The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-11-22
ISRAEL UNDER JUDGES !,


December 2. 1855.
Especially arranged from 8. =. Cuurteriy.1
LESSON TExT-Judg 2; 11-23.
GOLDEN TExT-Talsc heed, brethren, lest
there be in any Of you On evil heart Of un-
belief in departing from the living Cod
Heb. 9: 12.
CENTRAL TRurn-To depart from God is
the way to ruin.
TrME-The period Of the Judges extended
over 800 years from the death OF Joshua, d.
G. 1877, to the inauguration Of Saul, b. Q.
1895.
PIAcE-Tho religious capital was ut Shiloh.
TnE Book or JrDoEs-N) So named be-
cause 1t Is record Of the doings Of the
Judges. (2) Its author was probably Sam
uel. AT least 1t was written under his su-
pervieion. ~ Ii was written probably
during tho reign OF Saul, or first seven
years of David's roign, B. G. 1075.104a
~ It extends over about $50 years to the
birth of Samuel, b. 9. 1149.
THE GovERSMEST--There was no King or
President, but the high.priest was the re-
ligious head Of the Nation. Each tribe was
independent. Each town governed itself.
There was no standing army.
RELIGIoN-This was the worship of God
according to the law Of Moses. All the
tribes were bound together by tho duty Of
times year. The priests and Levites were
the religious teachers and educators Of the
people.
CANAANITEs--Many Of the inhabitants
idolators, renamed in Israel, and were
means OF temptation as well as of suffering
Idolatry, by Its visible deity, its splendid
ritual, its licensc to every passion, attracted
away many of the lsraelites.
CIRcUMsTANcEs--This lesson is q picture.
giving bird's-eyo view of the whole
period Of the Judges for three hundred ana
thirtytears, the details of which are given
in the rest Of the book and in Samuel.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs-11. Bddlf,m,
the plural Of Baal, l. o., lord or master.
Baal was the sun-god. The plural form is
used either from the number Of his images,
or from his different offices, rs al-Zebub.
protector from flies; Baal-Peor, etc., or as
sign Of honor. H. Botced Themselves: pros
trated themselves before the idol la
worship. Anger: Indignation at their Sin
and folly, and the disposition to punish. Is.
Aslitdroth: plural Of Ashtorcth, the female
divinity corresponding TO Baal; the goddess
Of the moon. Both Baal and Ashtoreth
were worshiped with vile liccntious rites.
Is. As the Lord had said: Lev. 26:15-17
Deut. 2S:25. 16. Judges: leaders raised up
III an emergency, who. thus brought into
prominence. continued to exercise influence
and authority. There were fifteen judges.
10. Their 01cn dofngs: the way they thought
happiest, instead Of Gods way.
CoMMENTs-At last Joshua died The
people who had known him continued faith
full to the Lord. But soon there arose an.
other generation who had not known Him,
and they fell away into idoatry. They "for-
sock jehovah, the fountain of living waters.
and hewed out for themselves cisterns,
broken cistcrns that would hold no water"
As soon as the people forsook the law Of
God, disaster began to befall them on every
hand. Yet God did not cast them of at
once, but as soon as they showed any signs
Of repentance, He gave them o respite from
their enemies. 1t was because of ihcir own
evil hearts that tho Israclitcs 90 constantly
fell away from their duty to God. They
wanted to be like other Nations, ardaGainst
just that form of sin God had especially
warned them. Every family wanted gods
In their own homes, and was not willing tc
have only one tabernacle where they could
worship. All this was wrong, Of course
but we mention it to show the evil tendenc,
Of the human heart. In consequence OF
this evil tendency, some worshiped Baal
and some Ashcroft, and in latter days
some worshiped other idols. Every man did
as seemed good in his own eyes, and they
were alike only in one thing, aud that was
that they all went astray.
In this lesson there is also very impor-
tant truth for US Christians. Israel was
often guilty Of backsliding. In this respect
we who are the followers Of the Lord are
very much like her. We often are over.
come by tho world around us, and are
guilty of sinful practices. If all the sins Of
the Christians in our Sunday-school were
written out on the blackboard, what large
board we should need Perhaps some In
this very class are already backsliders In
heart. God says: "The backslider in heart
shall be filed with his own devices" II
this be our case then we need to remember
for our comfort what God said to Israel
"Return unto me, ye backsliding children
md will heal your backslidings." Some
young Christians fall SO often that they be
come discouraged and are tempted to give
up the battle. II you arc one Of these, ther
let US remind you that nothing would sc
please the great Adversary as to see you dl
| just this thing. God is never weary of re
ceiving tho sinner back to Himself, and Ht
says: ''Though your SINS be as scarlet, they
shall be white as snow" Did he not receive
the children Of Israel back time after time
and will He be any less patient with usi No
his mercy Is from everlasting to everlasting
-Iscu. Il. f. Scha,tCler.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
l. Tho world, money, pleasure, self, art
the Baals whom modern men worship.
2. To forsake God is to walk in the way o.
destruction.
8. God hates sin with ON infinite hatred
and indignation.
4. The better the being the hotter Hi
anger at iniquity.
8. Gods nature and providence are agains
the sinner
9. From whatever source the punishment
comes, 1t is still from the hand of God.
2. Yet God desires all men TO be saved
from their sins and troubles, and uses every
means to help them.
8. As soon Us any one is willing to 70
pcnt and return to God Ho Is ready to wei
come and forgive.
In religious matters opposites arc Otter
very strangely allied to each other. Hu
mility brings exaltation, sacrifice bring