The Raymer enterprise., 1911-06-08
DOWNFALL OF
SAMARIA
|ssl.y sehs.l L.ssss r. u. 10 1911
Specially Arranged for nhis Paper


Reproved Hardeneth his Neck. Shall Sud-
denly be Destroyed. and That Without
Remedy."-Prov. 1:L
T1ME-Hoshea became king in the
twelfth year Of AhAx e Kings H:D. B.
C. Ts (Beecher). 10 .HastinEs). Samaria
fell B. C. rs Beechts). ~ (Hastings).
PLACE-samaria, the capital Of the
northern kingdom. about q miles north
Of Jerusalem.
HNGs-Hezekiah in Judah. carrying
out his reforms. In Assyria and Baby
lon. shalmaneser w.. followed by Sargon
II. in Assyria and Merodach-baladan In
Babylon. In Egypt. saboka (so.).
PRoPHETs-IsaIah and perhaps Hosea
and Micah.
What was the character Of Hoshea!
The implication Of '. 2 is that. though
he allowed the practices Of idolatry
and the other evils Of his predeces-
sors, yet he was 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 q mere puppet In As
syria's hands, he shaped his career as
an opportunist. He was too astute to
offend any national susceptbilities 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 difnculty and
peril. when nothing but miraculous
divinely guided statesmanship. like
that Of Isaiah, could have saved the
realm from overwhelming disaster"
The Northern Kingdom had had its
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 seattle help
less. helmless bark IL 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-
ry, grow hard a. flint through ex-
posure to the weather. our hearts are
growing harder day by day"
Hoshea's imprisonment is fair
sample Of the result Of dependence
upon men rather than God. Trust in
Egypt was lsraels snare from the
frst. The prophets compared 1t to
trusting In shadow or making q stan
out Of = 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 scorn the aid Of men, but we are
to know that without Gods favor and
assistance all human help 10 vain.
What measures did Shalmaneser
take to reduce to submission his re-
bellious vassal! He sent Tor 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 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 undisputed sway,
but which had long been controlled by
Assyrian governors and filled with As.
syrian colonists. As Shalmaneser ad.
yanced closer he would, Of course,
destroy and lay waste everything about
the city which might have furnished
any aid or comfort to 1t. 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 lighting to the bitter end
for homes and for life.
What God had done: BY q marvel
Gus dellverance. 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 . covenant with
them. over and over. promising them
all blessings II they would obey him
He ts6 sent them the prophets. and
seers. the best and wissst Of men, u
declare his will and lead the way.
What lIrael had done: They hat
fallen into . worse bondage. becoming
slavss Of an abominable idolatry. They
had fallen to worshiping the very god,
Of the Canaanites. thus proved power
less. They had broken the command
ments. especially the most solemn ant
important. that against idolatry. The,
had failed to keep their part Of ths
covenant. and could not expect Coo
to keep his part They would not lis
ten to the prophets. but persisted II
all iniquity. setting up idolatrous obe
lisks, and Asherim. and even sacrinc
Ing their children to the hre god Mo