The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-10-16

inhabitants of Canaan heard of the
miraculous crossing of the Jordan,
their heart melted, neither was
there spirit in them any more, be-
cause of the children of Israeli
(5:D. 1t is well-known military
principle that the best of all times
to strike an enemy is when he Is
paralyzed with fear. According to
this, Joshua should have marched
without delay against Jericho. But
at Gods command he halted at Gil
gal, that the Israelites might renew
their covenant with Jehovah through
the rite of circumcision, and that
they might celebrate the passover.
Our lesson shows that nothing vas
lost by this delay.
Keeping the Passover.-The inhab-
itants of Canaan were paralyzed
with fear at the approach of the
Hebrews, and at the marvellous way
in which all obstacles vanished be-
fore them. There was absolutely
no danger of attack, and so Joshua
rested for time at Gilgal, which
was his headquarters throughout the
conquest. During this time the rite
of circumcision, which had been dis
continued during the years of wan
dering, was reinstituted, and the
passover anniversary Of the fight
from Egypt was observed for the
first time in the land of promise.
Notice that the miraculous supply
of food was not continued after it
became possible to obtain food in
any other way. 1t was not Gods
purpose to encourage laziness.
Divine Instructions.-In seeing the
"prince of the host of Jehovah"
Joshua had his vision as Moses had
his at the burning bush. In the
great responsibility that had been
laid upon Joshua he needed a spe-
cial, personal assurance of Jehovah's
actual leadership. He received it
here.
The City Taken.-The order of
march was (D company OF. armed
men, (2) the seven priests with rams
horns, (3) the ark, (I the rest of
the host-the "rearward." The his
torian tells us that the siege of Jeri-
cho was very effective (6:D, and that
it's final fall was wrought by the
hand Of God alone, mans part being
simply the movements described in
the text. The account purposes to
teach at least these four things: ()
Obedience. The Hebrews were
armed men. They were ''strong and
of good courage" They must have
been tempted to attack the city in
the usual way, but they obeyed, ex-
ercsing great self-control, for they
were allowed to make no demonstra-
tion against the city except the sol
emn one divinely ordered. The fall
of the city was the reward of obedi-
ence. (2) Faith. They were exhort-
ed to be strong, and then at once
commanded not to use that strength.
They needed the strength. but they
also needed to learn not to rely on
it. Here the historian saw n lesson
of trust in God. "By faith the walls
of Jericho fen down" (3) Israel
was Gods chosen people. We are
made to see the conquest from two
points of view First, God was TAX
ing the land of Canaan for his people,
Israel, and second, God was using
his people as an instrument with
which to infict deserved punishment
on n race whose existence, for the
best interests of mankind at large,
could no longer be tolerated. (4)
The conquest was religious move
ment. 1t was faithfulness to God
and the law that brought success,
and unfaithfulness that brought fail
ure.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
The love of God is the light of man.
Gods orders are not to be criti-
cised, but are to be carried out.
If the church triumphs, it will be
through faith and obedience.
Gods (apparent) foolishness is
wiser than the wisdom Of the wisest
men.
If the church triumphs, It will do
so through Gods methods and not
through mans.
If the church triumphs, it will do
30 in a way that will especially
honor God rather than itself.