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Non ember 19. 1913.<br />
count of a victory more\ worthy of study<br />
than either the battle of AA'aterloo or Gettysburg.<br />
It is a victory in which is to be found<br />
the "secret of victory in bringing the kingdom<br />
of this world into subjection to Christ<br />
and establishing- bis kingdomi from sea to sea<br />
and from the rivers unto the ends of the<br />
earth.<br />
I. It ziHis under the direction of Jehoi'ah.<br />
Whenj Israel was about ready to go up<br />
against Jericho, under the leadership of<br />
Joshua, the I^rd appeared unto Joshua in<br />
the form of a man with a sword drawn in<br />
his hand. And when Joshua said unto him:<br />
"Art thou for us, or for our adversaries," he<br />
replied. "Nay; but as captain of the host of<br />
the Lord am I come." The great victories<br />
of faith have all been won under the leadership<br />
of God. The first step in undertaking<br />
any great service in the kingdom of God is<br />
the yielding of self and human expediency<br />
to the will of God. It is not possible to walk<br />
by faith until we have first learned to obey<br />
the will of God.<br />
II, It zi'Os zvithout the use of any carnal<br />
weapons. The City of Jericho was one of<br />
the strongest cities in Canaan. It was well<br />
fortified with a strong wall. But Israel was<br />
not permitted to set up any battering rams<br />
or resort to the use of any of the instruments<br />
of war which were used commonly in war.<br />
The walls of the city were to be brought<br />
down through faith. And the exercise of<br />
faith was to be revealed in the use of those<br />
means—means that would to the inhabitants<br />
of Jericho doubtless seem insufiicient and<br />
absurd. The walls were to be brought down<br />
by the marching of Israel about the city and<br />
the blowing upon the trumpets. Thus "God<br />
hath chosen the weak things of the world<br />
to confound the wise; and God hath chosen<br />
the weak things of the world to confound<br />
the things which are mighty." The church<br />
has never won a great victory when she has<br />
resorted to the use of carnal weapons. But<br />
when she has used the means of divine appointment,<br />
which call for dependence upon<br />
God, she has been mighty through God to<br />
the pulling down of stro(ngholds."<br />
III. The conquest zvas carried on in the<br />
full assurance of victory. The obedience and<br />
patience of Israel in marching about the city<br />
day after day showed that they had faith to<br />
believe that victory awaited them. Faith sees<br />
things which are yet to come to pass. It<br />
lifts the believer up frolm things as they actually<br />
exist about him and enables him to see<br />
them as they shall be. It gives the believer<br />
a vision of the accomplished work and leads<br />
him on by a constant inspiration. "Abraham<br />
saw my day, and he rejoiced to see it and<br />
was glad," Through faith the believer is<br />
permitted to sing the songs and give the<br />
shout otf victory even before the walls have<br />
fallen.<br />
IV. In the conquest of the city there zvas<br />
co-operation on the part of the princes and<br />
ihe priests. In marching about the walls of<br />
the city a band of armed men who represented<br />
the civil power, preceded the priest, who<br />
hore the ark. Here we may see the church<br />
and state in mutual co-operation in advanciiR<br />
the kingdom of God. The state must precede<br />
the church when protection is needed.<br />
Treaties must be formed and protection secured<br />
by the state to prepare the vvay for the<br />
representatives which the church sends out<br />
*o a heathen land to proclaim tbe gospel,<br />
When civil powers are inimical to the gospel<br />
A t'AMlLY PAPER.<br />
and fail to pave the way for the heralds of<br />
the cross the cause of Christ suffers injury<br />
and the progress of the kingdom is slow. It<br />
may also be noted that it is not sufficient for<br />
the representatives of church and state to<br />
pass around the city alone. All of the congregation<br />
of people must accoi-npany them.<br />
There must be the exercise of faith in the<br />
hearts of all believers if progress is to be<br />
made. If the kingdom of Satan is to be destroyed<br />
and the kingdom of grace advanced,<br />
there must be that mutual co-operation between<br />
church and state and among all believers<br />
in the different spheres of their lives<br />
that will enable them to go forth as a company<br />
of horses in Pharaoh's chariot.<br />
A''. It zvas a conquest in zvhich there zvas<br />
no offer of compromise.<br />
No opportunity was given to the men of<br />
Jericho to escape. The command was "to<br />
destroy them utterly," The war in which<br />
believers are engaged is one that calls for<br />
complete extermination. No form or feature<br />
of the forces of evil is to be left.<br />
VI, In the conquest of Jericho, Israel z^ns<br />
to abide the Lord's time for z'ictory. It was<br />
not until they had compassed the city about<br />
seven days, vvhich may be taken to signify<br />
the fulness of time, that they were to ex-<br />
])ect the walls of the city to fall. It is not<br />
for believers to know the time or reason o'f<br />
the kingdorn but to* continue on until the<br />
time comes which Jehovah in his sovereign<br />
wisdom has appointed for the day of victory,<br />
VIL It zvas a conquest that zvas carr'icd<br />
on zvith a- viczu to the glory of God.<br />
The purpolse of this victory was really to<br />
prove the power and supremacy of the God<br />
of Israel, so that the inhabitants of the land<br />
of Canaan might be overcome with fear and<br />
give glory to the God of Israel. In this work<br />
Israel was simply the agent of God, acting<br />
under the direction of God to meet out justice<br />
upon the inhabitants of Canaan, whose<br />
cup of iniquity was now full.<br />
Eskridge, Kansas.<br />
Lesson G, December 7, -191-3,<br />
LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN.<br />
By Anna Pritchard Ge<strong>org</strong>e.<br />
THB FALL OF JERICHO.<br />
Joshua 5:10—6; 27.<br />
What do soldiers need in battle, Joe? "Guns."<br />
Long ago there were no guns. Men fought with<br />
swords and knocked down city walls with big engines.<br />
Suppose our army would try to capture<br />
a city shut up inside a wall. Bud, could they do<br />
much with only swords and horns? Well, the<br />
only weapons the Jews have in today's lesson are<br />
swords and horns. Yet they capture a walled<br />
city. How do they do it, Ge<strong>org</strong>e? They must<br />
have some other help. "God helps them." Yes,<br />
just as He did in the Red Sea and all through<br />
the Wilderness, and lately In crossing the Jordan.<br />
So God helps against Jericho.<br />
On the sand tables pile these stones forming<br />
the walls of Jericho. Inside, these small boxes<br />
are for the houses and these sticks the people<br />
of Jericho. This house on the wall is the home<br />
Of Rahab. At one time Joshua sent two spies<br />
in to Jericho, and Rahab aided them so the other<br />
people 'could not capture them. Her relatives<br />
are in the house with her. Outside the walls, a<br />
couple of miles away, these sticks and paper<br />
tents are the Jews in camp. This box with long<br />
sticks for poles fastened one on each side, is<br />
for the Ark of the Covenant.<br />
The people of Jericho are greatly frightened.<br />
They have heard of all the wonderful things God<br />
has done for the Jews, and are afraid Jericho<br />
will be captured too. All stay inside the city<br />
gates. No one goes out nor comes in.<br />
Outside, the Jews are waiting for orders from<br />
God. He has not yet told them what to do. They<br />
have nothing with which to destroy the walls and<br />
they cannot climb over. Some have swords, but<br />
even if all were armed it would do no good, for the<br />
enemy are all on the other side of the wall, and<br />
the gates are shut. But Goi has helped them<br />
all these forty years in the wilderness, and they<br />
know nothing is too hard for Him.<br />
Here is Joshua leaving the camp. He walks<br />
over toward the city wondering how they will<br />
take Jericho, He looks up. Right before him is<br />
a soldier brandishing a sword, Joshua exclaims,<br />
"Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?'' "Nay;<br />
but as captain of the host of the Lord am 1 now<br />
come," He is the Angel of the Covenant come<br />
from. God to lead the Jews to victory. The angel<br />
teils Joshua God's wonderful plan for capturing<br />
Jericho, "that all the peoples of the earth may<br />
know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty;<br />
that they may fear the Lord your God for ever."<br />
Early the next morning Joshua leads all the<br />
men from camp. Pirst come the armed warriors,<br />
then seven priests with trumpets made from<br />
ranis' horns. Marjorie, you were neariy killed<br />
with the horns of a ram one day. You know<br />
how twisted and strong they are. The priests<br />
blow a loud piercing tone on them, so the men<br />
can keep better step. After these priests others<br />
come bearing the Ark of the Covenant. Then<br />
follow all the other men. Here they march clear<br />
around the city. Not a sound is heard but the<br />
voice of the trumpets. Just once around they<br />
march in silence and prayer, then back to their<br />
camp. The next day they march around once in<br />
silence again. For six days they make this solemn<br />
march. Does it terrify the people inside the<br />
walls, Ellis? Yes, they wonder and fear more<br />
and more. The Jews on the outside gain strength<br />
and courage as they trust in God more and more.<br />
They are ready to do exactly as He says.<br />
Finally on the seventh day they rise just as<br />
tne sun shows its firstlight over the hills. They<br />
march around the 'city once, then the second<br />
time. Here they go around the thirl time. Seven<br />
times this seventh day they march around Jericho<br />
in silence—only the sound of the trumpets can<br />
be heard. At the end of the seventh time the<br />
priests give a long blast with the trumpets, and<br />
the people who have been told beforehand what<br />
to do, give a great shout. What do you suppose<br />
happens, Elmer? The walls of the city fall<br />
flat, just as these stones fall. The people Inside<br />
are cowering In fear. The Jews rush over the<br />
fallen wall and kill all the wicked people—men,<br />
women and children, and even all the cattle.<br />
God has told them- to spare none but Rahab and<br />
her family. Why is she saved, Ethel? "She<br />
saved the spies." Yes, and Joshua sends the<br />
same spies to lead Rahab and those in the house<br />
with her, outside the camp of Israel, You see God<br />
always rewards those who serve Him. Rahab<br />
and her people are the only ones saved alive in<br />
Jericho. Afterwari she marries a Jewish man,<br />
and it is through her children that Jesus comes<br />
to earth. Then God orders that only silver<br />
and gold, and vessels of brass and iron be saved,<br />
and -that these be used in the house of the Lord.<br />
All else is to be destroyed. The Jews carry away<br />
these metals, then .the city is burned to the<br />
ground, God's 'children have at last gained an<br />
entrance into the Promised Land,<br />
Have we cities to capture, Ellsworth? "No."<br />
But we have tasks as bard for us to accomplish.<br />
How about the boy witb an ugly temper?<br />
Is it easy to control? And the girl who wants<br />
to steal, and the children who lie? All these<br />
things are impossible for us to overcome alone.<br />
But ask Jesus to help, and then it will be as<br />
easy as it was for the Jews with God helping, to<br />
capture Jericho,