Evening star., 1924-01-19
Sunday School Lesson


great, generous soul for his divine
CALL
Every modern discovery Of Egyp-
t1an tombs. and pyramids reveals the
sacrifices that Moses. made when he
definitely took his place with his op-
pressed people. The long periods of
silence in the desert were needed to
enable HIM to ieari: how to master
was not sufficient. He had to learn
how to control mis- temper before he
could lead his people. He longed to
help them. but what could he, man
with price upon his head, do for his
nation? He lost confidence In himself,
and he showed that he lacked courage
when he quit Egypt.
One day. as ne .communed with God.
Jehovah suddenly revealed to Moses
his duty in a wonderful vision. 1t
was natural for the shepherd to :,esi-
tate about assuming such gigantic
TASK. 1t was not the fear of facing
Pharaoh or answering the charge Of
murder. The great executive worried
about how he could weld the dis
Lressed and oppressed peoples into
unity OF action. He lacked the power
IF persuasive cloquence, and he had
ost In forty years all contact with
his own people. God pointed to
Aaron as the needed orator. Jehovah
met every objection. so that ut last
Moses was convinced that he was
"alled by the Lord to r, turn to Egypt
and free his countrymen from their
slavery and suffering. God never
"alls two persons in the same way to
His service. Constantine saw the
cross in the sky bidding him to con-
quer by its sign. Joan of Arc heard
the voice of the Omnipotent God
peak to her in orchards of France.
The soul that obeys the summons of
the Lord is certain that he will be
given help from above which will
cnablo h i'm to carry on and complete
liS mission.
Moses. convinced that Jehovah sum-
| moned him at the burning bush. re-
| -urned to Egypt to take up his diff
'ult task of leadership. He had to
persuade the elders of his countrymen
that God lad heard their cry for help,
that He had seen their trials ana un-
dcrstood their problems. and he was
tuthol ICED by Jehovah to secure their
freedom. Probably in the beginning
re worked secretly until he had
slaves who would be ready to follow
his leadership. He conquered the
Egyptians by a series Of plaques
Pharaoh had refused the request of
Moses. who understood that the only
way he could get the Israelites out
Of Egypt would be by peaceful meth
ods. rather than by the power OF
arms. When the efforts of persuasion
failed the Hebrews complain ed
against Moses because the authorities
declined the requests Of Moses and
mace the tasks of the people harder.
The plaques destroyed the conf
ldence of the Egyptians. and they quit
their resistance. The miraculous ele-
ment In these plaques was due to the
fact that the natural conditions were
brought about at an oppo.tuue time.
one after another. to serve the divine
purpose exerted through Moses and
Aaron. and that some of them affected
only the EgyrtianS. especially the last
one. where there was not home
without its dead. They helped crna.n n
a spirit of unity among the Hebrews.
who. the last night. We're ready TO fol-
lew the commands of Moses. The
passover instituted at that period.
marked the commencement of the his
tory of the Hebrews As nation It
symbolized tho Christ as they par
took of IL hurricdly that last night of
their slavery before they met at the
appointed place Of assemblage. ready
| as nation to take uu their march to
the promised land. Rowed down in
their sorrow. the Egyptians recog-
niZed that they had been punished by
Jehovah for their oppression OF them.
heapcd upon them gifts. hoping to
| avert any further trials. The Israel
ties commenced that night their his
tory as nation.