The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-10-09
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments For
October II.
Subject: Crossing the Jordan. Josh. H., | to
w., 7-dolden Text, lisa. KILL, Memory
Verses, i5.l7-commentary on the
Days Lesson.

'eioSst tio-h-tOmmeutury on the
Days Lesson.
0. Hear the words" IL seems that the
Israelites had no intmation how they were
to cross the river till shortly before the
event. The address of Joshua, taken in
connection with the miraculous result ex.
actly as he had described it, would tend
to increase and confirm their faith in God.
10. "The living God" This full assur.
ance OF the presence of the only true God
among them would encourage them against
fear at sight of what might appear to be
h danger. In the land where they were
going, they were to combat with idoators,
whose gods were only wood and stone,
but they were to have living God, who
could give life or take it, and He would
ahow, by the wonderful miracle, that lie
YoulG defend His people Without fail"
thls was strong promise, but even this
was not unconditional. See last lesson.
when man fails God refuses" Drive
out" A list of seven tribes that inhabited
the land now follows. Some of them were
powerful. There were formidable leagues
of chiefs and kings, organized armies with
giants among them, warhorses and iron
chariots, strong stone fortresses, in a
country possessed by those who knew
every foot of it. At the same time we
learn from the monuments lately discov.
cred that probably at this time they had
bcth greatly Wtdktneu DN EgNDtlun con-
quest, and there was some such prepara-
tlon for the Israeltes as there was among
the Indians when the Pilgrims came over
to New England. "Canaanites" Or Cow
landers," who inhabited the seacoast and
western bank OF. the Jordan. But this
term is often used to include all the tribes
here mentioned. Utilities" These were
descendants from Heth and were settled in
and around Hebron. %: 10, 20. Amor.
ties" The mountaineers, the largest and
most powerful tribe of all. Their name is
sometimes taken to include all the Canaan
itish tribes.
II. Ark of the Covenant" This was
the sacred chest which contained the tables
OF the law, a pot OF mama and Aaron's
rod that budded. Heb o: 4. 1t was the
symbol of Jehovah's presence. "Passeth
oyer before you" The ark was carried on
the shoulders OF the priests nearly three
quarters of a mile in advance of the people.
y. Twelve men" These men were to
take memorial stones from the river as
/ described later on.
-. The priests that bear the ark" On
| ordinary occasions the Levites of the house
OF hohath, by special command. bore the
ark. But when removed from within the
veil or when borne on festive occasions of
extraordinary interest, the priests, the off
4 spring OF Aaron, were the bearers.
~. When the people removed" This
was on the 10th day Of Abb or Nisan. the
same same month in which they departed from
Is. Feet. Ut. were dipped" etc. The
/ priests proceeded first with the ark. and
entered into the bed OF the river. the
course OF which was Immediately arrested.
the waters collecting above the place where
the priests stood. while the stream fell off
toward the Dead Sea, so that the whole
emanuel pelow where the priests were
standing became dry. What strong faith
they had in God. When they crossed
| through the sea the ground was made dry
oeiore they advanced, but now they start
on their march while a mighty river is
SUI rolling between them and Canaan.
Al ms banks The Jordan had two
ana IN some places three banks. At its
Hood it overAowed the first and second
2anks and covered the whole space between
the terraces formed by the second and
third banks. The waters on each side
would be comparatively shallow. Here the
priests were to stand or rest in the shoal
water on the eastern bank until the waves
receded, and the rivers channel was made
oare; then they advanced in the midst of
me channel and there stood until all the
people had crossed This was the barley
harvest which was several weeks earlier
man the wheat harvest. The reason for
ane overflow at this time instead of the
winter, which in that latitude is the rainy
season, is because the snow in the Lebanon
mountains melts with the increasing heat
Of summer. Ne"'
10. Adam. .Zaretan." See r. v
Where these cities were is not known but
they must nave been up the river. Adam
mas been placed by different writers ali
me way from fifteen to fifty miles above
inc place where the Israelites crossed the
Jordan. There are many opinions as 10
me manner in which this stupendous mir.
lcie was performed. Some think the water
was was heaped up many miles away and that
.ne river Ded was dry as far as the eye
could see. Others think that the Lord
gave a contrary direction to the current
ana that the waters were distributed over
me adjacent country towards the sea of
uaiilee. The salt sea-" The Dead Sea.
;alled also the sea of the plain. 1t is
hear' D9t IT'S waters are strongly tinctured
with salt. Right against Jericho" An
Instance of their boldness, and a noble
defiance of their enemies. Jericho was
,ne OF the strongest cities and vet tbev
Jared to face it at their first entrance.
II. Dry ground" Not hard and dusty
ground; but dry only in the sense of being
drained of water. See chap. 4: l8. "Clean
over Jordan" The forty years Of struggle
ind trial are over, and the people stand
tor the first time on their own possessions
/. All the people," All the people of
fhe nine and a half tribes that were to
locate on the west of Jordan, and forty
thousand picked soldiers of the two and a
half tribes that had located on the east
Of Jordan. N"''
2. Twelve men," These men were
chosen before the crossing. See 9: I2.
80. Twelve stones" etc. The twelve
chosen men each took stone from the
rlveer-bottom where the priests had stood.
and carried them to Gilgal, where their
urst encampment in Canaan was located
6 "A sign" etc. This accomplished two
purposes: /. The preservation OF national
history and religious knowledge q The
religious education of the young. Object
teaching, which has recently been brought
forward in the art of education. is here
introduced as a method Of instruction by
God Himself. By the presentation of Wis.
ible objects to the eye, divine truth may
soul.
T. These stones. Ia memorial" The
erection OF huge, piles of stones as monu-
ments of remarkable incidents has been
common among all people, They are the
means of perpetuating the memory OF
important transactions These twelve
stones were to be standing record of the
miraculous passage of the Jordan.