The International Sunday School Lessons By J. H. S. LESSON VII.—November 16.— T he D eath oe M oses .-— Deut. 31:1-8; 32:48-52; 34:1-12. G olden T e x t : Precious in the sight of Jehovah is the death of his saints. —Ps. 116:15.
Decalogue (ch. 5). (3) Other laws, mod ified to circumstances, and to coming set tled conditions (chs. 6-27).' (4) The con sequences (so literally fulfilled in history) of obedience and disobedience (ch. 28). (5) A new covenant: Its preamble (ch. 29) ; contents (30:1-10) ; a warning (30:11- 20). (6) Moses’ last words: instructions to priests, Le,vites and Joshua; his song and exhortation; his prophetic “blessings” of the tribes (31-33). (7) An account of his view of Canaan; his death and burial (ch. 34, written probably by another in spired penman). III. T h e D eath of M oses ’. 1. His Sin (Num. 20:7-11). Disobe dience. Told to speak to, he struck the rock. Disbelief. As if a word, merely, of God were not enough. Misrepresentation. As if God were slow to give. 2. His Sentence (Num. 20:12, 13). Se vere? But he sinned against God! in the sight of the people, and he the chief mag istrate. If a slight (?) fault in a good and great man is not overlooked, let lesser men fear. It had typical significance. The law (Moses), with its repeated sacrifices and works (like his repeated strokes) and stern rebukes, cannot, for its imperfections lead us into rest. 3. His Pitiful Appeal (Deut. 3:23-25). “I pray thee, let me go over and see the good land.” It might not be. Oh, the blessedness made impossible by a moment’s blunder! Yet the Lord found it hard to say, “No,” and begged Moses-, “Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter” (v. 26). There are ends more important than being spared chastisement, or getting present gratification; and the purpose of God, and the weal of the universe are larger than you, or I. But Moses got his
I. I ntervening E vents . 1. Balaam’s Fate: Failing to turn Je hovah from Israel (Deut. 23:5), he turn ed Israel from Jehovah (Num. 31:16; 25: 1-5), and got a reward that cancelled Balak’s (Jude 11; Mark 8:36). Satan can not affect our standing with the Lord, but satanic subtlety may lure us into sin and out of communion (2 Cor. 2:11). 2. A Third Numbering shows that God fulfills His threats. Of 600,000 fighting men Caleb and Joshua alone survived (Num. 26: 63-65). 3. Zelophehad’s Daughters claimed in alienable rights in the inheritance, so typi cally emphasizing Israel’s inalienable hope (27:11). Faith claims its possessions and privileges in Christ. 4. The Trans-Jordanic Allotment. Two and a half tribes fell short, content with present possessions and with the border land (32:33). They cut no figure in Is rael’s history. There are border-land Chris tians. 5. Cities of Refuge were set for the unwitting (1 Cor. 2:8) man-slayer, whither he might flee the avenger (35:10-12); priestly cities, at hand and of easy access; there the refugee was safe till the death of the high priest (v. 25). “O ther refuge have I none”------ save Jesus the ever-living priest (Heb. 7:25). II. D euteronomy . This title means Second, or Duplicate Law; emphasizes obedience, its key-note, on which depends success, or failure; blessing, or cursing (Deut. 28:1, 2, 15). The book consists, chiefly,, of faithful farewell ora tions of Moses, delivered within a month of his death. They include a rehearsal of (1) The wanderings (chs. 1-4). (2) The
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