Quarter October 19 III MISSIONARY TOPIC Where there ARE GIANTS IN THE LAND There are Giants in Unoccupied Mission Fields. After giving in "The Unoccupied Mission Fields" many instances of the difficulties of climate and hardships of travel which must be faced yet by the missionaries in difficult fields, Mr. Zwemer adds: Those who expect to occupy these lands must be willing to endure hardship as good soldiers of Christ, and need the same patience, persistence, energy and hopefulness which characterized explorers like Sven Hedin, while he was trying to fill up the blank spaces on the map of Central Asia, or Livingstone those in Central Africa. The terrors of the desertthirst, loneliness, and the danger of being lost in the sands are all stern realities. The desert is a world of its own. Where there were Giants in Our Own Land. “Best Things in America," the Junior Book issued by the Council of Women for Home Missions, is a most interesting account of pioneer life and missionary effort in our own land long ago. In the chapter describing the journey of the Great-Hearts for the purpose of "furthering the Gospel to the Westward and the Regions Beyond" occur these words: I wonder whether you have ever heard of the "Haystack Prayer Meeting"? "Are we not studying missions?" I hear you respond, with righteous indignation ringing in your tones. Well, then, did you know that one of the Haystack men traveled all over our country as it was then known, back and forth, north and south, east and west, and especially through the great region of the Southwest, keeping careful records of all he and his co-traveler saw and learned? It is he-Samuel J. Mills (and this is as if we should say nowadays Robert E. Speer, Dr. Grenfell, or Charles Stelzle)-who is all this time holding those boys at Middlebury College spellbound. More than one of them has quietly resolved-as American boys can resolve when their noblest self is awakenedto make his life tell for all it may in helping to Christianize that almost Christless country, and they go out from that meeting true student volunteers, though without the sitmulus of that stirring name which may be yours some day. What could be done to teach and help to a better life these people, who year by year were sinking deeper in ignorance and becoming more un-Christian and un-American? There were several ways thought of; one was the organization of societies to make Bibles and to find young men who would give their lives to the heroic work of distributing them among the people who were in such dire need of their instructions. Some thought that, as churches for the scattered settlers in the wilderness were out of the question, they could best help the people by holding a succession of camp-meetings at the more central locations. Another plan was to mark out the great churchless tracts into circuits, put a rider on each circuit, and bid him cover it once a month, preaching here today and there tomorrow, but returning at regular intervals to each community too scattered and too poor to support a regular ministry. And thus it came about that one of our earnest and bright-faced student volunteers became a circuit rider, and one found his work in giving the Bible to many a family that had never seen "even the back of one" before. There were "giants in the land" in those days, at least there were men and things harder to conquer than the giants of former times-Indians, savage and cruel, and white men scarcely less so; there were no roads in the wilderness countryonly bridle-paths and Indian trails; here was every kind of hardship and tax and strain on body, mind, and spirit; and these young men, splendid in endurance, in fortitude, and in self-sacrifice, give us a last glimpse of our noble Great-hearts on their travels. We are well Able to Overcome. In addition to the magnitude of the need, the unoccupied fields have an interest and importance peculiarly their own on the score of difficulty of access. These fields are the enemy's citadels, the high places of his dominion, flaunting defiance in the face of a militant Church. They are the Gibraltars of Satan's power, perched in some instances in what might be compared to eagles' fastnesses, and in other places set, like islands, amid an ocean of unnavigable sand. Are they never to be stormed? Is the reproach that their unoccupied character brings upon Zion never to be rolled away? Quarter October 19 Thus a writer in the Missionary Review of the World questions, and I find the answer in a letter of a missionary, William Ashmore: We foreign missionaries number about fifteen thousand all told. If it were an army of secular conquest, what would fifteen thousand men and women amount to in a campaign against a thousand millions, but in a spiritual conflict what will fifteen thousand not accomplish, especially when the Man with the drawn sword heads the column? SENTENCE SERMONS They can, because they believe they can. Virgil. It requires strength and courage to swim against the stream, while any dead fish can swim with it. Smiles. The true optimist is the man who knows how strong is the arm of God, how wise his will, how infinite his love. W. Harvey-Jellie. What we do in the crisis always depends upon whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties. G. Campbell Morgan. THE LESSON'S MEANINGS FOR US Giants of selfishness and greed, far outranking the children of Anak, oppose our advance! But when the returns are all in, the fact remains that there is One with us stronger than they! And if God be for us, who can be against us? Charies Reynolds Brown. Like the ten we can be pessimists; or like the two, optimists. Like the ten we can put difficulties between ourselves and God and say we are not able, or like the two we can put God between the difficulties and ourselves and say we are well able. The third Sunday in October is the Day of Prayer for Sunday-schools throughout the world. We are invited on this day to engage in public and private prayer to Almighty God for a special blessing upon Sunday-schools in all lands. And strong in the faith that all God's biddings are enablings, that with his help we can remove mountains, let us strive persistently and believingly hereafter to do our part in carrying out our prayer. SUBJECTS FOR BIBLE CLASS DISCUSSION 1. The search for the Hittites. See the Independent, Oct. 21, '09. 2. The grasshopper view of one's self-self-depreciation. 3. Optimism and pessimism. WORK TO BE ASSIGNED FOR THE NEXT LESSON Questions to look up. 1. How many years have intervened between the last and this, and what has meanwhile happened? (Clipping, p. 394.) 2. How many times and why have the people murmured before this since leaving Egypt? (Clipping, p. 397.) 3. What is the reference in verse 3? Chapter 16.) 4. What is the reference in verse 4? (Lesson of the Spies.) 5. What are some of the earlier references to "the rod"? (Concordance.) 6. What does Psalm 106 say was Moses' sin in this event? 7. What does "Meribah" mean? (Foot-note of Bible.) 8. What is the history recorded in Numbers? Questions to think about. 1. Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving day? 2. What cause had the Israelites for thanksgiving instead of mourning? 3. Why did Moses and Aaron fall upon their faces, v. 6? 4. What was Moses' sin at this time? (Clipping, 15, p. 393.) 5. How had he failed to "sanctify" Jehovah? 6. What similar miracle is recorded as happening earlier? 7. Was Moses' punishment too great for his offence? (Clipping, p 394.) Note Book Work. Begin a Biography of Joshua. Write Part 1, Joshua_the Soldier and Moses' Minister. See I Ch. 7.27; Heb. 4.8; Ex. 24.13. Write Part II, Joshua the Spy. LESSON IV-OCTOBER 20 THE SIN OF MOSES AND AARON Golden Cext Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer. Ps. 19.14 HOME DAILY BIBLE READINGS-M. Num. 20.1-13. The Sin of Moses and Aaron. T. Num. 16.36-50. Complaint Followed by Plague. W. Num. 17.1-11. Choice of Aaron. T. Num. 18.1-7. Aaron Appointed Priest. F. 2 Sam. 12.1-15. Sin and Repentance. S. Jer. 9.1-16. A Discouraged Prophet. S. Job 1.6-22. Patient Endurance. STUDY Num. 20.1-13 READ Num. 17-20 COMMIT vv II, 12 1 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah! 4 And why have ye brought the assembly of Jehovah into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our beasts? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tent of meeting, and fell upon their faces: and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto them. 7 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before Jehovah, as he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? II And Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. 12 And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Jehovah, and he was sanctified in them. WORDS AND PHRASES EXPLAINED Lesson Outline. I. Miriam's Death, I. II. The Complaint of the People, 2-5. III. Help from Jehovah Sought, 6-9. IV. The Waters of Meribah, Moses' Sin and Sentence, 10-13. 1. Even the whole congregation. They had been scattered, now they were all assembled.-The first month. Of the fortieth year after leaving Egypt. They had come to Kadesh in the second year (Num. 13.26). 2. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. It is worthy of remark, observes Milton, that those who are the most unworthy of liberty are wont to behave most ungratefully towards their deliverers. 3. When our brethern died. The reference is probably to the wholesale deaths that followed the rebellions of Korah, and of Dathan and Abiram, chapter 16. 5. Of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates. The fruit brought back by the spies. The new generation had heard of the fruits of Canaan, they were on their way to that land, but here, they complained, was none of the much-talked-of fruit. 6. Went from the presence of the assembly. Without trying to argue with them.— Unto the door of the tent of meeting and fell upon their faces. "As if crushed and helpless in face of the heart-breaking proof of the persistent obstinacy of the old faults." 8. The rod. His staff, Ex. 4.17; 7.17; 14. 16; 17.5, 9.-Speak ye unto the rock. He is not told to smite the rock.-That it give forth its water. Recall the miracle at Rephidim, Ex. 17.1-7. Pomegranate, Flowers and Fruit 10. Hear now, ye rebels. Moses is bitter at finding the new generation as complaining as the old. "His angry scolding betrays wounded personal importance, and annoyance at rebellion against his own authority rather than grief at the people's distrust of God, and also a distinct clouding over of his own consciousness of dependence for all his power on God, and an impure mingling of thoughts of self. The same turbid blending of anger and self-regard impelled his arm to the passionately repeated strokes, which, in heat, he substituted for the quiet words he was bidden to speak. The Palestinian Targum says, very significantly, that at the first stroke the rock dropped blood, thereby indicating the tragic sinfulness of the angry blow. How unworthy a representative of the long-suffering God was this angry man!" (Maclaren). 12. Because ye believed not in me. His unbelief seems to have been in that he denied to God the power to bring forth the water by ascribing that power to himself. To sanctify me. "God is sanctified whenever we put an inviolable fence around himself and his words; obeying them with instant and utter loyalty" (Meyer). 13. Meribah. That is, Strife, RVm.-Was sanctified in them. Or showed himself holy, RVm. SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS FROM HELPFUL WRITERS 1. Miriam died there. It is among the chief griefs of old age, that the friends of our youth drop off one by one, and leave us more and more companionless, until at last we are wholly solitary. Moses, according to Josephus, mourned for Miriam during the space of thirty days, and honored her with a costly public funeral, in which all the people took part. Her grave, according to him, was on the summit of a hill called Sin, which must have been in the near vicinity of Kadesh. Canon Rawlinson, in Moses, His Life and Time. 11. And the congregation drank. Among the suggestive pictures to be seen in the Roman Catacombs, there is one, held by archæologists to be as early as the second century, which represents the gift of water in the desert as Moses smites the rock with the rod. Pressing around the gushing water, the people hold forth their drinking vessels to catch the life-giving stream. It can hardly be doubted that the picture reflects the impression made at that time by the preaching and testimony of the Christian disciples. "In the barren wilderness of heathenism, where men had sought and dug for water so long that at last they were in despair of finding any, now welled freshly forth the fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life; and thus many a soul among the heathen thirsting for truth, many a seeker after wisdom in the schools of the philosophers, in the temples of the gods the most diverse, or in Jewish houses of prayer, found here his deepest longing satisfied. Dr. J. E. Robinson, Missionary Bishop in Southern Asia. 12. Therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. That burst of anger is a grave symptom of lessened love for the sinful murmurers; and lessened love always means lessened power to guide and help. The people are not changed, but Moses is. He has no longer the invincible patience, the utter self-oblivion, the readiness for self-sacrifice, which had borne him up of old, and so he fails. We may learn from his failure that the prime requisite for doing God's work is love, which cannot be moved to anger nor stirred to self-assertion, but meets and conquers murmuring and rebellion by patient holding forth of God's gift, and is, in some faint degree, an echo of his endless long-suffering. But was his momentary failure not too severely punished? His failure was a comparatively small matter in itself; and if the sentence is regarded merely as the punishment of a sin, it appears sternly disproportionate to the offence. Were eighty years of faithful service not sufficient to procure the condonation of one moment's impatience? Is not that harsh treatment? But a tiny blade above ground may indicate the presence of a poisonous root, needing drastic measures for its extirpation; and the sentence was not only punishment for sin, but kind, though punitive, relief from an office for which Moses had no longer, in full measure, his old qualifications. The subsequent history does not show any withdrawal of God's favor from him, and certainly it would be no very sore sorrow to be freed from the heavy load, carried so long. There is a disapprobation, no doubt, in the sentence; but it treats the conduct of Moses rather as a symptom of lessened fitness for his heavy responsibility than as sin; and there is as much kindness as condemnation in saying to the wearied veteran, who has stood at his post so long and has taken up arms once more, "You have done enough. You are not what you were. Other hands must hold the leader's staff. Enter into rest." Alexander Maclaren, in Exposi tions of the Scriptures. LIGHT FROM ARCHÆOLOGY OR FROM ORIENTAL LIFE II. The water came forth abundantly. On each of the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, the great feast held in Jerusalem at the close of the harvest, a procession formed at the time of the morning sacrifice and marched around the pool of Siloam in the valley of Kidron. There at the fountain the priest filled a golden pitcher with water and carried it solemnly up the temple steps to the altar, where they poured out the water "before the Lord". This they did in memory of the time in the wilderness when the rock had yielded water to their forefathers. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Review Questions. When before had Moses struck a rock and obtained water? When did Abraham fail in faith? What faults had Jacob? What faults had Aaron? What fault had Miriam? What fault had Moses? In our last lesson the Israelites were at Kadesh and now again they are reported there, but between the two lessons about thirty-eight years have passed. In Num. 33 we have a list of the seventeen stations at which they had tarried meanwhile, but of most of them we know nothing. The rivalry of different tribes and successive rebellions against Moses' authority are recorded. Special prominence is given to the rebellion of Korah and his company of Levites who aspired to priestly rights and were destroyed by fire, and to the rebellion of Dothan and Abiram and others, who accused Moses of wishing to make himself king and who were buried in an earthquake. We are now at the beginning of a new epoch. It is a new generation that stands on the spot where the generation that came out of bondage in Israel reached the crisis in their history, and proved themselves craven-hearted and not ready for the Promised Land. The new generation fails in faith and fortitude as did the old. |