The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-06-15
DOWNFALL OF
SAMARIA
Sunday sehsoi Lesson f. Jass - 1911
Specially Arranged Tor mis- Paper
LESSON TEXT Kings r:t-1s.

LESSON THAT-z Kings Hsl-lh
MEMORY vERSE-14.
Reproved Hardeneth his Neck. Shall Sud-
denly be Destroyed, and That Without
Remedy. PROV. ISL
TIME-Hoshea became king In the
twelfth year OF Ahaz e. Kings 17:D, B.
G. 12e (Beecher). $50 (FIastings). Samaria
fell B. c. IT'S (Beecher), 722 OIastings).
PLACE Samaria, the capital Of the
northern kingdom. about IS miles north
Of Jerusalem
KINGS-Hezel1ia 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 tSo.l
PROPHETS Isaiah and perhaps Hosea
and Micah
What was the character Of Hosheaf
The implication Of v. 2sis that, though
he allowed the practices Of idolatry
and the other evils Of his predeces-
sors, yet he was better RAN 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-
lergy and lofty patriotism Beginning
his reign as 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 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 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 is leaving the les
SEEMING shore farther and farther be-
hind. Our disease becomes incurable.
Like those stones which. though soft
as clay on being raised from the quar-
Try, grow hard as flint through ex-
posture 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 Israers snare from the
first. The prophets compared it to
trusting in shadow or making 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
i 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 is vain.
What measures did Shalmaneser
take to reduce to submission his re-
bellious vassal? He sent Cor led in
j person) an army against him. PROBES.
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
aSamaria prepared for siege. There
lis something heroic In the very
4 thought. 1t was surrounded and
hemmed in by territory over which IL
had once ruled in undisputed sway
but which had long been controlled by
4 Assyrian governors and. filed 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 1t. From the
villages and towns thus destroyed the
people would flock into the capita
until 1t was crowded. The people o.
Samaria may have hoped for help from
Egypt, watching with sick hearts fol
signs of an approaching army Of sue
cor. They knew what surrender
4 meant In the loss OF their city, and il
probable deportation to strange lands
They were fighting to the bitter END
for homes and for life.
4 What God had done: BY a marvel
GUS deliveranee, he had brought then
out Of their bondage IN Egypt HI
had driven out the Canaanites from
before them. He had given them tn.
commandments, and full and wise
laws He had made covenant will
them, over and over, promising then
all blessings II they would obey him
He had sent them the prophets an.
seers, the best and wisest of men, /,
declare hts will and lead the way.
What Israel had done: They ha.
fallen into worse bondage, becomin,
slaves Of an abominable idolatry. The,
had fallen to worshiping the very god
| of the Canaanites. thus proved power
less. They had broken the command
ments, especially the most solemn an,
important, that against idolatry. The,
had failed to keep their part Of TIL
covenant, and could not expect Go,
to keep his part. They would not lis
item to the prophets, but persisted Il
all iniquity, setting up idolatrous obe
lisks, and Asherim, and even sacrific
ing their children to the fire god Nc
lech.
I0nAv ron TILT nnrm tteyan-