The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-10-11
Israel Enters the
Land of Promise
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct. IS 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

month early I'm April was the crossing
or the Jordan. 1T was the anniversary
Of the day on which. 40 years before tho
lsraelites had been directed 90 take up
the lambs for the first Passover in
Egypt. "-Doane. This lesson closely fo'
lows the last.
PLACE.-At Abel shittim. THE Mea-
dow OF the Acacias" near the fcrds ~
the Jordan on the east bank, oppos 20
Jesicho. AT the foot OF the MoaNfe
mountains.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Two Accounts-Th history ~
the conquest of Palestine in Joshua
and the account in the first chapter ~
Judges are assumed by certain schol-
ars TO he parallel accounts covering
the same ground. by assuming G. that
Joshua was written at a late dale and
therefore unhistorical. CD that the
first statement in Judges 10 the -.
feet that the events described in that
chapter took place after the death
OF Joshua is untrue and late add
ton. and CD that the conquest dn
scrlbed in Joshua was SO complete
that there need be no further conflict
lit is taken for granted that.thc Two
accounts describe the same period
and are. therefore, contradictory aud
unhistorical.
Preparation OF the People fer Cross.
Ing the Jordan.-Josh. ITO
/. The announcement that The ne
10 cross was at hand TO poop Who
saw an impossible Hood in fro4t q
them.
2 Preparation OF victuals; nj
merely the mamma, but the fruits Of
the fertile country in which they were
encamped.
3, Spies who could swim the deep
and swift river we're sent acrosa 70
investigate the condition Of things GA
the other side and TO report.
4. The camp was moved to tho
lower level nearer the river
5. Officers were sent throughout the
camp TO instruct the people hat
TO do.
6. The people were commanded to
| w. 81 sanctify themselves. mae spe-
cial spiritual preparation. by wash
4 ing their persons and their garments,
and abstaining from everything that
might indispose their minds 10 q Sc
rious and devout attention TO the mir
acle about 10 be wrought IL their be
/ half The object was TO turn their
hearts TO God in faith, and prepare
them TO obey willingly. and to under
stand the full meaning sad power of
what God was doing for them.
Compare the "sanctifying" before
they received the law at Sinai See
also Lev. 20:7. 8: l Sam. 1875; soel
! AIS.
The Training OF the People In cour-
age and Faith.-Vs. Sill. Before the
actual entrance upon the conquest.
which meant life OF death. and from
which there was no possible return
over the swollen river-for the cross
\ ing was like Cortez' burning Of his
ships-it was needful once more 10
test the people and prove to them
that God could and would make them
successful.
(D 8. They took up the ark OF the
covenant" The symbol of Gods pres
ence and OF his covenant promise and
! their covenant OF obedience. Went
before the people There was to be
a space OF 2. 900 cubits. or nearly three
I quarters of q mile. between the ark
and the people. so that all could see
the sacred symbol OF the divine pres
ence Gosh 2D. which could not be
done IL the ark was closely surround
h ed by a crowd.
90 Z. And the Lord said unto
/ Joshua. This day will i begin to mag
ninfy thee" Make thee great, put
honor upon thee. as the leader and
Y commander OF the people. Hence
! forth he would be accepted as the
\ true successor OF Moses Henceforth
no doubling. no questioning who
I should be the leader. nor whether
/ their leader was worthy OF trust
90 The assurance OF faith
( The Providentisl Miraele.-V. 10
"The waters rose up upon an
I heap very far from the city Adam.
7 The revisions give the correct trans
laton in one heap. great way on,
: at Adam" Adam was probably at
the Damien ford Just above the mouth
OF the Jabbok, IT miles above the j.
raelites' encampme2t. Here are the
( remains Of an ancient bridge. Here Is
a sudden break in the geological form,
/ alton, and the river flows between
two ridges OF mountains on either
side. or, as Prof G. f. Wright sug
I gests. the elevation OF the bed OF the
| river in this volcanic region. where a
landslide or the fall OF cliff could
I easily block up the waters. in which
case the waters would accumulate
above the dam, and form a great lake
! extending far up the river. while the
waters below would all flow away into
! the Dead sea, leaving the bed OF the
river comparatively dry.
THE wonderful story OF Gods
chosen people is itself greater mir
acle than any exhibition Of divine
power It records -F'oakes-Jackson.
The church sees before her her
| promised land, the whole earth re-