Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-19
Sunday School Lesson
By
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

! countrymen, who were slaves in Egypt
Forty years previous Moses had started
revolutionary movement to liberate
his fellow countrymen without asking
for divine guidance. Now, when he was
80 years of age, after he had reflected
to free them the call was given to him
to return to Egypt and become the lib
orator of his countrymen. He felt that
he was unfit. He did not consider that
he had the required gifts necessary to
arouse the slaves so that they would
follow his leadership. He recognized
that he would have to overcome their
distrust, because he was going back
without proper credentials.
Jehovah met his objections and
proved concluSively to Moses that He
was sending him as His ambassador to
the court of Pharaoh to bid him to let
His people go. He assured Moses that
He would go with him and that after
he had succeeded in liberating his fell
low countrymen, Moses would bring
them TO that mountain, where they
would worship Jehovah. Moses could
no longer plea that he was untitled for
the colossal commission after that as
Surance. Gods revelation of Himself
encouraged Moses to make the attempt.
He sought his father in-laws sanction
for him to return to visit his people,
but he did not take him into his conf
dence concerning his commission to
free his brethren. Loyal to his COM
mission, Moses carried out the instruc-
tions given him by the Lord and found
that Gods promises were fulfilled.
Liberator, Leader, Lawgiver.
Moses found that the elders were
ready to listen and by a series of dra-
matte events God forced Pharaoh to
permit the slaves to depart. The ma
ton had learned by the placing of the
blood upon their households, that
Moses was a safe leader to follow, but
their faith failed them when they
reached the Red Sea. In answer to
prayer. God opened up the pathway for
the Jewish nation to pass over on dry
ground. When the Egyptians tried to
follow them they were drowned and the
nation knew that they were free. 1t
took 40 years forN Moses to develop a
national unity among the escaped
slaves
His leadership was tested in many
ways, but Moses lives in the lives of
men through the laws that he promul-
gated at Sinai, where he established
their religious ritual and organized the
nation in civil and religious matters.
No code has ever had the influence
upon the lives, laws and institutions of
men equal to the Ten Commandments.
While he may have summed up what
had been traditional tribal ideals,
Moses compressed into concise state
mentS commands that had given him
his prestige among all courts and
statesmen where the knowledge of the
Old Testament has gone. They pre-
sented twofold division of mans duty
to God and his fellows that has never
been stated in clearer or more COM
pact manner. Moses showed such anger
at the peoples worship of the golden
calf that he taught the nation the ne
cesSity Of rightly worshiping Jehovah
and the Importance that they should
give to the laws of the nation. He
demonstrated his patriotism in his
prayer for the nation that had failed.
He established, through the advice of
Jethro, a system of Jurisprudence that
was the germ OF our modern system of
courts and law.
The people lacked faith at Kadesh
Barnea when they accepted the report
of majority-ef the spies. During their
wandering in the wilderness for nearly
40 years Moses demonstrated his exec
utive ability and loyalty to Jehovah
and the people. When they were about
TO enter Palestine, Moses, who had
reached the age of 100 years, was not
permitted to lead them across the Jor-
dan, but was given a vision of the
promised land. Alone upon Nebo,s
lofty heights, Moses passed on to be
with Jehovah, whom he served faith
fully as the liberator, leader and law
gtver of Israel. He found them slaves
in Egypt; he left them a united and
thoroughly organized nation. Through
out his life he showed the courage of
his faith in way that is worthy of
our following his example.