The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON X, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATIoNAL SERIES. DEG. 4.

cxix, a. Commentary Prepared by the
Rev. D. NJ. stcarns.
copyright. 1898. by d. NJ Stearns.l
s. IT have found the book of tho law in
the house of the Lord" By comparing II
Chron. xxxiv, IA, it looks as II 1t might
have been an original copy Of the law.
Josiah was the last good king Of Judah,
and he reigned 81 years. In the thirteenth
year of his reign jeremiah began to proph-
esy and continued n prophet of the Lord
for 40 years (Jer. 1, ., 81. 1t is written of
Josiah in III Kings xiii, 25, that there
was no king either before or after him who
like him turned to the Lord with all his
heart and soul and might HezelSiah ex-
celled all others In his trust in the Lord
| (II Kings xviii, 81. Josiah began to reign
at the age of years. When he was IS, he
began to cleanse the land Of idols When
he was 20, he repaired and cleansed the
temple, and kept the greatest passover that
had been kept since the days of Samuel
| Oh Chron. xxxiv, 8, s; xxxv, 1S, 19). 1t
was while they were working at the temple
that they found this book of the law.
9. Shaphan the scribe reported to the
king that the money which had been gath
cred In the house of the Lord had been de-
livered to the overseers Of the work, and
It is said that they were SO faithful that
no reckoning was made with them Of the
! money (verses 40. We do not read of any
lack Of funds for the work. for the bless
ing Of Elshaddai (the mighty God who is
all sufficiently was upon His faithful people.
10, II. Shaphan told the king Of the
book that had been found, and read it to
him, and when he heard 1t he rent his
clothes Josiah was possessed Of q poor
and contrite spirit and trembled at Gods
word lisa. Xvi, q; lvii, 15). 1t is written
in Ez TX, 4. "Then were assembled every
one that trembled at the words of the
God Of Israel because Of the trangression.
Many are Indifferent to the word of God
and never read 1t or hear it read Many
who read 1t do not give heed to it, Many,
even Of those who are supposed to be
preachers OF the word, dishonor it by
doubling 1t and questioning it, while but
few comparatively tremble at it like Jo-
siah.
l2, 10. go ye, inquire Of the Lord for
me and for the people, and for all Judah,
concerning the words of this book that is
found. The priest and scribe and others
were thus commissioned by the king. 1t
may have been such passages as Deut.
xviii, 1887; Lev. XVI 14-46, that SO
stirred Josiah, but whatever portions spe-
cially affected him he evidently believed
what many protesting Christians do not
today believe, that there is such O thing as
the wrath OF God and that 1t is a very
serious matter not to believe and obey the
words of tho Lord. To set ones heart up
on and observe to do the words of the law
was said to be their life, but II one would
not ht,arken God had said that He would
require It Of him (Deut- xxxii, 46, Al;
xviii, l9). A common form Of unbelief
now is that God is too good to punish any
one and that there is no place Of FIRE and
birthstone either for the devil or his fol-
lowers.
IL. "They went to Huldah the prophet
es who dwelt in Jerusalem, and they
eommuned with her" So there were at
other times Deborah and an Anna who
knew the Lord better than others (Judg.
iv, 4; Luke II, 86). God has His hidden
ones to whom He reveals Himself and
whom He uses to instruct others when
His time comes 1t may be a Joseph In a
prison, or Daniel who has been crowded
out by q younger and more progressive
party, an Elijah at some cherith, or a
Stephen or Philip ready for any manner
Of service. Wherever you are be sure that
you are learning to know God for in due
time He will call you.
10. THUS saith the Lord God of Israel,
Toll tho man that capt Won IN ma - Che
had no words Of her own for them, no
opinions or suggestions no words of peace
full fattery, but only faithful message
from the Lord, regardless Of what they
might think of 1t or Of her. When God
has messenger whom He can use, He al
ways gives message. He said to Moses,
II will be with thy mouth and teach thee
what thou shalt say"
10. "Behold will bring evil upon this
place-all the words Of the book which the
king Of Judah hath read" Every purpose
of the Lord shall be performed, for hath
He said and shall He not do itf Or hath
He spoken and shall He not make it good?
(Jer. H. 80; Mum. xiii, 1917 All that
God purposes to do is as good as done, for
He is able to carry out all His plans; there
Is nothing too hard or wonderful for Him.
He cannot err, neither can He fail nor be
discouraged. He did not fail to lay upon
His dear Son all our sins He viii not
fail to let His wrath fall upon all who de-
spise His Son and His love.
II. my wrath shall be kindled against
this place and shall not be quenched.
This because they forsook God and wor-
shipped the works Of their own hands. They
forsook the fountain of living water and
made themselves cisterns which could hold
no water (Jer. II, 1s). We think 1t strange
that Israel could possibly turn from the
living God to worship idols of wood and
stone Yet In the SO called service of God
among us there is great turning from