LESSONS. FIRST MORNING LESSON. "WITH HIS ROD HE SMOTE THE ROCK TWICE, AND THE WATER CAME OUT ABUNDANTLY (Num. xx. 11). THE miraculous provision made for Israel in the wilderness served two purposes. In the first place, the people's wants were supplied and their lives were spared. But beyond and above this the lesson was inculcated that all good is from God, and that by whatever agency, it is He Himself who ministers alike to temporal and spiritual necessities. I. THE LIVING WATER IS FROM GOD. An inspired apostle, in relating how the people drank of the stream, as he says of the rock that followed them, makes the somewhat startling assertion," and that rock was Christ." 1. It flows from an unlikely source. None could have expected that water should have been given from the flinty rock. And when men saw Christ, and "saw no beauty in Him that they should desire Him," few could have believed that from His person and work should flow the stream of human salvation. 2. It flowed by divine authority. If Moses had smitten the rock upon the suggestion of his own wisdom, it cannot be supposed that the stream would have burst forth. The secret of the living waters which Christ brings to a thirsting world is to be sought in the counsels of divine wisdom and in the decree of divine authority. II. THE LIVING WATER IS FOR MAN. As all Israel was refreshed by the water of the wilderness, so is mankind at large indebted for spiritual life and refreshment to Him who gives the living water from heaven. 1. It is adapted to assuage spiritual thirst. Christ says, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." In Him is refreshment, solace, and satisfaction for the needy soul. 2. It is sufficient for the wants of all men. In the desert, men, women, and children, young and old, drank and assuaged their thirst. None to whom the gospel comes need fear any insufficiency of provision— VOL. III. "Its streams the whole creation reach, So plenteous is the store; S "THIS IS THE WATER OF MERIBAH" THERE was another water of Meribah—striving with God-about the beginning of the Israelites' journeying. This one was towards the end of their wanderings. A sadder one than the first; for those who strove and murmured knew more of God's working, and Moses and Aaron strove with Him as well as the people. And yet God gave them their request on both occasions. Did not the water gushing from the rock bring, as from a secret hiding-place of God, an assurance of His perfect pleasure in them and approval of them? No; for outward success, even in answer to our prayers, is no sure guarantee of God's approval. He may give us our request, and send leanness to our souls; as in some forms of insanity the body feeds and strengthens, like a parasite, on the mind's decay. Successes are often the records of our strifes with God. They are in that case real calamities and failures. Fabius said that he dreaded nothing more than the successes of Minucius. So might we often say of our own successes. I. LIFE ITSELF MAY BE A RECORD OF OUR STRIFE With God. Life is given us for faithful, loyal, high, and useful purposes; and if we save it at the expense of these, it is a water of Meribah, murmuring in its flow our shame in the ears of God and of our better self. The martyr who purchases his life by recantation; the man who saves his life by refusing to obey those summonses and instincts which call him to throw it away, if need be, that he may bring succour to the helpless and distressed; even the life that may be eked out by shirking honest work and making bare animal existence the all-absorbing aim-these are all waters of Meribah. II. OUR TEMPORAL PROSPERITY MAY BE A RECORD OF OUR STRIFE WITH GOD. "Unblest good is ill." The stream of our prosperity may be broad and deep; but what if it drains into itself all the sweet brooks of charity which should be rippling beside weary travellers on the dusty paths of a joyless life? Our great well may be deep and full; but has it cut the springs which were meant to fill the pitchers of a hundred humble neighbours? Be assured that if you are turning harder and more earthly, selfish and luxurious in your prosperity, it is a veritable water of Meribah to your soul. III. THE SUCCESSES OF OUR SINFUL PURPOSES AND THE GRATIFICATION OF OUR EVIL DESIRES ARE A RECORD OF OUR STRIFE WITH GOD. You must not judge the righteousness of your plans by their success. You may bring wicked devices to pass, but their accomplishment does not make them good, least of all for yourself. You have only caught the devil's bait. And how sweet the waters of revenge and gratified malice and spite taste! But they are waters of Meribah. They are delicious for the moment; but the promised land of green valleys, of sweet contentment, of streams evermore glancing in the sunshine of God's love, and of harvests of soul-enriching joys is not for you. Verily I say unto you, You have your reward." Seek no longer, then, to make stones into bread; strive not for the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them. Strive not with God in His desire for your salvation; but work together with Him, and wait patiently for Him. In this world thy bread shall be given thee and thy water made sure; and in heaven the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed thee, and shall lead thee unto living fountains of waters. FIRST EVENING LESSON. “IT CAME TO PASS, THAT IF A SERPENT HAD BITTEN ANY MAN, WHEN HE BEHELD THE SERPENT OF BRASS, HE LIVED " (Num. xxi. 9). IN the history of the wandering, we recognise in Jehovah not merely the bountiful Lord who supplies His people's wants, but the skilful and merciful Physician who heals His people's diseases. In both capacities alike He demands adoration, He deserves gratitude, He justifies confidence. I. AN EMBLEM OF A SPIRITUAL MALADY. 1. A poisonous malady. The serpent's bite is in its virulence symbolical of sin. 2. A destructive malady. As the serpent's bite was deathdealing, so sin destroys the moral nature and the eternal prospects of men. 3. A widespread malady. The serpents committed devastation throughout the camp of Israel. There is no region inhabited by mankind where the mischievous and disastrous effects of sin are not known. II. AN EMBLEM OF A DIVINE REMEDY. Our Lord Himself has authorised the parallel between the serpent of brass and the crucified Redeemer. I. Observe the participation of the Saviour in the nature of those He came to save. As the healing object was in the form of the destroyer, so Christ, who knew no sin, became sin for us. 2. Observe the publicity of the remedy. The brazen serpent was reared on a banner-staff and set on high, and in like manner Christ was lifted up to draw all men unto Himself. III. AN EMBLEM OF THE MEANS OF SALVATION. As they who looked towards the serpent of brass received healing and life, even so those who direct the gaze of faith to the crucified Redeemer of the world experience His healing virtue. IV. AN EMBLEM OF SPIRITUAL RECOVERY. The healing of the obedient Israelites seems to have been both instantaneous and complete. And we are assured that " as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so was the Son of Man lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life." AND THE SOUL OF THE PEOPLE WAS MUCH DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THE WAY" (Num. xxi. 4). I. DIFFERENT "WAYS" WHICH DISCOURAGE THE CHRISTIAN. 1. Some are discouraged by their lot in life. It is hard and uphill. That can be borne with a light heart for a time, for even the world reckons that it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. But by many no progress is made; rather sometimes retrogression. They are like one climbing towards a mountain summit, which seems to recede and rise as he climbs ; or even like one who discovers, when he should have been at his goal, that he has been on the wrong track, and must measure the weary distance back again step by step. 2. Some are discouraged by their religious experience. Their first love loses its warmth; doubts, like threatening clouds, darken their once sweet and bright assurance; sins which they thought dead startle them by rising as if from their graves; they are only babes in Christ when they should have been strong men. The mountains of the land of promise are more shadowy than when they started on their pilgrimage. 3. Some are discouraged by the slowness and uncertainty of the progress of Christ's kingdom in the world. The old prophecies are more jubilant over the speedy establishment of Christ's kingdom than the New Testament; the earlier Epistles than the later. The principles of the gospel are yet far from ruling social life, or national policy, or international relations. How few have heard the joyful sound; how unspeakably fewer still are in harmony with its music! 4. Some are discouraged by the seeming conflicts of the Bible with science, and even with itself. "If the foundations be re moved, what can the righteous do?" On what can the Church build her Pharos of guidance, her asylum of consolation, her heaven-cleaving spires of hope? How many Elis are trembling for the ark of God! How it shakes on its cart as it is dragged on rough and treacherous ground, before the eyes of friend and foe! And the soul of many is "much discouraged because of the way." II. SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO MEET THESE DISCOURAGEMENTS. 1. The very fact of their variety is a reassuring consideration. Over the portals of all God's temples is written, "Through much tribulation you must enter the kingdom." Learning, worldly success, faith, all speak of hard-won battles and fainting hearts. Toil on! Nothing has happened to you that is not common to men, and in God's plan of things. 2. The numberless triumphs of the past over the discouragements of the way yield reassuring consideration. The past had difficulties and discouragements of its own for the individual soul and for the Church at large, as well as the present. They have been surmounted, triumphed over; and a great cloud of witnesses hangs over our path encouraging us to run with patience the race set before us. 3. The fact that God lives rebukes all discouragement. The Lord liveth, and blessed be the rock of my salvation. "We went through fire and through water; but THOυ hast brought us out into a wealthy place." CHILDREN'S SERMON. "STRIP AARON OF HIS GARMENTS, AND PUT THEM UPON ELEAZAR HIS SON" (Num. xx. 26). IN a very important sense you are likely one day to wear your father's garments. Aaron, our text tells us, was stripped of his garments, and they were put upon Eleazar his son. That is the general way still. One day your fathers will be stripped of their garments. As Aaron was led up to Mount Hor to die, so your fathers and mothers will one day die, and you will be left without them. Learn thenI. TO PRIZE AND LOVE THEM WHILE YOU HAVE THEM. person has a book in his own library, he will often let it lie unread for a very long time. He thinks, "I can read it any time." But if he gets a loan of a very nice book for a week or two, he sets about reading it at once and diligently, because he says, "I must soon give it back." Well, you have only got a If a |