THE MEANING OF THE STORY
117. After the Revolutionary War, the thirteen American states adopted a constitution. Washington was the great leader. We all honor him now, but during his life many were jealous of him and the people often found fault with him and lost confidence in him. He was greatly tried and would have given up the presidency but for his sense of duty. So it was with Moses. He brought deliverance to the people and gave them their first great laws, but they constantly murmured against him and against God. The long story of his leadership of Israel during forty years in the wilderness is told in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. We shall study a few of the main incidents.
118 (§40A). After the victory over the Egyptians, Moses led the people toward Mt. Sinai. Notice on the map the mountain range in the Sinai Peninsula. What difficulty soon arose? How did the people meet it? This was the beginning of a number of trials that Moses had in his leadership.
119 (§40A). How long did it take to reach Mt. Sinai? The gathering at the mountain was a very solemn occasion. Israel was to receive a constitution. Think of the solemn time when the constitution of the United States was adopted.
120 (§40B). What do we call these great words? Every student should know them by heart. If they were learned in the Primary Department it would be well to recall them.
121 (§40B). How were the people impressed by the holy law? Let us understand that when we speak of "the fear of the Lord" it does not mean that we are afraid of him, but that we have a great reverence for him.
122 (§41A). How long had Moses remained in the mountain to which he had gone to receive the laws? The people could not understand a God whom they could not see. They wanted an idol such as the Egyptians had. Tell the story of the golden calf.
123 (§41A). How did Moses learn of what had happened? What did Moses bring down from the mountain? What did Joshua hear? What did Moses do when he found what had happened? Is it ever right to be angry?
124 (§41B). The people had greatly disappointed Moses, but he was very sorry for their sin. He went to pray for them. Read carefully his wonderful prayer. Moses well knew God's love, but he knew also that wickedness must be punished.
125. We shall consider another great rebellion in connection with the next two heroes whom we study. It resulted in the Hebrews being sentenced to travel about for forty years. Moses led them. He was their chief, ruling over them, and their general, enabling them to conquer their enemies.
126 (§42A). Moses had led the people for forty years. At last the grand old man brought them to the very border of the Promised Land. What river was all that separated them from Canaan? Locate the place of the last camp just opposite Jericho. The book of Deuteronomy gives the farewell speeches of Moses. This section is a part of what he said to them. Tell it in your own words. What great American gave a Farewell Message to his countrymen?
127 (§42B). It was a great disappointment to Moses that he could not lead the people into Canaan, but he cheerfully accepted God's will. It must have been a wonderful sight that the old man saw from the mountain. Imagine yourself on Mt. Nebo. Look over Canaan and tell what Moses saw. Where did Moses die? How did Israel mourn for him? What did the writer of the last verses think of this great man? Learn Mrs. Alexander's beautiful poem.
THE BURIAL OF MOSES
By Nebo's lonely mountain,
On this side Jordan's wave,
In a vale in the land of Moab,
There lies a lonely grave;
But no man dug that sepulchre,
And no man saw it e'er,
For the angels of God upturned the sod,
And laid the dead man there.
That was the grandest funeral
That ever passed on earth;
But no man heard the tramping,
Or saw the train go forth.
Noiselessly as the daylight
Comes when the night is done,
And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek
Grows into the great sun,
Noiselessly as the springtime
Her crown of verdure weaves,
And all the trees on all the hills
Open their thousand leaves,
So, without sound of music,
Or voice of them that wept,
Silently down from the mountain crown
The great procession swept.
This was the bravest warrior
That ever buckled sword;
This the most gifted poet
That ever breathed a word;
And never earth's philosopher
Traced, with his golden pen,
On the deathless page, truths half so sage
As he wrote down for men.
And had he not high honor?
The hillside for his pall;
To lie in state while angels wait,
With stars for tapers tall;
And the dark rock-pines, like tossing plumes,
Over his bier to wave;
And God's own hand, in that lonely land,
To lay him in the grave.