The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-10-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Lesson v.-Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. 81, 1915.

Text of che Lesson, II Kings XII, 4-12.
Memory Verses, II, 12-GoIden Text,
Prov. xiv, 11-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Apart from the story of Ahab we
have only considered the lives of Jero-
boam, who made Israel to sin, and that
of good King Asa. The story of the
ten tribes and their kings was bad all
through, and, although Jehu destroyed
Baal out of Israel. yet he took no heed
to walk in the law of the Lord God of
Israel with all his heart, but departed
not from the sins of Jeroboam Oh
Kings X, 81. AS to Judah, the two
tribes, Jehoshaphat., who succeeded his
father. Asa. was a good king on the
whole. but his fellowship with the king
of Israel was bad, and he was reproved
for it in these words: "Shouldest thou
help the ungodly and love them that
hate the Lord?" QI Chron. xviii, l.;
xix, p See also II Chron. Xxx. 80.
Jehoshaphat was succeeded by his son.
Jehoram, who reigned only eight years.
but made his mark decidedly for evil,
for he married the daughter of that
wicked pair. Ahab and JezebeI, and
walked in the ways of the kings of
Israel like the house of Ahab. He suf-
fered terribly in his body and from his
enemies, according to a message from
the Lord by Elijah, and departed with
out being desired III Chron. xxi. 5. 6:
xii, 10; xviii. 20). All his sons were
slain except the youngest, Ahaziah, and
he became king at the age of forty
two and reigned only one year. He
walked in the ways of the house of
Ahab, for his mother, Athaliah. and
others of the house of Ahab were
his counselors to do wickedly Oh
Chron. xxi, Ia. He was slain by
Jehu, and when his mother saw that
her son was dead she slew all the seed
royal of the house of Judah. or thought
she did. But the living God, who will
let nothing of His word fall to the
earth, was watching over the seed of
the kingdom QI Kings Y. 10; xi, /,
margin.
The sister of Ahaziah, who was the
wife of Jehoiada the priest, somehow
stole the baby Joash and hid him and
his nurse in bedchamber in the house
of God for six years. during which
time Athaliah reigned over the land,
and what a reign it must have been!
III Kings Xi. ., 3; III Chron. xii, 10-12)
But in due time deliverance always
comes, and in the seventh year Jehoiada
the priest arranged to have Joash pro-
claimed king. taking every precaution
tn have lafnor 1pnn IN, In, 10
and to prevent any miscarriage Of
events He gathered the Levites and
the rulers and the captains by hun
dreds in the house of the Lord and
showed them the kings son and said,
Behold. the kings son shall reign, as
the Lord hath said of the sons of Da-
vid," and all the congregation made a
covenant with the king in the house
of God (verse and ii Chron. xiii,
1-3). AS one day is with the Lord as
a thousand years and a thousand years
as one day, one cannot help thinking
OF the seventh thousand years when
the devil, whom Athaliah so well repre-
scented, shall be shut up in the pit and
there shall be Il fulfillment of the words
Yet have set my King upon my holy
hill of Zion" Cps. ii, o.. All through
the book there are so many foreshad-
owinSs of the coming kingdom upon
which our hearts should be constantly
set, for all the sufferings of this pres
ent time are not worthy to be COM
pared with the glory that shall be re-
vealed in us (Rom. viii, 49,. Jehoiada
arranged all in their places, with in
structions to those with weapons to
compass the king roundabout, and he
brought forth the kings son and anoint-
ed him, crowned him. gave him the
testimony and made him king, the peo-
pie clapping their hands and saying,
God save the king oversees 8, II, 12).
Jehoiada made a covenant between the
Lord and the king and the people that
they should be the Lords people, and
all the people of the land rejoiced. and
the city was quiet
Joash was seven years old when he
began TO reign Oversees IL, 20, 2D. They
broke down the house of Baal and
broke i'll pieces thoroughly his affairs
and his images and slew Athaliah, that
wicked woman with the sword, and
the priest appointed officers over the
house of the Lord oversees IS, 2O). 1t
must have seemed like a change from
hell to heaven for the people of Judah.
What will it be for the whole world
when king shall reign in righteous
ness, and the work of righteousness
shall be peace. and the effect of right
eousness quietness and assurance for
ever! Osa, xxi, /. 10 The readers
of these lesson notes may think that l
quote some passages very often, but
it Is because they mean so much to
me. They are my meat and drink.
May they all mean more to each of us.
Joash is the youngest king of whom
we read. but good King Josiah was
but one year older when he began to
reign QI Kings xxi. u. Every good
king was in some measure a type of
Him who when He was but a babe
was worshiped as King of the Jews
(Matt. ii, 1. 2, III. but who is still
waiting for His kingdom. Joash was
wonderfully preserved that the word
of the Lord concerning David and his
kingdom might not fail, and we may
be quite certain that the other assur-
ances to David which are not yet full
filed shall be fulfilled to the letter ia
Gods own good time and way. The
promises of God are absolute certain
ties. and we may rest our whole