Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-08-29
NUMBER 3
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX, THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 4.

NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 4.
Text Of the Lesson, Joshua Vi, S-2O-aTem-
Ory Verses, 10, I6-GoIden Text, Heb.
ri, sO-Commentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
stearns.
g. The seven priests bearing the seven
trumpets Of rams horns passed On before
the Lord" AT Gilgal the reproach OF
Egypt was rolled away in connection with
the rite Of circumcision, the feast OF Pass
over was kept, and the mama that had
come from heaven 50 faithfully all those
40 years ceased after they had eaten the
old corn Of the land (chapter VI 8-12).
Joshua also had taken second place in
command, the Lord Himself being the
Captain of the host (v. IA, 15)- Now under
their Captains orders they are beginning
their march around Jericho, which city
was straitly shut up because Of Israel
(verse u.
3. "And the armed men went before the
priests that blew with the trumpets" ("
The armed men, the priests, the ark, all
the people. Such was the order Of the pro-
cession a. they marched around the city.
The ark is the symbol Of the presence Of
the Lord and all was being done 'fthat all
the people Of the earth might know the
hand Of the Lord, that it is mighty, and
that they might fear before Him. (ir, 24).
Whether the trumpets were rams horns OK
silver, their sound was suggestive Of atone
ment, by virtue Of which God can deal
with man.
10. Eye shall not shout, nor make any
noise with your voice. neither shall any
word proceed out Of your mouth, until the
day bid you shout This was very try
ing to their humanity. Their God had di-
vided the Red sea and the Jordan for them,
had fed them with food from heaven and
brought water from the rock for them.
He was the mighty God of Jacob, and He
was going to make the walls Of Jericho
fall down flat for lie said He would (verse
81, and the hearts of many must have
longed to cry out to those scoffers on the
walls: "OUr God will bring down those
walls. He will conquer you But there
was 70 be not word from Israel till the
appointed time With the exception Of the
blasts from the rams horns the great host
passed round in silence See Zech. ii, 13.
II. so the ark Of the Lord compassed
the city, going about it once. " Not word
about the people doing it. 'It is God who
worketh, - and ''the Lord alone must be
exalted" (Phil- ii, IS; Isa. ii, ID.
1914. "AId the second day they com
passed the city once and returned into the
camp, - they did IL days. Day after day
the same procession and the same order.
No sound but the horns of the priests.
Not word from tho people-just the 81
lent marching Of the mighty host and the
quiet and orderly return to the camp. The
walls Of Jericho stand firm, and probably
the scOffers' hearts grow harder as they
find their peace undisturbed, and il Is even
possible that they fnd some amusement
in watching the daily procession the priests
and their horns will have their share OF
ridicule, and there may have been many q
surmise and even joke about what was
under the blue cloth on those mems shoul-
ders (Num. ", 8, 81. Infidelity is about
the same in ali ages, and the hard speeches
of ungodly sinners dude, 15) are always
plentiful lit il ours to bear the ark in
patience and meekness and faith, giving
clear and consistent testimony a. To ths
only way Of redemption through the blood
Of the Lamb, and at the appointed time
the walls Of infidelity viii crumble and the
kingdom will be the Lord S Obadiah, 21).
10. "Only on that day they compassed
the city seven times. This is the record
Of the seventh day. There must have been
unusual interest in Jericho on this day as
they heard the sound of tile rams horns
earlier than usual and saw the hosts, in
stead of returning to camp, start to com
~Is ~s+ "A
time and fourth time, and fifth, and a
sixth. The interest must have been in
tense, and we may imagine the walls fair
" crowded to watch these unusual proceed
ings.
16. shout for the Lord hath given you
the city" This wa the command OF
Joshua to the people A. they went round
the seventh time. How their pent up feel
ings would break forth; what shout It
must have been from hundreds Of thou
sands Of voices; shout after shout, pro
longed shout that almost, if not altogether,
made tho earth to tremblel The city was
given to Israel before ever they compassed
the city once (verse 2). 1t was theirs by
the word of the Lord, now Ii H. t0 become
theirs visibly and actually. Many things
are ours in Christ which we will not VIZ
IDLY and actually enjoy till His appointed
time
II. 'Only Rahab the harlot shall live. -
BY faith she perished not with the unbe-
levers tHcb. ii, 80, BID. The scarlet cord
In her window was the outward evidence
Of her faith, and she rested oh the words
OF the spies whom she lad befriended, say
ing according unto your words, 80 be it
iii, 21). Through her faith deIiverance
came to her father and mother and breth-
ren and kindred (vcrse 23). She afterward
married Salmon (who may have been one
Of the spies) and became the mother Of
Boaz tSee Ruth iv, n and Math. i, Sd.
lS. Keep yourselves from the accursed
thing. The whole City and All in it were
devoted to be utterly destroyed Cverse III,
margin, and verse 2ll, and this was a
warning for Isrsiel's good. five get mixed
up with cursed things we will bring a
curse upon ourselves. The only redemp-
ton from the curse is through Him who
was made a curse for US tGnl ill., 49,
This was typified ia the scarlet cord In
Rahabs window.
49, But AL the silver and gold and ves-
sels uf brass and iron are consecrated
unto the Lord II In Mum XXI we read
that the people were permitted to take OK
the spoil and give unto the Lord a portion,
cleansing everything by fire or water
(Num. xxi, 23l, but in the case Of the
city Of Jericho all WAS to be the Lord :,
either for destruction Or for His treasury
Jericho being the first city taken may ac-
count for this-a first fruits unto the
Lord. The story Of Achan lii the follow
ing chapter shows the nature and punish
ment of the sin OF covetousness, with
which see also Acts v, l-10.
20. The wall fell down fiat, 80 that the
people went mp into the city, every man
straight before him, and they took the
city" They slew every living thing and
burned the city with fire Cvcrses 2l, a4D,
and Joshua pronounced curse upon the
man who would rebuild it, 1t becomes US
to say, Just and true are Thy ways, Thou
King of Nations (Rev. XIV, -. "His way
is perfect, and some day We shall see
perfect agreement between all His doings
and the fact that Sod l. Love- He Is
good and doeth good, and the Judge Of NIL
the earth cannot but % right
a Cheerful View.