his word and to draw attention
away from him and upon ourselves.
Our attention has been called to the
fact that on a previous occasion. Ell.
1876, 6. God had commanded Moses
TO smite the rock, that the rock sug-
gests Christ q. Cor. 1870, that he was
to be smitten but once and thereafter
nearly a word Of prayer would bring
forth water, see Luke 11:13. No man
is essential to Gods plan though Gods
plans are always worked out through
men. When men fail to see this
God speedily sets them aside and ap-
points other leaders. Moses and
Aaron fell through unbelief ". 13)
and Moses is compelled to give up his
place Of leadership and is not allowed
TO enter the land Of promise though
graciously granted view Of II, (Deut.
3:2S26; 32:49. 30; 34:D. Noses
"spake unadvisably with his bps"
Moses had also to suffer for Israel
w. The chief points. There are
three great teachings In this lesson
The wrong Of having a provoked
spirit, one contrary to that OF the
God OF Mercy and Grace. II u hard
to learn that God is hindered by those
who profess TO be his servants but
who manifest such a spirit. Again
God must be represented. glorined
by those who profess 10 be his serv-
ants. To let our methods, our per
sonality or our ideals come between