Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-01-09
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDNSC1OOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR JANUARY 3
GODS PATIENCE WITH ISRAEL
By e. o. SELLERS, Acting Directo
Sunday School Course-)

LESSON TExT-Judges 2-z-1s-
GOLDEN TEXT will heal their back
sliding, win love them freely--Hos- 14:4-
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 I'M
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.
I. Another Generation, w. 7-fo. |
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-wh
is ever with his people and we do
not need any earthly leader Cps. 62:5;
Phil. 2:12) Still God is working
through human agents and in every
crisis raises up his Sophisticated
leaders. No doubt this another gem
Grafton" honored Joshua as hero
but they did not follow in his obedi-
ence to Jehovah. 1t 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 felt
their obligations to their neighbors
and Acknowledgement, but they lost
realizing sense of their obligations to
God.
Sin of ldoiatry.
n. They forsook the Lord, w.
1918. Backsliding Israel is prov
IN a O.
turn to true worship and just as
often a forsaking. 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 idolatry. The reason for
this was their disobedience in not
putting out of the land "the gods OF
the peoples that were 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 its
denominations at once, but rather
| sought combination, a compromise
| worship, which of course led to the
| Inevitable forsaking of God. Verse Il
indicates the base ingratitude of
such course for he it was which
brought them out of the land o.
Egypt" (Titus 2:14; 2 Pet 2:D-
III. The Anger of the Lord. w
IA, IS. There is no anger like that o.
outraged love. We are apt to FORGE
the other attributes of God, those Of
Justice, holiness and purity and thai
God can not look upon iniquity (Hab
1913. The light men enjoy onl,
heightens and makes more black theil
offenses. Gods ange- can wax hot
and here he delivered them into thu
hands of the spoilers that spoiled
them"
God Keeps His Promises.
Nv. And the Lord Raised Vi
Judges, r. v. w. 1919. These wer'
men who felt the bitterness of thu
distress of their nation. God keep
to the letter his promises, both o
blessing and of punishment. but eli
wrath he remembers mercy" Thes'
judges had higher aspirations thai
simply to judge, for they saved" tn
, people. We who live in this presen
dispensation of grace have one VIII
, is now the savior but who shall ye
, be the Judge. That these righteou
! leaders of the people had a difdcul
task is suggested by verse IL. Tn
hearts of the people went who1
: ing" lusted after the things repre-
!, scented by Baal and Ashtaroth, whicl
history tells US were too vile to b
enumerated. The judges secured 70
the people of Israel their rights az
cording to the mercy of Jehovah A
the same time they were rulers. an
as such secured for individuals thei
rights
The worship of Jehovah Away
| taught and impressed moral an
spiritual truth and required the COZ
! Tossing and forsaking of evil Thes
! | judges were God-endowed and did no
!. prostitute their gifts They we're Goo
: led, saw Israefs need and had coul
. age, faith and zeal enough to shol
Israel that the first thing they needle
to do was to forsake the evil and II
turn to a life of obedience to God
Their equipment was in that eth
Lord was with the judge" ". 1Sl
Notice that God was with those whor
r he raised up" OF course not a
q of the time. nor all of the land q
!. all times was thus torn and bein
b punished as is clearly suggested b
Q the stories of Ruth. Hannah an