{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_15771/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_15771","id":"gutenberg_15771","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15771","summary":null,"tags":["Bible -- Commentaries","Bible -- History of Biblical events","Bible -- Introductions","Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality"],"text":"E-text prepared by Fredric B. Lozo\n\n\n\nTHE BIBLE PERIOD BY PERIOD\n\nA Manual for the Study of the Bible by Periods\n\nby\n\nJOSIAH BLAKE TIDWELL\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTORY NOTE:\n\nJosiah Blake Tidwell states \"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself\n(Lev. 19:18). It is the final word in all right relations to others.\"\nThis statement in _The Bible Period by Period_, regarding the Laws of\nMoses, and echoed in the words of Jesus is the guiding principle by\nwhich Tidwell seems to have lived.\n\nJ. B. Tidwell was born in Alabama in 1870 to a modest family of\nfarmers. He was educated at Alabama's Howard College (now Samford\nUniversity), earned a Master's Degree from Baylor University in 1903,\nand did post-graduate studies through a correspondence program of the\nUniversity of Chicago. He also received several honorary degrees.\nTidwell served as the Chairman of the Bible Department at Baylor\nUniversity from 1910 until the time of his passing in 1946. Among his\nwritings are _The Bible, Book by Book_ (1914), _The Bible, Period by\nPeriod_ (1916), _Genesis: A Study of the Plan of Redemption_ (1924),\nand _John and His Five Books_ (1937).\n\nThis book, _The Bible Period by Period_ (1916) is a companion to\nTidwell's _The Bible Book by Book_ (1914). Both are college level\nintroductory courses in Christian studies. They are each organized in\noutline form with questions at the end of each chapter to guide the\nstudent in acquiring a comprehensive mastery of the material.\n\nIn preparing \"The Bible Period by Period\" in e-book format, the\noutline styles were edited for sake of e-text consistency and\nproofreading. Certain geographical place names were edited for\nconsistent spelling. The rest of the text remains faithful to the\noriginal. For any errors in transcription, I sincerely apologize as\nthe words of the author could hardly be improved upon.\n\nFredric Lozo\nMathis, Texas\nApril 2005\n\n\n\n* * * * *\n\n\n\nTHE BIBLE PERIOD BY PERIOD\n\nA Manual for the Study of the Bible by Periods\n\nby\n\nJOSIAH BLAKE TIDWELL\nProfessor of Biblical Literature\n\nBaylor University Press\nWaco, Texas\n\n1916\n\n\n\n\nAuthor's Preface.\n\nThe author believes that the Bible is the word of God and that it is\nthe inspired revelation of God's will to men and of the plan which he\nhas provided for their redemption. He believes that it contains\ninstructions which alone furnish the basis of wise and worthy conduct\nboth for individuals and for nations. He, therefore, believes that all\nmen should avail themselves of every possible opportunity to acquaint\nthemselves with its teachings and that all Christians should be\nfaithful and even aggressive in their efforts to teach its truths.\n\nMoreover, several years of teaching the Bible to a multitude of\nstudents has convinced the writer that what is needed most is a study\nof the Bible itself rather than things about it. Having this in mind\nthis little volume presents only a small amount of introductory\ndiscussion. It offers instead a large number of topics for study and\ndiscussion. By following the suggestions for study which they offer\nthe student may gain a working knowledge of the contents of Biblical\nhistory.\n\nIt is suggested that these outlines will furnish a basis of work for\ncollege and academy Bible classes. It is also hoped that it may be\nadopted for study in many Sunday School classes. If it shall be\nstudied in the Sunday Schools according to instructions which the\nauthor will furnish, it will be granted college entrance credit in\nBaylor University. Women's societies will find it well suited to their\nBible study work.\n\nThe aim has been to make a companion book to the author's \"The Bible\nBook by Book.\" The twenty one periods selected are only one of the\nmany ways in which Bible history may be divided and lays no claim to\nsuperiority. If this volume shall prove as helpful as the sale of its\ncompanion book would indicate that it has been, the work incident to\nits preparation will be amply repaid.\n\nJ. B. Tidwell.\n\nWaco, Texas. 1916.\n\n\n\n* * * * *\n\n\n\nTABLE OF CONTENTS.\n\nChapter I.\n\nFrom the Creation to the Fall.\n\nProblems solved. Creation of man. Man's hope and occupation. The\ntemptation. The fall and punishment. The hope offered. Teachings of\nthe story. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter II.\n\nFrom the Fall to the Flood.\n\nCain and Abel. Cain and Seth, two races. The great wickedness. Noah\nGod's chosen man. The Ark. The flood. The sacrifice and rainbow\ncovenant. Confirmation of tradition and geology. Teachings of the\nperiod. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter III.\n\nFrom the Flood to Abraham.\n\nNoah's shame and prophecy. The Tower of Babel. The location of this\ntower. Specific purpose of the tower. Traditions of such a tower. The\ncivilization of the ancient world. Two great empires of antiquity.\nLanguage and literature. Motive of their civilization. Lessons of the\nperiod. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter IV.\n\nFrom Abraham to Egypt.\n\nEvents of the period. Purpose of the narrative. Conditions of the\ntimes. Confirmations of Biblical records. Experiences of Abraham. The\ncharacter of Abraham. The character and career of Isaac. Stories about\nJacob. Stories about Joseph. Death of Jacob and Joseph. Social and\nreligious conditions of the times. The book of Job. Lessons of the\nperiod. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter V.\n\nFrom Egypt to Sinai.\n\nIsrael in Egypt. Moses the deliverer. The great deliverance. Crossing\nthe Red Sea. Journey to Sinai. Lessons of the period. Topics.\n\nChapter VI.\n\nFrom Sinai to Kadesh.\n\nMount Sinai. The Sinaitic covenant. Purpose of the Mosaic Law. Several\nparts of the law. Journey to Kadesh-Barnea.    Twelve spies. Period\nlessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter VII.\n\nFrom Kadesh to the Death of Moses.\n\nThe pathos of the forty years. Events of the forty years' wandering.\nFinal scenes at Kadesh. From Kadesh to Jordan.   Prophecies of Balaam.\nLast acts of Moses. Last scene on Moab. Significance of the work of\nMoses. Lessons of the period. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter VIII.\n\nJoshua's Conquest.\n\nThe facts of history recorded. The story in three parts.    The land\nof Canaan. Crossing Jordan and fall of Jericho.   The complete\nconquest of Canaan. Cruelty to the Canaanites. Character and work of\nJoshua. Period lessons.   Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter IX.\n\nThe Judges.\n\nCharacteristics of tie times. The Judges. Ruth the Moabite. Other\nnations. Outline of the narrative. Ethical and religious standards.\nPeriod lessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter X.\n\nThe Reign of Saul.\n\nDemand for a king. The principle of the kingdom. Saul, the first king.\nSaul's great achievements. Saul's decline.  Period lessons. Topics for\ndiscussion.\n\nChapter XI.\n\nThe Reign of David.\n\nHis reign over Judah. Reign over all Israel. His great sin and its\nbitter consequences. David's inspiring career. His last days. Psalms.\nPeriod lessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XII.\n\nSolomon's Reign.\n\nRiddle of Solomon's character. His policies. Solomon's building\nenterprises. Solomon's writings. Nations surrounding Israel. Evidences\nof national decay. Period lessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XIII.\n\nThe Divided Kingdom.\n\nThe division of the kingdom. Comparison of the two kingdoms. Kings of\nthe Northern kingdom. Kings of Judah. Important events in the history\nof Israel. Principal events in the history of Judah. Relation between\nthe two kingdoms. Messages of the prophets of this period. Period\nlessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XIV.\n\nThe Kingdom of Judah.\n\nThe kings of the period.  Principal events of the period.    Prophets\nof the period and their messages. Teachings of the period. False\nprophets. Great religious revivals of this period. Wealth and luxury.\nContemporary nations. Period lessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XV.\n\nThe Captivity of Judah.\n\nThe ten tribes lost. Judah led into  captivity. The period of the\ncaptivity. The fugitives in Egypt. Exiles in Babylon. The prophets of\nthe exile. Benefits of the captivity. Lessons of the period. Topics\nfor discussion.\n\nChapter XVI.\n\nThe Restoration.\n\nScripture analysis. Predictions of the return. Rise of the Persian\nPower. The Decree of Cyrus. Three Expeditions to Jerusalem. Prophecy\nof Haggai and Zechariah. Prophecy of Malachi. Story of Esther.\nSynagogues and Synagogue worship. Significance of the period. Period\nlessons. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XVII.\n\nFrom Malachi to the Birth of Christ.\n\nThe close of Old Testament History. Persian period. Under the rule of\nGreek kings. Period of independence. The Roman period. Entire period.\nEnd of the Period. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\nFrom the birth to the Ascension of Jesus.\n\nThe story of the period. The childhood and youth of Jesus.   The\nbeginnings of Christ's Ministry. Early Judean ministry. Galilean\nMinistry. Perean Ministry. Final Ministry in Jerusalem. The forty\ndays. Teaching of the period. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XIX.\n\nFrom the Ascension to the Church at Antioch.\n\nThe Book of Acts. Principal events of the period. Organization and\ncontrol of the early church. Persecutions of the church. Growth and\ninfluence. Extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Teachings of the\nperiod. Topics for discussion.\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\nFrom Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.\n\nThe changed situation. The divine call. Time and extent of Paul's\njourneys. First missionary journey. Second missionary journey. Third\nmissionary journey. At  Jerusalem. At  Caesarea. Paul at Rome.\nEpistles of this period. Lessons of the period. Topics for discussion.\n\nChapter XXI.\n\nFrom the Destruction of the Temple to the  Death of the Apostle\nJohn..The period of history. Destruction of Jerusalem. From A. D. 70\nto A.D. 100. Literature of the period. Death of John and end of\nscripture history. Period lessons. Topics for discussion.\n\n\n* * * * *\n\n\nIntroduction\n\n(Pastor Geo. W. Truett.)\n\nIn offering to the public this little book \"The Bible Period By\nPeriod,\" Dr. Tidwell is making another contribution to the cause of\nBible study. He has already published \"Some Introductory Bible\nStudies\", \"An Outline for the Study of the Life of Christ\", and \"The\nBible Book By Book.\"\n\nAll of these have been well received. The last named formed a part of\na definite plan for the study of the sacred Scripture which is carried\nforward in this volume.\n\nThe fact that the first edition of \"The Bible Book By Book\" has\npractically all been sold before the end of the second year since its\npublication, is sufficient proof of its popularity and of its value to\nBible students. It has been adopted for study in a number of colleges\nand academies and is in use as a text book in a number of women's\nsocieties and Sunday School classes.\n\nThe author, as teacher of Bible in Baylor University, has tried out\nthe studies he offers and has had a splendid opportunity to select\nwhat has proven valuable. He teaches a larger number of young\npreachers than any similar instructor in the whole of the Southland,\nand also many Sunday School Teachers and other Christian workers. He\ncan, therefore, offer the best.\n\nDr. Tidwell accepts, without question, the inspiration and\nauthoritativeness of the Bible as the Word of God. He believes in\ndirecting the student in the study of the Bible itself rather than\nhaving him study about it. His hooks are, therefore, more in the\nnature of outlines or guides than of discussions. He gives the pupil a\nclue to the study and says only enough to create a zest for truth such\nas will lead to a thorough investigation of the subject in hand.\n\nIn this volume, as its title would indicate, the whole Bible has been\ndivided into periods and main facts and characteristics of each is\nstudied. There are twenty-one periods forming the basis for as many\nchapters.\n\nThe plan is to discuss in the beginning of each chapter the most\nstriking events of the period, Giving such outlines of the contents\nand principal events of the period as will make the whole period stand\nout so that the student may comprehend it at a glance. This is very\nbrief but most comprehensive.\n\nIn the next place the lessons and teachings of the period are\nsuggested. The author sets forth in tabular form the great teaching\nfound in the Scripture events, both in their value to the Hebrews and\nin their permanent value to all people and for all times.\n\nIn the case of the poetical and prophetic books, suggestions for their\nstudy are given in the chapter on the period in which each book and\nthe facts it records occurred. At the close of each chapter there is\ngiven a large number of topics for study and discussion. For the most\npart these topics require the searching of the Scripture itself and,\nif properly followed, will give the student a splendid knowledge of\nthe contents of the Scripture of the period.\n\nThis book when completed in our Sunday Schools will, if done under the\ndirection of the author, be given credit in Baylor University as\ncollege entrance. Our Sunday School workers would do well to organize\nclasses of young men and women in the study of this book. In this way\nthey would not only help these young people in Bible study but would\ntie them all to our great school at Baylor and make it possible for\nthem to get credit for it when they attend provided they need it to\nget into the college. There ought to be hundreds of such classes in\nTexas.\n\nEvery Sunday School teacher and woman worker would do himself or\nherself a valuable service by securing and studying a copy of this new\nbook. And it is also to be hoped that many of our women's societies\nwill adopt it for their Bible study.\n\nLet our pastors buy this book for themselves and bring it to the\nattention of their people. For the people of today, as of old, are\nperishing from a lack of Bible knowledge. The one unceasing effort\nthat should be constantly and whole heartedly put forth by every\nChristian leader in every realm is to get the people to read and to\nknow the Holy Scripture. Dr. Tidwell's book will greatly help in such\neffort.\n\nFirst Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.\n\n\n\n* * * * *\n\n\n\nChapter I.\n\nFrom The Creation to The Fall.\n\nGen. Chs. 1-3\n\nProblems Solved. This simple narrative solves some of the great\nproblems about which philosophers have speculated and before which\nscientists have stood baffled. Every child of the human race has\nasked, \"What is the origin of the material world, what is the origin\nof life, and what is the origin of sin?\" In general the philosophers\nheld (and most of what science says concerning these matters is not\nscience but speculative philosophy) that matter was eternal and simply\nasked how it came to its present state. One group, the materialists,\nheld that an active principle inherent in the matter working through\nlong ages, brought about the present state of things. Another group,\nthe pantheists, held that every thing emanated from a common divine\nsubstance, working everywhere in nature. But this brief story lets at\nrest all this inquiry. It informs us that matter was not eternal nor\ndid it come into existence by chance, but it was created out of\nnothing by our eternal God. The story incidentally sets forth the\nmajesty and glory of God and man's dependence upon and his obligation\nto God. It also explains the origin of sin and of all man's ills and\ndeath.\n\nCreation of Man.   The  Story of the preparation of a residence for\nman is told in five brief paragraphs. For concision, picturesqueness\nand concreteness, this narrative is not excelled in all literature. It\nshows how God acting as a creating Spirit through six successive\nperiods of light and darkness prepared the world and put man in it. In\nthe matter of the creation of man the presence and activity of Jehovah\nis especially emphasized. He shaped the body out of the dust of the\nearth and breathed into the nostrils of that human form that which\nmade him become a living soul. It was the breath of God that gave life\nto man and hence he will return again to dust when that breath is\nwithdrawn. Concerning the creation of woman it is better to admit\nthat her creation was supernatural just as was man's. Her creation was\nto provide for man a helpful companionship so that his development and\nhappiness might be complete. Her creation out of a part of man's body\nand to meet an inborn need provides the eternal grounds of marriage\nand the basis upon which they are in marriage to become one flesh and\nby reason of which man must \"love his wife as his own flesh.\" Man is\ncreated in the image of God and like the Creator has intelligence and\nwill and is given authority to rule over the earth.\n\nMan's Home and Occupation. No sooner was man created than was planted\nin the far distant east a garden that should be to him a home and\nprovide therein for his physical and spiritual needs. Where that\ngarden was located is not known with certainty. Occupation was,\nhowever, provided so that he might exercise and develop each part of\nhis nature. He exercised his mind in naming the animals and in some\nway the tree of good and evil was destined to be for his blessing. His\nsoul had fellowship with Eve his helpmate and God his creator. This\ngarden also had in it a life-giving tree that gave them the\npossibility of enjoying an endless life should they remain near it and\ncontinue to eat its fruit.\n\nThe Temptation. The study proceeds on the basis that there was already\na race of fallen beings in the universe. Satan was the chief of these\nand had the mysterious power of tempting others to follow him. He\nassumed the form of a serpent-a creature least likely to be suspected\nand thereby deceived Eve the weaker. The temptation had several\nelements: (1) The talking serpent was to her in the nature of a\nmiracle; (2) Eve had not heard the command of God herself (it was\ngiven before her creation) but had learned it from Adam. The devil\ntherefore raised a doubt as to whether God really forbade it; (3) The\nquestion implies a doubt concerning the goodness and wisdom of God;\n(4) It appeals to the lust of flesh, to the pride of the eye and to\nthe pride of life. It was beautiful, good for food, and to make her\nwise even like God; (5) In this appeal to curiosity there is an\nimplied dare; (6) She was told that she had a mistaken idea of the\npenalty-that she should \"not surely die.\"\n\nIn all this it will be noted that the temptation was to fall upward.\nAll the motives-the satisfaction of natural appetite, the desire for\nknowledge and power and the love for beauty were in themselves worthy.\nThe temptation was to better herself. Such it is always. Adam was not\ndirectly approached, but he willfully disobeyed without being beguiled\nas was the woman. The chief blame, therefore, fell upon him.\n\nThe Fall and Punishment. The fearful consequences of their sin are\nfelt at once. They are changed so that they are conscious of guilt and\nendeavor to hide themselves from Jehovah. Thus they acknowledge their\nunfitness for fellowship with Him. Their soul having lost communion\nwith God, they become corrupt. This is spiritual death. They were\nbanished from the garden and forced to struggle for food. Their bodies\nbecame subject to pain and death by separation from the animating\nspirit. They could not longer eat of the life-giving tree of the\ngarden. The earth was cursed so that instead of ministering to man's\npleasure and support, it would produce much to his hurt. The woman in\nher unredeemed state was to be in subordination to her husband. The\nsad story of downtrodden women in heathen lands of all times since\nthen, and even today wherever Christ is not known, tells something of\nthe awful results of her sin.\n\nThe Hope Offered. The gloom of this sad story of their punishment was\nrelieved by an element of hope. The man and his wife are not beyond\nthe pale of God's love. There is given a promise (3:15) which assures\nthe coming of one, who would contend with the tempter and would\nfinally crush his head and repair the damage of the Fall. All of the\nrest of the Bible unfolds the plan and work of God in fulfilling this\npromise. There is beginning with Cain and Abel and running through the\nentire scripture a record of the conflict caused by the enmity between\nthe seed of woman and that of her seducer. This conflict is to end\nwhen Christ the \"seed of the woman\" shall return to reign and shall\ncast his adversary into the bottomless pit. Along with this promise he\nalso provided for them garments of the skins of animals such as were\nsuited to their new and hostile environment and in which most writers\nfind a suggestion of the covering of righteousness that comes to\nguilty sinners through the death of Jesus. Then too there was erected\nat the east of the garden an alter of worship not unlike that provided\nin connection with the Tabernacle later and where God dwelt in mercy\nand could be approached. Here was opened up a way by which they might\nafter being forgiven again have a right to the tree of life and live\nforever.\n\nSome Teachings of this Story. Back of this story are many truths\nworthy of most careful study. They constitute the basal facts of all\nhistory and religion. The following are put down as among the most\nvital: (1) Back of all nature is a personal Creator and Ruler who has\nthe tenderest solicitude and care for man, as the highest product of\nhis creation. (2) There was an orderly progress in creation from the\nmore simple and less important to the most complex and most important.\n(3) All things were made for man and his comfort. (4) Marriage is a\nsacred obligation growing out of the very character of man and woman\nwho were made for each other and each can, therefore, meet the deepest\nneeds of the other. (5) Sin does not originate in God but in man's\nyielding to his baser instead of his nobler and diviner motives. (6)\nSin as a cause brings its own punishment, the worst of which is the\nseparation of the individual from harmonious relations with God, which\nis spiritual death.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The condition of the material universe\nwhen God began to prepare it for man's abode. (2) The six creative\ndays or periods and what was created in each. (3) The special emphasis\nupon the presence and activity of God in the creation of man and\nwoman. (4) The divine interest in and preparation for the happiness of\nman. (5) The home prepared for them. (6) The lessons about marriage,\nits purpose, basis, etc. (7) The law and place of testing in the\nformation of character. (8) The ills of life that are the results of\nsome one's sin. (9) The nature and results of the curse upon the man,\nupon the woman, upon the tempter. (10) God's care for man after the\nFall and the provisions for his recovery. (11) The revelation of God\nmade by these three chapters. (12) The image of God in man.\n\n\n\n\nChapter II.\n\nFrom the Fall to the Flood.\n\nGen. Chs. 4-8.\n\nCain and Abel. These two, who are apparently the oldest children of\nthe first pair, were no doubt born soon after the expulsion from the\ngarden. One tilled the soil and the other was a shepherd. They each\nappear to have been attentive to worship. Their offerings, however,\nwere very different and no doubt revealed a difference of spirit. The\nsuperiority of Abel's offering was in the faith in which it was made\n(Heb. 11:4), meaning perhaps that he relied upon the promise of God\nand that he apprehended the truth that without shedding of blood there\nis no remission. (Heb. 12:24).\n\nBecause God granted to Abel a token of acceptance of his offering and\nfailed to grant a like token to Cain, the latter became jealous and\nfinally slew his brother. Thus early did Adam and Eve begin to reap\nthe effects of sin. The record, in kindness to them, makes no mention\nof the great sorrow that must have come to them as they saw their\nsecond son murdered by their first-born. These two sons represent two\ntypes running through all the Bible and indeed through all history-the\nunchecked power of evil and the triumph of faith. They represent two\ntypes of religion, one of faith and the other of works. Then as in all\nsucceeding ages the true worshipers were persecuted by false\nworshipers.\n\nGod showed his mercy to Cain whom he sent away from the place of\nworship at the east of the garden by putting upon him the divine mark\nso that no one should destroy him. He also allowed him to prosper and\nit was through his descendants that civilization began to show itself.\n\nCain and Seth-Two Races. Another son was born to Adam named Seth.\nProbably others have been born since the death of Abel but none of a\nlike spirit to Abel and hence none worthy to become the head of a\nspiritual branch of mankind. Cain's descendants applied themselves to\nthe arts and to manufactures, to the building of cities and the making\nthose things that furnish earthly comfort, while the descendants of\nSeth, were selected to be the instruments of religious uplift and to\nhave communion with Jehovah. Through inter-marriage with the\ndescendants of Cain, however, the generation of Seth was corrupted.\nThis led to a period of great wickedness and the destruction of the\npeople by the flood.\n\nThe great age of those who lived in this period may have been a\nprovision of nature for the promotion of a rapid increase of the race\nand for the advancement of knowledge. The revelation of God to them\ncould thereby be the better preserved. Then, too, the body of man was\nnot originally subject to death and when it became so because of his\nsin, the process of decay may have been less rapid. And, besides, the\neffect of hereditary disease had not begun to effect and weaken the\nrace.\n\nThe Great Wickedness. As indicated above, this Wickedness seemed to\narise from the intermarriage of the descendants of Seth and those of\nCain. The descendants of Seth were called \"the song of God,\" because\nthey were the religious seed. When they looked upon the beautiful\ndaughters of Cain (called the daughters of man because they\nrepresented the irreligious portion of the race), they married them\nand thereby brought the whole race into such corruption that \"every\nimagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually\"\n(Gen. 6:5). God therefore declared \"My Spirit shall not always strive\nwith man\" and set the limit when he should quit thus striving with him\nat one-hundred and twenty years (Gen. 6:3). After that God proposed to\ndestroy the whole wicked race from off the face of the earth (Gen.\n6:7).\n\nNoah God's Chosen Man. The narrative tells us (Gen. 6:8) that \"Noah\nfound favor in the eyes of Jehovah.\" This was no doubt because his\ncharacter and acts were acceptable to Him. He was the tenth and last\nin the Sethic line. He was the son of Lamech (Gen. 5:28), a godly man,\nwho had felt the weight of burden because of the curse which God had\npronounced upon the ground because of Adam's sin. He was called Noah\nby his father, because he said the child would be a source of comfort\nconcerning their toil growing out of that curse (Gen. 5:39). He was a\njust and perfect man and walked with God (Gen. 6:9; 7:1). Compare also\nI Peter 3:20 and Heb. 11:7. He is also called a preacher of\nrighteousness (II Peter 2:5) and it is probable that, during the\none-hundred and twenty years that were likely employed in building the\nark, he preached to his generation and tried to lead them to\nrepentance. He was, however, unable to influence any save his own\nfamily. The saving of his own family was, however, a splendid monument\nof his life.\n\nThe Ark. Noah built the ark according to the pattern given him by\nJehovah. It was a sort of box-like boat 525 ft. long 87-1/2 ft. wide\nand 42-1/2 ft. deep, if we count a cubit at twenty-one inches. It was\nthree stories high, and the building of it was a huge undertaking. We\nneed not, however, think of it as an undertaking beyond the resources\nof the times. All those early people seem to have been fond of\ncolossal works. The building of this Ark was not only an object lesson\nto the ungodly people of the time but a satisfactory proof of the\nfaith of the builder.\n\nThe Flood. At the command of Jehovah Noah and his household entered\nthe Ark carrying two of every species of unclean, and seven of every\nclean kind of animal and creeping things. They were shut in by the\nhand of God. The scripture passes silently over all horrors that\nfilled the earth as man and beast were destroyed. We may imagine them\ntrying by strength to get out of reach of the rising waters, but no\nmental culture or mechanical skill or physical culture, neither tears\nand entreaties could deliver man from the destruction which God had\ndetermined because of sin. It was seven months before the Ark rested\non Ararat and more than five more before the ransomed company departed\nfrom it.\n\nThe Sacrifice and Rainbow Covenant. Upon leaving the Ark Noah\nexpressed his thanksgiving and devotion to God by erecting an altar to\nJehovah and offering thereon a sacrifice consisting of victims of\nevery species of clean bird and beast. The fragrance of this\nsacrifice, such as the world had never seen before, was pleasant to\nJehovah and he visited Noah with a promise that he would not again\nsend such a flood upon the earth. The rainbow was given as a pledge of\nthe promise made him. It was to be the constant seal of mercy on God's\npart, and it is not necessary to worry over the question as to whether\nthere had never been a rainbow before or whether it was simply\nappropriated as a sign. In this new covenant the earth was put under\nNoah, as it was under Adam at first. He was, however, allowed to eat\nflesh, only mans blood was not to be shed and the seasons were to\ncontinue in regularity. Thus the race started anew as a saved group,\nrescued through the faith of Noah.\n\nConfirmation of Tradition and Geology. Perhaps no other event of\nscripture history has found so large a place in ancient traditions and\nlegends as has the flood. It is found in each of the three great\nraces-the Semites; the Aryan; and the Tutarian. It is found alike\namong savage and civilized races, and as might be expected is most\naccurate in the countries that were nearest to where the Ark rested.\nAmong the most important of these early traditions are those of\nBabylon. Greece, China, and America. In a general way these traditions\nmay be said to agree with the Biblical story in the following\nparticulars: (1) That a flood destroyed an evil world; (2) That one\nrighteous family was saved in a boat and that animals were saved with\nthem; (3) That the boat landed on a mountain; (4) That a bird was sent\nout of the boat; (5) That the saved family built an altar and\nworshiped God with sacrifice. All these stories tend to corroborate\nthe Biblical story and to show that the whole race must have spring\nfrom this common home from which they have been scattered abroad.\n\nGeology has also done much to confirm the flood story. Geologists are\nwell acquainted with facts in world history that bring the flood\n\"entirely within the range of natural phenomena.\" The Scripture (Gen.\n7:11) speaks of the fountains of the deep being broken, language that\ncould refer to the inrushing of the sea upon a depression of the earth\nwhich later rose again. Such elevations and depressions have occurred\nmany times. An example is the elevation of the coast of Chile by an\nearthquake in 1822. Such an explanation by no means destroys the\nmiracle of it, since the coming just when Noah had completed the ark\nand entered it and just when God said it would come, provided the\nelement of miracle. A wide-spread flood is also required by the\ndiscovery of evidence in the earth of the destruction of animal life.\n\nSome Teachings of This Period. The teachings of this period may be\ndivided into three groups: Those concerning Cain and Abel; those\nconcerning Cain and Seth. or the two races; those concerning the\nflood.\n\nThose concerning Cain and Abel are: (1) The mere fact of having\nworshiped is not a guarantee of acceptance with God. (2) Both the\nspirit and the form of worship must please Jehovah. (3) God tries to\npoint out the right way to men and only punishes when man fails to\ngive heed. (4) Man is free and though God may turn to show him a\nbetter way, he will not restrain him by force even from the worst\ncrimes. (5) To try to shun the responsibility of being our brother's\nkeeper is to show the spirit of Cain.\n\nThe story of Cain and Seth, or the two races show: (1) That our acts\nreveal our thoughts. (2) That the indulgence of our lusts and\nappetites disgraces the noblest people. (3) That outward culture\nwithout true religion will not save a people. (4) The noble and good\nwill finally dominate other men.\n\nThe story of the flood teaches: (1) That Jehovah can not make men\nrighteous against their will. (2) That men by wickedness grieve God\nand thwart his purposes. (3) That man has, therefore, power to cause\nhis own destruction. (4) That God does not save because of numbers or\ncivilization, but because of character and obedience to his laws. (5)\nThat God is pleased with the worship of those who obey him.\n\nFor Study and Discussion, (1) The consequences of sin as seen in this\nperiod with special reference to the new truths added to those of the\nformer period. (2) New truths about God. (3) The beginning of the arts\nof civilization. (4) The unity of the race. (S) The names and ages of\nthe six oldest men and whether any one of them could have known\npersonally both Adam and Noah. (6) The size, architecture and the task\nof building the Ark. (7) The flood as a whole. (8) The inhabitants of\nthe Ark. (9) The departure from the Ark, and the new covenant. (10)\nThe flood as a divine judgment especially in the light of the judgment\nput upon Adam and Cain. (11) Noah as the first man mentioned who saved\nothers and the way in which he represents Jesus. (12) Evidences of\nman's freedom as seen in this and the former chapters. (13) Worship as\nseen in the two periods studied.\n\n\n\n\nChapter III.\n\nFrom the Flood to Abraham\n\nGen. Chs. 9-11.\n\nNoah's Shame and Prophecy. Just what the vocation of Noah bad been\nbefore his call to prepare for the flood we do not know. But after the\nflood, perhaps compelled by necessity, he became an husbandman. He had\nprobably settled on the slopes or in the valleys of Ararat where he\nplanted a vineyard. On one occasion at least he fell under the\nintoxicating influence of the fermented wine. This man upon whom God\nhad conferred such great favor and who alone preserved the race alive\nlay naked and helpless in his tent.\n\nIn this shameful condition he was discovered by his sons whose conduct\nled him in a spirit of prophecy to assign to his three sons the\nrewards and punishments which their deeds merited. The punishment and\nrewards fell upon the descendants of his sons. The descendants of Ham,\nbecause of his joy rather than sorrow over the sin and humiliation of\nhis father, should always be a servile race. Out of these descendants\nof Ham arose the Canaanites, the Babylonians and the Egyptians who\ndeveloped the three great civilizations of antiquity. Their\nascendancy, however, soon passed. The Canaanites were subdued by the\nIsraelites; the Cushites of Chaldea were absorbed by Semitic\nconquerors and Carthage of the Phoenicians fell before her foes. The\nsons of Cush, in the scripture commonly meaning the Ethiopian and now\nknown as the black-skinned African, are the very synonym for weakness,\ndegradation and servitude.\n\nThe descendants of Japheth and Shem like those of Ham can be traced\nonly in part. The Japhethites probably settled around the\nMediterranean and in the northwest beyond the Black Sea. From them\n\"the great races of Europe, including the Greeks, the Romans, and the\nmore modern nations, must have sprung.\" The Shemites were located,\ngenerally speaking, between the territories occupied by the sons of\nHam and Japheth. Aram, one of the sons of Japheth, settled in Syria\nnear Damascus in northern part of Mesopotamia and through his son, Uz,\ngave the name of Uz to the territory, thus showing how that branch of\nthe Hebrews came from western Mesopotamia, a fact now confirmed by\nmodern discovery. All the other sons of Shem and their descendants are\ndropped from the record of Chapter eleven, except that of Arphaxad\nfrom whom descended Abram.\n\nThe prophecy of Noah was not only fulfilled in the case of Ham and his\npunishment but in the blessing of the Others. Shem was for a long time\nsignally blessed as is witnessed by the Asiatic supremacy and\nespecially in the Jews who conquered the Canaanites (descendants of\nHam) and in whose tents God dwelt. During that period of the\nascendancy of the Shemites not much was known of the descendants of\nJapheth. But now for more than two thousand years his have been the\ndominant race of the earth. Year by year, the Japhethites have spread\nover the globe, until whole continents are now peopled by him. He now\nrests his foot upon every soil either as a trader, colonist or\nnational power.\n\nThe Tower of Babel. The place of this tower is in the land of Shinat,\nwhich is the name given by the early Hebrews to the land of Babylonia\n(Gen. 10:10; 14:19; Is. 11:1; Dan. 1:2; Zech. 5:11). This plain of\nShinar had become the center of the earth's population. They threw up\nwith infinite toil great mounds, which still stand as monuments of\nhuman achievement. Many such mounds and ruins, any of which would have\nseemed lofty in contrast with the level plain of Babylon, may be seen\nby the traveler.\n\nThe exact location of this tower cannot be determined with certainty,\nbut it has been thought by some that a great mound on the east of the\nEuphrates, which probably represents the remains of the great temple\nof Marduk with its huge pyramid-like foundation, was the site of this\ntower. On the west of the Euphrates, however, is a vast mound called\nBirs Nimrood, which used to be regarded as the ruins of the Tower of\nBabel. The fact that it early gave the impression of incompleteness\nfavors this claim. Nebuchadnezzar says on a tablet that another king\nbegan it but left it unfinished. It fell into disrepair and was\ncompleted by Nebuchadnezzar and was used as one of the great temples.\nIt was built of brick and was oblong in form. It measured seven\nhundred yards around and rose to a height of from one hundred and\nfifty to two hundred feet high. It consisted o? seven stages or\nstories colored to represent the tints which the Sabeans thought\nappropriate to the seven planets. Beginning from the bottom they were\nblack, orange, bright red, golden, pale yellow, dark blue and silver,\nrepresenting respectively the colors of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the\nSun, Venus. Mercury, and the Moon. These marks may indicate the\nprevalence of idolatry and have led some to think the tower of Babel\nwas intended to do honor to the gods of Babylonia.\n\nThe specific purpose of this tower is difficult to determine. Josephus\nsays the object was to save the people in case of another flood. The\nscripture record (11:4) indicates that they were moved by an unholy\npride and selfish desire to make for themselves a great name. It also\nwas intended to become a sort of rallying-point which would keep the\npeople together and prevent the destruction of their glory which they\nthought would result from their separation. In 11:6 God says \"nothing\nwill be restrained from them which they have imagined to do.\" In this\nthere is an implication that they are at cross purposes with God. It\nwas an act that defied God and showed the need of punishment. It is\nnot unlikely that idolatry had begun to prevail and that the tower was\nbuilt in honor of those false Gods whom men were disposed to trust.\n\nThe incompleteness of the tower is attributed to divine intervention.\nHitherto all the descendants of Noah had spoken the same language, but\nnow by a direct divine interposition they are caused to speak several,\nand then separated so they can no longer cooperate with each other in\ncarrying out their plans which had so displeased God. The different\nlanguages then are regarded as a punishment of the race which had\nrebelled against God.\n\nTraditions of such a tower may be found in  many  forms and  in many\ncountries. _In Babylonia_ there was a tradition that not long after\nthe flood men were tall and strong and became so puffed up that they\ndefied the gods and tried to erect a tower called Babylon by means of\nwhich they could scale heaven. But when it reached the sky the gods\nsent a mighty wind and turned over the tower. They said that hitherto\nall men had used the same language, but that at this time there was\nsent on them a confusion of many tongues, from which confusion the\ntower was named Babel. _In Greece_, there was a legend in which we\ntrace the story of the tower of Babel. According to this legend a race\nof giants tried to reach Mount Olympus, which was supposed to be the\nresidence of the gods, by piling Mount Ossa upon Pelion. But the gods\ninterfered with their plan and scattered the impious conspirators.\nThis effort of the Titans to mount up to heaven corresponds so well to\nthe motive of the builders of the tower as to indicate that there was\na common origin for both stories.\n\nThere is also a Greek tradition that Helen had three sons: Aeolus,\nDorus, and Ion, who were the ancestors of the three great branches of\nthe Hellenic race. This again corresponds to the prophetic table of\nnations which were to descend from Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the three\nsons of Noah.\n\nThe Civilization of the Ancient World. Just when and where\ncivilization began we have no means of telling. The Bible speaks of a\nvery high state of civilization at a very early time (Gen. 4:20-22).\nIn ages long before Abraham and Moses the world had made great\nadvancement in culture, commerce, law and religion. From the monuments\nand engraven vases that have been found in such unearthed cities as\nNippur, we now know that Abraham and Moses did not live in a crude and\nundeveloped age, but, as the Bible would imply, in an age of great\nprogress. We even learn that long before their time there was a most\ncomplete and complex civilization.\n\nTwo Great Empires of Antiquity. It is impossible to tell which of two\ngreat nations, the Chaldeans and the Egyptians, first attained to a\nhigh state of civilization. They appear to have started very early in\nthe race, the Chaldeans in the plains on the banks of the Euphrates\nand the Egyptians in the plains on the banks of the Nile. They seem to\nhave made about equal progress in all the arts of civilization.\n\nNimrod, a descendent of Ham, is declared to be the founder of the\nChaldean Empire. His exploits as a hunter seem to have aided him to\nthe throne. He began to reign at Babel and had a number of cities in\nthe plain of Shinar. Later he went out in the district of Assyria and\nbuilt Ninevah and a number of other cities. From the Assyrian and\nChaldean ascriptions, we have learned much of the Accadians, whose\ninfluence carried forward that early civilization. We thereby confirm\nthe Biblical claim that it was under Nimrod the Cushite, and not\nthrough the Semitic race, that the Chaldean kingdom began.\n\nOf the beginning of the Egyptian empire, the other great center of\ncivilization, we have no certain knowledge. So far as the records of\nthe scriptures or of the earliest records to which the monuments bear\nwitness, Egypt comes before us full grown. The further back we go the\nmore perfect and developed do we find the organization of the country.\nThe activity and industry of the Egyptians, their power of erecting\ngreat buildings and of executing other laborious tasks at this early\nperiod is a marvel to all ages. It has been shown by Prof. Petrie that\nsome of the blocks in at least one of the great pyramids were cut by\ntubular drills fitted with diamond points or something similar. This\nto us is a very modern invention.\n\nAt least thirty dynasties of kings (according to Manetho) ruled Egypt\nin succession. At least twelve of these must have reigned in Egypt\nbefore Jacob and his sons settled within their borders. Many of the\ngreat monuments and some of the largest of the pyramids were already\nto be seen before Abraham visited that country. There had been\nconstant progress in all kinds of learning and art, and a highly\nadvanced society and government had been attained when the Bible\nhistory first came in contact with it.\n\nCommerce was carried on extensively on both land and sea. Long before\nthe time of Moses a stream of caravans were on the road between Egypt\nand Babylon, passing through Canaan. Treaties were made between\ndifferent states whereby these caravans were protected and given safe\npassage through the countries traversed. Three thousand years before\nChrist the Phoenicians sent out ships from Tyre that had intercourse\nwith the cities of the Mediterranean and later with England and sailed\naround Africa and traded on the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Egypt\nsent sea expeditions to South Africa in the sixteenth century before\nChrist. All of this suggests how much more of geography these ancients\nknew than we are accustomed to think.\n\nLanguage and Literature. It is impossible to say what was the original\nlanguage. But that men once spoke the same language and that the\nvarieties of human tongues arose from some remarkable cause is in some\ndegree confirmed by the research of modern scholarship. The Bible\nalone states clearly what that cause was. All existing languages\nbelong to three great families: the Aryan, the Semitic, and the\nTuranian. These correspond roughly to three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham\nand Japheth.\n\nIn the time of Abraham and long before, and on to the time of Moses\nthere was great literary culture. Letters passed between kingdoms and\ncities. There were schools and colleges, great dictionaries and many\nbooks on many subjects. The Babylonian language was almost universally\nemployed, so that the scribes could read without difficulty a letter\nsent anywhere in Egypt, Babylon, Canaan, or Arabia. This unity makes\nthe translation of inscriptions on the monuments comparatively easy.\n\nWe know nothing of the origin of writing. As far back as we go into\ntheir history we find, already developed, a most complex system of\nwriting and large libraries both in the royal cities and in small\ntowns.\n\nThe Motive of Their Civilization. This is not difficult to find. The\nold Babylonian kings were called Priest Kings, and built their\nempires, temples, and cities, and exhibited such wonderful activities\nfrom a religious motive. The great mounds on the plain of Shinar, and\nthe pyramids of Egypt are the eternal monuments of the religious\ndevotion of  these ancient people. Their religion was, however, filled\nwith all sorts of idolatrous abuses and God called Abraham to be the\nleader of a purer religious life and to be the father of a people from\nwhom would come the Great Revealer of all religious truth.\n\nThe Lessons of this Period. The stories of this period have for us\nseveral valuable lessons, among which the following are most vital.\n(I) All races had a common origin and are, therefore, vitally related.\n(2) By tracing the origin of the different races, we are shown\nIsrael's place in the family of nations. (3) Since all nations are but\nbranches of the same great family, all men are brothers. (4) The\nHebrews are deeply interested in all of their neighbors, and their\nunique history can only be understood, in their true relation, as a\npart of the ancient Semitic world. (5) God exercises a common rule\nover all nations. (6) Civilization at this early age had reached a\ngreat advancement. (7) Men had reached a stage of great wickedness and\nbecause of their defiance of God were punished both by the confusion\nof tongues and by being scattered far and wide.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The genealogies of Noah's sons. (2) The\ndifferent places where his descendants settled, the cities they built\nand the names of those connected with each. Study the geography. (3)\nThrough which of Noah's sons the Messiah came and through which of his\nsons. (4) Lessons from the shame of Noah and the spirit of his sons.\n(5) The nature and fulfillment of his prophecies concerning his sons.\n(6) The universality of the race and the origin of the nations. (7)\nThe teachings of the tower of Babel. (8) The origin of different\nlanguages and the relation of languages to the creation of separate\nnations. (9) The traditions of other peoples and their relation and\ncorrespondence to the stories of this section. (10) The evidence of\nancient monuments that corroborate or throw light upon the meaning of\nthis section of the scripture. (11) The civilization of that early\ntime compared with that of our time.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IV.\n\nFrom Abraham to Egypt.\n\nGen. Chs. 12-50\n\nThe Events of the Period. The events of this period may be put down\nsomewhat as follows: (1) Abraham's call and settlement in Canaan, chs.\n12-13. (2) The rescue of Lot from the plundering kings of the North,\nch. 14. (3) God makes a covenant with Abraham, ch. 15. (4) The birth\nand disposal of Ishmael, ch. 16. (5) The Promise of Isaac, ch. 17. (8)\nThe destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, chs. 18-19. (7) Abraham lives\nat Gerar. Isaac is born and sacrificed, chs. 20-22. (8) Sarah's death,\nch. 23. (9) Isaac is married, ch. 24. (10) Abraham and Ishmael die and\nIsaac's two sons, ch. 25. (11) Isaac dwells in Gerar and Jacob steals\nhis brother's birthright, chs. 26-27. (12) Jacob's experiences as a\nfugitive and his roll and settlement in Canaan, chs. 28-36. Joseph's\ncareer and the settlement of the nation in Egypt, chs. 37-50.\n\nThe Purpose of Narrative. In this section we have given us, in brief\nform, the career of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their families and\nhow we received the promises through them. Ages have passed since Noah\nand the people had grown wicked and turned from Jehovah to other gods.\nGod had promised not to destroy the world with another flood, but he\nmust employ other and new means. He, therefore, selects a man and in\nhim a nation that should be his representative on earth. With this man\nand nation God would deposit his truth and in it the hopes of the race\nuntil the time when Christ the redeemer should come.\n\nWe pass, therefore, from the consideration of the beginnings of the\nhistory of the race and from the general history to the story of one\nman, Abraham and the chosen family and nation. All the rest of the Old\nTestament is an account of the victories and defeats of this nation.\n\nThe Conditions of the Times. At the time of Abraham three countries\nare of special interest, Chaldea, Egypt and Canaan. Outwardly there\nwas a splendid civilization as is shown by the monuments. There were\ngreat cities with splendid palaces, temples and libraries. \"There were\nworkers in fabrics, metals, stones, implements and ornaments.\" Time\nwas divided as now and sun-dials showed the time of day. Great systems\nof canals existed and the country was in a high state of cultivation.\nThe pyramids were already old and a great stone wall had long ago been\nbuilt across the isthmus of Suez to prevent the immigrants and enemies\nof the north from coming down upon them. In Tyre and Sidon there were\ngreat glass works and dying factories. There were also vast harbors\ncrowded with sea going ships. Luxurious living was to be found\neverywhere.\n\n_Inwardly_, however, there was a corrupt moral condition, which was\nhastening the nations to decay and to a ruin such as amazes all the\nworld to this day. Ur of the Chaldees, the birth place and home of\nAbraham, was the seat of the great temple of the moon-god, and this\nsanctuary became so famous that the moon-god was known throughout all\nnorthern Syria as the Baal or Lord of Haran. The bad state of the\ntimes is suggested by Sodom and Gomorrah and their fate. For these\ncities were perhaps only typical of the entire civilization of the\ntime.\n\nIn such a time and out of such a civilization God called Abraham, who\nshould found a new nation that would serve him and form the basis of a\nnew civilization. He also selected Canaan as the home of this new\npeople. It was the geographical center of all the ancient world and a\nrevelation of God made there would soon be know among all nations.\n\nThe Confirmations of the Biblical Record. Each new excavation made in\nthe ruins of the ancient, long-buried, cities throws new light upon\nthe scriptures and always confirms its statements. There are on the\ntablets of clay found in the old libraries statements concerning the\nsocial, commercial, religious and political conditions of the time of\nAbraham and before and all of them agree with the statements of\nGenesis. There has been found a record of the years of famine and the\nPharaohs of the time have been determined.\n\nThe kings who captured Lot are now known. The Bible has suffered\nnothing at all from the knowledge gained from the ancient records.\n\nThe Experiences of Abraham. The call of Abraham as recorded In this\nsection is probably from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran where his father\ndied (11:31-32). His call is the most important event in the history\nof God's kingdom since the fall of man. It was indeed a new starting\npoint for that kingdom. The call was accompanied by a promise or\ncovenant in which God bound himself not to withdraw from Abraham\n(15:17-21). The call and work, together with the promises, may be put\ndown somewhat as follows:\n\n1. _It was a call to separation from his home and native land._ He was\na large shepherd-farmer with large flocks and herds and a number of\nslaves. The family was perhaps of high rank in his country and there\nwas a warm family affection in his family. Many others had gone from\nhis country to the regions of the Mediterranean but always for gain or\nselfish betterment, Abraham went in obedience to the divine call.\nThere was no selfishness in his move. He went for conscience' sake,\nsomewhat as the Pilgrims, forsaking all the ties of nature that bound\nthem to England, sailed to America in the Mayflower.\n\n2. _It was a call to service_. The people of his time were falling\ninto idolatry. Even Terah, his father, was an idolater and reputed to\nhave been a maker of idol images. He was to serve the one true God and\nto stand for principle where everyone was against him. He was to enter\ninto covenant relations with God and stand alone with him where all\nsocial and national customs were hostile.\n\n3. _It was a call to found a nation_. The promise was to make of him a\ngreat nation that should have as its main purpose the service of the\none God. God foresaw the ruin that was to come to all the nations of\nAbraham's time and prepared him and in him a new and spiritual nation\nwhich would produce a new and godly civilization. He died when Jacob\nwas but a lad and did not see the fulfillment of the promise of the\nnation that should outlast Egypt or Babylon.\n\n4. _It was a call to be the father of a son_. In 17:16 God promised\nhim a son, Isaac, in whom his seed should be called (21:12). Out of\nhim was to come a blessing to all nations. This promise was fulfilled\nin Christ, through whom all the nations of the earth have been\nblessed. Just as in Isaac Abraham became the head of a great earthly\nseed that should be as the sand of the sea, so in Jesus he should be\nthe head of a great spiritual seed that should be as the stars of the\nheaven for numbers.\n\nGod often repeats his covenant and promises with Abraham, Gen. 12:1-7;\n13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-8; 18:18; 22:16-18. He often renews it in the\ngenerations to come as to Isaac, Gen. 26:1-5, and to Jacob, Gen.\n28:10-15.\n\nThe Character of Abraham. How great is the name of Abraham today! He\nis revered by Jews, Mohammedans and Christians (ch. 12:2). In all\nhistory there is not a nobler character. The story of his life shows\nhim to have been shrewd in business, of good temper, of warm domestic\naffections and possessed of much calm wisdom. He was generous in his\ndealings with others, looking well after their interests. He often\nmade sacrifices for the well-being of others. The most significant\nthing about him, however, was his attitude toward God. His chief\ndesire was to obey God. Wherever he went he erected an altar to God\nand in everything he manifested reverence, confidence, love and\nsubmission toward God. This is the chief element of his greatness.\n\nThe Character and Career of Isaac. The life of Isaac has but little in\nit that is of special interest. He probably spent most of his life in\na quiet home near, or in Hebron. This has been taken to suggest that\nhe was of a quiet and retiring disposition. He was not a man of energy\nand force of character such as Abraham, his father, but he had all his\nfather's reverence for God. His faith in God was rewarded with a\nrenewal of the promises which Abraham had received.\n\nAmong the incidents of his life that should be noted are the\nfollowing: (1) His experience on Mount Moriah, when his father in\nobedience to God prepared to sacrifice him in worship. Such sacrifice\nwas common in Babylonia, Phoenicia and Canaan. The submission to his\nfather's will and evident obedience to the divine will indicated would\nseem to point to his faith in God. While he does not mention the\nmatter himself and it is not referred to again in this section, the\nexperience must have had much influence on his whole career. (2) The\nsecond notable event of his life was his marriage. In this story there\nis preserved the ancient customs of his father's provision for the\nmarriage of the son. The story also shows the overruling influence of\ndeity in his marriage. The whole experience was calculated to show his\nsincere relation to God who was leading. (3) The birth of his twin\nsons Esau and Jacob. They were so different in type that their\ndescendants for centuries showed a like difference and even became\nantagonistic. Jacob was ambitious and persevering. Esau was frank and\ngenerous but shallow and unappreciative of the best things. The\nbirthright carried with it two advantages: (1) The headship of the\nfamily. (2) A double portion of the inheritance (Dt. 21:15-17). Jacob\nset great value upon it, while Esau preferred a good dinner. Isaac's\nlatter days were made dark because of the relation of these sons.\n\nStories Concerning Jacob. These are calculated to show that Jacob was\nclever and far-sighted and was willing to employ any mean, honorable\nor dishonorable, to gratify his ambition. They also show his suffering\nfor his unfair acts and his final change to a new man. His deception\nof his father resulted in his becoming a fugitive from home and never\nagain seeing his mother who aided him in his treachery. He was treated\nby Laban just as he himself had treated his brother. For twenty years\nhe was deprived of the quiet and friendly life of his old home.\n\nWhile away he had some religious experiences that made him a new man.\nHis vision at Bethel taught him that Jehovah his God was also caring\nfor him though in a strange land. He may have thought that Jehovah\ndwelt only among the people of his nation and that on leaving home he\nwas also going beyond the protection of God. As a result he erected\nhere a sanctuary that became sacred to all the Hebrews.\n\nHis struggle at the brook Jabbok made Jacob a new man. He had all\nalong depended on his own wits. Now he is ready to return to his\nbrother and show sorrow for his conduct. The incident is parallel to\nthe struggle which a repentant man must wage against his lower nature.\nWhen the struggle is over he is a new man, a prince of god. Religion\nhad become real to him and his whole future career is built on a new\nplan. He is still inventive and ambitious and persevering but is God's\nman doing God's will.\n\nIn connection with Jacob we have also the lessons concerning Esau. He\nwas a man intent upon immediate physical enjoyment; an idle drifter\nwithout spiritual ideals. From his character and that of the Edomites,\nhis descendants, there is taught the lesson that such an unambitious\nman or nation will always become degenerate and prove a failure. God\nhimself cannot make a man out of an idle drifter.\n\nThe Stories About Joseph. The moral value of these stories is very\ngreat. They are told in a charm that is felt by all. The literary\npower and unity is remarkable. There is seen in them ideals of\nintegrity and truthfulness. He is cheerful and uncomplaining and no\nadversity could destroy his ambitions. The study of this section will\nwell reward a frequent review of it.\n\nAll the materials may be grouped around the following principal great\nperiods or incidents of his life. (1) His childhood, where we find him\npetted and spoiled but ambitious and trustworthy and hated by his\nbrethren. (2) His sale to the Egyptians and separation from his house\nand kindred, this including his slavery and the faithfulness he showed\nin such a position. (3) His position as overseer and his loyalty\ntogether with his temptation and unjust imprisonment. (4) His\nexaltation to the governorship of Egypt with his provisions for the\nfamine and change of the whole system of land tenure, which put it all\nunder royal control. It would also include his kindness to his\nfather's family in providing for their preservation.\n\nThe stories have in them several elements that need to be noticed. (1)\nThere are many sudden and striking contrasts. Such are his changes\nfrom a petted and spoiled boy in the home to a slave in Egypt; from an\noverseer of his master's house to a prisoner in the dungeon; for that\ndungeon to the governor of the powerful empire of the age. (2) His\nsuccess is never based on or promoted by a miracle but is assured\nbecause he is of value to others. He wins no promotions by means of\narmor or conquests of power but by faithfulness to those whom he\nserved. His is a conquest made by business sagacity. He is a hero of\nusefulness. (3) The use of his position to advance the interests of\nothers is altogether out of line with the views of western students of\nsociety. We would hardly think it right for  one to so earnestly\npromote the interests of a heathen sovereign as Joseph did in the case\nof his slave master and of Pharaoh. (4) The pathos and depth of\nfeeling is not surpassed in all literature. This is especially true in\nthe story of his relations with his brethren when they visit Egypt.\nPent up emotion tugs at one's heart as one reads of the anxiety of the\nbrothers, the fear of the fear of the father, and the burning\naffection of Joseph. The spirit of forgiveness and love for his humble\nkinsmen fill one with admiration.\n\nThe death of Jacob and Joseph. Jacob was greatly prospered and died at\na ripe old age. He asked to be buried in Canaan and Joseph after\nhaving him embalmed went, accompanied by his kindred and friends, to\nCanaan and buried him according to his request. Before his death, he\npronounced upon his sons a blessing that promised great increase in\nnumbers and in political power.\n\nAfter the death of Jacob, Joseph continued to show kindness to his\nbrethren. Before his death, at the age of one hundred and ten years,\nhe prophesied that God would come and lead them out of Egypt and took\nan oath of them that they would carry up his bones to the land of\nCanaan into which they would be delivered.\n\nIn Jacob's blessing on his sons and in Joseph's prophecy of their\nremoval by God and his promises, they saw the providence of God in all\nthe future of the race and expected its triumph.\n\nThese stories typical. The stories of this section are commonly\nthought to be typical of New Testament truth.   While it is probably\nnot best to make too much of this typical idea, it is safe to say that\nmuch of it is illustrative of such New Testament teachings. The career\nof Abraham, Isaac and Joseph each at some point or points suggests the\nlife and work of Jesus. Abraham is called or appointed of God to be\nthe head of a spiritual nation, he has revealed to him the will of\nGod, he intercedes for a wicked Sodom and saved lot, all of which\nsuggests the attitude and work of Jesus. Isaac is an only son, is\noffered in sacrifice, has secured for him a bride in a most unusual\nmanner. This again in many ways illustrates the attitude and work of\nthe Savior. But Joseph is perhaps more highly figurative of the\nRedeemer. His being hated and cast out by his brethren is like the\nrejection of Jesus; the way his wicked brethren came to him in their\nextremity and received forgiveness and sustenance suggest how a sinner\nfinds mercy and life in Jesus; his prosperity and honor gained among\nothers and the final coming of his brethren to him is suggestive in\nmany of the details of the way the Jews rejected Jesus and of how,\nafter Jesus has gained great power among Gentile nations, the Jews\nwill finally repent of their national sin and accept the crucified\nSavior as the Jews' Messiah; the whole story of the humiliation,\nsufferings and exaltation of Joseph correspond to like events in the\ncareer of Jesus.\n\nSocial and Religious Conditions of the Times. There is little to\nsuggest anything savage or barbarous. The spirit and language of\ncourtesy is everywhere present. There is great hospitality and the\nmarriage relation was respected by such heathen rulers as Pharaoh and\nAbimelech. When property was bought and sold the contracts were formal\nand were held sacred even though the owner was long absent as in the\ncase of Abraham who bought the cave of Machpelah. Rebekah had\nbracelets, ear-rings, jewels of silver and of gold, and fine raiment\nas elements of adornment. There were slaves but they were kindly\ntreated and made almost as part of the family. Wealthy people as Jacob\nemployed their sons in the ordinary occupations such as caring for the\nsheep. In Egypt and Chaldea the arts were highly developed and there\nwas much learning.\n\nThe worship of the patriarchs was very simple. They erected simple\naltars and offered on them burnt offerings. The erection of such\naltars and making such open profession of their worship were always\namong their first acts when they settled in a new place. There are\nsome evidences that they observed the Sabbath of rest. Abraham gave a\ntithe to Melchizedek and Jacob promised God to do the same if he would\nbless him. God communed with them and gave them knowledge of his will\nand especially promised them great future blessing, through a\ndeliverer that would come through the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob\nand Judah.\n\nThe Book of Job. There has been a general belief that the incidents\nrecorded in the book of Job belong to this period or even to an\nearlier time. There is no mention of the bondage in Egypt nor of any\nof the early Hebrew patriarchs. The Sabeans and Chaldeans were Job's\nneighbor! and he lived \"in the east\" where the first settlements of\nmankind were made. The social religious and family life as portrayed\nin this book correspond to those of this period. There was art and\ninvention; there was understanding of astronomy and mining; there was\na fine family affection and evidences of social kindness and\nbenevolence; there was high development of commerce and government;\nthere was both the true and false or idolatrous worship. This book\nshould be read following the outline given in the author's \"The Bible\nBook by Book.\"\n\nLessons of the Period. It would be difficult to point out all the\nsplendid lessons brought forward by these narratives but the following\nare among the more important ones. (1) God guides to a noble destiny\nall those who will be guided by him. (2) God reveals himself to all\nthose who seek a revelation, no matter in what place or land, if only\nthey are in the path of duty, (3) Unselfish service always brings a\nblessed reward. (4) God's blessing and guidance are not confined to\nIsrael but are extended to other nations also. (5) A noble ambition,\ncourage, unselfishness and childlike faith in God's leadership make\nmen valuable to others in every age and walk of life. (6) A man or\nnation without spiritual ideal and bent on physical enjoyment will\nsoon become degenerate as did Esau. (7) Even a fugitive, fleeing from\nhis own crimes, is followed by the divine love and in his saddest\nmoments and amidst his most discouraging surrounding circumstances is\ngiven glorious revelations. (8) In the divine providence our\nmisfortunes of life often develop our nobler impulses of heart. (9)\nUnjust adversity cannot destroy a man of faith and integrity of\ncharacter, if only he manifest a cheerful and helpful spirit. (10) God\noverrules evil for good, so that all things can bring good to them\nthat love God. (11) Loyalty to unfortunate kindred in the time of\nsuccess is a sure sign of nobility of character.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The  several   appearances  of God to\nAbraham: (a) The purpose  of  each; (b) its  influence in the life of\nAbraham. (2) The promises made to Abraham and renewed to Isaac and\nJacob noting the progressive nature of the revelation seen in these\npromises. (3) Select four prominent persons besides Abraham, Isaac,\nJacob, and Joseph, sketched in the section, and study them. (4) The\nother nations introduced in the narrative. (5) The moral condition of\nthe times. (6) The worship of God seen in the section. (7) The points\nof weakness and strength in each of the patriarchs mentioned. (8) The\ndisappointments and family troubles of Jacob as seen in the light of\nhis early deceptions. (9) Other illustrations that a man will reap\nwhatever he sows. (10) The strong family ties, seen especially in the\nmatter of marriage. (11) The fundamental value of faith in life. (12)\nGod's judgment and blessings of heathen people on behalf of his own\nchosen people. (13) The different immigrations of Abraham and others.\n(14) The places of historical importance mentioned. (15) The promises\nor types and symbols of Christ and the New Testament times.\n\n\n\n\nChapter V.\n\nFrom Egypt to Sinai.\n\n\nEx. Chs. 1-19\n\nIsrael in Egypt. The length of time the Hebrews remained In Egypt is a\nperplexing question. Exodus 6:16-20 makes Moses the fourth generation\nfrom Levi (See Gen. 15:16; Num. 26:57-59). This would make it about\n150 years. Gen. 15:13 predicts 400 years. Ex. 12:40 says they were\nthere 430 years and Paul (Gal. 3:17) says 430 years from Abraham to\nSinai. These apparently conflicting dates may be explained because of\ndifferent methods of counting generations, probably based on long\nlives of men of that period or they may have had a different point to\nmark the beginning and end of the sojourn. If the Pharaoh of Joseph\nwas one of the Hyksos or Shepherd kings, as has been the common view,\nand if the Pharaoh \"that knew not Joseph\" was, as is the general\nbelief, Rameses II, the period of 430 years would about correspond to\nthe historical data.\n\nTheir oppression grew out of the fear of the king lest they should\nassist some of the invaders that constantly harassed Egypt on the\nNorth. They may have assisted the shepherd kings under whom Joseph has\nrisen and who had just been expelled. To cripple and crush them there\nwas given them hard and exhaustive tasks of brick making under cruel\ntask-masters. There still remains evidence of this cruelty in the many\nEgyptian buildings built of brick, made of mud mixed with straw and\ndried in the sun. When it was found that they still increased in\nnumber in spite of the suffering. Pharoah tried, at first privately\nthen publicly, to destroy all the male children. This order does not\nseem to have been long in force but was a terrible blow to a people\nlike the Hebrews whose passion for children, and especially for male\nchildren, has always been proverbial.\n\nIt is difficult to gather from this narrative the varied influence of\nthis sojourn upon the Hebrews themselves. They doubtless gained much\nof value from the study of the methods of warfare and military\nequipment of the Egyptians. They learned much of the art of\nagriculture and from the social and political systems of this\nenlightened people. No doubt many of their choicest men received\neducational training that fitted them for future leadership. Their\nsuffering seems on the one hand to have somewhat deadened them,\ndestroying ambition. On the other, it bound them together by a common\nbond and prepared the way for the work of Moses, the deliverer, and\nfor the real birth of the nations.\n\nMoses the Deliverer. Chapters 2 and 4 tell the wonderful story of the\nbirth of Moses, of his loyalty to his people, of his sojourn in Midian\nand of his final call to the task of the deliverance of Israel. His\nwonderful life-a life to which all the centuries are indebted-is\nnaturally divided into three parts. (1) _His early life of forty years\nat the court of Pharaoh_. By faith his parents trusted him to the care\nof Providence and he was brought to the house of Pharoah and was\ntaught in all the learning of the Egyptians, who conducted great\nuniversities and were highly cultured in the arts and sciences (Acts\n7:22). Finally feeling it to be his duty to renounce his worldly glory\nand identify himself with his Hebrew brethren, he made the choice by\nfaith (Heb. 11:24-27). He no doubt felt then the call to be their\ndeliverer but did not find his countrymen ready to accept him as such\n(Acts 7:25-28). Whereupon he fled to the wilderness of Midian. (2)\n_Forty years in the desert_ where he gained an intimate knowledge of\nall the wilderness through which for forty years he was to lead the\nHebrews in their wanderings. Here he had opportunity to learn patience\nand meditate and gain the ability to wait on God. Here God finally\nappeared to him and gave him definite and ample instructions for his\ntask of delivering out of bondage this crushed and ignorant slave race\nand for making of them a nation of the purest spiritual and moral\nideals the world has ever known. (3) _Forty years as leader and\nlawgiver for Israel_ while they tabernacled in the wilderness.\n\nPerhaps three reasons led Moses to undertake the task of leaving\nMidian and championing the cause of Israel. (1) He had a vision of God\nthe holy one of all power who would be with him. (2) The conviction\nthat the time was ripe, because of the death of the king of Egypt and\nthe years of weak government that followed. (3) By over-ruling all\nobjections God gave him an overwhelming sense of his responsibility in\nthe matter. He saw it as his personal duty.\n\nThe call of Moses consists of two elements. (1) _The human element_\nwhich consisted of a knowledge of the needs of the Hebrew people. To\nhim, as to all great leaders and benefactors of the race, the cry of\nthe oppressed or needy constituted the first element of a call to\nenlist in their service. (2) _The divine element_. God heard the cry\nof his people and remembered his covenant with Abraham and appeared to\nMoses in a burning bush and sent him to deliver them from under the\ntyranny of Pharaoh. Like Isaiah (Is. Ch.6) he not only saw the need of\nhis people but also the holy God calling him to supply the need.\n\nMoses task was three fold: (1) Religious: He was to show in Egypt\nweakness of the idolatrous worship and to establish in the wilderness\nthe true worship of one and only God who is ruler of all. (2)\n_Political:_ He was to overcome the power of the mighty Pharaoh and\ndeliver a people of 600,000 men besides the children with their herds\nand flocks out of his territory. Then, too, he was to give them laws\nand so connect them together that as a nation they would survive the\nhostile nations around them and the civil strife and dissensions\nwithin. (3) _Social_: He was also called upon to provide rules by\nwhich, to keep clean not only the individual, but his family, and to\nteach them right relations to each other. In carrying out this\nprogram, it devolved upon him to provide an elaborate code of civil,\nsanitary, ceremonial, moral and religious laws.\n\nThe Great Deliverance. The deliverance may be properly considered in\nthree sections. (1) The preparation. (2) The contest with Pharoah and\nthe ten plagues. (3) The crossing of the Red Sea.\n\nThe preparation consists (1) in getting the people acquainted with\nwhat God intended to do and thereby secure their full consent to enter\ninto the plan. Then, too, it was necessary to have a very thorough\norganization so that the expedition could proceed in an orderly way.\n(2) There were various preliminary appeals to Pharaoh with the\nconsequent added burdens laid upon the Hebrews.\n\nThe contest with Pharaoh consisted of certain preliminary demands\nfollowed by ten national calamities intended to force the king to let\nthe people go. The struggle was all based upon the request of Moses\nthat all Israel be allowed to go three days' journey into the\nwilderness to serve their God. This gave the conflict a religious\naspect and showed that the struggle was not merely one between Moses\nand Pharaoh, but between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt.\n\nAll the plagues, therefore, had a distinct religious significance: (1)\nTo show them the power of Jehovah (Ex. 7:17); (2) to execute judgment\nagainst the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12). Every plague was calculated to\nfrustrate Egyptian worship or humiliate some Egyptian god. For\nexample, the lice covered everything and were miserably polluting. All\nEgyptian worship was compelled to cease, since none of the priests\ncould perform their religious service so long as any such insect had\ntouched them since they went through a process of purification. In\nsmiting the cattle with murrain, the sacred bull of Memphis was\nhumiliated whether stricken himself or because of his inability to\nprotect the rest of the cattle.\n\nThese plagues grew more severe with each new one. And much effort has\nbeen made to show that one would have led to another. Much has been\nsaid also, to show that the plagues, at least most of them, were\nevents that were common in Egypt and that they were remarkable only\nfor their severity. Such attempts to explain away the miraculous\nelement are based upon the wrong view of a miracle. The very\noccurrence in response to the word of Moses and at such time as to\neach time meet a particular condition, or to make a certain desired\nimpression, would put them out of the pale of the pale of the ordinary\nand into the list of the extraordinary or miraculous. At all events\nthe sacred writer, the Hebrews in Egypt at the time, and the Egyptians\nall believed the strong hand of Jehovah was laid bare on behalf of his\npeople. So it must seem to all who now believe that God rules in his\nuniverse.\n\nIn connection with and just preceding the tenth plague, there was\ninstitutioned the Passover to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt\nand especially the passing of the Hebrew homes by the angel who went\nabroad in Egypt to slay the first born. It was this plaque that\nfinally showed Pharaoh and his people the folly of resisting Jehovah\nand assured Israel of his power. The paschal lamb, whose blood\nsprinkled upon the door posts and lintels of the dwelling saved the\nHebrew, is a beautiful type of Christ and his saving blood. This feast\nbecame one of great joy, annually celebrated, during all future Hebrew\nhistory.\n\nThe Crossing of the Red Sea. For three days and nights God led them by\na pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. At the end of the third\nday they had reached the shore of the Red Sea and were shut in by\nmountains on each side. They were greatly frightened to find that\nPharaoh with a host of chariot-warriors was in close pursuit of them.\nBut God caused the cloud that had been leading them to remove to their\nrear and to throw a shadow upon their enemies while giving power to\nthe east wind (Ex. 14:21) that caused the waters of the sea to divide\nso they could cross on dry ground. When Pharaoh and his hosts\nattempted to follow then. God caused the waters to return and\noverwhelm them. As in former miracles, Moses was God's instrument in\nperforming this miracle. When they were safe across and saw the\noverthrow of their enemies their feelings of joy expressed themselves\nin a great song of victory in which they ascribe praise to God and\nrecount the incidents of his work of deliverance.\n\nThe Journey to Sinai. It is not possible to locate all the stations at\nwhich they stopped on their journey from the Red Sea to the time of\ntheir encampment at the foot of Horeb or Sinai. The list is given in\nNumbers, Chapter thirty-three. For our purpose it is sufficient to\nnotice only a few places and incidents of the journey. (1) They\nencamped at Marah, being the first watering place they had found. The\nwater, however, was bitter and could not be used until God had enabled\nMoses by a miracle to sweeten it. This was the first example of divine\nsupport for them. (2) At Elim they found water and shade and here God\ngave them the manna from heaven and the quail at eventide. Thus again\nJehovah demonstrated his purpose to provide for their needs while\nwandering through the wilderness. This food was supplied to them\ncontinuously until they reached Canaan forty years later. (3) Under\nthe leadership of the cloud, which during all the forty years of\nwilderness wandering, was their guide, they next encamped at Rephidim\nwhere there was no water at all. Here Moses by the command of God\nsmote a rock and caused them to drink of a fountain thus opened for\nthem. This rock is a suggestive type of Christ.\n\nIt was here also that they encountered and defeated the Amalekites, a\ntribe of Edomites, who still kept up the enmity of Esau their father\nagainst Jacob. Here also Jethro, Moses' father-in-law came to them\nbringing Moses wife and sons. Upon Jethro's advice the people were\nthoroughly organized. From Rephidim they came to Mount Sinai where\nthey encamped for a whole year.\n\nLessons of the Period. The lessons of this period might be divided\ninto two classes. (1) Those of special value to the Hebrews themselves\nand lessons needed just then. (2) Those valuable for all time and all\npeople. Among those of the first class, the following are worthy of\nrecord: (1) The authority of Moses was confirmed and the people were\nmade ready for his teachings and leadership. (2) They were established\nin the popular belief in the goodness and power of Jehovah their God.\nOf the second and more general lessons, the following are highly\nimportant: (1) There is no chance in God's universe, but even the\napparently unimportant events serve his purposes. (2) No human power\nwhether of king or peasant or of nation can prevent the accomplishment\nof God's purposes. (3) Those who resist his power are overthrown as\nwere the Egyptians, and those who act according to the divine will are\nelevated just as were the Israelites. (4) It is dangerous to oppose or\nharm God's people. He will avenge them. (5) Ample provisions are\nassured to those who will submit to divine leadership.\n\nFor Study and discussion. (1) The number of Hebrews that entered Egypt\nwith Jacob, and the number that made the Exodus with Moses. (2) The\nBiblical story of their suffering while there, including the added\nburdens when Moses requested that they be allowed to go out to Egypt.\n(3) The birth, preservation and education of Moses. (4) Moses' forty\nyears of wilderness training, its advantages and dangers. (5) The\ndivine and human elements in Moses' call to be the deliverer. (6) The\nplagues, (a) the description of each, (b) the appropriateness and\nreligious significance of each, (c) those imitated by Egyptian\nmagicians, (d) those in which the Egyptians suffered and Israel did\nnot. (7) The stubbornness of Pharaoh and his attempted compromises.\n(8) The miracles of this period other than the plagues. (9) God's\nprovision and care for his people. (10) The murmurings of Israel. (11)\nThe religious conditions of the times. (12) The geography of the\ncountry.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VI.\n\nFrom Sinai to Kadesh.\n\nEx. 20-Num. 14\n\nMount Sinai. There are differences of opinion concerning the location\nof this mountain. It is sometimes called Horeb (Ex. 3:1; 17:6. etc.).\nAll the Old Testament references to it clearly indicate that it was in\nthe vicinity of Edom and connect it with Mt. Seir (Deut. 33:3; Judg.\n5:4-5). Several points have been put forward as the probable site, but\nthere can not now be any certainty as to the exact location. All the\nevidence both of the scripture and of the discoveries of\narchaeologists seem to point to one of the southwestern spurs of Mt.\nSeir as the sacred mountain. The differences of opinion as to location\ndo not affect the historical reality of the mountain nor the certainty\nthat at its base there took place the most important event in the\nhistory of the Hebrew people.\n\nThe Sinaitic Covenant. At the foot of Sinai and in the midst of\ngrandly impressive manifestations of Jehovah, Israel entered into\nsolemn covenant relations with Him. It was a covenant of blood  and\nwas the most  sacred and inviolable ceremony known to the ancient\npeoples. Half of the  blood was sprinkled on the alter and half upon\nthe people, thus signifying that all had consented to the terms of the\ncovenant. In this covenant Israel is obligated to loyalty, service and\nworship, while Jehovah is to continue to protect and deliver them.\nThis covenant is commonly called \"The Law of Moses.\" All the rest of\nthe Old Testament is a development of this fundamental law and shows\nthe application of it in the experience of Israel.\n\nThe Purpose of the Mosaic Law. It should be observed that the rewards\nand punishments of this law were mainly confined to this life. Instead\nof leading them to believe that outward obedience to it would bring\npersonal salvation and, therefore, instead of superseding the plan of\nsalvation through a redeemer, that had been announced to Adam and Eve,\nand confirmed in the covenant with Abraham, it pointed to the Savior.\nThe sacrifices foreshadowed the substitution of the Lamb of God as a\nmeans of their deliverance for sin and its punishment.\n\nThere are probably two purposes in promulgating this law. (1) To\npreserve the Israelites as a separate and peculiar people. To the weld\nthe scattered fugitives from Egypt into a nation, distinct from other\nnations, required laws that would make them different in customs,\nreligion and government. (2) A second purpose was to provide\nadditional spiritual light, that they might know the way of salvation\nmore perfectly.\n\nThe Several Parts of the Law. On the whole the law contains three\nparts. (1) _The Law of Duty_. This is given in the form of ten\ncommandments (Ex. ch. 20) and relates to individual obligations, (a)\nThe first four define one's obligations to God. (b) The fifth defines\nour relation to parents, (c) The last five define our relation to the\nother members of society. These ten words define religion in terms of\nlife and deed as well as worship. They reach the very highest standard\nand, in the last command, trace crime back to the motive even to the\nthought in the mind of man. They point out duties arising out of the\nunchangeable distinctions of right and wrong.\n\n(2) _The law of Mercy_. This law is found in the instructions\nconcerning the priesthood and the sacrifices. Through these were seen;\n(a) the need of an atonement for the sinner's guilt; (b) the need of\ninward cleansing on the part of all; (c) the redemption of the\nforfeited life of the sinner by another life being substituted in its\nstead and only by that means; (d) the fact that God would punish\nwrong-doing and reward righteousness. This is also called \"The Law of\nHoliness\" or \"The Ceremonial Law\" and was intended to show Israel\nman's sinfulness and how a sinful people could approach a holy God and\nthemselves become holy. It, therefore, deals with such matters as\npersonal chastity, unlawful marriages and general social purity and\nthe religious behavior by which they were to be absolved from all\nimpurity and symbolically to be made pure again.\n\n(3) The Law  of Justice. This is composed of miscellaneous civil,\ncriminal, humane and sanitary laws, calculated to insure right\ntreatment of one another and thus promote the highest happiness of\nall: (a) There was to be kindness and justice to each other including\nslaves, and also to domestic animals; This is beautifully shown in the\nprovisions for the treatment of the poor, the aged and the afflicted;\n(b) The rights of property were to be sacredly regarded and all\nviolations of such rights severely punished as in the case of fraud or\ntheft; (c) Laws of sanitation and health guarded the imprudent against\nthe contraction of disease and protected the wicked or careless\nagainst its spread and thereby saved Israel from epidemics of\nmalignant disease. Thus the right of the innocent and helpless were\ninsured; (d) The sanctity of the home and of personal virtue was held\ninviolable and every transgressor, such as the man who should commit\nadultery with another man's wife, was put to death; (e) Life was to be\nsacred. No man being able to give it was to take it from another and\nso the murderer was to pay the penalty by giving his life.\n\nThese laws were so amplified as to meet every demand of the domestic,\nsocial, civic and industrial relations of the nation. There could\nhardly be designed a happier life than the proper observance of all\nthese laws would have brought to Israel. This legislation reached its\nnoblest expression in the law of the neighbor: \"Thou shall love thy\nneighbor as thyself\" (Lev. 19:18). It is the final word in all right\nrelation to others.\n\nThe Journey to Kadesh-Barnea. After camping before Sinai a little more\nthan a year, during which tune they received the law and were\ngradually organized into a nation, the cloud by which they were always\nled from the time of their departure to their entrance to Canaan,\narose from the tabernacle and set forward. It led them by a way that\nwe cannot now trace but which Moses says was eleven days' journey from\nthe sacred mountain. (Dt. 1:2).\n\nA few notable events of this journey are recorded. (1) The fire of\nJehovah that burned in the camp because of their murmuring. (2) The\nappointing  of seventy elders to share with Moses the burden of the\npeople. (3) The sending of the quails and the destruction of those\nthat lusted. (4) Miriam, the sister of Moses, was smitten with leprosy\nbecause with Aaron she rebelled against Moses and spoke\ndisrespectfully of him.\n\nThe Twelve Spies. From Kadesh Moses sent out twelve men who should\ninvestigate the condition of Canaan. These men agreed that it was an\nattractive and well favored land. They brought back evidences of its\nfruitfulness. Only two of them, believed they could conquer it. The\nPeople yielded to the opinions of the majority and refused to attempt\nto enter Canaan and even worse they openly resolved to return to\nEgypt. For this disbelief and open rebellion they were sentenced to\nwander forty years in the wilderness and all of them who were above\ntwenty years old except Joshua and Caleb were not only doomed not to\nbe allowed to enter this promised land but were to die in the\nwilderness.\n\nLessons of the Period. The more important truths taught by the records\nof this period may be divided into three groups. (1) Those about man\nand his nature: (a) He is sinful, his whole nature is out of proper\nattitude toward God and is a fountain of evil; (b) He is, therefore,\nin need of redemption and cannot have the benefit of worship to God\nwithout it; (c) He owes obedience to God. (2) There are lessons about\nGod: (a) He is shown to be a Holy God. who hates and punishes sin; (b)\nHe is represented as a God of mercy and forgiveness; (c) He is seen as\none of power and might, able to carry forward his plans and to change\nthe whole destiny of a people. (3) There is a many sided view of\nredemption: (a) It is based on blood; The victim must shed its blood\nbefore redemption can come; (b) It is by Institution as is attested by\nall the sacrifices; (c) It is by imputation or the putting of one's\nsins upon the victim; (d) It is by death and that of an innocent\ncreature. In all of this there is a revelation of Christ who puts away\nsin and brings the sinner into favor with God.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The awe-inspiring ways by which Jehovah\nmade known his presence on Sinai. (2) The several things Israel\ncovenanted to do. (3) The worship of the golden calf and the breaking\nof the tables of stone. (4) The three great divisions of the law. (5)\nThe law of mercy or of Holiness, what it teaches, and its purpose. (6)\nCatalogue the different laws of justice according to the outline\nsuggested above or make a new outline and catalogue them. (7) The\npresent day conditions that could be met and changed for good by an\napplication of these laws. (8) The tabernacle and its material. (9)\nThe different kinds of offering, learn what was offered and how and by\nwhom. (10) The different scared occasions, feasts, holidays, etc. (11)\nThe different occasions of rebellion on the part of the people and\nwhat resulted. (12) The spirit of Moses as seen in his talks to the\npeople and in his prayers to God. (13) The rebellion of Miriam and\nAaron against Moses. (14) The results of wrong influences or reports\nas seen in the case of the spies. (15) The rewards of righteousness as\nseen in the entire period.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VII.\n\nFrom Kadesh to the Death of Moses.\n\nNum. 14-Dt. 34.\n\nThe Pathos of the Forty Years. The stories of this period have running\nthrough them an element of pathos arising especially from two sources.\n(1) Perhaps the experiences of Moses are most sorrowful. That he\nshould now, after faithfully bringing this people to the very border\nof the land which they sought, be compelled to spend forty monotonous\nyears in this bare and uninteresting desert must have  been  a\ndisappointment  very heavy to  bear. During these wanderings he buried\nMiriam, his sister, and Aaron, his brother and helper. He was often\ncomplained of by the people he was trying to help, and because of it\nwas led to sin in such a way as to cause God to refuse him the\nprivilege of entering Canaan. It was necessary for him to appoint his\nsuccessor and himself be buried in these lands. He was compelled to\nrenumber the people to find that all but two of those who were above\ntwenty when they left Egypt had perished. (2) Surely the experience of\nthe people of Israel during these years is sufficient to arouse a\nfeeling of pity. Forty years of suffering and unhappiness and the loss\nof all opportunity to enter Canaan by those who fell in the wilderness\nbeclouds the whole story.\n\nThe Events of the Forty Years' Wandering. It is now impossible to\ntrace exactly any except the latter portion of their journeyings. It\nis clear that they went from place to place, not of course marching\ncontinuously each day, but changing their location as often at least\nas the requirements of pasturage demanded. Of the early portion of\nthese years we know but little. They seemed to have remained a long\nwhile at Kadesh (Dt. 1:45) and indeed may have made it a sort of\nheadquarters. The story of the rebellion of Konah with the consequent\npunishment, and the budding of Aarons rod by which the appointment of\nthe family of Aaron to the priesthood was attested are the important\nincidents of this period.\n\nFinal Scenes at Kadesh. After about thirty-eight years had elapsed\n(Dt. 2:14), and the period of wandering was nearly at an end, Israel\nis again found at Kadesh (Num. 20:11) on the borders of Edom where the\nspies had been sent out and they made their calamitous blunder. Here\nat this time happened three important events; (1) Miriam died and was\nburied, (2) Moses smote the rock and brought forth water, but because\nhe smote it instead of speaking to it Jehovah was angry with him and\ntold him he should not enter the land of promise. (3) Moses asked\npermission of the King of Edom to pass peaceably through his land and\nwas refused. They were, therefore, compelled to take a long journey\naround Edom to reach there own land.\n\nFrom Kadesh to the Jordan. When they were refused passage through the\nland of the Edomites, their kinsmen, (Num. 20:14-21), the Hebrews made\na long journey around. On this journey occurred three important\nevents. (1) The death of Aaron in Mount Hor (Num. 20:22-29). (2) The\ndefeat of the King of South Canaan and the laying waste of his country\nto Hormah where they had been routed nearly forty years ago. (3) The\nsending of the fiery serpents and the brazen serpent as a remedy. They\nalso passed the country of Moab and came finally to the river Arnan\n(Num. 21:13), which is the boundary between Moab and the Amorites.\nHere they came into conflict with Sihon the King of the Amorites, whom\nthey defeated, and possessed his land. (Num. 21:23-24). The overcoming\nof this strong and ancient people brought Israel into contact with Og,\nking of Bashan, who was himself a giant and whose country was far more\nformidable than that of the Amorites. By defeating him and possessing\nhis cities Israel was enabled to pass on and come to the plains of\nMoab beyond Jordan at Jericho. In Psalms 135 and 136, written hundreds\nof years later, the victory over Sihon and Og and the overthrow of\nPharaoh are dwelt on together in such a way as to show that their\nconquest was regarded as an achievement worthy to rank along side of\nthat of their deliverance from the power of Egypt.\n\nThe Prophecies of Balaam. (Num. Chaps. 22-24). The Moabites were\ngreatly distressed about the settlement of the victorious Hebrews in\nthe region just north of them and feared lest they should suffer the\nsame fate as Shihon and Og. Balak, the King of Moab, had beard of\nBalaam, a famous soothsayer or wise prophet of Chaldea, whose curses\nand blessings were reported to carry with them extraordinary effects.\nHe sought at any cost to have him cripple Israel by placing a curse\nupon them. But instead of cursing Israel and blessing the Moabites, he\nrevealed how wonderfully Israel was blessed Of God and how a scepter\nwould rise out of Israel and smite and destroy Moab.\n\nThis strange man Balaam seems to have had the gift of prophecy without\nits grace. He had the knowledge of future events but sought to use it\nfor his own advantage instead of for the glory of God. He was a\ncovetous, money-loving prophet and sought the rewards offered by\nBalak. He tried repeatedly to find some way by which he could speak\ngood for Moab and thereby earn the much desired fee. On the other hand\nhe was afraid to speak against Israel lest the curse should recoil on\nhim. No other word seems to describe his course except to say that he\nwas compelled by Jehovah to speak to Israel's advantage and to predict\nher future greatness. His language fittingly describes the material\nsplendor and the splendid victories and reign of David. The spirit of\nIsrael described is that of the united kingdom standing at the zenith\nof its power. In a beautiful way also he pointed to the Messiah who\nshould put all enemies under his feet.\n\nHe may have secured his reward, however, in another way. He seems to\nhave led Balak to entice Israel, through pretensions of friendship, to\npartake in the idolatrous and impure festivals of the Moabites (Num.\n25:1-5; 31:15-16; Rev. 2:14). These and other acts of their own\nbrought down upon Israel the curse of heaven and made them the subject\nof such calamites as Balaam could not himself pronounce against them.\nBy suggesting this course to Balak, he may have obtained the coveted\npay without directly disobeying God. This whole story would seem to\nimply that the Hebrew historians did not believe that divine relations\nwere limited to seers and prophets of their own race.\n\nThe Last Acts of Moses. Events are now transpiring in rapid succession\nand the story hastens to the close of the career of Moses, the great\nleader prophet, priest and judge of Israel. Several matters are worthy\nof study: (1) The sending of an expedition to destroy the Midianites.\n(2) The final numbering of the people preparatory to their entrance\ninto Canaan. (3) The appointing of Joshua as his successor. (4) The\nsettlement of the two and a half tribes on the east side of Jordan.\n(5) The appointment of the cities of refuge. (8) The delivery of a\nfarewell address, or of farewell addresses.\n\nThe Last Scene on Moab. There were far too many of the Israelites to\nhear his voice and he probably gathered together the princes and\nelders who listened to him from day to day, each of whom went home and\nrepeated to his own people what he had heard from their inspired\nleader. In these addresses Moses recounted their wanderings and\nJehovah's goodness to them. He reminded them of all that God had\ncommanded them in his law and gave such new instructions and\ninterpretations as would be needed in the new conditions that they\nwould meet on coming into the Promised Land. He painted in frightful\ncolors the fearful doom that would befall the disobedient and\neloquently described the blessing of loyalty to God. After being\ncalled of God to depart into the mountains and die, he pronounced in\none of the most beautiful passages in all the scripture, his farewell\nblessing upon each of the tribes.\n\nAnd how solemn must have been the occasion. They are listening for the\nlast time to his voice. With what veneration they must have gazed on\nhim. He it was that Jochebed with loving hands had laid in the\nbulrushes when 120 years ago Pharaoh had persecuted them. He was the\nman that had so nobly chosen to suffer affliction with the people of\nGod instead of the attractions of Egypt. His eyes under the shadow of\nHoreb had looked on the burning bush. His hand had stretched out over\nEgypt and overwhelmed it with the plagues. His was the face that had\nreflected the divine glory of the mount after forty days of fellowship\nwith Jehovah, during which he received the substance of the law. That\nwas the faithful and tried man that had often been wrongly accused,\nthat had meekly borne so many trials, that had guided the people so\nfaithfully, and advised them so wisely, and had refused honors himself\nbecause he loved them so well. How they must have hung on those last\nwords! And the echo of his last words had hardly died away until his\nspirit had been called away and unseen hands had laid his dust in an\nunknown tomb.\n\nThe Significance of the Work of Moses. Humanly speaking, he explains\nthe great difference between the Hebrews and the people kindred to\nthem. He accounts for their development from a company of disheartened\nslaves, and from the careless habits of wandering tribes into a\nconquering nation, made irresistible by its belief in the guidance of\nJehovah. Humanly speaking, he was the creator of Israel. (1) He was a\n_leader_ and as such heartened and disciplined them. (2) He was a\n_prophet_ and as such taught them ideals of social justice, purity and\nhonor. (3) He was a _lawgiver_ and as such furnished them with civil,\nsanitary, social and religious laws that channeled them into a sober,\nhealthy, moral, and right-minded people. (4) He was the _founder of a\nreligion_ and as such led them into a real loyalty to Jehovah as their\nGod and gave them such a conception of the divine character and\nrequirements as to stimulate in them a growth in goodness.\n\nLessons of the Period. The student will readily collect for himself\nlessons that have been brought to his attention. The following,\nhowever, should not fail of consideration: (1) God's law is\ninflexible. It is of universal operation and can not be evaded or\nrevoked. Even the best men must suffer if they violate it as was the\ncase of Moses. (2) To rebel against God's appointed leaders and to\nspeak disrespectfully of them will subject one to the outpouring of\ndivine wrath. (3) God never forgets his covenants as seen In the case\nof his refusal to give to Israel the land of Edom and of Ammon. (4)\nThat God decides the fate of armies in battle and is therefore the God\nof nations as well as individuals. (5) Early hardships often fit us\nfor a more glorious destiny later.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The rebellion of Korah. (2) The story of\nBalak and Balaam and the present day truth which it suggests or the\nproblems of today to which it is applicable. (3) The story of the\nbudding of Aaron's rod. (4) The sin of Moses because of which he was\nnot allowed to enter Canaan. Find every reference to it. (5) The\ndifferent victories of Israel recorded in the period. (6) The fiery\nserpents and serpent of brass. (7) The cities of refuge, their names,\nlocation, purpose and the lessons for today to be drawn from their\nuse. (8) The principal events of Israel's past history mentioned in\nDt. chs. 1-4, and find where in previous books each is recorded. (9)\nFrom Dt. chs. 27-28 list the curses and blessings, showing the sin and\nits penalty and the blessing and that for which it is promised. (10)\nThe farewell blessing of Moses on the tribes (Dt. ch. 33). List the\npromises to each. (11) The death of Moses (Dt. chs. 32 and 34). (12)\nThe incidents of the period that have in them a miraculous element.\n(13) Other prominent leaders besides Moses, Aaron and Joshua. (14) The\nnations mentioned with whom the Hebrews had contact. (15) The\ngeography of the places and nations noticed in this period.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VIII.\n\nJoshua's Conquest.\n\nJoshua.\n\nThe Facts of History Recorded. The history recorded in this period\nfollows closely upon and completes the story of the deliverance begun\nin the Exodus. But for the sin of Israel in believing the evil spies\nand turning back into the wilderness, none of the events of the last\ntwenty-one chapters of Numbers and none of those found in Deuteronomy\nwould have occurred and Joshua would have followed Exodus and have\ncompleted the story of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt into Canaan.\nAs it is, this history follows close upon that of Deuteronomy. Joshua,\nwho had been duly chosen and set apart for the work, took command of\nthe hosts as soon as Moses died. He was trained in the school of Moses\nand exhibited the same devotion to Jehovah and the same dependence\nupon His guidance.\n\nThe Story Naturally Falls Into Three Parts. (1) The conquest of\nCanaan, (Chs. 1-12). In this section we have the story of the crossing\nof the Jordan, fall of Jericho and the conquest of the land both south\nand north. (2) The division of the territory of Canaan (Chs. 13-22).\nIn this section we have the assignment of the territory of Canaan, the\ncities of Refuge, the cities of Levites and the return of the two and\nhalf tribes to the east of the Jordan. (3) Joshua's last counsel and\ndeath (Chs. 23-24), in which we have his exhortations to fidelity and\nfarewell address and death.\n\nWhile the war itself probably did not continue but seven years, the\nentire period was not less than twenty-five and may have been as much\nas fifty-one years. The period marks a new era in Biblical history.\nInstead of the experiences of Nomadic or semi-Nomadic tribes, a people\nwith a fixed abode and with a growing body of customs and institutions\nis described.\n\nThe Land of Canaan. It is well to consider at least three things\nconcerning this little, yet wonderful country. (1) _Its geography_. It\nis about four hundred miles long and from seventy-five to one hundred\nmiles wide and is made up of plains, valleys, plateaus, gorges and\nmountains fashioned together in wonderful variety. There are many\nsmall bodies of land capable of supporting a group of people and yet\nso secluded as to allow them to develop their own individuality and\nbecome independent. Every traveler between Egypt and Babylonia must\npass through Palestine which thereby became the bridge for the\ncivilization and commerce of tie world. Here the Hebrew could easily\nkeep in touch with the world events of his day. Later it became the\ngateway of travel from east to west. The territory naturally falls\ninto three divisions: (a) Judah or Judea which is in the southern\nportion and about seventy-five miles long, (b) Ephraim or Samaria\noccupying the center of the country, (c) Galilee occupying the\nnorthern portion. Along the entire coast line there is a continuous\ncoast plain. There are many mountains, the most important being\nHermon, Carmel and Gerizim.\n\n(2) _Its inhabitants and the nations surrounding it_. That the\npopulation was very dense is indicated by the mention of about three\nhundred cities and towns a large number of which have been identified.\nWhile there were many war-like people crowded into Palestine, seven,\nthe Hittites, the Girgashites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the\nJebusites, the Amorites and the Canaanites, were the most important.\nThe Canaanites, who had been there about six centuries, and the\nAmorites, who had lived there about ten centuries, were the two\npeoples that furnished greatest resistance to Israel's occupancy of\nthe country. They were virtually one people.\n\nAround Palestine were many kingdoms, some large and strong, some small\nand weak. Among the more important were the Philistines, west of\nJudah, the Phoenician kingdoms on the north, Arameans or Syrians on\nthe northeast, and on the east and southeast, the Ammonites, Moabites\nand Edomites, the last three being kinsmen of the Hebrews.\n\n(3) _Conditions favorable to its conquest_. Several circumstances\nconspired to make it a suitable time for the Hebrews to enter Canaan:\n(a) Egypt had crushed the Hittites and devastated their land; (b)\nNorthern hordes from and through Syria had broken the power of Egypt\nand the Hittites and had also crushed the Canaanites; (c) Assyria had\nincreased her borders to the coasts of Phoenicia and was feared by all\nother peoples; (d) Babylonia was not strong enough to displace Assyria\nas an Asiatic power but strong enough to dispute her supremacy; (e)\nFor two hundred years, therefore, their weakness together with that of\nEgypt and the Hittites gave the Hebrews ample time to develop and grow\nstrong.\n\nThe Crossing of the Jordan and the Fall of Jericho. To the Hebrews\nthese two incidents have always been of first importance. As the two\ngreat events through which they gained entrance to their permanent\nhome, they have been given a place in Hebrew literature almost equal\nto that of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The divine share\nin these great accomplishments was fully recognized. He it was who\ncaused the waters of Jordan to separate and He it was who threw down\nthe walls of Jericho. Not only did Jericho occupy a strategic\nposition, being somewhat apart from other Canaanite cities, but the\nmarvelous manner of its fall both encouraged the Hebrews to expect\ncomplete victory and also caused the Canaanites to fear them and\nexpect defeat.\n\nThe Complete Conquest of Canaan. The conquest was a sort of whirlwind\ncampaign that crushed the active and dangerous opposition of the\nCanaanites, the complete occupancy being accomplished by a piecemeal\nprocess of subduing one after another of the little cities and\nindependent tribes. The campaign was well planned. The Jordan was\ncrossed, Jericho was taken and then by pushing forward for the heart\nof the land, Ai was overcome and in a short time Joshua was in the\ncenter of the land, ready to strike either way. With his central camp\nestablished at Gilgal (5:10; 9:6) and the forces of Canaan divided,\nJoshua could advance by two lines of invasion. Whether he made\nsimultaneous campaigns in different directions is not certain, but he\nseems first to have turned his attention to the southern territory and\nthen to have completed his conquest by an invasion of the northern\ndistricts. After bending before this storm the Canaanites still held\npossession of the land and the piecemeal process of subjugation began.\nIt was not all accomplished by the sword but aided by the peaceful\nmeasures of inter-marriage and treaties with friendly neighbors.\nIsrael contended against a far superior civilization but finally won\nbecause the religious as well as the civil and social life was\ninvolved.\n\nThe Cruelty to the Canannites. Stress has commonly been laid on the\ncruelty to the Canaanites and upon their being driven out of their\nland when it should have been put upon their character where the\nScripture puts it. This is a waste of false sympathy. The Scripture\nalways speaks of the driving out of the Canaanites as a punishment for\ntheir sins (Dt, 9:4-5; Lev. 18:24-25). Some of the abominations which\nthey practiced are described in Lev. 18:21-30 and Dt. 12:30-32. These\nabominations were practiced in the name of religion and were so\nshocking that one shudders to read the description.\n\nEverything evil was worshiped. The chief god was Baal, the sun, who\nwas worshiped at different places under different names, but\neverywhere his worship was fierce and cruel. His consort Ashtaroth,\nthe Babylonian goddess Istar, the goddess of love, worshiped as the\nmorning star, Venus, fostered in her worship abominations that are\nalmost inconceivable in our times. It was a worship of impurity and\ncould not be cured by ordinary means. God had borne with it for\nhundreds of years. Their destruction was therefore justifiable just as\nwas that of the old world and the Jews were simply God's instruments\njust as were the waters of the flood or the fire and brimstone in the\ncase of Sodom and Gomorrah.\n\nGod was planning to begin, a new nation, to start a new civilization\nand by using this method of punishment for the Canaanites he impressed\nthe Hebrews in a most striking way with the consequences of forsaking\nworship of the true God. It was a new thing in the world to have all\nidolatrous symbols destroyed and to worship an unseen God and yet\nJoshua constantly represented to them that all the evils they had\ninflicted upon the Canaanites, and greater evils, would be sent upon\nthem if they should become idolaters. Little, therefore, need be said\nof the cruelty of the Hebrews nor of the suffering of the Canaanites.\nThe Hebrews were the instrument of God and the Canaanites were reaping\nwhat they had sown.\n\nThe Significance of the War Against the Canannites. Of all the wars\nrecorded in human history this was one of the greatest, if not the\ngreatest of all. None was ever fought for a more noble purpose and\nnone has accomplished greater ends. The fate of the world was in the\nbalance.   Old civilizations on account of their wickedness, were to\nsoon fall and this series of conflicts was to decide whether a new\ncivilization with a pure and holy purpose to serve God could arise in\ntheir midst. It was, therefore, a war (1) _For purification_. The\nindividual, the temple and the home must all be pure. (2) _For civil\nliberty_. Israel was now, under God, to govern herself and thereby to\ngive the world a pattern of government as God's free nation. (3) _For\nreligious liberty_. Idolatry, vice and superstition were everywhere\nand the people must be free to worship the one true God and Creator of\nall. (4) _For the whole world_. Israel was to be a blessing to all\nnations. Out of her and out of this land was to come Christ, her son,\nwho should save the nations. The war was, therefore, for us as well as\nfor them.\n\nThe Character and Work of Joshua. The name Joshua in the Old Testament\nis equivalent to Jesus in the New (Heb. 4:8). His character and work\nwere well adapted to his age and he therefore made a deep impression\nupon this formative period of Israel's history. He was fully prepared\nfor the work of the conquest by his association with Moses and by such\nevents as the defeat of Amalek which he accomplished by divine help\n(Ex.  17:10-16). With all he had been called of God and set apart for\nthe work of subjugating the Canaanites. As a soldier and commander, he\nranks among the first of the world. He is resourceful, brave,\nstraightforward, fertile in strategy, and quick to strike (1:10-11;\n2:1 etc.). In the councils of peace he was wise and generous. He\ndisplayed statesmanship of the highest order in mapping out the\nboundaries of the tribes and thus preparing the land for a permanent\noccupancy of the Hebrews. In the matter of religion he was actuated by\na spirit of implicit obedience to God's authority. He combined in his\nnature both courage and gentleness and exhibited in his dealings the\ndisposition of both the lion and the lamb. His dying charge is full of\nearnestness and devotion. As a type of Christ he led the people to the\n\"rest\" of Canaan, though not to the rest of the gospel which\n\"remaineth to the people of God.\" A void still remained and they still\nhad to look forward. He led them to victory over their enemies and\nbecame their advocate when they sinned and met defeat.\n\nLessons of the Period. Among many lessons suggested by this book the\nfollowing should be considered and the student asked to suggest\nothers. (1) God is at war with sin: (a) He thrusts out the Canaanites\nbecause of their sins; (b) He allows the defeat of Israel at Ai\nbecause sin was among them; (c) He allows Achan put to death because\nof it. He is, therefore, against all sin, personal, social and civic\nor national. (2) Religious victory and entrance upon spiritual rest is\naccomplished through a leader or commander and through a divine power,\nnot through a law giver and by the works of the law. It was not Moses,\nthe lawgiver, through whom they entered and not by their own strength.\n(3) God keeps his covenants in spite of all the weakness of man. (4)\nGod decides the issues of battles and of wars with a view to the final\non-going of his kingdom. Only God and not the relative strength or\npreparedness of the contending armies can forecast the final issues of\nwar. (5) The fact that God is for one does not preclude the use of\nstrategy and discretionary methods. (6) The failure or sin of one man\nmay defeat a whole cause and that in spite of the faithful efforts of\nmany others. (7) What is a just severity to some is often a great\nmercy to others. The destruction of the Canaanites was a severe\npenalty for their sins, but it was an unspeakable blessing to all the\nfuture ages because by it a true faith and a pure worship was\npreserved.\n\nFor Study and  Discussion. (1) Each of the lessons suggested  above.\nFind a basis either in incident or teaching for each. (2) The\ngeography of the country with the principal cities mentioned. (3) The\nseveral tribes of people mentioned in the narrative. (4) The\nprovidential conditions favorable to the conquest just at that time.\n(5) The cruelties of the Israelites to their enemies. Select examples\nand discuss each. (6) The significance of the war. (7) The character\nand work of Joshua. Point out incidents or acts that show elements of\ngreatness and weakness in his character; also estimate the value of\nhis work. (8) The cooperation of the two and a half tribes in these\nwars. (9) The several battles described. List them and decide what\ncontributed to the success or failure of Israel in each case. (10) The\nstory of the fall of Jericho. (11) The sin of Achan, its results, its\ndiscovery and punishment. (12) The story of the Gibeonites, their\nstratagem, its embarrassment to Joshua and consequent slavery to them.\n(13) The portion of land allotted to each tribe and how it was\nsecured. (14) The miraculous element running through the narrative.\nList and discuss each incident that tends to show or makes claim of\nsuch miraculous element. (15) The place of prayer and worship in the\nhook. Give incidents. (16) The element that is figurative or\nillustrative of truth revealed in New Testament times.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IX.\n\nThe Judges.\n\nJudges 1; 1 Sam. 7.\n\nThe Characteristics of the Times. This is a period of transition for\nIsrael Nothing was quite certain, and \"every man did that which was\nright in his own eyes\" (17:6). In consequence of this there was lack\nof organization, cooperation or leadership. While we do not have all\nthe history covered by the period and while we do not easily\nunderstand or explain its events, it is clear that things did not run\nsmoothly. In Judges 2:16-19 the author gives a vivid picture of the\nconditions and characteristics of the time. The problems of the times\nmay be outlined as follows: (1) _Political problems_. These arose, (a)\nbecause of the isolated conditions of the tribes, (b) because of their\ntribal government which lacked the bond of unity of former times, (c)\nbecause of the strength and opposition of the Canaanites. (2) _Social\nproblems_. These grew out of: (a) the adoption of Canaanite customs\nand manner of life, (b) the intermarriage of the Jews with the new\npeople. (3) _Religious Problems_. The source of these problems arose\nfrom two directions, (a) Baal worship ministered to their lusts and\nwas therefore a snare to them, (b) the religion of Israel required\npurity and was, therefore, counted a burden. The problems of the times\nof peace were greater than those in the times of war.\n\nThe Judges. Now that there was no central stable government and no\nhereditary rulers the people accepted from time to time as their\nrulers certain military leaders whom God raised up and who, by their\nprowess, delivered them from the yoke of foreign oppression. It was,\ntherefore, a period of personal efforts some of which are preserved\nfor us in this portion of scripture. Fifteen Judges are named counting\nEli and Samuel, who are by some not so named, but we know very little\nof any except six of the military judges and Eli and Samuel. These six\nare brought into prominence because of as many invasions by other\nnations as follows. (1) The Mesopotamians came down from the northeast\nand oppressed Israel until Othniel, Caleb's nephew, was raised up to\ndeliver them. (2) The invasion of the Moabites and the deliverance\nthrough Ehud. (3) The oppression of the Canaanites, who came down from\nthe north, was thrown off through the leadership of Deborah assisted\nby Barak. (4) The Midianites came in from the east and greatly\noppressed Israel until Gideon defeated and destroyed these bold\noppressors. (5) The invasion of the Ammonites and Israel's deliverance\nthrough Jephthah. (6) The Philistines were the next successful enemies\nof Israel and were enabled to do great harm to Israel until Samson\narose and overthrew their power.\n\nEli  and Samuel differed widely from the other judges and on that\naccount are sometimes not counted among them. Eli was a good but weak\nman. His weakness in the control of his children ruined them and\nbrought him to sorrow and also caused a severe defeat for Israel.\n\nSamuel was the last of the judges and was also a priest and prophet.\nHe is one of the outstanding Old Testament characters. Abraham founded\nthe Hebrew race; Joseph saved them from famine; Moses gave them a home\nand Samuel organized them into a great kingdom which led to their\nglory. His birth was in answer to prayer and as judge or deliverer he\nwon his most signal victory, that against the Philistines, by means of\nprayer. He founded schools for the instruction of young prophets at\nGilgal. Bethel, Mizpeh and Ramah. In this he perhaps rendered his most\nvaluable and most lasting service. These schools gave a great impetus\nto prophecy. After this time prophecy and prophets had a vital and\npermanent place in the life of the nation. Even kings had to consult\nthem for instructions from God.\n\nRuth the Moabite. In contrast with the many stories of idolatry and\nsin of the times and especially in contrast with the story of the\nidolatry of Micah and the crime of Gibeah found in the last chapters\nof Judges, we have the beautiful little story of Ruth, the Moabite.\nOthers had turned away from Jehovah the true God to false gods, but\nshe turned from the false gods and received the true God.\n\nOther Nations. Of the  condition  of the other nations of this period\nwe are left largely to the monuments, but much has been discovered\nthat throws light on the general world conditions. The following might\nbe noted here. (1) _Egypt_. After the Exodus of Israel Egypt seems to\nhave enjoyed several centuries of great prosperity during which the\ncountry was adorned with wonderful buildings, her religion prospered,\nher people were famous for their learning and, through colonization\nprojects, she carried her civilization to many other climes. (2)\n_Assyria_ was now a growing empire and destined to become, ere long,\none of the most powerful of all. (3) _Babylonia_ was now weak and\ngenerally at a disadvantage in contests with other nations. (4) _The\nElamites_ also became a people of considerable influence and at least\non different occasions invaded Babylonia. (5) _Mesopotamia_, before\nbeing absorbed by Assyria was a powerful nation and ravaged Syria and\nPalestine. (6) _Phoenicia_ was a country of great commercial progress\nwith Tyre and Sidon as centers of great influence. (7) _Greece_. The\nmost interesting of all the countries that began to show their\nstrength during that period is Greece. The inhabitants were wonderful\nin physical energy, in war and conquest, in discovery and in capacity\nfor education. They were fond of pleasure and had great capacity for\nthe tasks of society, government, and religion. They contrived a\nreligious system that was conspicuous for the absence of the great\npriestly class of the eastern systems of religion. However, it left\nthe morally corrupt nature of man untouched and, therefore, did not\ncontribute anything to the cause of pure religion.\n\nOutline of The Narrative. The Scripture narrative falls into the\nfollowing well-defined divisions: (1) An introduction or the condition\nin Palestine at the beginning of the period, Jud. 1:1-3:6. (2) The\nJudges and their work, Jud. 3:1:1-3:6. (2) The Judges and their work,\n(Jud. 3:7-16 end). (3) Micah's idolatry, Jud. Chs. 17-18. (4) The\ncrime of Gibeah, Jud. Chs. 19-21. (5) The story of Ruth, Ruth. (6) The\ncareer of Samuel including the judgeship of Eli, 1 Sam. Chs. 1-7.\n\nEthical and Religious Standards. Since this is a transitional period\nwe may expect great difference of moral and religions standards. Some\nthings are stressed far beyond their importance while other matters of\nmore consequence are overlooked. The following examples will indicate\nto what extremes they went in some matters. (1) _Some things bad_: (a)\nMurdering a heathen enemy was counted a virtue; (b) It was not a crime\nto steal from a member of another Hebrew tribe; (c) Might was right;\n(d) They would keep any foolish vow to God even though it cost the\nlife of one's child as in the case of Jephthah. (2) _Some things\ngood_: (a) The marriage relation was held sacred; (b) A covenant was\nheld binding and sacred as in the case of the Gibeonites; (c) They\ncounted inhospitality a crime. (3) _Some strange inconsistencies_: (a)\nMicah would steal his mother's silver, then rear a family altar to\nJehovah; (b) Samson would keep his Nazarite vow, preserve his hair\nintact and abstain from wine and unclean food but give himself over to\nlying and to his passions, and selfish inclinations and fail to\nobserve the simple laws of justice, mercy and service.\n\nLessons of the Period. (1) _As to national decay_: (a) It is caused by\nreligious apostasy; (b) It evidences itself in religious blindness,\npolitical folly and social immorality; (c) Its curse results in\npolitical and social disorder, chaos and ultimate ruin. (2) _As to\npunishment for sin_: (a) He surely sends punishment on the offender\nwhether an individual or a nation; (b) His punishment is a matter of\nmercy and is intended to prepare the way for deliverance. (3) _As to\ndeliverance_: (a) It never comes until repentance is manifested; (b)\nIt is always through a deliverer whom we can not find but whom God\nmust raise up for us. (4) From the book of Ruth it is shown that\ncircumstances neither make nor mar believers.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The names of the Judges in order with\nthe length of time each served or the period of rest after the work of\neach. (2) The enemy each judge had to combat. (3) What each judge\naccomplished against the enemy and what weapon he used-an oxgoad or\nwhat? (4) The elements of strength and weakness in the character of\nthe principal men of the period. (5) The New Testament truths\nillustrated in the life and work of Gideon and Samson. (6) The lessons\nof practical life illustrated by the stories of Jephthah and Deborah.\n(7) The facts of the story of Micah and Gibeah. (8) The career of\nSamuel as found so far. (9) The value of a trusting soul as seen in\nRuth. (10) The main element in their religion. (11) The condition of\nIsrael at the beginning and at the end of this period. (12) The\nsubject of good and successful parents with bad and unsuccessful\nchildren. The importance they attached to the Ark of the Covenant.\n\n\n\n\nChapter X.\n\nThe Reign of Saul.\n\nI Sam. 8-31; I Chron. 10\n\nThe Demand for a King. The last period saw one tribe after another\ncome to the front and assert itself through some leading man as an\nemergency arose, but now the tribes are to be united into a monarchy\nand this, too, at their own request made in the form of a desire for a\nking. Several things no doubt influenced them to make this request.\n(1) From the days of Joshua there had been no strong national bond.\nThey were only held together by the law of Moses and the annual\nassemblages at Shiloh. But the wise reign of Samuel had given an\nenlarged national consciousness and led to a desire for a stable\ngovernment with the largest possible national unity. (2) The failure\nof the sons of Samuel, who had been entrusted with some power and who\nwould naturally succeed him, led them to feel that provision for the\nwelfare of the nation must be made before the death of Samuel or ruin\nwould come. (3) The attitude of the nations around Israel suggested\nthe need of a strong government headed by a leader of authority. The\nPhilistines and Ammonites had already made incursions into their land\nand threatened at any time to further oppress them. The new\norganization, therefore, seemed necessary as a national protection.\n(4) The faith of Jehovah was threatened. The victories of the\nPhilistines would be interpreted to mean that Jehovah was powerless or\nelse did not care for his people. This would lead them to turn to\nother gods. Then too they were greatly tempted by the religion of the\nCanaanite to turn from Jehovah. It was, therefore, a religious crisis\nthat made it essential that the Hebrews unite and in the name of\nJehovah over throw the Philistines and establish a nation that would\nrightly represent to all nations Jehovah as the God of their race. (5)\nThe nations around them such as Egypt and Assyria with their seats of\nroyalty had excited their pride and they were moved with a desire to\nbe like their heathen neighbors-a desire which involved disrespect for\ntheir divine king and want of faith in him.\n\nThe Principle of the Kingdom. The folly of the people did not lie in\ntheir asking for a king to rule over them, but in the spirit of\nforgetfulness of God with which they made the request. Indeed Moses\nhad provided for a kingdom and given the law upon which the king was\nto rule (Dt 17:14-20). He was to be unlike other kings. He was not to\nrule according to his own will or that of the people but according to\nthe will of Jehovah. He was to be subject to God as was the humblest\nIsraelite, and, under his immediate direction, was to rule for the\ngood of the people. This was a new principle that showed it self in\nall the future history of Israel. Saul attempted to be like others-to\nassert his own will-and disobeyed God and was deposed while David\nidentified himself with God and his purposes and was successful. One\nrepresent the ideal of the people, the other that of the Scripture.\n\nSaul the First King. He began his career under the most auspicious\ncircumstances. His tribe and its location as well as his fine physical\nappearance gave him great advantage. He was enthusiastic and brave,\nand yet in the early days he charms us with his modesty. After he was\nanointed by Samuel and had been made to see the great career opening\nto him he returned to his regular toil until the people were called\ntogether at Mizpah and proclaimed him king. Samuel supported him with\nhis influence and the people gave him allegiance. He was for a while\nsubservient to the will of God and greatly prospered. But later he\nbecame self-willed and failed to see that the nation was God's and not\nhis. He developed a spirit of disobedience, perverseness and evil\nconduct that mark him as insane.\n\nSaul's Great Achievements. The oppression of Israel's enemies which in\npart at least made necessary their king had to be dealt with at once.\nIn his contest with them Saul had a very successful military career.\nHe was successful in the following campaigns: (I) Against the\nAmmonites (I Sam. 11) in which he delivered from ruin the inhabitants\nof Jabesh-Gilead on the east Of Jordan and won the love of all the\nHebrew people. (2) Against the Philistines (I Sam. 13-14) in which\nJonathan was the hero. Before the battle he disobeyed the will of God\nby performing the duties of a priest and was told he should lose his\nkingdom on account of it. At the close of the campaign he lost his\ntemper and proposed to kill Jonathan, his son, the hero of the day\nbecause he had unwittingly disobeyed a foolish command. (3) Against\nMoab, Ammon, Edom and Zobah (I Sam. 14:47) of which there are no\nparticulars given. (4) Against the Amalekites (I Sam. 15) in which,\nthough he defeated Amalek, he disobeyed God in not wholly destroying\nall Amalek and his possessions and thereby lost for the time being\nSamuel's help and finally his kingdom. It was after this battle that\nDavid was anointed to become king in Saul's stead.\n\nSaul's Decline. From Chapter 16 on the story tells of the rapid\ndecline of Saul and of the rise of David to the kingdom. (1) There is\ngiven the story of the madness of Saul and the introduction of David\nto the court as the king's musician. (2) The campaign against the\nPhilistines in which David kills Goliath, the giant that was defying\nIsrael, and won great honor from the king. (3) His effort to destroy\nDavid. During many years he, with bitter jealousy and an insane\nhatred, tried to destroy David who was as constantly delivered by a\ndivine providence. Whether on account of sickness or other reason, he\nseems to have had fits of insanity during this period. (4) His last\nbattle and death. The Philistines arrayed themselves against Saul.\nWith a sense of defeat he tried to get in touch with Samuel, but\nfinally met a death in harmony with his life and thus ended one of the\nmost melancholy careers of all history. All because of his\ndisobedience to God (I Chron. 10:1.1-14).\n\nLessons of the Period. (1) God adapts his methods to the needs and\nconditions of the people from tribal government to kingdom. (2) A man\nout of harmony with God will certainly fail-Saul. (3) A man in harmony\nwith God's plan will succeed no matter how much opposed by\nothers-David. (4) God never forgets to punish those who oppress his\npeople-Amalekites. (5) The success of God's work does not depend upon\nour attitude toward his will, but our condition when it has succeeded\ndoes. (6) A righteous man can succeed without doing wrong to do it.\n(7) God's anointed will suffer if they sin. (8) Kindness to\nenemies-David to Saul. (9) The strength of true friendship-Jonathan\nand David.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The condition that led to the\nestablishment of the kingdom. (3) Four statements Samuel made to Saul\nand four ways by which he tried to impress him with the responsibility\nto which he was called I Sam. 9:19-10-8. (3) The prophet bands or\nschool of prophets. (4) The story of Jonathan's exploits against\nMichmash by Saul and his escape, I Sam. 14. (5) The story of David's\nchoice and anointing, I Sam. 16:1-13. (6) The killing of Goliath and\ndefeat of the Philistines. I Sam. Ch. 17. (7) Story of Jonathan and\nDavid, I Sam. 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:1-4, 12-17, 41-42; 23:16-18. (8)\nDavid's wanderings, 21:10-22-5. (9) Compare Saul and David at the time\nof the anointing of each as to their chances of success. (10) David's\nsojourn in Philistia with the experience of embarrassment and\nadvantage, I Sam. Chs. 27-28. (11) Saul's last battle and death, (a)\nthe appeal to Samuel through the witch, I Sam. Ch. 28, (b) the battle,\nhis and his son's death, I Sam. Ch.31.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XI.\n\nThe Reign of David.\n\n2 Sam.; 1 Chron. Chs. 11-29; 1 K 1:1-2:11.\n\nHis Reign over Judah. The reign of David is divided into two parts.\nThe first part was over Judah, with the capitol at Hebron, and lasted\nseven and one-half years. During this period Ishbosheth, son of Saul,\nreigned over Israel in the North. It is probable that both of these\nkings were regarded as vassals of the Philistines and paid tribute. On\naccount of rival leaders, there was constant warfare between these two\nrival kings. The kingdom of Judah, however, gradually gained the\nascendancy. This is beautifully described in the Scripture \"David\nwaxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and\nweaker\" (2 Sam. 3:1). Seeing this, Abner undertook negotiations\nlooking to the onion of the two kingdoms, but was treacherously killed\nby Joab. The act of Abner in coming to David was in reality one of\nsecession. It was soon followed by the murder of Ishbosheth and the\nutter failure of Saul's kingdom.\n\nHis Reign Over All Israel. Saul's kingdom having fallen, Israel\nassembled in great numbers at Hebron and asked David to become king\nover all the nation. Upon his ascendancy to the throne of the united\nnations the Philistines sent an army into the Hebrew country. The\nbrief record of these wars shows that they were very bitter and that\nat one time David was forced to take refuge in the Cave of Adullam and\ncarry on a sort of guerrilla warfare. But finally in the valley of\nRephaim he was enabled to strike such a crushing blow to the\nPhilistines as to compel a lasting peace and leave him free to develop\nhis kingdom. This reign of David, lasting thirty-three years after he\nbecame king of all, was the ideal reign of all the history of the\nHebrews.\n\nThe element  of success and chief acts of his reign may be summed up\nsomewhat as follows: (1) _His capture of Jerusalem_ (formerly called\nJesub,) a Canaanitish stronghold that had resisted all attacks from\nthe days of Joshua, and making it his capitol. This choice showed\ngreat wisdom. (2) _His foreign relations_. David's foreign policy was\none of conquest. He not only defended Israel but subdued other\nnations. Besides the subduing of the Philistines and capture of Jebus,\nalready mentioned, he conquered the Moabites. the Syrians, the\nEdomites and the Ammonites. He also made an alliance with Hiram, the\nking of the Phoenicians, who became his lifelong friend. (3) _His home\nrelations and policies_. His policy at home may be said to be one of\ncentralization. One of his first acts was to bring up the ark and\nplace it on Mount Zion and to center all worship there. This would\ntend to unite the people and to make more powerful his authority over\nall the people. In line with this plan he conceived the idea of\nbuilding the temple and during the years he gathered materials and\nstored riches with which to build it. He acted with a wise\nconsideration for the rights of his subjects and in every way sought\nto promote their happiness. As a ruler, he differed very widely from\nthe kings of other countries. He possessed none of their selfish aims.\nHe did not oppress his subjects with heavy taxes, nor spoil them of\ntheir possessions, nor seize them for soldiers against their will. He\nrecognized that the king was for the people and not the people for the\nking.\n\nHis Great Sin and Its Bitter Consequences. David's high ideals and\nnoble chivalry could not withstand the enervating influence of his\ngrowing harem. The degrading influence of polygamy with its luxury,\npleasure seeking and jealousies was soon to undermine his character.\nHis sins and weak indulgencies were destined to work family and\nnational disaster. These sins reached a climax in his trespass with\nBathsheba, the wife of Uriah. In this crime he fell from his exalted\nposition to the level of an unprincipled eastern monarch. It stands\nout as one of the darkest crimes of all history and \"shows what\nterrible remnants of sin there are in the hearts even of converted\nmen\". Primitive society followed the course of nature in condemning\nadultery as worthy of more severe punishment than murder itself. And\n\"no crime today involves more sudden and terrible consequences in the\nindividual; no crime is capable of exerting as malign an influence\nupon the innocent family and later descendants of the culprit; no\ncrime leaves in its wake as many physical and moral ills.\"\n\nThe Bitter consequences of this sin soon became apparent. Nathan\nbrought to him a worthy rebuke and he showed himself different from\nother kings of his time by the bitter repentance with which he bewails\nhis iniquity in the fifty-first Psalm. God forgave his sin but its\nevil consequences in his family and nation could not be removed. The\nnature of his chastisement is suggested in the following incidents:\n(1) The death of his child born to Bath-sheba. (2) Ammon, his oldest\nson, one of the pitiable products of his oriental harem, shamefully\ntreated his sister, Tamar, in the gratification of his brutal lusts.\n(3) Absalom treacherously murdered Ammon as a matter of revenge for\nthe outrage upon his sister, Tamar. (4) The rebellion of Absalom, his\nson, which almost cost David the throne and led to the destruction of\nAbsalom. (5) The rebellion of Shebna and following events, which\nalmost destroyed the empire. (6) Many incidents in the family and\nkingdom of Solomon, his son.\n\nWhile David must always be judged by the social standards of his age\nit must be remembered that his own generation did not hesitate to\ncondemn his act and we must not excuse in the least this awful sin.\nThe message it has for us is supremely applicable to our present age\nin which social evil threatens to undermine our boasted Christian\ncivilization.\n\nThe Inspiring Career of David. The life of David is so varied and\nbeautiful that one finds difficulty in outlining any study of him in\nthe space allowed here. There are several ways of studying his career.\nSometimes it may be profitable to consider him from two viewpoints,\n(1) His character, (2) His life after he became king. For our purpose,\nhowever, it would be better to look at him somewhat as follows: (1)\n_As a shepherd lad_, where he laid the foundations of his great\ncareer. (2) _As a servant at the court of Saul_, where he became the\nobject of a bitter jealousy and suffered great indignities. (3) _As a\nrefugee from Saul_, during which time he exhibited his unwillingness\nto do wrong even against one who was doing him great injustice. (4) As\na friend, especially shown in his relation to Jonathan. By it he was\ninfluenced throughout his whole career and was caused after becoming\nking to extend kindness to the house of Saul, his enemy. 2 Sam. ch. 9.\n(5) _As a musician_. His accomplishments in this field are witnessed\nboth by his ability in the use of the harp and in the great body of\npsalms which he left us. (6) _As a loyal subject_. In no other place,\nperhaps, did he show more fine qualities than in this. To him Saul was\nGod's anointed, and, though wronged by Saul and though himself already\nanointed to be king in Saul's stead, he remained perfectly loyal to Saul\nas king. (7) _As a ruler_. He knew how to govern both his own people\nand those whom he had subdued. He also succeeded in forming friendly\nalliances with other kings and changed the enfeebled and divided tribes\ninto a mighty empire. (8) _As a military leader_. Through his skill he\norganized a most successful army (1 Chron. 27:1-5; 2 Sam. 23:8-9), and\ndefeated at least five surrounding nations and so impressed the great\nworld powers beyond that they did not oppose the growth of his kingdom.\n(9) _As a servant of God_. Though making his mistakes, he was a \"man\nafter God's own heart.\" He made Jerusalem the great center of religion\nand organized the priests and Levites so that their work could be done\neffectively and with order. The key-note of his life seems to have\nbeen expressed to Goliath (I Sam. 17:45). (10) _As a type of Christ_.\nOf all the human types of Jesus in the Old Testament David is probably\nthe most eminent. This fact makes the study of his life and experiences\nof great interest and profit to the Christian.\n\nHis Last Days. The last days of David are made sad because of his own\nweakness. The memory of his guilt and disgrace had led him to withdraw\nmore and more from the public life and, therefore, to neglect the\nduties of judge and ruler. His court became the scene of plotting\nconcerning his successor, whose name he had apparently not announced.\nIt was only by the valuable help of Nathan that he succeeded in having\nhis wish in the matter.\n\nThe dying words of David have in them much that is prophetic of the\nMessiah and points out to Solomon, his beloved son, who was to reign\nin his stead, the way of all success and blessing. It, however,\ncontains what has been designated as \"the greatest blot on David's\ncharacter\"-His charge to Solomon to put to death Shimei and Joab. Such\nvindictiveness does not seem to comport with his spirit manifested in\nthe sparing of Saul in the days of his jealous hatred and in his\nkindness to the house of Saul (2 Sam. Ch. 9). Nor does it comport with\nthis patience formerly shown to Shimei (2 Sam. 16:5-13). We can not\nexplain these charges of hatred upon any other grounds than that of an\nold man in his dotage. He is \"no longer his manful self.\"\n\nPsalms. While the time covered by the collection of the Psalms is more\nthan a thousand years, reaching from the time of Moses to the period\nof the exile, it is probably best to study them in this period. The\nmajority of them are ascribed to David and the whole collection early\nbecame known as the Psalms of David. Reference should be made to \"The\nBible Book By Book\" for an introduction to their study.\n\nThe Lessons of the Period. (1) Divine appointment to a great task does\nnot guarantee one against falling into evil. (2) Luxury and the\nindulgence of the appetites tend to degradation. (3) The personal\nforgiveness of sin does not remove its evil consequences. (4) Our sins\nare often as harmful to others and even more so than to ourselves. (5)\nRighteousness exalteth a nation. (6) God controls the issues of wars.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The location of the several nations\nconquered by David and how the victories were won, especially the\ncapture of Jebus. (2) David's plan to build the Temple and God's\nmessage to him II Sam. Ch. 11. Point out the different elements in it.\n(3) Absolom's conspiracy and final defeat, II Sam. Chs. 15 and 18. (4)\nThe death of the child of Uriah's wife, II Sam. Ch. 12. (5) The\ndifferent times David showed kindness to his enemies, II Sam. 9, 10,\n16, and 19. Learn the details of each case. (6) The organization of\nhis kingdom, II Sam. 8:l6-18, 15:37, 16:16, 20:23-26; I Chron. 27:33.\n(7) Tie rebellion of Sheba, II Sam. 20:1-22. (8) The story of\nAdonijah, I K. Ch. 1. (9) List David's last commands to Solomon, I K.\n2:1-9. (10) Nathan's parable to David, II Sam. 12:1-9, 13-15. (11) The\ngreatest fault of Absalom, of Joab. (12) Joab, the avenger, II Sam.\n2:17-32, 3:22-30, 18:9-15, 20:4-10.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XII.\n\nSolomon's Reign.\n\nI K. Chs. 1-12; II Chron. Chs.1-9.\n\nThe Riddle of Solomon's Character. Few Biblical characters manifested\nsuch contradictory elements of character. Early in life he manifested\nan earnest, conscientious and religious spirit. He was prayerful and\nsought above all else wisdom and that for the good reason that he\nmight be able to rule well. He built the temple and thereby magnified\nthe worship of Jehovah.\n\nHis prayer at the dedication of this temple were not only humble and\nfervent but were expressive of the very highest loyalty to Jehovah as\nthe one supreme God and to all the high purposes of the divine will in\nIsrael. But in spite of all this he put upon the people such heavy\nburdens of taxation as to crush them. He trampled under foot the\ndemocratic ideals of the nation and adopted the policy of oriental\ndespots which tended to make free-born citizens mere slaves of the\nking. He lived a life of the basest sort of self-indulgence. He\ndepended upon foreign alliances rather than upon Jehovah to save his\nnation. He married many strange wives and through them was led to\nestablish in Israel the worship of strange Gods. I K. 11:1-8. On the\nwhole his reign was such as to undo what had been accomplished by\nDavid and proved disastrous. Although counted the wisest he proved to\nbe in many ways the most foolish king that ever ruled over Israel.\n\nHis Policies. As a ruler it is easy to think of his policies under\nthree heads, (1) _His home policy_. This was one of absolution. He\nbecame a despot and robbed the people of their freedom and put them\nunder a yoke of oppression by imposing upon them heavy burdens of tax\nthat he might carry out his unholy plans for selfish indulgence. (2)\n_His foreign policy_. This was a policy of diplomacy. By means of\nintermarriage, by the establishment of commercial relations and by the\nadoption of the customs and religions of other nations he bound them\nin friendly alliance. (3) _His religious policy_. This was a policy of\nconcentration. He built die temple and, through the splendor of its\nworship, tried to concentrate all worship upon Mount Moriah. This\ndesire may also have contributed to his erection of altars to foreign\ndeities.\n\nSolomon's Building Enterprise. The greatest of all his building\naccomplishments was the temple. It is almost impossible to conceive of\nits magnificence. According to the most modern computation the\nprecious materials, such as gold with which it was embellished,\namounted to something like six hundred million dollars. Next in\nimportance was his palace, which in size and time of construction\nsurpassed that of the temple. This palace consisted of several halls,\nthe chief of which were: The Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars,\nand the Hall of Judgment. Near the palace was the residence of the\nking himself and his Egyptian Queen-a house that would compare well\nwith the royal palaces of her native land. Indeed all Moriah and the\nground about its base were covered with immense structures.\n\nBesides the temple, palace and other great buildings at the capitol,\nSolomon undertook various other great building enterprises. He built\nmany great cities not only in the territory of ancient Palestine but\nin his now extended empire. The most famous of these were Tadmor or\nPalmyra and Baalath, or Baalbic. The former built at an oasis of the\nSyrian desert seems to have been a sort of trade emporium for the\ntraders of Syria and the Euphrates to exchange wares with the\nmerchants of Egypt. The latter was near Lebanon and was chiefly\nnotable for its temple of the sun which was one of the finest edifices\nof Syria.\n\nIt would be difficult to put too high a value upon the influence\nwrought by these vast building enterprises. It can hardly be doubted\nthat the building of the temple was the most important single event of\nthe period of the United Kingdom. From this time on Israel ceased to\nlook back to Sinai and regard Jerusalem as the dwelling place of\nJehovah. Its priesthood and services became the support of all the\ncoming kings. The prophets proclaimed their immortal messages from its\nsacred precincts and through it was nurtured the pure religion of\nJehovah.\n\nSolomon's Writings. During this period as in the previous one literary\nculture made a great advance. Solomon, like David his father,\npossessed extraordinary literary gifts and as a writer had large\ninfluence. Three books of the Scripture are ascribed to him. (1) _The\nBook of Proverbs_. There is no reason to believe, however, that he\nwrote all of them. It is a collection of proverbs or rather several\ncollections. Some were written by Solomon, collected by him from the\nwise sayings of others and still others were added collections of\nlater times. (2) _Ecclesiastes_. The purpose of this book seems to be\nto show the result of successful worldliness and self-gratification\ncompared with a life of godliness. It is intended to show that the\nrealization of all one's aim and hopes and aspirations in the matters\nof wealth, pleasure and honor will not bring satisfaction to the\nheart. (3) _The Song of Solomon_. To the Jews of that time this book\nset forth the whole of the history of Israel; to the Christian it sets\nforth the fullness of love that unites the believer and his Savior as\nbride and bridegroom; to all the world it is a call to cast out those\nunworthy ideals and monstrous practices that threaten to undermine\nsociety and the home.\n\nNations Surrounding Israel. The life of any people is always\ninfluenced by the nations around them. During this period Israel had\nintercourse with many other nations. (1) _Phoenicia_. This commercial\npeople, through Hiram of Tyre, one of its kings, supplied the cedar\nwood and the skilled laborers who made possible the building of the\ntemple. (2) _Egypt_. Solomon married a daughter of Pharoah and carried\non with Egypt an extensive commerce and for his wife's sake no doubt\nintroduced the worship of Egyptian gods. (3) _Assyria_. This country\nas well as Egypt had lost much of her former power and was not in a\nposition to antagonize Solomon. (4) Among the other nations with which\nSolomon had dealings may be mentioned _Sheba_, thought to be in the\nmost southern part of Arabia, _Ophir_ and _Tarshish_, and from the\nnature of articles purchased and the three years required for the\nvoyage he is thought to have sent trading vessels to _India_.\n\nEvidences of National Decay. From the brief history of this period\ngiven us by the biblical writers it is evident that the nation began\nto disintegrate before the death of Solomon. Among the more apparent\nsigns of decay were several revolts: (1) that of Hadad the Edomite,\nwho threw off the Hebrew part of Edom independently: (2) that of Adad,\nthe Midianite, who defiled the authority of Solomon; (3) that of\nRezon, the Aramean, who revolted and became master of Damascus around\nwhich grew up an important kingdom; (4) that of Jeroboam, an\nEphraimite, who was an officer of Solomon at Jerusalem and while\nunsuccessful showed the existence of a deep-seated discontent in\nJerusalem itself. It is significant that the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh\nencouraged Jeroboam by telling him that, on account of the idolatry\nfostered by Solomon, ten tribes would be removed from Solomon's son\nand committed to him. This indicates that the prophets saw that\ndisunion alone would preserve the liberties and pure religion of\nIsrael.\n\nLessons of the Period. (1) All national methods bring disaster if God\nis left out of account. (2) Material progress is absolutely of no\nvalue without a spiritual life. (3) National prosperity always\nendangers the nation. (4) The wisest and best of men may go wrong, if\nthey subject themselves to evil influences. (5) Temples or houses of\nworship are of value in giving dignity to faith and in  preserving the\nspirit of worship. (6) If the common people feel that they are\nunjustly treated nothing will prevent the disintegration of the\nnation. (7) Religion that does not issue in proper ethics will suffer\nat the hands of true ethics. (8) The security of society depends upon\nsimple justice.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The several incidents attending\nSolomon's accession to the throne, I K. Chs. 1-2. (2) David's last\ncharge to Solomon, I K. Ch. 3; 4:29:34. (4) [sic] Solomon's temple:\n(a) Its size and plan; (b) Its equipment; (c) Its dedication. (5)\nSolomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple, I K. Ch. 8: II\nChron. Ch. 6. Look for a revelation of his character, religious spirit\nand conception of God. (6) Solomon's sins, I K. Ch. 11. (7) Solomon's\ntreatment of his foes I K, 2:19-46. (8). What Solomon did to stimulate\ntrade, I K. 9:26-10:13; 10:22-29. (9) Statements in Ecclesiastes that\npoint to Solomon as author or to experiences he had. (10) Statements\nin Song of Solomon that throw light upon the times or seem to refer to\nSolomon and his experiences.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIII.\n\nThe Divided Kingdom.\n\n1 King, 12-2 K. 17. 2 Chron. 10-38.\n\nThe Division of the Kingdom. Several things must be set down as\ncontributory causes of the division of the nation. (1) There was an\nold jealousy between the tribes of the north and south reaching as far\nback as the time of the Judges. The very difference in the northern\nand southern territories and their products tended to keep alive a\nrivalry between the tribes occupying them. (2) During the time of\nSolomon the people had turned away from Jehovah and engaged in the\nidolatrous worship of other gods, especially those of the Zidonians,\nMoabites and Ahijah, the prophet, had foretold the division (1 K.\n11:29-39). This weakening of the people's faithfulness to God gave\nplace for the manifestations of their former jealousy. (3) Solomon had\nput upon the people heavy burdens of taxation and of forced labor,\nwhich were fast taking away the people's liberties and reducing them\nto serfdom. This policy inflamed the jealousy of the northern tribes\ninto a bitter discontent. They would rebel rather than submit to the\nloss of their liberty which to them meant also disloyalty to God. (4)\nThe ambition of Jeroboam, of the tribe of Ephraim, a valiant officer\nof Solomon, no doubt led him to stir up the ten tribes to revolt.\nAhijah, the prophet, had made known to him that, upon the death of\nSolomon, he should become the head of these tribes. (5) The final and\nimmediate cause was the foolish course of Rehoboam. He went to Shechem\nto be accepted as king by the northern tribes. They demanded that he\nshould relieve them of the heavy burdens laid on them by Solomon. The\nolder and more experienced men counseled him to grant their request,\nbut he heeded the advice of the young men, who were ignorant of\nconditions, and answered them with a threat of even severer burdens.\nIncensed by this foolish threat, the ten tribes revolted and enthroned\nJeroboam as their king and the division of the empire was\naccomplished. This was the turning point of the nation. It was the\nundoing of all that had been accomplished by the three kings that had\nproceeded.\n\nComparison of the Two Kingdoms. Each kingdom had its advantages and\nits disadvantages. (1) The northern kingdom, from the material point\nof view, was far superior to the southern. It had a larger and more\nfertile country. It had three times as many people and a much better\nmilitary equipment. Ramah, Bether and Gilgal with their sites of their\nschools of the prophets were all in their borders. Their country was\nalso the scene of greatest prophetic activity and their cause was\njust. But the kings were inferior and wicked. Not a single one of the\nnineteen kings were godly. They established idolatrous and abominable\nworship as a religion of the king. This idolatry counterbalanced all\nthe material advantages. (2) The Southern Kingdom was far superior\nfrom a spiritual point of view. It possessed the religious capital of\nthe nation with the temple as a center of Jehovah worship. True it had\nonly one third as many people, one half as much territory and that\nless fertile, and an inferior military equipment, but its superior\nspiritual power and its superior line of kings made it last 135 years\nlonger than the northern kingdom.\n\nThe Kings of the Northern Kingdom.\n\n1. Jeroboam, 1 K. 12:20-14:20. Reigned 22 years and died.\n\n2. Nadab, 1 K. 15:25-27. Reigned 2 years and was slain.\n\n3. Baasha, 1 K. 15;27-16:6. Reigned 24 years and died.\n\n4. Elah, 1 K. 16;6-10. Reigned 2 years and was slain.\n\n5. Zimri, 1 K. 18:11-20. Reigned 7 days and suicided.\n\n6. Omri, 1 K. 16:31-28. Reigned 12 years and died.\n\n7. Ahab, 1 K. 16:29-22:40. Reigned 22 years and was slain in battle.\n\n8. Ahaziah, 1 K. 22:51-2 K. 1:18. Reigned 2 years and died from an\naccident.\n\n9. Jehoram, 2 K. 3:1-9:24. Reigned 12 years and was slain.\n\n10. Jehu, 2 K. 9:1-10:36. Reigned 28 years and died.\n\n11. Jehoahaz, 2 K. 13:1-9. Reigned 17 years and died.\n\n12. Jehoash, 2 K. 13:10-14:16. Reigned 16 years and died.\n\n13. Jeroboam II, 2 K. 14:23-29. Reigned 41 years and died.\n\n14. Zechariah, 2 K. 15:8-10. Reigned 6 months and was slain.\n\n15. Shallum, 2 K. 15:13-14. Reigned 1 month and was slain.\n\n16. Menahem, 2 K. 15:14-22. Reigned 10 years and died.\n\n17. Pekahian, 2 K. 15:23-26. Reigned 2 years and was slain.\n\n18. Pekah, 2 K. 15:27-16:9. Reigned 20 years and was slain.\n\n19. Hoshea, 2 K. 17:1-6. Reigned 9 years and put in prison.\n\nThe Kings of Judah.\n\n1. Rehoboam, 1 K. 12:21-24; 14:21-31; 2 Chron. 11:1-12:16. Reigned 17\nyears and died.\n\n2. Abijah, 1 K. 15:1-8; 2 Chron. 13:1-22. Reigned 3 years and died.\n\n3.  Asa, 1 K. 15:9-24; 2 Chron. 14:1-16:14. Reigned 41 years and died.\n\n4. Jehoshaphat, 1 K. 13:24; 23:41-50; 2 K. 3:1-27; 2 Chron. 17:1-21:1\nReigned 25 years and died.\n\n5. Jeboram, 2 K. 8:16-24; 2 Chron. 21:1-20. Reigned 8. years and died.\n\n6. Ahaziah, 2 K. 8:25-29; 9:27-29; 2 Chron. 22:1-9. Reigned 1 year and\nwas killed by order of Jehu.\n\n7. Athaliah, 2 K. 11:1-21:2; 2 Chron, 22;10-23:6. Reigned 6 years and\nwas slain when Joash became king.\n\n8. Joash, 2 K. 11:3-12:21; 2 Chron. 24:1-27. Reigned 40 years and was\nslain.\n\n9. Amaziah, 2 K. 14:1-20; 2 Chron. 25:1-28. Reigned 29 years and was\nslain.\n\n10. Uzziah or Azariah, 2 K. 14:21-25; 2 Chron. 28:1-23. Reigned 52\nyears and died.\n\n11. Jotham, 2 K. 15:32-36; 2 Chron. 27:1-9. Reigned IB years and died.\n\n12. Ahaz, 2 K. 16:1-30: 2 Chron. 28:1-27. Reigned IS years and died.\n\nImportant Events in the History of Israel. The following are perhaps\nthe most important events in the history of tie northern kingdom\nduring this period. (1) The establishment of idol worship at Dan and\nBethel. (2) The removal of the Capital, by Omri, from Tirzah to the\nhill site of Samaria. (3) The wicked reign of Ahab, who introduced\nBaal worship into Israel. (4) The reformations of Jehu, who swept Baal\nworship from the land and overthrew the hated dynasty of Omri. (5) The\nsuccessful reign of Jeroboam II, who brought the nation back to a\nstate of prosperity that resembled the time of David and Solomon. (6)\nThe activity of the prophets during the entire period. This activity\nis seen in the important place given (1 K. 17-2 K. 13) to the work of\nElijah and Elisha; in the prophecy of Jonah, Amos and Hosea, who\nprophesied in the time of the reign of Jereboam II, and in part in the\nreign of Micah who preached during the reign of Hoshea. (7) The\nconquest of Israel by the Assyrians which came as the result of forty\nyears of constant decline following the death of Jeroboam II. After\nthis Israel disappears from history. She had sinned away her\nopportunity.\n\nPrincipal Events In the History of Judah. The following are the\nprincipal events of the history of Judah from the division of the\nkingdom until the captivity of Israel. (1) The foolish answer of\nRehoboam to the ten tribes which led to their revolt and the continual\nenmity of the northern and southern kingdoms that followed. (2) The\ninvasion of Judah by Shishak of Egypt, who greatly weakened the\nnation. (3) The reign of Jehoshaphat whose judicial, military and\neducational or religious reforms introduce a new and good day in Judah\nand whose unhappy alliance with Ahab, led his son, who followed him as\nking to introduce idolatry into Judah, with all the evil of the reign\nof Jehoram, Ahaziah and Athaliah. (4) The prosperous reign of Uzziah,\nwho was contemporary with Jeroboam II of Israel. (5) The Apostasy\nunder Ahaz, who encouraged Baal worship and practiced great cruelty\neven on the members of his own family. The prophet Isaiah (chs. 7-9)\nappeals to Ahaz and to the people to return to Jehovah.\n\nThe Relation between the Two Kingdoms. The bearing of the two kingdoms\ntoward each other during this period was constantly changing. (1)\nThere was almost constant war for about sixty years. During this time\nthe kings of Judah cherished the hope that they would regain their\ncontrol over the ten tribes. (2) There was a period of close alliance.\nThis alliance was sealed by an intermarriage between the families of\nAhab, king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. The purpose seems\nto have been that they might better resist the encroaching power of\nAssyria. (3) There was a fresh manifestation of hatred. Jehu is\nenthroned in Israel and destroys the house of Ahab. This shatters the\nalliance between the two nations and causes a breach that is never\nhealed. The northern kingdom becomes more and more idolatrous, suffers\nat the hands of the Syrians and is finally carried captive by the\nAssyrians in 722 B. C.\n\nThe Messages of the Prophets of this Period. It is not within the\npurpose of this study to raise any of the questions of criticism\nconcerning these books. Nor is there time to summarize the contents or\nteachings of nay or all of them. The prophets of this period are\nJonah, Amos and Hosea, and the prophecy of each should be read\nfollowing the outline given in the author's \"The Bible Book by Book.\"\n\nLessons of the Period. (1) Jehovah rules not only in Israel but over\nall peoples. (2) Each nation is responsible to God according to its\nopportunity and enlightenment. (3) God judges people according to\ntheir acts, not according to religious creeds or ceremonies. (4)\nThough a merciful God, Jehovah will and must finally punish willful\nand continuous evil doers. (5) Sin is infidelity to God and brings\npain to his heart. (6) All punishment is administered to the end that\nthe sinful may repent and be forgiven. (7) Jehovah loves men and\ndemands that they love him in return. (8) Repentance is the only way\nof escape from doom. (9) God seeks to save men and nations from the\nsins that are to destroy them.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The events leading to the division of\nthe kingdom. (2) The story of each king in each nation, (a) How he\ncame to the throne, (b) The chief acts of his reign, (c) The character\nof the king himself, (d) The length of his reign, (e) His enemies and\nhis friends, (f) How his reign ended. (3) The story of Ahab. (4) The\nstory of Elijah. (5) The story of Elisha. (6) The miracles of the\nperiod. (7) The different enemies with which the tribes were\nsurrounded and the trouble they had with each. (8) Jonah and his\nservice. (9) The evidence of wealth and luxury of the time. (10) The\nsins of cruelty and injustice in society and government.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIV.\n\nThe Kingdom of Judah.\n\nII K. 18-25; II Chron. 28-36.\n\nNote: This period covers the time from the fail of Israel to the fall\nof Judah. It begins in the sixth year of the reign of Hezekiah, whose\nname is given as the first king of the period since most of his reign\nwas in this instead of the former period.\n\nThe Kings of this Period.\n\n13. Hezekiah, 2 K. 18:1-20-21; 2 Chron. 29:1-32:33. Reigned 29 years\nand died.\n\n14. Manasseh, 2 K. 21:1-18; 2 Chron. 33:1-20. Reigned 55 year and\ndied.\n\n15. Amon, 2 K. 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:20-25. Reigned 2 years and was\nslain by a conspiracy of his servants.\n\n16. Josiah, 2 K. 22:1-23; 2 Chron. 34:1-33:27. Reigned 31 years and\nwas killed in battle.\n\n17. Jehoahaz. 2 K. 23:30-34; 2 Chron. 36:1-4. Reigned 3 months and was\ndethroned and carried into Egypt where he died.\n\n18. Jehoiakim, 2 K. 23:34-24:6; 2 Chron. 36:4-8. Reigned 11 years and\ndied.\n\n19. Jehoiachin. 2 K. 24:6-16; 2 Chron. 36:9-10. Reigned 3 months and\nwas carried captive to Egypt.\n\n20. Zedekiah. 2 K. 24:17-25; 2 Chron. 36:11-21. Reigned 11 years and\ncarried captive into Egypt.\n\n\nThe Principal Events of the Period. Among the more important events of\nthis period the following should be noticed. (1) The reforms of\nHezekiah who attempted to restore the whole Mosaic order. (2) The\ninvasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria who at first\nhumiliated Hezekiah, but later, was destroyed by divine intervention\nand Jerusalem saved. (3) The wicked reign of Manasseh, who sought to\ndestroy all true worship and established idolatrous worship in its\nstead. (4) His captivity in Babylon and release and attempted reform.\n(5) The good reign of Josiah, who destroyed the altars of idolatry,\nrepaired the temple and caused the book of the law to be read-all of\nwhich resulted in a very thorough-going revival of true worship. (6)\nThe conflicts with their enemies which finally resulted in the\ndownfall of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people. This captivity\nwas completely accomplished through three invasions of the hosts of\nNebuchadnezzar, (a) In the reign of Jehoiakim at which time he carried\naway captive Daniel and his friends; (b) In the reign of Jehoiachin or\nJeconiah, when he carried to Babylon the treasures of Jerusalem and\nthe skilled workmen as well as the officers of the court; (c) In the\nreign of Zedekiah, when the city and temple and walls and principal\nhouses were destroyed and large numbers carried into captivity.\n\nThe Prophets of the Period and Their Messages. Of all the periods this\nis signalized by the greatest prophetic activity. There was constant\nneed both on the part of the king and on the part of the people for\nthe warnings and rebukes of the people. Some prophets delivered part\nof their message in one period and the rest in another. No doubt\nIsaiah and Micah did part of their service during the former period\nand Jeremiah performed a part of his in the next. But they are all put\ndown here because this is the period of their greatest activity. The\nother prophets of the period are Joel, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and\nObadiah. The messages of these prophets should be carefully read\nfollowing outlines given in \"The Bible Book by Book.\"\n\nThe Teachings of the Prophets. It is difficult to put down in brief\nform the various teachings announced and implied in the writings of\nthe prophets. Their sermons covered a wide range of subjects,\nreligious, political, commercial and social. They touch upon matters\nthat are national and also those that are personal. The following may\nbe regarded as among their most important teachings. (1) That Jehovah\nis a moral being-holy, just, wise and good. (2) That Jehovah was the\nGod not only of Judah and of Israel but off all nations. (3) That no\nman, no set of men and no nation can thwart the plans of God. (4) That\nGod's judgments were certain to overtake the sinful. (5) That religion\nwas not separate from life, but the very central factor of it-that\nreligion and ethics are so blended that \"to act justly, to love mercy\nand to walk humbly before his God\" is shown to be man's whole duty.\n(6) That religion is a personal spiritual relation between God and\nman. This is especially the contribution of Jeremiah and lays the\nfoundation for all true faith and is a basal principle of our\nChristianity.\n\nThe False Prophets, Through all the history of Israel false prophets\nwere a source of great trouble. Among those of earlier times may be\nnoted: (1) An old prophet of Bethel, 1 K. 13:11. (2) 400 prophets with\na lying spirit, 1 K. 22:6-8. 22-23. (3) 450 prophets of Baal, 1 K.\n18:19, 22, 40. (4) 400 prophets of Asherah. 1 K. 18:19. A study of\nthese will show that some are idolatrous prophets and others are\nperverted worshipers of Jehovah, who did not really prophesy at all.\nSome were no doubt deliberate deceivers of the people while others\nwere perhaps self-deceived.\n\n\nDuring the years immediately preceding the Babylonian captivity false\nprophets played a prominent role and their pernicious influence upon\nJudah's history can hardly be overestimated. They lured the people to\ntheir ruin and undermined the influence of the true prophets. Isaiah\ntalks about the prophet that teaches lies (Is. 9:15). Jeremiah talks\nof prophets of lies, who prophesy, not having been sent of Jehovah\n(Jer. 14:13-15; 23:21-22). Micah tells of the prophets who make the\npeople err (Mi. 3:5). Jeremiah was openly opposed by Hananiah (Jer.\nCh. 28). These prophets destroyed confidence in the message of true\nprophets and brought about a time when the voice of these messengers\nof God ceased to be heard in Israel.\n\nThe Great Religious Revivals of this Period. The whole history of the\nkingdom of Judah is marked by periods of religious decline and\nrevival. The most striking of these are indicated by the following\noutline. (1) A decline under the reign of Rehoboam. (2) A revival\nbegun under Asa and made complete under the reign of Jehoshaphat; (3)\nA decline begun in the reign of Jehoram and continued until the reign\nof Ahaz where the lowest spiritual state was reached. (4) A new\nrevival under Hezekiah, who introduced sweeping social and religious\nchanges. (5) A decline under Manasseh who reared images to Baal,\ndefiled the temple and overthrew the good work of his father Hezekiah.\n(6) A revival under Josiah, grandson of Manasseh, whose piety began to\nmanifest itself at the age of sixteen. He began his reforms at the age\nof twenty and spent six years in hewing down the altars and images of\nidolatry. The temple was repaired, the law found and enjoined upon the\npeople and the Passover celebrated. (7) A final decline that carried\nJudah on downward until her glory was destroyed and she was led away\ninto Babylon as captive.\n\n\nThe study of these successive efforts at returning to the true worship\nof Jehovah and their quick collapse indicate that the kindlings of\nspiritual life which they seem to manifest were not real spiritual\nrevivals. Many people did no doubt turn in truth to God. but the\nrapidity with which each effort was followed by a return to deeper\ndepths of immorality, such as those indicated by Amos 5:l6, 7:17, 8:6;\nIs. 1:23, 10:1; and Hos. 9:15 give evidence of the abounding\nwickedness of the period.\n\nThe Wealth and Luxury. There is much in the discourses to indicate\nthat wealth abounded and that kings and other influential men lived in\nluxury. The upper classes indulged in all the follies of the idle rich\nand showed the usual heartlessness toward the poor. The following list\nof scriptures will indicate some of the things which they possessed\nand which they did: Amos 5:11, 3:15, 6:4; Jer. 22:14; Is. 5:ll-12,\n3:18-23, 21:7. To this list the student by comparison and reference\ncan add many others.\n\nContemporary Nations. No study of this period would be complete\nwithout a knowledge of the other nations that influenced this time.\nEgypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Phoenicia, Carthage, Greece and Rome\nall influenced Judah. From the Bible narratives and from secular\nhistory the student should become acquainted with the leading events\nin the history of this period of each of these nations.\n\nLessons of the Period. It is most difficult to put down the permanent\nlessons or teachings of this period. To the teachings of the prophets\ngiven above the following are well worth preserving as lessons for our\nday as well as theirs. (1) All reformation must begin at the house of\nGod and in connection with his worship-witness the reform work of Asa,\nJehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah and Josiah. (2) Religion must set the\nstandards for the conduct of national affairs. (3) Sin is infidelity\nto love, or spiritual adultery. It not only breaks law but cruelly\nwounds love. (4) Sin blinds men to their best interests, turns them\nagainst their best friends and issues in their ruin. (5) The political\nsentiment or the politician that neglects or attacks God, or the\nnational recognition of him is perilous to the nation. (6) The loss of\nthe sense or vision of God leads to \"degraded ideals, deadened\nconsciences and defeated purposes.\" (7) True love: (a) is not blind to\nthe sins of the one loved; (b) does not try to cover up the faults but\ntries to turn one from them; (c) does not desert one when calamity\ncomes because of persistence in sin. See the attitude of Jeremiah to\nJudah before and after the captivity.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) Study each of the teachings of the\nprophets given above: (a) Try to find scripture basis for it; (b)\nDiscuss it as a universal principle. (2) Study each of the scriptures\nreferred to in the discussion above on false prophets: (a) From\nreferences collect other passages on the subject; (b) Make a list of\ntheir prophecies and tell how to determine whether a prophet is false.\n(3) From the scriptures given above on wealth and luxury and from\nothers to be pointed out: (a) List the evidences of wealth; (b)\nCompare the conditions then and now. (4) Following the instructions\nfor study in the paragraph above on contemporaneous nations prepare a\nlist of facts concerning each, especially of matters that affected\nJudah. (5) Name the kings of this period. Tell (a) how each came into\noffice, (b) how long he reigned, (c) how his career ended, (d) what\nprophet preached to each and the nature of the prophecy. (6)\nHezekiah's sickness, 2 King 20:1-11; 2 Chron. 32;24-26; (7) His song\nof thanksgiving, Is. 38:10-20. Carefully analyze it. (8) Sennacherib's\ninvasion, 2 K. 18:14-19 end; Is. 14:24-27; 36:1-37:10; 2 Chron.\n32:1-23. (a) The object of the expedition; (b) The conference with\nHezekiah; (c) The outcome. (9) Josiah's reformations. (10) The three\ninvasions of Nebuchadnezzar.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XV.\n\nThe Captivity of Judah.\n\nEze., Dan., Lam.\n\nThe Ten Tribes Lost. After the fall of Samaria we hear but little of\nthe ten tribes. They were carried off into the regions of Ninevah by\nthe Assyrians. All effort to locate them has failed and no doubt will\nfail. Sargon, in an inscription found at Ninevah, said that he carried\naway into captivity 27,290. These were perhaps leaders of Israel whom\nhe thought might lead a revolt. He sent others back to take their\nplace and the Israelites seemed to have mingled with the races about\nthem and to have lost their identity. No doubt some of them as\nindividuals were faithful to the worship of Jehovah and may have found\ntheir way back to Palestine under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah.\nBut it was different with Judah who all the time kept true to her\nideals and looked for the return that had been prophesied. This hope\nwas realized through the work of Ezra and Nehemiah following the\ndecree of Cyrus.\n\nJudah Led into Captivity. The captivity of Judah was accomplished by\nthree distinct invasions of the Babylonians and covered a period of\ntwenty years. (1) _The first invasion and captivity_. This was in 607\nB.C., at which time Daniel and his friends along with others were\ncarried into captivity, 2 K. 24:1, Jer. 25:1, Dan. 1:1-7. (2) _The\nsecond invasion and captivity_. This was 597 B.C., at which time king\nJehoiakim and 10.000 of the people were carried into captivity. Among\nthese were Ezekiel and one of the ancestors of Mordicai, the cousin of\nEsther, 2 K. 24:10-16; Eze. 1:1-2; Est. 2:5-6. (3) _The third invasion\nand captivity_. In 587 B.C. Jerusalem was conquered and its walls and\npalaces as well as the temple were destroyed and the inhabitants\ncarried away into exile, 2 K. 24:18; 24:1-27; 2 Chron. 36:11-21; Jer.\n52:1-11. This is the end of the southern kingdom.\n\nThe Period of the Captivity. Jeremiah predicts that the captivity will\nlast seventy years (Jer. 25:12; 29:10; see 2 Chron. 36:21; Dan. 9:2:\nZech. 7:6). There are two ways of adjusting the dates to fulfill this\nprediction, (1) From the first invasion and the carrying into\ncaptivity of Daniel and others, 607 B. C. to 537 B. C., when the first\ncompany returned under Zerubbabel. (2) From the final fall of\nJerusalem. 587 B. C. to the completion of the renewed temple and its\ndedication, 517 B. C. Either satisfies the scripture. In history it is\ncustomary to speak of this exile as covering only the fifty years from\n587 B. C. when Jerusalem was destroyed and the last company carried\naway to 537 B. C. when the first company returned under Zerubbabel.\n\nThe Fugitives in Egypt. When Jerusalem fell the king of Babylon\nallowed many of the poorer people to remain in Palestine and Jedediah,\na grandson of Josiah, was appointed to rule over them. 2 K. 25:22. His\ncareer was a very useful one, but through jealousy he was soon\nmurdered, 2 K. 25:25. This led the people to fear lest Nebuchadnezzar\nwould avenge his death, whereupon they fled into Egypt 2 K. 25:26.\nJeremiah attempted to keep them from going to Egypt (Jer. 42:9-22.)\nbut, when he failed, he went along with them and shared their destiny,\nJer. 43:6-7. They settled at Tahpanhee (Jer. 44:1), a frontier town\nwhere many foreigners lived under the protection of Egypt. They seem\nto have built a temple there and did much to retain their racial\nideals. Jeremiah seems to have continued his faithful prophecies and\nthe people seem to have continued as faithfully to reject his counsel.\nWe do not know how he ended his career but Jewish tradition says he\nwas put to death by his own people.\n\nThe Exiles in Babylon. The state of the exiles in Babylon may not be\nfully known but from the contemporary writers very much may be known.\n(1) _Their home_. They were settled in a rich and fertile plain,\nintersected by many canals. It was on the river, or canal, Chebar (Ez.\n1:1.3; 3:15, etc.) which ran southeast from Babylon to Nippur. It was\na land of traffic and merchants and fruitful fields (Ez. 17:4-5). They\nwere rather colonists than slaves and enjoyed great freedom and\nprosperity. (2) _Their occupation_. By reason of their intellectual\nand moral superiority the Jews, as they are called from this time\nforward, would secure rapid advancement. Some of them such as Daniel\nobtained high position. Others became skilled workmen. Following the\nadvice of Jeremiah (Jer. 29:5), many of them no doubt gave themselves\nto agriculture and gardening. Probably most of them yielded to the\nopportunities of the \"land of traffic and merchants\" mentioned above\nand engaged in commercial instead of agricultural pursuits. (3) _Their\ngovernment_. For a long time they were allowed to control their own\naffairs as their own laws provided. The elders of the families acted\nas judges and directed affairs in general. For a while they probably\nheld the power of life and death over their own people, but the\ncapital cases were punished later by authority of Babylon (Jer.\n29:22.) (4) _Their religion_. Here also the information is meager and\nmust be gathered from statements and inferences found in several\nbooks. Several things are certain: (a) For the most part they\npreserved their genealogies, thus making possible the identity of the\nMessiah as well as their proper place in worship when they were\nrestored; (b) They gave up all idolatry and were never again led into\nits evil practices as they had been wont to do before. Indeed, there\nare, even to the present day, no idolatrous Jews; (c) They gave up the\nelaborate ceremonials and the public and private sacrifices and the\ngreat festivals. In their stead prayer and fasting and Sabbath\nobservances constituted the main part of their religious life. The\nobservance of the Sabbath became a ceremony and was robbed of its\nsimple divine purpose; (d) They assembled the people together on the\nSabbath for the purpose of prayer and the reading of the scripture.\nThis custom probably formed the basis for synagogue worship so\ninfluential later; (e) All this private devotion and prayer such as\nwas seen in the thrice-a-day worship of Daniel was opening the way for\na purer and more spiritual religion; (f) The Canon was greatly\nenlarged and new spiritual teachings were announced or new light\nthrown on old teachings. The prophesies of Daniel and Ezekiel with\nmany psalms were added. The book of Lamentations and chapters 40-44 of\nJeremiah were also the products of this date but refer especially to\nthe conditions of those in Egypt.\n\nThe Prophets of the Exile. This period is calculated to bring great\ndiscouragement to the Jews. They so far failed of their expectations\nthat there is danger that they will give up their proper regard for\nJehovah. They have great need that some one tell them the significance\nof their suffering and point out for them some word of hope for the\nfuture. This service was rendered by the prophets. There was great\nactivity on the part of false prophets (Jer. 39:4-8, 21-23;\nEz. 13:1-7, 14:8-10), but they were blessed by the following true\nprophets: (1) _Ezekiel_. These prophecies began by recounting the\nincidents of the prophet's call and the incidents between the first\nand the second captivities; they then denounce those nations that had\npart in the destruction of Jerusalem and those that had been bitter\nand oppressive in their dealings with Israel and Judah; they close\nwith messages of comfort and cheer for the exiled people; (2)\n_Daniel_. (3) _Lamentations_. Besides a portion of the book of\nJeremiah and probably of Isaiah which, as suggested above, belongs to\nthis period, the book of Lamentations, written while in exile in\nEgypt, should be placed here. All three of these books should be read\nby following the outline given in \"The Bible Book by Book.\"\n\nThe Benefits of the Captivity, Dr. Burroughs gives as benefits that\nthe Jews derived from the captivity the following four things: (1) the\ndestruction of idolatry; (2) the rise of the synagogue; (3) a deepened\nrespect for the law of Moses; (4) a longing for the Messiah. To these\nmight be added or emphasized as being included in them: (1) a vital\nsense of repentance was created; (2) the change from the national,\nfestal and ceremonial worship to a spiritual and individual religion;\n(3) a belief that Israel had been chosen and trained in order that\nthrough her Jehovah might bless the whole world.\n\nLessons of the Period. The experiences of Judah as recorded in this\nperiod bring us several important truths. (1) That sin will tear down\nboth men and nations. (2) Men are responsible and suffer for their own\nsins but not for the sins of others, Ez. 18:2-3; 33:10-11. (3) God\ncontrols all circumstances toward the ultimate accomplishment of his\npurposes. (4) He makes free use of all \"world rulers as his tools to\nexecute his will\" (5) God sets up and destroys nations. (6) God cares\nfor his people and overrules all for their good. See Dan., etc. (7)\nOne can live right in spite of one's surroundings (see Daniel) and\nsuch living will lead men to know God. (8) Evil grows more and more\ndetermined while good grows more and more distinct and hence the\nquestion \"Is the world growing better?\" (9) God rejoices in the\nopportunity to forgive his erring people and in restoring them again\ninto his partnership.\n\nFor Study and Discussion, (1) When, to whom and by whom the exile was\npredicted: (a) 2 K. 20:17-18; (b) 2 K. 21:10-16; (c) 2 K. 22:16-17,\nDt. 28:25, 52-68; (d) Jer. 25:9-11; (e) Jer. 34:2-3; (f) Mic. 3:12;\n(g) Zeph. 1:2-6. (2) The different classes of exiles: (a) Those in\nfavor with the court, Dan. 1:19-21, 2:45-49; (b) Common laborers-lower\nclasses, Jer. ch. 29, Eze. ch. 13; (c) Pretentious prophets, Eze. ch.\n13, Jer. ch. 29. (3) The social condition of the exiles, 2 K. 25:27;\nDan. 1:19-21; Is. 60:1; Jer. 29:4-7, Esth., and passages in Eze. (4)\nThe details of each of the three invasions and the captivities as\noutlined above. See scriptures. (5) The exiles in Egypt: (a) Who they\nwere, (b) How they fared. (6) The activity and influence of false\nprophets of this age. (7) The story of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams and\ntheir interpretation: (a) the image dream, (b) the tree dream. (8) The\nstories of (a) The fiery furnace; (b) of the lion's den. (9) The feast\nof Belshazzar. (10) The visions of Daniel 7:1-14, 8:1-12, 10:4-6. (11)\nThe four beasts of Daniel and their significance. (12) The oracles\nagainst foreign nations, Eze. chs. 25-32. (13) The benefits mentioned\nabove. (14) The lessons mentioned above. Find scripture basis for\nthem.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVI.\n\nThe Restoration.\n\n\nEzra, Neh., Esth., Hag., Zech.\n\nScripture Analysis. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah furnish the outline\nof the period and its achievements. The two books were formerly\ncounted one book and a continuous outline of the two is best suited to\nthe proper emphasis of the various events of the period. The following\noutline will appear simple and yet sufficient for our purpose. (1) The\nrebuilding of the temple (Ezra, chs. 1-6). (2) The reforms of Ezra\n(Ezra, chs. 7-10). (3) The rebuilding of the walls (Neh. chs. 1-7).\n(4) The covenant to keep the law (Neh. chs. 8-10). (5) The inhabitants\nof Jerusalem (Neh. 11:1-12:26). (6) The dedication of the wall and the\nreform of Nehemiah (Neh. 12:27-13-end).\n\nPredictions of the Return. The return from captivity had been\nprophesied long before the fall of Jerusalem. Several prophets had\nforetold the captivity and in connection with it had told of the\ndestruction of Babylon and Judah's restoration. Even the length of\ntheir stay in exile was announced. While they were in exile they were\nconstantly encouraged by the promised return foretold to them by\nEzekiel, Jeremiah and others. (1) Restoration at the end of seventy\nyears is predicted. (Jer. 25:12; 29:10; Dan. 9:2). (2) Other\nScriptures that foretell the overthrow of Babylon or the return to\nJerusalem or both may be found in Is. chs. 13, 14, 21, 44-47; Jer.\n28:4-11; chs. 50-52; Ez. ch. 27, etc.\n\nThe Rise of Persian Power. This was a period of world change. Great\nempires in rapid succession fell under the power of new and rising\nkingdoms. (1) The Assyrian Empire, which superseded the Chaldean\nEmpire about 1500 B. C., and now loomed so large in the eyes of the\nworld, fell, when the combined forces of the Medes and Babylonians\ncaptured Ninevah her capital (B. C. 607) and was numbered among the\ndead nations. (2) The Babylonian Empire rose to supremacy and was the\ndominating power when Judah went into captivity. She was the most\nsplendid kingdom the world had ever seen. (3) The Persian power\nconquered Media and the greater part of Assyria and the Medo-Persian\nEmpire under Cyrus conquered Babylon and held almost universal sway at\nthe time of the restoration.\n\nThe Decree of Cyrus. It is now about 150 years since Isaiah in his\nprophesies called Cyrus by name and predicted that he should restore\nGod's captive people to their own land and now in fulfillment of that\nprophecy God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus and caused him to issue a\nproclamation for the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the\ntemple. He gave orders that his people should give the Jews silver,\ngold and beasts. He also restored to them the vessels of the house of\nthe Lord (Ezra. 1:1-3) and instructed the governors along the way to\nassist him.\n\nThree Expeditions to Jerusalem. The return from Babylon covered a long\nperiod of time and consisted of three separate detachments under as\nmany different leaders. There were important intervening events and\ncontributory causes. (1) The first colony to return was _under\nZerubhabel_ (536 B. C.) and consisted of about fifty thousand. Ezra\nchs. 1-6. We have given us the records of activities of this colony\nfor a period of about twenty-one years, during which time the temple\nwas rebuilt and dedicated. Much opposition was encountered in the\nmatter of rebuilding the temple and the work was finally stopped. It\nis here that Haggai and Zechariah delivered their stirring prophesies\nwhich together with the influence of Jerubbabel and Jeshua, the\npriest, stimulated the people to renew their building operations and\ncomplete the temple (B. C. 515). In the course of history, Haggai and\nZechariah would come in between the fourth and fifth chapters of Ezra.\n(2) The second colony returned to Jerusalem _under the leadership of\nEzra_ (Ezra chs. 7-10) and consisted of about 1800 males with their\nfamilies. There is here a lapse of about fifty-seven years from the\ncompletion and dedication of the temple to the time of Ezra's going to\nJerusalem-the last thirty years of the reign of Darius, the twenty\nyears of the reign of Xerxes and seven years of the reign of\nArtaxerses. Ezra obtained permission from Artaxerxes to return and\nalso letters of instruction to the rulers to give him assistance. He\nwas a scribe of the law of Moses and his mission was primarily a\nreligious one. He was a descendant from the house of Aaron and as such\nhe assumed the office of priest when he reached Jerusalem. Upon his\narrival he found that the first colony had fallen into gross\nimmoralities and into unsound religious practices. He rebuke  He\nrebuke all these sins and brought about a great reform. It is not\ncertain that he remained in Jerusalem. His leave from the king may\nhave been only temporary and he may have gone back to Babylon and\nreturned again to Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah.   (3) The third\ncolony was _led to Jerusalem by Nehemiah_ (the book of Nehemiah). The\nnumber returning is not given. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the\nPersian king and upon hearing of the distress of his people at\nJerusalem secured permission from him to go to Jerusalem as the\ngovernor. In spite of very determined opposition he was enabled to\nrepair the wall of the city and dedicate it with great ceremony (Neh.\nchs. 6 and 12). Nehemiah is counted as one of the greatest reformers.\nHe corrected many abuses such as those of usury and restored the\nnational life of the Jews based upon the written law. Together with\nEzra he restored the priests to their positions and renewed the temple\nworship. He went back to the Persian court where he remained several\nyears and then returned to Jerusalem and continued his reforms. This\nends the Old Testament history.\n\nThe Prophecy of Hagai and Zechariah. The task of these prophets was\nthe same and was by no means an easy one. The work of rebuilding the\ntemple, which had been begun when Jerubbabel and his colony came to\nJerusalem, had been stopped by the opposition which they met. Along\nwith this laxity of effort to build the temple the Jews were busy\nbuilding houses for themselves (1:4) and had become very negligent of\nall duty. They had begun to despair of seeing their people and the\nbeloved city and temple restored to the glory pictured by the prophets\nand were rapidly becoming reconciled to the situation. These two\nprophets succeeded in arousing interest and confidence in the people\nand through their appeals secured the finishing of the temple.\n\nThe Prophecy of Malachi. This prophecy condemns the same sins as those\nmentioned in the last chapters of Ezra and Nehemiah. He denounced\ntheir impure marriages, their lack of personal godliness, their\nfailure to pay tithes and their skepticism. The special occasion for\nthe discourses was the discontent which arose because their\nexpectation of the glorious Messianic Kingdom had not been realized.\nThey had also had unfavorable harvests. It is thought by many that the\ntime of the prophecy is between the first and second visit of Nehemiah\nto Jerusalem. The purpose seems to be: (1) to rebuke them for\ndeparting from the law; (2) to call them back to Jehovah; (3) to\nrevive the national spirit.\n\nThe Story of Esther. King Ahasuerus of the book of Esther is thought\nto be Xerxes the Great. On this view the events narrated occurred some\ntime before the second colony came to Jerusalem and the story would\nfall between chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Ezra. The book throws\nmuch light on the condition of the Jews in captivity and also upon the\nsocial and political conditions existing in the Persian Empire at this\nperiod. While the name of God does not occur in the book, his\nprovidential care over his people is everywhere manifested. The\ndeliverance of the Jews from death by the intercessions of Esther\nbecame the occasion of the establishment of the feast of Purim which\never after commemorated it in Jewish history. These four books should\nbe read following the outline given in \"The Bible Book by Book.\"\n\nSynagogues and Synagogue Worship. The emphasis which Ezra gave to the\nstudy of the Book of the Law no doubt did much to destroy idolatry and\nled to a new devotion to the word of God, at least to the letter of\nthe law. This led to the institution or the re-establishment of the\nSynagogue. There had no doubt been from the early times local\ngatherings for worship, but the Synagogue worship does not seem to\nhave been in use before the captivity, After the captivity, however,\nthey built many of them, in every direction. They were places of\nworship where they engaged in reading the law, in exhortation and in\nprayer. The reading and expounding of the law became a profession,\nthose following this calling being designated \"lawyers.\"\n\nThe Significance of the Period, In all the annals of national life\nthere is probably not a more significant sweep of history than that of\nthe Jews during the restoration which covers a little more than ninety\nyears. With the captivity their national life had ceased and now that\nthey are back in their own land they do not seem to make any attempt\nto reestablish the nation. Stress is now put upon the true worship of\nGod and it is beginning to dawn upon them that the glory of God will\nbe manifested in some higher spiritual sense than had been expected.\nThey had seen the decay of the mightiest material kingdoms, while\nspiritual Israel lived on, and were seeing how God and his cause and\nthose whom he saves can not die. The Old Testament, therefore, closes\nwith the Jews back at their old home, with the temple restored, with\nthe sacred writings gathered together, with the word of God being\ntaught and with the voice of the living prophet still in the land.\nAfter this followed a somewhat varied history of about 400 years\nthrough all of which the light of the hope of the coming Messiah never\ndied out.\n\nLessons of the Period. The discussions of the previous sections have\nbrought out some of the significant teachings of this period, but the\nfollowing statement of lessons will probably serve to stimulate\nthought. (1) God will use as his instruments others than his own\npeople. See Cyrus and Artaxerxes. (2) God's work is both (a)\nconstructive, as when he builds up, inspires, edicts and qualifies\nworkers, and (b) destructive, as when he overcomes opposition. (3) A\nconsecrated man is courageous and uncompromising, but none the less\ncautious. See Nehemiah. (4) There is a wise providence of God that\nincludes all nations and displays perfect righteousness, perfect\nknowledge and perfect power. See the book of Esther, also the others.\n(5) Contentment may be false and harmful. See Hag. and Zech. (6) The\ncomparative strength of the friends and enemies of a proposition does\nnot determine the results. God must also be considered. (7) It pays to\nserve God. the Moral Governor of the world. See Mal. (8) The safety of\na people demands that the marriage relation shall be sacredly\nregarded. (9) A rigid observance of the Sabbath is vital to the growth\nand well-being of a nation. (10) Mere forms of religion are\ndispleasing to God unless accompanied by ethical lives. (11) Rules\nthat oppress the poor court the Divine disfavor.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The lessons given in the last paragraph.\n(2) The decree of Cyrus. (3) The adversaries of Judah (Ezr. ch. 4;\nNeh. ch. 4), who they were and what they did. (4) The reforms of Ezra.\n(5) The reforms of Nehemiah. Compare them one by one with those of\nEzra. (6) The traits of character of Ezra and Nehemiah. (7) Nehemiah's\nplan of work in rebuilding the temple. (8) The traits of character\ndisplayed by Vashti, Mordecai, Esther and Haman. (9) The Spirit of the\nreturn. Compare with the story of Ezra. Is. ch. 40, 48:20-21; Dan.\n9:20; Ps. 137. Point out (a) the religious impulse, (b) the national\npride, (c) the local attractions. (10) The rebuilding of the temple\nand of the wall. (11) The different sins rebuked by Malachi. (12) The\nkings of Babylon since Nebuchadnezzar, (b) [sic] The feast of\nBelshazzar, Dan. ch. 5, (c) The conquering of Babylon, (d)\nOrganization of the kingdom under Darius, Dan. ch. 6, and of\nAhasuerus, Esth.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVII.\n\nFrom Malachi to The Birth of Christ.\n\nNo Scripture.\n\nThe Close of the Old Testament History. We now come to the close of\nOld Testament history and prophecy. Ezra and Nehemiah were at\nJerusalem, one the governor and the other the priest of the people.\nJerusalem and the temple had been restored and the worship of Jehovah\nre-established. This was about 445 B. C. and Judea was still under\nPersian rule. From this date to the opening of New Testament history,\na period of about four hundred years, there are no inspired records.\nNeither prophet nor inspired historian is found among the Jews and\nthere is no further development of revealed religion. It was, however,\na period of vast importance and the history of the chosen people may\nbe traced from secular sources. For convenience the history of the\nperiod may be divided into four sections: (1) The Persian Period. (2)\nThe Greek Period. (3) The Period of Independence. (4) The Roman\nPeriod.\n\nThe Persian Period. The Persians continued their rule over Judea a\nlittle more than one hundred years after the close of Old Testament\nhistory. But in 332 B. C. Alexander the Great was enthroned over the\nmonarchy, then under Darius, and inaugurated the era of Grecian\nsupremacy. During this period, however, little happened in Palestine\nthat was of much interest.\n\nUnder the Rule of the Greek Kings. Alexander the Great seemed to have\nformed a good opinion of the Jews and granted them many special\nfavors. He regarded them as good citizens and gave them privileges as\nfirst class citizens of Alexandria and encouraged them to settle\nthroughout his empire. Upon his death his kingdom was broken up into\nfour kingdoms (Macedonia, Thrace. Syria and Egypt) and Judea was\nalternately under the rule of Syria and Egypt. All Palestine was\npermeated with the influence of the Greek language and philosophy. It\nwas  while Judea was  under the rule of Ptolemy of Egypt that the\nSeptuagint version of the Old Testament was made. This made possible\nthe reading of the Hebrew Scriptures in the Greek language and was one\nof the greatest missionary works of all times.\n\nThe Period of Independence.   In 170 B.C. Antiochus Epiphiones began\nto oppress the Jews in an attempt to force them into idolatry and\nabout 167 B.C. Judas Maccabeus began to lead a revolt which two years\nlater was successful in throwing off the foreign yoke and establishing\nthe independence of the Jews. They were now governed by a succession\nof rulers from the Maccabean family for a period of one hundred years.\nThese rulers performed the double function of both civil and\necclesiastical head of the people. They were descendants of David and\nunder their leadership Edom, Samaria and Galilee were added to their\nterritory and much of the splendor and wealth of the golden days of\nthe kingdom was restored.\n\nThe Roman Period. This period may be said to have begun in B.C. 63 and\nto have extended to A.D. 70. In B.C. 63 Pompey overran Palestine,\ndestroyed Jerusalem and brought the Jews under Roman rule. By this\nconquest Jewish independence was forever lost. In B.C. 37 Herod the\nGreat was appointed by the Roman emperor to the position of ruler of\nPalestine. In B.C. 20-18 he rebuilt the temple at Jerusalem, though it\n(all the buildings and walls) was not finished until many years after\nhis death. He also built the temple of Samaria and continued to reign\nuntil Christ came and much longer.\n\nThe Entire Period. This entire period spans the time from the history\nof Nehemiah and the prophecy of Malachi to the coming of the Messiah.\nIt opens with the Persian empire supreme and closes with Augustus\nCaesar as the head of Rome, the mistress of the world. When Jesus came\nHerod the Great governed Palestine and all the world was at peace.\n\nThe End of the Period. There are many points of view from which to\nstudy the conditions existing at the close of this period. But for our\npurpose it will probably suffice to consider (1) some signs of\ndecadence or defects; (2) some hopeful signs. The facts touching these\nmatters are to be gathered not only from secular history but from the\nlife and work of Jesus as they are seen at work either for or against\nthe progress of his work. (1) Unpropitious conditions. Among the signs\nof decadence or errors that needed correction should be noted: (a)\nThere was a defective view of God. They regarded God as too far away;\n(b) They laid too much stress upon outward obedience and, thereby,\nleft no place for motive in their service; (c) This led them to rest\nsalvation upon a system of works and to multiply rules of obedience;\n(d) This led to too great demand for respect for the learned and of\nsubordination to them; (e) The Jews thought that they had a special\nplace in the salvation of God and as children of Abraham only felt the\nneed of national deliverance. (2) Hopeful signs. Several conditions\nthat bespeak good should be noted: (a) The Jews did have the truest\nconception of religion to be found anywhere in the world; (b) Their\nreligion was a matter of deep concern to them and they showed an\nundying devotion to their religious institutions; (c) There was a keen\nsense of the worth of the individual; (d) There were many synagogues\nwhich led to a zeal to proselyte foreigners and opened the way for\nGentile evangelism; (e) There was a widespread expectation of the\nMessiah whom the whole world could receive as its spiritual king; (f)\nThe home life of the Jews was strongly religious and children were\nheld in high esteem.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The career of Alexander the Great. (2)\nThe reign of Ptolemy Soter and Ptolemy Philadelphus in Egypt. (3) The\nacts of Antiochus Epiphanes. (4) The story of Judas Maccabeus. (5) The\nstory of the subjection of Judea to Rome. (6) The persecution of the\nJews under the several rulers of the different countries to which they\nwere subject during this period. (7) The religious parties of the\nperiod, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees.\n\nLiterature. The information necessary to understand these topics may\nbe found in any one of the better Bible dictionaries, in Josephus and\nmore or less in text books on Biblical history such as Blakie.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII.\n\nFrom the Birth to The Ascension of Jesus.\n\nThe Four Gospels.\n\nThe Story of this Period. It is common to designate this period as the\n\"Life of Christ,\" meaning the time he spent on earth. There is,\nhowever, no scripture life of Jesus. The gospels do not claim to\npresent such a life. They do, however, give us a vast amount of\nmaterial and though different in purpose and consequently in content,\nthey do present the same general picture of Jesus. The matter of\narranging the material in an orderly way presents much difficulty. If\na topographical outline is attempted it can only be approximately\ncorrect because at some points the gospels leave us in uncertainty or\nin ignorance. If a chronological outline is attempted there is no less\nof uncertainty.\n\nThe following outline, however, may be accepted as a scheme of study\nfor the period. (1) The childhood and youth of Jesus. From the birth\nof Jesus, B.C. 4 to the beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist,\nA.D. 26. (2) The beginning of Christ's ministry. From the beginning of\nJohn's ministry to Christ's first public appearance in Jerusalem, A.D.\n27. (3) The early Judean ministry. From his first public appearance in\nJerusalem to his return to Galilee, A.D. 27. (4) The Galilean\nministry. From the return to Galilee to the final departure for\nJerusalem, A.D., 29. (5) The Perean Ministry. From the departure from\nGalilee to the final arrival in Jerusalem, A.D. 30. (6) From the final\narrival in Jerusalem to the resurrection, April, A.D. 30. (7) The\nforty days. From the resurrection to the ascension. May, A.D. 30.\n\nThe Childhood and Youth of Jesus. (1) _The long preparation for his\ncoming_. The prophets had most emphatically proclaimed his coming and\nall things had from the beginning been divinely directed so that\npreparation might be made for his advent. His human ancestry had been\nselected and prepared. When the time drew near for him to appear, the\ncoming of John the Baptist his forerunner, was announced to Zacharias\nhis father (Lu. 1:5-25). This was quickly followed by the announcement\nof the birth of Jesus to Mary his mother (Lu. 1:26-38) and soon\nthereafter to Joseph, the espoused husband of Mary (Matt. 1:18-25).\nThe beautiful story of his birth is told in the second chapter of\nLuke.\n\n\n(2) _The infancy_. Of Jesus infancy we have several facts and\nincidents, (a) The appearance of the angels to the shepherds and the\nshepherds' visit to the babe, Lu. 2:8-20. (b) The circumcision at\neight days old, Lu. 2:21. (c) The presentation in the temple where he\nwas recognized by Simeon, Lu. 2:22-32. (d) The visit of the wise men\n(Matt. 2:1-12) and (e) The flight into Egypt, Matt. 2:13-23.\n\n(3) _His boyhood and youth_. This is commonly called the years of\nsilence: (a) We have the record of his parents' settlement in the city\nof Nazareth, Matt. 2:23; (b) We know that he had a normal growth, Lu.\n2:40; (c) At twelve years old he was remarkably developed and from his\nreply to his mother we may infer that he was conscious of his mission,\nLu. 2:41-50; (d) From Luke 2:50 we may infer something of the spirit\nwhich possessed him during the rest of his private life; (e) We also\nknow his occupation (Mk.6:3).\n\n_The Beginning of Christ's Ministry_. Here are several matters of\nimportance. (1) _The ministry of John the Baptist_ (Matt 3:1-12; Mk.\n1:2-8; Lu. 3:1-18; John 1:6-33) who announced Christ's coming and\nprepared a people for him. This he did by preaching repentance and by\nbaptising them as a profession of repentance and as a sign that they\nwere forgiven. (2) _The Baptism of Jesus_. (Mt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11;\nLu. 3:21-23; John 1:29-34.) At this time he put off the life of\nseclusion and entered upon his public career. He also received the\nFather's attestation to his sonship and the special equipment of the\nHoly Spirit for his work by which also John knew him to be the\nMessiah, John 1:33. By this act he also set the stamp of approval on\nJohn's work and showed that he was not in competition with John. (3)\n_The temptation of Jesus_ (Mt. 4:1-11; Mk, 1:12-13; Lu. 4:1-13). We\nare given the place and length of time of this temptation, also three\nof the temptations and how they were met. In Heb. 2:18 and 5:18 we\nhave some light on the purpose of this trial. It is probable, however,\nthat all the import of it cannot be fully understood. (4) _The work of\nJesus begun_. Here it is necessary to study two things: (a) The\nwinning of his first six disciples (John 1:35-51); (b) _His first\nmiracle_ (John 2:1-11). At this point it will also be of help to call\nto mind that the method of Jesus was to preach, teach and heal (Mt.\n4:23). At the close of the marriage feast, which usually lasted six or\nseven days, Jesus went down to Capernaum (John 2:12).\n\nThe Early Judean Ministry. The records of this period are very brief\nand may be studied under three heads, (1) _The incidents at Jerusalem\nduring the first Passover of Christ's public ministry_. The two\nprincipal incidents were the cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-22)\nand the conversation with Nicodemus, Jno. 3:1-31. (2) _The work out in\nJudea_, where he won and baptized many disciples, whereupon John was\nled to make testimony to Jesus at Aenon, John 3:22-36. (3) _His\nsuccessful work in Samaria_, concerning which there is given the story\nof his message to the woman at the well and of his two days' stay at\nSychar. The period is made notable by two of the greatest discourses\nof all his ministry: (a) that to Nicodemus; (b) that to the woman at\nJacob's well.\n\nThe Gallilean Ministry. This is by far the longest and most important\nperiod of Christ's work. It is not wholly confined to Galilee. For\nduring this time he certainly attends the feast at Jerusalem and also\nmakes some excursions into the north country. If the study of the last\nperiod was embarrassed because of the scarcity of material, this one\nis all the more so because of the amount and variety of it. The\nfollowing outline will, however, simplify the study. (1) _The\nbeginning of his work in Galilee_. (Matt 4:12-25; 8:2-4, 14-17;\n14:3-5. Mk. 1:14-45; 6:17-18; Lu. 4:14-3; 16; John 4:43-54). In this\nsection we have the account of (a) John's imprisonment and of Christ's\narrival in Galilee; (b) of the healing of the nobleman's son, and his\nsettlement at Capernaum; (c) of the call of four fishermen and many\nmiracles wrought at Capernaum; (d) of his first brief tour of Galilee.\n\n(2) _The antagonism of the scribes and Pharisees_. (Matt 9:1-17,\n12:1-14; Mk. 2:1-3:6; Lu. 5:17-6:11; John ch. 5). The more important\nmatters of this record are: (a) The healing of the paralytic; (b)\nMatthew's call and feast; (c) the healing of the man at the pool of\nBethsaida; (d) the story of the disciples in the grain fields and (e)\nthe healing of the withered hand. In all these there is indicated the\nrising hostility to Jesus and his method, especially as regards his\nclaim of power to forgive sins and in his attitude toward the despised\nclasses and toward the Sabbath.\n\n(3) _The organization of his kingdom_. (Matt. 12:15-21, 10:2-4;\nchs. 5-7; Mk. 3:7-19; Lu. 6:2-49.) The fame of Jesus began to spread\nand it became necessary for him to create an organization to carry\nforward his work. This was done by calling out his twelve apostles and\noutlining to them the principles of his kingdom. This he did in the\nsermon on the mount.\n\n(4) _The second tour of Galilee_. (Matt. 8:5-13; 11:2-30;\nLu. 7:1-8:3.) The narration here gives the stories (a) of the\nCenturion's servant and the widow's son of Nain, (b) of John's last\nmessage and (c) of Jesus anointed by the sinful woman.\n\n(5) _His teachings and miracles by the Sea of Galilee_.\n(Matt. 12:22-13:53, 8:23-34, 9:18-34; Mk. 3:19-5:43; Lu. 8:4-56.) In\nthis section we have a large group of parables with their varied\nteachings and four very interesting miracles: (a) The stilling of the\ntempest; (b) The healing of the Gadarene demoniacs; (c) The story of\nJainus' daughter; (d) Two dumb and a blind man.\n\n(6) _The third tour of Galilee_. (Matt. 13:34-15:20, 9:35-11:1;\nMk. 6:1-7:23; Lu. 9:1-17; John ch. 6.) Leaving Capernaum Jesus again\ncame to his own city, Nazareth, where the people acknowledged the\nmarvel of his wisdom and of his power but again rejected him-this time\nbecause of their knowledge of his lowly birth and unpretentious youth.\nUpon this rejection, Jesus and his disciples made another circuit\namongst the cities and towns of Galilee. This tour is made notable by\nseveral incidents: (a) We have the sending out of the twelve on a tour\nof preaching, healing and raising the dead; (b) The story of the death\nof John the Baptist, who was the first New Testament person to suffer\nmartyrdom for his conviction; (c) Two great miracles, that of feeding\nthe five thousand and of walking on the sea; (d) Two great discourses\nof Jesus, that on \"The Bread of Life\" and on \"Eating with unwashed\nhands.\"\n\n(7) _His first retirement into the north and return to the sea of\nGalilee_. (Matt. 15:21-16:12; Mk. 7:24-8:26). Jesus went up into the\ncoast of Tyre and Sidon where he healed the daughter of the\nSyrophoenician woman. On the return trip he passed through Decapolis\nwhere he healed a deaf and dumb man and performed many other miracles.\nAfter his return we have the record of the feeding of the four\nthousand, of his encountering the Pharisees about his authority and\nthe story of the blind man of Bethsaida.\n\n(8) _The second retirement to the north and return to\nCapernaum_. (Matt. 16:13-18 end; Mk. 8:27-9 end; Lu. 9:18-50). Jesus\nagain journeys into the north and came into the parts of Caesarea\nPhilippi where he drew from Peter the great confession, predicted his\ncoming death, was transfigured before  the favored three and healed\nthe lunatic boy. On his return, as he neared Capernaum, he again\nforetold his death and resurrection and after he arrived at Capernaum,\nwe have recorded the story of the coin in the fish's mouth and his\ndiscourse on humility, offenses and forgiveness.\n\n(9) _Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles_. (John chs. 7-8). By this time\nthe joyous season of the Feast of Tabernacles drew near and his\nbrothers, who though they did not believe in his deity, seemed to have\nsome pride in him and urged him to go up among the people and make a\ndisplay of his power. This he refused to do but went up secretly,\nprobably with the hope of escaping the antagonism that was now being\nmanifested toward him. There was, however, great excitement at\nJerusalem concerning him and he found it necessary to go into the\ntemple and boldly proclaim the teachings of his kingdom. These\nteachings may be studied under four heads: (a) The teaching of the\nfirst day and the division of the Jews concerning him; (b) The story\nof the adulterous woman; (c) His teaching concerning himself as the\n\"Light of the World.\" He probably looked upon the great light over the\ntreasury of the Lord's house which burned each night in commemoration\nof the cloud of fire that always guided and lighted Israel in the\nwilderness and was reminded of his own service for humanity and was\nprompted to this discourse; (d) His discourse on spiritual freedom and\ntrue children of Abraham.\n\n\n\nThe Perean Ministry. At the close of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus\nreturned to Galilee where he seems to have gathered around him a\nlittle company of loyal followers and made ready for his final\ndeparture to Jerusalem where he was to meat the death already\nforetold. The incidents of this period occurred during the journey.\nThe material easily falls into three parts marking distinct sections\nof time. (1) _From the departure from Jerusalem to the close of the\nFeast of Dedication_. (Matt. 19:1-2, 8:18-22; Mk. 10:1; Lu. ch. 10;\nJohn ch.s 9-10). This is one of the most interesting sections of all\nand records several incidents of far-reaching importance: (a) The\nstory of the healing of the man born blind and the investigation of it\nby the Sanhedrin; (b) The story of the sending out of the seventy and\ntheir return is told. As the Lord's work drew near its close, he felt\nhat others should be sent out to do a like work to his own; (c) The\nstory of the Good Samaritan and of his visit to Martha and Mary; (d)\nThe allegory of the Good Shepherd; (e) The report of his visit to the\nFeast of Dedication.\n\n(2) _From the Feast of Dedication to the withdrawal to Ephraim_. (Lu.\n11:1-17:10; John 11:1-54). This section of the period is even more\ncrowded with activity than was the former one. It is very difficult,\ntherefore, to refer here to anything like all that is recorded of the\nperiod. Among The subjects discussed the following are the most\nimportant: (a) The true nature of prayer and the follies and\nhypocrisies of the Pharisees, Lu. ch. 11; (b) The danger of hypocrisy,\nof denying Christ, of covetousness and of the judgments of Christ, Lu.\nch. 12; (c) The need and nature of repentance, the proper use of the\nSabbath, the number that shall be saved and the fate of Jerusalem, Lu.\nch. 13; (d) The law of conduct in the matter of feasts and counting\nthe cost of discipleship, Lu. ch. 14; (e) Three parables of grace and\ntwo parables of warning, Lu. chs. 15-16; (f) Forgiveness and faith,\nLu. 7:1-10; (g) The raising of Lazarus and withdrawal to Ephraim, John\nch. 11.\n\n(3) _From the withdrawal to Ephraim to the final arrival at\nJerusalem_. (Matt. chs. 13-20; 26:8-13; Mk. ch. 10; 14:3-9;\nLu. 17:11-19:28; John 11:55-12:11). This section is notable for the\npreponderance of teaching over the miracles reported. There are two\nmiracles, that of healing ten lepers and the blind man of Jericho. The\nfollowing show how large a place is given to teaching: (a) Concerning\nthe coming of the kingdom; (b) concerning prayer, illustrated by the\nimportunate widow and the Pharisee and publican; (c) Concerning\ndivorce; (d) the blessing of little children; (e) the ambitions of\nJames and John; (g) the visit to Zachaeus; (h) the parable of the\npounds and the anointing of Jesus for burial.\n\nThe Final Ministry in Jerusalem. Of all the periods of the life of\nChrist this is the most significant. The gospels put most stress upon\nit and particularly upon his trial and death. The disciples soon\nlearned to triumph in the cross, the seeming defeat out of which\nJesus, through his resurrection, snatched victory. Everything recorded\nof this period has a ring of the tragical and seemed a preparation for\nthe coming doom he was soon to meet. The material readily divides\nitself into three sections or periods. (1) _From the final arrival in\nJerusalem to the last hours of private intercourse with his disciples_.\n(Matt. 21:11-26:16; Mk. chs. 11-13; 14: 1, 2, 10, 11; Lu. 19:29-22:6;\nJohn 12:12 end). Like every other section of his active ministry among\nthe people this has in it some teachings and some miracles. The\ngreatest act of all was, perhaps, the triumphal entry of Jesus into\nJerusalem as king of the Jews. In this act he openly accepted the\nposition of Messiah.\n\nThere is one important miracle, that of cursing and withering the fig\ntree. Some consider that a miraculous power was also used in the\ncleansing of the temple. The teachings may be grouped as follows: (a)\nThe question about Christ's authority and his reply by question and\nthe three parables of warning; (b) Three questions by the Jews and\nChrist's unanswerable question; (c) Seven woes against the scribes and\nPharisees and the widow's mite; (d) The Gentiles seeking and the Jews\nrejecting Jesus; (e) a discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and\nthe end of the world; (f) the last prediction of his death and the\nconspiracy of Judas and the chief priests.\n\n(2) Christ's last hours with his disciples. (Matt. 26:17-35; Mk.\n14:12-31; Lu. 22:7 end; John chs. 13-17). Jesus has now withdrawn from\nthe crowd and is alone with his disciples giving to them his final\nwords of instruction and comfort. The whole of the material of this\nsection seems to be surrounded by an atmosphere of sacredness that\nalmost forbids our looking in upon its little company. This last\nevening that Jesus and the little group of disciples were together,\nis, however, so important that it is reported by the apostles. All the\nincidents of the evening seem to center around the institution of the\nlast or Paschal Supper. But for the sake of study and as an aid to\nmemory the events may be divided into three groups, (A) The supper.\nThe order of events in connection with it seem to be: (1) the strife\nof the disciples for the place of honor; (2) the beginning of the\nPassover meal; (3) the washing of the disciples' feet; (4) the\npointing out of the betrayer; (5) the departure of Jesus from the\ntable; (6) the institution of the Lord's upper.\n\n(B) The final instructions to the disciples. It is difficult to\nanalyze these discourses. There are running through them one thread of\nteaching and one of comfort. In some sections one element seems to\npredominate and in other the other, To illustrate; chapters 13 and 15\nof John seem to be more largely taken up with teaching, while chapters\n14 and 16 have a larger element of words intended to comfort them. The\neffort seems to be to convince them that it is better for them for him\nto go away, that their spiritual fellowship with him would be more\ncomplete and their understanding and power more perfect because of the\nComforter whom he would send.\n\n(C) The final or intercessory prayer for them. With the close of this\nprayer, in which he prayed for their preservation, their preparation\nfor service and their final union with him in his glory, and which he\nprayed that they might have fullness of joy (John 17:13) his ministry\nwith them ended till after his death.\n\n(3) _Christ's suffering for the sins of the world_. (Matt. 26:36-27\nend: Mk. 14:32-15 end; Lu. 22:39-23 end; John chs. 18-19). From some\ngood text on the Life of Christ or from the critical commentaries, the\npupils can find a discussion of this section. The following outline\nwill, however, be sufficient for our purpose here: (A) The agony in\nthe garden and the betrayal and arrest. This picture of the suffering\nof soul experienced by the Savior in which he also yielded himself to\nthe will of the Father stands out in blessed contrast against the\nweakness of his sleeping friends and the unspeakable criminality of\nthe betrayer. Even in his arrest Jesus once more finds opportunity to\nshow himself merciful in healing the ear of Malchus thereby,\ncounteracting the injury caused by the folly or rashness of one of his\nfriends.\n\n(B) The Jewish trial. The order of this trial seems to have been\nsomewhat as follows: (1) A preliminary trial before Annus; (2) A trial\nbefore day with only part of the Sanhedrin present; (3) A trial before\nthe whole Sanhedrin at daybreak. Knowing his rights Jesus several\ntimes refused to act. (1) He refused to bear testimony because no\nlegal charge had been made against him. (2) He refused to testify\nagainst himself which was within his right. (3) He demanded that they\nbring witnesses because that was just according to law. These last\nthree points at which Jesus claimed and acted upon his rights instead\nof upon their request shows the tendencies of the trial to be unfair\nand illegal. If one understands the Jewish law of trial it will be\neasy to see how glaringly out of harmony with the law this trial was.\nThere are at least ten illegalities in it.\n\n(C) The Roman trial. This whole story abounds in evidences of the\nprejudice and moral degeneracy of the Jewish leaders. They hated Roman\nrule past all words to tell and yet would pretend loyalty to Caesar to\ncarry out their wicked purpose. By this means they put Pilate in a\nposition that to release Jesus would make him appear to be untrue to\nCaesar in releasing one announced to be Caesar's enemy. The trial may\nbe studied in the light of the different ones before whom he was\ntried. (1) The public and private examination before Pilate. (2) The\nexamination before Herod. (3) The second examination before Pilate.\nThis also was partly private and partly public. Again, following he\noutline of John, we may consider the events as they happened\nalternately outside and inside of the praetorium.\n\n(D) The crucifixion. It would be difficult to exaggerate the cruelty\nand torture of crucifixion. \"It was the most cruel and shameful of all\npunishments.\" The disciples, however, dwell most of all upon the shame\nof it. Such a death in the eyes of a Jew was the sign of the curse of\nGod. Several things are of importance and should be remembered. (1)\nThe throng that saw it. A few were friends, some were bitter enemies\nand many were curious on-lookers. Altogether there was a great crowd\nand Jesus was derided and mocked in his death. (2) The story of the\ntwo thieves who were crucified with Jesus and especially the\nconversion of the one who repented. (3) The seven sayings of Jesus\nwhile he is on the cross reveal his spirit and planning while\nundergoing this human outrage. They are worthy of careful study. (4)\nThe miraculous occurrences of the day. There are three outstanding\nevents that should be thought of as divine manifestations. They are:\nthe darkness that covered the earth for three hours; the rending of\nthe veil of the temple and the earthquake. The people were deeply\nmoved by these marvelous signs. (5) The element of grace seen in it\nall. This is seen in the punishment of the innocent Jesus, while the\nguilty Barabbas went free; the saving of the guilty but penitent thief\nand several of the sayings of the cross.\n\n(E) The burial and tomb. The burial was very hurried, lest they should\nbreak a Jewish law. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus together took\nhim from the cross and buried him and the officers made his grave as\nsecure as possible and placed a guard over it. All this they did\nbecause of his saying that he would rise again in three days.\n\nThe Forty Days. (Matt. ch. 28; Mk. ch. 16; Lu. 23:56-24 end; John chs.\n20-21; Acts 1:3-12; 1 Cor. 15:5-7.) It is hard to divide this period\ninto sections in such a way as not to present many difficulties. The\nseveral events may, however, be grouped under the following heads. (1)\nThe early morning. (2) The walk to Emmaus and appearance to Peter. (3)\nThe appearance to the ten when Thomas is absent. (4) The appearance to\nthe eleven, Thomas being present. (5) The appearance to seven\ndisciples by the sea of Galilee. (6) Several other appearances\nmentioned by Paul. (7) The last appearance, when the commission was\ngiven and he ascended. The order of events as outlined cannot be\nassured with any certainty. Then, too, there are differences of detail\nas to the occurrences here outlined. Each of them, therefore, presents\nits own difficulties. The most perplexing of all these problems is the\narrangement of the events of the resurrection morning and especially\nthe movements of the various women mentioned.\n\nTouching the whole resurrection problem all of the gospels agree upon\nseveral important matters: (1) In giving no description of the\nresurrection itself; (2) that the evidence of it began with the\nwomen's visit to the sepulcher in the early morning; (3) that the\nfirst sign was the removal of the stone; (4) that they saw angels\nbefore they saw the Lord; (5) that manifestations were granted to none\nbut disciples; (6) that the disciples were not expecting such\nmanifestations; (7) that at first they received these manifestations\nwith hesitancy and doubt; (8) that these appearances were made to all\nkinds of witnesses, male and female, individuals and companies; (9)\nthat they were so convinced of his resurrection and appearance to them\nthat nothing could cause them to doubt it.\n\nThe resurrection was necessary to show that we had not a dead and\nsuffering Christ but a living and triumphant one. \"The ascension is\nthe necessary completion of the resurrection\" and is presupposed in\nall New Testament teaching. Jesus is everywhere thought of as having\nall power and is expected to return again from the presence of the\nFather with great glory.\n\nTeachings of the Period. The most of the emphasis is put on the final\nteachings in connection with his death and resurrection. It may be\nwell, however, to gather together a few truths touching his whole\ncareer. (1) _Those concerning his humanity_: (a) He grew and developed\nas any normal child; (b) His education and work was that of any normal\nperson; (c) But the whole of his childhood was set in divine\nmanifestations; (d) In life he showed all the effects of hunger,\nsorrow, etc., found in any normal man. (2) Those concerning his\nsuper-human power. He exercised power over: (a) Physical nature; (b)\nsickness and physiological defects; (c) life and death; (d) demons and\nall spiritual powers; (e) over sin to forgive it. (3) _Those found In\nhis general teachings_. There are many of these but the following are\nimportant to remember: (a) The truthfulness of the Old Testament\nscriptures; (b) The holiness and goodness and love of God; (c) The\nsinfulness of man and his need of salvation; (d) The value of\nrepentance and faith as a means of bringing men into the favor of God;\n(e) His own duty and oneness with the Father; (f) The work and power\nof the Holy Spirit; (g) The purpose and work of his kingdom and\nchurch; (h) The power and nature of prayer; (i) The value of spiritual\nand the worthlessness of formal worship; (j) The true way to greatness\nthrough service.\n\n(4) _The teachings growing out of the crucifixion_: (a) It proves that\nGod will forgive; (b) It shows the great evil of sin; (c) It shows the\nneed of cleansing before we can enter heaven; (d) It shows God's value\nof the soul; (e) It shows the value of salvation and the worth of\neternal life; (f) It furnishes a motive to turn from sin that so\noffends God and endangers us; (g) It brings hope of forgiveness and\ncleansing.\n\n(5) _The teaching of the resurrection and ascension_: (a) that Jesus\nis in truth God's son; (b) that there is another life; (c) that we\nshall also be resurrected; (d) that we shall know in the next life our\nloved ones of this life; (e) that our lives here have an influence and\nmeaning beyond the grave.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) Master all the material as given in this\nchapter, looking carefully into scripture references. (2) Study the\ngeography of the country. (3) List all the divine manifestations in\nconnection with the birth and childhood of Jesus. (4) Outline the\nentire career of John the Baptist, beginning with the vision to\nZachariah before his birth. (5) Study in outline the sermon on the\nmount. (6) Find examples showing Christ's power exerted in each of the\nfive directions suggested in \"2\" of \"the teachings of the period\"\ngiven above. (7) Discuss any outstanding events in the life of Jesus\nand his disciples that seem to members of the class to be epoch making\nin their influence. (8) Read and discuss Jesus' farewell addresses to\nhis disciples. (9) Study carefully the scriptures covering the trial\nand crucifixion of Jesus. (10) Study the scriptures covering the\nperiod and outline further the events and teachings.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIX.\n\nFrom the Ascension to The Church at Antioch.\n\nActs Chs. 1-12.\n\nThe Book of Acts. The book of Acts is the only purely historical book\nof the New Testament. It is as a continuation of the gospel of Luke.\nIt follows the fortunes of the infant church and gives us all the\nlight we have in regard to its further organization and development,\nbut it does not claim to be a complete history of the work of the\nearly church. As a history it is as remarkable for what it omits as\nfor what it narrates. The central theme is the triumph and progress of\nthe gospel in spite of all the opposition and persecution which its\nadvocates met. The chief purpose seems to be to show the progress of\nChristianity among the Gentiles and only so much of the work among the\nJews is given as will authenticate the other. The whole book falls\ninto three sections: (1) The church at work in Jerusalem, chs. 1-7.\n(2) The church at work in Palestine, chs, 8-12. (3) The church at work\namong the Gentiles, chs. 13-28.\n\nThe material of the period which we are now to study includes the\nfirst two points and should be read in connection with the following\noutline:\n\nI. _The church at work in Jerusalem, chs_. 1-7.\n\n1. Preparation for witnessing, 1:1-2:4. Under this there is given: (1)\nChrist's last instructions and ascension and (2) The church in the\nupper room including the election of Matthias and the coming of the\nHoly Spirit.\n\n2. The first witnessing. Here are given 2:5-47: (1) The first\nwitnessing, (2) the first message, (3) the first fruit of the\nwitnessing.\n\n3. The first persecution 3:1-4:31. Here we have the first persecution\nand the occasion for it.\n\n4. The Blessed state of the church, 4:32-5 end   There is great love\nand unity and God indorses their work by the destruction of Ananias\nand his wife and by the release of apostles from prison.\n\n5. The first deacons, 6:1-7.\n\n6. The first martyr 6:8-7 end.\n\nII. The church at work in Palestine, chs. 8-12.\n\n1. Witnesses scattered, 8:1-4.\n\n2. Philip witnesses in Samaria and Judea, 8:5-40.\n\n3. The Lord wins new witnesses, 9:1-11:18. (1) Saul. (2) Aeneas, etc.\n(3) Dorcas, Mary, etc. (4) Cornelius.\n\n4. Center of labor changed to Antioch, 11:19 end.\n\n5. The witnesses triumph over Herod's persecution, ch. 12.\n\nThe Principle Events of this Period. Many things which on the surface\nseem to be of little importance, contributed much toward shaping the\ndestiny of the early church. The following, however, should be\nremembered as the great outstanding events of the time. (1) The\nascension with the incidents connected with it. (2) The Baptism of the\nHoly Ghost with the consequent sermon of Peter and its results. (3)\nThe first persecution of the Apostles, with Peter's sermon and the\nmeasures taken by the Sanhedrin to stop the movement. (4) The\npunishment of Ananias and his wife. (5) The appointment of the first\ndeacons. (6) The martyrdom of Steven. (7) The work of Philip in\nSamaria and the conversion of the Eunuch. (8) The conversion of Saul\nof Tarshish. (9) The conversion of Cornelius with connected events.\n(10) The church's acknowledgement of the validity of this work among\nthe Gentiles, Acts 11:18. (11) The great work at Antioch. (12) The\nmartyrdom of James and the death of Herod.\n\nThe Organization and Control of the Early Church. Jesus had set up his\nchurch and left it his final commission. Its organization was a matter\nof growth and was increased only as new conditions arose that made it\nnecessary to the success and efficiency of their work. They elected,\nat the suggestion of Peter, Matthias to take the place of Judas as one\nof their witnesses. When conditions arose that threatened the success\nof their work, they elected deacons to assist the apostles in caring\nfor the more temporal work of the church. In it all it is clear that\nthe church as a whole transacted the business. The Apostles no doubt\nhad a very good influence but did not assume to dictate to the church\nwhat did not \"please the whole multitude\" (Acts 6:5). All\nresponsibility was put upon the church as a democratic and\nself-governing body.\n\nThe Persecutions of the Church. In the persecutions which Jesus\nsuffered the Pharisees took the lead, but the opposition met by the\nearly disciples was led by the Sadducees. This was because of the\ndoctrine of the resurrection, preached by the apostles. The\npersecutions deepened and widened very rapidly. (1) They were given\npublic hearing, commanded not to teach in Jesus' name and after\nthreatening were let go. (2) They were released without punishment\nonly by the appeal of Gamaliel, a doctor of the law. (3) On account of\nthe universal aspect of Christianity, preached by Steven, the\nPharisees joined the Sadducees in opposing the Christians and their\njoint persecution led to the death of Steven and the scattering of the\ndisciples from Jerusalem, 6:8-8:3. (4) The Romans who for the most\npart had been indifferent to the movement also joined the Sanhedrin in\nthe attempt to suppress the brethren. Accordingly Herod Agrippa,\nhoping to gain the good will of the Jews, seized the apostle James and\nput him to death and seeing that this made him popular seized Peter\nand would have destroyed him but for divine intervention.\n\nIn spite of all this persecution these early Christians made wonderful\nprogress. They were unmoved in their purpose to establish their faith.\nThey went everywhere preaching the gospel of the kingdom. They openly\ndeclared that they would not refrain from preaching what they\nconceived to be their duty to God. They boldly threw their doctrine\ninto the teeth of their antagonists. Such courage was something new in\nthe history of the Jews. They even \"rejoiced that they were counted\nworthy to suffer dishonor for his name.\"\n\nTheir Growth and Influence. The courage already mentioned could not\nfail to bear fruit. The second chapter tells of three thousand, added\nto them in one day and then of others day by day. In chapter five it\nis said a multitude of believers both men and women added to them.\nChapter six says that \"the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem\nexceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the\nfaith.\" The priests were for the moat part Sadducees and the fact that\nmany of these who had been active in arresting the disciples now came\nto accept their teaching is highly significant touching the matters of\ntheir success.\n\nExtension of the Gospel to the Gentiles. One of the most interesting\ntopics for study found in the records of this period is the way in\nwhich Christians gradually extended into the borders of the Gentiles.\nMany questions were raised that had to be solved-questions that had\nnot been before raised among the followers of Jesus. (1) Philip went\ninto Samaria and many of these half-bred Jews believed. Here he was\nfollowing the steps of Jesus who had also met with success and\nintroduced his teachings before going outside to those in no wise akin\nto the Jews. (2) Peter and John were sent to Samaria and not only\napproved the work of Philip but bestowed upon these Samaritans the\nHoly Spirit and themselves preached to many Samaritan villages. (3)\nPeter made a tour of certain Judean villages and came down to Joppa\nwhere he lodged with a tanner and would, according to Jewish law, have\nbeen unclean. This tends to show that he was coming to see that the\nceremonial distinctions of the Levites were not so binding. (4) Peter\npreached to Cornelius a Gentile and he and his household received the\nHoly Ghost and baptism and spake with tongues. (5) Having heard\nPeter's explanation of his course the church glorified God and\nacknowledged that God had granted repentance and life to the Gentiles.\n(6) Paul the chosen vessel to bear the Gospel to the Gentiles was\nsaved. (7) The work spread to Antioch of Syria and Barnabas was sent\nto investigate it and soon went to Cilicia and brought Paul to Antioch\nand the two labored there a year, then made a visit to Jerusalem to\ncarry gifts to the poor and returned to Antioch bringing John Mark.\nThis period closes with them still at Antioch.\n\nThe Teachings of this Period. (1) Men can succeed in any right cause\nin spite of opposition. (2) Popularity is not required to give one\nsuccess as a Christian work. (3) Small numbers are not a sign of\nweakness and do not foretoken defeat. (4) The gospel truth,\ncourageously preached, can win its way into the hardest hearts. (3)\nConsciousness of duty, divinely imposed is the most powerful stimulus\nto action.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The Great Commission, ch. 1. (2) Peter's\nsermon on the day of Pentecost. (3) Stephen's address of defense. (4)\nThe liberality of these Christians or their provision for the poor.\n(5) The place of prayer in the work of these disciples. (6) The\nreferences to the Holy Spirit and his work. (7) The teachings of the\nperiod concerning Jesus. (8) Concerning the resurrection. (9) All the\nevents, persecutions, teachings, etc., mentioned above.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XX.\n\nFrom Antioch to The Destruction of Jerusalem.\n\n\nActs 13-28 and all the rest of the New Testament except the  epistles\nof John and Revelation.\n\nThe Changed Situation. We have now come to a turning point in the\nwhole situation. The center of work has shifted from Jerusalem to\nAntioch, the capital of the Greek province of Syria, the residence of\nthe Roman governor of the province. We change from the study of the\nstruggles of Christianity in the Jewish world to those it made among\nheathen people. We no longer study many and various persons and their\nlabors but center our study upon the life and labors of Paul.\n\nThe Divine Call. Certain prophets of the church at Antioch were\nengaged in solemn prayer and worship when the Holy Spirit instructed\nthem to send Paul and Barnabas to do the work to which they were\ncalled. Here, then, the Holy Spirit takes charge of the movement. He\ninaugurates, directs and promotes this work. When the call came it is\nprobable that Paul had but little idea of the magnitude of the work\nwhich he was to do. He was not aware that his work and teaching would\nchange the religion and philosophy of the whole world.\n\nThe Time and Extent of Paul's Journeys. The most of his work was\naccomplished during three great missionary journeys. The time occupied\nfor these great journeys with the distance traveled has been estimated\nas follows: the first journey 1400 miles and three years; the second\njourney 3200 miles and three years; the third journey 3500 miles and\nfour years; or a total of 8100 miles representing ten years of labor.\nTo this must be added his journey to Rome which required a whole\nwinter and was about 2300 miles and many side trips of which we have\nno record. It is also commonly thought that he was released at the end\nof two years at Rome and again entered upon mission work that probably\nlasted four years and carried him again into Macedonia, Asia Minor,\nCrete and Spain.\n\nThe First Missionary Journey. (Acts, chs. 13-14). The company\nconsisted of Saul and Barnabas and John Mark. They went by way of the\nisle of Cyprus and at Paphos the capital of the island the governor\nwas converted and Saul was afterward called Paul. They reached\nPamphylia and Pisidia in Asia. John Mark left them in Pamphylia and\nreturned home. In the cities of Pisidia Paul was persecuted and\nopposed. At Antioch he made a complete break with the Jews and at\nLystra they stoned him until they thought he was dead. From Derbe the\nmissionaries retraced their steps except that they did not go through\nCyprus on the return to Antioch. Their stay at Antioch was marked by\nan important church council at Jerusalem, Acts 15:1-35. At this\ncouncil it was decided that Gentile Christians were not bound by the\nrequirement of the Jewish law. This decision was instrumental in\ndetermining that Christianity was not simply a new branch of Judaism\nbut was a new religion.\n\nSecond Missionary Journey. (Acts. 15:36-18:22). Paul proposed that he\nand Barnabas visit the brethren in every city \"where he had already\npreached,\" but he declined to yield to the wish of Barnabas to take\nMark with them and in consequence separated from Barnabas. He took\nSilas and went overland through Syria and Cilicia to the scene of his\nformer labors. At Lystra he was joined by Timothy. He was restrained\nby the Holy Spirit from further work in Asia and called into Europe by\nthe \"Macedonian call\" while at Troas. While in Europe he labored at\nseveral places, the most conspicuous service being rendered at\nPhilippi, Thessalonica and Corinth. Strong churches grew up at each of\nthese places to which he later wrote letters. He returned to Antioch\nby way of Ephesus where he spent a little time, and Caesarea, from\nwhence he probably visited Jerusalem.\n\nWhile on this Journey during his long stay at Corinth Paul wrote First\nand Second Thessalonians and probably the book of Galatians also. If\nthe time to be devoted to this course will allow, these epistles\nshould be read at this point. The author's \"The Bible Book by Book\"\nwill furnish an outline guide for such reading.\n\nThird Missionary Journey. (Acts. 18:33-21:17). How long Paul remained\nat Antioch at the close of the second journey is not known. But when\nhe had finished his visit he set out again to revisit some of the\nplaces formerly touched and to cultivate some new fields. The outline\nand work of this journey may be put down as follows: (1) He passes\nthrough Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the disciples. (2) His work\nof nearly three years at Ephesus. (3) The trip through Macedonia and\nGreece. (4) The return trip through Macedonia to Jerusalem. Luke seems\nto desire to narrate only what is new and most important. He,\ntherefore, goes fully into the work at Ephesus. (1) There was the\nincident of the work of Apollos and the baptism of some of John's\ndisciples. (2) Three months work among the Jews. (3) Two years of\nteaching in the school of Tyrannus. (4) A \"season\" after he sent\nTimotheus and Etastus into Macedonia. The success of this work is seen\nespecially in two incidents. (1) The burning of the books of the\nJewish exorcists which were valued at over $31,000. (2) The checking\nof the sale of images of the idol, Diana, which resulted in a great\ntumult.\n\nAfter this tumult at Ephesus Paul departed into Macedonia and seems to\nhave visited the principal cities and finally arrived at Corinth where\na plot to kill him was formed. Upon discovering this plot he set out\non his return trip to Jerusalem, going back through Macedonia. This\ntrip is notable for several things. (1) The seven days stay at Troas\nwhich was significant because of an all night service and the accident\nto Eutychus. (2) The conference at Miletus with the Elders of Ephesus\nin which he reviewed his work among them and indicated to them that\nthey would see him no more. (3) A week's stay at Tyre where he was\npersuaded not to go to Jerusalem. (4) Many days spent at Caesarea\nduring which Agabus, who had formerly told them of the coming drouth,\npredicted that the Jews of Jerusalem would bind Paul and deliver him\nto the Gentiles. (5) The arrival at Jerusalem where he was kindly\nreceived by James and the elders.\n\nThis journey also was marked by the writing of some of Paul's most\nnotable epistles. (1) The First Letter to the Corinthians. He wrote\nthis letter while at Ephesus just before leaving for Macedonia. (2)\nThe Second Letter to the Corinthians. After Paul came into Macedonia\nhe met Titus with tidings from the Corinthians whereupon he wrote them\nthis second letter, probably from Philippi. (3) The Letter to the\nRomans. From Macedonia Paul went into Achaia where he stayed three\nmonths and while staying with Gaius in Corinth (Rom. 16:23; 1 Cor.\n1:14) he wrote this great epistle. The occasion, purpose, outline and\nother information concerning these epistles may be found in \"The Bible\nBook by Book\".\n\nAt Jerusalem. Although Paul was received kindly by the brethren and\nalthough he took a certain precaution that he might not offend the\nmany thousands of Jews that were in Jerusalem at the feast, some\nAsiatic Jews saw him and raised a great tumult. (1) They began to beat\nhim and he would no doubt have been killed had he not been rescued by\nRoman soldiers. (2) As a prisoner he was being borne to the Tower of\nAntonia, but on the stairway asked and obtained permission to speak to\nthe angry Jews. (3) When they would no longer hear him he was removed\nto the castle and ordered scourged. He saves himself from this by\nclaiming his Roman citizenship. (4) He was brought before the Jewish\nSanhedrin which he threw into confusion by expressing his belief in\nthe resurrection and afterwards was put in prison. (5) On account of\nthe plot to kill him which was discovered by Paul's nephew he was sent\naway under heavy guard to Caesarea.\n\nPaul at, Caesarea. When Paul reached Caesarea he was under Roman\njurisdiction. He was allowed some privileges. The most important\nincidents of this two years' imprisonment may be put down somewhat as\nfollows. (1) His trial before Felix during which he was prosecuted by\nTertullus and he himself made a speech of defense. (2) His second\nhearing before Felix, no doubt in private, with his wife Drusilla\nafter which he held him in the hope that he would bribe Felix. (3) His\ntrial before Festus during which he claimed his right as a Roman\ncitizen and appealed to Caesar. (4) He had a hearing before Festus and\nKing Agrippa II during which Paul spoke.\n\nPaul's Six Last Addresses. In connection with the story of Paul in\nJerusalem and Caesarea we have preserved for us six of his last\naddresses. In the light of his imprisonment and eminent danger they\nshow his great faith and courage and are given here for study. (1) His\nSpeech before the Jewish Mob, Acts 21:1-29. (2) His speech before the\nJewish council. Acts 22: 30-23:10. (3) His speech before Felix. Acts\n24:10-22. (4) His speech before Felix and his wife Drusilla, Acts\n24:24-27. (5) His speech before Festus, Acts 25:7-11. (6) His speech\nbefore Festus and King Aggrippa II, Acts 26:1-32.\n\nPaul's Journey to Rome. Paul now takes up his long journey to Rome.\nThe voyage consumes most of the winter and three ships are used to\nconvey him. (1) From Caesarea to Myra, a city of Lycia. Their ship\ntouched at Sidon where Paul was allowed to visit his friends. (2) From\nMyra to the Island of Malta. On this voyage they touched at Fair\nHavens, tried to reach Phenice and had fourteen days of storm. (3)\nThey were cast the island of Malta, where they spent three months. (4)\nThe journey completed to Rome, going by way of Syracuse, Rhegium,\nPuteoli, Apii Forum and Three Taverns.\n\nPaul at Rome. The Roman Christians came out to meet him at Apii Forum,\nforty-three miles from Rome. Several things should be noticed. (1)\nPaul after three days explained his situation to the Jews and planned\nanother day when he would further address them. (2) Next he turned to\nthe Gentiles and taught them. (3) He hired (rented) a house and for\ntwo years had liberty of speech and taught whoever would come to him.\nThe story of Acts closes here, but it is commonly believed that Paul\nwas released and visited Spain and Asia and later was rearrested and\nbrought to Rome again where he was put to death.\n\nThe Epistles of this Period. The epistles written during this period\nmay be divided into two groups: (1) Those written by Paul; (2) Those\nwritten by others. Those written by Paul are the following: (1)\nPhilippians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. All of these were\nwritten from Rome during Paul's first imprisonment at Rome and would\ncome in the years 62 and 63 A.D. (2) First Timothy and Titus. These\nwere probably written in Macedonia about A.D. 66. This is on the\nsupposition that Paul was released from the imprisonment at Rome and\nmade other preaching tours. (3) Second Timothy. This was written from\nthe Roman prison just before his death about A.D. 67 or 68. This would\nhave been a second imprisonment and we know nothing of this except by\ntradition. (4) Hebrews. There are many eminent scholars who think some\nother than Paul wrote this book, but it is put down here because it\nwas so long and so unanimously considered his and because the point\nagainst his authorship does not seem fully established. It was written\nsome time before A.D. 70, as the temple and its worship were still in\nforce.\n\nThere are four other letters of the period. (1) The Epistle of James.\nThis epistle was probably written about A.D. 50 but some think it was\nwritten as late as A.D. 62 and it is put in for consideration here\nbecause of the uncertainty. (2) The First Epistle of Peter, which was\nwritten about A.D. 66. (3) The Second Epistle of Peter, written about\nA.D. 67 and certainly before the fall of Jerusalem. (4) The Epistle of\nJude, written about A.D. 66. \"The Bible Book by Book\" will furnish the\nstudent with a statement concerning the occasion, purpose, outline of\ncontents and other introductory discussions.\n\nLessons of the Period. (1) One man with proper consecration can be a\nblessing to all the world. (2) The same teaching sometimes wins one\nand repels another. (3) The fact that one is divinely led does not\nguarantee that one may not be wrongly treated by men. (4) Persecution\ncan not destroy one's happiness if one is conscious of doing the will\nof God. (5) Strategic centers are the most fruitful fields of mission\nwork. (6) False religious beliefs are less tolerant than the true. (7)\nGod may save a whole company for the sake of one man. (8) No matter\nwhat calamity comes to us we may in the midst of it be a source of\nblessing to others.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) The countries visited by Paul. Draw maps\nand indicate his journeys. (2) The history and importance of the\nprincipal cities visited by him (make a list of them and consult the\nBible dictionaries). (3) Paul's companions in the work (make a list of\nthem and consult the Bible dictionaries). (4) The Apostle Paul\nhimself: (a) His birth and childhood; (b) his education; (c) his\nconversion. (5) The persecutions of Paul. (6) The miraculous or\nsuperhuman element seen in this section. (7) The value of the Roman\ncitizenship to Paul. (8) Paul's letters: (a) Name them and tell where\nin these journeys each comes in; (b) learn something of the occasion,\npurpose and outline of each. (9) The other epistles of this period.\n(10) The time and extent of Paul's journeys. (11) The church council\nat Jerusalem. (12) The Roman officers met in this narrative-what sort\nof men, etc. (13) Paul's speeches as given here.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXI.\n\nDestruction of The Temple to The Death of The Apostle John.\n\nEpistles of John and Revelation.\n\nThe Period of History. This period begins with the fall of the city of\nJerusalem, A.D. 70, and ends with the death of John, the last of the\napostles. We have but little scripture touching the conditions of this\nperiod. Indeed, all of it is inferential so far as the scripture is\nconcerned. We may, however, learn much from secular history and\ntradition.\n\nThe Destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus had predicted the fall of this\nbeloved city. Many frightful massacres of Jews had occurred in Judea\nbefore the end of the last period, but it was in A.D. 70, about two\nyears after Paul's death, that Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the\ntemple and Judaism had its downfall. After this the marks of\nseparation between Christianity and Judaism became more and more\ndistinct. From that time the Jewish religion has never gained\nascendancy in any country.\n\nFrom A.D. 70 to A.D. 100. The general history of this period has in it\nlittle of interest. At the end of the very creditable reign of emperor\nVespasian, who was on the throne of Rome when Jerusalem fell, Titus,\ncalled \"The delight of the human race,\" reigned in his stead. During\nhis reign occurred that awful eruption of Vesuvius that buried\nPompeii. Titus was succeeded by his brother Domitian, who was one of\nthe greatest tyrants that ever ruled in any country. It is generally\nsupposed that John was banished to the Isle of Patmos during the reign\nof Domitian. After Domitian reigned Nerva and Trojan, the last of\nwhich showed great talent and brought back much of the early vigor to\nthe empire. The cyclopedias and histories of Rome will give\ninformation about the period.\n\nThe Literature of the Period. The history of the Christians in this\nperiod is very obscure because of the scanty literature produced in\nit. What literature we have of these years may be divided into two\nclasses: (1) Scripture books. These are the three epistles of John,\nwhich were written at Ephesus a while before his banishment, probably\nabout 80 or 85 A. D., and the Revelation, which was composed while in\nexile on Patmos about 95 or 96 A. D. (2) Some early Christian writings\nnot included in the canon of the New Testament. Of this class of\nwritings is the Epistle of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, written\nabout 96-98 A.D., and the Epistle of Barnabas and the Teaching of the\nTwelve Apostles, probably written sometime before A.D. 100. This then\nis a period of transition from the Canonical to the Patristic\nliterature.\n\nDeath of John and End of Scripture History. John was on the Isle of\nPatmos as an exile because of his testimony for Jesus. He seems to\nhave lived until the end of the first century and is said to have met\ndeath in a cauldron of boiling oil. The last of the apostles being now\ndead the canon of the scripture is closed and the power of miracles\nremoved and Christianity left to win its own way by means of the\nefforts and the prayers of the disciples and the grace which God\nordinarily grants to them. Thus ends the scripture history-with a\ncompleted revelation and the Christian churches set up as a witness\nfor Christ.\n\nLessons of the Period. It is difficult to draw, from a period of which\nwe know so little, any certain conclusions. We are perhaps safe in\nmaking some observations. (1) Christianity must always make its way\nagainst opposition. (2) The Christian faith gives courage and joy in\nthe most trying circumstances. (3) Christianity will finally triumph\nover its enemies.\n\nFor Study and Discussion. (1) From the Bible dictionaries,\ncyclopedias, etc., study the reigns of the different Roman emperors of\nthis period. (2) Learn something of the nature and contents of the\nPatristic literature mentioned in this discussion. (3) The four New\nTestament books of this period.","title":"The Bible Period by Period: A Manual for the Study of the Bible by Periods","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":45220}