The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-10-12
CROSSING THE JORDAN.
LESSON u. FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNAriONAL SERIES, OCT ~.

LESSON n, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNArioNAL SERIES, OCT. ~.
Text NJ the Lesson. Josh. III. 6-i7-Commi
Verses =. 0-Golden Text isa.. Kill. 9
Commentary by Rev. ID. NJ. Stcarns.
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of Il. 8. Hoffman. Philadelphia
publisher
After the Lord had encouraged Joshua, as
In our last lesson, the people also encourage
him by promising obedience and by prayil.a
the Lord to be with him d. 1918. Thel
follows the record Of the two spies sent e.
Jericho, their reception and protection by
Rahab, their promise Of deliveraucc to her
and all belonging or related to her and the
true token of the scarlet line to be bound IN
her window
8. 'Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the
Lord will do wonders among YOU" II we
were more separate from sin and unbelief,
we would see more of the wonderful works
of God. In one place Jesus could not do
many mighty works because Of their unbe-
lief: and there Is no doubt but the unbelief
and worldliness Of Christians today binders
His doing wonders among US.
D. ''Take up the ark OF the covenant and
pass over before the people" To the people
be had said. "Sanctify yourselves" and now
these are his orders to the priests, who were
always supposed to be sanctifed, inasmuch
as they were ut apart for the special service
Of the sanctuary. All true believers are
priests unto God REV. |, 8; Y, lN and should
ever consider themselves set apart to His
service.
T. II will begin to magnify thee in the
sight of all Israel" God always honors
those who honor Him, and yet the honor Is
all His own and shows forth His glory. for
this is the great end Of our existence, to
glorify God. When the apostles, filled with
the spirit, spoke and wrought in the name Of
Jesus, the people wondered, and took knowl-
edge OF them that they had been with Jesus
=. "Stand still In Jordan" With their
feet in the water, they were to stand on the
brink of Jordan and see the wonders of the
Lord. They were to march right into the
river ere the waters would divide; we are to
60 right forward, even though it seem impos-
sible, and He will at the right time open the
way, not an hour or day too soon, but some
times as it seems only when we have gone to
the last extremity and cannot take another
step.
TO- 1.-THE living God is among you" Jere-
miah calls Him ''the true God, the living
God and an everlasting king" tJer. <, l0.l
Darius calls Him "the living God and stead
fast forever" dan. vi, 26.) Jesus Himself,
appearing to John in Patmos, says, II am the
First and the Last and the Living One, alive
forevermore." REV. /, II, R. W If we lived
near to God as Jeremiah or Daniel or John,
our lives would testify that the God whom
we serve is living God, a life giving God,
ever present and working in and through US.
He will without fail drive out from be-
fore you the Canaanites." It is implied here
that He will do this through them as His
servants and soldiers, they being obedient to
Him and He fighting with them and in them
against their enemies. Now we find they
were not obedient, and consequently acoustics
and Canaanites and others were not COM
pletely driven out, but became thorns and
snares to them. Judges ii, ill.,
II. THE ark of the covenant of the Lord
of all the earth" This is the first time that
we find this title in full; it reminds us of the
words of Melchizedek, 1.-THE most high God,
possessor Of heaven and earth" (Gen. xiv,
49,, and the expression in the prophets, ''the
Lord of. tlae whole earth" Gsa- liv, s; Mich.
iv, Ii; Zech. Nv, IA; vi, 81, and the thought
that our Redeemer is the Lord Of all the earth
". Is, should make us very joyful in Him,
and ready to trust Him under all circunl-
stances, obey Him at all times and love Him
with the whole heart, extolling Him in every
possible way.
Ii. "Take twelve men out Of the tribes of
Israel" The reason for choosing these twelve
is found in the next chapter: They were to
take twelve stones from the midst of Jordan,
where the priests feet stood who bore the
ark, and set them up for memorial on the
other side of Jordan, SO that they could in
days to come point their children to those
stones and tell them how their fathers had
come over Jordan on dry land; Joshua also
set up twelve stones In the midst of Jordan
where the priests had stood These two
testified to the mighty hand Of the
Lord, that Israel might fear the Lord their
God forever, and that all the earth might
know the hand Of the Lord dv, "a.
b. ut shall come to pass" How could
Joshua speak SO positively about this very un-
likely events Why did he not speak more eau
tiously and say, we trust or hope that it will |
thus come to pass, or we will try and see what |
can be donei He believed God; be knew His |
power; he had not shadow of doubt but |
that it would be just a. God had told him.
''As soon as the soles Of the feet of the |
priests shall rest in the waterA" Not as they |
drew nigh, nor before they came to the river,
but only when their feet actually stood in
the water Who can tell how many victories
We lose by being afraid, by holding back be-
cause of difficulties, instead Of going right
forward into the difficulty in the name Of the
Lordi We have only to he sure that We are
obeying His command. doing His will, seek
ing His glory and not our own, and then let
neither men nor devils, giants nor walled
cities. fire nor water terrify nor dismay U.S.
l4l6. "And it came to pass" When God
peaks it must come to pass; it must always
70 just as He says, even a. whendn the be-
ginning God said "Let there be light" and
here was light. He only needs to speak and
t is DONE Blessed are those who believe for
here shall be performance Of the things
old US from the Lord Unbelief says, II wish
could feel that, /" or II will try and believe"
As to the former, remember the word to
loubting Thomas, blessed are they that
ave not seen, yet have believed" As to the
after. remember that trying to believe Il
quail to saying that God Is not worthy OF
our confidence; and just ask yourself what
eply you would make to one who said to
'ou. 81 will try and believe you" If you are