Evening star., 1924-05-03
Sunday School Lesson

has apt1y called "a post mortem in
quiry into the disease that killed a
Kingdom" the basal sin Is discovered
to have been a secret spiritual one
that started in her departing frnm
walking in the paths of Jehovah.
ship Him, but 1t was only q veneer
covering their idolatry that had been
going on more or less for three hun
dreG years. During that time they
built the iniquitous high places from
the lonely outpost to the crowded
thoroughfare. where they set pillars
and Asherim representing idols).
upon every high hill and under every
green tree. They offered their sacri-
fees upon heather altars." They de-
liberately disobeyed His commands
until their moral degeneracy was
such that they secretly practiced the
Iewd denominations OF the heather.
They refused in their ohstinacy to
heed the messages of God. whom
to check their moral and spiritHal
downfall. They rejected the proph
cts and the seers. who tried to per-
suade them to repent OF their folly,
return to the Lord and walk In His
ways. They defied the authority of
God and trampled His covenants and
statutes under their feet. Their re-
action against the commandments of
Jehovah was so great that an emil
nent scholar has suggested that per
haps, at this era in Israefs history,
no people on earth were more disso-
lutte and wicked" The extent OF their
iniqutty is seen in the fact that they
not only adopted the local heather
practices. but they imported foreign
pagan faiths until, in their heartiess-
ness they stood before the great man
headed OK, with outstretched arms
heated to a red heat. and, amidst the
wailtng cries of their infant children.
they cast their helpless offspring into
his outstretched arms, to be carried
thence into the flames raging in his
fiery inside. The nation had sold
themselves to sin and were serving
the pagan gods in place of Jehovah,
until the LORD in His displeasure i'm
posed upon them the penalty of their
individual and national sin, when He
permitted them to be exiled into AS
syria, where they became forever
lost as nation. Their captivity
confirmed the words Of the prophets
and 1t brought upon them the fruit
of their sins and sinful practices.
Historians have speculated upon
the rise and fall of many nations, In
our study OF the history OF Israel
from ITS commencement under Jere-
boam until her identity as nation
became completely destroyed, we have
seen the law that regulates the life
or nations revealed. Amos laid the
history by advancing his views that
all nations were in His hands and
control. God rules. We are in His
hands. All men and nations are sub
lation of His purpose. The Psaimist
caught the correct Interpretation
Some trust in chariots and some in
horses.
But we will make mention of the
name of Jehovah, our God.
There comes times when there are
no horses and no chariots, but there
never VIII come a time when we can
not trust in the sustaining grace of
the Lord who watches over His peo-
pie and protects them at all hours
when they are obedient to His com
mands and keep His covenants.
There is lesson in retributive JUS
tice that is seen in Israers exile to
Assyria. God had placed Israel and
Judah in the midst of the surround
ing heather nations TO be His wit
nesses and a testimony against their
nominations. They became virtually
heather by adopting the religion and
practices of their heather neighhors
Jehovah used the very heaten
whose wickedness they had embraced
used the wicked to punish the wicked
Although Israel disappeared, the
words of the men who sought to save
her have survived. No doubt much
stroyed or disappeared amidst buried
Libraries and ruins. While the truths
that the prophets proclaimed were
never accepted by Israel, and conse-
quently never realized in her history.
yet they haze nodded JUDAH and the
life of humanity They enjoy i'm
mortality and warn America today
II We fail to be loyal to the Lord in
meeting the social. political. eco
nomic and religious crisis that we are
facing today, He will treat US as He
did ancient Israel. If America in her
raddening rush for gold. frivolity
and pleasure forgets God and refuses
to obey Him, we, too. shall perish.
If as individuals we will follow the
message OF the golden text-"I will
delight myself in Thy statutes: I will
not forget Thy word-we will be used
of the Lord to advance His cause and
hasten the coming OF His kingdom.
Let us follow Righteousness, that ex-
alts nation, and avoid sin that
brings ruin to all peoples.