The Heart of the Lesson By T. C. HORTON
God. He fell on sleep and God Himself buried him.” Jude tells us that Satan contended with Michael over the body. Perhaps he wanted the burial place known so that men would make of it a shrine for worship, -or per haps he contended that the body should not be raised again, because of Moses’ sin. No doubt, soon after his body was raised and he was translated, for, nearly fifteen hun dred years afterward we find him with the translated Elijah, talking with the trans figured Christ. L esson VIII— N ovember 23, 1913. Golden Text—Joshua 1:9. This lesson concerns the new leader. “Moses is dead,” but God lives. Men may come and men may go, but God goes on forever. In Westminster Abbey is a mar ble tablet containing two medalion por traits combined and underneath is the in scription, “God buries the worker but car ries on the work.” “Moses is dead,” ‘but Israel lives and must have a leader. Moses is dead, but God’s covenant concerning the land and the people lives and God has His man ready for the emergency. Men must die but there must be men to take their places. What place you will fill will depend upon God’s choice and your condition. Joshua had been Moses’ private, secretary. He had the advantage of spe cial training with the great law-giver who was both soldier and statesman. The les son breathes the air of conflict and con quest. Strength and courage are the es sentials for the new captain. I. Joshua is Selected Successor. He was chosen of God (Num. 27:18; Deut. 31:14-23; Deut. 34:9). He was a man of conviction. (Num. 14: 6-9). He was a man of courage (Joshua 5 :13- 15). He was a man of control (Joshua 21: 43-45). He had learned to command by being
L esson VII— N ovember 16, 1913. Golden Text—Ps. 116:15. The death and burial of Moses is unique. Moses was a man of solitudes. He had spent forty years in the school of the Wil derness, alone with God, before he became Israel’s leader. He had been much with God alone during the forty years of wan dering. He had enjoyed the supreme favor of speaking face to face with God. The underlying desire of Moses heart was, “Show me thy glory.” Now he is alone with God. How did he die? Like a man. When the verdict of God was first rendered, al though he longed to go into the land, he bowed his head to the will of God. There are no reproaches, no grumblings, no fault findings, He knew God and was happy to have His hand upon him. How did he die? Like a saint. There is a beautiful Jewish legend concerning his death. It is said that one angel after an other sought to take his life, but in vain. First came the one who had been his in structor, but his courage failed when he essayed to destroy the fabric on which he had spent so much pains. Then the angel of death was summoned to undertake the task. He confidently approached him, but when he saw the wondrous luster of his face shining like the sun and heard him recite the prodigies of his career, he, too, shrank back abashed. And when these two great angels had given up the work, MoseS turned to the Almighty and said, “Lord of the universe, revealed to me in the burning bush, remember that thou didst carry me into thy heaven where I abode forty days and forty nights. Have mercy upon me and hand me not over into the power of the angel of death.” He died according to the Word of the Lord. The Hebrew reads, “On the mouth of Jehovah,” with this explanation, “By the kiss of the Lord his soul was kissed away as he lay in- the arms of the Lord. He died alone with
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