The Elbert County tribune., 1919-02-21
prHcyEp uNlroas INTERNATIONAL
SStUlllMS0lOOL
LESSON
by Rev p. b. FITZwATER. D. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
tcopyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Usion.i
LESSON FOR FEBRuARY2a
THE BREACH OF TIE COVENANT
AND MOSES PRAYER FOR Is
RAEL. <~

i
GOLDEN TExT-The effeetual fervent
prayer OF a righteous man Availeth
much.-James $40.
ADDITIONAL AfArERtAL-Deut. s:s-
%: Eph. s:f4-2l; James 5:1t-ls
PRIMARY TOPIC-Asx Gods help for
others. Memory verse-James SIG.
JUNIOR ToPIc-Praying for other
people.
INTERMEDIATE ToPIc-IntercedIng
for others.
value of intercessory prayer.
| Less than six weeks have elapsed
since Israel took fbe oath OF allegiance
to Jehovah. In less than forty. days
they flagrantly break the first and sec.
ond commandments
|. The Golden Calf (32 :1-6).
1. Moses delay ". ~ This they in
terpreted to mean that their leader
had either lost his way in the dark
ness or had perished in the fire that
hoyered over the mount.
.. The peoples demand ". -. They
demanded of Aaron that he make them
god to go before them. Their pro-
fession of allegiance to God collapsed
as soon as the strong personality of
their leader was no longer felt.
8. Aaron's cowardly compliance tvv.
2-4). sie WIS an eloquent man. but
lacked moral courage. Many today
can tnik fiuently. but vaclllate before
the real issues of life. In order TO
gain time with the rebels he demand
ed that they cast Off their jewelry and
bring 1t to him. Perhaps he thought
that theiHlove for it-would cause them
10 forego their demands, but they
eheerfully gave up their jewelry for
false god. Aaron, like many compro-
missing men of this age. opened Il door
which he could not slut.
L. Wanton revelry wv. 5, 6), See
ing their disposition, Aaron erected an
altar and proclaimed fast unto Je
hovah. He no doubt wished them to
worship the Lord through the image.
but he had made god for them and
it was very short step to the heath
EN- orgies connected with idolatrous
worship
II. Gods Bnrning Wrath (32 :7-10).
Gods nature is such that he cannot
tolerate a rival. No gods shall be be-
moved or the people must be consumed
with divine wrath. God does not own
them as his people, for they had cast
him off.
III. The Mediation Of Moses go IL
14).
The declaration of divine purpose
to destroy the Israelites did not deter
Moses from making intercession for
them. What was his threefold plea?
(yv. IL, -. 13).
Y Moses knew full well that the people
deserved to die, therefore he could not
plead any merit on their part His
plea was based wholly on Gods pur-,
pose for Israel. Through his interces-
sion God relents.
w. Judgment Falls (32 1885.
1. Moses broke the tables of testi-
mony wv. 15-19) emblematic of the
breach of their covenant with God
2 Moses destroyed the image ". 2O)
and made the people drink of the wa
ter which contained its dust, thus max
ing them to experience in physical
sense the bitterness which results from
sin.
3. Moses showed Aaron that he was
inexcusable for his part in the dis
graceful affair (vv. 21-24).
4. Moses called for those who would
take stand for the Lord to grid their
swords and slay all who stood out in
rebellion. The tribe of Levi ranged
themselves on his side and became the
instrument by which God chastened his
people wv. 1920.
5. Moses confessed the great sin of
the people and begged that God would
forgive them. He was willing to suf-
fer the punishment himself If possible,
and let the people go free. The Lord
declared to him in answer that every
man should bear his own sin wv. 80
35). <
y. The Covenant Renewed tas:1.
4-9).
/. Moses commission renewed (Ch.
33).
.. The second tables of the law
given ga :1-9). In the giving of these
tables he reiterated Gods Justice. but
gave particular emphasis to his mercy
THE Lord God, merciful and gracious
long-suffering and abundant in good
ness and truth. keeping mercy for
thousands. forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin, and that will by
no means clear the guilty; visiting the
Iniquity of the fathers upon the chill.
dren, and upon the children's children,
unto the third and fourth generation
What to Pray For.
Oh. do not pray for easy lives. Pray
to be stronger men. Do not pray for