The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-11-07

saints" Ps. 1l6:15.
I. The Old Leader, w. 1-S. We have
now come to the last Of our lessons
which have to do with Moses. Fol-
lowing his lamented failure at the
time of the second arrival at Kadesh-
Barnea, Miriam dies; at Mt. Hor,
Aaron departed and his Office is be-
slowed upon his son, Eleazar. Then
quickly followed the plague Of ser
penis, the defeat of the king of the
Amorites, Balaams folly, the apostasy
of Israel which was cleansed by blood
through the zeal Of Phinehas, and final
iy the arrival upon the plains OK
Moab.
Law Confirmed.
Here Moses repeats and confirms
the law TO this new generation Of
Israel, delivers his last charge, sings
his last song. ascends Mt. Nebo to
view Canaan, and is forever with
the Lord" In the passage marked out
for this lesson we have the account of
the passing of this wonderful servant
of God. Returning to oh. Bills and
32:44-52 we see this Journey in pros
pect, after that we read Moses parting
blessing and in this section we read
of the fulfilment of that prospect
Moses anticipated his departure by a
quiet dignity, absolutely divorced from
haste or fret, that was characteristic
OF his life of submission and was the
essence of his life of faith. No pro-
test, no complaint, calm acquiescence
to the will of God. At the same time
there was absolute confidence that the
will of God would be carried out, see
Oh. 81: l-8. Strength and courage
were to be the portion of Israel under
their new leader, Joshua.
Before departure Moses solemnly
charged this newer generation to OBJ
serve the law, declaring that it is not
a vain nor an empty thing, but in deed
and in truth to them the way of life
Then comes the simple dignified &C
count OF this last act of obedience, sim
pie, yet sublime. Yonder we see him,
viewed by the hosts of Israel, as he
ascends the mountain alone-yet not
alone-prepared to spend his last
hours upon earth with Jehovah, who
doubtless appeared as the angel
Jehovah and pointed out to him the
land he SO much longed to enter, but
could not because he failed to sanctify
God in the sight of the people at a
critical moment. Taking the glory to
himself on that occasion demanded an
act Of punishment as a warning to
the people, hence, 1T went i'll with
Moses for their salkes," Ps. LOG 49,
There upon the mount Gods covenant
with Abraham is confirmed and with
undimmed eye and undiminished vigor
(v. y, Moses was shown the fulfil
ment OF that promise, his body was
laid at rest by God himself, in an I'M
known and unmarked sepulchre, over
against Beth-Peor,' " 6, and the chill
dren OF Israel mourned for him thirty
days. The sight from the mountain
top revealed to Moses was not to tan
talizbe him, far from it. but rather
that as he viewed that prospect he
was to be rewarded for those forty
years OF leadership and struggle.
Jehovah's promise of more than four
hundred years standing is about to
be fulfilled: shall not all others be
fulfilled? Titus /: q.
III. The New Leader, v. 9. God never
leaves his people without a leader
and hence Joshua is exalted to COM
pensate Israel for the loss of Moses.
The king is dead-long live the
king" The worker dies, the work
goes on and many times the victories
of the new leader are fully as great
and far reaching as any won by the
former leader. Joshua was not Moses,
he was Joshua and as such called to
face new problems. He had his own
equipment, the spirit of wisdom" re-
ceived through Moses, the channel of
Gods power ". 81, and was given his
own particular instruction, Josh. l: 10.
He was called of God but he had the
experience and training of Moses to
prepare him for his life's work. The
children of Israel gave this new leader
a cheering reception; Cd they listened
to him; (2) they obeyed him, thing
they had not always done for Moses.
Joshua was not so great as Moses be-
cause his work was not so great.
Ill. A Great Character, w. 1912. The
description of Moses is of one who saw
Jehovah face to face, peculiar dig
nifty, and the secret of his greatness.
When Aaron and Miriam ]murmured
God declared that Moses was different
from all other prophets in that, with
him will l speak mouth to mouth, even
manifestly, and not in dark speeches,
and the form of Jehovah shall he be-
hold" Mum. 1868. Moses himself
declared to Israel that when God
spoke to them out of the midst of the
fire, Il stood between the Lord and
you Deut. ga. 5. The supreme
teaching Of this lesson is the fact that
great as Moses was, he was never,
theless excluded from the promised
land as a warning to Israel
On the other hand this story is a
wonderful illustration of the tender
compassion and watchful care of Jeho-
yah even to the end. Even the discip
line OF Jehovah is accompanied by
gentleness If he must needs be ex-
Guided yet he is not excluded from
communion with Jehovah.
Thus this saint who was separated
to the viii of God passes out of life.
In the hour of the consummation OF
his life work his spirit passes into
yet closer fellowship with God The
Psalmist in the words of the golden