Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-23
9nternatiunat gfsso1ls.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON x, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 4.

LESSON X, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATIoNAL SERIES, DEC. 4.
Text of the Lesson, II Kings xii, $40.
Memory Verse, 19-Golden Text, Ps.
oxix, a Commentary Prepared by ths
Rev. d. M. Stearns.
copyright, 1898. by D. NJ. stearns.l
8. "I have found the book Of the law in
the house of the Lord" By comparing II
Chron. xxxiv, IA, it looks as If it 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 prophet Of the Lord
for 40 years (Jer. /, 2, 81. 1t is written of
Josiah in II 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. Hezekiah ex-
celled all others in his trust In the Lord
III Kings xviii, 81. Josiah began to reign
at the age Of years When he was 16, he
began to seek God When he was 30, he
began to cleanse the land Of idols. When
he was 26, he repaired and cleansed the
temple, and kept the greatest passover that
had been kept since the days Of Samuel
Oh Chron. 1xxiv, 8, 8; x1xv, 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
1t is said that they were so faithful that
no reckoning was made with them Of the
money oversees ~. 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 1t to
him, and when he heard 1t he rent his
clothes. Josiah was possessed Of poor
and contrite spirit and trembled at Gods
word lisa Xvi, 2; 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 it or hear it read. Many
who read it do not give heed to 1t. Many,
even of those who are supposed to be
preachers of the word, dishonor 1t BY
doubling it and questioning 1t, while but
few comparatively tremble at 1t like Jo-
siah. :
12, 1s. "Go ye, inquire Of the Lord for
me and for the people, and for all Judah,
ha xuordo Of fhfc koOR that ia
found" The priest and scribe and others
were thus commissioned by the king. 1t
may have been such passages as Deut.
xviii, 1857; Lev. XVI, l4-46, that 80
stirred Josiah, but whatever portions spe.
cially affected him he evidently believed
what many protesting Christians do not
today believe, that there Is such thing as
the wrath Of God and that 1t is q very
serious matter not to believe and obey the
words of the Lord. To set ones heart up
on and observe to do the words Of the law
was said to be their life, but If one would
not hearken God had said that He would
require it of him (Deut. xxxii, 46, AZ;
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.
IA. "They went to Huldah the prophet
ess who dwelt in Jerusalem, and they
communed with her," So there were at
other times Deborah and an Anna who
knew the Lord better than others (Judg.
iv, 4; Luke ii, 36). God has His hidden
ones to whom He reveals Himself and
whom He uses to instruct others when
His time comes. 1t may be q Joseph In q
prison, or Daniel who has been crowded
out by 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,
Tell the man that sent you to me-" She
had no words Of her own for them, no
opinions or suggestions, no words Of peace
full fattery, but only a faithful message
from the Lord, regardless Of what they
might think Of it or of her. When God
has messenger whom He can use he al
ways gives q message He said to Moses,
II will be with thy mouth and teach thee
what thou shalt say"
16. "Behold I 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 itp Or hath
He spoken and shall He not make it goodp
(Jer. II, 30; Mum. xiii, 19.) 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 will 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 it strange
that Israel could possibly turn from the
living God to worship idols Of wood and
stone Yet in the 80 called service Of God
among US there is great turning from
the simple worship of God in spirit and
truth to that which Is possibly worse than
the idols of Israel.
18, 10. because thine heart was ten
der, and thou hast humbled thyself before
the Lord, when thou heardest what I
spake." Although wrath would surely
fall upon the nation, yet upon Josiah and
such as humbled themselves before God
there would be mercy. At one time the
Lord said that though Noah, Daniel and
Job were in the city, they would deliver
but their own souls by their righteousness.
Again He said that, though Moses and
Samuel stood before Him, His mind could
not be toward Israel (Ezek. xiv, IA; Jer.
xv, y. There came a time when all that
certain righteous ones could do was to
sigh and cry because Of the sins which
they loathed but could not prevent On