The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-07
SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK
ELUCIDATIOy AND REVIEW OF IN
TERNATIoNAL LESSON, SEPT. 8.
Caleb's Reward, ms Related I'm Joshua
xiv, 5-14-The Reward That Comes
to Loyalty and F~nfthfulness.

BY REV. JAMES E. GILBERT. d. D..
Secretary of the American Society OF Re-
ligious Education.
(These lessons constitute the Sunday
school extension department of the above
named society. ALI who study them are
requested TO send their names, postofflce
ADDRESS and denomination, mentioning
tn,s paper, TO the author at Washington.
ID. e. for enrollment.)
CONTExT.-After the downfall Of Jericho
the Israelites met a serious reverse. Three
thousand men, sent against Al, a small
city TO the northwest, were repulsed and
put to flight. Joshua, in great distress,
inquired Of the Lord the cause of the de-
feat, and learned that there was sin in
the camp. Deut. xviii, 25.) Search was
instituted for the offender, and Achan was
found and punished. Josh. vii, 25.) A
second and larger expedition against All
was successful and much soil was taken
and distributed among the people. Ad-
vanc;ng to Ebal, Joshua erected an altar
and wrote the avs on stones, according
to he directions Of Moses. (Deut. xvii
and xxviii-) Moved by fear, the Gibeonites
craftily secured a treaty of peace, but on
exposure they were condemned to perpetual
bondage. Josh. TX, 30 Hearing of this
alliance, five kings made a combined at
tack on Gideon, but Joshua came to
Gibeon's help and gained a splendid VIC
tory. Josh. x. 14) A vigorous campaign
followed, extending through several years,
in which thirty-one kings were conquered
Josh. xii. 30, and the military power Of
the country was broken.
DIyISION.-Thus far the tribes. although
recognized as distinct. had been held to-
gether in one body. 1t was the purpose of
God, however, to separate them and as
sign each tribe to a definite territory.
(Acts xvii, 49, To that end Moses had
given instructions. Numb. xxxiv. 1899
The time had now come when a division
might be made. The fighting nen Of the
two and a half tribes that received i'm
heritaiice on the east of Jordan Numb.
xxxiv, 10 had left their families and their
substance and had accompanied their
brethren to the conquest of the western
portion. After seven years of war, the end
being attained, they ought to be allowed
to return. Besides, Joshua was old and
we'll stricken in years, scarcely able to
endure the further fatigues Of military
life. The parts Of the country unsubdued
Josh. xiib might be taken by the tribes
separately. But the task of fixing the
boundaries might be done by him. as the
last work of his useful life. Havins
travelled over 1t as a spy Numb. xiiD and
marched over it as a soldier he was
eminently qualified. So. Israel returned to
Gilgal, and the partition proceeded. Gosh.
xiv, %
ORDER.-The sons of Jacob and the
tribes that descended from them are men
toned in several different o~rders-frst, &C
cording TO their birth Gen. xxx and XXX;
second, as recipients of their fathers bless
ing Gen. Xix, 3-2O; third. in the assign
fourth, in their march through the wilder
ness CNumb. X, 14-20; and, in still an
other order in their settlement in Canaan.
In every instance after the first, judah is
made most conspicuous. Jacob plainly as
signed TO his fourth son a mission superior
to that OF his brethren, Gen. Xix, SID,
part from Judah until Shiloh came This
allusion was understood in Jewish history
as referring to Messiah. judah was made
the central tribe. Hence the honor con-
ferred upon It in camp, in march, in war,
Judah's standard being always in the frcnt.
So now, in the division or the land, Judah
receives the first portion on the west of
Jordan. This indicates the divine purpose
to plant this tribe in the very heart of the
nation to be nurtured with special refer
REQUEST.-When the tribe of Judah APP
peared before Joshua, the Oldest man in
the tribe ADVANCED to make q special per
not only allowed him precedence, but united
In urging his plan. an evidence OF their es-
TEEN, 1t was g Saie6i VINO ,ye h aaar reaf ae o ,ne
to ask that he should receive Inheritance
in the land before all others, a strange re-
quest indeed. The portion ne desired was
not some beautiful and fertile valley near
by, from which, in the recent wars, the
enemies had been expelled, a place where
an old man might iind repose. but ,nat he Sc e
south. inhabited by the Anakims, who had
not yet been conquered, a race Of giants
who, nearly half a century before, (Numb.
xiii, 33J, had caused the representatives of
ten tribes to quake with fear. In asking for
that land as his own, possibly the veteran
accepted, but what, if obtained. would
prove a great blessing.
FAITHFUL-What prompted this strange
reasons. The drst of these was the plea of
faithfulness TO God. He called attention TO
the fact that when the spies who went
out from Kadesh Barnea returned to Moses
with evil tidings. he wholly followed the
Lord. He was not influenced by their fears.
He did not join in their words OF discour-
agem,ent; he stood too, J up In ard 'a ded presence rs : ,ha o.
with the help of the Lord they were able
TO go up and possess the land. That was a
precious pr 81 memory 70 an Uia man ve looking
calling the disasters consequent upon the
unbelicf of men who were dead and gone,
of ofnf the fo qsGh p 5ae 'sahnaa considering sid rHesu that
he stood I'm the midst Of a new generation
to witness the triumph of the later years
and realize the hopes long deferred-it was
not surprising that Caleb should ask some
reward and recognition of his faith. And
that not for himself alone. but for the
cause OF God.
PROMISE.-Caleb strengthened his re-
quest by the consideration that what he
desired had been promised. God said TO
Moses. and Moses had repeated TO Israel,
that the country of the Anakims should
belong 10 Caleb. Oeut. l.. 36) That was
the same as q deed or bequest. a kind OF
letters patent. derived from the highest
possible source, canceling all other claims.
Hence he came not now so much to obtain
title as TO secure a recognition and publica-
ton of title, that the divine deed might be
entered for record in the historic archives
of Gods people. In this there was vae'lr
more than the protection Of personal rights
10 property. If God had SET apart q GER
tain place for residence for himself and
posterity 1t was for a purpose. And Caleb
was determined to go to that appointed
place that he might meet the divine pur-
pose in him. He was not willing TO thwart
any part of that wondrous plan whereby
Israel should accomplish its mission. What
Hebron afterwards became exhibits the
wisdom of Caleb's choice and resolve. duke
4, 39)
CONQUEST.-Caleb urged his request by
still another consideration. which must have
removed all objections. If any existed. He
declared that, Notwithstanding his extreme
o0A IA mas a a. -. IN thA dnr Fkn