Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-01-07
LESSON FOR JANUARY 3
GODS PATIENCE WITH ISRAEL

GODS PATIENCE WITH ISRAEL
LESSON TExT-Judges 2:7-1s.
GOLDEN TEXT will heal their back
Dliding. I will love them freely.-Hos. l4A-
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. 7-1o.
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-who
Is ever with his people and we DO
not need any earthly leader FPS. $3.50;
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
but they did not follow in his obedi-
ence to Jehovah. It is easy to dis
miss Gods mighty deeds among men
by calling them myths and traditions
or to deny the accuracy of the rec
ords.- Doubtless the Israelites Tell
their obligations to their neighbors
and acknowledgment, but they lost a
realizing sense of their obligations to
God. America today is charged with
an altruistic spirit but seems lacking
in a deep sense Of that obligation
to God which Is primary.
Sin Of IdoIatry.
n. They forsook the Lord, w.
1t:13. Backsliding Israel Is a prov
erb, Over and again there was a re-
turn to true worship and just as
often a forsaking. For centuries Je-
hovah bore with, forgave, restored
and punished this "s~tiffnecked" pee
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 e 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 IL
indicates the base ingratitude OF
such a course for he 1t was which
brought them out Of the land OF
Egypt" (Titus 2:14; 2 Pet. 2:1).
IN. The Anger Of the Lord, w.
"a, rs. 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.
1919. The light men enjoy only
heightens and makes more black their
offenses. Gods angs- 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 W
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 I'm
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 n 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 fol
the people of Israel their sights &C
cording to the mercy Of Jehovah. Al
the same time they were rulers, and
as such secured for individuals theil
rights. Professor Beecher has calcu
lated that the period Of their admins
tration was about three hundred and
thirty-two years, from the death o.
Joshua, 1434 B. c., to the amounting
of Saul, 1890 B. G. 1t is probable
that at times part Of the land
was under oppression and other parts
were enjoying security under its
fudge. It has been suggested thai
Israel, during the time we have beer
and now are studying, passed through
four grades in Gods school: (1) Tha'
in Egypt; training in bondage ant
contact with the highest civilization
OF the day. (2) That in the desert;
training in faith, law and religion
o~bservances in the presence Of peri
and hardships. (3) That In the TINT
Of the judges; training in self-govern
ment while in contact with enemies
and moral evils. ~ That Of the king
dom; training In the arts and in re
Iigious life as manifested by the
temple. the priesthood and thu
prophets. Idolatry was fascinating, !
had a false freedom, It appealed Il
every passion, and was the very anti
thesis Of the Jehovah worship Of pur
tfv itae1f.