The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-12-16
INTERNATIONAL
.SUNGYSCIlOQI
LESSON
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 10
FALL AND CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL.
BY, E. o. sELLEB& A ling Director of
Sunday School qoyrsefT Moody BIbls
Institute OF Chichg0.,.-T'
copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper unlo,

LESSON TExT-u Kings M. Il. nj
| t23).
GOLDEN TEXT-He that after beIu.
reproved hardeneth his neck shall sua'
denly be destroyed. d.-Prov. 29:i.
In the sweep OF our six years cycle
of study we prefer to consider this les
son first and use the Christmas story
uuke 2:D20) to illustrate the love Of
God which Israel (the last ten tribesD
so basely outraged ere 1t passed into
oblivion.
l. The stiff-Neeked People, w. s-ia
The fact ". g. OF lsrael's captivity
has always appealed to the interest
and the imaginations Of men. The
cause Of the captivity was threefoId
Q) They had sinned' ". y. i'll
was not a single offense but course
of action which was performed Ca)
openly, walked" ". 81. For 215 years
following Solomon's reign they had
been openly idolatrous and trespassed
upon Gods grace, OBJ. Secretly (y.
81, Hosea's reign was the same as
that OF his IS predecessors. Doubt.
less he was good diplomat and poll
tician, though his vacillatlon between
Egypt and Assyria brought ruin, but
in Gods sight the secret acts and
practices of the people were open
and known (Ps. 139:1-l2; Heb. 5;13).
Many today do in secret things that
were (are) not right" A clearer line
OF demarcation between the church
and the world is sadly needed, (1
They were consecrated to evil wv.
10, ~. To cover our sins is not to
prosper (Proy. 2S:lS), but IL we con.
fess our sins Gods Son will cover
them by the forgiveness Of his atone.
ment FPS. 321-5; John 1:9). Israel
cared not, however, for his forgive.
ness, despite the fact II was he that
brought them up out of the land Of
Egypt" II is passing strange that
Israel should SO fully violate the ex.
press commands OF God (Lev. 26.1;
Deut. 26:21 Ex. 2O:3-5, etc). Some
claim they did not possess the law,
1t being Of later date, self-evident
ly foolish proposition, but even so,
how can men OF our time violate 50
many of the plain precepts of the
word of God? Does this prove that
the Bible does not exist? The an
swer to this query is a sufficient an.
swer to the destructive critics. Israel
sets up idols" w. 10) and burnt
sacrifice" (see Deut. 12:3D. which
things they did ito provoke the Lord
to anger (3) They abandoned them.
selves to evil AS though to remove
all possibility of reformation they not
alone served idols" w. 12) but they
sold themselves to do that which was
evil' ". ID.
u. The Sovereign God, w. t4ia
Gods character and will had been
fully set before the nation (Ex. 20:
3-6). Repeated warnings ". 13) had
been given by faithful prophets, also
repeated forgivings, yet Israel is
Q) wlllful, they would not hear" ".
1D. but deliberately followed in their
fathers footsteps. (2) Proud and vain
wv. IA, 15) and (3) utterly abandoned
". ~, and hence must receive the
judgment of Gods righteous anger
(see Ex. 20), or else God is not right.
eous. He repeatedly sought to turn
them aside, but they slew his faithful
prophets Matt. 21:32SS). God is
calling in mercy with long suffering
in this present evil age; unbelief in
GOD and his word is still prevalent;
skepticism and loose morals every.
where abound. and shall God so on
and call forever? prov. 29:1; Pet.
S:9-10).
III. The Savior Of Men, Luke 2:t,2o
Gods love for Israel was manifest
(made plain) through his loving acts
and the messages of warning pro
claimed by his prophets. But we have
a more marvellous revelation of his
love in the person of his Son whose
birthday we are about to observe.
Samaria lost its Grown of PRIDE" but
we may receive crown of righteous.
ness as the sons of God" (John 1:
12; II Tim. 4:S), but not so unless
we obey John 1929 his word
Let us therefore take up the an.
gelic praise (D Glory to God in the
highest" highest heavens, highest de-
gree and quality of praise of him who
is infinitely wise and loving.
(2) "On earth peace" with God.
with man. in the individual heart and
among the nations.
Peace of conscience because of sins
forgiven. in fact, all blessings, hap
piness and prosperity because of peace
due to victory over sin which is the
destroyer of peace.
(3) Good will toward men," those
with whom God is we'll pleased, and
God has good will only toward all
men.