Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-10-04

DRY Verses, II, IL, 10 Golden Text,
Judg ii, 1G-Commentary by tho Rev.
u. NJ. Stearns.
l, 2. aye have not obcyed My voice.
Why have We done thisY" The summary of
the Book of Judges is found in Acts xiii,
20, "And after that He gave them judges,
about the space of $50 years, until Samuel
the prophet" Also in Ps. cvi, "a, 3d. 40,
"Thcy did not destroy the nations con
corning whom the Lord commanded them,
but were mingled among the heather, and
learned their works. Therefore was the
wrath of the Lord kindcd against His poo
pie, insomuch that He abhorrcd His own
Inheritance. His commands wcrc plain,
but they were disobcdicnt, and thus they
hindcrcd Him from showing Himself
strong on their behalf OI Chron. xvi, -.
AT least six times in Judges l it 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 if
possible turn them to the Lord. All the
history of Israel is just picture of the
general character of believers at the pres
ent time and in all ages, and Il contrast
with the character of Him who Is God
Only Bcgottcn. He could say, Il delight
to do Thy will, my God. - Il do always
those things that please Him" ops. Xl, s;
John viii, 20).
3. "Thcy shall he as thorns in your sides,
and their gods shall he IL snare unto you.
The only way for those who would follow
Jesus is to Deny self and take up the
cross. " Glove not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. " Yet many
who say they are trying to live "a Christian
life, ask if they cannot read good novel
occasionally and once in awhile attend the
thcatcr and dance just little. etc: They
say, 1--WE must have relaxation and recrca-
ton, and where shall we find it,
4. "Thc people lifted up their voice ana
wept" They were, as a people much Civ
en- to murmurng and rebclling and weep
| ing. 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 II way of
fullncss of joy hich you will find in John
XIV, IL; | jon. l. I; Rom. XIV, b. but it
can only be found in complete separation
to God and to Him who gave up all for us
D. And they called the name Of that
place Buchim, and they sacrificed there
unto the Lord. Bochim signifies 1.-THE
wccrcrs' and is found only here and in
verse l. Isracl's days of weeping are not
yet over, but the time will como when in
Jcrusalcm the voice of weeping and crying
shall be heard no more lisa. Ky, 1Q). Then
shall they truly receive Him who is the
only sacrifice for sin, even the Lord Jesus
Christ. their Messiah Czech. xii, 10; xiii, ;
Isa. tx, 20, 21).
Is, :. "And the people served the Lord all
the days of Joshua" We now turn back
to the last days of Joshua and are remind
ed of his heart searching and soul stirring
farewell address, in which he showed the
impoSSibility Of serving the Lord unless
they meant it with the whole heart. All
service must be in sincerity and in truth
all worship must he in spirit and in truth
all must be "untO the Lord, - with single
| eye to His glory (.IoShua xiii, IA; John iV,
pa Col. iii, %, 24. Some helpful words on
service are also found in | Thess. ii, 4;
Gal i, 10, Not as pleasing men, but God
who tricth our hearts, - IF | yet pleased
men, l should not be the servant of
Christ The people in Joshua'S day serv-
ed in sincerity and possessed and enjoyed
the land, and the Lord who gave them the
land. 50 shall we enjoy the Lord and all
the riches Of His grace if we will serve in
sincerity and truth.
s. And Joshua. the son of Nun, the
servant of the Lord died. being an hun
drcd and ten years old" This VERSE and
xiv. 20. 30. and the Holy Spirit does not
repeat without a reason. He says ~,
shall know that have NOT done without
cause all that have done Cl2ck. xiv, 23)
What better cIualh could any one hav,
than, "a servant Of the Lord Consider
the beginnings Of the New Testament cpi-
ties and soc how the writers delighted IL
this title.
9.."And they buried Linn i'm the border
of his Inheritance i'm iiurHth heroes II,
having gone out to Doc with God, where D.,
has been We'll and hrly ever since. tl,
laid his body away ti' the resurrection
Death is AN enemy which holds ON To tb,
bodies Of the saints as longa~ possible. bu
he cunuo; harm the soul. for when b,
touches the body he only sets the soul free
to be with God.
10. "Ancthcr generation which knew
not the Lord, nor yet the works which II,
had done for Israel" This makes Us thinl
of 1.-THE new king that knew not Joseph, =
and Of the one who said II know not TIN
Lord, neither will Ut Israel go" (Ex. i
s; Y, p. There is difference between
knowing about the Lord and knowing tn
Lord. These people certainly knew abou
Him and His wonderful works, but ha,
they known Him they would have trustc,
and served Him (Scc John xvii, 3).
II. and the children of Israel did evil il
the sight Of the Lord and served Baalim.
Baal means lord or master and is Otter
used in the plural rs here Baal and Ash
tOrcth were the chief male and fcmal
dcitics of the Phwnicians and Canaanitcs
Isa. XVI, 10, might sum up all idolatry
go Lord our God, other lords beside The
have hid dominion over US Many of u
must make the same confession, and it j
well for US when we can add, "But b.
Thee only will we make mention of TIL
name"
IL "And they forsook the Lord God.
See also verso ID, and chapter vi, 10, Is
The prophets have much to say about L.
rael forsaking God. Jeremiah expresses
forcibly in chapter ii, -, when the Lor
by his mouth says, My people have CON
mitted two evils; they have forsaken Me
the fountain Of living waters, and hewe
them out cisterns, broken cistcrns that ca
hold no water" The contrast to forsakin
is to ''clcaVe unto the Lord" (Deut. XxN
10, 20; Joshua xiii, s.; Acts XII, 23).
knowledge Of the Lord and of His grca