The Nevada County picayune., 1911-06-16
DOWNFALL OF SAMARIA
Sunday School Lesson fot Jane IS 1911
 Specially Arranged for Th.s Paper
LESSON TENT 2 Kings i7:l-1S. N1E,NNlnN N-I.ItcI, 1A


 ReProVed liardeneth his Neck Shall Sud, denly he Destroyed, and That Without Remedy Prov. 991.
 TIMiE-IlOshca became king in the twelfth Year of AAaz = Ifipss 15.0 F. C '2i tBeecher). 50 HIastnEs). Stmari.a fell E. C. 7lS d}eechcD 70 dIastngs). PIACE-Samaua. fine capital Of the northern ldnsdom, about 35 miles porth Of Jerusalem.
 KINGS iIr2eklah in Judah., carrying out his reforms In Assyria and Baby lon, Shalmauoscr ". followed by Sargon II. in Assyria and Mcrolaeb- baladan ia EalNian, In #sfTt. S1heba tSo). PROPHETS Isaian and perhaps Hosea and Micah.
 What was the character of IIGsbea? The implication of Y. 2 ts that, though he allowed the practices of idoiatry ! 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 mere puppet in As syria's hands, he shaped his career as
 
 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
 
 Givinely guided statesmanship like that of Isaiah, could have saved the realm from overwhelming disaster"
 The Northern Kingdom had had it's chance, and had thrown f away. There is less hope for ns 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 farthcy be- hind Our disease becomes iRcurable Like those stones which. though soft as clay on being raised from the auar- ry, grow hard as flint through ex- posture to the weather, our bearta arc growing harder day by day
 Hosheas imprisonment ia fair sample of the result of dependence upon men rather than God Trust in Egypt was lsraers snare from Inc first. The prophets compared Ii to trusting in a shadow or making T .tafr out of a bruised reed "The baulpapt who asks a bankrupt to set him mp in business again is only losing timo The prisoner does not beg his fellow pris. oner to set him free, The ship1re,hed sailor does not call upon hrs sbpp. wrecked comrade to pia.e bm aafe ashore" In our troubles We are not to seorn the aid of men hbi we are to know that without Gods favor md assistance all human help is Vam
 What measures did Sha,nabc.er take to reduce to subn,sslaH hi, e. bellious vassal7 He gent tor led in person) an army against him !,oies. sOr Rogers thinks that .iorhea marched out to meet ihis afmy and was then captured and acnt 10 As syria as a prisoner Al any ,ats,- 'Samaria prepared for a siofe There is something heroic iD the very bought It was surrounded aud hcmmed in by territory over Whhb t had once ruled in nndisplacd away, but which had long been controlled ny Assyrian governors and hgeG with As- syrian colonists Az ;Shalmanesor i'd. vaneed closer he wcHid. of .onrse. destroy and lay Wa8tc every thiag aboast the city which might have fobnabed any aid or comfort Co # Prom he villages and towns thus 1esffoycd tte people would flock mic Inc ,aEial until il was crowded The bs0ph Gf Samaria may have hoped for help nom Egypt. watching with ai.h hearia :or signs of an approa. hing amy ,, ,na. cor They knew wha spiI.ndcr meant n the loss of iben .ty .,no n probable deportation to silanre mbds. They were fighting ;o sbe i,ttc. .bd for homes and for fife
 What God had dcno ry 4 b,atlsF ous delivorance, he had honfH, them out Of thc,r b0raarc in FrAi, ne had driven unt the Nthaarllo"f ;ton before them IF had giIon fbem fEe commandments and inn sino mlse laws. lie had nadc a sttD. a. vain them. over and oVfr rgoaEsEn.. itt n all blessings f thes Nooid ,ba1 h,r.. He had sent them thc nophot. and. seegs. the best and Nlnasi ot ,art 70 declare his viii and sead ibt way
 What !sIaci had .3,nc- ff,} ba,R fallen into a worse bondage he.omihg slaves of an abGmiGatl. aeiatfg Jh.Y had fallen to wcrs;irIhf tbt ve,} peds Of the GaEaaLites th1' Ifosed r"w. .s.= les They had h.ohon tho .e,rnah,t- mcnfs eapcCiaiiy tb# ,",st sole.3n .,nf important fiat aga5"si "'6 ia3. fh,y lad failed 10 leol ttGr laat .i ,te covenant and .a,lc ".t e>pe., tod 10 keep his rart fh,! A,ott h., t!s- ten 10 the rrorhete int Iclt.lstl n -n L.-l..-..L. snLL....