The Arvada enterprise., 1922-03-16
LESSON FOR MARCH 10
THE DOWNFALL OF ISRAEL

THE DOWNFALL OF ISRAEL
LESSON TExT-II Kinxs l7:l-la
GOLDEN TExT-Rghteousness exalteth
. nation: but sin IL = reproach to any
people.-Prov. N:N
REFERENCE NArERIAL-Hos.a .:
Amos 2S-lG
PRIMARY ToPIc-what Came Of
Wrong Doing.
JUNIOR TOPIc-Israsrs Punishment
for Disobedisncs.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Results Of Dasobsdisncs to God.
How National 1lns Ars Punished.
I. Israel Taken Int Captivity
wv. l.6).
This was the fulnllment Of that
which Amos had predicted In the days
Of Jeroboam II. at 4 time when the
nation was at the height Of its pros
perity. The northern kingdom was
ruled BY 10 kings, all Of whom were
wicked. Their wickedpess was not BE-
cause Of lack Of information or op-
portunlty. but in spite Of It. God
promised the first king His blessing
II he would be loyal to Him. Jero-
boam departed from God and the
apostasy thus begun continued down.
ward to the end. In the reign Of
Hoshea. the last king, the king Of
Assyria came and besieged Samaria
and carried the children Of Israel cap
tive to Assyria. from which they never
returned.
II. The Sine which Caused Their
Doom wv. 7-1s).
l. COnformed to tie ways Of the
heather (vv. 7-0). God had COM
manded them not to follow In the
ways Of the heather. but these
Israeiites. instead Of maintaining lives
Of separation. secretly did that which
was displeasing to God. Secret sins
Just as surely as open sins bring ruin.
for all things are naked and open to
Him with whom We have to do. One
may maintain his reputation before
men while practicing sins, but ruin
will sooner or later overtake him.
Even though God had cast out the
heather for practicing these sins. the
Israelites followed In their ways. God
demands separation III Cor. 6:17).
2. Served idols wv. 1922. They not
only compromised by walking In the
statutes Of the heather" but worshlped
their gods. ]. was not q long step
from following In the statutes Of the
heather to worshiping their gods.
Before they worshlped idols they cast
of the true God. Idolatry came In
because the race did not wish to ~.
tain God In its affection (Rom. l:21-
~. People today are worshiping
idols because they have Arst cast OF
the authority Of the living God. Man
IL q worshipful being. WhAn he
ceases to worship the true God. he
-worships other gods. Neutral ground
70 impossible.
3. They were rebellious wv. IS
l5). God BY his prophet had said
unto them ''Turn ~ from your evil
ways and keep my commandments" "
but they stubborniy refused His
testimony. even rejected His statutes.
God. In love. tried to save them. He
sent some Of the noblest and best
prophets who ever spoke to man to
persuade them to turn from their
sins. such a. Elijah and Elisha. but
they hardened their necks and plunged
deeper into wickedness.
I. Caused their sons and daughters
to pass through the Ore ". ~. This
was the dreadful Noloch worship-ths
most cruel rite Of heather worship.
It was done BY kindling . fre in
hollow metal image until it, arms were
red hot and placing live children
therein to be burned to death.
8. Resorted to magical practices
". ~. when faith In the true God
wanes, men always turn to the magical
arts. In this way they sold them
selves to evil jn the sight Of the Lord
to provoke Him to iHker.
~. Judgment Fails ". 1S).
At this stage Of the drama the cur
tain falls. God could not be Inactive
longer.
I. God was very angry. Gods anger
II not raving fury. but the revuision
Of His holy nature against sin. Bin
cannot exist in His presence. His
wrath must strike. Though He waits
long. the debt must be paid and always
with compound interest. There Is only
one way to escape Gods wrath that
In, 10 turn from sin.
2. Removed them out Of His sight.
The land Of Palestine IA regarded ns
the land Of Gods sight: that is. the
place Of His manifested presence.
Their national identity was blottcd
/. out forever. These people are still
scattered among the nations. and ns n
separate nation doubtless they will
never return TO their land. The judg-
ment was severe. but not more so
than the sins merited. God had waited
long. The desplslng Of His grnce
must eventually work ruin. What
judgment must fall upon the people
today who reject His grace and mercy |!