The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-02
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER 6.
Lesson Text: ''The Time Of the
Judges" Judges H., 1-12, 16-
Golden Text: Judges H.,
documentary.

16-Commentary.
IL "Ye have not obeyed My voice: Why
have ye done thist" The summary OF the
Book of Judges is found in Acts xiii, 20,
"And after that He gave them judges, about
the spnce Of 450 years, until Samuel. the
prophet Also In Pr. cvi., 81. 35, 40, "They
did not destroy the Nations concerning whom
the Lord commanded them, but were min
gled among the heather, and learned their
works. Therefore was the wrath Of the Lord
kindled against His people, insomuch that
He abhorred His own inheritance" His
commands were plain, but they were dis
obedient, and thus they hindered Him from
showing Himself strong on their behalf (H
Chron. xvi, 81. At least six times In Judges
I 1t is said that different tribes did not drive
out the inhabitants; hence, the visit of this
angel Of the Lord to show them their sin,
and II possible. turn them to the Lord. All
the history OF Israel is just picture of the
general character Of believers at the present
time and In all ages. and a contrast with the
character Of Him who Is Gods Only Begot.
ten. He could say, II delight to do Thy
WILL o my God" ~ do always those things
that please Him" (Ps. xl., 8; John viii, 29).
8. They shall be as thorns in your sides,
and their gods shall be a snare unto you."
1uc Ouly way lOE luOSe WHO WOulQ IOIlOW
Jesus Is to "Deny self and take up the cross"
"Love not the world. neither the things that
are in the world" Yet many who say they
are tryingto live Christian life ask II they
cannot read good novel occasionally, and
once in awhile attend the theatre and dance
just little, etc? They say, "We must have
relaxation and recreation, and where shall
we find it?'
4. "The people lifted up their voice and
wept." They were, as people, much given
to murmuring and rebelling and weeping.
How much sorrow there Is in their weeping
because they cannot have their own way.
or how much real sorrow for sin only God
could tell. There is a way Of fulness of joy
l., 4; Rom. xv., IS, but it can only be found
in complete separation to God and to Him
who gave up all for us.
5. "And they called the name Of that place
Bochim, and they sacrificed there unto the
Lord" Bochim signifies "the weepers" and
is found only here and In verse 1. Israels
days of weeping are not yet over, but the
time will come when In Jerusalem the voice
Of weeping and crying shall he heard no
more Elsa. lxv., 19). Then shall they truly
receive Him who Is the only sacrifice for sin,
even the Lord Jesus Christ. their Messiah
Czech. xii, 10; kill, /: Isa. k, 20, 21.)
U, 10
the days of joshua" We now turn back to
the last days of Joshua and are reminded Of
his heart searching and soul stirring fare
we'll address, in which he showed the i'm
possibility Of serving the Lord unless they
meant It with the whole heart. All service
must be in sincerity and in truth; all wor-
ship must be in spirit and in truth all must
be "unto the Lord. with single eye to His
glory (Joshua xiii, IA; John iv., "a Col.
ill.,, 20, 24). Some helpful words on service
are also found in Thess. H., 4; Gal. l., 10,
our hearts" "If yet pleased men. I should
not be the servant of Christ" The peoplein in
Joshua's day served in sincerity and pos
sessed and enjoyed the land, and the Lord
who gave them the land. So shall we enjoy
the Lord and all the riches Of His graceifwe
will serve in sincerity and truth.
g. And Joshua, the son Of Nun, the SER
want of the Lord, died, being an hundred
and ten years old" This verse and the next
are almost identical with Joshua XIV. 29.
80, and the Holy Spirit does not repeat with
out reason. He says, "Ye shall know that
I have not done without cause allthat Ihave
could any one have than, "a servant OF the
Lord" Consider the beginnings Of the New
Testament epistles and see how the writers
delighted in this title.
9. "And they buried him in the border Of
his inheritance In TimDath-heres." He
having gone out to be with God. where he
has been we'll and happy ever since, they
laid his body away till the resurrection.
Death is an enemy which holds on to the
bodies OF the saints as long as possible. but
he cannot harm the soul, for when he touches
the body he only sets the soul free to be with
God.
10. Another generation which knew not
the Lord, nor yet the works which He had
"ths new king that knew not Joseph" and
of the one who said II know not the Lord,
neither will let Israel go" (Ex. l., s; ", q.
There Is a difference between knowing about
the Lord and knowing the Lord. These
people certainly knew about Him and His
wonderful works, but had they known Him
they would have trusted and served Him
(See John xviii, 81.
II. "And the children OF Israel did evil in
the sight OF the Lord and served Baalim."
Baal means lord or master and is often used
In the plural rs here. Baal and Ashtoreth
were the chief male and female deities Of
the Phenicians and Canaanites. Isa. XVI,
IS, might sum up all idolatry, 30 Lord our
God, other lords beside Thee have had
dominion over u.s." Many Of US must make
the same confession. and 1t Is well for US
when we can add, but by Thee only will
we make mention of Thy name.
12 And they forsook the Lord God" See
also verse IS, and chapter vi, 10, IS. The
prophets have much to say about Israel for
saking God. jeremiah expresses 1t forcibly
in chapter H., 13, when the Lord by His
mouth says, MY people have committed
two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fount-
ain of living waters, and hewed them out
cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no
water" The contrast to forsaking Is to
"cleave unto the Lord Deut. XXX, 19, 90;
Joshua xiii, s; Acts x., 23). knowledge
Of the Lord and His great love to us will
lead us to cleave unto Him with purpose OF
heart. The only way Is to "Be filled with
the Spirit" then we will not forsake Him.
16 "Nevertheess the Lord raised up
judges which delivered them out Of the hand
of those that spoiled them" Many times
did He deliver them. but they provoked Him
with their counsel and were brought low for
their iniquity. Nevertheless He regarded
their affiction when he heard their
cry (Ps. cvi.. 43, AZ. The story OF the
book OF Judges Is that OF disobedience fol-
lowed by oppression, then weeping and pen
itence, then deliverance and rest until they
disobeyed again. 1t makes US think OF Rom.
vii and makes us long for the rest and vic
tory OF Rom. viii. Let US be "willinG and
obedient Lesson Helper.