The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-11-30
IHE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson IX.-Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. |, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SEXES.
Text of the Lesson, Judo. xvi, Psi.
Memory Verses. 23-30-GoIden Text,
Eph. vi, 1o-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. .. NJ. Stearns.

lCopyright, 1907, BY American Press Association
One Of Gods chosen men. NaZarite
ard the strongest Of men physically.
brought 10 a prison house. grinding
corn. and afterward brought TO q pub
lie gathering OF many thousands TO
make sport for them as they wOFShiped
their god. made blind physically by his
spiritually blinded enemies, this *
truly a sad sight Yet II is written for
our benefit that we may not thus
bring reproach upon our God nor
grieve His Holy Spirit. AS we saw
+ last week and in previous lessons and
/ as the whole Bible teaches, God is seek
ing for men who will walk continuous
ly with Him. follow Him fully and in
whom He can be maGnifed.
: In Heb. II. %. we find Gideon. Barak.
Samson and Jephthl mentioned with
David and Samuel as men of faith,
AMI in the long list of worthless in that
chapter the distinguishing feature of
each is faith in God. Even in Sam
sOE'S dying hour we find him IN verse
2S Of our lesson praying the prayer Ct
faith and receiving an immediate an
sWer. We must glance at the whole
story of Samson chapters xiii to XVI
inclusivey. and in chapter Kill We note
the visit Of the Lord 10 Manoah and
his wife. the same one who appeared
TO Gideon and Joshua. who talked face
10 face with Moses. appeared to Abra
ham, Isaac and Jacob and clothed
Adam and Eve with coats of skins in
Eden. whose goings forth have been
from the days of eternity (Mic. V. 2.
marcinj. He is called in the present
story an angel twelve times. q man five
times and God once verse 22). When
ManOah asked for His name He said.
1T is wonderful (Xiii. IS. margin).
making us think of Isa tx, 6. Z. AS He
assembled In the fame of Nanoahs sac
rifce ii is said that He did wOndrOusly.
/ ard NanOah and his wife looked on
1 xiii. 1O. 1t was even 50 at the exodus.
the dividing OF the Red sea and the
4 Jordan. the overthrow Of Jericho. and
long afterward in the days of His So
jOun upon earth when in the presence
Of the disciples He wrought so many
miracles. He is the same yesterday,
today and forever.
IN chapters xiv ard w the power of
God is seen in Samson IN his Staying
lion. in his killing 1900 men with the
jGwbOne Of an ass. in his carrying off
the city gates and walking away with
the weaver's beam fastened to his
locks. etc. Gods care of him is seen
in His bringing water from the dry
s. L. IL I
in other ways. He could not have been
a great man physically. else people
would not have wondered wherein his
great strength lay. but he was NaZa-
rite xiii. 81, for an explanation Of
which see Mum. VI but he was a NaZa-
rite whose separation had been defiled
and his days lost (Num. Vi. 12). One
part of the Christening for this was to
shave the head, and this his enemies
did for him.
In verse 90 Of our lesson we read
that the hair of his head began to
grow again, and in this we see his
NaZariteShip returning in a measure
But. oh. the lost days and the dishonor
to God. And here we must touch upon
something most practical and search
ing. briefly limited at in last week s
temperance lesson. At the judgment
seat Of Christ all that has been OF self
in our lives will be seen TO be only
wood. hay and stubble. fit to be burned
to our loss. \ true child Of God cannot
tie lost. but his life or part Of it may be
lost. All SamsOn's wandering from
AZ 81
lost time. and. not only so. it was God
dishOnoring time All the years that
Israel was in the hands of her enc
mics. overcome by them because Of
her sin. during the days Of these judges
was time not counted by God. and this
explains one of the seeming discrep-
ancieS Of Scripture. In | Kings, VI, l,
we read that from the exodus to the
fourth year of Solomon was $50 years.
while in Acts xiii. 1922. 1t Is easily
seen TO be 513 years (40-450- 40 40+3D.
discrepancy of ninety-three years.
How interesting it is that we find just
these years lost by Israel as a nation
while oppressed by their enemies! The
record Of the years Of their expressions
- II III, . II, ~ - VI, L, ALL. l. anu
the figures are S-1S-20+1- 1913.
which. subtracted from 513. gives $50.
making perfect agreement In the two
accounts. There is another oppression
If eighteen years mentioned in Judg.
Y. s. but it was only partial and con-
fined TO the east OF Jordan. May the
Lord deliver US from all Delilahs and
from wasting or misUsing His time or
talents or opportunities.
Because OF SamsoA's sin see the
Philistines rejoicing in their idol Da-
gon and worshiping It. That is the
devil. for all idol worship is Of the
devil Il Cor Y. 20. When children Of
God conform TO this world they give
great occasion TO the enemy to bias
pheme.
How humiliating 10 see such a one
as Samson making sport for the Philis-
tines. yet there are today processing
christians so blinded that they think
II all right 10 make snort for or auuSe