Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-03-17
LESSON FOR MARCH 19
THE DOWNFALL OF ISRAEL

LESSON TExT-II Kings 17:1-1S
GOLDEN observation-disclosures exalteth
nation: but sin Is a reproach to any
people.-Prov. H:A.
REFERENCE MATERIAL.-Hosea Z:
Amos 2:6-l6.
PRIMARY ToPrc-what Came of
Wrong Doing.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Israeps Punishment
for Disobedience
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Results of Disobedience to God.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
How National Sins Are Punished.
I. Israel Taken Into Captivity
wv. 1-6). :
This was the fulfillment of that
which Amos had predicted in the days
Of Jeroboam ii. at time when the
nation was at the height Of it's pros
perity The northern kingdom was
ruled by 10 kings, all of whom were
wicked. Their wickedness was not be-
cause of lack of information or op-
portunity. 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
Wut0 W tnO Cnus Al lLC ACtSn VI
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 Sins Which Caused Their
Doom (vv. 7-1S).
l. Conformed to the ways Of the
hoA
manded them not TO follow in the
ways Of the heathen. but these
Israelites. 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 nrc nuxfsd anu vptsl ~
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 QI Cor. GID.
q Served idols wv. 1922. They not
only compromised by walking in the
statutes of the heathen," but worshiped
their gods. 1t was not a long step
from following in the statutes of the
heather to worshiping their gods.
Before they worshiped idols they cast
off the true God. Idolatry came In
because the race did not wish to re-
tain God in its affection (Rom. 1:21-
23). People today are worshiping
idols because they have first cast OF
the authority of the living God. Man
is a worshipful being. When he
ceases to worship the true God, he
worsbips other gods. Neutral ground
Is impossible.
3. They were rebellious wv. 13-
15). God by his prophet had said
unto them Turn We from your evil
ways and keep my commandments"
but they stubbornly 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 as Elijah and Elisha, but
they hardened their necks and plunged
deeper into wickedness.
4. Caused their sons and daughters
to pass through the fire ". I'D. This
was the dreadful Moloch worship-the
most cruel rite of heather worship.
1t was done by kindling a fire In a
hollow metal image until its arms were
red hot and placing live children
therein to be burned to death.
5. Resorted to magical practices
(v. III. When faith In the true God
wanes. men always turn to the magical
arts. In this way they sold them
selves to evil In the sight of the Lord
to provoke Him to anger.
III. Judgment Falls ". 1S).
At this stage Of the drama the cur
tain falls. God could not be inactive
longer.
/. God was very angry. Gods anger
il not raving fury. but the revulsion
Of His holy nature against sin. Sin
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
is, to turn from sin.
2. Removed them out Of His sight
The land Of Palestine is regarded a.
the land of Gods sight; that Is, the
place Of His manifested presence.
Their national identity was blotted
out forever. These people are still
scattered among the nations, and A.
separate nation doubtless they Will
never return to their land. The judg-
ment was severe.1 but not moro 70
| than the sins merited. God had waited
long. The despising of His grace
must eventually work ruin. What