The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-11-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Ix.Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. I, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text OF the Lesson, Jucg. xvi, 21-21.
Memory Verses, 2a-3o--GoIden Text,
Eph. vi, 1o-commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. stearns.
copyright, 1907, by American Press Association
One Of Gods chosen men. Nazarite
and the strongest OF men physically,
brought to prison house, grinding
corn. and afterward brought to pub
lie gathering OF many thousands to
make sport for them as they worshiped
their god. made blind physically by his
spiritually blinded enemies, this Is
truly a sad sight. Yet 1t 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
rs 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 magnif;ed. +"
In Heb. ri. 30. we find Gideon, Barak.
Samson and Jephtha mentioned with
David and Samuel as men of faith,
and In the long list of WORTHLESS in that
chapter the distinguishing feature of
each Is faith In God. Even in SAM
sons dying hour we find him in verse
% Of our lesson praying the prayer of
faith and receiving an Immediate an
swer. We must glance Mt the whole
story Of Samson chapters xiii to xvi
inclusiyel, and In chapter Kill we note
the visit OF the Lord to Manoah and
his wife. the same one who appeared
to Gideon aud Joshua. who talked face
to face with Moses. appeared to Abra-
ham, Isaac and Jacob and clothed
Adam and Eve with coats of skins In
Eden, whose goiugs forth have been
from the days Of eternity tdic. v. 2
marglnD. He is called In the present
story an angel twelve times. a man Eve
times and God once verse %. When
Manoah asked for His name He said.
IL Is wonderful xiii. Is. margin,,
making Us think Of lisa ix, q. Z. As He
assembled in the flame of Manoah's sac
rtfice Il ssaid that He did wondrousiy.
and Manoah and his wife booked On
fxiti. 10l. TWAS even 80 at the exodus.
flie dividing or the Red SEA and the
Jordan. the overthrow Of Jericho, and
long afterward In the days Of His So
tourn upon earth when In the presence
.sof the disciples He wrought 50 many
miracles. lie Is the same yesterday.
to-day and forever.
In chapters xiv and Nv the power of
God Is seen in Samson In his staying O
'ilon. in his killing 1000 men with the
tawbone of an ass. In his carrying on
the city gates and waking away with
the weayer's beam fastened to his
locks. etc. Gods care or him Is seen
In His bringing water from the dry
bone for him when he was Thirsty and
in other ways. lie could mt have been
great man physically. else people
would not have wondered wherein his
great strength lay, but he was Naza,
rite xiii. 81. for an explanation 'oi
which see Nun. VI hut he was Naza.
rite whose separation had been defiled
and his days lost (Nun. vi. ID. One
part OF the Christening for this was tc
shave the head. and tbs his enemies
did for him.
In verse % Of our lesson we read
that the hair Of his head begin 10
grow again. and In This we see his
NazariicshIp returning III a measure
But oh. the lost Gays and the dikhonol
to God. And here we must touch upon
something most practical and search
ing. briefly limited at IN last weeks
temperance lesson. AZ the judgment
seat Of Christ all that has been Of sell
IN our lives will be ses=n 10 he ,only
wood. hay and siubble. II 10 he burned
II TO our loss. 4 true chTld of God cannot
be lost. hut his life or parT ~ Il may hC
lost. All SamsOn's wandering from
God by contact with sinfni people was
lost time. and. not only 50. Il was God
nIshonorIng time. al the years that
ISRAEL WIS In the hands Of her enc.
mIes. overcome by then because Ioi
her SIN. during the days OF these judges
was time'not counted by God. and this
explains one of the seeming discrer.
aneies cf Scripture. In Kings. Vi. l
We read that from the exodus 10 the
fourth year Of Solomon was iS3 years
while IN Acts Kill. 1872. q r. easily
seen to be'513 years ti0t TO I 40+ 4e-+3 81,
q discrepancy Of nincty-three years.
Il How interesting Il Is that we iind Just
these years lost by Israel rs a nation
while oppressed by their enemiesi The
record Of the years Of their expressions
IL IN 81. 8 ~: ~. 3: vi. 4: Kill 1. and
the figures are s+1s+2O+7+40=9a
which subiracted from 5T3. gives $50.
making perfect agreement In the two
accounts. There r. another oppression
of eighteen years mentioned In Judg.
. .. s. tsft Il was only partial and con-
fined 20 the east 81 Jordan. May the
lord deliver Us from all Delilahs and