The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-20
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
May "a.
Lesson Text: Captivity Of Israel,
2 Kings, xviii, 6-1S-Golden
Text: 2 Chronicles, xiv,
2O-Commentary.

VI,
actual history, and this lesson brings before
US the end of the ten tribes as nation, until
they shall be regathered in the last days to
form with the two tribes one nation in their
own land never to be divided nor pulled up
any more tEzek. xxxvi., 81. %; Amos *,
IA, 15). After more than $50 years of con-
tinued rebellion against God, during which
time nineteen Kings reigned over them, not
one Of whom did right in the sight Of the
Lord. Shalmanezer, King of Assyria, be-
sieged Samaria, the capital of Israel Il Kings
xvi, 24) in the sixth year Of Hoshea, and
after three years took it and carried Israel
into captivity Tvs. 1-5).
Z. For SO it was, that the children Of
Israel had sinned against the Lord their God,
which had brought them up out of the land
of Egypt" etc. God, through Moses and
through His servants Hosen, Amos and Jere-
miah, makes frequent reference to His bring
should obey Him. When He gave the ten
commandments at Sinai, speaking to the
people out Of the midst Of the fire tDeut. ",
422, as He never did to any other nation,
He began by saying, II am the Lord thy
God, which have brought thee out of the
land Of Egypt, out of the house Of bondage"
Then He gave them His commandments that
they might keep them and live (Ex. Xxx, !,
2. Deut. iv., 5; xxSii., 46, Az.
S. "And walked in the statutes Of the
heather. whom the Lord cast out from before
the children Of Israel" Not only did He de.
liver them from Egypt and take care OF
them all through the wilderness, in spite Of
their murmurings, but He cast out nations
before them, and gave them a good land,
with every good thing in it. entreating them
| to make no covenant with the nations or
| their gods, but to walk in His ways, and thus
| He might through them prove to all other
nations the difference between the true God
| and the idol gods of the nations.
9. And the children of Israel did secretly
those things that were not right against the
Lord their God.' Not only publicly but
secretly were they mingled among the
| heather and learned their works" (Ps. cvi.,
35. In the dark they did wickedly, saying,
THE Lord seeth us not. the Lord hath for
saken the earth" (Ezek. viii, 12).
10. "And they set them up images and
| groves in every high hill and under every
green tree" Even Judah did this also in the
| days of the son OF Solomon Il Kings xiv.
| g. 23l, and then followed the plundering OF
the temple of the King of Egypt, only thirty.
four years after its dedication Il Kings vi.
| 3S; xiv, 25, 26). When we consider the
plain commands of God not only not to set
up these places, but to destroy all such things
/ Deut. xvi, 81, %; xii, p, we are apt to ask:
How could they thus fly in the face Of God?'
II. "And there they burnt the incense in
all the high places, as did the heather whom
the Lord carried away before them; and
wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord
to anger" The people Of the only Living
and True God, the Almighty, the Lord OF
Hosts, the God of Israel, the Most High God,
possessor Of heaven and earth, who alone re-
| from Him to worship and rely upon idols OF
wood and stone, which can neither see, nor
| hear, nor talk! 1t seems impossible.
12 For they served idols, whereof the
| Lord had said unto them, You shall not do
this thing" Besides the second command
ment recorded in E1. Xxx, and Deut. ",
listen to Lev xvi, !, "Ye shall make you
| no idols nor craven image, to bow
down unto it, for I am the Lord your God"
Jehovah their creator and covenant keep
| ing God desired to he their portion. He
wanted them all for Himself, and He would
] be wholly for them. He would be their
shield and their exceeding great reward, as
| He ssid to Abram. And they should have
| said, THE Lord is my portion, saith my
soul, therefore will hope in Him"
13. "Yet the Lord testified against Israel,
and against Judah, by all the prophets, and
all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil
ways" See some Of HIS pleading with them
in fsa ], 16, II; w., Z; Jer. iii, 12; XIV, 5;
Esek. x1xiii., IL Hos. xiv, /, Thus saith
the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In re-
turning end rest shall ye be saved; in quiet
ness and in confidence shall be your strength;
| and ye would not' lisa. XXX, 15). Not only
| did He urge them to return, but He told
them how to return, and even put the very
| words in their mouths which they might say
| (see Jer. ILL, 13; Hosea xiv, p.
H.. Notwithstanding they would not
| hear, but hardened their necks, like to the
neck of their fathers, that did not believe in
| the Lord. their God" On the last verse we
| quoted from Isaiah the sad words, "And ye
would not" 1t was the same all through
their history, till Jesus Himself uttered tht
same words shortly before they cruc!fe:s
Him Matt, xiii, 81.
Is. land they rejected His statutes, and
His covenant and they followed vanity and
became vain." He is wisdom, and wisdom
is tho principal thing. better than rubies or
gold or silver; but fools d.spise wisdom; it is
too high for them. In Jer., K, 8, IA, Is.
idols and idolatry are called lies and vanity.
When the people of Lystra took Paul and
Barnabas for Gods, and would have wor-
SHIPPED them, Paul exhorted them to turn
from these vanities unto the living GOD VINO
made all things tActs xiv, ~. There
might be some excuse for the Gentl!eS or
knowledge of the true God, and yet turned
away from Him.
Is. and they left all the commandments
of the Lord their God, and made them
molten images" The calves at Dan and
Bethel, and the idol groves everywhere pro-
claimed their folly. They turned their backs
on the Creator and worshiped the works or
His hands, sun, moon and stars, rather than
Himself. 1t seems to ME that if we as be-
levers think more of the gifts OF Gol than
of Himself, if it is Heaven or happiness, or
our own personal welfare we are chiefly seek
ing, we are in danger of committing lsraers
sin.
II. "Apd they caused their sons and their
their daughters to pass through the fire, and
sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the
Lord" The Molochs of to-day are society,
fashion, pleasure, the dance, the theatre, the
card table and to this destroying fire from
the pit how many sons and daughters are
consecrated God only knows. For all even.
ing's pleasure many who bear the name or
Jesus will for the time being sell themselves
to the devil. Jesus has bought our bodies
and souls and He wants all there is to us for
His glory.
IS. therefore the Lord was very angry
with Israel and removed them out OF His
sight" He could see them as well in Assyria
as in Samaria, so in that sense they were not
QUITO His sight, but His face did not shine
upon them, nor did they enjoy His favor
(Nuln vi, 24-26). They desp!sed Hin and
His blessing, so He finally withdrew and left
them to the idols they had chosen. so viii
He do with all who parsistently turn thelr
bacxs upon Him.
There was none left but the tribe of
Judah only." These He would spare little
longer. for they had not sinned as grievously
as Israel, and they had not been without