The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-09-19
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER -.
Lesson Text; "Joshua Renewing tho
Covenant" Joshua xiv, t4-25--
Golden Text. Joshua xiv,
24-Commentary.

| v.
being about 10 years old (vcrse 29). Ho
assembled the people at Shechem, and call
| ing for the elders and judges and officers he
reminded them OF all the Lords goodness
and fathtulness and earnestly exhorted
them TO serve Him sincerely ''Serye" Is Tho
key word to this address. II IL found i'm
some form at least twelve times in our
lesson, and suggests very strongly To us that
we are saved In order To- serve Him who
saves us. See Ex. iv., 20, 80; | Thcss. l., .;
III Chron. xxx, H. We are also 10 serve
always In the fear Of the Lord, which in
cludes practical acquaintance with Him
and profound reverence and cordial alIcc-
ton Tor Him prov. L., 7; ix., iO).
10. AS Tor mo and my house we will serve
the Eord." II IL evident from this and tho
preceding verso that their ancestors beyond
the river OR. W were idoaters. From such
/ as these Abram was called out God docs
not compel, but He sets before va the right
| and the wrong, drawing us strongly To- the
| right by His Holy Spirit. vet leaving us To-
choose. Tho leaders. like Joshua, must
make the choice flrst for tho people cannot
| be expected 10 choose the good n tho leaders
| do not. III NIL teachers and preachers wcrc
| as decided and whole hearted for God ns
| Joshua there might be less worldliness in
many places. We are all too apt to consider
! what others do and follow thcm. We should
have Joshua's spirit of whole hcartedness
| for God regardless Of others The rnce l. To
'
| plies looking away from all else (Heb. xii,
/ 1,2).
| 1918. Therefore will we also scrvo tho
| Lord, for He IL our God" This Is the con-
clusion OF the peoples reply to Joshua's
! words. They acknowledge that tho Lord
their God brought them out of Egypt. pro-
served them in all the way and brought them
into the land. Therefore they should GER
| tainly serve Him. and not other gods Their
fathers had, however. made rs good rcsOlu-
tons IA those Mt Horob when they said
All that the Lord hath spoken will we do"
| (EN. XIX, 81, but they broke their promises,
In few weeks and were found worshiping
golden calf. Tho law which Is holy and
| Just and good cannot help us because the
flesh Is SO weak Rom. viii, ~.
10, 20. "And Joshua said unto the people
We cannot serve the Lord, for lIr Is Holy
! God. He Is a jealous God" They could
| not serve Him in their own strength. They
could not serve him and others. too Ctath
| vi, 2i. The people of u Holy God must bo
holy people (Lev. XIX, 2; NN., Z, 2G; xxi,
| \; Pet. l., 49, lG; Isa VI, \. Rev. iv., 81.
Just seven times IS God called Jealous God
hesides this verse see EX. Ky" 8; NXXiv., II,
! Deut ", "a; ", 2; vi, IS, Nah. l., .. Com
| pare jas. w., o, H. v. margin. Tho word
] translated Jealous is the same word that
| Is also translated "bought" or "purchnscd: I"
| 50 that the thought I'm "jealous" Is simply
that OF claiming what IL rightfully His own
We are not our own, but bought with Il
| price, that He may be glOrincd In US. We
are people for His own possession II Cor.
VI, 10, 20; Titus H., IL, Il. W. We arr t.
serve Him with u perfect or whole heart 0
Chron. xviii, ~, with humility (Acts xx.
lg), with gladness (Ps. c.. p. with the Spirit
I lRom. l., ~, and continually (Dan. vi, 16,
2O). OF ourselves we cannot do this, but
Christ can. and Christian should be able
to say truthfully. ~ live, yet not /, but
Christ liveth In me" (Gal. H., 20). II is
written OF Him, "The Son OF Man came TO
! minister" II am among you as He that
setyeth, "lfa any man serve Me, him will My
Father honor" (Math. Xxx. %: Luke xxi.
"a; John xii, 26). When we are fully
yielded TO Him according 10 Rom. xiii, [, 9,
He will work In us both 10 will and TO do
Phtl. H., 10; Heb. xiii, 2D.
2l. And the people said unto Joshua.
| Nay. but we will serve the Lord" They
seem very sincere and determined by His
grace 70 serve Him, and We lind that they did
serve Him all the days OF Joshua and OF tho
elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen
the great works OF the Lord that He did for
Israel (verse 81; Judg. 40.
~. And Joshua said unto the people Ye
are witnesses against yourselves that yo
have chosen you the Lord to serve Him" ."
When we take stand for the Lord, 1t must
OF necessity be against ourselves, for we are
by nature against God, "The carnal mind /,
enmity against God. for Il il not subject 70
the law OF God, neither indeed can be" (ROm.
viii, y. Our Lord also said, III any man
| Will come after Me- let him deny himself
! (SIath. xvi, 2D. From beginning to end Of
the Christian lifo 1t il a continued stand
against self for God. even Christ pleased
not Himself (R)m. xv., -. He never sought
His own will, nor His own glory (John vi.
3S; will, 50), nor did He ever take credit 10
| Himself for either words or works (John xii ,
40; xiv, 100. Pauls notices were "Not !,
but Christ, Not /, but the grace Of God'
(Gal. H., 20; Cor. XIV, i0.) See also II Cor.
iv.. IL.
23. Now, therefore, put away the
strange gods which are among you and In.
! cline your heart unto the Lord OF Israel. ="
/ The idols, the old man, the weights and be-
setting sins, are to be put away, put Off and
laid aside (Eph. w., %; Heb. Kill, 1, 2), and
| eyes and heart must be ever unto Him. We
must be very sincere and truthful through
and through, for He desireth truth In the
inward parts and understandeth all the Inn
/ aginations OF the thoughts Of the heart (Ps
/ H., 6; Chron. xviii. 9; sam xvi, d.
Here again we are helpless and must pray
"Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies"
"a. And the people said unto Joshua
The Lord our God will we serve, and His
| voice will we obey" The faithful servant
has only 20 be willing and obedient" lisa l.
19) In order TO be pleasing unto his Master
IL Is ours to be wise enough to hear only
| His commands and faithful enough 10 do
/ them; He will see TO all the results, and sue
cess, rs He counts 1t, is sure. There are
many voices to-day, but we must take good
heed to hear only His voice
20. 80 Joshua made covenant with the
| people that day, and set them statute aud
an ordinance In Shechnm." Then he set uD
| stone for Il witness. Compare Gen xviii,
IS; EX. xiv, 4; Joshua w., 3, 0; then SEQ
Deut. xXXii., /; lisa, /, 2, etc. as to inani-
mate nature being witness 10 words and
actions. But best Of all remember tho
''Stone OF Israel who is the "faithful aud
true Witness" (Gen. Xix, "a; Rev. H., lD,
and live wholly and always unto Him.
| Lesson Helper