Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-09-15
TEN TRIBES TAKEN CAPTIVE.
sunday school Lesson in the inter-
national Series for September
Is. 1882 Kings, 17;D-Is.


GOLDEN TEXT.-If thou seek Him, He
will be found OF thee; but IL thou forsake
Him, He Will cast thee oil forever.-I.
Chron. ESQ
UBJECT.-Captivity Of the Ten Tribes
THE SECTION includes the last years
of Israel, in 2 Kings 10 .s-Sl; II :l-41; and the
prophets Amos and Hosea.
TIAIE.-The fall OF Samaria took place
In December, ~, or early in IA All au-
thorlties agree here.
PLACE.-Samaria, the capital OF Israel
EXPLANATORY.
I Decline and Fall of Israel-The
two prophets, Amos and Hosea. with
all their intense earnestness and love.
we're unable to make the people see.
through the gorgeous clothing Of the
nation, the deadly cancer that was
eating out its life. Jeroboam the
Great died about 740, 'and in less than
two decades the proud kingdom over
which he ruled ceased to exist. -Four
of the six kings who succeeded him
we're struck down by assassins, and
one died in captivity. Kent.
II. The Moral Causes of the Fall of
Israeli Forgetting God. They for
got God and all He had done for them
v.
They lost their confidence in Gods
wisdom and power to defend them as
lie had done in the days Of old. His au-
thority waned. His commandments
were forgotten and set al naught.
2. Hypocrisy. v. 8. Ibid secretly"
They covered their idolatry with pre-
lenses that it was a worship of Je-
hovah.-Cook.
3. Idolatry. Built : high
places:" Affairs in groves on hill, for
worship, sometimes for worship of
Jehovah, but often for the worship of
idols" Prom the tower of the
watchman:" In lonely spots, to guard
vineyards and focls.
v. 10. 'Images:" Perhaps carved in
some figure, but often only obelisks.
representing some idol. "Groves: !"
Asherim, wooden images, carved on
pillars, of the goddess Asherah, cor
responding to the Grecian Venus.
VII. Whom the Lord carried away"
into captivity by the Assyrians. These
nations were nearer Assyria, and first
attacked, and yet Isaael did not take
warning, but did the very things which
brought evil upon others.
4. Resistance to Good Influences.
via. "Yet the Lord testified against"
! Or. ", unto). by all the prophets"
| Those who speak forth what God
would say to men. And by all the
seers:" Those who see visions which
God reveals. Prophets of every kind
were sent.
VIA. "But hardened their necks:" 4
metaphor derived from those oxen
who, in spite of all efforts to guide
| them. hold their necks set and firm
in the way they determine to go. 1t
expresses unbending obstinacy and
self-will
5. Unbelief. That did not believe in
| the Lord" They of course knew His
existence, but they did not trust in
His guidance, in His wisdom and good
ness, so as to do what He commanded.
6. Disobedience. V. Is. They rejected
| His statutes" The natural result of
unbelief And His covenants" So the
Jaw was called, because it was an agree
ment between God and His people, He
to preserve and defend them, they to
obey. (See Deut. 2o:l 9, 49, His testi-
| timonies:" His law. which is the testi-
| mony He bears for truth and against
iniquity. And followed van
ity:" Idols who were absolutely pow
erless to help them. Became yain:'
Weak. helpless, with no power to re
sist attacks.
7. Cruelty and Crime. V. II. Caused
their sons to pass through
the fire. Not merely made then
pass through the fire for publication,
but burnt them with fire. This was
done in the worship of Molech. "Th'
Rabbins tell us that this idol was made
of brass, and that the head was tina
of a calf with q crown upon it. 1t wa
made hollow, and furious fire wa
kindled within it. When tn
arms were red hot, the victim wa
thrown into them. and was almost i'm
mediately burned TO death, while II
cries were drowned by drums" "DiN
ination and entertainments" Thes
were different ways of seeking to know
future events, and of imposing upo
the people. And sold themselves t
do evil:" The metaphor is taken fror
the practice of men selling themselve
: INTO slavery. and SO giving themselvt
, wholly up to work the will of thei
I master.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
no nation, ana no individual. can a
tain the highest good from life wit
4 out supreme conservation TO God.