Evening star., 1919-03-29
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY REV. HUGH t. STEVENSON.

The review of the studies for the
last quarter reveals. in its record of
the development and progress of the
tribes of Israel from the oppession
of Egyptian slavery to their possess
sion. of the promised land, as a united
nation, the providence Of God. who
rescued them from the degradation
of bondage and established them as
powerful and prosperous nation so
that they might serve Him. Joshua
in his farewell message summarized
their history and made the people
recognize the part Jehovah had
played in the record Of their past, the
resources of their present and their
possibilities in the future. He made
them understand what they owed to
Fod and their obligations to serve
Him.
In the darkness of the oppression
the Jewish slaves recalled Gods
promises of better country. The
possibility of returning to the prom
ised land caused them to pray to Je-
hovah. The Lord heard their cry
when He saved Moses from being de-
stroyed. He provided for the train
ing of their coming leader in all the
arts and sciences of the Egyptians.
He filled Moses with that intense
love for his brethren that he tried to
improve their conditions The pa
trlot needed more than the spirit of
reformer befoe he could be the
emancipation of Israel. Jehovah pre-
pared His servant for his task as the
leader of Isael and then summoned
him to be the deliverer of his breth-
rem from the bondage of Egypt. He
proved his faith by responding to the
call of God. Through the assistance
OF Jehovah the tribes We're united un-
der the leadership of Moses and pre-
pared TO go forth when Pharaoh was
forced to let Israel depart from
Egypt.
The institution of the Passover.
that has been observed by Israel
througnout all subsequent history.
tected the people who cried unto Him
and forced the Egyptians because of
their faith to let them GO When the
FORCES of the Egyptians followed
them and threatened them with being
forced back to slavery God made
the pathway through the sea for
their safe departure. The door of
nope for them became the way of de-
truction for their enemies. The diff
eulties did not disappear with the
nations crossing safely through the
Red sea, for there followed the trials
of the desert with its meager food
supply. God provided for the physical
wants of the nation in a way that
was to them miraculous.
God planted the seeds of democ-
racy in the nations of the world
through the advice of Jethro to
Moses to organize the nation and
distribute the burden of administra-
ton. Jehovah approved of the ad-
vice and in accordance with Gods
desires the people selected the judges
along lines that made the govern
ment of the tribes in the wilderness
the nmencement of democracy
among men. The republic that we.
as Americans love traces the genesis
of its form of government to Israel.
In the Ten Commandments that were
proclaimed at Sinai Israel received
her constitution and her treaty or
covenant with God. In it's terms are
outlined the relations that every man
holds to God, his fellow man as well
as the fundamental principles for
guiding his life. They contain the
principles of all common. national and
international law.
Gods grace was seen not only in
His laws, leadership and life-sus-
tanning food, but also in His attitude
toward the nation when it forgot His
laws and neglected to obey His
commandments. They had turned to
the worship of the golden calf and
would have been blotted out except
for Gods hearing the cry of Moses
for Israel so that He forgave them.
The people who had rebelled. as they
were leaving Egypt, took long time
to eradicate the spirit of Egypt from
their lives. They failed to enter the
promised land when the report of
the spies revealed the value of the land
the difficulties that had to be over
come to completely subjugate the
country. They rejected the advice OF
the men Of faith who desired them
to go up and possess the land, be-
cause they lacked faith.
God did not reject them, but He de-
veloped in them conquerlnS 1altn
during the desert wilderness that
eradicated the evils of Egyptian
ers entering upon the possession OF
the land. God had used Moses during
the forty years preparation for their
entering the Holy Land, and then He
selected Joshua. the patriot, soldier
and statesman. to complete the work
He succeeded and established the
nation in the land. erected places
of refuge for the protection of the
innocent man. who may have failed
Cnintentiona1ly. The cities of refuge
spoke of the spirit Of forgiveness and
grace as well as justice that exists
in the thought Of God toward men
who fail.
Joshua in his farewell address. which
furnished last weeks lesson and is
son, emphasized the presence of God
in the history of the nation. He
warned the people of the danger OF
their failing because Of idolatry and
the desire for possessing gold; that
they might depart from the pathway of
gT w
up. and turn into the ways of the
heather nations, which would bring
destruction The individual Or nation
which remains loyal to God will al
ways prosper. The people who turn
away from Him and His word are
doomed to failure.
The review can be used to point out
either an application to Christ. who
was typif1ed in the birth of Moses. the
commission of the great lawgiver,
crossing of the sea. the mama, the
intercession of Moses, and the ap-
pointment OF Joshua, whose name was
the same as that of Christ. meaning
the savior. In each lesson there is a
representation of Jesus and it is
clearly apparent to all students of
the word.
The lesson theme suggests that the
student can find in history the evil
dences of Gods hand. The review of
."e .wsiNc StuuleS HiakeS II Clear as
to Israel. but is it not also true of
America? Is there not close parallel
between the history of Israel and
America? Both nations were born in
the night out of the longing of the
human heart for freedom. Americans
have fought only for liberty. Each
war has brought freedom to men and
the last two wars to other nations.
Israel was chosen of God to advance
His kingdom of rule among men.
The place selected was ideal for the
training of nation in truth, wor-