The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-10-24
INTERNATIONAL
SUNl(YS0p)OL
LESSON
LESSON FOR OCTOBER &c
SIN OF MOSES AND AARON.
(By E. o. SELLERS, Director of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible institute,
ChicagoD

forty years nave passed since lSrPal
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. 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 tor the evil that comes upon
them. James 1:13-15. What a terrible
sin ingratitude is and how incredibly
ungrateful these people are.
Their Usual Plan.
II. Gods Plan, w. 6-3. Moses and
Aaron followed their usual, and the
wisest plan of taking their difficulty
to Cod 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 Noes had had this same
| experience, oh. 14:5; 1874, Elk. 1874,
etc. 1t is an inspiration to recall the
multiplied times God has used these
common agencies in the hands of bis
c0nseerated servants to work his
mighty deeds-an ox-goad, a boys
sling, a lamp and pitcher, few
| loaves and two small fishes.
III. Moses and Aaron's Pride, w.
9-13. These servants began very prop
erly to carry out Gods instructions.
They took the rod from God, las COM
handed" ". 81. They gathered the
| people together in the right place "be.
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 four-fold mistake
which was too serious to be over
looked or to 60 unpublished. ID He
deceived the people. He had just
come from tent of meeting" ". g.
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 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
"holier-than thou attitude. He
looked upon the people, over this line
of separation as being rebels, and God
will not allow Christian leaders to
hand out admonition upon a platter
Of anger. 90 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, Elk. 20:5. Must We
fetch you water" is 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 tC
acknowledge that it is God that works
and to him be the glory. Look VI
Gen. 4O:S; Dan. 2::2S-30; Acts 3:12.16;
/. Cor. 81. (4) Moses smotey the
rock. God had told Moses to "speal
unto the rock ". 81 whereas he
smote the rock as though the power
were in the rod or the strong arm
back of the rod. Exact obedience is
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, Elk
17:5, 6, God had commanded Moses
to smite the rock, that the rock sug
gests Christ Il. Cor. 10:4), that he was
to be smitten but once and thereafter
nearly a word Of prayer would bring
forth water, see Luke 11:13. No maj
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 anc
Aaron fell through unbelief ". Is,
and Moses is compelled to give up hi,
place of leadership and is not allowed
to enter the land of promise though
graciously granted view of it, (Deut
3:23-26; 32:49, so; 34:4. Moses
"spake unadvisably with his lips
Moses had also to suffer for Israel
w. The chief points. There ar,
three great teachings in this lesson
The wrong Of having a provoked
spirit, one contrary to that of thu
God of Mercy and Grace. 1t is hare
to learn chat God is hindered by thos'
who profess to be his servants bu
who manifest such a spirit. Again
God must be represented, glorified
oy these who profess to be his sers
ants. To let our methods, our per
sonality or our ideals come between
man and God invokes his jealousy