Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-08-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 10.


II. Chron. xxxlv., 14-28-Gulden Text,
Psa. cxIx., 16-Memory Verse, al
Commentary on the Days Lesson.
L. The book of the law discovered
Tvs. 14-1S). II. Brought out the
money" 1t would seem that the book
of the law was found by the high
priest In the treasury where the money
was kept Found" This expression
indicates that the alusion is to some
thing already known, not to anything
that had come to light for the first
time. Book of the law" The name
given to the five books of Moses. The
book of the law cannot mean anything
else, either grammatically or histor'
cally. than the Mosaic law, 1.-THE Pen.
tateuch," so designated in Chronicles,
Ezra and Nehemiah. The temple copy,
deposited, according to Deut. 81: 20. by
the ark of the covenant. which had
been lost under the idOlatrous kings
Manasseh and Anon. "Givcn by
Moses" This statement has led many
to believe that it was the ancient auto
graph copy which came from the hand
of the great lawgiver. This, Kitto
thinks. was one reason why its discov.
tTN Hluut SuCil uH tNituoluiihis III
preston. Is. "Delivered the book"
Shaphan was the private secretary OF
the king and had charge Of his books
and records. The book found was n
parchment roll. Books were few and
precious.
16. II. "Brought-wOrd back Be
fore Shaphan delivered the new found
book to the king he reported to him
concerning the business on which he
had been sent Mt first. He told the
king that they had faithfully per.
formed the work committed to them
and that the money had been properly
paid out IS. ~ book" Shaihan
had already read the book. or portions
of it G. Kings %: s., and no doubt fully
understood its character. but he did
not tell the king that 1t was the book
Of the law; he spoke of It as Il book
and allowed the king to form his own
opinion as to its Importance Read
therein" OR. W That Is, Shaphan read
portions of the book OF course he
read at the kings command. Josiah
was anxious to know the truth and the
ma turc of the law he had been trying
to obey.
III. The effect on the king Tvs. 19-2n.
10. king had heard Those who
hear Gods word so often can scarcely
conceive the effect the reading of the
law would have on this young king as
he listened to it for the first time.
"Rrnt his clothes" Brought face to
face with the awful curse of God, pro-
nounccd nearly n thousand years be-
fore on the nation, for the very sins
which had characterized the reign Of
his father and grandfather. amaze
mont took possession of him. He ros"
from his throne. rent his clothes hum
blrd himself before the Lord and wept
- Kings %: 19. He rent his clothes
rarity in grief and horror. like Reuben
Uen. 81: %, and Job Il: 2ol; partly in
repentance, like Ahab Il Kings 81: 20.
20. king commanded The king ap'
pointed delegation of five to inuuir"
of the Lord This was truly honorable
and imposing delegation. and was III
dicativc of the kings profound earnest
ness and anxiety. n, "Go, enquire
The king saw that this was a matter
of great importance. and he desired to
know from Jehovah Himself exactly
what to do. He felt Il deep anxiety for
himself and also for his pcoplc-th"
ten tribes as well as the two. Great
wrath" He heard its distant rumh-
lings like the coming of fiery lava
flood. in the boards of the SythHnS.
enforced by the prophecies of Jeremiah
and Zephaniah. "Our fathers" etc.
Anon and Manasseh had led the peo-
pie into gross sins. In the light of the
L., h., huI hon ri rnaI InSinl
that the nation was doomed.
III. Huldah's faithful message Tvs.
22.2S,. %. "IIuldah." All we know
of this celebrated woman is recorded
here and in the parallel history of
Kings. But this short narrative has
immortalized her name. Probably the
two prophets. jeremiah ana Tophan-
iah. were absent from the city But
God is not Strengthened I'm His instru-
mentS. He can use Il woman to speak
for Him as we'll as n man. an humDlc
person as well as IN exalted one. HUI
dah had the full prophetic gift, and
spoke as boldly. confidently and
promptly as would Isaiah or jeremiah.
Keeper of the wardrobe There
seems 10 doubt that the robes here al
luded to are the robes of the priests,
which are called by the same Hebrew
word in EXod. %: 81 and many subsc-
quent passages. "In the college" in
the second quarter Il. '. This re-
fers to a part of the city OF Jerusalem
which was known by that name. %.
Tell We the man" Her answer to the
deputatlon was fearless. and seeming
" abrupt. ~. Bring evil" The
judgments of God This place" .Tc-
rusalem. "All the curses See Dcut.
%: 14-26; Is: 15-GS
%. Have forSakcn Me-" This was
the Gst of their otfense, the thing that
was unpardonabl". Against this were
all the chief warnings in the law
Deut. %: 25-2S. ctcJ and the prophets
lJudg. 10: 13: 1 Kings .: o; lsa. /: !.
Jer. /: 1G, etc). 1t was not merely that
they broke the commandments. but
they turned from God altogether. and
"cast Him behind their back Shall
not be quenchcG." For such Il state OF
things there is mo remedy" e. Chron.
SO: 16l, and this was the state of things
reached by the Jews. 2G-2S. The pro
phetess in these verses sends a person.
nj word of comfort to the king. Be.
cause he had humblcd himself and in
true spirit of repentance had wept be
fore the Lord because of the wicked
ness of his people; therefore the Lord
would show mercy upon him. and he
should be gathered to his fathers In
peace and not see the evil that was
soon to come upon the nation.
Bullocks Killed Hare.