The Glenwood post., 1923-10-18
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Si1nndayScaool q
' Lesson '
Ry REV. P. B. FITZwATER, D. d.
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
20 1913. Western Newspaper Union-)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER Fl
ISRAEL IN THE MIDST OF THE
NATIONS

ISRAEL IN THE MIDST OF THE
NATIONS
| LESSON TEXT-Josh. 1:1-4; lisa. ass
4; Isa. 1s:2s-25; Ezek. SIS.
| GOLDEN 7 .XT-"Look unto me and
be ye saved, all the ends of the EARTH"
lisa 1922.
| Land of Israel.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The Land God
| Chose for His People.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
| IC-Israel in the Midst of the Nations.
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Strategic Position of Palestine.
|. IsraePs Geographical Position
| Gosh. 1 Ia, CT. Ezek. 5 10y.
Israel, Gods chosen and most ia
vored nation, the nation to whom He
came nearest and gave most in order
that it might pass on His goodness to
the other nations of the world, was
given most strategic position In the
earth. Palestine was adapted as no
other country for Gods great purpose
of preparing pure religion and send
| ing it to all the world. To this end
a single nation was selected, trained
and placed in the center of the world,
so that when the time came to publish
| the true religion all lands could be
| reached. Palestine was central and
| isolated, yet accessible, for when the
| time came for the apostles to go from
| Palestine by the Mediterranean sea to
the lands round about 1t, and from
| there to other lands, their way was
open"
l. Their Leader (Josh. 1 ~. Joshua
was Moses assistant. He led the Is
raelites to victory over the Amalekites
| soon after their escape from Egypt.
He was with Moses in the Mount when
| the law was given. He was one of the
| spies sent into the land of Canaan.
When Moses knew that his time of de-
parture was nigh he appointed Joshua
| his successor.
2. Condition of the Possession of the
Land ". 81. The land was theirs by
Gods promise, but it became theirs
only as their feet advanced to take
| possession of it. Because of their lack
Of faith, courage and obedience they
never enjoyed the full possession Of
it. Christians today lack the riches
OF the Heavenly Fathers blessings be-
cause Of their want of faith and cour-
age.
3. Its Boundaries ". ~. On the
north it was bounded by the rugged
mountains of Lebanon on the east
by the Euphrates river; on the south
by the great and terrible" desert, a
tob
dren Of Israel had wandered for forty
years; and on the west by the Medi-
terranean sea. 1t included all Of
Mesopotamia. Israel's lack of faith
prevented them from possessing fully
this land.
II. lsrael's Spiritual and National
Position lisa. 2:2-4; 10 :23-25).
This pictures the place of influence
which shall be exercised by Israel In
future time.
l. When 1t Shall Be ". 2)-"in the
last days" By last days is usually
meant in Scripture the times of the
Messiah, for this is the primary sub
| ject of all prophecy.
2. What 1t Shall Be ". 2). The
restoration Of the kingdom of Judah
to the place Of pre-eminence among
the nations Of the world. Mountain"
in Scripture symboizes kingdom (see
Dan. ? :35; Rev. 1871, II :9-11). This
vision of lions glory refers to the
mlllennial age, at which time other
nations of the world will learn of the
true God through the chosen nation.
3. The Result of wv. 2-4). The re-
turn of Gods favor to this chosen peo-
pie shall be "life from the dead" To
the nations of the earth (Rom. II :15).
| az Nations shall flow unto 1t ". p.
This pictures the masses of the people
moving toward Jerusalem like streams
from all parts of the earth. (2) Ma
tions encouraging each other ". 81.
All Jealousies are now taken from ma
tions, and with good will to each other
they are moving to Jerusalem. the
worlds capitol. They are going there
to be taught Of God the right ways to
walk. They 90 to be instructed out
or His holy Word. There is but one
way to peace in the world, that is, back
to God through His holy Scriptures.
| (3) Peace in the earth ". A.. When
1srenl shall be in her God-appointed
place with Jesus Christ as king. then
war will be over. The implements of
war will then be destroyed. (D
Friendly communication Elsa. 10 :23-
25). AS soon as wickedness is taken
from mems hearts they will establish
means of friendly communication.