The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-12-31
LESSON FOR JANUARY 3
GODS PATIENCE WITH ISRAEL

LESSON TEXT-Judges 2:7-f9.
GOLDEN TEXT viii heal their back
sliding. / will love them freely.-Hos. 14:4
This year We again return to the
history of the chosen people and fol-
low them through the period of the
judges, the days of the monarchy un-
der Saul. David and Solomon, and the
divided kingdom in the times of Eli
jah. Amos, Hosea and Jonah, down to
the time of Daniel during the cap
tivity.
!. Another Generation, w. 7-fo.
During the days of Joshua Israel
served Jehovah, but his influence did
not last long after his death. Ever
and anon God must needs raise up
a Joshua to lead his church. We
have another "Joshua"-Jesus-wh
is ever with his people and we do
not need any earthly leader FPS. 62:5;
Phil 2:12). Still God Is working
through human agents and in every
crisis raises up his spirit-clothed
leaders. No doubt this another gen.
Grafton" honored Joshua as a hero
ence to Jehovah 1t is easy to dis
Iiiss Gods mighty deeds among men
by calling them myths and traditions,
or to deny the accuracy of the rec
c~ds" Doubtless the Israelites felt
their obligations to their neighbors
and feiiow-tribesmen. but they lost a
realizing sense of their obligations to
God.
Sin Of ldoIatry.
u. They forsook the Lord, w.
1913. Backsliding Israel is a prov
erb. Over and again there was re-
turn to true worship and just as
often a forsaking For centuries Je'
hovah bore with, forgave, restored
and punished this "stiffnecked" peo-
pie, until the final overthrow and cap
tivity burned into their consciousness
the sin of idolatry. The reason for
this was their disobedience in not
putting out of the land "the gods OF
the peoples that were round about
them" Liberality of this sort always
results in spiritual ruin. A nations
ideals about God not alone determine
its moral status but eventually its
physical and temporal welfare as well.
Their way was not evil in their own
sight and doubtless they were con-
sidered very progressive, and their
course an evidence of greater wisdom
than that of their fathers, but it
was "evil in the sight of the Lord"
We do not understand that these
Israelites took up the worship of
Baal. the sun god, with all of it's
denominations at once, but rather
sought a combination, a compromise
worship, which of course led to the
inevitable forsaking of God Verse 12
indicates the base ingratitude OF
such a course for he it was which
brought them out of the land OF
Egypt" (Titus 2:14; Pet 2:D.
~. The Anger of the Lord, w.
| IA, is. There is no anger like that of
outraged love. We are apt to forget
the other attributes of God, those OF
| Justice, holiness and purity and that
God can not look upon iniquity (Hab,
| 1:13). The light men enjoy only
heightens and makes more black their
offenses. Gods anger can "waX hot"
and here he delivered them into the
hands of the spoilers that spoiled
! them
God keeps His Promises.
~. And the Lord Raised Up
Judges, r. v. w. 1919. These were
men who felt the bitterness of the
distress of their nation. God keeps
to the letter his promises. both OF
blessing and Of punishment, but in
wrath he remembers mercy" These
| judges had higher aspirations than
simply to Judge, for they Saved" the
| people. We who live in this present
dispensation of grace have one who
is now the savior but who shall yet
be the judge. That these righteous
leaders of the people had a difficult
task is suggested by verse II. The
| hearts of the people went a whor-
! ing" lusted after the things repre-
sented by Baal and Ashtaroth, which
history tells us were too vile to be
enumerated. The judges secured for
/ the people Of Israel their rights &C
/ cording to the mercy of Jehovah. At
the same time they were rulers. and
as such secured for individuals their
rights.
The worship of Jehovah always
taught and impressed moral and
, spiritual truth and required the con-
Tossing and forsaking of evil These
! judges were God-endowed and did not
prostitute their gifts. They we're God
led, saw Israers need and had cour-
age, faith and zeal enough to show
Israel that the first thing they needed
to do was to forsake the evil and re-
turn to a life of obedience to God.
Their equipment was in that "the
Lord was with the judge" ". 18).
Notice that God was with those whom
he "rused up" OF course not all
of the time. nor all of the land at
all times was thus torn and being
punished as Is clearly suggested by
the stories OF Rms Hannah and