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“THE GREAT REVOLT”
Wednesday flight 'Bible Lecture by 'Ret). Len G. Broughton, B, D., of Christ Church, London
Reported for The Golden Age by M. P. H. —Copyright Applied For.
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CHRIST CHURCH. LONDON.
Scripture XXI-XL.
Special Text: 32:26, “Who is on the Lord's
Side ? ’ ’
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E are now to close the study of the
Book of Exodus. The points of inter
est are numerous, but we will be con-
tent to simply mention most of them
that we may have time for a more detailed
consideration of the most striking and sug
gestive ones.
Following the giving of the 10 command
ments, Moses proceeds to give their applica
tion to the problems of daily life. This is the
purpose of all true teaching. Never rnind
how beautiful and striking a principle is, un
less it is applied to daily life, it is worthless.
The great object and aim of all teachers should
be to apply their principles, for a principle
merely enunciated, without application, will
soon pass out of the mind of the pupil and will
leave no trace that it has even been there. So
what we want to do is to see that we do not
enunciate further than we apply.
Moses was a splendid example for teachers.
Whenever you find him enunciate a great prin
ciple, as in the ten commandments, you may
lest assured that very soon you are going
to find him giving a great deal of care to the
matter of application. So the whole of these
chapters will be largely given up as we shall
see to the matter of application in which Moses
is endeavoring to apply to the solutions of the
problems of the daily life among the people,
the great principles enunciated in these com
mandments..
First, he applies his principles to servants.
He shows how they are to be regarded, and
treated. And then he applies the teaching to
'crimes of violence both among man and
beast, showing us how we should care for one
another, and even care for beasts.
This is followed by further regulation of
civil and religious conduct. Then, following
this is a renewal of Jehovah’s promise made
to Abraham to give Israel the land of Canaan,
and a new covenant is made with Israel.
After this Moses is again called up into
Sinai where Jehovah gives him directions for
building the ark of the covenant, and also the
building and furnishing of the tabernacle.
THE GOLDEN AGE FOR JULY 31, 1913
It would be very interesting to stop here
and see how minute are these plans that Moses
gives forth to the people, but, mark you, his
plans are not more minute than are God’s in
structions to him. God does not leave out a
single detail, but gives himself to the very
smallest little insignificant details. God is al
ways interested in all the details of his people;
the great problems that are ahead of us, and
alike in the smallest little bit of a problem
that ever'comes up and throbs upon our brains.
And it helps me very much to realize God
down here, by my side, really interesting him
self in the everyday problems of my life, not
letting anything escape him. Just as he was
interested in giving Israel details of the taber
nacle ,so he is interested in giving to us the
details of the line of life he would have us
follow.
Then follows Jehovah’s delivery of the com
mandments to Moses on stones. These you
know had been written by the Almighty on
two tablets of stone corresponding to the two
divisions of the law.
This is followed by the great revolt of Is
real and their open idolatry. They are, how
ever, finally won back, and then Moses begins
the work of building the tabernacle upon
which these Israelites work until it is finished.
This closes the story of the Book of Exodus.
Now I desire to return to the great revolt
to idolatry, and the call to renewed consecra
tion. Observe the circumstances. Here was
Moses upon the mountain top, it was the sec
ond time he had gone there, the first time to
receive the law, and this time, he is gone
there that he might receive from the Lord the
law which had been written by him on these
two tablets.
While he is on the mount, the children of
Israel are under the immediate care of Aaron
his brother, who had been by Jehovah asso
ciated with him in this march. Aaron is in
charge of these people. They begin to fancy
that Moses has left them alone to suffer and
die. They were like many churches I know
today. If their pastor is out a little longer
than was expected they begin to fancy every
thing is going to the bad. Lots of churches
feel that they have got to have a minister
punching them in the short ribs all the time,
else they will go to the bad. And never mind
what a minister is up to, he might be off some
where receiving some special communication
from God, that does not make any difference.
They just want him around where they can
look at him and have him look at them! Oh,
how selfish most of us are in our church de
sires! And so these Israelites began to com
plain because Moses stayed too long for their
liking on the mount, and finally they pro
posed a scheme to make them one who would
stay on hand, a kind of a pastor, a sort of a
shepherd, who would be on hand to help them
in their cares and trials. It was agreed, and
Aaron joined in with them, instead of hold
ing up Moses’ hands as he ought, and promised.
He joined in with the cry of the populace,
because it was popular, against Moses.
And what do you think they did! They
took their jewelry and threw it into a furnace
and from it made a calf, to take the place of
Moses and God. In it they had one who
would stay at home. No doubt about that!
He would be on hand all the time. They could
gather around it and pour out all their trials
and tribulations, and it would be on hand sure.
The church which has got a shepherd who is
always on hand better look out —he may be
on hand because no one else wants him.
They had a shepherd now; a golden calf;
a well dressed, nice looking shepherd; but oh
he was not worth anything!
And Moses, when he started down the moun
tain side with the tablets in his arms, heard
music and dancing down there in the valley
and did not understand it. There they were
singing and dancing and praising and wor
shiping to this thing that could help nothing.
And Moses lost his temper. Did I say “lost his
temper?” I think he rather found it, and used
it; I do not think he is to be blamed for what
he did. He dropped the tables of stone. God
forgave him and gave him some frSsh ones.
Think about what they had come through.
The bondage in Egypt; the hardest bondage
a people had ever experienced. The Red sea,
by the marvelous deliverance of the hand of
God. so much there could be no mistake about
it. Through Marah with its bitter waters,
where they had this bitter water experience
transformed into sweet waters. And through
beautful Elim with its cooling springs and
palm shade. The wilderness, thus far. where
they had food from heaven, the gift of God
himself. All this back of them, and yet now
simply because Moses stayed a little longer
than they expected, they turned their backs
upon all this and made an idol, a calf, out of
their jewelry and worshiped it, forgetting God
and taking to idols in so short a time.
That is what a blundering, sinning, people
this was. And yet, let us be very careful that
we see ourselves along with them.
When Moses got back he shouted, I fancy, at
the top of his voice, and there was a note in
it that Israel never forgot: “Who is on the
Lord’s side? Let him come unto me.”
There we have authority for giving invita
tons at meetings. People sometimes say to me
“I do not approve of giving invitations of that
sort at meetings; it is new fashioned; it is
modern methods.’ Yes. It is very modern;
it began with Moses. That is how modern it
is. Moses said, “Who is on the Lord’s side
let him take his stand,” come out from the
others. And that is not all he said. When
they came out —and some did—he turned to
them and said: “Put ye every man his sword
upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate
to gate throughout the camp, and slay every
man, his brother, and; every man his com
panion and every man his neighbor—and con
secrate yourselves today to Jehovah, yea ev
ery man * * *” By that he meant “Fill
your hands (as you will see in the marginal
rendering) this day unto the Lord.”
Now this question is just as important wth
us today as it was in the days of Moses. If
I know anythng of present needs, it is this,
that God’s people turn from their idols. That
give God and his cause first place in their
lives. We ourselves as Christian people are
to a great extent idolatrous.
That leads me to ask this question: “What
(Continued on page 15.)