Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-12-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson First Quarter, For
Jan. 3, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Jude. ii, 7-19.
Memory Verses, II, f2-GoIden Text,
Hos xiv. 4-commentsry Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stesrns.


by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
The lessons of this year begin with
FIVE studies in the book Of Judges.
showing the failure of Israei. Gods in
tervention and mans faithleSsness. Ev.
cry delverer whom God raised up was
in some sense suggestive Of the great
Deliverer the Lord Jesus Christ. aud
each one wrought la the power of the
Holy Spirit. Joshua tells of the en-.
trance Of israel into tbe promised land
and its subjugation and division among
the tribes. ending with Joshua's fare
well appeal to Israel to fear the Lord
and serve Him in sincerity and in truth
and the determination OF the people 80
TO do Iosh. xiv. "a. 24I one of his
grandest farewell words was when he
reminded the people that not one thing
had failed of all the good things which
the Lord had spoken Josh. xiii. Ia.
See the same blessed testimony In
Kings. viii. 81. and let each one lay IL
to heart for his own special comfort.
The section assigned us for this days
lesson is a concise epitome Of the book
of Judges. telling of Israers persistent
turning away from God and OF His
great patience with them. David sum-
married. the record in these words:
Many times did He deliver them. but
they provoked Him with their counsel
and were brought low for their iniqui.
". Nevertheless He regarded their ar.
fiction when He heard their cry" ups.
cvi. 43. ~: xviii. 3S,. Paul summa-
rized Joshua and Judges in these words:
when He had destroyed seven nations
in the land of Canaan He divided their
land TO them by lot. And after that He
gave unto them judges about the space
of $50 years until Samuel the prophet"
facts xiii. TO- 2ol.
The first chapter of Judges tells how
tribe after tribe had failed to drive ont
the people of the land as they had been
commanded. and our lesson chapter
opens with thesLord's reproof for this
sin. saying: -Ye have not obeyed my
voice. Why have We doue this Z"
(Verse -
Our lesson begins by telling us that
while Joshua lived and also during the
lifetime of the elders that outlived
Joshua the people served the Lord.
The Lord and even one man can lead
host of people in the right direction.
Think OF the worldwide testimony TO
the God of Daniel by the faithfulness
of himself and his three friends See
II Chron. xvi. 8, and desire above all
things whole heart for Him.
The next lesson verses tell Of the
death and burial of Joshua. and these
three verses 90 are Identical with
Josh. xiv. 1881. When the Spirit re-
peats words He thus asks special at.
tention TO them. The words that spe-
cially hold me are Joshua the servant
of the Lord" and The people served
the Lord" and make me wish to appre-
pirate more fully the beautiful heart
words Whose am and whom serve
tAets xvii. 23,. Joshua ends with the
burial of two other bodies. those OF
Joseph after SO long time and Flea
ar.athe son OF Aaron
Bodies are buried. but people 20 GA
living better without them Gf redeem
ed Until the time of the resurrecti0s
bodies How pitifui to read of IA gen
GRAFTON which knew rot the Lord"
(verse l0l. and they the descendants of
people for whom the Lord wrought
as Hehad never wrought for any other
nation. They forsook the Lord God
of their fathers. did evil In His sight
and wofshiped the idols OF the nations
which SHOULD have been destroyed oy
them. for the Lord had said Thou
shalt make no covenant With them nor
shew mercy unto them. for thou
art an holy people unto the Lord thy
God, special people unto Him
self above all people that are upon tue
face of tie earth" (Deut. rii. 24Gl.
Such sowing brings sad reaping ne
cording to lesson verses ~. IL: chapter
iii, 5-S. II. l3. and records in chapters
following of similar turnings away
from God
A very odd thumbs and toes story of
sowing and reaping is found in chapter
i. 6. !. The principle always stands.
Whatsoever man soweth that shall
he also reap" tGaI. vi. ~. Nevertheless
the Lofu raised up Judges. who deltv-
cred them, for the Lord was with the
judge VERSES 10. IS: chapter Iii. 8. l5,
We should think that the Lord would
grow weary of forgiviRg and delivering
people whom He knew would after a
time commit the same sins again. but
He is the same Lord who told Peter
to forgive until seventy times seven.
or until the end Of Daniels seventy
sevens. which means the coming OF the
kingdom
They would not hearken unto their
judges: they turned quickly out of the
way: they ceased not from their own
doings nor from their stubborn way
oversees II. l9l. Long afterward IL was
written of them. Their doings will not
suffer them TO turn unto their God"
Hos 4 4 margini