Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-09-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON X. THIRD QUARTER. INTER
NATIONAL SERIES. SEPT. 8.
Text of the Lesson. Joshua xiv, 5-I4-sIcm-
Org Verses. s-s-Geider Text. Joahua xiv.
Commentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
sfearns.

Text of the Lesson. Joshua xiv, 5-I4-sIem-
1s-commentary by the Rev. ID. ~.
stearns.
8. CAS- the Lord commanded Moses. so
the children OF Israel did, and they divided
; the land Moses and Joshua were faith
ful servants of Jehovah and implicitly
obeyed His commands. They left nothing
undone that He commanded Joshua took
the whole land and divided it among the
tribes, and the land rested from war {chap-
ter xi, Is, 2s). But although tho land was
wholly given 10 Israel they did not possess
il fully (chapter xiii, y, aud they allowed
the Jebnsites and Canassaites to dwell
among them (chapter Ky, 6S; xvi, l0s
xvii, icy. This disobedience on the part Of
the people aftcrward brought trouble upon
them (Judg. II, /, .. Every true be-
lieser in Jesus is now blessed with all
spiritual blessings in the hcavcniies in
Christ (Eph. l, 81 Yet but few enjoy full
possession. Many prefer 10 tolerate a few
Canaanitcs and Jebusitcs and rather enjoy
their ways.
6. Thou knowest the thing that tho
] Lord said unto Moses, the man OF God, con
corning me and thee in KadeSh barnes. y
These arc the words of Caleb TO his old
friend and companion, Joshua Caleb was
Of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua was OF
EphrAim Gum. xiii, &, s.. Only they
two of all tho spies believed God and
urged the people to go right up and take
f; the land in the naiae Of the Lord. The
[ Lord said that only they two Of all that
I generation should enter tho land (Num.
( xiv, BOZ and TINT the rust would die In the
I wilderness because Of their Gnbelief They
I too, would have TO wait 80 ycars because
I of the uEbelief of others, but thoy waited
with God, for He also waited and was him
dered by the unbclief Of the people. Hear
! His words, How long Will it be ere they
/ believe Mes'' "Oh, that My people had
hearkened unto Me- (Num. xiv, II; Ps.
Xxi, 13).
T. Forty years old was l when Moses,
the servant of the Lord, sent me from ka-
desh-barnea to espy out the land, and
brought him word again rs it was Ia mine
4 heart. His heart was right with God.
( He believed God and feared 10 grieve Him.
/ Therefore he spake what was in his heart
MS in the sight of God and sought not to
please the people. For. this faithfulness
he and Joshua were threatened with stones
I (Num. xiv, l0), hut tho Lord stood by
them. Consider David, with not a human
being TO stand b. him, threatened with
stones by his own friends, and observe
what he did Il Sam. XXX, 6l
g. my brethren that went up with me
made the heart Of tho people melt, but
wholly followed the Lord my God. The
/ ten spies had to confess that the land was
good land, but they made SO much Of the
giants and walled cities; seemed so utterly
to forget the power Of God in Egypt and
at the Rcd sea, and to lose sight Of God al
together that they filed tho people with
fear and Encouragement and with muir
murings against God, Many such today
are seeing themselves and their circum.
stances and by unbolief and murmurings
are dishonoring Ged and making inhacls.
0. "And Moses swaro on that lay, say
ing, Surely the land whereon thy feet
have troddcn shall bc thine inheritance
1 How Caleb had lived on the word of the
Lord all those yearsl They had been his
life, his meat and drink. Perhaps every
day he had called them TO mind and been
strengthened by them. He may, like Da-
vid, have pleaded them In prayer, saying,
Remember the word unto Thy servant,
/ upon which Thou hast caused me TO hope
/ (Ps. cxlx, 49). The word Of the Lord Is
n sure foundation ON which we may firmly
rest. 1t ondureth forever, is true from the
beginning and is forever settled in heaven
! lisa. xl, 8; Ps. cxix, 100, s9)
10. "And now behold the Lord hath
kept mo aliyc as He said these forty and
five years" 1t always has been and al
ways win bo "As He said" Tho noble
man of Capernaum believed the word
that Jesus had spoken (John ~, 50l.
! Dattl I'M Ia 81 ofs hell
God that it shall be even as IL was told
me" (Acts xvii, 25) Abraham was fully
persuaded that what Sod had promised
He was able to perform tRom. iv, si). Tho
Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely
as have thought, SO shall It come 10 pass,
and rs have purposed, so shall 1t stand
! lisa. xiv, 24)). Blessed are all who be-
lieve, for there shall be a performance Of
the things told them by the Lord duke |,
d5).
IL. Gas yet l am rs strong this day as /
was in the day that Moses sent me-" As
strong and hearty at theage OF IS as when
he was 40. Like Moses, at the age Of 800,
| his eye was not dim nor his natural force
nbated (Deut xxxiy, y. oThsy that walt
upon the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings as
eagles" Youth Is renewed like the
eagles lisa. xl, 81; Ps. Gill, 81. Take as
living illustrations Of the same grace to-
day George Muller in his ninetieth year,
journeying and Witnessing for Jesus
Christi DIR. David Brown of Aberdeen,
the great commentator, who wrote me Nov.
8, 1894, that, though in his ninety-seeond
year, he was in perfect health. He said,
II have no aches nor pains, am not tired
OF life, but would like TO do a little work
for my Master before go OF He comes, "
Jesus Christ Is still the very same Jesus.
IL. ''If so be the Lord will be with me,
then shall be able to drive them out, as
the Lord said. - He seemed 20 coyet the
difficulties that he might SEQ tha great
power OF God. Being not weak In faith lie
gave glory to God He counted not on his
ability, but that God was able. Like Paul
he could say, 81 can do all things through
Christ, who strengtheneth me- .'For
when / nm weak, then am strong tPhn
4 iv, 10; ii Cor. xii, 10). 'tGod with US" Is
the secret Of all strength in His service
See Jer. !, s, 10; Hag ii, 4; Math
xviii, 1920.
10. "And Joshua blessed him, and gave
unto Caleb the son Of Jephunnch Hebron
for an inheritance. II was at Hebron
that Abraham built an altar unto the Lord
and dwelt after Lot separated himself
from him. There he welcomed and enter
tanned the Lord Himself, and there the
Lord communed with him (Gen. Kill, IS;
xviii, /, 35). Hebron Is suggestive OF fell
lowship or communion, and when we have
the spirit Of Abraham and Caleb we shall
know what fellowship with God means Il
John i, 81.
IA. Hebron therefore became the inner.
itancc Of Caleb, because that he wholly
1 followed the Lord God Of Israel" This
following fully is the secret Of fellowship,
for there can be none with a half hearted
following. The next verse says that the
old name Of Hebron was Kiriath-arbs,,
Arba being great man among the ANA.
kims. But "arba" is also tho Hebrew word
for -four, so that it might be the city Of
four.
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