The midland journal., 1946-03-08


MEMORY SELECTION: The Lord is my
helper. and / will not fear.-Hebrews 1885,
Confusion Is a word well suited to
describe the world today. With the
end of the war we had hoped for
/ peace and goodwill, and what have
we? We may learn from the ex-
| perience of Israel the reasons for
such confusion. They, too, had come
into their land and should have had
only peace and prosperity. Instead
there were turmoil and disorder.
Why?
The success or failure Of both ma
tions and individuals is ultimately
determined by their attitude toward
the law OF God. He is always right
and true. The constant factor in a
world order that swings wildly from
one extreme to another is his law,
which is perfect and eternal.
God is no respecter of persons.
Even Israel, his own chosen ma
ton, found that observing Gods law
meant blessing, and failure to do SO
brought judgment and sorrow. No
man is great and powerful enough to
ignore this rule, and none is exempt
from it's operation.
1. The Cause-Forgetting God (vv.
z, ~.
The Lord had promised the land
to them as they went in and pos
sessed it by faith in him. He fully
kept that promise in the measure
that they believed him. They never
did take the whole land, but that was
because of their failure, not Gods.
AS the people of Israel took pos
session of the land, they went for
ward in the way of blessing as long
as Joshua, and the elders who re-
membered God, kept them steady
and true. We have here an excellent
illustration of the power of godly
example. 1t is far stronger than
| we think.
The fact that a nation has been
highly privileged and has been ex-
alted to place of power and honor
will not save it in the day when
God is forgotten. Israel no longer
had God-fearing men to bring it back
to the Lord, and so began its aw-
full drifting.
We Americans are rightly proud
of our great land, its mighty re-
sources, it's fine past and promising
future. But what is the future to
| be? Oh, we say, the most glorious
days are ahead! They may be, but
only If we, like our forefathers
who established this nation, recog-
nize God. If we do not, America
will 60 the way of the forgotten en-
pires Of centuries past, and that in
spite of all its past achievements
and its present promise.
1t is a significant thing that our
business and national leaders often
come from Christian homes, but it
is sad that they themselves are SO
frequently not Christians. Their
lives are shaped by the teaching
and influence of godly parents, but
what will their children do if they
are not brought up in the fear and
admonition of the Lord?
III. The Condition-National and
Spiritual Confusion (vv. 16-19).
The history of the period of the
| judges in Israel is incomplete, but
what we have shows the awful con-
| dition of the nation. Not only were
they in separate tribes, but the peo-
pie as a whole were divided into
three groups-north and south of
Jerusalem, and east of the Jordan.
The moral and spiritual decay
were evident in their turning to the
immoral practices of Baal-worship
One would have thought that God
would give up a people so set on
SHINING, but he did not. He provided
deliverance for Israel. That gives
us. courage, for we know that he
has not given us up, but has pro-
vided in Christ sure deliverance,
| If America will turn to him.
It is interesting to note that God
works through men. Some of these
! judges were great men; others were
| just ordinary men. But each in his
appointed place, at the appointed
time, was Gods man.
Confusion, sin and disobedience
cannot be tolerated indefinitely. So
Israel stubbornly went on to
iii. The Conclusion Judgment
from God (vv. 20-23).
God not only will not hold back
sliding nation guiltiess, but will
bring judgment even if he has to
turn over his people to despoiling
nation. He has instruments of in
dividual and national chastisement,
and he is ready to use them.
Notice that wherever they went
the Lords hand was against them.
There is no place to flee from the
presence of God. Anyone who thinks
he can do it should read Psalm 139:
7-12. 1t can't be done. That is a
comfort to the believer, but it is
very disquieting to the unbeliever.
They compromised with evil, and
lost not only their testimony but
their very spiritual life. They for