Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1958-06-04
SuIlduv
School
Lesson
(Read Joshua 4. ll:l6-25;
% and 24I
A PEOPLE MUST CHOOSE
Nv Dena ChamherS

| ~ DSAS ShNhuDCTo
There is a continuous STRUGGLED
between right and wrong in thel
lives of individuals end nations
Our study today is an account of
the struggles in the lives of the
Israelites as nation of peopl-
who had been sojourners or no i
MAIDS in the mountains and des-
erts outside Canaan for forty
years. They had al last enterc u
and conquered the people. but
their problems were not over.
When God led them victoriousI
into Canaan he tod Joshua toI
give each family az allotment Of
land; the allotment took place a.
Shiloh. New and confusing tasks
confronted them N the new
land. They must i>mp to live :,
houses, till the soil, and become
a community, rather than row.
ing herdsmen.
The major part of the lane
was theirs, out like all conquer
ed countries Their, were little
hidden bands of The Amorites
left, who were continually Slip
ping in and moleSting the Israel
ties, destroying The crops, steal
ing the cattle, and going other
damages. This was very discour-I
aging at times. They felt, as
many Christians 10 today, tha.
because they were Gods people
they should De shielded from all
worries, problems and trouble
But often they had to fight fol-
the land and many were wound
ed and killed in the battles.
The new generation of Israe-
llteS that had been born during
the march into Canaan knew
nothing about the bardships and
the early struggles on the march.
They found many OF their kins-I
men living N Canaan, whose
ancestors did not so down into
Egypt with Jacob and his family
These kin knew nothing Of the
God of Moses and were Worship,
ing idols. They had such strongI
influence over so many of the
iSraelitCS that it threatened e
destroy the worship of God a.
mong his chosen people.
The gods of tire Canaanites
were many, such is the god oil
war, of full errors. OF good,
homes, of many children, and of
prosperity. The ncathen wor-i
shippers INDUCED II. drunkenness.
Immortality, the dedication and
practice of prostitution in the
temples of the idols. Summarize
ing the situation briefly: The
younger generation was getting
out of control.
The blame was not so much
on them as II was on the choicest
OF the parents. They had notI
taken a firm stand for God asI
they should. Their religion heidi
up the highest morals to themI
but some of them had chosen the
lowest. We have tire same trou-
Die today. We are called the
most sex conscious people III
the world. Our number of I'M
wed mothers is The highest in
the history of our nation and the
majority of them ale teenagers.
Somewhere a halt mas got to be
called.
Joshua was keen,y aware oil
all these problems end tempta-
tions among his people. The timeI
for a definite stand had come. |
He called them together to re-
mind them again, as Moses hadI
done many, many times, of thel
goodness Of God and his merci-
fulnesS, and the covenant they
had made with God years be-
fore.
Joshua was accurate in his
statements of God laws. Cour-
.ageous in his condemnation of
their sins, and positive in hi,I
declaration of his own loyalty
to God. In ringing tines we hearI
him shout, Choose this dayI
whom you will serve, whether
the God of your fathers or thel
gods of the Canaanites in whoseI
land pou dwell; but as for mel
and my house, we will serve the
Lord"
The people were convinced
that Gods way must be their
way and standing up they an
swered Joshua, "a. We will
serve the Lord, fer he is our
God"
PRAYER: o God, our help in
ages past, be our guide in the
years to come. Strengthen our
weak wills and give us more
love for thy children every
where. and for Jesus, sake for
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