  ISRAEL IN BATTLE. FIRST READING.
AFTER the children of Israel had been forty years living in the wilderness, God led them into the beautiful land He had promised them. But before they could come in they had to get across a river—a deep river, with rocks on each side, and a stony bottom to it, and the water running very fast indeed. The name of the river was Jordan. There was no bridges to go over, and no boat to row them across; and not only all the strong men, but all the women and little children, had to get over it! But nobody need be afraid when God is helping him. God told them what to do. The priests, who were like clergymen to them, were to take the ark—that is, the chest where the two tables of the Ten Commandments were kept—and were to walk down into the river, without being afraid. And they were brave men; they believed what God told them, and went down into the swift stream in no fear of being drowned. And behold, as soon as their feet touched the water it stopped flowing, and stood still. No more water came down, and all the The priests stood up in the middle all the time the others were going over, and when everyone was safe on the other side they came after them; and by-and-by the river came rushing down again in its own place, for it was God who had commanded it to stop short, and make a dry place for His people to pass over. And so they came into the land of Canaan that He had promised them so long. CARRYING THE ARK OVER JORDAN.—Josh. 3:17. QUESTIONS.
Jericho SECOND READING.
AFTER the Israelites had come into the land of Canaan, there was a strong walled city before them, and its name was Jericho. They could not go any further till they had taken the city. But God was going to show that He fought for them. So He told them not to fight, but that every day, for a whole week, the priests should take the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders and walk around the outside of the walls of the town. Seven priests were to go in front, blowing on trumpets made of rams' horns; but nobody else was to make any noise. So they did one day, and nothing happened. Joshua bade them do it the next day. Perhaps some of the Israelites wondered and were impatient, but they had to go on the next day still; and after that the Ark was carried round once every day for a whole week. THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA.—Josh. 5:13, 14. On the seventh day, Joshua told the priests that God would have them go round not once but seven times. And so they did; and then, at last, on the seventh day, Joshua said, "Shout." The whole of the people shouted, and the priests blew their trumpets, and then—oh, great wonders!—the walls of Jericho fell down flat, and the people went in and took the city. So the Lord fought for Israel. QUESTIONS.
THIRD READING.
THIS morning you heard how God gave the children of Israel victory over Jericho. After that He gave them more victories. None of the heathen people could stand before them. They took their towns, and drove the heathen out, and had the fields and gardens and houses for their own. Then Joshua was to divide the land among them, and fix what cities each tribe should have for its own. All the chief men of each tribe came to him, and the Lord taught him how to fix the places for them to dwell in. The children of the good Joseph had the very best lot of all, as his father FALLING OF THE WALLS OF JERICHO.—Josh. 6:20. JOSHUA CAPTURING THE CITY OF AI.—Josh. 8:18, 19. JOSHUA COMMANDING THE SUN TO STAND STILL.—Josh. 10:12, 13. DIVIDING THE LAND AMONG THE TRIBES.—Josh. 13:6, 7. And up all the hills they planted vines, where fine large grapes grew; and in the valleys were plenty of corn-fields. All over the country, people had each man his own house, with his vine and his fig-tree to shelter it, and olive-trees in his garden, and a field to grow corn in, and hill-sides near, where he might keep his cows, goats, and sheep. The rocks and the hollow trees were full of wild bees' nests; so that indeed they found it, as Moses had told them, a land of corn and wine—a land that flowed with milk and honey; and they were very glad to be there, and to rest after their long wandering in the wilderness. After they had had a quiet rest, their first sorrow came. QUESTIONS.
SOUTH-EAST VIEW OF THE TABERNACLE. |
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