Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-12-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lessen Comments For
December Is.
Review Of the Twelve Lessons For the Last
Quarter, Pisa. 100, Ii, 40-lS.Golden Text,
Pisa. 90. From Joshua to the Calling OF
Samuel

Il.
divine commission. Place: The Jordan. OPP
posite Jericho. After Moses was dead
Joshua was told to arise and lead the pee
pie over Jordan into Canaan. The Lord
told Joshua to be very courageous, for no
man would be able to stand against HIM
while he lived. He was also tod to care
fully obey the law which God had given
him Joshua then commanded the people
to prepare victuals. for in three days they
were to pass over Jordan.
Ill. Topic: Israel entering Canaan.
Place: The Jordan. opposite Jericho. Be-
fore they crossed the river two spies were
sent over, who brought back word that the
people were filled with terror. The ark OF
the Lord was to pass over first, and when
the priests who bore the ark stepped INTO
the water the river divided and the people
passed over on dry ground. Twelve men
had been chosen, who took twelve stones
from the river bottom and carried them to
Gi.gal, where they were set up as memo
rial.
Ill. Topic: The capture OF Jericho.
Place: At Gilgal. near Jericho. The Lord
gave Joshua careful directions as to how
to take the city OF Jericho, and then
Joshua told the people what to do. They
were to march around the city once day
for six days. and on the seventh day they
were to march around seven times. Then
the priests were TO blow with the trumpets
as the Lord had commanded them and the
walls fell down fiat.
". Topic: Caleb receiving his inherit
ance. Place Gigal. 1t has been about
six years since the lsraelites entered Ca
man. They are now assembled at Gilgal
to divide the land among the tribes.
Caleb was one OF the two good spies, and
Moses had promised him Hebron. Calen
is now eighty-five years old. but he is still
strong and able to possess his inheritance.
Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him He
bron. because he had whoRy followed the
Lord.
v. Topic: Divine protection. Pace:
Shiloh. The inheritance of the tribe OF
Levi was forty-eight cities. which were
quite evenly distributed among the tribes.
Six of these cities were chosen as cities OF
refuge Kedesh. Shechem and Hebron
were on the west of Jordan. and Beer.
Ramoth and Golan on the east The
cities were on hills. and the one who acct
dentally killed another could flee here for
refuge. To-day Christ is our refuge.
VI. Topic: Joshua renewing the cove
nant. Place: Shechem. Joshua was now
an old man. and before he died ne assem-.
bed the people at Shechem and gave them
his parting advice He called on them to
choose whom they would serve, jehovah
or the gods OF the Canaanites. He told
them that he and his house would serve
II.
serve and obey the Lord. Joshua tod
theri that if they served the Lord they
would be blessed. but If they forsook Him
they would suffer accordingly
VII. Topic: The apostacy Of Israel.
Place: Canaan. Joshua died, being 10
years old. While he lived the peop.c
served the Lord. 4 few years after his
served Balaam. Because OF this the Lord
delivered them into the hands OF their EN-
emies, and the heather nations greatly
distressed them. The Lord raised up
judges which delivered them. but when
the judge was dead the people corrupted
themselves worse than before
VIII. Topic: The evil effects OF wine.
Place: Probably Jerusalem. l he nation
had been prosperous. but in the midst al
the prosperity the people had forsaken the
Lord. They were especially given to
drunkenness. The land was filed with
filthiness. God pronounced woe upon
them because of their terrible sins
Ephraim should be destroyed
IN. Topic: The triumph Of Gideon.
Place: At the foot OF Mount Gilhoa. The
Midianites were greatly expressing Gods
people. The Lord called Gideon as de.
liyerer. Gideon called the lsraelites to-
.gether and assembled an army of - 900
men; requests the fearful and afraid" to
return home. and the army was thus re.
them at the brook and only 300 men were
retained and with this small force Gideon
put to fight the Midianitsh army.
\. Topic: Ruth's choice. Places: Moab,
Bethlehem. There was a famine IN the
land of Israel and Naomi with her hus.
band and two sons went to the land Of
Moab to live. The sons married Moabit.h
women. but after few years both sons
and their father died, leaving the women
widows. Naomi then decided to return to
Bethlehem. Orpah remained in Moab. hut
Ruth c!ave to her mother-in-law and chose
the true God.
XI. Topic: The doom of the ungodlv.
Place Shiloh. The child Samuel assisted
Eli IN the tabernacle service; God spake To
Samuel, Samuel at first supposed Eli had
called him. but afterward understood that
it was the Lord: the Lord told Samuel
what He intended to do against Eli. be.
cause his sons had made themselves vi,e,"
and Eli had restrained them not"
Nj. Topic; The birth Of Jesus. Place:
Bethlehem; nearby were shepherds keep.
ing watch in the fields over their focks:
the angel of the Lord appeared to them;
light shone around them: they were told
Saviour was born; if they would 90 TO
Bethlehem they would find the young
child II manger: they went and found
all as the angel had said
Thoughts.-Those who fully follow the
Lord will receive rich spiritual blessings.
Whatever God commands us to do He is
ready to assist us in doing. We should
always remember God and His goodness
to us. The things that are impossible for
us to do are very easy for the Lord to
perform-it was no. hard thing for God
to overthrow the walls of Jericho, and He
can just as easily overthrow HIS enemies
to-day. Although Caleb was promised
Hebron. yet it was necessary for him to
claim his possession and then enter upon
it.. and so now. Gods people must ''lay
hold" OF spiritual blessings if they would
be satisfied with the riches OF His grace.
When we fail to obey God we always suf-
fer the penalty of our evil deeds. Parents
should carefully tram their children.
Teachings. is joy in Christ for
the whole world, and there is JOY in Him
for you. Christ comes to reign in a very
humble way. and it is only by humility tina.
we are enabled to enter His kingdom. In
this His kingdom is wholly unlike the
kingdoms of this ~rr!d. Humility is the
mark of the Son cd and of all His fol-
lowers. We Shout orify and praise God
for His great love giving His only begot.
ten Son to show US thc way to heaven.