The Winslow mail., 1924-02-22
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
'Sll1nldaySchool 4
' Lesson
tBy REV. P. B. FITZWATER, DID,.
Dean of the Evening School. Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
20, 1924, Western Newspaper Union)
Lesson for February "a
THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES

LESSON TEXT-Judg. 2:6-1s; 7:1-2S.
GOLDEN TEXT will heal their
backsliding, will love them freely
Hos. 14:4.
PRIMARY TOPIC-The Story OF q
Brave Leader.
JUNIOR TOPIC - Gideon and His
three Hundred.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Israel Falling and Rising Again.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
TC-The Long Struggle With Idolatry.
I. A Synopsis of the Book Of Judges.
This book covers the period from
the conquest of Canaan and the death
of Joshua to the judgeship of Samuel
The teacher should master the con-
tent of the book in order to teach this
lesson, especially chapters 2-1o.
l. The Sin of the People (Judg. 2: IS
13). While Joshua and the elders of
his generation lived, the people in
some measure remained faithful to
God, in obedience to His Word, but
the very next generation went into
apostasy. Their degradation may be
accounted for as follows:
(1) Failure to drive out the Canaan
ties from their midst. They had
gained the victory over them, but
failed to exterminate them. Their mis-
taken tolerance became their undoing.
(2) Their amalgamation with the
Canaanites. They intermarried with
the heathen. Tolerance of the enemy
io oIocoly foIlorod hv nninn fhpro-
with and quick disaster comes in the
wake Of such union.
(3) Idolatry Intermarriage with
the heather was soon followed by the
worship of the heathen's gods. Gods
people lose power over the world as
soon as they make alliance with 1t.
g. Gods Judgment for Their Sins
(Judg. PA, 15). He delivered them
into the hands of "the spoiler that
spoiled them"
5. The Repentance of the People
(Judg 8 :9). Under she yoke of their
enemies they learned their folly and
cried unto the Lord for deliverance.
4. Gods Deliverance at the Hand Of
the Judges (Judg. 2:16-19). God heard
their cries and by raising up military
chieftains as Judges he saved them out
of the hands of their enemies. A
repetition of sin, oppression by the
enemy, repentance on the part of the
people and Gods deliverance, consti-
tute the story of the book of Judges.
II. The Victory of Gideon's Band
{Judg. 1929.
Gideon was the most outstanding of
the Judges He came from an OBJ
scure and uninfuential family (6:15).
Before going forward he wishes to be
doubly sure (6:36-40). When once he
was convinced of duty, he was coura-
geous and enthusiastic. This is char
acteristic of all truly great men.
L. The Opposing Army ". -. Gid
con and his army rose early on that
eventful day and they came by the
shcing of Harod Over against them
was the host of the Midianites in bat
tie array.
q. The Sitting of Gideon's Army
wv. 2-S). At Gideon's call $4,000 men
responded, ready for the struggle This
seemed a small army to go against the
Midianite army, $4,000 strong, but
God said this was too many, lest they
be led to boasting and self-contidence.
The real danger was not in their small
army but in their pride. All that were
afraid we're allowed to go back, leav-
Ing only 10000. Still this was too
many. When God was through sitting
hnly 800 remained.
8. God Gives Encouragement to
Gideon. He bade Gideon go down to
the Midianite camp, where he would
hear something that would cheer his
heart and strengthen his hand. When
he came near he heard a man telling
a dream, which was that of barley
cake tumbling into the camp and smit-
ing It, He also heard the interpreta-
| ton given to the dream which made
Gideon to be that cake.
4. God Gives Victory to Gideon wv.
1929. His attack was unique. The
whole matter was of faith (Heb. II :32).
Gideon with his 800 men formed into
three companies, each man being pro-
vided with a trumpet and lamp con-
cealed within a pitcher. Thus armed
they surrounded the camp of the MI
| dianites. They were all instructed to
keep their eyes upon their leader and
initiate him. At the proper moment
they blew their trumpets and broke
their pitchers, giving opportunity for
| the lamps to shine out. This awful
crash of broken pitchers, following the
sound Of trumpets, accompanied by the
shout, "The sword of the Lord and OF
| Gideon" threw the Midianites into
panic, causing them to fight among
themselves One hundred and twenty
thousand were thus slain, leaving but
$4,000 of that mighty army (Judg.
8:10).