Evening star., 1915-01-09

truth that God is always on the side
of the needy and that after we have
failed in our plans for the salvation of
society He will bring in an era OF
justice by showing us the better way
OF love. labor and peace. 1t also sue-
gests that God is not always on the side
of the strongest battalions in battle.
In the contest that took place on the
southern portion of the plain where
Sisera, the commanding general of the
forces of Jabin, the King of Canaan.
had assembled his war chariots when
informed by Heber, the Kenite, that
Israel was mobilizing her men at
Mount Tabor to shake off the yoke OF
bondage and oppression which they had
endured for twenty years, the powers
of heaven favored Israel. terrific
rainstorm broke upon the forces of the
Canaanites and the River Kishon over
flowed its banks SO high that the war
chariots were useless and the warriors
were swept away. Deborah then
called Israel to rush down from the
mountain and the Lord gave victory
to Barak. enabling him to win by the
assistance of nature the decisive bat
tie that gave freedom to Israel. The
result of the contest between the forces
of Barak and Ssera determined the
fate of Jabin. but the full delverance
of Israel evidently did not come until
some time later, after the death of
SiSera. who fed toward his home in
the north. while his army was being
lowed their enemy rctreating toward
the mouth of the kishon, until not a
man was left
Sisera's Death.
The death of Sisera who was re-
ceived into the tent of Jael, the wife
of Heber, the Kenite traitor, who be
trayed to Jabin the mobilization of Is
rael. and received hospitality at her
hands, presents problem that must be
faced as we study this lesson. The ma
ture of the tent life in the Holy Land
and among the Bedouins helps to solve
the difficulties presented by the death
OF Eisera. )
TT was no ordinary case of hospital
ity." for Jael could see that the armed
enter her tent. Moved by fear and ne
cessity, she invited him in, but deter
mined from the commencement to pro-
tect her reputation and life by "tac-
tics that every Arab woman would
have considered lawful" According
to the unwritten. ineXorable laws of
Bedouin life. the entering of the wom-
ans part of the tent by a man of an
other family is punishable with death
Instances are recorded among the
Arabs of a defeated warrior having
hidden himself in the apartments OF
women, but such heinous breach of
followed by the sentence of death"
Viewed from the standpoint of her day
and race, we see how Jael, 'the brave,
outraged woman, simply became the
executioner of sentence which in any
case some male member of her family
would certainly be bound to carry out
Her act. completing the victory of Deb
orah and Barak, was commended by
Deborah in her song of thanksgiving
that stands in the first rank of Hebrew
poetry.
Modern Problems.
We are seeing in the records of the
press how in the struggle across the
seas the leaders on both sides of the
war have sought to unite the spirit OF
patriotism with religion just as Deb
orah did when she aroused the clans
of Israel to battle for their freedom
and the right to exist a separate and
distinct people in the land God had
given to them. We have no right to
claim that war is of God unless 1t be
into for His glory. The spirit
Of Christianity is against war. We are
to conquer S not by the po... of our
but by the spirit of our
Lord.
Whenever God calls us to enter int.
His service He demands that we make
sacrifices that will bring glory ami
honor to Him. We have no right To
remain neutral when His cause is at
stake. In His battles Jehovah has a
place for women. In fact, the story of
our lesson if it were not of divine rec
ord might be considered a tract written
in favor Of the modern feminist move
ment. 1t is the voice of the women OF
our land that is stirring the nation to
eradicate the evils that are threaten
ing the very life of our country by
urging that we seek first the kingdom
Of God and His righteousness Let us
follow them and help secure for Amer
ca the permanence. prosperity and
power that belongs to the nation that
seeks always to do His will and work
Let US heed Gods CALL as did Barak
20 help the righteous and needy in all
the stricken lands of the earth so that
hey may know the love of God that
oasseth knowledge and finally come to
snjoy that season of peace when "the
war drums beat no iongt and the bat