TH E K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
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turned again to “following other gods to serve them” (v. 19). God’s faithfulness to His own pur pose is manifested by His attempt to make Israel learn by the hard way (vs. 20-23). He refused to drive out their enemies; He left them in the land to be thorns in the sides of His people. Even this was of no avail; the lesson taught thereby is that “the natural man is enmity against God.” Only in the new birth is there the remedy; one day Israel will be re born (Cf. Ezek. 11:17-21). Points and Problems 1. “And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua" (v. 7). It is an evidence of God’s grace that He would allow such a thing to be said concerning His people. In many respects, their serv ice was not what it should have been. In many instances, they failed* to obey God. They did not drive out the Canaanites from the land as they had been told to do (Joshua 13:13; 15:63; 17:12). They were slack in possessing their possessions (Joshua 18:3). But it appears from this passage that the Spirit of God overlooking their de linquencies. How good God is to bear with the faults and failings of His people! 2. "And the children of Israel . . . served Baalim" (v. 11). This is à sad commentary on the life of Israel. “Baalim” is a plural noun signifying all of the varied forms of the mascu line god, Baal, as “Ashtaroth” (v. 13) is a plural name covering all the forms of the feminine god, Ashtareth. Thus we read in the Scriptures of Baal-gad, Baal-hermon, Baal-hazor, etc. Apparently this vicious god had his local representations in various places where Israel defiled themselves by worshiping him. Today, the peo ple of God may not go after Baalim, but there are other gods which they do pursue: fashion, fame, business, pleasure, and pride. These are as ca pable of defiling the soul- as the heathen deities. 3. "When the judge was dead . . . they returned, and corrupted them selves" (v. 19). Two things are sug gested in this statement: (1) How great an influence for good one man may exert in the church or state; this is encouraging. (2) How prone is man to wander from the will of God; this is cause for grave concern on the part of every child of God. For the Children G id eo n t h e H e l p e r J udges 7:2-8 MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear” (Heb. 13:6). God chose a man, whose name was Gideon, to lead the Children of Israel to victory over some of their enemies
long, therefore, until the people mani fested positive evil (vs. 11-13). They forsook the living God, and turned to Baal, the evil male god of power and violence; and to Ashtaroth, the heath en female goddess of fruitfulness and corruption. When they 'forsook the living God, they were- obliged to wor ship something. The sense of the ex istence of a Supreme Being is in the hearts of all men; it may be reasoned away, but it requires great effort to eradicate this conviction from the human heart. Atheism is riot natural, but has to be cultivated. Because Israel forsook Him, the Lord “ delivered them into the hands of spoilers” (vs.. 14, 15). They were His people; He had brought them into the land, and they were recognized every where as His' own. Hence, He could not allow them to go in sin without judgment and punishment.
For the Children - H o m e in a N ew L an d J o s h u a 1:1-4; 24:14, 15, 24, 28
MEMORY VERSE: “Thou shalt bless ihe Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee” (Deut. 8 : 10 ). Moses, the man whom God had chosen to lead the Children of Israel from Egypt to a land of their own, died just before God’s chosen people crossed the Jordan River and entered their new country. Joshua was select ed to take his place as leader of the Children of israel. After Joshua had led thé people across the Jordan River, God helped them to conquer their enemies who lived in the new land. When the land had been divided among the people and they had'built their houses and planted their crops, Joshua again called all of them together. He re minded them i of God’s goodness in bringing them into the new land, and asked them to always love Him and serve Him. Some of the Children of Israel had worshiped idols rather than God while they were in Egypt. Joshua said to the people: “Put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord.” The Children of Israel were told to choose that day whom they would serve, idols or the true God, They answered Joshua, saying: “The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey” (Josh. 24:24). God is asking each boy and girl to choose whom he or she will serve, Satan or the Lord Jesus. Some boys and girls are saying: “Let me wait until I am older to make my choice,” r or “Let me wait to see which choice my parents or my friends will make.” God is saying, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Will you choose to serve the Lord Jesus Christ no mâtter what choice anyone else may make? LESSON FO R MARCH 10 National Disaster and Deliverance LESSON M A T E R IA L : Judg. 2:7-23. G O L D E N T E X T : “ The Lord is my help« •r, and I w ill not fear" (Heb. 13:6). Outline and Exposition I. / T h e D is a s t e r . ( J udg . 2:7-15) “The people served the Lord all the d a ys of Joshua” -, (v. 7). After he, and his generation died,- “there arose an other generation after them which k n ew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (v. 10). After Joshua, there was no real knowl- Jdge of God among Israel. It was not
II. T h e D e liv e r a n c e (2:16-23)
, While the Lord had to punish Is rael’s iniquity, He did not utterly forsake them. He Taised up a deliv erer, or judge, who rescued the people from the hand of their enemies. The theme of the whole book of Judges is found within these few verses: The people turn from, God;. He brings pun ishment upon them; when they repent, He delivers them. In this instance, they persisted in their rebellion and again fell into bondage (v. 17). The Lord revealed His compassion once more by raising up another judge to deliver them (v. 18). But as soon as this judge died, the people wickedly
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