The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-10-18
STONES OF MEMORIAL.
LESSON M, FOURTH QUARTER, M
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, OCT. II.

LESSON M, FOURTH QUARTER, M
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, OCT. ii.
Text of the Lesson, Josh. iv. IO-e4-Com-
nit Verses 2O-22-Golden Text, Josh.
iv, ee-Commentary by Rev. d. NJ.
Stearns.
[Condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of II. s. Hoffman. PHILADELPHIA
publisher.I
In the first chapter of this book we saw
Joshua encouraged; in the second, the two
spies received and protected BY Rahab, and
bringing to Joshua further encouragement;
in the third, the preparations for the cross
| ing Of the Jordan and the actual passing
| over; and now in the fourth we have a more
| full account Of tho passing over, with tho
details concerning the twelvestones. In some
of our hymns we sing about Jordan as if it
were symbol Of death, asidLns if Canaan
represented heaven; but avery little thought
| would show us that the fact that in Canaan
| there we're many enemies to be subdued and
mich fighting to be done, proves that it was
| nota symbol OF heaven, nor the Jordan a
symbol of death.
TO- ssThe priests which bore the ark stood
| Ia the midst of Jordan until everything was
finished that the Lord Commanded Joshua."
Anything unfinished is impossible with God,
and all that he has purposed khall in due nme
| be fully accomplished. Jesue said before he
was crucifed: 81 have dnkShed the work
which thou gavest me TO do land one of his
last words on the cross wass.It is finished. ("
John xvii, 4; xix, 30) All hat the Father
has given Him shall come To- lin; all Israel
shall be saved; all the cert I'll be filed
with Bis glory; tho work4d Ehe devil shall
all be destroyed; the Kingdom shall come
and the will Of God be done on earth as in
heaven.
| .'The people hasted and passed over" The
commands Of God ought to be obeyed cheer
say tomorrow, or time enough, but today is
the word both for sinner and saint.
II. "Ah the people were clean passed over"
Three times do we find the last three words
of this expression Tvs. 1, IL, and ch. iii, IL,
and the word ''clean" is precisely the same as
the word finished" in verse 10, SO that the
thought of complete work is kept constantly
before u.s. What rest it should give our souls
| when we remember that though now so i'm
| perfect He will perfect that which concerneth
all His people and present us fsultless before
the presence of His glory with exceeding Joy,
and not one thing shall fail of all He has
undertaken to do; all shall be accomplished.
19, Is. ''Forty thousand prepared for war
passed over before the Lord unto battle"
| These were of the two and half tribes who
received their Inheritance in the days of
Moses on the east of Jordan; but they had
agreed not to enjoy their inheritance till they
| had helped their brethren to cast out the
enemies on tho west side (Num. xxi, 90
25), and only when the land was possessed
and tho enemy subdued did they return to
enjoy their possessions. Josh. xxi, 10y As
believers we are expected to be one with all
our brethren in Christ, armed with the whole
armor Of God, resisting and conquering our
common adversaries, the world, the flesh and
the devil.
Il. 1.-The Lord magnified Joshua in the
sight of all Israel" He was the Lords repre-
sentative, and as the people moved forward
| at his command and saw the mighty power
Of the Lord through him, they had to con-
fess that the God of Moses was with Joshua,
and so they feared or reverenced him as they
did Moses, and the Lord magnified Joshua by
working through him. God has magnifed
His son Jesu and will magnify Him before
all nations, for "all kings shall fall down be-
fore Him, all nations shall serve Him" If
we determine that Christ shall be magnified
in us and yield ourselves to Him accordingly,
He will magnify us here by working in US
His mighty works, and at His coming by
making us just like Himself.
10, 49, Command the priests that they
come up out of Jordan and this at tho COM
mand of the Lord to Joshua How strange
it seems that they were not left to their own
| ,,,I1 70 ,x,lo H., b. i
things but no, everything must be at the
command of the Lord. One of the strangest
things to mo in all the Bible is that the Lord
Jesus himself was commanded by the Father
what to say, and tie Father who dwelt il,
Him did His works John xii, 10; xiv, 1C.)
II. 49, 1.-THE waters of Jordan returned
unto their place, and flowed over all his
banks, as before" Not until tho feet of the
priests were up on the dry land did the waters
return to their place. Most thoroughly and
perfectly does God do all things, and at tho
4 right time and in the best way; it is just
glorious to trust and obey Him.
10. 'The people came up out of Jordan on
the tenth day of the first mouth" This was
the day on which the passover Lamb was
chosen Ex. xii, B, and as they Kept tho pass
over Oh the fourteenth day ". TO-, they
must have selected the lambs on the very day
on which they came up out of Jordan, their
first day in the promised land. This is the
third passover of which we have any account
Note the truths for the believer: Redemption
from bondage by tho Lamb tllX. xiD; tht
only joy in the wilderness is in the Lamt
(Num. ix), and the rest of the promised land
is in the Lamb; all things in Christ, nothing
apart from Him; Jesus, our wisdom, right
eousness, sanctifcat;on and redemption.
80. ''Those twelve stones.n These stone:
shall be for memorial unto tho children o.
Israel forever ". ~ A nation chosen tC
make God name, chosen to be His people
forever q Chr. xvii, 81, 22l, that through
them His name may be magn,ficd. They
were in themselves weak and sinful and tat
fswest of all people, but God redeemed them
led them, fed them, clothed them. fought FOL
them, forgave them when they sinned agains
Him, and gave them this land that they
might honor Him and magnify His name
keeping in memory all His dealings will
them. In addition to the lessons from TIL
, twelve stones, to which we have already re
.. feTred, the faithful among them would Otter
think of ''the Shepherd, the stone of Israel
Gen. xix, 90; and the twelve preciou
stones ever borne upon the shoulders ant
breast Of the High Priest would CONSTANT!
|
His love for, and care of them.
2i-23 "Let your children know" Thes
wonders of the love and power of the Lor'
their God at the Jordan end the Red sea, q
well as all the wonders of the wilderness, tn
mama. the fesh the sweetened waters, tn
3 water from the rock the giving OF the law
, the rod that budded, the serpent that healed
as well as all His wondrous judgments, wer
to be constant themes Of conversation wit
their children. They were to talk of all Hi
wondrous works and declare His doings. /
, in Christian homes today the children neve
! hear father or mother speak of the wondrou
love and doings of Him who died on Calvar.
for us; if we have nothing to say about ou
: joy because He has redeemed us, having fo1
\ given us all our sins; nor of the many way
in which He hes delivered us in answer t
prayer; if we do not manifest that He is
US a living bright reality, our most intimat
, and confidential friend, how can we expec
our children to inquire after Him?