Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-11-07
Joshua R~enewingth the
Covenant With Israel
Sunday SehoolLesson for Nov. 10. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper

TlME.-Ncar the close of Joshua's life,
According to our Bible margins, b. C..
li2l, % years after crossing the Jordan
and Is after our last lesson. Prof. Beech
er thinks that the time since the crossing
OF Jordan was much briefer.
religious capital was at
Shiloh Josh. 1S:D. The great assembly
for renewing the covenant was at She
chem, between Mounts Ebal and Geri-
zlm.
JOSHUA was nearly 10 years old, liv-
ing at Timnath Serah, not far from She
chem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The conquest OF the country took
several years, not of uninterrupted
warfare, but of wars intermingled with
cultivating the fields and making
homes and becoming citizens. Al.
though the C%anaanites were not wholly
exterminated Josh. ESTE; Judg. 2:
2, 81, yet the war was practically end.
ed, and the people gave themselves
to the positive work of settling down
as prosperous citizens of the Prom.
ised Land Josh. 21:43-45).
Joshua was drawing lear to the
close Of a long and useful life Of 10
years. He had been watching the
tendencies of the times, and knew well
the character of his people and the pc.
culiar dangers to which they would
be exposed. Therefor he determined
to make. before he died, one more ap.
peal u them, under the most solemn
circumstances possible.
1t is uncertain whether the last two
chapters Of Joshua are two different
addresses or two reports Of the same
address. The only Importance of the
question is Its bearing on the struc-
ture of the book.
The P~olychrome Bible, the Exposit.
or's Bible, and others regard them as
W trustworthy reports of the She
chem address. given separately as the
editor received them, and not inter.
woven according to the plan usually
adopted.
Others regard them as two similar
addresses on the same great occasion
to different audiences, the first to a
mass meeting of the people, and the
second to the officers and judges OF
all the tribes assembled at Shechem,
probably IN the sloping sides of Mts.
Ebal and Gerizim, where they had
gathered 25 years before, on the first
entrance into the Promised Land, and
made the most solemn promises to
God.
VS.. 1-13. No circumstances could
be more impressive, as, amid these
hallowed associations and memories,
| tho uhitn.h DirnH hnlnunA 1naInp saint
ly in character and touched with the
light of a near eternity, arose and
made his dying appeal, somewhat as
the Apostle John, when very old, went
feebly among the disciples, saying
continually: Little children, love
n another" In this place all the
assembled multitudes could see and
hear him. For the air is so clear
that a single voice can be heard by
many thousands. The longest re
corded distance at which a mans
voice has been heard is is miles in the
Grand Canyon of Colorado. Dir. Young
records that at Gibraltar the human
voice has been heard at a distance OF
ten miles.
IA II plotIdillS NLdl uOu uds
done in h past. as a motive fol-
trusting and obeying him in the pres
ent. Gratitude and love are awakened
by his wonderful goodness to them
Faith in him and reverence and awe
are inspired by the manifestations OF
his divine power Tvs. 1-13).
Joshus's Conference with the PEG
pIe.-Vs. 1924. Urges the people tc
choose you this day whom we will
serve. VS.. IA, Is. V. IA. Now there
fore" in view of these facts, fear the
LORD" Not be in terror before
him. nor driven from him by fright
but hold him in %reverential awe and
respect, realize his power to help and
to punish, so as to devote yourselves
to him in perfect trust. There can be
no trihing. Serve him in sincerity
and in Truth" Not in outward farms
merely, but also in the heart and the
life John 4:23, 24). The idea, says
Prof. B%eecher, is rather of Wilderness
integrity, than sincerity.
The Double Witness. - VS.. 1928
First. The Covenant.-V. 25. Made
covenant with the people that day
1. e., he solemnly ratified and renew
ed the covenant Of Sinai lex. 10: 2O)
as Moses had done before him IN the
plains of Moab (Deut. 29:D Cook
Set them n statute" He determined
and established what in matters OF
religion should be with Israel law and
right"
V. &c. And Joshua WROTE AS
Moses at Sinai wrote all the words
that Jehovah had spoken In a book
probably a papyrus-roll lex. 24:4), SC
Joshua o inscribed minutes Of
the transactions connected With the
renewal of the covenant at Sechem
in the book of the law of God" This
protocol he placed inside the roll o.
the Law of Moses. "--Cambridge Bible
Practical Points.
There is only one right principle OF
living, and that is loving and choosing
God with all the heart.
After one has made this choice
then there is need of confirming him
in the choice, and guiding him in Its
expression in life.
The need of all others-of the ma
jority of personals an impulse and
reinforcement of motives which lead
to this choice.
There are great advantages In
large public meetings where every pos
sible appeal can be made to persuade
men to decide to serve God.