Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-07-11
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. o. SHERBURN.

July 29l Israel Defeated at Ai-Joshua zlO-26'
The Israelites, under Joshua, became
somewhat confident after their easy con
quest of Jericho. Scouts were sent out
into the interior of the country, with
particular instructions to find out what
was the strength of the city of Al, and by
how large a force it was defended. This
was one of the ancient towns of the land,
some twenty miles northwest of Jericho,
probably the frsv important place on the
way to the center of the country The
Scouts returned with the report that but
few were found defending the place, and
added to their report the suggestion that
it was not necessary for all their large
forces TO make the fatiguing journey
thilher; they Judged that force of three
thousand men would be all sufficient.
Accordingly that number were sent out and
were overpowered by the natives. There
is something worthy of thought which
might easily be overlooked in this history.
Joshua and his followers started out under
the special guidance of the Captain of the
hosts of the Lord; in other words they
were TO wait for divine direction. They
did so at Jericho and prospered; but sud-
denly from depending wholly upon God
ard waiting his command, they begin to
depend upon human skill and strategem,
and start off 10 capture town, without,
us far as we learn, asking any counsel of
the Lord; there is in this some reason for
their failure. The sin of Achan was before
they started for All, and if they had asked
Gods direction, he would probably never
have suffered them to face their enemies
until that sin had been proven and punish
ed. We had better always know our faults
and settle the matter with God rather than
be humbled under his enemies.
Joshua and his leading advisers, learn
ing of the defeat of their people, fell pros
trate before the ark of the Lord and
bewailcd their defeat and supplicated his
returning favor. Some have thought that
the conduct of Joshua betrayed weakness
or even cowardice; but his faith is NOR
clearly shown. He realized that if God
was not with him the case was hopeless;
and rs defeat proved that God was not
with the people he was ready to despair.
At this point in the history our lesson
really begins. God speaks to Joshua.
The account suggests an audible voice
addressing him. The tone is that of
reproof The important lessons of this
scripture cluster about the person of Joshua
and Achan. God commands Joshua to
ii se TO his feet, and leave off his bewail-
ings and his prayers. Something was then
more necessary than prayer. Gods
people should learn a lesson from this.
What use to pray when the laborer has
been defrauded in his wages, or the sub
scriplion for church repairs left unpaid, or
IL quarrel been suffered to grow between
US and those who were heirs with us in
some estate? These things stand in the
way OF prayer, and we may as well cease
Geporing our lack of divine favor, cease
to pray indeed, until we are ready to set
about making all these matters right. We
only mock God when we ask his help and
still persist in those things displeasing to
him. God plainly declared where the
difficulty was with his people under
Joshua, and this case is an example for
US. The charge which was made against
the people was very specific. The general
charge is sin in breaking the covenant
they had made with Jehovah. Under this
charge are four specifications. God knew
the case thoroughly, though it was hidden
from men. He knows the sins of his peo
PIE as well to-day. And to-day the same
command goes out, "Sanctify yourselves
God could have pointed out the offender
ut once or have smitten him dead for his
Of him before all the people that al, might
be deferred from like conduct. He wished
also to havo Joshua help in finding out
the offender. All the make up of the
hosts of Israel made it easy to find out the
guilty man, if God would direct in the
matter of the lot First the twelve tribes
were brought up and appeared by their
Notwithstanding elders-then the
families of the guilty tribe were taken one
by one, i. e., the families under tie head
Of the tribes; in this case the families OF
the children of Judah, mex. The households
of this family and last of all the individu'
ais composing The household were taken.
In this way the guilty man was soon
reached. Now Achan, the accused, be-
comes the important figure of the lesson
He confesses that in the sack of Jericho
he stw aud desired and took and secreted
spoil-gold, silver and clothing. All this
had been expressly forbidden. They
would prove Il snare to Gods people, and
temptation to idolatry. The secreLed
treasures were brought forth, and in
solemn manner Joshua charges upon
Achan the defeat that the people had
suffered, Then the people stoned him and
all his family to death and burned the
bodies together with all the other property
belonging TO the condemned man. The
punishment seems severe TO US, particu
larly the feature OF making Tue Whole
family suffer with the guilty head, but the
crime was great one and great ends
we're to be served by the lesson thus
brought so painfully before the people.
As for Achan himself he made honest COD
f. s,ion, and for ought we know was par
toned and saved; but the people must
also be saved from like transgression, and
Ike disasters in the time to come. The
case is quite like that of Ananias and
Slpphira and covotness was at the bottom
of both
A Texas paper tells this cheerful tale of
the experimental school OF medicine: "a
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