  THE GIVING OF THE LAW. FIRST READING.
LAST Sunday you heard how sadly the people of Israel sinned by making the golden calf, while Moses was up in the mountain, and how he punished them. Then he said he would go and pray to God to forgive them, and try them again. So up he went over the rough rocks of Mount Sinai, and into the cloud again, where he had spoken with God before. And he prayed with all his might that God would not cast off His people, though they had been so wicked, but would give them again the Commandments on their tables of stone. And God listened to Moses, and promised to give them the Commandments again. Then Moses made a great request: he said to God, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory." But God said, "Thou canst not see My Face, for there shall no man see Me and live." But Moses was to come up the mountain the next day, and bring with him two blocks of stone, and then God would let him see as much of His glory as he could bear. On the next day Moses went up the mountain again, and took with him the two tables of stone. And the Lord came down in the cloud; and Moses was in the cleft of the rock, where he could see a small part of the glory, and hear the Lord's Voice pro MOSES BRINGING THE NEW TABLES OF THE LAW.—Ex. 34:29-32. Moses stayed forty days and forty nights up in the mountain. And God again wrote the Commandments upon the two tables of stone, and granted the Israelites to try again to keep them. When Moses came down from being in converse with God, the glory was still about his face. It was all shining like the sun, and was so bright that the Israelites could not fix their eyes on it; and he was obliged to put a veil over his face, because they could not bear to look at it. Was ever living man so favored, and brought into such glory? QUESTIONS.
SECOND READING.
WHEN the Israelites came into the good land where they were going, they were to be very careful not to learn to worship idols. For idols were no gods at all—only wood and stone—and could not hear them pray, nor give them what they wanted. Besides, the people round them had very frightful ways of trying to please their false gods. They had one called Moloch, made of brass, and they used to offer poor little children up in sacrifice to him, and make a noise with drums and trumpets, that no one might hear their cries. There was another god called Baal, to whom they set up great images, and feasted in his honor; and a goddess, whom they called the queen of heaven, of Ashtoreth. Women used to offer cakes to her, and dance in honor of her, for they thought she sent the moon to shine on them. Now, the Israelites were not to worship any of these false gods. They were to remember how they heard the Only True God speaking to them out of the cloud upon the mountain, and telling them, "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt have no other gods but Me." And God told them that if they would worship Him and serve Him, all should go well with them, and they should be happy and blessed. But if they went after these false idols, all would go ill with them, and there would be only sorrow and misery. QUESTIONS.
THIRD READING.
AFTER the Commandments were given the Israelites went on their journey. The Ark, or chest, where the Commandments on their two tables of stone were kept, was carried before them; and God still showed that He was with them, for He made a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night go along with them, and rest on it. When they came near the land of Canaan, twelve men were sent on to see it. They came back, bringing such a great bunch of grapes that two had to carry it between them on a pole! But they said that the land was full of strong cities, and very strong men, and they should never be able to win it, but would all be killed. THE SPIES RETURNING FROM CANAAN.—Num. 13:24-26. Then God showed His glory, and would have cut them all off in a moment if Moses had not prayed for them. But He said none of those who had said they would not go into the good land should go. They were to stay forty years longer in the dismal wilderness, till all the grown-up men, except Joshua and Caleb, should be dead, and their children be grown up in their stead. Then their children, who had learned to trust God and do as He bade, should be the ones to go in and live in the promised land. QUESTIONS.
TABLE OF SHEW-BREADARKGOLDEN CANDLESTICK |
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