The Tupelo journal., 1904-07-22
THE SUNDAY BIBLE H
Lesson in the International Series
for July "a, 19O4-"Jehosha-
phat's Reform"
prepared by the Highway and By
way" Preacher.)

LCOpyTlSnt, l9U4, ny y. NJ. E-uSoH.I
LESSON TEXT.
e Chron. 19:1-11; Memory Verses, 4-6.)
And Jehoshaphat the king of judah re-
turned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.
2. n Jehu the son of Hanani the seer
ven out to meet him, and said to King
Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the un-
cody, and love them that hate the Lord!
therefore is wrath Upon thee from before
the Lord.
8. Nevertheless there are good things
found in thee. in that thou hast taken
away the groves out of the land. and hast
prepared him heart to seek God.
4. And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem:
n he went out again through the people
from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, and
brought them back unto the Lord God OF
their fathers.
5. And he set judges in the land through
out all the fenced cities of Judah, city by
city.
6. And said to the judges, Take heed
what We do, for We judge not for man. but
for the Lord, Who Is with you in the judg-
ment.
Z. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord
be upon you; take heed and do 1T; for there
is no iniquity with the Lord our God. nor
respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
s. Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehosha-
phat set of the Levites, and of the priests,
and of the chief of the fathers of Israel,
for the judgment of the Lord, and for con-
troversies when they returned to Jerusa-
lem.
9. And he charged them, saying. Thus
shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faith
fully, and with a perfect heart.
10. And what cause soever shall come to
you of your brethren that dwell in their
cities, between blood and blood, tween
law and commandment, statutes and judg-
ments, ye shall even warn them that they
trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath
come upon you, and upon your brethren;
this do. and We shall not trespass.
II. And, behold, Amariah the chief priest
is over you in all matters of the Lord; and
Zeba6iah the son of Ishmael, the ruler CT
the house of judah, for all the kings mat
ters; also the Levites shall be officers be-
fore you. Deal courageously, and the
Lord shall be with the good.
THE LESSON includes . Chron. 17-2O; ]
Kings %.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Deal courageously,
and the Lord shall be with the good
2 Chron. 1911.
TIME.-Jehoshaphat began to reign in
94 B. C. Lesson events occurred in TWEEN
tieth year of his reign.
PLACE.-Jerusalem and Judea.
PERSONS.-Jehoshaphat, and the seer,
Jehu.
Events in Judah.
Jehoshaphat's righteous and prosperous
reign.-2 Chron. II.
Jehoshaphat's unholy alliance with Ahab.
q Chron. is.
Events of the LesSon.-Chap. 10.
Jehoshaphat's miraculous victory over
Moab and Ammon.-Chap. 20:1-30.
Jehoshaphat's second wicked alliance
with Israel.-Chap. O:35.
Jehoshaphat's Disastrous Shipping Ven
ture.-Vs. So, 81.
Events in Israel.
Ahab was killed in battle with the Syri-
ans against whom he had gone when he
persuaded Jehoshaphat TO join forces with
him. The lesson to-day occurred after
Ahab's death. All of the interesting
history of Elijah, the Prophet. which will
be considered in the lessons for August and
September, occurred during ~Jehoshaphat's
reign.
Comparing Scripture with Scripture.
"Jehu the seer went out tC
meet him."-The same prophet who had
rebuked Baasha, king of Israeli Kings
1871. God repeatedly sent His prophets
to rebuke sin in high places. See l Sam.
1910; 2 Sam. 1871; l Kings 1871; l
Kings 17:1, etc. Ps. 1898, but-Ps.
1899.
"Shouldest thou help the ungodly and
love them that hate the Lord?" Eph.
Sill; 2Cor. 6:14-17; 2 John 10:11. This
ungodly alliance probably led later to
the marriage of Jehoshaphat's son,
Jehoram, to Ahab's daughter.-2 Chron.
21:6.
Nevertheless, there are good things
found in thee"-SeeJ ehoshaphat' s splen-
did record in 2 Chron. II. God is always
ready to see the good and give due credit.
"He went out again.-See 2 Chron.
1878 In the prosperity of the king
dom and the interest of the king in other
things, the early reforms had undoubt-
eddy Iapsed. as they do to-day We need
to remember I Cor. 1888.
Brought them back unto the Lord"
1915, Jas $40. ROM ISL.
"Set judges i'm the land."-This means
his reappointment of commissioners of
public instruction mentioned in Chap.
T7:7-9. Perhaps with new powers and
large staff of assistants:
take heed what We do: for We Judge
not for man, but for the Lord, who is
with you i'm the judgment. This would
be a good text to hang over the desk
of every Judge in the land to-day. Much
honorable judges.-Comp. I Sam S:I-3
with VS.. 4 and 5.
Moreover: "-Jehoshaphat did not rest
content with educational and judicial
reforms. He reestablished the religious
functions of the priests and Levites,
charging them to serve Gin the fear of
the Lord, faithfully, and with q perfect
heart" Reform must go deeper than
mere externalities if it is to be perma-
nent and effective. The heart is the
place to start every reform, fcr-Matt.
49, 10.
Deal courageousfy.'-Tt takes a brave
man to be a reformer: Matt. 5:29-3O.
Matt. 1928. Make no compromise.
God in dealing with sin accepts moth
ing but unconditional surrender. He
never temporizes. Dare we? Deal
c~ourageously," therefore, for "the
Lord shall be with the good This
lesson furnishes striking example of
this, and this promise vas renewed by
Jesus in Matthew 2S:rS-20 and John
Seed Thoughts.
Three points about God are empha-
sized in this lesson: mo fniquity with
Him"-Deut. 1874; Rom. 9:14; mo re-
spect Of persons."-Acts 10: "a; Rom. q:
IL; Eph. SO; I Peter 1:17, and mo TAX
ing of gifts" Mar cannot bride God.
The Prophets rebuke was followed by
Tohoshanhat's repentance Yhe~ evidences