The Denver star., 1915-11-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Lesson W.-Fourth Quarter. For
Nov. ], 1915.

Lesson vl.-F0urn Quaft9rs f0r
Nov. ], 1915.
Text Of the Lesson, u Kings XII, @-15.
Memory Verse, s-6oIden Text, II
Cor. tx, 7-commsntary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stsarns.
Among the many things 1 do not yet
know there is this-why we should
know the names OF some mothers and
not know the name Of David's mother
and some others. Both in our lesson
chapter and in Chronicles we are told
that the mother of Joash was Zibiah
Of Beersheba. Now, the meaning of
Beersheba is "the well Of the oath"
and always suggests the faithfulness
OF God (Gen. xxi, 81. margin). 1t was
at Beersheba that Abraham dwelt
when be went to Moriah with Isaac to
offer him up, and to that home he
brought him back as alive from the
dead Gen. xii, LID. So am re-
minded that all blessing depends upon
the death and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ. 1t was good thing for
Joash that he had such friend as Je-
hoiada the priest, who must have been
a remarkable man in many ways. hv-
ing to be 13Osyenrs Of age. SO he must
have been 100 or nearly SO when he
caused Joash to be proclaimed king.
lust about 100 years after the death
OF Solomon.
Joash did right In the sight Of the
Lord as long as he had Jehoiada for
counselor. but the people still sacrihced
and burnt incense In high places
(verses 2. 3: ii Chron. xiv. 2. 81. We
cannot think of Israel (whether the ten
tribes or the two or the twelve) being
right with God apart from a right re-
lation to the tabernacle or temple, for
those buildings stood for God In their
midst (Ex. XIV, 8; Kings Vi. II. 13).
So we read that Joash was minded to
repair the house Of the Lord, which
Athaliah, that wicked woman. had
broken up QI Chron. xiv. 4, y. The
great fact about the Lord Jesus. the
true tabernacle and temple. WAS that
He was God manifest In the nesh. God
was in Christ The church, the body
OF Christ now being builded. Is wholly
for God. Each individual believer IL
q temple and should be wholly for God.
The repairs which Joash desired to
make, like all work today. needed
funds, and he thought Of the taber-
nacle Of Moses and Of the willing Of
fcrings III Chron. xiv. o.. but he did
not seem to remember that these will
ing offerings were brought in. not sent
for He sent the priests and Levites
out to gather the necessary money, but
the plan did not work. for after TWEEN
ty-thrce years the funds had not been
gathered and the repairs aot made
(verses As: ii Chron. XIV. 90. Then
Jeboinda the priest. the king agreeing,
put n chest. with hole In the lid of
II, beside the altar as one cometh into
Ire house OF the Lord. and a proclama-
ticn was made through Judah and
Jerusalem to bring In to the Lord the
Offering that Moses. the servant OF
God. had commanded Israel In the viii
derncss. Then the princes and the
people rejoiced and brought In day by
day. and thus money was gathered In
abundance verses ITO; II Chron.
xiv. SID.
offerings was placed beside the altar
OF burnt offering. the brazen altar, on
which the lambs were offered morning
and evening, typical OF Golgotha and
the one great sacrifice offered once for
all. The one constraining motive In
all offerings to the Lord must be the
love OF Christ. the Son Of God, who
loved the church and gave Himself
for It: who loved me and give Himself
for me; no duty about 1t, but just love
constrnining. Then notice that there
was no further effort to raise the mon
ey-no personal appeals, no soliciting
from individuals, but nll was brought
In joyfully and willingly. Note care
fully Eek. xxxv. 81. %: Chron. xxx.
o. II. and lay 1t to heart. On this prin-
ciplc have received for home and for
eign missions in the last twenty fve
and half years (up to July 1. 1919
over $156,OO0 and in the same way
have seen for thirty four years nll cur.
rent expenses Of congregati~1 easily
met.
The Lord God Of Israel still liveth
and is ready to hold strongly with
hearts that nre whole toward Him as
It is written in II Chron. xvi. o. margin.
The money was given to the overseers
of the work. and they laid It out to the
carpenters and builders that wrought
upon the house Of the Lord, but no
reckoning was kept with the men to
whom the money was given. for thcy
dealt faithfully (verses 11-15; II Chron.
XIV. 12-14). This method Of handling
money could not be safely carried on