Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-11-24


II. stearns-
fCondensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly. By
permission Of h s. Hoffman. Philadelphia.
publisher.
After the two tribes and half had been
dismissed to their homes by Joshua with his
blessing, charging them 70 serve the Lord
with all their heart and soul, they, on their
way home. when they had crossed the Jor-
dan, built great altar, which, when the
other tribes heard Of, they feared idolatry On
the part Of the eastern tribes, and gathered
themselves together At Shiloh TO so up 70 war
against them, lest by their supposed trespass
they should bring Judgment on the nation.
The two tribes and half testify, however.
that they had no thought OF idolatry, but
lest in days 70 come the children Of the west
ern tribes should say to those on the east:
What have you to do with the Lord God OF
Israela For the Lord hath mado jordan q
border between Us and you;" therefore they
had built this altar, not for sacrifice, but as
a witness lest trouble and divisions should
come in future days Upon hearing this the
western ribes were well pleased, and al
Israel re5oiced. tCh xiii How much
might be prevented ofteutimes by little ex-
PLANTATION; but, like Israel, we are apt TO
form q hasty conclusion and start q war.
Love thinketh no evil; is not easily pro-
yoked Il Cor. xiii, 81.
At the time Of our lesson today Israel had
long enjoyed rest from all her enemies,
round about; Joshua was over an hundred
years old and knew that he was soon TO 90
the way OF all the earth; so he calls all Israel
together at Shechem, rehenrses TO them the
Lords dealings, and urges them TO fear and
serve Him in sincerity and truth, saying
unto them, III il seem evil unto you 10 serve
the Lord, CHOOSE you this day whom ye viii
serve; but as for me and my house. we win
serve tho Lord The people answered in
the words Immediately preceding our lesson,
saying I'VE viii serve the Lord, for He Is
our Cod
10. 'sYe cannot serve the Lord" Joshua
would have them remember that it is no
light matter to serve the Lord; he had
known them ever since they left Egypt, he
knew how often they had made promises
and broken them, and no doubtless remem-
bered the time when they said ''all that
the Lord hath said viii we do and be obedi-
ent, )" then he and Moses assembled the mount
and at the end Of forty days returned to find
bA4SA1 NanCAAS ALQ H&4EAAAS, ~ a ES&N@NA-
calf, deliberately breaking the commands
they had SO solemlily promised to keep. Ex.
9xiv, xxxiil
20S If We he the Lord Often had
they done it and had been spared only by
the intercession OF Moses, type Of Christ; and
Joshua trembles for them. knowing that
THE Lord their God is a consuming fire,
even a jealous Codn Deut. iv, -. Sin must
be consumed, snd il the sinner clings to
his sins he VIII DO consumed also,
but If willing TO be cleansed from sin
and be holy unto the Lord, then God viii con-
sumo tho sin and save the sinner. 1t is some
times said that God out of Christ is con-
suning fire, but while this is true it is no
where stated in those words. Christians need
to remember that 'sOur God as q consuming
FIRE" Heb. xii, 90, and that we are often in
the furnace being purified and prepared for
future usefulness. ard If Ee sees sin upon Us
He viii not spare THE, rod; but all such re-
timing and chasteninv is in perfect love and
that we may be parS sers OF His holiness.
laAnl. iii, 8; Heb. xii, III.
q. Nay, but wo VII serve tho Lord. =
This is their choice. joshua had most deci-
dedly taken his stand IL. 15), and had made
Il plain to them that God would have no half
work. and that they Id not serve God and
worship idols, nor Ct IL they serve God IN
their own strength: g now they have vol
unfairly taken their stand with him 90 serve
tho Lord, and their conduct proves them to
have been sincere, for Israel served the
Lord al the days Of Jos.hua, and all the days
of the elders that oyulived joshua tv 81;
Judges ii, % The words Of Joshua and the
words of the people IN this their decision are
noblc words, and while it is solemn step to
take il is far more solemn step not 70 take.
-. ''Titnesses against yourselves" We
cannot serve the Lord without taking astand
against self The world. the flesh and the
devil are the enemies Of God and Ills people,
and this trinity OF evil is ever seeking 10 en-
snare the child of God. The caTnal mind is
enmify against God. the flesh lusteth against
the Spirit, and the Spsris against the flesh. and
these are contrary the ono TO the other: il
any man viii come after he let him deny
himself. love not the world; resist the
devil Rom vii, :. Gal ', IL; Matt xvi, a;
John Il. IS; Jas. iv.sl these are helpful words
and preccpss concerning our daily life as ser
wants Of the Lord
g Put away the strange gods, and In
inc your heart unto the Lord God OF
Israel II Is heart work that the Lord re-
quircs. 1-d yn need to be constantly Re.
minded that while men look on the outward
appearances and judge by what they see, the
Lord lo0ð on tho heart; lie searcleth al
hearts, and Understandable al the magma
tions Of tho thoughts: lie isa God OF kn0wl-
edge. 1nd by Him actions are weighed Il
San. ii. 5; xvi, :; Chr. xviii, %
81 Tho Lord cur God viii VIC serve, and
His vcicc vii No otRyn II the nation had
talked this way and nea7t it when the spies
returned from their forty days visit through
/ the land they would have saved themselves
tlsirty-esght years wandering in the wilder
ness. and the hundreds OF thousands who fen
there might hare entered the good land Let
Christians today mako tho language OF this
verse heartily their 0xr, and they VIII ind
days C Heaven here On earth Deu1 Il. 81,
and lie snch witnesses unto the Lord that
zaauy shah through them be won TO Him
s. ''Ss Joshua made covenant Liter
Elly sscut covenant for TIE verb here
translntelA made, when not used in c0nnec-
tion with q covenant, is translated s.cut- or
e,x1,e M hath rrepx NJ fl,r, rr1--3 nr,n frr,z =.