Evening star., 1920-04-04
SCHOOL LESSON
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

BY REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.
During the coming six months the
lessons will take up for study the
early leaders and kings of Israel We
resume our Old Testament lessons at
the Doint where we left off one year
ago with the review of the first quar-
| ter for 1919. We start with a new
day in the history of Israel. when
we commence to consider the period
of the judges. Israel had pitched
were over with their entrance into
Canaan under the leadership of
Joshua. The transition period was
not easy. because they failed to obey
Gods commands concerning the COM
plete determination of the Canaanites
from the land. Abraham found, when
he entered the land! men who en-
joyed his respect and friendship. but
when the patriarch's descendants
came into the land they found that
the Canaanites were degenerates
1dolatry had corrupted them and
brought upon them the judgment OF
Jehovah.
With the death of Joshua the new
ration entered upon period of dark
ness. filled with discord, divisions and
disaster due to their detection from
the way of the Lord. During the
DAYS of Joshua and the elders. who
had shared with him the triumphs
of conquest, the people had remen-
hered Jehovah, but with their passing
there arose leaders who failed TO
carry out Gods program for Israel
The Lord had sought to protect the
nation during it's early development
from the moral leprosy of the
|iliquity of the Amorites" lest the
foul contagion of idolatry would
|spread to Israel The Canaanites.
|rt-h ha od nj a
commerce and culture that came from
occupying the pathway of trade made
by the caravans between the conti-
|nents, were idolaters of the vilest and
most degenerate type. Any associa-
|tion with them would hopeleSs!y cor
|rupt Gods chosen people. Israel did
mot reap the results of her negligence
|in obeying the Divine command until
Hong after the death of Joshua, the
peerless leader.
When the restraints that had been
Exercised by the elders and Joshua
|were removed, then the results of the
|na tion's failure to expel the Canaan
|jtes from the land. "break down their
|altars and wash the country of their
hresence" revealed itself The turbu-
6ent and troublesome period that fol-
Bowed has been. summed up by the
Eh storian in the suggestive statement.
|"In those days there was no king In
|Israel. but every man did that what
rs passing. in some of the new gov
|crrmcnts through similar expert
|cnee. even as we did during the Puri-
tan decline in New England.
Democracy requires the restraints
of religion to make it safe. Israel
was attracted by the culture and
character of the Canaanites. They
Thought to make them profitable
Slaves. They rejected Gods wisdom.
failed to train their children to walk
5,, = he ~ t1A ho
suit that they became infected with
the virus of idolatry, which appealed
to the sensual side of life. The wor-
ship of Baal was only a cloak to cover
their sensuality. The pull of immoral
|gravitation was due to their personal
|sin and their sinful environment.
|"Idolatry and worldliness are persist
lent. for they are natural The temp
|tation to heed the desire for wealth.
position and power still is the source
|of war, idolatry and iniQuity among
men.
Israers defiance of God brought
upon them poetic punishment. God
punished them with a scourge of an
81 ooped to their level. The lower race
had dragged down the higher to it's
|Own debasiHg ditch, for 'the children
|of Israel did that which was evil in
|the sight of Jehovah" 1t resulted in
their becoming slaves to the people
whose low religious ideals they had
adopted. When Israel recognized the
fact that they were being punished
pm accordance with the prophetic pre-
|dictions of the Lord they were filled
God was filled with compassion for
Them. so that he raised up judges
w no were heroic rulers and leaders
of the people. They were more than
what the modern sense of judge i'm
piles. They were men who were
moved by patriotic and religious mo-
Fives to seek to save their country
men. Their success was due to the
presence of Jehovah, who sought to
|use them in saving the nation. The
given to man was Jesus. who is the
|one hope of the world today as it faces
he future.
Joshua and Jesus are different forms
pr the same word, but the peerless
leader Of Israel into Canaan never sue
feeded in filling men with courage to
carry on Gods program like his great
amesake. Both were commissioned
f nd left others to complete their task,
but Jesus is the only One. who ever
+ certainty about the future. The
h wo disciples. who took their journey
10 Emmaus (modern Kalonieh) on the
first Easter day were overwhelmed
by the death of the Christ. They hau
passed through the valley of the shad-
problems concerning the future. They
|were engaged in earnest conversa-
fion concerning the reaSoableness of
|the acceptance of the story of the
women. that He had risen from the
dead, when the Great Consoler drew
hear. making their stricken hearts to
glow with his interpretations of the
that proved the necessity of
h he Lords suffering, death and then to
|enter into glory.
i
Fhat the two state concerning Jesus
that the apostles did not expect His
resurrection. They had given up all
their hopes with His DEATH Yet His
resurrection is the keystone to the
whole arch of redemption. Chris
h a nifty is based upon its indisputable
fact. The Lords day, the church and
Ehrfstian history all testify to it to-
day. To the two stricken hearts Christ
drew near with message Of cheer.
|comfort and courage, pointing out to
those who had been looking only for
|the glory of the Lord that He had
|to suffer. The Scriptures are quite
|clear that the cross was endured be-
|cause of our sins, and that our sins.
because of the cross, find. when We
pardon that would have been impossi-
bile without His suffering.
Easter emphasizes His triumph over
death. He conquered death so that We
Knight share His life in glory. The
|ioy of their recognition of the fact
that the stranger was none other than
Jesus suggests the rejoicing that
awaits US in glory, when we shall
|recognize the Lord and our friends in
1.-The Fathers house The reunion over
here will be sweeter for the sorrow.
|suffering and struggles endured here.
His victory over the empty grave is
Ian assurance that we, too, shall con-
|Guer through His power the perils of
|death, for the last enemy that has to