EXERCISES ON SCRIPTURE LESSONS. AUGUST 30.-AFTERNOON LESSON. For repetition, verses 28-30. SUMMARY.-God provides meat and mauna for the murmuring Israelites. Every one obtains enough, and no one has anything to spare. A double supply is sent for the Sabbath; and a pot of manna is preserved in the ark. I. MEAT AND MANNA FOR MURMURERS.-V. 9-15. Aaron announces to the Israelites that, notwithstanding their murmurings, God would, in the evening, give them flesh to eat, and in the morning cause it to rain down bread from heaven. While he is speaking, their attention is directed toward the wilderness, (v. 10,) where the glory of the Lord flashes out from the cloud, attesting the truth of the words of reproof and promise to which they are listening. Accordingly, that evening, a flock of quails, probably from the neighbourhood of the Nile, came up, and covered the camp; i. e., fell down in the midst of the camp, weary with their flight; and, in the morning, when the mist that produced the dew had cleared away, it left behind it the bread God had provided for His people. Manna,―i. e., "What is this?" (Mar gin.) "NO LACK," AND "NOTHING OVER."— V. 16-21. To teach the people the duty of trusting in the Lord, Moses gave them two commands: they were only to gather sufficient for the wants of a single day; and they were not to leave any from one day to another. There were some who disobeyed both these orders; but the result was in each case disappointing. They who by their greater strength and extra exertions gathered more than they needed for the day's consumption, found, to their mortification, on measuring their stock, that they had no overplus: and they who, in unbelieving carefulness, kept a por VOL. III. NEW SERIES.-September, 1868. tion till the next day, found it to be corrupt, and wholly unfit for use. III. A DOUBLE SUPPLY.-V. 22— 30. On the sixth day they discovered, to their surprise, that each person had gathered a double quantity. The explanation given by Moses is very instructive. The consecration of the seventh day as a day of religious rest, (Gen. ii. 13,) which had probably been neglected in Egypt, was now to be restored. The double quantity collected on the sixth day, was a fresh intimation that the seventh day should be kept holy unto the Lord. There were some who disregarded this command also. They went out to collect manna on the Sabbath, but found none; whereupon God solemnly reproved them, and commanded them to remain quietly at home on the seventh day. IV. THE POT OF MANNA.-V. 3136. As a memorial for future years, Moses caused an omer full of this "bread from heaven" to be laid up before the Testimony; i. e., in the ark, which contained the two tables of the law. This, however, was done afterwards. Compare Heb. ix. 4. An "omer" was a small vessel, forming part of the furniture of every house, and being always of about the same size, it served for a measure. The ephah contained three pecks and three pints. REFLECTIONS.-1. God gives us our daily bread.-Because He gives it, we are taught to pray for it, Matt. vi. 11. See Ps. xxxvii. 3; Prov. xxx. 8. 2. Though God supplies our daily bread, we are daily to labour for it.The Israelites had to gather up the manna; and, see Exod. xx. 9; Ps. civ. 23; 1 Thess. iv. 11; 2 Thess. iii. 10. 3. They who attend faithfully to their daily duties, may leave the future to God. -The Israelites, in gathering manna, Y were to "take no thought for the morrow;" and see Matt. vi. 34. 4. God has given one day in seven for holy rest. A precious gift this is! What a weariness, especially to the poor, would life be without it. The Israelites were forbidden to gather manna on the Sabbath; nor must we, on the Lord's day, follow any worldly calling. 5. The bestowal of bread is a mercy to be remembered.-Hence the preservation of the golden pot of manna. Jacob in his old age acknowledged the God who had "fed" him all his days. See Gen. xlviii. 15. We should do the same. 6. Jesus is "the true Bread from heaven." "Lord, evermore give us THIS bread!" See John vi. 27, 32— 35. QUESTIONS.-For what did the Israelites murmur? What did they see "toward the wilderness? ?"" What "flesh" was provided for them? What "bread?" What did they call the latter? Why? What was it like? How much was each man to gather? How were they disobedient? What was the result? What happened on the sixth day? Why? What was preserved? how? where? why? Illustrations.-I. QUAILS. See v 13. "According to many accounts, both ancient and modern, quails (Tetrao coturnix) are found in immense numbers in Arabia Petræa, and the adjoining countries. They generally fly very low, a yard or two above the ground, and in such dense masses, that the inhabitants catch great numbers in their hands, or knock them down with sticks."-Kurtz.. II. MANNA. See v. 15. The Bible gives the following particulars about it: God rained it "from heaven," v. 4; it fell with the dew, at "night," Num. xi. 9; it lay on the ground like "hoar frost," v. 14; it was white, "like coriander-seed," and tasted like cake and honey,, v. 31; it was like "bdellium," a transparent gum, or resin, Num. xi. 7. It supplied the place of bread, and the people ground it in mills, or crushed it in mortars, and then boiled it, and made cakes of it. Of the quantity which fell we may form some idea by remembering that every Israelite, in the wilderness, got five pints a day for forty years. SUMMARY.-God is to be praised for His goodness, power, and providence; and confidence is to be placed in Him. I. FOR HIS GOODNESS.-V. 1 — 5. Comely, i. e., beautiful, becoming, proper. The Lord has done much for the upright, and praise becomes them. With harp, &c. God is infinitely glorious, and cannot be praised enough. Let instruments of music assist the voice. A new song,-a song which springs up new from the heart. God's mercies are ever new: let them inspire new songs. See Ps. xcvi. 1; xcviii. 1; Rev. v. 9. The word of the Lord is right, &c.-His word is true, and what He promises, He certainly performs. He loveth, &c.-He is always ready to right those who are wronged, and delights to do it. II. FOR HIS POWER.-V. 6—11. God is just and good, as we have seen; but is He mighty? can He comfort, and prosper, and deliver His people? The Psalmist here shows that He can. He is ALMIGHTY; for by His word He made the heavens and all their hostsun, moon, and stars. Furthermore, He brought the great mass of waters together, like a heap of solid materials, and placed them within bounds, like treasures in a storehouse. He is, therefore, worthy of holy fear and awe, or reverence. He had but to speak, and all this was done; and is He not able to support a worm ?" See Isai. xli. 14. It is an easy matter for such a Being to bring to nought the proud counsel of men, while His own counsel is eternal, and never can be frustrated. 66 III. FOR HIS PROVIDENCE.-V. 12 -19. Blessed is the nation, &c.-This is deduced from what goes before, and confirmed by what follows. The looking of the Lord from heaven is the act of a King and a Judge. He made all men alike,-i.e., with similar powers, faculties, passions, &c.; and He considereth, approvingly, or disapprovingly, all their works. No king, &c.God's kingdom is over all, and all events are subject to His decision. Behold, the eye, &c.-What the host of a king, and the strength of the mighty man, and the swiftness of the horse cannot effect, is accomplished for God's people by the loving care of His providence. joy and gratitude, but of terror and aversion. They do not want Him to be either faithful or almighty. "The praises of hypocrites are awkward and uncomely, like 'a parable in the mouth of fools,' Prov. xxvi. 7."-Henry. 2. God is good to all.-"What pity is it that this earth, which is so full of God's goodness, should be so empty of His praises; and that, of the multitudes that live upon His bounty, there are so few that live to His glory!"Henry. 3. God is the Governor of the world.The result of everything depends upon Him. If the issue of our struggles with the world, the flesh, and the devil depended on human strength, we should be overcome; but, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Rom. viii. 31. QUESTIONS. Why is praise "comely for the righteous?" In whom is it not "comely?" why? Why should God be praised with instruments? Why with "a new song?" Why "skilfully?" How is His goodness shown? His power? His providence? What should all this lead us to do? Illustration.-SKILFUL PRAISE. See v. 3. "Let sense and sound accompany each other; let the style of the music be suited to the words. This skill is possessed by few singers. They can make a loud noise, but they cannot adapt sound to sense.-Dr. Adam Clarke. SEPTEMBER 6.-AFTERNOON LESSON. THE CRUCIFIXION.-Mark xv. 22-47. SUMMARY.-Jesus is crucified between two thieves, and insulted as He hangs upon the cross; He dies, and a Roman officer believes on Him; He is watched by a number of pious women standing at a distance; Joseph begs His body, and buries it. I. CRUCIFIED.-V. 22-26. Golgotha, -called also "Calvary," Luke xxiii. 3. The two words have the same meaning. It was the place where criminals were executed. Wine mingled with myrrh,-a stupefying potion, administered to criminals before they were crucified, to deaden pain. He received it not.-He came into the world purposely to suffer for our sins; He was to tread "the winepress alone," Isai. lxiii. 3; and He was, therefore, resolved to bear the full pain. See John xviii. 11. Parted His garments. misapplication of our Lord's words, John ii. 19. Also the chief priests. Not content with the life of their Victim, they stood by His cross, to add to His shame by cruel taunts and reproaches. Let Christ, &c.-Let Him use this opportunity to show that He is what He professes to be! And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him;-but one of them saw his error, repented, obtained mercy, and went with Jesus to paradise. See Luke xxiii. 39-43. III. EXPIRING.-V. 33-38. The sixth hour, twelve o'clock. Darkness, -a supernatural darkness, by which God attested the Divine Sonship of the innocent Sufferer. The ninth hour,-three o'clock. Why hast Thou forsaken Me?-Why dost Thou leave Me now without aid and consolation? This was "the power of darkness," Luke xxii. 53; and Christ was now, in some peculiar manner, left to the malice of Satan. Whatever was the suffering which prompted this bitter cry, we know that it was endured on our account. He calleth Elias.-This was said in derision. They made use of the resemblance between Eloi and Elias, to intimate that this mock-Messiah was calling for His harbinger. A sponge full of vinegar. Of this Jesus partook, John xix. 29, 30. What is here called vinegar was, probably, the drink of the soldiers; and it must not be confounded with the drugged beverage which Jesus refused to drink, v. 23. Gave up the ghost, voluntarily resigned the life which no man could take from Him, John x. 17, 18. The veil,-which separated the holy place from the most holy. The rending of the veil was miraculous, and emblematical of the admission of the Gentiles to equal privileges with the Jews. - IV. ACKNOWLEDGED.-V. 39 - 41. The centurion.-The Roman officer who superintended the crucifixion. Truly this Man was the Son of God.-The centurion had heard Jesus so describe Himself before Pilate, and he now thought God was manifesting His displeasure on account of the murder of His Son. There were also women. -These female followers of Jesus displayed steadfast devotion to their Master, when the Apostles themselves had fled. They stood afar off, because, no doubt, the soldiers forbade them to come nearer. Some of them were wealthy, and they all had, more or less, ministered to Jesus; and, notwithstanding the insults to which they were exposed, there they were to honour Him to the last. James the less, i. e., the younger, Matt. x. 3. a V. BURIED.-V. 42-47. The day before the Sabbath,-i. e., Friday evening. An honourable counsellor, member of the supreme court of the nation. Waited for, &c.-expected the Messiah's coming. Boldly, - though before he had been afraid to acknowledge Jesus, John xix. 38. Now that Jesus had DIED for him, he was ashamed of his cowardice. Craved the body of Jesus,-to save Him from a dishonourable grave. Pilate marvelled. -Persons crucified commonly lingered much longer. Laid Him in a sepulchre,-which he had intended for himself, Matt. xxvii. 60. REFLECTIONS.-1. Be patient under provocation.-If you sincerely endeavour to serve God, sinners will most likely laugh at you, and mock you; but do not get peevish or angry with them. See how they insulted your dying Saviour, and yet how He pitied and forgave them! Luke xxiii. 34; Heb. xii. 3. 2. Shrink from no cross in the way of duty.-"For the joy that was set before Him,". -the joy of doing the Father's will by redeeming and saving men,-Jesus "endured the cross," and "despised the shame." These things were to Him but a rugged path, by which to enter into His glory. If patiently endured for His sake, they may be the same to you. See Heb. xii. 1, 2; Rev. iii. 21. 3. Adore the infinite condescension of the Son of God. "He was crucified, dead, and buried." "Thus low the Lord of Life was brought; Such wonders love can do: Which throbb'd and bled for you." 4. Look at the death of Jesus till you love Him for His love.-All He did, and all He suffered, was for you. All His shame, all His agonies, were for YOUR sake. 5. The work of redemption is finished. -Seev. 37; John xvii. 4; xix. 30. All may now be saved who will. Will You? See v. 22. "This was the Hebrew name of the spot at which our Lord was crucified. Two explanations of the word are given: (1.) that it was a spot where executions ordinarily took place, and, therefore, abounded in skulls; but, according to Jewish law, these must have been buried, and, therefore, were no more likely to confer a name on the spot than any other part of the body. Or, (2.) it may come from the look or form of the spot itself; bald, round, and skull-like; and, therefore a mound or hillock, in accordance with the common phrase-for which there is no direct_authority-Mount Calvary.' It was probably the ordinary spot for executions."-Smith's "Dictionary of the Bible." II. VINEGAR. See v. 36. "The Hebrew term chomets was applied to a beverage consisting generally of wine or strong drink turned sour, (whence its use was proscribed to the Nazarite, Num. vi. 3,) but sometimes artificially made by an admixture of barley and wine, and thus liable to fermentation. It was acid even to a proverb; (Prov. x. 26;)... but was serviceable for the purpose of sopping bread, as used by labourers, (Ruth ii. 14.) . . . Similar to the chomets of the Hebrews, was the acetum of the Romans,—a thin, sour wine consumed by soldiers, either in a pure state, or, more usually, mixed with water, when it was termed posca.... This was the beverage of which the Saviour partook in His dying moments; and, doubtless, it was refreshing to His exhausted frame, though offered in derision.-Ibid. SEPTEMBER 13.-MORNING LESSON. For repetition, verses 10-12. SUMMARY.-The Israelites murmur on account of the want of water, and have it miraculously supplied. The Amalekites assail them, and are defeated by the holding up of the hands of Moses. I. MASSAH AND MERIBAH.-V. 1— 7. As there was no water to drink in Rephidim, the people chided with Moses, and were so unreasonable in their rage, that Moses feared they would stone him. This murmuring he called tempting the Lord,-i. e., unbelieving doubt of His gracious presence with them. As when they murmured for want of bread, so here again, God provides for the want without punishing the impatience. Moses was to go on before the people, accompanied by some of the elders as witnesses, to a rock in Horeb, upon which God would appear before him. He was then to smite the rock with the rod wherewith he smote the river Nile, ch. vii. 20; assured that water would then gush forth sufficient for the wants of all the congregation. The place where this miracle occurred, received the names of Massah and Meri bah,-i. e., 66 Temptation " and "murmuring," that this sin of the people might never be forgotten. See Deut. vi. 16. II. THE FIGHT WITH AMALEK.-V. 8-13. The Amalekites were the descendants of a grandson of Esau. See Gen. xxxvi. 12. They were, therefore, of a kindred race to the Israelites. They had, however, become so thoroughly estranged from the true God, that, without any provocation, they rose up against His chosen people as |