Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-22
HISTORICAL. BACKGROUND,

HISTORICAL. BACKGROUND.
! Time: 7l5 B. c. Place: The prophecy we
/ study was probably dilivered in .Jerusa-
| lem. where Isaiah lived. The city re-
! ferred to as in great peril on account
OF the drunkenness of it's ;nha bitants
capital Of the ten tribes, Of which
| Ephraim was the leader, known as the
| Kingdom of Israel. Jerusalem was the
capital Of the two other tribes, known
as the Kingdom, OF Judah, Samaria, sit
| ting on a beautiful rounded hill, rising
| out Of the midst OF rich and lovely
valley. surrounded by a circle of high
| mountains. the battlemented walls re-
semblng a crown. was at this time
| probably more magnificent city than
Jerusalem, The prophet calls it the
crown of pride Of the Ephraimites. In
a few years after Isaiah uttered his
prophecy the Assyrians had swept with
their immense armies down upon Sa-
maria, and had RACED it to the ground
taken the ten tribes into captivity at
this time they felt secure. gave them
gence and luxury, lay upon beds Of ivory.
drank wine from bowls, Toasted to the
sound of the vioi, and reveled generally
in ell manner of sensuality.
FACTS OF THE LESSON.
Central theme: The certain fate Of
drunken nation.
Golden text: They also have erred
through wine"
Woe to the crown of pride Of the
drunkards of Ephraira and to the fad
ing flower of its glorious beauty. which
is On he head of the fat valley Of them
that are over come with wine! Behold.
the Lord hath mighty and a strong
one; as a tempest Of hail, a destroying
storm. as tempest of mighty waters
OVERLOOKING, will be cast down to the
earth with the hand. The crown OF
pride of the drunkards of Ephriam shall
be trodden under foot; and the fading
flower of his glorious beauty, which is
on the head OF the fat valley, shall be
as the first ripe fig before the summer;
which. when he that looketh upon it
seet1l, while it is yet in his hand ne
eateth it up. In tina, day will Jehovah
of hosts become crown OF glory ana
diadem of beauty unto the residue OF
his people; and u spirit of justice 70
Him that sitteth in Judgment "a spir OF
justice to kings and officers OF justice),
and strength to them that turn back
The battle of the gate, and even these
people OF Jerusalem) reel with wine, and
stagger with strong drink; the priest and
the prophet reel with strong drink. they
are swallowed up of wine, they stagser
with strong drink; they err in vision,
they stumble In judgment
FAIR BUT FOUL.
Such was the condition of the King
dom of Israel and its capital Samaria in
the year 5. C. rs Fair, rich, and
blessed of God,. but foul and faithless
at heart, and filthy in practice The
northern tribes of Gods people had cot
ten to be a nation of sersualists and
dru1lkards. Compared with the southern
kingdom the northern Kingdom was The
stronger in secular advantages: 1t had the
largest and most fertile territory; it lad
the most progressive people, and in
commerce and military proves 1t seems
to have been usually in advance of the
southern kingdom. Probably the mod
ern mind would have regarded Ephraim
as the more advanced in civilization But
it had begun wrong by debasing are wor-
ship of Jehovah: and its easy communt-
cation with foreign nations had brought
many sorts of heathenism into popularity.
The intern1arriage of its royal family
with the Phoenicians had led to the royal
of the vilest of ancient idolatries.
Riches had increased, and with riches
mad come luxury, and with luxury had
come disregard of the rights OF the
poor; a downward course which often
has been repeated In history. Increase
Of commercial opportunities: increase
Of wealth; increase of luxury; decrease
ST trust IN God; decrease of human SYM
pathy; self-indulgence, and increasing
use Of intoXicants'
They had always been hard drinkers
in north Israel. Fifty years before this
Amos flashed Judgment on those VINO
trusted in the mount of Samarla, loll-
ng upon their couches, and guping
heir wine out of basins, women as
we'll as men. Upon these same drunk
ards Of Ephrian, now soaked and stun !
led. Isaiah fastens his woe. Sunny the |
sky and balmy the air In which they
lie, stretched upon flowers by the heads |
# their fat valleys-and land that tempts !
is inhabitants with the security or per-
,etual summer. Samaria, the crown OF |
he land. as Paris is the crown of France, |
possessed mansions of hewn stone, pal
ices Of ivory, summer houses and winter
.ouses, gardens, vineyards, fig orchards
md olive orchards. 1T was rich, re-
WEAKNESS ANR DRUNKENNESS.
The glory Of nation is the strength (
# its manhood, both morally and ply
ically. Drunkenness destroys both
What could be more effeminate and pal
nv than a community or nation where
II the population were drunkards:
low unfit for war OF any serious busl-
less in life is the drunkard Among
he most emphatic lessons taught by
history are those which show nations
ave gone out in darkness because OF
Temperance is power
avs history Israel Gods own nation,
VILE stunned with wine. was con-
uered by a heather people, Assyrla.
Issvria. becoming indulgent and drunk
n, is soon captured by Babylon. and Bah
Ion, IN an hour Of drunken feastlns, IS
onouered by Persia. Rome, rich and
owerful, skilled In military tactics. is