The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-11-07
Joshua Renewingthe
Covenant With Israel
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 10. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Joshua a:1f-2S. Mem
ory verses 22-24.
GOLDEN TExT.--"Choose you this
day whom ye will serve."--Joshua A:15.
TIME.-Near the close OF Joshua's life,
According to our Bible margins. b. c.
1427. 25 years after crossing the Jordan
and is after our last lesson. Prof. Beech
er thinks that the time since the crossing
OF Jordan was much briefer.
PLACE.-The religious capital was at
Shiloh Josh. 1s:D. The great assembly
for renewing the covenant was at She
chem, between Mounts Ebal and Geri-
zim.
JOSHUA was nearly l1o years old. liv-
ing at Timnath Serah, not far from She
chem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The conquest Of the country took
several years, not Of uninterrupted
warfare. but of wars intermingled with
cultivating the fields and making
homes and becoming citizens. AL
though the Canaanites were not wholly
exterminated Josh. 23:12; Judg. 2:
2, 81, yet the war was practically end
ed. and the people gave themselves
to the positive work Of settling down
as prosperous citizens Of the Prom
ised Land Josh. 21:43-45).
Joshua was drawing near to the
close Of 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 pc
culiar dangers to which they would
be exposed. Therefor he determined
to make, before he died, one more ap-
peal to them. under the most solemn
circumstances possible.
II 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 10 its bearing on the struc-
ture Of the book.
The Polychrome Bible, the Exposit-
or's Bible. and others regard them a.
two Trustworthy reports Of the She
chem address, given separately a. the
editor received them. and not inter-
woven according to the plan usually
adopted.
Others regard them as two similar
addresses on the same great occasion
to different audiences, the first to q
mass meeting Of the people, and the
second to the officers and judges OF
all the tribes assembled at Shechem,
probably on the sloping sides Of Mts.
Ebal and Gerizim, where they had
gathered 25 years before, on the first
entrance into the Promised Land. and
made the most solemn promises to
God.
VS.. 1-13. No circumstances could
be more impressive, as, amid these
hallowed associations and memories,
the white-haired, beloved leader, saint
! ly In character and touched with the
| light of a near eternity. arose and
made his dying appeal, somewhat as
the Apostle John, when very old, went
feebly among the disciples, saying
continually: Little children, love
one another" In this place all the
assembled multitudes could see and
hear him. For the air Is so clear
that a Single voice can be heard by
many thousands" The longest re-
corded distance at which a mans
| NoiCc ilub DcCu hSdIu 10 IllltS III tiit
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 in the past. as a motive for
trusting and obeying him In the pres,
ent. Gratitude and love are awakened
by his wonderful goodness to them
Faith In him and reverence and awe
are inspired by the manifestations OF
his divine power Tvs. 1-13).
Joshua's Conference with the Peo
pIe.-Vs. 14-24. Urges the people to
choose you this day whom ye will
serve. VS.. IA. Is. v. IA. Now there
FORE" In view of these facts, fear the
LORD" Not be In terror before
him, nor driven from him by fright
but hold him in reverential awe and
respect, realize his power to help and
to punish, so as to devote yourselves
to him In perfect trust. There can be
no trifiing. Serve him In sincerity
and In Truth" Not In outward farms
merely, but also In the heart and the
life John 42S. 21. The idea. says
Prof. Beecher. is rather of Wilderness
integrity. than sincerity. iv
The Double Witness. - vs. 25-2s
First. The Covenant.-V. rs. Made q
covenant with the people that day.
1. O.. 'he solemnly ratified and renew
ed the covenant Of Sinai lex. 19:20)
as Moses had done before him In the
plains of Moab (Deut. 29:D."--Cook
"set them a statute" He determined
and established what In matters o
religion should be with Israel law and
right"
v. 20. "And Joshua wrote" Al
Moses at Sinai wrete all the words
that Jehovah had spoken In a book
probably a papyrus-roll (Ex. 24;D, SC
Joshua now inscribed minutes o
the transactions connected with the