The Yale expositor., 1907-10-11
Israel Enters the
Land of Promise
Sunday School Lesson for Oct. Is. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Joshua 8: sill. Mem
DRY verse, H.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"And he led them
forth by the right way that they might |
go to a city of Northumberland lOi; T. |
TIME.-On the tenth day of the nrst
month"; early in April. was the CROSSING |
of the Jordan. at was the anniversary
of the day on which, 40 years BEFORE the
lsraelites had been directed to take UP |
the lambs for the first Passover In
Egypt. "-Deane. This lesson closely toi-
lows the last.
PLACE.-At Abel Shittim. "The Mea.
dow OF the Acacias," near the 1orus Oh
the Jordan on the east bank. opposite
Jericho. At the foot OF the Moaoite
mountains.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Two Accountable history or
the conquest of Palestine In joshua
and the account in the first chapter OF
Judges are assumed by certain schol-
ars to be parallel accounts covering
the same ground. BY assuming ~ mat
Joshua was written at late date ana
therefore unhistorical: (2) that the
first statement in judges to the Ell
feet that the events described in thar
chapter took place after the death
of Joshua is untrue and late addl'
ton; and CD that the conquest de-
scribed in Joshua was so complete
that there need be no further CONNECT
it is taken for granted that the two
accounts describe the same period,
and are. therefore, contradictory ana
unhistorical.
Preparation Of the People for Cross
ina the Jordan.-Josh. 1:1O-3:5.
/. The announcement that the time
to cross was at hand to a people who
saw an, impossible flood in front OF
them.
2. Preparation of victuals; not
merely the mama, but the fruits OF
the fertile country in which they were
encamped.
3. Spies who could swim the deep
and swift river were sent across to
investigate the condition of things on
the other side and to report.
4. The camp was moved to the
| lower level nearer the river.
8. Officers were sent throughout the
camp to instruct the people what
| to do.
G. The people were commanded to
". 81 sanctify themselves, make spe'
cial spiritual preparation, by wash
ing their persons and their garments,
and abstaining from everything that
might indispose their minds to Sc
rious and devout attention to the mir
acle about to be wrought in 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 and power OF
what God was doing for them.
Compare the "sanctifying" before
they received the law at Sinai. See
also Lev. 2O:7. 8; Sam. 1875; Joel
2:16.
The Training Of the People in cour
age and Faith.-Vs. ell. Before the
actual entrance upon the conquest
which meant life or 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 to
test the people and prove to them
that God could and would make them
successful.
Cd 6. "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 1000 cubits, or nearly three
quarters of a mile. between the arl
and the people, so that all could see
the sacred symbol of the divine pres
, enee Josh. 3:4). which could not bt
} done If the ark was closely surround
, ed by crowd.
(2) 7. "And the Lord said unto
/ Joshua, This day will l begin to mag
ninfy thee" Make thee great, pu
| honor upon thee. as the leader ant
2 commander of the people. Hence
; forth he would be accepted as tn,
true successor of Moses. Hencefortl
no doubling. no questioning wh'
} should be the leader. nor whethe
l their leader was worthy of trust.
), CD The assurance of faith.
, The Providential Miracle.-V. 49,
|
3 heap very far from the city Adam.
Y The revisions give the correct trans
D lation lin one heap. a great way on
at Adam" Adam was probably a
+ the Damien ford just above the moutl
4 of the Jabbok, II miles above the j.
s raelites' encampment Here are tn
n remains of an ancient bridge. Here !
|, a sudden break in the geological form
5 alton, and the river flows betwee
two ridges of mountains on eithe
!. side, or. as Prof. G. F Wright sue
( gests. the elevation Of the bed of tn
: river in this volcanic region. where
: landslide or the fall of a cliff coul
easily block up the waters, In whic
case the waters would accumulat
above the dam, and form a great lax
extending far up the river, while tn
waters below would all flow away int
: the Dead sea. leaving the bed OF tn
river comparatively dry.
l. The wonderful story OF God