The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-11-08
Joshua Renewing the
Covenant With Israel
Sunday schoolLesson Tor Nov. 10, 1907
Specially Prepared far This Payer



I1n.aunHr3 /
LESSON TEXT. Joshua 2l.ii-28 Mem /
Org verses 4-2f
GOLDEN TEXT-"Cho0se you this /
day whom yo win erve."-Joshua -i'i9.
TIME. Near the close of J0shua's hie' |
According 20 our Bible margins, D. -
1877. Is years after crossing the JofltH'
and IS after our last lesson. Prof beeeh-
or thinks that The time since tne crossing
Of Jordan was much briofor
PLACE-The religious capital was 81.
Shiloh Josh. is.D. Tho great assembly
for renewing the covenant was el
chem. between Mounts Ebal and Der-
zlm. %,
JOSHUA was nearly no years old. i've
lng az Tlmnath scrah, not FAR from aAe-
chem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
The conquest of the country took
several years. not Of uninterrupted
warfare. but Of wars intermingled with
cultlyaung the fields and making
homes and becoming citizens. Al
though the Canaanitos were not wholly
exterminated Josh. 1912; Judg. 2:
2. -, yet the war was practically end
ed, and the people gave themselves
10 the positive work of settling down
as prosperous citizens OF the Prom
ised Land Josh. 21:4345).
Joshua was drawing near 10 inc
close Of a long and useful life OF ITO
years. He had been watching the
tendencies Of the times, and knew well
the character of his people and the PEI
culiar dangers 10 which they would
be exposed. Therefor ne determined
to make. before be died, one more APP
peal 10 them. under the most solemn
circumstances possible.
Il 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 tbs bearing on the struc-
ture of the book
The Polychrome Bible the Exposit
ors Bible. and others regard them as
two Trustworthy reports Of the She
chem address. given separately as the
editor received them. and not inter
woven according 10 the plan usually
adopted.
Others regard them as two similar
addresses on the same great occasion
to different audiences. the first TO
mass meeting OF the people. and The
second 10 the officers and judges OF
an the tribes assembled at Shechem.
probably on the sloping sides of Mts.
Ebal and Gerlzim, where they had
gathered Is years before, on the first
entrance into the Promised Land. and
made the most solemn promises 20
God
vs.. 1-l3 No circumstances could
be more impressive. as. amid these
hallowcd associations and memories
the white-hairod. beloved leader, saint
ly I'm character and touched with the
light Of a near eternity arose and
made his dying appeal somewhat as
the Apostle John. when very DID, went
feebly among The disciples. saying
continually: Little children, love
one another" ln this place an the
assembled multitudes could see and
hear him. For the afr Us 500 clear
that a Single voice can Dee heard by
many thousands" The longest re
corded distance at which q mans
voice has been heard is rs miles in the
Grand Canyon of Colorado Dr. Young
records that at Gibraltar the human
voice has been heard at a distance of
ten miles.
Joshua first proclaims what God has
done I'm the past. as motive for
trusting and obeying him in the pres
ent. Gratitude and love are awakened
by his wonderful goodness 20 Them
Faith IN him and reverence and awe
are inspired by the manifestations of
his divine power (vs. 1-13l
Joshua's Conference with the Peo-
ple.-Vs. 1924 Urges The people 90
choose you this day whom Sc viii
serve. W.. A. 15 " a. Sow there
fore" I'm view Of these facts. "fear the
LORD" Not De I'm terror before
him. nor driven from him by fright
but hold him I'm reyerental awe and
respect. realize his power 90 help and
TO punish. so as to- devote yourselves
TO him I'm perfect trust There can De
no trining. Serve him in sincerity
and I'm Truth" Not I'm outward farms
merely. but also I'm the heart and the
life John ABB. 2D. The ilea. says
Prof. Beecher, Is rather of Wilderness.
integrity, than sincerity
The Double Witness. VS.. 1928
First. The C0venant-V. %. Made a
covenant with the people that day.
(. e.. he solemnly ratified and renew.
ed the covenant of Sinai CEx 1920.
as Moses had done before him in the
plains Of Moab Dout 29.D."-Cook
"Set them q statute" lie determined
and established what On matters of
religion should De with Israel law ard
right"
Y. 26. "And Joshua wrote" As
Moses at Sinai wrote an the words
that Jehovah had spoken In a book,
probably a papyrusroll lEx 2i:D, so
Joshua now 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 OF
the Law of Moses. "-CambHdso Bible
Practical Points.
There is only one right principle of
living and that rs 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 rs
expression in life.
The need of an others-of the ma
iority Of personals an impulse and
reinforcement Of motives which lead
/ 90 this choice