The Green Forest tribune., 1911-06-16
DOWNFALL OF SAMARIA
Sunday School Lesson for June Is 1911
 Specially Arranged for Thss Paper
LESSON TEXT-2 Kings l7:1-1&

GOLDEN TEXT-'He That Being Often Reproved Hardeneth his Neck. Shall Sud denly be Destroyed. and That Without Remedy. Prov. 29:1.
 TIME-Hoshea became king in the twelfth year of Ahaz t2 Kings 17:D, B. C. 726 (Beecher), 7S0 (IIastingsl Samaria fell B. C. 71S tBeecher), 722 (Hastings).
 PLACE-Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, about 8 miles north of Jerusalem
 KINGs-Hezekiah in Judah,, carrying out his reforms. In Assyria and Baby lon, Shalmaneser IN, followed by Sargon II. in Assyria and Merodach- -baladan in Babylon. In Egypt, Saboka tSo.)
 PROPHETS-Isaiah and perhaps Hosea and Micah.
 What was the character of Hoshea? The implication of " is that though he allowed the practices of idolatry and the other evils of his predeces- sors, yet he was a 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 0S Leb D IdllNla, lO ctpCu lllo OctA CNA tto 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 Giyinely guided craftsmanship, like that of Isaiah, could have saved the realm from overwhelming disaster"
 The Northern Kingdom had had it's chance, and had thrown it away. There is less hope for us each year and day we live in sin. Every hour We are drifting out to sea-the help less, helmless bark is leaving the les sening shore farther and farther be- hind. Our disease becomes incurable. Like those stones which, though soft as clay on being raised from the quar- ", grow hard as flint through ex- posture to the weather, our hearts are growing harder day by day"
 Hoshea's imprisonment is a fair sample of the result of dependence upon men rather than God. Trust in Egypt was Israers snare from the first. The prophets compared it to trusting in shadow or making a staff out of a bruised reed. "The bankrupt who asks 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 ashore" In our troubles we are not to seorn the aid of men, but we are to know that without Gods favor and assistance all human help is vain.
 What measures did shaImaneser take to reduce to submission his re- bellious vassal? He sent Cor led in person. an army against him. Profes sor Rogers thinks that Hoshea marched out to meet this army, and was then captured and sent to As syria as prisoner. At any rate, "Samaria prepared for siege There is something heroic in the very thought. It was surrounded and hemmed in by territory over which it had once ruled in undisputed 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 it 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 ous deliverance, 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 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 obe- lisks, and Asherim, and even sacrific- ing their children to the fire god Mo lech.