Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-08
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments for
November 9.
Subject: Joshua's Parting Advice, Josh. xiv.
l4.2S-GoIden Text. Josh, XIV, is
Memory Verses, IA, f5-Commen.
tary on the Days Lesson.

IA. Now therefore In view of the
fact that Jehovah has brought you forth
with such a mighty hand. Fear the
Lord" Reverence the Lord and walk
carefully before Him. Think of His males
ty and respect His authority, and remem'
Der that His eye is ever upon you. Always
make Him the object OF all your worship.
Serve Him." Perform His will: obey His
commandments. I'm sincerity and in
truth" Without hypocrisy. The Latin
word from which out sincerity" comes
denotes ''honey without wax" unmixed
purity The Greek word is considered by
some to he founded on the idea of some
thing held up in the rays of the SUM- and
proved to he without speck or flaw. Put
away the gods" Ii would seem from these
words that there were some among them
who privately kept the images or gods
which had belonged to their forcfathers
The gods which their forefathers wor
shipped were "a the gods OF the Chaldeans
They worshiped fire, light and the sun. and
made gods to them. (2) The images wor
SHIPPED by the Egyptians which were the
ape. serpents. vegetables, etc. The inhab
itants of Canaan also worshiped idols.
which would become a snare to Israel TN
less they put away all heather worship.
Joshua saw that they could not be sincere
in divine worship and use idols "On the
other side of the food" Beyond the
river" K. V. That is, beyond the Eli.
pirates. in Mesopotamia and in Ur, whence
Abraham came.
II. iii it. seem evil" If it seem unwisc
or inexpedient "Choose you." etc. Lake
Elijah on Carmel q Kings Is: 2D, Joshua
calls upon the people to at once decide az
to whom they would serve. They had been
harboring idols ". 23) and worshiping
them in secret, while openly processing to
serve God. 1t was high time for this TO
cease. The whole hope of the nation de-
pended upon whole-hcarted service of Je-
hovah. There was no good reason for
them to defer the matter single moment
As for me and my house." Joshua is out
spoken. His decision was made many
wears before this. He also resolves for his
family. his children and servants and such
as were under his care and influence and
protection.
l6. "The people answered" All the poo
ple responded to his call by loud and
hearty declarations OF their determined
faitbfulness to their covenant with Jeho
vah' Whatever had been their sins they
were rot ready to forsake the service OF
God They reply with tirmness, leaving no
room for doubt Joshua did everything
possible to confirm the: decision and to
render it enduring. He caused them to re-
peat it three times Tvs. l6. q. 2D each
time in stronger terms and in clearer light.
Nor was it in vain. for it lasted for a whole
generation. az long as the people lived who
made this choice " 81; Jud. .: Z.
II, Is. For the Lord our God" etc.
The people ground their promises of fidel.
ity for the future on the dealings of God
with them in the past: !; Their deliver
wrought in that land. s. Their preserva.
tons in the wilderness. 4. The expulsion
of the Amorites. Therefore will we also"
Joshua would not be permitted to stand
alone in his choice. for they were of the
same mind, and would claim the same God
with him.
10. Eye cannot serve the Lord" Ye
cannot in your own strength, while still
clinging to your idolatry and with hearts
ncregenerated. IAN holy God" He is
holy in His character. and will not allow
His people to. be deiled by any impure
worship. He is a jealous God" He is al
together unlike the gods OF the nations
around, and if they would serve Him they
must make Him the highest object OF their
love and devotion. "Will not forgive--your
sins" Rather will not pass by your sins as
il taking no notice of them. He will not
tolerate sin. The explanation is that while
God is foreiving to the truly penitent, He
vigorously Furnishes all incorrigib.e sinners.
20. Then He will turn" God is unal-
!erably fixed in His attitude toward sin. to.
ward the repentant sinner and toward the
righteous. He never changes, but as we
change He assumes different attitudes to-
ward us, as we put ourselves in different
relations to Him. See Jer. Is: 7-l0. DO
you hurt" etc. They could not deny Gods
goodness to them. but He made law and
if they transgressed the wrath of God
ixed their own punishment.
81. we will serve the Lord" They un.
ierstood Joshua's meaning, and declare
they will not cause God to turn and do
hem hurt. Whatever He requires at their
aand they pledge themselves to be ODE
dent. They promise to put from among
ing their best affections.
81. witnesses against yourselves"
They had decided and publicly promised
20 obey, accepting the conditions OF bless.
ings for obedience and punishment for dis.
obedience. Their conscience will be their
witness, judge and executioner. Another
witness was the written word ". 26). and
third was great stone set up as monu-
ment ". 27), which would constantly re.
mind them OF their promise.
%. Put away" etc. Prove your inten.
tons at once Begin the work of reforma-
ton before your hearts harden against
your promise. Let the heart incline to.
ward God. and the acts of the life will har-
monte with the divine will.
"a. Twill we serve and obey" The
thought of prompt action did not change
them, but only settled their minds more
fully. The better they understood the
more determined were they to obey.
25 Joshua made a covenant" A cove.
nant had been concluded by God on Sinai
with Israel and solemnly ratified. Elk. 10:
20 This covenant Moses had renewed in
the field of Moab. Deut. 20: l. Joshua
who had been present at the ratification
of both the previous covenants, renews it
now. and doubtless with august ceremonies.