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JOSHUAS COMMISSION.
LESSON I, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER¬
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 7.
Text of the Lesson, Josh i, I -19—Commit
Verses 8, tf—Golden Text, Eph. vi, 14.
Commentary by Rev. D, M. Stearns.
[Condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permissou of H. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
publisher.]
The book of Joshua tells us of the entrance
of the nation of Israel into the promised
land, the overthrow of the nations then in
the land, its subsequent division among the
tribes and the appointing of cities of refuge.
The book closes with an account of the fare¬
well address of Joshua and his death, at the
age of 110 years; also the death of Eleazar,
the son of Aaron, and the burial of the body
of Joseph, which they had brought with
them from Egypt and carried a^l through
their wilderness wanderings.
1. “After the death of Moses.” Dead as
far as any further connection with Israel at
that time was concerned, but personally he
was gloriously alive. What a deliverance to
be free from the burden of ruling and guiding
that rebellious and unbelieving host; what a
gain to be ever in the immediate presence of
Him w ho had appeared to him at the bash,
and on the mount and in the tabernacle, and
to have personal fellowship with Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, Enoch and Noah and the
myriads of the redeemed in glory.
2. “Arise, go over this Jordan.” Joshua
might have asked how they were to cross
that river, but he had passed through the
Red sea forty years before and he knew that
the Lord was able to make a way, and when
God gave a command he had only to obey.
3. “Every place that the sole of your foot
shall tread on.” Thus He had said to Moses
(Deut. xi, 24), and now He confirms it to
Joshua. And yet when Joshua was old and
s' ricken in years there remained very much
l.i ;d to be possessed (xiii, 1); and he had to
say to the people, “How long are ye slack to
go to possess the land which the Lord God of
your fathers hath given you?” (xviii, 3.) it
was all theirs; they bad only to go up and
possess it, for the Lord would fight for them
against their enemies and subduo them; but
it was necessary for them to set their foot on
the land.
4. “Unto the great river Euphrates.” This
was the eastern boundary of the land given
to Abraham, but, with the exception of a
short period in the days of Solomon, it was
never possessed nor enjoyed. (Gen. xv, 18,
II Chron. ix, 20.) It shall all be made good,
however, after the first resurrection, when a
greater than Solomon, the true Son of David,
shall sit on David’s throne and reign over the
house of Jacob, and Abraham shall l>e proved
to bo heir of the world. (Luke i, 32, 88,
Rom. iv, 13.)
5. “1 will be with thee; I will not fail thee
nor forsake thee.” It was not a question of
the power or skill of Joshua, but of Him who
sent Joshua. When Moses asked, “Who am
I that l should go unto Pharaoh?”, the Lord's
answer was, “Certainly, I will be with thee;”
and when Moses said, “Oh, my Lord. 1 am
not a man of words (margin), but 1 am slow
of speech and of a slow tongue,” the Lord
said unto him: “Who hath made man’s
mouth? Have not I, the Lord? Now there¬
fore go, and I will be with thy mouth and
teach thee what thon shalt say.” (Ex. iii, 11,
12; iv, 10-12.) So in our Christian life it
never a question of what wo are or what we
can do, but of what He is and what Ho can
do, for it is God who worketh in us both to
will and to do of His good pleasure. It seems
once of the Lord with us and that Ho will
never fail us nor forsake us. That which
was the strength of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David
and the prophets, and the last comfort of the
risen Christ to His apostles, may and ought
to be our daily joy and strength, and will be
if we appropriate the promise in simple and
sincere faith, thank Him for His presence
and go forward relying on Him.
fj. “Be strong and of a good courage.” The
presence of the Lord was reason enough why
be should be strong and courageous; the ne
cessityof his being so is seen from the fact
that three times in this exhortation it is urged
upon him (vs. 7-9). The strength was not to
be his, but the Lord’s, who perfects His
strength in our weakness and enables us to
say! “when I am weak then am I strong**’
“Thou shalt cause this people to inherit
the land” (margin). Jesus is the true Joshua,
who causes all Hi* redeemed to inherit in due
time the Kingdom. Nloses seems to repre¬
sent Jesus under the law and dying for the
sins of the people, while Joshua represents
Jesus iu resurrection leading his people to
rest and victory.
7. “Observe to do according to all the
law.” This is the only way of true wisdom
and prosperity. There was no law given
them to keep in the land of Egypt; not till
after He by His own power redeemed and de¬
livered them did He give them His laws and
statutes to keep and do. God does not ask
the sinner to keep His laws, but to receive
salvation as a free gift in order that he may
then inui keen keep his ms commandment* commanaments nnd ana dn ao them them
and thus have fellowship with Him. 1 here
is too much turning to the right hand or
the tne left left on nil the the mrt. pait of or those those w * -ho h0 nro. P ro *
fess to be Christians, and too little of
the “following fully” seen in Caleb
and Joshua; a little stepping aside to
the neglect ® of one command or transgressing ® °
in reference _ to another; , a saying . m . reference
•‘VheiheryeTator,S U ‘r whaSC ,°e
n k
do, do all to the glory of God;” that is what
no one does nor can do, and it is no use to
try, thus setting aside the commaiftl of God
and making the inconsistencies of Christians
a reason for increased disobedience. Noth¬
ing will do but a cheerful obedience to every
command and a whole hearted surrender of
spirit, soul and body to Him who is ready to
possess us and live in us His own life over
again.
8. Meditate therein day and night, that
thou mayest observe to do.” They were to
set their hearts upon the words of the law,
talk of them in the house and by the way,
and teach them to their children, that thus
their days might be as the days of heaven
upon earth. (Deut. vi, 4-9, xi, 18-21.) If
this was the command for the people, how
much more for their leader# He as their guide
was to “delight in the law of the Lord and
meditate therein day caT night.” d J s. i, 2.)
David could say: “Oh; how love I Thy law;
it is ray meditation ajl the day.” “The law
of Thy mouth is better unto tne than thou
sands of gold and silver,” and our Lord Jesus
said: “I delight to do Thy will, O my God,
yea, Thy la*ris within my heart.” <Hs. cxix,
72, 97; xl, 8.) If Jesus lives in us, possessing
us fully, He in us will still delight to do the
will of God, and rejoice more in the word of
God than in all riches, for He is Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday, today arid forever.
9. “Have not 1 commanded thee?” For a
soldier it is enough that he has been com¬
manded; it is not his to ask or reason why,
but only to obey. How much more should it
be enough for the soldier of the Lord Jesus?
Such an one should know uo fear nor dismay,
but ever be strong and of good courage, be¬
lieving that the Lord his God is with him
whithersoever he goeth.
A l*al«ce of llt-auty.
The new crockery house of I. L
Pollard & Co., is a veritable china
palace. It is a gem of beauty from
the front door to the back stoop.
Here the house keeper will find every¬
thing to meet her wants and in every
style of art. She will find articles of
ornament for the parlor, the dining
i the kitchen. Mr. Pollard
room or
has associated with him Mr. W. W.
-cently of Ta.bo, county, who
will take pleasure in serving the pub
lie and he is assisted by as polite a
corps of assistants as you will find in
j - (j ] b Remember
t le C] t 7 ot 0 um us '
when you are in the city to call at
the new crockery J store ’ two doors be
low .Brannon & Carson drug store,
and our word for it, you will be hand
, , , It is worth trid
“ 7 1 1 a
to the city to see this beautiful dis-j
play and you will miss a beat if you
fail to see It
- | £ A m ,
f f O U TG w‘ i it
wuh IIeada( . hc . N - e , lra i sia , Rh „ n)ati . ; '< r
sla, Biliousness. Blood Humors, Kith.. .. .
Constipation v cmale roubles, Fever anu Ague
Sleeplessness, Partial Paralysis, or Nervous » ros
tration, use Paine’s Celery Compound and l>c
cured. In each of these the cause is menial or
physical overwork, anxiety, exposure or malaria,
the effect of which is to weaken the nervous sys¬
tem, resulting in one of these diseases. Remove
the Cause with that great Nerve Tonic, and the
result will disappear.
Paine’s Celery Compound
“ line's J*s. L. Celery Bowen, Springfield, Mow., be excelled writes:—
Nerve Tonic. Compound In cannot single bottle as
my case a
wrought disappeared, a great and change with My nervousness resulting entirely
it the affection
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I tell my friends, if sick as 1 have been, Paine's
Celery Compound
Will Cure You!
Sold „ ,,. by druggists. , . . 81; six for $f>. ,, Prepared , only ,
by wells, Richardson & Co., Burlington, Vt.
For the Aged, Nervous, Debilitated.
A. c. chancellor. T. J. PEARCE.
CHANCELLOR & PEARCE,
Successors to
V A. C. C1IA1SC ELLGI ,
A,
COLUMBUS, GA.
MERCHANT TAILORS,
! \ wholesale and HI-TIAL
53 V CLOTHIERS AND HATTERS
5^ t/
K| Our buyer is in New Yoi •i
i purchasing the largest ant
most complete stock ever car
sied by the house.
Mr. J. W. Ferns, ( hit
New York), who is acknow 1
'AW. edged the finest and most sir,
cessful cutter in the South. ?
2 in charge of our
w y TAILORING DEPARTMENT.
We solicit a call, Price
guaranteed the lowest.
C. KHOMBURG )
WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER.
DEALER Z2T-
DIAMONDS, FINE JEWELRY,
WATCHES, CLOCKS aid SILVERWARE,
« * 3T Repairing Watches, Clocks and Jewelry a Specialty.
No. 1115 Broad St, Columbus, Ga.
FURNITUR f ■
cheapen than an\ r house in the City on Installment s o f c a
terms, or lor r f v^asn. '/ U
Come and bllV at the “Up-Town Furniture Stoic. n *
first and oldest Installment house in the City.
A.. GIBSO
1 222 . 1300, 1308 & 1310 Broad St.,
Columbus, Geor
* MS II
V
k; MM
i 1 *
Jrc »
4
Warranted to color more good- than a re¬ nt
durable dyes over made, and to give more t>ri!
colors. Ask for the lAum* ,. , .
no other.
A A Dress Coat Colored Dyed } *11 i i
Garments Renewed ) c
A Child can use thcr.
Unequalled for all Fancy and Art
At druggists and Merchants. Bye Book
WELLS, RICHARDSON L C0„ Props., Buriirx r».