Q. What did Moses before his death? A. Before his death, Moses assembled the children of Israel, and made them renew the covenant with the Lord. He promised them, on the part of God, if they remained faithful to his law, that they would be loaded with blessings; on the other hand, he threatened them with the greatest calamities, if they became unfaithful. Q. Where did Moses die? A. After having thus taken leave of the Israelites, Moses ascended the mountain of Nebo, and the Lord said to him, "Thou mayst cast thine eyes upon the land of promise, but thou shalt not enter it." At these words, the holy legislator, aged one hundred and twenty years, gave up his soul to God. Q. Is Moses a figure of the Messiah? At A. Moses is the twelfth figure of the Messiah. the birth of Moses, a cruel king ordered the children of the Hebrew people to be put to death. When our Lord was born, a cruel king ordered the infant children of Bethlehem, and the surrounding neighbourhood, to be put to death. Moses escaped the anger of Pharaoh. Our Lord escaped the fury of Herod. Moses is sent by God, to deliver his people from the servitude of Egypt. Our Lord is sent by God, to deliver all men from the servitude of sin. Q. Continue the figure. A. Moses worked great miracles, to prove that he was sent by God. Our Lord worked many miracles, to show that he was the Son of God. Moses nourished his people with bread, which fell from heaven. Our Lord nourishes us with the living bread, which descended from heaven. Moses gave a law to his people: our Lord also gave a law to his people!other Q. Finish the figure. A. Moses had not the consolation to introduce his people into the land of promise. Our Lord, greater than Moses, has opened to all men the true land of promise that is to say, heaven, taking with him all the just of the ancient law, having prepared a place for those of the new law. I am resolved to love God above all things, and my neighbour as myself, for the love of God; and in testimony of this love, I will, every day, practise some act of mortification to expiate my sins." LESSON XXXI. The Messiah promised and prefigured. Thirteenth Figure of the Messiah, Josue. Before Jesus Christ, 1450-1426. Q. Who was the successor of Moses? A. The successor of Moses was Josue, who introduced the children of Israel into the land of promise. Q. What are the different names given to the land of promise? A. The land of promise has borne different names: firstly, the country of Chanaan, because it was inhabited by Chanaan, the grandson of Noah; secondly, the Land of Promise, because God promised it to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and their posterity; thirdly, Judea, because those who re-established themselves therein, after the captivity of Babylon, were for the most part of the tribe of Judah; fourthly, Palestine, because the Palestines, or Philistines, inhabited one of its provinces; fifthly, the Holy Land, because the miracles of our Lord were therein worked, for our salvation. Q. Which was the first city taken by the Hebrews? A. The first city taken by the Hebrews, after the passage of the Jordan, was Jericho.. At the sound of the trumpets, and the shout of the army of Israel, its walls fell down, and all were put to the sword, except Rahab and her family. Q. What did Josue after taking Jericho? z For the four last chapters, see the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 4. After taking Jericho, Josue renewed the covenant with the Lord. Q. What occurred on a certain occasion, when Josue was combating with the enemies of the Lord? A. Josue perceiving that the day was nearly spent, ere he had entirely defeated his enemies, addressed the Almighty, and looking up to the heavens, he commanded the sun to stand still. The sun stood still; for nothing is impossible to God. It costs him no more to stop its course than to set it in motion. Q. Is Josue a figure of the Messiah? A. Yes, Josue is the thirteenth figure of the Messiah. The name Josue signifies saviour, Jesus also signifies saviour. Josue succeeded Moses, who had failed to conduct the Hebrews into the land of promise. Our Saviour also succeeded Moses, whose law could not introduce men into heaven. It was Josue who introduced the Israelites into the land of promise, and it was our Saviour who opened the gates of heaven for man. Q. Continue the same figure. A. After ten years of combats and of victories, Josue saw his people reign over the land of promise. After three hundred years of combats and of victories, our Saviour saw his Church reign over the world. As long as the Hebrews were faithful to the advice of Josue, they were happy so long as Christians are faithful to the lessons of our Lord, they also are happy. I am resolved to love God above all things, and my neighbour as myself, for the love of God; and in testimony of this love, I will never do anything through a mere human motive.a a For xxxi, see the book of Josue. LESSON XXXII. The Messiah promised and prefigured. Fourteenth Figure of the Messiah, Gedeon. Before Jesus Christ, 1405. Q. By whom were the Hebrews governed after the death of Josue? A. After the death of Josue, the Hebrews were governed by judges. The judges were chosen by God; they led the people to battle, and dispensed justice. One only reigned at a time. Q. Did the Hebrews long remain faithful to the Lord? A. The Hebrews soon forgot the promises they had so frequently renewed. They even forgot the Lord himself, and gave themselves up to idolatry. Q. How did God punish this crime? A. God punished this crime, and all other enormities which were its result, by raising up infidel nations against the Israelites; amongst others the Madianites, who ravaged the country. Q. By whom were the Hebrews delivered from the Madianites? A. The Hebrews were delivered from the Madianites by Gedeon. Q. What miracles did God perform for Gedeon ? A. Gedeon having assembled his army, asked of the Lord two miracles, by which he might ascertain his mission the first was that a fleece of wool, exposed to the open air during the night, should be soaked with dew, while the grass around it remained dry; the second was the reverse of the first, he begged that the fleece might remain dry, but the ground wet with dew. These two miracles were accomplished. Q. What did the Lord afterwards say to Gedeon? A. The Lord afterwards said to Gedeon,-"Thy army is too numerous." He had only thirty-two thousand men, and the enemy consisted of a hundred and thirty thousand. "I will," added the Lord, "that Israel should know that it is by me alone that they are delivered; and he so arranged that Gedeon should keep with him no more than three hundred men. Q. How did Gedeon gain the victory? A. When night was come, Gedeon and his three hundred soldiers, armed only with trumpets and torches, hid in earthen pitchers, advanced in silence into the presence of the enemy; they then sounded their trumpets, broke their pitchers, and raised their torches. The enemy, seized with fear, took flight, and in the midst of their confusion unconsciously slew each other. Q. Is Gedeon a figure of the Messiah? A. Gedeon is the fourteenth figure of the Messiah. Gedeon was, in the language of Scripture, the least in his father's house our Saviour chose to appear as the least of men. Gedeon, notwithstanding his lowliness, was chosen to deliver his people from the tyranny of the Madianites : our Saviour, notwithstanding his apparent lowliness, was chosen to deliver the world from the tyranny of the devil. Q. Continue the same figure. A. Two great miracles proved that God had chosen Gedeon; still greater miracles proved our Lord to be the Redeemer of men. Gedeon, with no more than three hundred men, marched against a multitude of enemies. Our Lord, with twelve fishermen, advances to the conquest of the universe. Q. Complete the comparison of Gedeon and our Lord. Ί A. The soldiers of Gedeon had no arms. The Apostles of our Lord were also without arms. soldiers of Gedeon carried with them trumpets and lighted torches. The Apostles of our Lord carried nothing with them but preaching and the light of charity. Gedeon and his soldiers conquered the |