The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-11-06
Sunday school column.

Sunday school column.
Nov. l0-Renewlng the Covenant,
Josh. "a. 1928.
The lesson of this date calls to
view one of the most remarkable as
semblies told of in the bible. Joshua.
the great soldier and leader was
growing old. and recognizing that he
must soon depart. he calls all the
children of Israel through their elder.
judges and officers before him at the
city of Shechem and delivers to them
most wonderful address. Call to
mind the man. 1t was Joshua the only
person present except Caleb. who was
a man when the Children Of Israel
had been rescued from Egyptian bond
age. He had been the special friend
of Moses. had been with him at times
when few others were permitted to
attend that great person. Joshua was
one of the two spies who reported
that the land could be taken because
God had directed that the people
should go forward and on the death of
Moses he had become the leader and
law giver.
1t was this man. who stood before
the people and addressed them in Ian
guage which has become more than
historic. Joshua called to their
minds that God had come to heather
idolatrous family many hundred years
before and picked one Abraham and
told him to come out from among his
kindred and that he should be made
the founder of great people. and in
time his children should possess a
goodly land. Joshua then called to
mind how God had cared for Isaac.
and then Jacob. of the going into
captivity in Egypt. the deliverance
under Moses. the destruction of the
Egyptians in the Red Sea. the keep
ing of the people with food in the
wilderness. the passing over Jordan.
the taking of Jericho. with no battle
on the part of the people the con-
quests over their enemies in possess
ing the Promised Land. record that
was simply miraculous. showing God s
special favor from first to last.
Note the tremendous, brilliant.
mastery climax of this great address:
Choose you this day whom We will
serve: whether the Gods which your
fathers served which were before the
flood. or the God of the Amorites in
whose land We dwell: but as for me
and for my house we will serve the
Lord.
Is it any wonder that. after this
presentation Of the case and the stand
of Joshua that the people with one
voice cried out we also will serve
the Lord: for he is our God" Then
Joshua warned them that already
idolatry was in their midst. and that
certain destruction would come il this
sin gained strong hold. Then to
make visible witness of the fact
that the people had decided to serve
the true God Joshua set up a great
stone under an oak near the sanctu-
ary. as a witness of the covenant
there made.
The answer of the assembled Jews
declaring that they would stand with
Joshua. most readers will say is not
surprising. But how about the people
of today and their stand on the same
question? We have not only the
record as to the Jews in the olden
times. but the added presentation of
the birth. life. teachings. death. res
direction. ascension of Jesus the
Christ. the forceful writings of St.
Paul. and visible evidence of what
Christianity has done for the world.
Remarkable to behold. with this over
whelmlng presentation of the truth
and vitality of the religion of the
bible. people in this day are refusing
to declare for God. they hesitate,
argue. turn deaf ear. They refuse
to 'stand like Joshua" for the true
loving God. In time. they will have
to make their defense before that
God. and we leave the result of the
settlement to Him and TIE individual,
knowing that the Judge of all the
earth will do right.