The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-10-03
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.

International Lesson for October Q, 1895
The Time OF the Judges-Judges 'Sfl.
~, 10.
Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes.1
GOLDEN TExT.-The Lord raised up Judges
which delivered them.-Judges 2:i6
THE SECTION includes the first ave chsptefs
Of Judges.
TIME.-The date of the meeting at Bochim
Tvs l-5) is unknown Joshua died about B. G.
1920 The remainder OF the lesson Il general
view Of the period Of the judges
LESSON NOTES.
1. IAN Angel of the Lord" was some
special visible manifestation Of Cod
The phrase is used nearly sixty times to
designate the angel of Gods presence.
From Gilgal," the first encampment
near Jericho, ''to Bochim," probably
near Shiloh, where the tabernacle was.
Perhaps it means that the last message
from God was at Gilgal, and now His
next one was at Bochim. "And said:"
There was general assembly of the
Israelites in this place, to whom He
spoke ". 81. Perhaps the reason was
some complaint from the people that
they were annoyed and troubled by the
old Inhabitants still left in strongholds.
II made you," etc: This was to make
plain to the people who it was that
was speaking. 1t gave the author
ity back of the message. II will never
break my covenant with you:' What
ever they had done, God had been true
to His own promises. His part of the
covenant had been strictly kept, as all
their past history proved. If they were
not securely settled in Canaan, it was
their own fault, not Gods.
2. "And We shall make no league with
the inhabitants:'' This was part of
the covenant on the part of the people.
Their duty was to wholly drive them
out and to throw down their altars,"
root out the old religion, so that they
would not be tempted to worship other
gods. "Ye have not obeyed My voice."
though that was the condition on which
alone they could prosper Josh %:
11-13)
8. wherefore also said," rather II
have now said," protest, declare. II
will not drive them out from before
you." will no more work wonders as
in the past, and give you the necessary
aid Gas thorns," annoyances, trials,
vexations. "A SNARE" tempting to
sin and leading to the punishment Of
their sin.
4. ''The people lifted up their voice
and wept:' in view OF the consequences
of their sin. They seem to have had
for their sin. Hence the evils were not
withdrawn by God.
8. called the name of that place
Bochim," that is, 'The Weepers."
"And they sacrificed" They held re-
ligious services. Doubtless they were
sincere, both in their sorrow and their
worship. But the effect was rather on
the surface than in the heart.
The Death of Joshua.-Here begins a
new section of the book of Judges.
The story returns to the last chapter of
the book of Joshua, verse 2S.
9. LET the people," from their as
sembly at Shechem, after their solemn
promise to obey God.
Z. 'Served the Lord all the days Of
joshua" So deep was the impress of
this great and good man upon the ma
tom "All the days of the elders:"
These elders would be all that were old
enough to take part in the war Of
Canaan, according to Judges 81, 2.
"Seen all the great works of the
Lord" This reveals another pow
erful source of impression upon the
character of men-the experience of
Gods wonderful works for the good of
men. These two are among the might
lest moral forces for the progress of
man.
8. "The servant of the Lord" What
beautiful and noble epitaph for any
man. IA hundred and ten years old:"
As he was eighty.five, according to
Josephus, when he entered the prom
ised land, he had lived there twenty
five years.
8. Buried him in Timnath-
heres:" portion Of the sum, called also,
by transposing the letters, Timnath-
serah (portion of abundance). The sit
uation is uncertain. Conder thinks it
was at Kefr Harris, nine miles south Of
Shechem.
10. "All that generation:" The ex-
ample and influence of the men who
had experienced Gods wonderful deal
ings lasted long time. But new men
grew up under new influences, and
there was change.
II. "And the children of Israel did
evil:' They first forgot God ". 1O).
Their faith lost it's reality and power.
The decay of faith is the prelude to the
decay of morals. SIN the sight of the
Lord:' in the presence of His command
ments, and in view of His works of good
ness, and His past punishments of sin.
"And served" the true religion is
service of love and reverence, but all
false religion is service of supersti-
tion and terror. "Baalim:" is an in
tensive plural, great lord, or supreme
lord, like Elohim, the Hebrew word for
God, which is in the plural.
12. Provoked the Lord to anger:"
Not passion, not vindictiveness, but in
dignation; an intense feeling against
sin. Sin is directly opposed to the ma
ture of God.
16. Nevertheless" God Furnishes