The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-12-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson X.-Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. 7, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


Mark tx, 2s--commentary by Rev. D.
M. Stearns.
The story Of the Lords doings on
behalf Of Israel reached the ears of
many people and melted their hearts
and took away their pride Josh. v, u.
Mans doings do not work that way, but
rather tend to self exaltation. 1t is
therefore easy to tell whether a work
is Of the Lord or of men. Israel shall
yet praise the Lord, proclaim His
name, declare His doings among the
people Qsa. xii, a.. But all believers
should be doing 1t now praising His
works. declaring His mighty acts Ps.
cxlv, ~.
Since He is ever waiting to work In
us and through us, why not humbly
yield and let Him, that He may be
glorified? Chapter v, 20, tells of the
rite of circumcision, which had not
been performed since they left Egypt.
Circumcision is suggestive Of work
in the believer, for it was given to
Abraham as q seal of the righteous
ness which he had, yet being uncir-
cumcised Rom. iv, 1D. 1t signified
even to Israel a work in the heart,
the renouncing of the flesh and true
humility before God Oev. XVI, Az.
Chapter v, 10, tells of the keeping of
the third passover, for we do not read
that they observed it during all their
wanderings. See the other two in
EX. xii, 6; Mum. TX, 5, and note that
this also teaches mans helplessness
and the mighty hand Of the Lord and
points onward to the approaching de-
liverance Of Israel from all nations
(Ex. xii, &c, 81; Jer. xiii, 5-S; Luke
xxi, Is, 16). The mama, the food
from heaven, continued all through
the forty years, Notwithstanding their
murmurings and rebellings, until at
Gilgal they ate of the old corn of the
land Oversees II. 12).
In chapter V, 1916 we have test for
Joshua. He had just been appointed
as the new leader in the place of Moses
and had been honored as such at the
Jordan. Has he become proud and
self sufficient, or is he still meek and
submissive? Near Jericho he saw a
man with a drawn sword who an
host of the Lord. Will Joshua stand
on his dignity as the new leader or
accept this other? See and hear him.
He fell on his face and did worship
and said what saith my Lord unto
his servant" He won and was safe
as a leader and loosed his shoe from
off his foot, as he was told to do. thus
acknowledging another as proprietor
(Ex. iii, 8; Ruth iv, y.
If We would only live with shoes off,
what might we not see of the wonder
full working of the Lord! But in order
to see the power of God and His work
ing we must be willing to do as SEEM
ingly ridiculous things as bearing the
ark and stepping into the water expect
ing It to stop flowing or marching
round Jericho blowing trumpets of
rams horns and expecting the walls
to fall down.
What / have in mind is something
like this: Conducting a religious pa
per without an advertisement Of any
kind to help make it go; running a
church Ito use a common phrase) with
out having lectures or festivals or en-
tertainments of any kind to help
pay expenses; believing that Bible
studies, eXpositions of the word of
God, are what people need and want
rather than sermons or essays on pop
ular topics; teaching that the same
Jesus will return in person to set up
a kingdom Of peace and righteousness
on this earth and that He is only wait
ing until the church, His body, shall
be gathered from all nations, that He
may receive her to Himself ere He
shall return In glory; that these truths
will lead people to give gladly to mis-
sions without personal solicitation,
even to the extent of giving 81 or more
to missions for every dollar spent at
home
know that such things seem to
many religious people as wild vagaries,
and yet l have personally proved the
blessing of the Lord in these matters
or in most of them for over twenty
years.
The ark Of the covenant which was
so prominent at the crossing Of the
Jordan is mentioned ten times in
versus Alb, of our lesson chapter, re-
minding us of the words of our Lord
in John xv, 8, without Me ye can do
nothing" The trumpets of rams'
horns tell of atonement by the precious
blood Of the substitute (Gen. xii 13),
so both the ark and the trumpets and
the priests, all speak of Him who alone
can divide the sea or the river or throw
down a Jericho and who says to all
who are willing to walk with Him,
81 am with you," 81 will work and
who shall hinder it?" Qsa. xii, 10;
xiii, 49,
In verse 2 of our lesson the Lord
said unto Joshua, "See, have given
into thine hand Jericho" and yet to
4 L.