The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-08-18

SPeaAe'H uHIo MS HYDROCARBONS
S3:11.
PRIMARY ToP1c-The Tent of
Meeting.
JUNIOR ToPIc-The Tent Of Meet
ing.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP.
;1C-Talking With God.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP.
1C-Becoming Aware Of God.
]. The Divine Command to Possess
the Land wv. 1-6).
1. The abiding purpose ". y. They
were to go up and possess the land
despite the fact that the calf-worship
had broken the bond between them
and their God. God spoke Of them as
the people whom Moses brought up
out OF Egypt, not as his own people.
They had not shown any true peni.
tence for their awful sin. Therefore
God could not claim them as his
own.
2. Divine aid promised ". p.
Though their sins made 1t impossible
for God to go with them, still he
agrees to help them by sending an an.
gel before them to drive out their en-
emies.
3. The threatened withdrawal of the
divine presence wv. 3, 81. God said,
Il will not go up in the midst of thee,
Tor thou art Stiff-necked people, lest
consume thee in the way" The pres
ence of God in the midst of a SHINING
and impenitent people would mean
death unto them. The mercy of God
is often strikingly shown by his with
drawal from his people.
4. The effect upon the people
wv. 4, g..
a. when the people heard these
evil tidings they mourned." They
knew that no angel could make up for
the great loss of the personal presence
of God. They called it "evil tidings."
Surely no tidings are so evil as those
which tell of the withdrawal of the
divine presence.
b. They stripped themselves Of their
ornaments, showing that the articles
which indicated gladness and joy could
not be consistently worn when God
had departed. We must be stripped of
all that pertains to self and carnal
pleasures If we would be clothed with
the divine blessing.
u. The Tent Of Meeting wv. 7-11).
1. 1t was pitched outside of the
camp ". y. AS a token Of the sew
cred fellowship, the symbol of Gods
dwelling place, the tent Of meeting
was placed without the camp.
2. Moses in communion with God
wv. S-10). Because Moses had not
transgressed Gods law, he still had
fellowship with God. The visible sign
to the people that God honored Moses
was the descent Of the cloudy pillar"
as Moses entered the tent Of meet.
ing.
8. Moses the friend of God ". ~.
This is one Of the most beautiful ex-
pressions Of personal fellowship to be
found in all the Bible, If not in all
literature. Friendship implies mutual
confidence and sympathy, disposition
~ SAdLS CdCu OLuCI bCCIeLS.
4 Joshua at home in the Tabernacle
". I'D. Joshua was not involved in
the rebellion Of the people. Because
Of his fidelity and in recognition Of his
unbroken fellowship. he was privileged
to abide in the tent.
ilI. Moses Prayer wv. 1929.
Noses mind was somewhat per-
picked, therefore he came to the Lord
for the solution of his problem. God
had said that he would send an angel
to carry out his covenant obligation
concerning the people in the possession
OF the land. Moses desired fuller
knowledge Of this angel so that he
might act intelligently with reference
to the matter. He asked for three
things
/. Fuller knowledge wv. 12-14). In
order to lead the people, he needed to
know more fully his God. Intelligent
and acceptable service is only possible
as one knows God. God graciously re-
sponded to this request, my presence
shall go with thee, and will give thee
rest"
2. "If thy presence 60 not with me,
carry us not up hence" wv. 15-17).
Moses was convinced that no substi-
tute could take Gods place even
though that one were an angel. He
argued that it would be better to per-
ish in the wilderness than attempt to
go into Canaan without God. Gods
presence today is necessary in order
to convince the world that he has
called us.
8. "Show me thy glory" wv. 1929.
Moses wanted a new vision Of God for
his new task. To this request God re-
sponded by giving assurance that he
would make his goodness to pass by
Moses. Gods supreme glory is his
goodness.