Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-12-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
fHE INTERNATIONAL SERIES FOR
THE FOURTH QUARTER.
The Text of the Lesson, Judges vii. Is
Commit Verses =, 3 - Golden Text,
Iech. Nv. -- Commentary by
Rev. ID. VI. Stearns.


The summary Of the history Of Israel un.
der the Judges for $50 years, as given in our
last lesson, was that they forsook the Lord
aid served idols then their enemies OPP
pressed them then they cried unto tho Lord
in their distress and lie raised UP Judges who
delivered them, tho Lord being with the
judge; after the judges death they sinned
again, were again oppressed, cried were
again delivered, and thus they lived, SHINING
and repeuting. The book OF Judges opens M
TO us this history and tells us who the oppre.s-
sors were and who the deiiverers were whom
God raised up; the manner and duration of
the various expressions, and the manner of
the delyerancc, with the number OF years
they rested Up to the present lesson the
opprcssors were the kings Of Mesopotamia,
Moab, and Canaan for periods Of eight, eigh-
teen and twenty years; tho dcliycrcrs were
Athmiel, Ehud and ohansar, DEBORAH aud
Barak, aud the years of rest were forty
eighty and forty years respectively. After
the rule Of Deborah and Barak the
next oppressors were the Midiautes, who
for seven years had cruelty oppressed Israel
when God called Gideon to be their dcliverer.
The record Of his coil and tho appearance of
the Lord to him is found in the previous
chapter, where we learn that the secret OF
his success as a savo1lr and judge Of his PEG.
pie WAS in these words Of the Lord TO him:
60 in tins thy might, have not | sent thee:
surely | will bo with thee" (yi, l4-l6l, which
Is Just the secret of the life Of every true be.
lever today. Being encouraged by God Ec
overthrow his fathers altar to Baul and
built an altar unto the Lord and offered sac
ritice; the spirit OF the Lord Cauo upon
him, he blew trumpet, sclI5 out messengers
and gathered an army of 33,0OJ mon To
days lesson tells Us OF the sitting of that
army down to 800 men, with whom Col
wrought Israei's deliverance
l. "Jerubbaul, who is Gideon" Gideon
siCnliied a teller OF bruisar,n and is type
of the Lord Jesus, the great doliyercr and
judge who came to destroy the works oi
the devil and who will hruise Satan under
our feet shortly lie was the youngest OF a
poor family in the tribe of Manasseh wi, -.
but the spirit OF the Lord qualified him for
the work to which be was called and made
him a successful leader of men, God chooses
the foolish Gud tho weak TO contound the
wise and mighty that no flesh may glory in
His presence Il Cor. i, 26-31.)
Jcrubbaal signifies "a contender with
Baal," and Gideon was so called by his father
otter he had oyerthrown the altar of Eaa
wi, 81, 81; If any one will he filled with thu
spirit and used of God they must first be
willing to overthrow al the idols OF pride
and self and let the Lord alone possess and
control them. Baal signifies "lord. " md nil
the other lords must be set aside that Je,,.
may reign supreme.
2 ''The Lord said unto Gjdcon.n Did vour
heart ever say: ooh, if | could only bcaI. tb,
Lord speal, to me / would be st,,on~ ava -,
good cnuragc." Wen, he sure Of his th..
Just as trulY Us the Lo.l spoke TO Gideon N
is sroal;iog to Won to,lo,- in Iiie ,,.,.,l, .I,
,,o+il vow, cr, <,, ~ 49,. .LT. a.
,,.. - 80 '''''o W ~ H'Nr'
W" 90 l'N~''"' "o"N ~ YOU nc poop.
are TOO many, lest Israel vauu
themselves against Mo.n a small connaY.
surely. when compared with the oro,t ~,
of MiGian. and We, Goa saye 49,. .,o 80.
MANY Nr,,bcr. Co... -" =,
49,, - ,1 49,. -''o ~ wa " H''U III.
a. 90 90, "''' "l.'-i we can sec the urree'
IHNNH'N Ch' r"thcr than tAc seen mult.tui
who are only flesh VIC shall no, be valiant 10
God.
3. "Whosoever is roqrfrl ood crr,ii 7.
him roturn 1bis vo. in oc.' ,',''' ~,
t,a law. ..,,t .,,,.,..,, ., 49, VIZ
''',' '.'I 49, u vas Itso inc sn'u-
MANI "'ue'' 10 De Ie'NitI ana rant hearted
(DauL Xxx - \ fearful o. discouraged pc
son is not oae WI IN the l-ard can uea: 1.o,r.