The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-01-01


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 IN
der Saul, David and Solomon, and the
divided kingdom in the times OF Eli
iah, Amos, Hosea and Jonah, down to
the time of Daniel during the cap
tivity.
l. Another Generation, w. no.
During the days of Joshua Israel
served Jehovah, but his influence did
MT last long after his death. Ever
and anon God must needs raise up
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. 62;5;
Phil. 2:12). Still God is working
through human agents and in every
crisis raises up his spiTit-clothed
leaders. No doubt this another gen
Grafton" honored Joshua as a hero
but they did not follow in his obedi-
miss Gods MIGHTY deeds among men
by calling them myths and traditions.
or to deny the accuracy of the rec
ords." Doubtless the Israelites felt
their obligations to their neighbours
and acknowledgment. but they lost
realizing sense of their obligations to
God.
Sin Of idoIatry.
n. They forsook the Lord, w.
| 1913. Backsliding Israel is a prov
erb. Over and again there was re-
turn to true worship and just as
often a forsakrg For centuries Je-
hovah bore with, forgave, restored
and punished this "stiffnecked' peo-
pie. until the final overthrow and cap
| tivity burned into their consciousness
the sin of idolatrv. The reason for
this was their disobedience in not
putting out of the land "the gods of
the peoples that we're 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 we're con
sidered verv progressive and thor
course an evidence of greater wisdom
than that of their fathers but 1t
was EVIL in the SIGHT of the Lord -
We do not understand that these
Israeltes took up the worship OF
Raal. the sun god, with all of its
denominations at once, but rather
sought a combination, a compromise
worship. which of course led to the
inevitable forsaking Of God. Verse ~
indicates the bass ingratitude of
such a course for he it was which
brought them out of the land OF
Egypt" Titus 2'14; Q Pet. 2.D.
ia. The Anger Of the Lord, w,
ID, IS. There is no anger like that Of
outraged love. We are ant to forget
the other attributes of God. those OF
Justice, holiness and purity and that
God can not look upon iniuuity (Hab
l:13). The light men enjoy onlN
heightens and makes more black theiI
offenses Gods anetr 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 Ur
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 lin
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 one who
is now the savior but who shall yet
be the judge. That these righteous
leaders of the people had difficult
task is suggested by verse II, The
hearts of the people went whor
ing" lusted after the things repre-.
scented by Baal and Ashtaroth, which
history tells us we're too vile to be
enumerated. The judges secured for
the people of Israel their tights &C.
cordng to the mercy of Jehovah. At
the same time they were rulers, and
as such secured for individuals their
rights.
The worship of Jehovah always
taught and impressed moral and
spiritual truth and required the con
Tossing and forsaking of evil. These
judges we're God-endowed and did not
prostitute their gifts They were God
led, saw Israel's need and had cour.
age, faith and zeal enough to show
Israel that the first thing they needed
to do was to forsake the evil and re-
turn to life of obedience to God.
Their equipment was in that "the |
Lord was with the judge" ". 49,. |
Notice that God was with those whom
he raised up" OF course not all |
Of the time, nor all of the land at
I'll times was thus torn and being |
punished as is clearly suggested by |
he stories of Ruth, Hannah and
samuel. AS Jehovah was with the