Old Testament History by M. C. W.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 17, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 23.

Old Testament History.

By M. C. W.

SUGGESTIONS FOR QUARTERLY REVIEW.

(Lesson 26, June 29, 1889.) [Note.—It is not expected that the teachers will use just these questions in their review. They are only suggestive, and do not cover near all the ground. Some lessons are not even referred to. It would be an impossibility for any teacher to cover in one lesson all the principal points that have been passed over during the quarter, and therefore each teacher should carefully review all the preceding lessons, and select just those points which impress him as being the most important, or containing thoughts most necessary for that special time, and confine his attention to them. Points that received insufficient attention in the first instance, may now be dwelt upon at greater length. We would advise that the superintendent or division leader do not go over the same ground that the most of the teachers do, but take up some other portion of the review, as by so doing much more ground can be covered.]

By what means was the sanctuary built?
Tell how it was repaired.
What was the result when the people gave willingly?
What enabled them to give so willingly?
In order to have our gifts of money acceptable to God, what must we first do?

"And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God." 2 Cor. 8:5.

What is the only kind of giving that God loves or will accept?
What was the tabernacle for?
In what part was God's presence specially manifested?
What was represented by the ark, with the cherubim of glory overshadowing it?
What was signified by the fact that underneath the cherubim of glory was the law of God?
What is sin?

What is indicated by the fact that immediately above the law which had been transgressed, was the mercy-seat, and the cherubim between which the glory of God appeared?—That God sits upon a throne of grace, and delights in mercy, and that wherever there is sin there is the remedy. "Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. Whenever a sin is committed, the remedy is immediately at hand.
By what various judgments did God show that it is not a light thing to speak against his servants?
On what various instances did the Israelites show their wicked unbelief of God?
What is the foundation of all goodness?

"And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge." 2 Pet. 1:5. "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20, 21.

Then what must be the universal besetting sin?
To what then must we take heed?

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Heb. 3:12, 13. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Heb. 4:1, 2.

What evidence have we that God will not make the slightest excuse for sin, even in his most highly honored and best-beloved servant?
By what were the people in those days saved, when they sinned?

NOTES.

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [age] are come." 1 Cor. 10:11. The above words of inspiration are for us who live in the last days of probation, the former passage referring to all the Old Testament, the latter to the last four books of Moses, which contain a record of God's dealings with the children of Israel. No more important lessons are contained in the Bible than these. It is for this reason that they are referred to with such emphasis in the New Testament, especially in 1 Cor. 10, and Heb. 3 and 4. The Sabbath-school lessons for the last quarter have considered most of the important events of the important period of the exodus from Egypt to the entrance into the promised land. The narrative alone, a mere knowledge of the facts, will profit us little unless we learn the deeper spiritual lessons which God designs to teach. It may be well for us to review some of these important lessons of God's wisdom, justice, mercy, and love.

First, God's call of Moses teaches us that the greatest worldly wisdom will not fit us to do God's work. While "Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds" (Acts 7:22), and while he thought himself sufficient to lead Israel from bondage, the Lord teaches him that he is not yet ready. His education is only begun. For forty years more he must learn in the deserts of Midian, caring for his flock by night and day, man's littleness and God's greatness, and also that compassion and tenderness necessary to be a true shepherd to the flock of God. These lessons he learns and the Lord then calls him. We may also learn from God's rebuke to Moses, when Moses did not think himself sufficient, that to whatever work God calls us, if we will but depend on him, he will fit us for that work and supply all our need.

God's dealing with Pharaoh reveals his wondrous mercy. The Lord's manner in dealing with the king, if Pharaoh had desired to do right, would have certainly led him to light and truth. But the proud king hardens his heart till the Lord withdraws his mercy, and the king is forever doomed. The same sun that develops the good grain and plants of usefulness, also develops noxious weeds. "Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness." Isa. 26:10. The rejection of light and favor from God always brings unbelief and hardness of heart.

The mighty miracles by which God wrought deliverance for his people are an encouragement to those who live when the great time of trouble and the last period of persecution are about to come upon the earth. The same God who delivered then, can deliver now. And his promise that "at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book" (Dan. 12:1), and the other precious promises found in Ps. 91 and elsewhere, will all be fulfilled. And while the wicked are calling for mountains and rocks to fall upon them, the righteous will sing in the triumph of faith, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Ps. 46:1, 2. Our God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

The Passover should teach us that we should never rest content till we know that the blood of Jesus covers every sin of the past, and that we are living every day so that when probation shall close and the plagues shall fall upon a world forsaken of God, we will be sealed for eternity, clad in the righteousness of God through Christ forevermore.

What a lesson we have of God's wondrous mercy to that rebellious people in the constant supply of food and water furnished by his own miraculous power. He thus led and supplied them that they might learn "that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." Deut. 8:3. God's goodness was designed to lead them to repentance, but often their hearts grew hard under the droppings of his most abundant mercies. How do we regard God's daily blessings?

The giving of God's law was designed not only to impress Israel with a sense of its holiness, but the world itself, which should afterward read the record. The manner in which God spoke the law, the terrible majesty attending the event, the way in which it was given, separate, and distinct from all others on tables of enduring stone,—all was designed to show how holy and sacred were the ten words of God, the sum of all morality, the compendium of all righteousness. Here it is said God made known his holy Sabbath. Neh. 9:14. What is meant by this seeing that the Sabbath was understood before? Gen. 2:2, 3; Ex. 16. This, evidently: God knew that men would say that the Sabbath was ceremonial in character, and therefore not binding, as were other moral precepts; therefore he made known its true character by placing it in the very bosom of the decalogue, guarded before and behind by immutable moral precepts, so that men could never with any reason say that the Sabbath was not as binding as the first, or sixth, or any other commandment. The law of God's rest-day, as of all the other parts of that law, is immutable and eternal.

Israel's making of the sun-god, or golden calf, is an emphatic lesson of man's natural depravity. They had promised, but in their own strength, that they would obey God's voice (Ex. 19:5), and they were no doubt honest in this; but their hearts were unregenerate, and deceived themselves. A deceived heart turned them aside. Isa. 44:20. The only way by which we can do God's will is to be regenerated, born again, the heart of enmity to God's law taken away, and the new heart given. The only means by which we can keep God's commandments is by his strength, put on through faith in Christ. Every other way, every covenant in our own strength, will, like that of Israel at Horeb, gender to bondage. Gal. 4:24.

The holiness of God's work, and how particular God is that everything shall be performed exactly, may be learned from his instructions concerning the sanctuary and his worship. And that these rules were not meaningless is shown by the swift punishment visited upon Nadab and Abihu. The sacredness of his ordinances is also shown in the punishment which followed the sin of Miriam and the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. The sin of Moses and the judgment of the Lord upon him is another most forcible lesson that God is particular, that he is no respecter of persons, that the greatest among men or his own people will be treated even as the lowest, with strict justice, that no outward provocation is an excuse for sin, and that its root is wholly in the heart of man. These are the lessons God would have us learn from these occurrences.

Concerning the spies, it has been thought by some that Moses showed unbelief in sending them after what God had told him concerning the land, but Moses only obeyed the Lord in this. Num. 13:1, 2. But what a lesson is here taught! Right on the threshold of deliverance the people rebel. God's design in sending the spies was evidently to assure the people of the truthfulness of his word. They found all as God had said. It was no business of theirs how great the giants or how strong the cities; God had given them abundant proof of his power to overcome all opposition. But their deceived hearts catch upon the seeming difficulties as excuses for rebellion, and they again reject God, just at the very time when he was about to end their journeyings. How often do professed Christians do the same. They trust God for a while under the trials, and often when God is about to deliver, they rebel against him and their heart becomes hardened. The only way is to renounce all, to trust God to the end, trial or no trial. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness."

The above are some of the precious lessons of obedient faith and loving trust which God would have us learn. They are precious admonitions by which he would have us take warning. "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip [run out as leaking vessels, margin]. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. 2:1-3. God will require of us according to our light. Therefore, if like Caleb and Joshua we "wholly follow the Lord," we will say with all the redeemed host when the journey is ended, and our weary feet press the promised land: "Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof." Amen. M. C. W.