The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1911-04-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Iv.-Second Quarter, For
April %, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, u Kings xii, Ala
Memory Verse, 11-GoIden Text,
Chron. xxx, documentary Pres
pared by Raw. D. M. Stsarns.
Todcj we combine the story Of Joashv
king Of judah, In last weeks lesson
and In this one. He began to reign
in his seventh year and reigned forty
years, doing right In the sight of the
Lord, while Jehoiada, the priest, In.
structed him oversees 49,, but he did
not destroy idolatry In the land.
Our last good king in Judah was Je-
hoshaphat, who was succeeded by his
son Jehoram, his firstborn, who mar.
ried daughter of Ahab and did eyil
In the sight of the Lord and put to
death his six brothers. He reigned
only eight years and died fearful
death, as the prophet Elijah sent him
word that he would. 1t is written Of
him that he departed without being
desired Oh Chron. XXI.
Jehoahaz Tor Ahaziah), his youngest
son, succeeded him, all his older broth
ers having been slain by the Syrians.
He reigned only one year, and his
mother, Athaliah, was his counselor
to do wickedly Oh Chron. xii, 1-4). He
was slain by Jehu, and when his
mother knew that he was dead she
at once proceeded to destroy all the
seed royal Of the house Of Judah, but
Jehosheba Tor Jehoshabeath), the wife
Of Jehoiada, the priest, and sister Of
Ahaziah, rescued the infant Joash and
hid him and his nurse In the house Of
the Lord six years while Athaliah
reigned over the land QI Kings II, 1-3i
II Chron. xii, 1912.
Last weeks lesson told us how, in
his seventh year, Jehoiada, the priest,
arranged to have him brought forth,
anointed, crowned and proclaimed King,
and made covenant between the Lord
and the king and the people that they
should be the Lords people (xi, IL, 10.
They broke down the house Of Baal
and his affairs and images, slew the
priest Of Baal, and also the wicked
queen mother Athaliah So the people
rejoiced and the city was quiet (xi,
1920. ,..
We must not confuse our good King
Joash Of judah with another Joash.
king Of Israel, who began to reign
over the ten tribes in the thirty-sev-
enth year Of the king Of Judah's reign
and who departed not from the sins Of
Jeroboam, the son Of Nabat, who made
Israel to sin Oh Kings xiii, 1913. We
have key to the heart Of today's les
son in the expression, "The house Of
the Lord" which occurs in our lesson
verses just twelve times, II We In
clude verse 16.
Inasmuch as the king spent the first
six years Of his life in some part Of
the house Of the Lord under the care
Of the priest Of the Lord 1t is the
most suggestive phrase in our lesson,
and the more so when we remember
that the kings who reigned at Jeru-
salem were said to sit on the throne
Of the Lord as king q Chron. xxx, 23).
We cannot think of Israel as a nation
without tabernacle or temple as q
dwelling place for Jehovah in their
midst. One Of the first commands 10
Moses after the deliverance from
Egypt and the giving of the law at
Sinai was, Let them make me q
sanctuary that I may dwell among
them" (Ex. XIV, 81. When Cyrus, king
ofPersia, made proclamation through
out all his kingdom that the Jews
might return from Babylon he said
that 1t was to build the house Of the
Lord God Of Israel in Jerusalem QIzra
/, Ia. Ezekiel XII to Xviii tells Of
shall be gathered from all nations aev-
err to be pulled up or scattered any
more.
When Israel was numbered 1t was
the law that every one, rich and poor,
should give half shekel as atoncment
money as ransom for his soul, and
this money was to be used III the
service Of the Lord (Ex. xxx, lilo.
This is probably part Of the money
referred to In verse 4 with which they
were to repair the house Of the Lord,
for the sons Of Athaliah, that wi 'ked
woman, had broken up the house Of
God and had bestowed the dedicated
things upon Baalam.
Joash instructed the priests and the
Levites to go out unto the cities Of
judah and gather Of all Israel money
to repair the house Of the Lord from
year to year, but this collecting bust
ness did not work any better than Il
does today, and after more than twen-
ty years the work was not done oversees
4-S; III Chron. xiv, 40.
Then JehOiada, the priest, took q
chest, with a hole in the lid, and set
1t beside the altar on the right side az
one cometh into the house Of the Lord,
and they made a proclamation through
Judah and Jerusalem to bring In the
offering that Moses had commanded,
and thus they gathered money in
and the workmen wrought,
and the work was perfected by them
and they set the house Of God In his
state and strengthened 1t oversees Ola,
III Chron. xiv, S-13).
l have personally tried the boz at
the door plan for thank offerings. for
benefits received at the services, the
money to be given to missions to help |
tell the glad tidings to others, and Il