Evening star., 1923-04-21
Sunday School Lesson

Only two Of the adults survived the
years OF formation, when Moses. as
the founder Of the nation, laid broad
an, and deep the foundation for the ma,
civic life. They lacked the faith es-
sential for them to take the land
that God had promised their fathers.
Moses had to cultivate and train
them so that they possessed the con-
fidence in Jehovah's purpose and
power needed by them to win. He
had to tmplant in their life a faith
In the holiness and power of God,
under whose love and leadership,
through Moses. they had been called
INTO national existence and through
whose grace they could live as a
nation forever II they did His will.
He recognized the religious message
that Israel had to learn, and so we'll
ala Moses do the task assigned to
MIN. that he Is recognized as the
iiounaer or their religious life. which
Is based upon the laws of God that
ne gave to the people,
ne revealed his power as a leader
In the skill with which he Controlled
ana curbed the excesses to which the
tds'e nis ,os. OF liberty Inevitably leads a peo-
furnished recent example as to what
tnese excesses are apt to be.
while France has furnished an Illus
tratlon also In the dark days, that
IoiIoWeo her hrst attainment Of lib
erty, as to what these excesses may
mean He provided the code of laws
Ior their government as individuals
tribes and nation. He laid the foun-
dations in the laws that he gave to
the recent emancipated slaves for
many of our modern laws, that can be
traced: in germ, at least, to the code
given by Moses to Israel. 1t was dur
ing these trying days and years that
he revealed the evidence Of his great
htVnL
ligious realms.
There is much in the life of Moses
that calls for more extended consider
alton than the limits of space will
permit. He attained his greatness as
result of his faith that trusted God to
guide in solving the social, economic,
political and religious life OF his coun-
trymen as they passed through the
period of readjustment. If we would
follow his example and place our faith
problems of the hour would be solved.
The Bible records the faults as we'll
as the virtues Of the heroes whose
lives 1t has given to men. While the
Lord may forgive our failures, He
does not allow us to escape the con-
sequences of our sin. In a moment
of anger Moses disobeyed God. The
Lord ordered Moses to speak to the
rock. but he smote 1T twice and as
sumed an honor that belonged to Je-
When Moses finished his great ca
reer he left an uncompleted task. His
lonely ascent and vision of the land
that he could not enter because of
his sin is pathetic. All Of the years
efforts are about to end and the great
leader and lawgiver Is not allowed to
enter the promised land. All of our
life and labors bear an incompleted
character like that of Moses. Abra-
ham never saw the promises fulfilled.
David projected but did not finish the
temple. Our Lord Jesus died In the
midst of apparent failure. 1t was not
failure, but an incompleteness that
He has been carrying on ever since.
Workers passed on, but Gods work
is carried on and will be until 1t is
finished. God gave Moses vision or
the victory of his faith and the tri,
umph of his efforts. which He would
finish after death came to the great
liberator and lawgiver. We all move
toward the perfect day when the
tasks we have started will be finished
and we shall be satisfied In HIS pres
ence forevermore. Let us have taltn
like Moses so that we can without
fear. stand still. and see the salVa-
tion of the Lord" not only In the nour
of trial, but when our days work Is
done.