The St. Louis Republic., 1902-10-04
THE SUNDaY-ScHo lesson.
For October Il. Crossing the Jor,
dan. Josh. CXI, $40

! >
THE coNTEXT-The days THAI elapsed
HIter Geds command to Joshua studied
Reuben Cad snd kait4rb lTsf to PFSsR35siioS
whose possession Law east OF the Jor,,s =
MeIe instructed TO cross the river and help
tnelr brethren and then return. Two spies
was sent 10 Jericho to learn the condition
OF The city and OF the surroundin. country
/ ~ me report that the inhabitants were
/ Ieaftul, an indication that God favored
asI.9i,ii' asIasi' ana that the conquest might be
| Sas-iy accomplished. Breaking camp at
Shittem, Israel approached the river and
mere mere rested over the night. prepared 20
| LSsuue the forward movement In the
morning. The whole assembly engaged in
/ religious exercises. reConsecrating The Deo-
PIE 10 God. and finally the Lord delivered
parting message 10 Joshua oversees : and
/ =, promising help and giving specific direc-
uoilS. all designed 10 secure success.
I THE PLEDGE-Nerse and lOD The
Erst i've verses OF our lesson contain
Joshu2's address 10 the people in two Sec
llons: He invited all TO assemble about him
and hear what the Lord had said 10 MIN
and then pledged the presence OF God as
N SneN entered canaan, declaring that he
~SEid drlIe out the seven nations then
lnhabltinE the land. -lt.X. NXNih. - This
WAS a reiteraSion OF what had been prom
lseu many times. Al that particular mo-
| men. i was most welcome message the
ground OF faith TO all II was highly i'm
portant thar this expedition should - nv
der;aken I'M right spirit. Every man rnpst
learn TO look UP and 10 expect helm from
above. When the religious life OF the ma
God would be propoted-to raisa up a peo-
pie Tor himself. 10 be used by him in the
among other peoples in all after centuris.
II was a sublime exhibition OF f.onfiIars..
when Joshua made this pledge. and Il was
THE METHoD-Cve-ses Il. u. ~ The
remaindeS OF Joshua's address was Occur
pied with an account OF the method st
crossing the Jordan This was 10 De or
oerly' 50 arranged as still further TO ex-
press the faith o[ the people in God and
Of
were three features. each Important l, The
ark OF the covenant would 20 first in the
That SEnided divine precedence and lead
ership. surely. the people would not fear
- -sl- txc .x aEh. Wilch contained the
charter OF the nation 2 As soon as the
feet OF the priest would rest Ia Jordan the
waters would be divided and highway
the other side This would be a miracle
Ike that which enabled Israel TO cross the
Red Sea on leaving Egypt tFcN xiv TIA
proof OF Gods presence. 3 Twelve men
enc nom each tribe. should be selected to
witness and afterwards 10 testify TO these
occurrences- This method OF procedure vIr-
tually placed the entire expedition under
the direction OF Jehovah. 50 that Israel
them into the land
THE PASSAGE-Verses IA. 15 leO The
speech or Joshua ended, the resi- OF this
tnltu chapter Is history, a record II. what
actually transDired. The precise laethod,
IS before outlined. was followed and the
priests. bearing the ark OF the covenant,
and behind them at a prescribed distance
were the people. Josh i'll - The inter
ventng space gave emphasis TO the prom
ise OF presence and guidance. When the
priests dipped their feet in the waters OF
The upper waters. coming down from the
Sea or Galilee-. stood and rose up being
spread out over the surrounding country.
while the waters below continued their
course 10 the Dead Sea. Gen xiv. 81 There
bank 10 bank along which the hosts might
march. the three millions into their prom
ised possessions. Without human wisdom
or power all this was accomplished The
prediction OF Joshua and the promise OF
Jehovah were fulfilled II must have been
pressed forward IN the prepared pathway,
an doubt and fear dismissed
THE DEFENSE-XerSe I'D On reaching
the middle Of Jordan the priests stood still.
holding the ark Of the covenant. On their
night hand were the gpheaved waters: .
wall keeping back the floods. On their left
was the open bed of the river. sprea ding
away toward the south. Before them was
Canaan. and behind them was Moab Press
ing onward on either side were the men.
women and children, cattle and other pos
sessions of Israel. And there the priests re-
the mode OF defense. An object lesson was
presented 70 every soul. It was God who
with joyful step toward u land OF their
hopes. psalm XIII. - his mighty hand In
terposed so that the foods did not over
made a powerful and lasting impression
upon every mind Thenceforwar5 that ark
ought TO have been cherished as the one
most sacred thing. and with feelings OF ven
Grafton and thanksgiving every eye ought
TO have turned toward the place where The
sacred chest was deposited. Josh. vi. IL
What wonder that this ark was carried
with confidence into battle
THE TWELvE-Cverses l and - The
tribal idel entered largely into biblical his
tory. Beginning with the sons OF Jacob
who were blessed by their father at the
time OF his death Gen. xix, $50 the
families were kept distinct all through the
Sojourn IN Egypt. and the exodus and wan
derings- They were planted in Canaan rs
arate. They made possible in the national
life traits OF character and forms OF
have been attained. Even the Christian
Church, the new Israel. was built on th..
X. D. on whom rested the foundation OF
the kingdom (Eph- II. 81 In the, passage
Of the Jordan the tribes were also recog
nized. One man OF the common people was
selected out OF each tribe TO be the Inst
that should cross the river. II Is supposed
that the twelve stood about the priests.
who bore the ark. witnessing all the events
Of the day. and then that they retired 10
express TO all their neighbOrs and children
the sense OF profound gratitude that filled |
THE STONES verses ;. 4. 81. Those |
Jordan empty handed. With the tramp OF !
conQuerors they marched after the ark
each bearing upon his shoulder a huge boul- /.
der taken out OF the place where the feet I
OF the priests had rested. This was done I
at the command OF Joshua. who must have 1
received the 0Euer from God 1t was part I
OF the method by which the crossing was 4
effected. the real design in the appointment :
of the twelve men Josh. iii IA Twelve Z
stones twelve men. twelve tribes. The I
number was sacred. Ishnael had twelve 4
sons. Gen XVII. 20l There were twelve ,
wells of water at Elm (E,x. Nv, 2D, and l
twelve bowls and twelve spoons we're de- \
voted 10 the altar. (Numb. vii S4l Sole /
man had twelve officers over Israel II Kings 1
iV. .. Elisha plowed with twelve yoke OF /
oxen-H Kings xix. 19) Twelve goats were i
a complete sin Offering. ezra vi 17) There \
are twelve gates in the new Jerusalem /
(Rev. xxi III
THE MONUMENT Cverses and q. These
stones from the bed Of Jordan were carried i
10 Gilgal Josh. iv, 90. a place in the val !
ley near Jericho, the site Of the first camp
CT the Israelites in Canaan. There they 4