The Tupelo journal., 1911-06-09
DOWNFALL OF
SAMARIA
LESSON TEXT Kings N:i-1a.
MEMORY vER6E-tA.


LESSON TEXT Kings t7:i-1A
MEMORY vER6E-tA.
GOLDEN TExT-..Hs That Being Often
Naproved Hardsneth his Neck. Shall Sud-
denly b Destroyed. and That Without
Rsmsdy."-Prov. 1:l
TIME-Hoshsa became king In the
twelfth year Of AhaS q Kings IT'D. =
c. ~ CBeecher). ~ (Hastnss). Samar1a
fell B. c. ~ (peocher). 72 (HastingS).
PLACE-0anar1a, the capital OF the
northern kingdom. about . miles north
OF Jerusalem.
KIN0s-Hesskiah in Judah, carrying
out his reforms. In Assyria and BABY
lon, Shalmaneesr ~. followed BY Ssrgon
II. in Assyr1a and Observation-Disclosures IN
PROPHET6-Isaiah and perhaps Hosea
and Micah.
What was the character Of Hosheaf
The Implication Of '. 2 is that. though
he allowed the practices Of idolatry
and the other evils Of his predeces-
sors, yet he was q better man than
they. Perhaps the teachings Of Hosea
had reached his heart. About his
personal character we know little. We
may infer that it lacked decisive en-
ergy and lofty patriotism. Beginning
his reign as a mere puppet in AS
syria's hands, he shaped his career as
an opportunist. He was too astute to
offend any national susceptibilities by
abandoning the worship OF Jehovah,
too cautious and polite to play the
role of a purist in religious practices.
The impartial historian will not judge
this last king of Ephriam too severely,
but will unhesitatingly admit that he
lived in times of direst difficulty and
peril, when nothing but miraculous
divinely guided craftsmanship. like
that of Isaiah, could have saved the
realm from overwhelming disaster"
The Northern Kingdom had had its
chance, and had thrown 1t away.
There is less hope for US each year
and day we live In sin. Every hour
We are drifting out to seattle help
less, helmless bark 10 leaving the les
SEEMING shore farther and farther be-
hind. Our disease becomes incurable.
Like those stones which, though soft
- clay on being raised from the quar-
~. grow hard az flint through ex-
posture to the weather. our hearts are
growing harder day by day"
HosheaS imprisonment is q fair
sample Of the result Of dependence
upon mon rather than God. Trust In
Egypt was Israels mar from the
first. The prophets compared 1t to
trusting in q shadow or making q stan
out Of a bruised reed. "The bankrupt
who asks q bankrupt to set him up in
business. again Is only losing time. The
prisoner does not beg his fellow pris-
oner to set him free. The shipwrecked
sailor does not call upon his ship
wrecked comrade to place him safe
to scorn the aid of men, but We are
to know that without Gods favor and
assistance all human help Is vain.
What measures did Shalmaneser
take to reduce to submission his re-
bellious vassal? He sent Tor led In
person. an army against him. Profess
sor Rogers thinks that Hoshea
marched out to meet this army, and
was then captured and sent to As
syria as a prisoner. At any rate.
"Samaria prepared for a siege. There
is something heroic in the very
thought. 1t was surrounded and
hemmed in by territory over which 1t
had once ruled in u~ndisputed sway,
but which had long been controlled by
| Assyrian governors and filled with As
syrian %colonists. AS Shalmaneser ad.
vanced closer he would, OF course,
destroy and lay waste everything about
the city which might have furnished
any aid or comfort to it. From the
villages and towns thus destroyed the
people would flock into the capital
until 1t was crowded. The people of
Samaria may have hoped for help from
Egypt. watching with sick hearts for
signs OF an approaching army of sue
cor. They knew what surrender
meant in the loss of their city, and in
probable deportation to strange lands.
They were fighting to the bitter end
for homes and for life.
What God had done: BY a marvel
de~liverance. he had brought them
out Of their bondage in Egypt. He
had driven out the Canaanites from
before them. He had given them the
commandments, and full and wise
laws. He had made a covenant with
them, over and over, promising them
all blessings If they would obey him.
He had sent them the prophets and
seers. the best and wisest of men, to
declare his will and lead the way.
What Israel had done: They had
fallen into a worse bondage, becoming
slaves Of an abominable idolatry. They
had fallen to worshiping the very gods
of the Canaanites, thus proved power
less They had broken the command
ments, especially the most solemn and
important, that against idolatry. They
had failed to keep their part Of the
covenant, and could not expect God
to keep his part. They would not lis
ten to the prophets, but persisted in
all iniquity, setting up idolatrous ODE
A.L- 81 AAh~wawn A~l ~~~~ ~~-~8QA