Evening star., 1924-02-02

On the march toward the promised
land Israel reached Sinai three
months after God had delivered them
from the bondage of Egypt at the
Red sea. Jehovah had freed them
from Egypt, but before they could
enjoy their freedom the nation had
to enter a national training camp
near the mountain where God had
revealed Himself unto their leader.
Moses had been fitted for his task
by his experiences in the school Of
solitude. where the Lord appeared to
him near the very mountain where
he brought the tribes of Israel to be
fitted for national independence and
formed into united NATHAN by inten-
brought them out of Egypt. had to
get Egypt out of Israel before they
could become an independent. self
governing nation.
No greater school was ever
assembled than the multitude who
cncamped before the dark and frown-
taught the fundamental principles
which when applied to the changing
problems of men and nations, have
insured national strength. security
and success. The people. who had
been in the habit of looking upon
material possessions and external ex-
perience as evidence Of power, had
to learn that spiritual fellowship
with Jehovah and doing His will were
the essential things in life and labor.
The clash between family and tribal
interests called for revelation OF
Gods purpose and program for them
as a nation. Next to knowing the
Lords love for IBIS people and their
duty to love Him and serve Him,
they had to learn the superiority OF
a nation based upon force. En-,
lightened countries are today nlled
with seltishnes, barbarity. cruelty, OPP
preston and many other wrongs be-
cause they still think that might
makes right" Force is not the true
way of life. A nation that will fol-
low Gods law. which was preserved
by Israel, commended by the Lord
Jesus, will And that love is the one
law that is the basis of every other
moral and civil law required to pro-
mote justice. mercy and truth.
Revelation Of God.
Moses in the review OF IsraeIs his
tory contained in his farewell address
to the people about forty years after
they had eucamped at Sinai. referred
to Gods revelation of Himself from
Sinai to the nation. There. where He
had seen Jehovah, the nation had a
revelation Of His holiness. They were
given spiritual revelation, not q
corporal one, of God. 1t was a vision
of His greatness, goodness and glory
that enabled them to enter INTO a
covenant with Him. which made
Israel in peculiar sense GOD
chosen nation.
During the short stay at Sinai the
descendants of Abraham were In
structed concerning their relations TO
God by means Of lessons which are
influencing the life of the modern
world. Jehovah revealed not only His
personality to the nation. but He gave
TO them the laws that have been in
corporated into our modern ciriliza-
tion. The germs of our sacred Scrip
lures were contained in the writings
of the law upon the tables OF stone:
AS a result of Gods revelation OF
Himself and His will the people were
organized into an independent and
self governing nation. The faith OF
the three great world religions finds
the source Of their precepts and prin-
ciples in the religious organizations
that were erected at the foot of the
mountains with the view Of keepin g
the people of Israel loyal to Jehovah
and independent from all other ma
tionS.
Moses appealed to the study Of
compa rative religions, q subject that
has only recently won its place in the
curricuia OF modern theological in
stitutions, to prove that no other peo-
pie ever had q greater demonstration
OF the personality. power and pur-
pose of God. 1t is well in these hours
of testing to remember that Chris
tianity can welcome the critical acid
test as to the authority of the Scrip
lures. No other book of religion
equals the Bible II has survived
quered its opponents. Mems inter
pretationS Of Gods word have been
found faulty. but the book of books
remains with it's message confirmed
by every truth that can be demon
strated to be true in Laboratory and
field. We are indebted to Israel, who
learned the lesson of constitutional
government at Sinai.
Moses pointed out that God had not
dealt with any other nation as He
had with Israel. History confirms his
claim. Tho Hebrews are unique as a
nation. Their influence commenced
" ith the revelation that Jehovah gave
them at Sinai concerning constitu-
tional government. Prosecutions and
privations. sufferinss and sorrow,
their history, but they have survived
tho centuries and preserved among
all other races the peculiarities
which they possessed as nation. The
secret of their life has been due to
the covenant which they made at
Sinai with Jehovah. The agreement
that they made with God is the one
Paul called the first covenant.
They heard through Moses the terms
of the covenant and promised to do
all that the Lord demanded and be
obedient to Him. They recognized
their failures and rejoiced in divine
grace. The altar represented Jeho-
vah and the twelve pillars represent
ed the twelve tribes in the making OF
the covenant, which called for them
to live in accordance with Gods law.
The people made an unconditional
surrender to the Lord in the burnt
ciliation had been established
through the propitiating blood. The
peace offering, which was eaten and
drunk in the presence of God by the
priests, who represented God and the
people, signified that they recognized
that peace had been established d
through divine grace. After the SOL
emn recognition of the covenant, Je-
hovah gave to the chosen representa-
tives of the people of Himself, which
taught them that their security de-
His law, which was the foundation
and commencement of constitutional
government.
The Law.
Among the most valuable discover
les made by archaeological research
was the finding of the laws of Ham
murabi among the ruins Of the acrop-
oils at Susa. Their discovery proves