Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-08-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR AUGUST q
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Text of the Lesson, II Chron. XIV, lis.
Memory Verses, I, 2-Golden Text,
Jas. iv, documentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.

Jas. iv, 8-Commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. stearns.
In the story Of Jeroboam we had q
sample of all the kings OF the ten
tribes, for there was not a good king
among them. They Az walked in the
ways OF Jeroboam, sos of Nebat, who
made Israel TO sin. There were few
just eight | think-among the kings
Of judah who did right in the eyes Of
the Lord. and Asa of today's lesson
was one Of them oversees /, y. His IA
Their, Abiiah, son of Rehoboam, reigned
only three years (xiii, 1, y. The Lord
gave him and his army victory over
the army Of Jeroboam because they
relied upon the Lord God OF their ia
Tiers xiii. 70. 1S). His words in xiii,
II, are always helpful-"Behold, God
Himself is with us for our captain"
While the story of Asa IS told in part
Of a chapter in the book of Kings
Il Kings XIV, S-24), it occupies three
chapters in Chronicles xiv, XIV, xvii,
the first two telling of his thirty-flve
Years Vi ldlllll ullltSS anu DltSSillS anu
the last telling of five years of disobe-
dience. What pity that such a good
king with such n long reign should
waste his later years in wandering
from God! But such always is man
when he turns away from God. We
cannot think of Asa as lost man,
though he acted so badly at the last,
but he lost part of the full reward
which might have been his I'll John
8; Cor. iii. l1-l5).
Quietness and rest on every side and
a whole hearted seeking, the Lord God
his reign xiv, II; XIV, 12-1JJ. such
rest and peace and quietness is the
privilege Of every true believer, and
when lie giveth quietncss who then
can make trouble whether in the case
Of a nation or "A man only Job XXXiv,
Do II is our privilege thus TO fore
taste the kingdom when the work Of
Righteousness shall be peace, and the
effect or service of righteousness quiet
ness and assurance forever lisa. xxi,
/, IL. The same Lord is ever saying
to all, Come unto me, and | viii
give you rest Matt. ri, 2S-30l. and il
is written. I'VE who have believed do
enter into rest. QIcb. iv. -. The great
adversary hates peace always, and SO
he stirred up the Philippians with an
army of over a million TO 90 against
Asa, who had only about half as many
men, but Asa cried unto the Lord his
God In the words Of that ever memo
rable prayer OF chapter xiv, IL, SO brief
yet so comprehensive. which has help
ed me many a time, and will prove a
comfort and strength to all who appro-
pirate 1t.
Every day and hour we should say,
I'VE rest on Thee. and In Thy name
we &C" Compare part Of the prayer
OF Jehoshaphat In chapter Xxx. y,
which we may also continually appro-
pirate. Although the Ethiopians were
such a huge host, yet because Asa re
lied on the Lord He delivered them
into his hand, for the eyes OF the Lord
run to and fro throughout the whole
earth to show Himself strong In the
behalf OF Tor as In the margin, strongly
to hold with them whose heart is per-
feet Tor whole toward Him chapter xvi.
8, 90. This ninth verse is and has been
for long years a continual strength and
comfort TO me and Is working in me
an increasing desire TO have a whole
heart for Him. and TO see no one save
Jesus only. The Spirit OF God brought
a message OF encouragement to Asa by
Azariah whose name means the
strength OF Jehovah, which is found In
lesson verses II. and the exhortation
In verse Is for us also who believe.
BE We strong. therefore, and let not
your hands be weak, for your work
shall be rewarded" Salvation is never
Of works, but always TO him that work
eth not but believeth Rom. ~, -; but
we are thus saved by grace in order TO
serve the Living and True God, and
all true service unto Him shall be re-
warded luke xiv, IA; Rev. xii. 10;
III John s..
We need always the exhortation of
Eph. vi, 10, "Be strong in the Lord
and In the power of His might" Asa,
being thus encouraged, cleansed the
land of idols, even destroying that OF
his own mother, but this cleansing was
chiefly in judah and Benjamin, many
OF the high places still remaining in
Israel, over which he had no control;
and yet many out OF Ephraim, and Ma
nasseh, and Simeon, and other tribes
fell to him in abundance when they
saw that the Lord his God was with
him; all because he was seeking the
Lord with all his heart and soul
verses $50. They also renewed the
altar and offered sacrifices, and there !
was no more war until the thirty-ffth |
year of his reign. But the next year
the king Of Israel came against him.
and, instead Of relying upon the Lord,
he made league with the king Of
Syria. This brought a reproof from
the Lord.by Hanani the seer, who re-
minded Asa how the Lord had wrought II