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TALLIS’S
ILLUSTRATED SCRIPTURE HISTORY
FOR THE
IMPROVEMENT OF YOUTH.
BY
THE EDITOR OF STURM’S FAMILY DEVOTIONS.
VOL. I.
PUBLISHED BY JOHN TALLIS AND COMPANY,
LONDON AND NEW YORK.
1851.
INDEX.
VOL. f,
AAR Se
PAGE
Aaron, Consecration of . 65
Abel, the Death of . . 7
‘Abigail and David. . 123
Absalom, the Death of . 137
Abundance, give from a your 265
Adam and Eve, Expulsion from
Paradise . .
Affliction, Job’s . 2
‘Ahasuerus (King), Queen Esther
before
Abijah, the Children of Israel de-
feated by . 201
Amasa, Death of 141
Amorites, Destruction of the . 83
Animal Creation, Naming of
the.
Ark, David dancing before the . 129
Assyria and Nineveh, the Destruc-
tion of, foretold ‘ 315
Assyrian Host, an Angel destroys
the
Ass, Balaam and his . . set
Athaliah, the Death of . . 209
Babylon, the triumph of, foretold 1 eae
————— the Fall of .
Balak and the Princes . 759
Benevolence, David’s . . 187
Book of the Law, Ezra opens the 229
Brethren, J oseph sold by his . 25
Cakes, the Unleavened * . 91
Calf, the Molten . - 47
Children, Elisha mocked by . 167
~——— of Israel, Hadoram stoned
to Death by the . 199
———_ Jacob blessing his. 31
Church, Christ and his . - 267
Coat, J oseph’s 27
Covenant, Josiah receiving the . 183
Dagon, the Fall of . 115
Daughters-in-law, Naomi and her 105
David, Bathsheba, and Solomon 145
and Goliath . * 121
Dayid, Nathan reproves . . 133
PAGE
Death-bed, Elisha on his . «475
Deluge, the . 9
Den of Lions, ' Daniel cast into the 295
Despair, Jobin . . « 245
Dial, the Shadow of the . 271
Dismay, Athaliah in - 207
Dream, Pharaoh’s . . 29
Eden, Garden of . 1
Elijah, an Earthquake seen by . 159
Enemies, David calling on God to
defeat his . . . . 255
Encamped Israelites, the 36
Exalted, Solomon 191
Ezekiel’s Wife, the Death of . 285
Fall, Idolatry shall . 309
False Prophets, Elijah, andthe . 156
Friends, Job and his . . 248
Fruit, the Basket of . . . 803
Gates of Gaza, Samson | carrying
the . . 101
Gift, Caleb’s . . . 87
Gleaning, Ruth . . - 107
God, the Greatness of... . 313
—— The House of, plundered and
21
ity, Woe to the
destroyed
Guilty ail
Hagar, Departure of . 13
Hair, Absalom suspended by the 135
Haman, Esther accuser . » 237
Heaven, Elijah calling Fire from 161
—————~ Elijah taken up to - 165
High Priest, Aaron the : . 69
Honoured, Mordecai . . . 286
Hosea’s Vision. 317
House of the Lord, Levites or-
dered to sanctify the : . 219
Idols, offering Incense to. . 299
Invitation, Esther’s . . . 233
Tsaac, Abraham offering . 16
Teracl, Lament of the ughters
of . . .
Israelites, the Children of J udoh
are treated kindly by the . 217
ii INDEX,
PAGE
Jacob, [saac blessing . . 19
Rachel first seen by. 23
Jael and Sisera . 89
Jericho, Fall of the ‘Wall of 8
Jerusalem, Fallof . 185
Joash, Jehoshabeath carr ies off
the ‘Infant Prince. . « 205
Job’s Friend, the Vision of . 247
Joshua, the Angel appearing to 79
J udgment-Seat, the . 71
Ladder, Jacob’s . . . - 21
Lamb, offering the. . . 63
Leprosy, Naaman cured of . 171
—_—- Uzziah struck with =. 215
Levites’ Collection, Joash calls for
the - 211
Lion, Samson slaying the . 99
—— A Prophet destroyed by a. 149
Manna, the Fallof . . - 389
Mantle, Elijah’s . . : . 163
Meribah, the Water of . - 63
Micaiah, "Ahab orders to Prison . 203
Moses, the finding of . : . 33
God’s charge to . . 43
the Death of . . . 17
Murder, expiation of . . » 73
Nehemiah at Jerusalem. . 297
Nebuchaduezzar . . . . 291
Offering, the Burnt- . ‘ - 37
Parable, Nathan’s . . . 31
Plague, the, stayed. . . 61
Poor, pity the. . . « 261
Priests, warning to . 319
Prison, Jeremiah released “from
the . 279
Promised Land, Moses viewing the 75
Prosperity, J ob restored to . . 251
Queen of § Sheba, King Solomon
andthe . . 197
Rash Vow, J ephthah’s . » 93
Reassured, Job . « 249
Red Sea, Israelites crossing ‘the | 37
Rejoicing, David + 253
Restored, Israel to be . . - 301
Resignation, Job’s . 241
Righteous, Hope for all the . 273
Ruins, Jerusalem in . . - 283
Rock, Moses striking the. . 41
Ruth; Boaz rewarding . . 109
Boazmarries . . iil
PAGE
Sacrifice, Noah’s . . . . i
—-_--— Manoah’s . : . 97
—~—~-— the Accepted . . 157
Samson, Death of . 108
Samuel called by the Tord | . 113
Saul, Samuel anointing. 17
~—— David sparing . 1 . 125
—- David playing on the ¥ arp
before y “8 : . Lg
*s seven Sons hanged . . 143
Sea, Jonah cast into the. . 807
Second Tables, Moses deliv ering
the . . 51
Sennacherib, Death of . . 181
Serpent, the Brazen . 65
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego . . . 289
Shepherd, the Good . . 269
Shunammite, the, and her Son . 169
Solomon, the Judgment of . . 147
Singers and Musicians, David ap-
pointing the 3
Stocks, Jeremiah brought ‘forth
from the . 275
Sun and Moon, J oshua staying the 85
Tables, Moses receiving the 5
Moses breaking the . 49
Tabernacles, the Feast of . . 225
Tadmor, the Building of _. - 195
Temple, Cyrus proclaims that he
will rebuild the . 223
Temple of Baal, destruction of the 3
Tidings, Cushi bringing .
Transgressions, Israel’s . . 177
Transgression and Penitence,
David's . 189
Tyre, the Fall of | . . 287
Violence shall be Punished . 263
Wall, the Writing on the . 293
Water of Babylon, the Children
of Israel by the . . 259
Well, Rebecca at the . . 17
Wicked, the Righteous shall not
fall before the . . . 257
Wicked, Judgments on the . 297
Widow’s Son, Flijah raising the 153
Wife, Jeroboam’s . . . 151
Witch, Saul and the . . - 127
Zechariah, the Death of . 213
Zion’s, (Mount) Deliverance . 305
TO CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.
Tue work now submitted to the Christian world,
it is desired to render especially attractive to youth.
With this object in view, awful and astonishing
incidents recorded in the Bible, for the instruction of
mankind, have been selected, more especially such
as admitted of pictorial representation. Few adults
can have forgotten the powerful impression made
on them in their younger days by the rude illustra-
tions which met their eye in the old story books.
The Fables of ASsop have been established, it may
be said, universally, in English memories by such
means. It cannot admit of a doubt, that a still
greater effect, and one immeasurably more desirable,
may be produced from a series of histories, which
though wonderful as those which have amused many
generations by their startling extravagance in the
‘* Arabian Nights,†can be put forth with the most
solemn warranty for their truth. They comprehend
everything that is grand in nature, daring in ad-
venture, and beautiful in description. What can
be more deeply interesting than conversations in
i PREFACE.
which the Fathers of Mankind, Ancient Kings, and
even Angels from Heaven, are the speakers? What
so exciting as those scenes which bring before us
the actions and the sufferings of holy Prophets,
devoted Apostles, and the Son of God himself!
Impressed with a due sense of the august charac-
ter of the events which are to be treated, the editor
has been anxious to relate them with clearness,
avoiding with equal care grandiloquent display, and
the too familiar prattle of the nursery. Though
praise may issue from “the mouths of babes and
sucklings,†it is not by means within the reach of
babes and sucklings that the rapidly expanding
mind of youth can be developed to its fair propor-
tions. Scripture revelations are injured by an
affectation of nurse-like gossip.
The most daring imaginations have not been
equal to a flight so lofty as to reach the astounding
wonders recorded in holy writ. What achievements
can approach those of Moses? What situations
equai in interest those presented to us in the
Bible? What fabled magician could pretend to
such mighty powers as we see exerted, when a
world is called into existence ; a vast ocean divided;
and the great luminaries of Heaven arrested in their
PREFACE. li
course? Not confined to these are the subjects
which claim attention, but an astonishing variety of
incidents command our admiration, while we are
successively occupied with appalling judgments,
affecting catastrophes, and miracles of mercy.
The sacred and venerated book in which these are
recorded, places before the youthful student, at the
same moment, worldly knowledge and divine wis-
dom. No common-place narratives are offered to
his contemplation. He seems to hear the language
of revered patriarchs, the speech of cherubim and
seraphim, and even the voice of the Most High.
It is difficult to imagine a mind accustomed to such
themes, which will not derive from them not merely
improvement, but words, thoughts, and aspirations
ennobling and sublime. Occupied with sacred mus-
ings, lifted above the sordid cares of every-day life,
its grovelling hopes and fears dismissed, the young
enthusiast may be permitted to exclaim with
Milton—
“Into the heaven of heavens I have presumed,
An earthly guest, and drawn imperial air.â€
a oN oe
THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
mountains of Libanus and Antilibanus, in that
part of Syria which claimed Damascus as its
metropolis.
Adonis, a lover of Venus, the fabled ad-
mirer of a fictitious goddess, had many gardens
named after him, which were adorned by the
Greeks and Egyptians with baskets of silver,
and ingeniously fashioned earthen vessels.
The title given to several of these, ‘‘ The gar-
den of Adon,†reminded the hearer of the gar-
den of Eden, but the spot on which Adam and
Eve first drew the breath of life remained un-
known.
When their offended Maker caused them to
be expelled from the scene of their trans-
gression, it was no temporary exile to which
they were sentenced. God having willed that
they should leave it, man would vainly have
attempted to return: there was “‘ placed at the
east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a
flaming sword which turned every way to keep
the way of the tree of life.†After reading this
it is hardly too much to presume that mortal
foot was never again permitted to tread within
its limits. It will hence be seen, that sinful
disobedience, however sincerely repented, leads
to consequences which cannot be repaired, and
which must for ever be deplored.
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NAMING THE CREATION.
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NAMING OF THE ANIMAL
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“ And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of
the field and every fowl of the air; and brought them
unto Adam to see what he would call them; and whatso-
ever Adam called every living creature that was the name
thereof.â€â€”-GENESsIS, chap. ii., verse 19.
BEFORE CuRist, 4004 YEARS.
Gop having bestowed life on the human race
added the gift of the earth, and moreover
ordained that man should have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over every living thing that moveth upon
the earth. The gift was so great and so glori-
ous that if we met with such a narrative else-
where, we should deem it a vain fable, and the
thoughtless scoffer would be tempted to ask,
‘“‘how has God given dominion over the fish in
the sea, who have power in their own element
to dart forward or backward with the rapidity
of lightning, and to pass where no man can fol-
low them? Can man pretend to control the
fowls of the air, who proudly pass over him,
and sometimes reach a height which renders
them almost invisible to his unassisted vision ?
How is his rule established over the hare and
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NAMING OF THE ANIMAL CREATION.
many small animals, which, if they are inferior
to him in strength, so far surpass him in
speed, that a very few moments will carry them
out of his sight; and where are his power and
dominion should he try his strength against
that of the tiger, the lion, or the elephant?â€
Such language, ignorance and folly, attempt-
ing to reason, might hold, on reading the re-
cord preserved to us in Genesis. Truly it is
strange indeed, when we see what enormous
might, what swiftness, what magnitude belong
to the brute creation, that man should be able
to subdue them; yet we have only to look
around and we shall find ample proofs that
he has command over them all. The greatest
and the fiercest monsters of the deep and the
desert, are slain or captured by him, and con-
verted to our use.
And why is this? because man has been
endowed with that which has not been given
to other created beings, a rational mind.
The untaught youth will necessarily marvel
how such things could be. Scripture solves
the interesting, the sublime enigma; here we
find the origin of that which we behold. The
empire man possesses over the brute creation
was granted to him by his Creator, and to him
was assigned the office of giving them names.
woe
THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE.
Then their eyes were indeed opened. In
wild dismay they now found that they were
naked and helpless, and, as is ever the case
with sinners against the Divine law, they
feared to meet their God.
That was an awful evening for them which
followed their disobedience. God approached
them in the garden: they heard his dread
voice and tried to hide themselves. But the
attempt was vain ; vain they knew it would be
to deny what they had done, and vain was the
attempt of Adam in that hour of deep humilia-
tion, to throw the blame on his companion,
Eve.
God saw that the serpent was the tempter
which had wrought the evil. His curse fell on
the wretehed enemy of man; Eve was doomed
to know varieties of pain, Adam was con-
demned to toil through the remainder of his
life, and both were sent forth from the garden
of Eden, there to till the ground.
The reader will hence learn that to disobey
the commands of the Eternal, even though
their object may not be perfectly comprehended,
is fraught with danger. It is the duty of all,
but especially of the young, to study with
devout attention the word of God—
“ And where we can’t unravel learn to trust.â€
—
THE DEATH OF ABEL.
quence of their own misdeeds. Because it had
not pleased the Lord to view his offering with
favour, Cain formed the horrid design of taking
away his brother’s life. Abel, innocent himself,
suspected not that a thought so wicked could
have entered the heart of Cain. Fearing no
malice, he walked with his brother in the field,
as we may suppose had been his frequent
practice, and while conversing with him Cain
suddenly attacked and deprived him of life.
They were alone, but the all-seeing eye of
God was on the murderer. When the Lord
demanded ‘‘where is Abel?†he asked, ‘am I
my brother’s keeper?†thus intimating that
he could not answer for what had befallen
his victim. The foolish attempt to hide his
guilt instantly failed—God is not to be de-
ceived by the most artful of men. Solitude
and the darkness of the midnight hour are
in vain resorted to by the evil doer to baffle
Justice, and divine wrath ever pursues’ the
shedder of blood. Hence, the young will see
how desirable it is to preserve the mind from
being moved by envy or hatred, and guard
against giving way to feelings of anger. In
the words of Dr. Watts—
“ Children, you should never let
Your angry passions rise.â€
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THE DELUGE.
“The waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the
earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters, and
the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the
high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered.â€
-—GENESIS chap. vii., verse 18—19.
BEFORE CHRIST, 2349 YEARS.
Tue rebellious spirit of Adam which caused his
ignominious expulsion from Paradise, brought
‘“‘ sin into the world,†and left it a wretched
legacy to his posterity. In time the growing
depravity of mankind, became more than Divine
patience could longer endure. One righteous
man warned of the heavy judgment which im-
pended over a sinful race, was instructed to
build an ark, in which he and his family were
permitted to rest, while the windows of Heaven
were opened and rain deluged the lands. Terri-
ble indeed was the scene then witnessed :
tremendous the effects of God’s wrath. During
forty days torrents of rain continued to descend
from the clouds, overwhelming and destroying
everything that till then had been supposed to be
safe ; but as no sin can escape the eye of the
Omniscient, so no defence can save the trans-
gressor from his mighty arm. The mind recoils
VOL. 1. c 9
:
|
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‘ THE DELUGE.
shuddering at the thought, yet men who would
tremble to receive the sentence of a human
judge, carelessly trample on the laws of God.
When the sinners who had brought this ca-
lamity—this heavy judgment on the world,
were no more, the waters abated. In the
seventh month, on the seventeenth day, the ark
rested on Ararat.
The mountain thus indicated 1s named from
a@ compound, Ar-arat, in the Hebrew tongue
meaning ‘‘ mountain of descent.†Its exact
situation is not known. There are indeed
persons who boldly undertake to point it out,
but writers who have due regard for sacred
truth, are forced to admit that of the various
accounts given, it is doubtful which ought to
be preferred.
The history of the Deluge will lead the
serious reader to reflect how dreadfully com-
prehensive Divine wrath can be ; but while we
shudder at the thought, it will be remarked,
that God is as potent to save as to punish, and
often since the days of Noah it has been found,
that while dreadful judgments were spreading
far and wide universal ruin and despair, the
good man in his family has been saved from
peril, and remained, not only uninjured, but
serene till the storm had passed away.
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NOAH’S SACRIFICE.
“ And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every
clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-
offerings on the altar.â€-GENESIS, chap. viil., verse 20.
BeroreE Curist, 2349 YEARS.
Wuen just but severe punishment had been
inflicted on a guilty world the waters subsided,
the hills began to appear, and the earth gener-
ally resumed its former aspect. Noah, while
in the ark, had sent forth a dove. The bird
was, however, unable to find any tree or other
place on which she could remain, and she re-
turned to the floating home of the patriarch.
The experiment was repeated, and she brought
back an olive leaf in her mouth. Sent forth
a third time, the feathered messenger returned
no more.
At length the waters were dried up, and
Noah was directed by the God who had so
graciously preserved him to leave the ark ;
and accordingly he went forth with his sons,
and his sons’ wives, eight in number, and all
the living creatures he had taken with him
into the ark
Joy and gratitude he doubtless felt, thus re-
stored, while all besides had perished; in proof of
11
—_
tt
NOAH’S SACRIFICE.
his thankfulness he raised an altar, and offered
solemn sacrifice to the Lord. This was one of
the most remarkable services connected with
religion in the time of the patriarchs. The
consuming of certain animals on a consecrated
altar was enjoined, as that which would gain
favour in the eyes of the Deity; ‘the wages
of sin being death,†it was held, that without
the shedding of blood there could be no re-
mission of sin.
Mankind have since been taught that such
observances may be dispensed with, but in the
case of Noah the offering proved acceptable to
the Lord, and He declared that He would curse
. no more the ground for man’s sake, and that
‘“while the earth remaineth, seed-time and
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night, shall not cease.â€
The promise made thousands of years ago
we plainly see is remembered still. The vicis-
situdes of the season, the transitions from
summer to winter, and from cold to heat, are
constantly witnessed within the range of every
twelve months. While we learn from the
mournful history of the past the dreadful effects
of God’s vengeance, we also read in the Bible
what our own eyes serve but to confirm of his
enduring mercies.
12
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DEPARTURE OF HAGAR.
“ Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and
a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her
shoulder and the child, and sent her away; and she de-
arted, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.â€â€”-
ENESIS, chap. xxi., verse 14.
BEFORE Curist, 1898 YEARS.
AsraHam had become an aged man before
his son Isaac was born, for at that time he had
numbered a hundred years. His wife, Sarah,
who had despaired of having a child, greatly
rejoiced in the event, and said in the fullness of
her joy, ‘‘ God hath made me to laugh so that
all that hear will laugh with me.â€
But the joy of Sarah did not prevent her
shewing an angry feeling when the son of
Hagar, a bondwoman, and also the son of
Abraham, was in her sight. She could not
endure the thought that Ismael, the child of
her servant should appear in the same scene
with Isaac, and as an equal. This feeling was
not momentary, but caused her frequently to
desire that Abraham would send away Hagar
and her son, which Abraham was backward to
do, till God called upon him to hearken to the
voice of Sarah.
Hagar took her departure from the house
13
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——
DEPARTURE OF HAGAR.
of Abraham. She was provided with a small
supply of bread and water, and journeyed in
the wilderness, where her provision soon failed.
The afflicted mother was disconsolate. She
threw her child under the shrubs, and with-
drew weeping, not to see it expire.
In that moment of deep distress when hope
was no more, an angel came down from Heaven
to comfort her, and then ‘‘God opened her
eyes, and she saw a well of water.â€
The child was saved, he grew up in the
wilderness, and he became an archer.
The Scripture reader will learn hence, that
when the sufferer from want can hope for no
relief from man, he should humbly seek assist-
ance from above. If angels from the sky are
not seen by the mortal eye, as in the ancient
world, God’s power and wisdom have ex-
perienced no abatement, and his mercy is as
distinctly perceptible to his sincere worshippers,
as ever it was in the days of Abraham. In-
stead of yielding to weak despondency, each
should call upon the Lord of all, and say—
Thro’ the skies when the thunder is hurl’d
The child to its parent will flee,
Thus amid the rebukes of the world
I turn, O my Father, to thee.â€
3
Set.
=:
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ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC.
“They came to the place which God had told them of; and
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order;
and bound Isaac his son, and laid him upon the altar upon
the wood.â€â€”GENEsI8, chap. xxii., verse 9.
Berore Curist, 1872 YEARS,
In the early history of the world it has already
been told, the practice of sacrificing to God was
very general ; aud on some extraordinary occa-
sions, to avert His wrath a human victim was
called for.
Abraham, a venerated patriarch, had long
been childless, he had at length the joy of
seeing his wife Sarah become a mother. She
gave birth to Isaac. That he should be dear
to his parents would, under ordinary circum-
stances, have been natural, but in this case the
boon conceded was especially valued.
In many parts the Bible teaches that the
good are severely proved. Sharp trials are
reserved for those who are faithful to duty, and
the Creator ordained Abraham to hear a sen-
tence most afflicting to the feelings of a parent.
He was commanded to take his only son into
the land of Moriah, and there offer him on one
of the mountains as a burnt offering.
15
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ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC.
However painful the task of obedience, Abra-
ham did not shrink from its performance. He
rose early and commenced the needful prepara-
tions. A journey of three days brought him
to the appointed spot, and the resigned father
looked on the mountains where it had been
intimated to him his son Isaac must die.
Two servants had accompanied them, who
were now dismissed, and the wood to kindle
the fire, and the knife to shed the victim’s
blood, were carried forward by themselves, the
son being as yet in ignorance of what was
contemplated.
In sadness Abraham prepared to obey the
command. He laid his hands upon Isaac, who
appears to have made no resistance, and to have
evinced no fear; and all being ready, and the
intended victim bound, Abraham’s hand was
raised, when an angel called to him to spare
the lad, for what he had already done suf-
ficed to prove that he feared God. Thus,
often when the afflicted christian, bending be-
neath a weight of woe, is borne down by melan-
choly anticipations, light suddenly breaks on
the drooping spirit from above; the dreaded
evil is averted, and Peace, ‘‘such as the world
cannot give,†takes full possession of the heart
that has proved faithful to duty.
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REBEKAH AT THE WELL.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1878 YEARS.
Arrer the birth of Isaac, Abraham lived
many years. In his old age he was desirous
that his son should marry, and he in con-
sequence resolved to send his eldest servant to
seck a wife for him in a distant land.
He instructed the domestic not to choose a
woman of Canaan, and moreover informed him
that the angel of the Lord would go before
in the land which he was to visit, and be at
hand to direct him to the place where he
should find the object of his journey.
The servant, who was a man of piety, tra-
velled on this occasion in great state, taking
with him ten camels, which were laden with
valuables. On his road he prayed to the
Lord that he would be pleased to bless his
master, and so to order things that when the
young females of the city approached a certain
well, by which he had caused his camels to
kneel, he might know by a sign which of them
VOL. I. D 17
“Rebekah came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder, and /
the damsel was very fair to look upon, and she went down
to the well.â€"—GeEnzgsIs, chap. xxiv., verses 15, 16.
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REBECCA AT THE WELL.
all was the maiden most fitted to become the
daughter-in-law of Abraham.
“Let it come to pass,†said he, ‘‘ that the
damsel to whom [ shall say ‘let down thy
pitcher I pray thee, that I may drink,’ return
for answer, ‘drink, and I will give thy camels
also.’ â€â€™
Before he had done speaking, Rebekah ap- |
peared in sight. She was fair; Abraham’s
servant entered into conversation with her, and }
had the happiness to hear her give the answer
which he had prayed might issue from the
lips of the maiden who was destined to be $
united to Isaac.
He now accompanied Rebekah to her rela- /
tions ; it was soon arranged that she should be
the wife of his master’s son.
Isaac had waited anxiously to learn the result,
when one evening walking forth to meditate,
he saw a train of camels coming towards him.
They drew nearer, he beheld his future partner,
and assisted her to alight from the camel on
which she was seated. Rebekah shortly afterwards
became his bride. The happy event, it will be
seen, was brought about so soon, through the
confidence with which the faithful servant re-
lied on God to bless his labours in a good
cause, for the service of his master.
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ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.
‘And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him,
and said unto him thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan.â€-—GENESIS, chap. xxviii., verse 1.
BEFORE Curist, 1806 YEARS.
Tue daughters of Canaan were doubtless a
very foolish if not a very wicked race. Abra-
ham was so anxious that Isaac should not
marry one, that he made his servant swear he
would not seek among them for a wife for his
son, and Isaac having become a father, and see-
ing his son Jacob of a proper age to marry, felt
the like anxiety on this subject.
Thoughtless young people sometimes in such
matters disregard the wishes of their parents.
Carried away by ungovernable passion, they
marry in haste, unsanctioned, and unblest ; sad
are the conseqnences ; instead of realising the
Joyous life which they had imaged to them-
selves, they soon find that they have care, pain,
and frequently utter ruin to deplore.
Jacob, more wise than to act such a part,
held himself ready to take that course which
the wisdom and experience of a father, might
point out as the one to be preferred. Then it
was that Isaac called to him and blessed him.
19
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ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.
‘* Arise,†said he, “‘go to Padan Aram, to
the house of Bethel, thy mother’s father, and
take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of
Laban thy mother’s brother; and God Almighty
bless thee and make thee fruitful, and multiply
thee that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
and give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee
and to thy seed with thee.â€
Jacob accordingly went to a distant country
in the East, in order to comply with the wish
so expressed.
It will be seen in the history of Jacob that
he cheerfully, in this instance, obeyed the voice
of his father, and though he at first experi-
enced some disappointment, and had to wait
many years for that which he desired, yet in
the end all was well. He succeeded in amass-
ing riches, and in gaining for a wife the woman
he most loved and admired.
From his example we may learn that the
prudent self-denial, which enables sons to con-
form to the counsel given by an indulgent
parent, leads to wealth, worldly honours, and
happiness. The maddening folly, whieh, under
the name of love, has betrayed many heed-
less beings to sin and misery, was happily
avoided by the patriarch Jacob, ‘‘ and he was
blessed.â€
20
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LADDER.
JACOB’S LADDER.
“ He dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and
the top of it reached to Heaven: and behold, the angels of
God ascending and descending on it.†GENESIS, chap.
xxix., verse 12.
Berore Curist, 1806 YEARS.
Ir has been seen that Jacob respected the com-
mands of his father; and that eventually he
was happy. Seeking a wife, he went out
from Beer-Sheba and journeyed towards Haran.
On reaching a certain spot, he determined there
to take up his abode for the night. In those
days inns, or houses for the reception of way-
faring travellers, were few, and the sun having
set, it appears Jacob was obliged to rest on the
ground, and to use some stones that he found
there for his pillow. In a vision, he beheld ‘‘a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it
reached to Heaven, and the angels of God were
ascending and descending on it.â€
Nor was this all, for behold the Lord stood
above it, and said, ‘“T am the Lord God of
Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the
land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it
and to thy seed.â€
But of far greater moment was that which
21
JACOB’S LADDER.
followed. It was interesting not only to Jacob
and his children, but to us, and to all the human
race, for the Lord added: ‘‘ Thy seed shall be
as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread
abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the
north, and to the south: and in thee and in
thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed.â€
Jacob was overcome with religious awe.
“This,†said he, ‘‘is none other than the house
of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.†And
he set up the stone on which he had rested that
night, poured oil upon it, and declared, that in
memory of that happy night in which he had
seen the Almighty and his angels, it should be
called “‘ the House of God.â€
We have not now to wait for the fulfilment
of the prophecy with which the sleeping Jacob
was cheered. The Jews, his children, have
been spread abroad, and the world has from
them derived the hope of a blissful immortality.
Pious gratitude, still resorting to that temple in
which the soul-inspiring revelation is made,
shall exclaim with the patriarch, ‘‘ This is none
other but the house of God, and this is the
gate of Heaven!â€
22
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RACHEL FIRST SEEN BY JACOB.
“Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter
of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and
rolled the stone from the well’s mouth.â€â€”GENESIs, chap.
xxix., verses 9, 10.
BEFORE Cunist, 1806 YEARS.
Ir for nothing else, the Bible would be ad-
mired by the lover of history and the antiquary,
on account of the striking pictures it gives of
ancient life. We learn from its venerated pages,
that in the earlier ages of the world, the hum-
blest cares of industry were not viewed as
degrading by Hebrew ladies. The servant of
Abraham found the future wife of Isaac fetching
water in a pitcher, and Jacob first sees the
beautiful Rachel, the daughter of the wealthy
Laban, engaged in tending her father’s sheep.
And Jacob, it will be seen, did not turn away
shocked at seeing her thus engaged, instead of
being occupied with the cymbal and the harp.
He viewed her with admiration ; kissed his fair
cousin, and having assisted her in giving water
to her flock, told her who he was, and fol-
lowed her to her home. There he was kindly
received, and his admiration of Rachel became
RACHEL FIRST SEEN BY JACOB.
s0 great, that he offered to serve Laban for
seven years, provided he might become her
husband. The offer was accepted, and such, we
are told, was his love for the fair maiden, that
the years passed as days.
Severely was Jacob tried when the period of
his servitude expired, for then, as it would seem
for the first time, Laban, a cold and selfish
man, objected to Rachel, his younger daughter,
being married before her elder sister. That sis-
ter, Leah, therefore, though never the object ot
his choice, became the wife of Jacob, but after
a short period, as in those times it was common
for a man to have more than one wife, he was
also united to Rachel, but on the condition that
he should work another seven years for Laban,
on her account.
It was by industry and perseverance that
Jacob eventually prevailed. By care and pa-
tience adverse fortune may be conquered, and,
as in the case of the patriarch, they are not in
the end disappointed who confide in the pro-
mises of God.
Pe A SI SR
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JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.
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“They drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold |
Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.â€â€”
GENESIS, chap. xxxvii., verse 28.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1728 YEARS,
Josern was loved by his father, Jacob, more
than any of his brethren, which caused him to
be viewed by them with envy. Their evil feel-
ings were increased by his recounting certain
dreams which he had had, and which appeared,
so they thought, to indicate that at a future day
he would be above them all. They at length
became very spiteful, and proposed among
themselves to kill him. One of his brothers,
named Reuben, less cruel than the rest, would
not consent to shed his blood, but persuaded
the other sons of Jacob to cast him into a pit,
from which he hoped he should be able after a
time, to rescue him, and take him home.
But some Midianites, who were merchants,
passed, and as it was common for them to
purchase men, in order to make them servants
or slaves, the brothers determined in that way to
dispose of Joseph. He was accordingly sold for
twenty pieces of silver, and carried off by the
merchants into the land of Egypt.
VOL. I. E 25
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JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.
The conduct of his brethren, with the ex-
ception of that of Reuben, was the more sinful,
as he had only placed himself in their power
obeying the request of his father, by seeking
them; in the language of Scripture, ‘“‘to see
whether it was well with them and with their
flocks.†‘‘See,â€â€™ says Matthew Henry, “in
Joseph an instance of dutifulness to his father
and of kindness to his brethren; though he
knew they hated him, yet he did not for a mo-
ment reject his father’s command.â€
All comment may be spared on the conduct
of the cruel brothers who first conspired to
kill, and proceeded to sell Joseph into slavery.
Had he been wicked, of which there is no proof,
still their treatment of him would have been
blamed by every generous mind. Let brothers
and sisters, while they read his story in the
Bible, note well what followed; let them mark
the wretched state in which his hard-hearted
relatives soon found themselves; and seriously
consider what bitter reflections must have been
theirs in the day of shame and sorrow, by which
they were overtaken.
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JOSEPH’S COAT.
‘They took Joseph’s coat and killed a kid of the goats, and
dipped the coat in the blood.â€â€”GENEsIs, chap. xxxvii.
verse 31,
BEFORE CHRIST, 1728 YEARS.
Ir once we wander from duty, and think we
can stop in our career of sin, having only in
that single instance done wrong, we greatly de-
ceive ourselves,
When Joseph had been sold to the Midian-
ites, it soon occurred to the plotting brothers,
that they must account for the absence of the
betrayed one, and this led them to add to the
sin already committed, that of imposing upon
Jacob a deliberate falsehood.
Reuben, it ought to be mentioned, was no
party to the sale of Joseph, and when he missed
him from the pit he rent his clothes in grief,
exclaiming, ‘‘ the child is not; whither shall
I go?â€
Reuben, however, seems with the rest to
have agreed to deceive their father ; and a coat
which had been worn by Joseph, and which was
formed of materials of different colours, they
27
JOSEPH’S COAT.
stained with the blood of a kid, and presented
it to Jacob, who thereupon concluded that Jo-
seph had been devoured or torn to pieces by
some wild beast. He rent his clothes, wore
sackcloth, and mourned for him as for one that
was dead; and he resolved to go mourning
down to the grave.
Thus, having first allowed envy and resent-
ment to fill their hearts, they next conspire to
commit a murder; and, when happily dissuaded
from this, they sell their brother to strange
men; then plan a false story to impose upon
Jacob. Their succeeding in this, casts upon
them the dire reproach of having rendered their
aged parent a heart-broken mourner.
It will be seen from their course in after-life,
how a watchful Providence humbles those who
are indifferent to the pain they cause others to
endure. In the words of the poet—
“To each his sufferings all are men,
Condemned alike to groan;
The tender for another's pain.
Th’ unfeeling for his own.â€
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JACOB BLESSING HIS CHILDREN.
“Their father spake unto them, and blessed them every one
according to his blessing he blessed them.â€â€”GENEsis,
chap. xlix., verse 28.
BEroreE Curist, 1689 YEARS.
Jacosp remained a long time in Egypt, but
growing old, his sight became dim; he felt that
the time of his death was near, and he called on
his sons to assemble round him in his parting
moments. Such a scene ‘in the case of a dis-
tinguished individual is full of interest. We
naturally regard the last rays of a powerful
mind with that fond admiration which men feel
in contemplating on a summer’s evening the
glories of the setting sun.
His children being assembled, the dying pa-
triarch, Jacob, addressed them. He praised of
some the dignity, the strength and the judg-
ment of others, but in the case of Simeon and
Levi he remarked, the instruments of cruelty
are in their habitations. He expressed a holy
horror of being associated with such men, and,
“O my soul,†he exclaimed, “‘ come not thou
into their secret, be not thou united, for in
their anger they slew a man. Cursed be their
31
a
anger, for it was fierce, and wrath, for it was
cruel.â€
But for the dutiful Joseph, he declared that
“the blessings of his father which had prevailed
unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills,
should be on his head, and on the crown of the
head of him that was separate from his bre-
thren.â€â€™ Thus, we are told in Scripture, Jacob,
when his death was at hand, spake unto his
children; ‘“‘ every one according to his blessing,
he blessed them.â€
When man perceives that awful moment
draws near in which he must return to the
dust from which he was taken, in most cases
he desires to testify good-will to those who re-
main behind. While forgiving all sins against
himself, a just parent will discriminate between
a dutiful and an undutiful child ; a kind one
and a cruel one. Let it be the study of those
to whom the Giver of all good has granted
kind parents, so to conduct themselves, that
they may be entitled to receive that blessing,
which shall prevail unto the ‘utmost bound of
the everlasting hills,†from a dying father.
JACOB BLESSING HIS CHILDREN.
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THE FINDING OF MOSES.
“The daughter of Pharach came down to wash herself at the
river, and her maidens walked along the river’s side; ond
when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to
fetch it, and when she had opened it she saw the child, and,
behold, the babe wept.â€â€”-Exopus, chap. ii., verses 6, 7.
BeEroreE Curist, 1571 YEARS,
Tur Israelites in Egypt were reduced to a
state of bondage, and Pharaoh, the cruel king
of that country, had ordered that every male
child born of Hebrew parents should be
thrown into a river. The mother of Moses
would not obey the mandate of the king. Her
fondness for her offspring prevailed over every
other thought, and she so managed as to con-
ceal him for three months, when, fearing dis-
covery, she procured a small ark, in which she
placed the child, which she concealed among
the flags by the side ofa river. His sister was
- directed to watch at some distance, to give
notice of approaching danger.
While she was waiting there, the daughter
of the king, we are told, ‘‘ came down to wash
herself.â€â€™ She discovered the infant Moses.
The poor child was crying, no doubt from
being parted from his mother. His sister then
VOL. 1. F 3d:
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THE FINDING OF MOSES.
approached, and asked if she might call a nurse
to tend the little one? The heart of the king’s
daughter was touched with compassion. She
at once rightly judged the infant was one of
the Hebrew race, whom maternal love had
Jaboured to save from an untimely death. The
sister acted her part well; the mother of Moses
then came forward, and the royal lady gave her
wages to nurse her own child.
In the history of Moses we see a helpless
babe saved from death by the daughter of the
tyrant who had pronounced his doom. At
the moment when the Egyptian princess thus
acted, who could have foretold that the weeping
infant in the small ark would in time become
a potent chief—be the selected instrument to
enable the people of his nation to escape from
their hard hearted task-masters— and, yet
more, be admitted to converse with God him-
self, that he might make known his commands
to all the nations of the earth !
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THE ISRAELITES
ENCAMPED.
THE ISRAELITES ENCAMPED.
“They took their journey from Succoth and encamped in
Ethen, in the edge of the wilderness.†Exopus, chap. xiii.,
verse 20.
BEFORE Curist, 1490 years.
Gop was pleased to instruct the children of
Israel in the course which they should pur-
sue, and, especially, in the rites they should
observe, and he enabled them to find their way
across a wilderness which had never been trod-
den by the foot of man before. Through the
land of the Philistines would have been the
shortest way, but that he was pleased to order
them to avoid: ‘Lest, peradventure, the
people repent when they see war, and return
into the land of Egypt.’
The narrative then proceeds: ‘ And the
Lord went before them by day in a pillar of
cloud to lead them the way, and by night in
a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day
and night.â€
What a consoling assurance does it afford to
the true believer, that the Creator, ever atten-
tive to those who love and fear Him, and obey
his laws, watches constantly over their welfare
by day and night.
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THE ISRAELITES ENCAMPED.
God’s providence had enabled the chosen
people to leave that land into which they had
been driven by famine, and detained by tyranny.
In bringing them forth out of Egypt we see
their journey was lengthened, that it might be
less unsafe. They were not suffered to enter
the land of the Philistines, lest a near view of
the horrors of war should make them content
to endure the degradation of slavery.
They were then conducted to the border of
the wilderness of the Red Sea, and there the
Mighty One who does not suffer His people to
be tempted beyond their strength, graciously
came forward to dissipate their alarms. In a
pillar of a cloud he went before them in the day
time, that they might not be misled; and as a
pillar of fire in the night, he saved them from
being bewildered in the darkness.
Reading this history we see, that whatever
the nature of the evils which encompass men,
so we put our trust in the Supreme Being, we
may rely upon his being all-sufficient: that
the God who made us is competent to save.
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BALAAM AND HIS ASS.
“The ass saw the angel of the Lurd standing in the way, and
his sword was drawn.â€â€”-NUMBERS, xxii., verse 23.
Berore Curist, 1451 YEARS.
Tue story of Balaam is very extraordinary.
When the Israelites in their march towards
the land they were to call their own, had
reached the neighbourhood of Jericho, Balak,
the king of the Moabites afraid the progress
of such a host in his neighbourhood would
preduce a famine, sent for Balaam to curse
them, believing from the fame he had acquired,
that ‘‘ those he cursed would be cursed, and
that those he blessed would be blessed.â€
Balaam addressed himself to the Lord, tell-
ing what was desired. He was forbidden to
go with those who had been sent for him, or
to curse the Israelites. He accordingly refused
to accompany the Moabitish princes, and they
returned to Balak with that answer.
Again the king sent to him, offering great
promotion and great honour, and again Balaam
was tempted, and hesitated ; but tempted, per-
haps, by the prospect of riches he moved
towards Balak, and so doing offended God,
6
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BALAAM AND HIS ASS.
who, on this occasion, confounded the intel-
lectual Balaam by the voice of the animal on
which he rode.
Balaam was mounted on an ass, and at-
tended by two servants, when the angel of
the Lord stood in a path in the vineyards.
The ass turned aside, Balaam strove to ad-
vance, but his foot was crushed against the
wall, and, at length, the creature fell. Then
having repeatedly smitten her, Balaam wished
for a sword to kill the poor brute, when, to
his utter amazement, the ass was suddenly
gifted with speech, and said, ‘‘am I not thine
ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I
was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont
to do so unto thee?â€
To this Balaam replied, ‘“‘ Nay ;â€â€™ and then,
his eyes being opened, ‘‘ he saw the angel of
the Lord,†who now spoke to him.
Balaam fell on his face, and confessed that he
had sinned. Subsequently he acted a better
part. He braved the anger of an affronted
monarch, and boldly repeated, ‘“ If Balak
would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment
of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine
own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will
I speak.â€
68
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PHARAOH’S DREAM.
“And it came to pass at the end of two years that Pharaoh
dreamed.†—GENESIS, chap. xli., verse 1.
BEForE CuHrist, 1718 YEARS.
JosErpH was carried by his purchasers into
Egypt, and sold to an officer in the court of
Pharaoh, the king of that country. There he
was accused of bad actions which he had never
committed ; but far from his father, having no
kind friend or relative to take his part, those
who wished to spite him were believed, and he
was cast into prison. Two of his prison com-
panions, who were the king’s chief butler and
chief baker, had strange dreams. By Joseph
they were interpreted, who foretold that the
butler would be restored, and that the baker
would be hanged. His skill in such matters
caused him to be sent for to interpret the
dreams of the king. Pharaoh declared, that in
his sleep he seemed to stand on the margin of
a river, when seven kine, fat-fleshed, came
forth and fed in a meadow. After this he saw
seven other kine. The creatures which now
arrested his attention were lean and ill-favoured,
29
PHARAOH’S DREAM.
and these turned upon the well-favoured kine and
ate them up, yet their looks were not improved.
He next saw seven ears of corn growing full and
good, when, behold, seven ears withered and
blasted by the east wind sprung up near them,
and the thin ears destroyed the healthy ones.
Joseph explained the dream to foretell that
years of great abundance and of scarcity were
at hand, and gave such wise counsel that the
king appointed him to make provision against
the years of famine, in those of plenty which
were first to come. This Joseph did, and while
all the lands around were in want of food, there
was an abundance of corn in Egypt. Thither
Jacob sent for provisions ; and finally went
there himself with all his sons, and were kindly
treated by Joseph. Jacob remained in Egypt
the remainder of his days.
Thus, He who can bring ‘‘good out of evil,â€
was in this instance pleased to make the sinful
deed of his brothers the means of exalting their
intended victim.
30
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DAVID SPARING SAUL.
“The Lord delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would
not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed.â€â€”-
1 SAMUEL, chap. xxvi., verse 23.
Beroreé CuHRIsT, 1061 YEARS,
Saux became the enemy of David, and sought
him with an army of three thousand chosen
men, intending to put him to death. Aware
of his evil design, David called upon two of his
followers, named Abimelech, and Abishai, to
go with him in the stillness of night to the spot
where Saul had pitched his camp. They made
their way undiscovered by the guards, who sur-
rounded the king of Israel, and found Saul
sleeping with his spear stuck in the ground by
the side of his bolster. Perceiving him, thus
defenceless, Abishai wished to kill him, and
prayed David to let him smite the monarch
with his spear, as he lay, promising he would
strike him so effectually that a second blow
should be unnecessary.
David staid him, and forbade Abishai to
strike the Lord’s anointed, declaring the Lord
would not hold him guiltless who did such a
deed, and his day would come to die, or he
would fall in battle. The spear of Saul he
125
=~
DAVID SPARING SAUL.
took, and a cruse of water, which was also near
his bolster, and having retired to some distance
he called to Abner, the general of Saul’s army,
showed him the spear and the cruse of water,
of which he had possessed himself, and bitterly
reproached him for not having been more watch-
ful at his post, telling him that for such neglect
of duty he deserved to die.
Saul awaking heard David’s voice, and was
told what had come to pass. David complained
of those who had made the king his enemy,
prayed him to put his anger aside, and to let
one of his young men fetch the spear and the
cruse. Saul owned that he had sinned, and
promised that he would no more seek to do
David harm. ‘The Lord,’ said David, ‘“ de-
livered thee into my hand, but I would not
stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s
anointed.†Saul then blessed David and pro-
phesied that he would ‘“‘do great things.†They
parted in peace.
Loyalty in the sight of God, and in the judg-
ment of all good men, is a solemn duty,—
“ For kings are put in trust for all mankind.â€
Even when they err, it is not for a subject to
raise his hand against the life of the Lord’s
anointed.
126
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SAUL AND THE WITCH.
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BALAK AND THE PRINCES.
Moab.â€â€”-NUMBERS, xxili., verse 6.
BEroreE Curist, 1451 YEARS.
Tue startling miracle which Balaam had wit-
nessed while journeying towards Balak, and the
reproving voice of the angel, had effectually
admonished him not to do anything at the bid-
ding of man, which was in opposition to the (
command of God. He presented himself before
the king of Moab; he received his reproaches
for the delay which occurred, but frankly told
Balak that, ‘“‘only that which God had put
into his mouth could he presume to speak.â€
Balaam then desired that seven altars should
be erected, and that oxen and rams should be
prepared for sacrifice, and he promises to re-
port whatever God should make known to him.
He could not gratify the king; Balak and the
princes of Moab, in vain returned and sought
by offering sacrifices to render the Most High
not unfavourable to their wishes. Balaam
dared not to curse the Jews, the people of whom
the king stood so much in dread. ‘‘ How shall
I curse,†said he, “whom God hath not cursed,
69
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BALAK AND THE PRINCES.
how defy whom God hath not defied?â€â€™ “‘God,â€
said he, ‘is not a man that he should lie, and
behold I have received command to bless, and
he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it;†and
afterwards from his lips issued the memorable
prophecy, ‘‘There shall come a star out of
Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel and
shall smite the corners of Moab.â€â€™ He saw, he
knew that they were under the protection of
Jehovah.
In all his intercourse with the Moabitish king
we find Balaam duly impressed with that con-
viction which ought to live in every heart, that
it is not for mortal tongue to resist the voice of
God. ‘While it may be presumed the prophet
wavered between the hope of great benefits,
and duty, his will was controlled, first by a
despised animal, then by an angel from Heaven,
thus making him feel that all things and beings
were likely to unite against one, who should
madly oppose himself to the Lord. Far from
seconding the wrathful movements of Balak,
he blessed those whom he was sent to curse;
he was heard rapturously to exclaim, ‘ how
goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy taber-
nacles, O Israel !’’
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THE JUDGMENT SEAT.
“Tf there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between
plea and plea, then shalt thou arise and get up into the
place which the Lord thy God shall choose.â€â€”-DrvTER-
ONOMY, xvii. verse 8
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BEFORE Curist, 1451 YEARS.
SOC IE ST AT a
/ In the Bible we are taught that from time to
time the God of Israel condescended not only
, to give laws to his people, but to instruct them
in the way in which those laws ought to be ad-
ministered. This was not the least of his
mercies to that favoured race; the young can-
not too soon understand this. No earthly
good is worth having, wealth, glory, and liberty
are all valueless, without order; which can only
be permanently secured by regulating law.
Therefore it was that God gave Moses direc-
tions to establish a Judgment Seat.
Before this offenders against the law were to
be brought, and diligent inquiry having been
made into the charge preferred, they were to
be punished by death, or by less dreadful visi-
tations according to the nature of their mis-
deeds. An idea has been sometimes stated by
weak people that no crime would justify putting
a violator of the law to death, and it has been
71
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THE JUDGMENT SEAT.
said that such a proceeding had no sanction
from Scripture. These well-meaning but igno-
rant people the youth of to-day will be able to
teach are in error, when they read to them this |
text, ‘‘at the mouth of two witnesses, or three |
witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be
put to death.†Than this nothing can be more
distinct ; here we learn that God has that care
to preserve the good, that the evil who greatly
outrage or destroy them, may be punished even
to the death.
The Judgment Seat it will be seen was in-
tended to be awful. It was always to be ap-
proached with sacred reverence, but to the
wicked only was it to be terrible ; it was not to
be an instrument of dreadful infliction without
an object, but in mercy to the good, justice was
to be there inflexibly administered.
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EXPIATION OF MURDER a)
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THE FALL OF MANNA.
“ ‘When the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of
the wilderness there lay a small round thing as small as the
hoar-frost on the ground; and when the children of Israel
saw it they said, one to another, It is manna.â€â€”-Exopuvs,
chap. xvi., verses 14, 15.
Berore Cunist, 1492 vEars.
Tue Israelites, as they advanced through the
wilderness to which they had been conducted
by Moses, murmured against their leader, as
fretful children sometimes complain that. all
their wishes cannot be met by their parents.
A cry arose against him, and his followers,
while they looked on the dreary waste which
they had reached, and reflected on the wea-
risome march which they had vet to perform,
and on the many privations which they must
still endure, lost all courage, and with it the
love of liberty expired. ‘‘ What benefit was it,â€
they asked, ‘‘ to be brought out of the land of
bondage to be exposed ‘to the pains of hun-
ger?â€â€™ They exclaimed, ‘‘Would to God we
had died by the hand of the Lord in the land
of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots,
and when we did eat bread to the full.†To
this they added the bitter reproach, that, Moses
39
Tomek
Sl
ot ee ct
THE FALL OF MANNA,
had brought them into the wilderness to kill
them all.
In pity of their sufferings the Lord declared
to Moses, that he would rain bread from
Heaven; and, accordingly, they found one
morning, when the dew had vanished from the
earth, ‘(a small round thing upon the face of
the wilderness, which proved to be manna.â€
They were cautioned against leaving any of it
carelessly about. Exposed to the open air in a
warm climate through the night, it bred worms,
and was most offensive.
On the sixth day we find the people di-
rected to collect a double quantity. This was
so ordered, that the Sabbath of the Lord, that
. blessed ordinance of mercy, in which all civil-
ized nations rejoice, might be kept holy.
Some of the chosen people, nevertheless, did
. not fail to go in search of manna on the Sab-
bath. Their avarice, folly, and presumption
were fitly requited.
In our time full often it is seen, that those
who neglect the observance of that day, gra-
ciously conceded to us for rest and for solemn
reflection, find their labours yield no _ profit,
and their search of pleasure fruitful of pain.
- 2
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MOSES STRIKING
GREET EEE EERE
EXPIATION OF MURDER.
“ All the elders of the city that are next unto the slain man
shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in
the valley: and say, our hands have not shed this blood.â€
DEUTERONOMY, xxi., verses 6, 7.
BEFORE Cunist, 1452 YEARS.
Tue statutes given to the children of Israel by
their great chief, Moses, were framed with a
view to their permanent government in many
cases, but in some with reference to their then
wandering state. When reading the Bible this
ought constantly to be borne in mind. Rules
framed for the government of fugitives escap-
ing from bondage, would hardly be applicable,
in every instance, to a settled civilised society.
To inspire horror for the crime of murder
was one of the first cares of Moses. Should a
man be found slain, because the evil could not
be repaired, it was not therefore to be passed
over as a trivial affair which demanded no con-
sideration, if the author of the crime were un-
known. In such a case, that the wrath of God
might not fall on the nation generally, for the
sin committed, the elders and judges were to
ascertain what city was nearest to the spot on
which the corpse had been found, a heifer was
VOL. I. L 73
Ce ER EE
Ne a a a a TD
EXPIATION OF MURDER.
to be sacrificed by striking off its head, and the (
elders of the implicated city were to wash their ‘
hands over the slaughtered animal, and so- ,
lemnly make the declaration: ‘“‘ Our. hands
have not shed this bloodâ€â€™ (that of the mur-
dered man), ‘‘ neither have our eyes seen it.
Be merciful, O Lord, to thy people, whom
thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent
blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge.â€â€™
How deep, how awful the guilt which in the
eye of God attaches to murder must be under-
stood and felt by every one, when it is seen
that among his chosen people, even in a case
where the assassin was unknown, and where it
was possible that some extenuating circum-
stances might have attended the act, a solemn
sacrifice and prayer were ordained; adeclaration (;
of innocence was made—in which of course it
was presumed the homicide would fear to join—
in order to avert the wrath of God from the
land which had thus been stained with crime.
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MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.
“ Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb;
and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water
out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in
the sight of the elders of Israel.â€â€” Exopus, chap. xvii.,
verse 6.
Berore Curist, 1491 YEARS.
Amone the evils which the Israelites had to
endure, was one of which the youngest reader
knows something; a want of drink. But the
thirst which children or men have to endure in
a civilised country, in all ordinary cases, though
painful, can give but a faint idea of the intoler-
able agony endured by persons who journey
in a hot climate, from a scarcity of water
through several successive days. No bodily
affliction, no torture which ingenious cruelty
has ever invented, can surpass the misery
known from raging thirst.
The Israelites had reached a place called
Rephidim, where they found no water. As
was too frequently their custom, they reproach-
fully called upon Moses to supply their wants.
“He chid their wanderings, but relieved their pain.â€
He, however, felt that he was not safe from
VOL. I. G 41
MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.
their rage, and, solemnly appealing to God,
he prayed that he might be instructed what
to do for the sufferers, who, groaning with
anguish, were almost ready to stone him to
death.
Then the Lord, determined that his power
should be seen, commanded Moses to take
with him the elders of Israel, and his rod, and
he added, ‘‘ Behold I will stand before thee
upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite
the rock, and there shall come water out of it
that the people may drink.â€
This was done, and in the sight of the
fainting multitude water burst from the rock.
Such startling miracles as the Bible relates,
do not in our time meet the mortal eye. We
have, however, the venerable record of them,
we have ‘‘ Moses and the prophets,†and hap-
pily we have abundant proofs that the power
of the Almighty has not abated ; and comfort
often as unexpectedly gladdens the hearts
of his people, as the water did the thirsty
Israelites issuing from the rock at Horeb.
S
MOSE
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GOD)’
GOD’S CHARGE TO MOSES.
“ The Lord said to Moses, Charge the people, lest they break
through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.â€
—Exopus, chap. xix., verse 21.
BEFore Cunrist, 1451 YEARS.
Wuewn the God of Israel was about to give
laws to the descendants of Jacob, Moses having
been permitted to hold converse with the
Eternal on Mount Sinai, was commanded to
prepare the people for this great occasion, and
he accordingly went down from the Mount to
sanctify them.
Mount Sinai was now involved in smoke,
which ascended as that of a furnace, and the
mountain itself quaked, for the Creator of all
things was there.
That curiosity and interest unknown before
were then excited, cannot create much sur-
prise; but the Lord saw that the Israelites
were likely, moved as they were at that mo-
ment, to lose sight of the reverend awe with
which the spot, glorified by his presence, must
be approached. To Moses, therefore, was
assigned the task of charging the peuple, “‘lest
43
coe
i
GOD’S CHARGE TO MOSES.
they should attempt to break through unto the
Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.â€
Moses did as he was commanded. He went
down to the people and set bounds round the
mount, after which he and Aaron were to go
up and receive the tables of the law.
Not only the people, but also the Jewish
priests were warned that it behoved them to
sanctify themselves, lest divine wrath should
overtake them: “lest the Lord break forth
upon them.â€
The caution to restrain the over-eager curi-
osity of the Israelites, was given in mercy.
Thoughtless men are too likely to approach
sacred places with sinful levity. In those mo-
ments when we approach, not Mount Sinai, but
the temple of religion erected near our own
abodes, all possible solemnity should be ob-
served. The opposite is frequently deplored
by the good, while they behold the church of
God polluted with worldly strivings :
“ And fools rush in where angels fear to tread.â€
THE
LECEIVING
MOSES
TABLES
THE DEATH OF MOSES.
“Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of
Moab, according to the word of the Lord.â€â€”-DEUTERONOMY,
chap. xxxiv., verse 5.
BEFORE Curist, 1450 YEARS.
Havine gazed from the summit of Mount
Pisgah, on the fair lands over which, in the
) fullness of time, the kings of Israel were to
,» reign, Moses died in the land of Moab.
| It is recorded that “the Lord buried him in
a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Beth-peor ; but no man knoweth of his se-
pulchre unto this day.†At the time of his
death he was a hundred and twenty years old,
but ‘‘ his eye was not dim, nor his natural force
abated.â€â€™
When their leader, protector, and friend was
no more, his loss was deeply felt by the
Hebrew nation. ‘‘ And the children of Israel
wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty
days.â€
( The fall of that great man they might well
(| contemplate with sorrow. It must have oc-
‘\ curred to them how often, ungrateful as they
| were, they had heaped foul reproach on him,
5
and even threatened his life for evils not of his
77
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No Se I SE Se
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THE DEATH OF MOSES.
creation, but which his pious advocacy caused
to be removed, and sad indeed must they have
been who had to lament that their wickedness
had occasioned him sorrow, whose loss they
had now to deplore.
Let the young reader deeply reflect on this.
Has he a parent? That parent is to him a
Moses, to lead him from the swaddling clothes
of infancy to the freedom which he may claim
in maturer years; from a state of helpless
weakness towards that situation of trust which
he is eventually to fill. If the kindly anxious
efforts to bring him forward meet with a
thankless return, in the fullness of time the
refractory youth (like the sinful Jews), when
the grave has closed over his friend, will with
poignant anguish mourn his loss with unavail-
ing tears. But then—
“Can thy foolish fond endeavour
Call him back who’s gone for ever ?â€
ee i EEE EO
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78
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MOSES RECEIVING THE TABLES.
“ He gave unto Moses, when he had msde an end of commun-
ing with him upon Mcunt Sinai, two tables of stone written
by the hand of God.â€--Exopus, chap. xxxi., verse 18.
BEFORE CuRistT, 1451 YEARS.
Tue seene which the artist here brings before
us, is one of the most extraordinary witnessed
in the whole history of man. Moses was per-
mitted to confer with the Almighty, who had
seen the vain sacrifices made before images, and
heard the mad cry, ‘“‘ These be thy gods, O
Israel, which have brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.â€â€ The Omnipotent then called
on Moses to refrain from farther intercession
on their behalf, that in his wrath he might
consume the sinners and make a great nation
of his faithful servant.
Bold as disinterested, Moses besought the
Lord his God, and said, ‘‘ Lord why doth thy
wrath wax hot against thy people, whom thou
hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt
with a great power and with a mighty hand!â€
He called on the Creator to abate his wrath, to
remember his servants Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and his former gracious promise.
This noble daring found favour in the sight
45
Te
Ne EE EE RE
MOSES RECEIVING THE TABLES.
of the Deity, he refrained from visiting the
sins of the wretched offenders with his awful
vengeance, and he gave to Moses the tables of
the law. They were the work of God, and the
writing was the writing of God graven upon the
tables.
Joshua, the friend of Moses, joined him on
his way to the camp. Songs of rejoicing were
raised by the Jews, while they danced round the
molten calf. At a distance from the scene
of degradation Joshua remarked to Moses,
‘there was a noise of war in the camp;’’ Moses
answered, “it is not the voice of them that
shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of
them that cry for being overcome, but the noise
of them that sing do I hear.†He saw the
Israelites bending before a vain image, and
pretending to ascribe to that contemptible ob-
ject the countless blessings they had known.
Moses paused not to censure; the tables, of
which he was the bearer, precious as they were,
he dashed down, in his wrath; the idol he threw
into the fire, and caused it to be reduced to
powder and the powder he forced the Israelites to
drink with their water.
Wanderers from reason and from God can
expect no comfort here, or in the world to
come.
46
THE ANGEL APPEARING TO
JOSHUA.
“He said, as captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship.â€
—JosHua, chap. v., verse 14.
BEFORE CHrRistT, 1450 YEARS.
Josuua, the son of Nun, succeeded Moses as
leader of the Israelites. He is stated to have
been ‘‘ full of the spirit of wisdom,†but to all
the dignity of the former chief he never could
attain, as since his time there arose not in
Israel ‘‘a prophet like unto Moses, whom the
Lord knew face to face.â€
But though not so highly favoured, Joshua
on more than one occasion was favoured with
direct communications from above. He was
bold in war, and having marched against Jeri-
cho, ‘he lifted up his eyes and looked, and
behold there stood a man over against him,
with his sword drawn in his hand.†This
man as he seemed, was in truth an angel, and
Joshua, still supposing him to be mortal, hav-
ing demanded whether he was for the Israelites
or for their adversaries, the angel replied,
‘“‘Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord
am I now come.†Then Joshua no longer
:
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THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA.
supposed that it was a man like himself with
whom he held converse, and falling on his face
on the earth, he worshipped him and said,
What saith the Lord unto his servant ?
The celestial messenger directed Joshua to
loose his shoe from his foot, as the ground on
which he stood was holy. Joshua obeyed, and
he was then made acquainted with coming
events, and told of the impending fate of
Jericho.
Under difficult circumstances, less openly,
but perhaps not less efficiently, God’s servants
have often in all ages been warned of what was
to take place, and prepared by divine intelli-
gence for the scenes in which it was their duty
to mingle, and in which they were destined to
act a conspicuous part. On great occasions
wise chieftains have not failed to commend to
their followers devout exercises, and these have
in many cases been followed by a memorable
triumph.
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“The people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets:
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trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that
the wall fell.†Josnua, chap. vi. verse 20, :
BEFORE Cunist, 1451 YEARS.
Ir has been seen that Joshua had been fa-
voured with a revelation from ‘on high. The
angel of the Lord had told him that he was to
prove victorious, and that Jericho, the city to
which he was about to lay siege, would fall
before him,
Thus encouraged, he boldly proceeded. He
rose early, and the ark of the Lord was carried
round the city on seven successive days, seven
priests blowing trumpets of rams’ horns pre-
ceded it, and on the seventh day, when the
people shouted, having previously been com-
manded to refrain from doing so, the trumpets
again sounded, and again the people raised a
loud shout, and the next moment, as the angel
had foretold, ‘‘the wall fell down flat, so that
the people went up into the city, every man
straight before him, and they took the city.â€
A dreadful scene followed. The Israelites,
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we read, “‘ utterly destroyed all that was in the
city, both man and woman, young and old, and
ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the
sword.â€
The people of Jericho must have been a sin-
ful race. Not only were they subjected to this
severity, but a solemn curse was pronounced
against any one who should rebuild the city,
and it was declared that he should “lay the
foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his
youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.â€
No exact records have been handed down to
us of the crimes of the wretched sinners who
were doomed thus miserably to perish. Enough,
however, is preserved to convey to us an awful
picture of the vengeance which must fall upon
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This was the object of Joshua, and it was
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those who worship him, he is not restrained
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Events like these command our wonder, yet
why should they? The sun and moon are
great and sublime objects, and vast and stu-
pendous indeed must be the power which could
compel them to halt in their course. But is it
to be supposed that the power of Him who
made them and prescribed their laws, is other
than vast! They indeed,
“ Their great original proclaim!â€
but they are in His mighty hand, less than the
toys of a child in the grasp of a man.
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of the Deity, that not a man of the Midianites
should stand before him, prompted that peti-
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TALLIS’S
ILLUSTRATED SCRIPTURE HISTORY
FOR THE
IMPROVEMENT OF YOUTH.
BY
THE EDITOR OF STURM’S FAMILY DEVOTIONS.
VOL. I.
PUBLISHED BY JOHN TALLIS AND COMPANY,
LONDON AND NEW YORK.
1851.
INDEX.
VOL. f,
AAR Se
PAGE
Aaron, Consecration of . 65
Abel, the Death of . . 7
‘Abigail and David. . 123
Absalom, the Death of . 137
Abundance, give from a your 265
Adam and Eve, Expulsion from
Paradise . .
Affliction, Job’s . 2
‘Ahasuerus (King), Queen Esther
before
Abijah, the Children of Israel de-
feated by . 201
Amasa, Death of 141
Amorites, Destruction of the . 83
Animal Creation, Naming of
the.
Ark, David dancing before the . 129
Assyria and Nineveh, the Destruc-
tion of, foretold ‘ 315
Assyrian Host, an Angel destroys
the
Ass, Balaam and his . . set
Athaliah, the Death of . . 209
Babylon, the triumph of, foretold 1 eae
————— the Fall of .
Balak and the Princes . 759
Benevolence, David’s . . 187
Book of the Law, Ezra opens the 229
Brethren, J oseph sold by his . 25
Cakes, the Unleavened * . 91
Calf, the Molten . - 47
Children, Elisha mocked by . 167
~——— of Israel, Hadoram stoned
to Death by the . 199
———_ Jacob blessing his. 31
Church, Christ and his . - 267
Coat, J oseph’s 27
Covenant, Josiah receiving the . 183
Dagon, the Fall of . 115
Daughters-in-law, Naomi and her 105
David, Bathsheba, and Solomon 145
and Goliath . * 121
Dayid, Nathan reproves . . 133
PAGE
Death-bed, Elisha on his . «475
Deluge, the . 9
Den of Lions, ' Daniel cast into the 295
Despair, Jobin . . « 245
Dial, the Shadow of the . 271
Dismay, Athaliah in - 207
Dream, Pharaoh’s . . 29
Eden, Garden of . 1
Elijah, an Earthquake seen by . 159
Enemies, David calling on God to
defeat his . . . . 255
Encamped Israelites, the 36
Exalted, Solomon 191
Ezekiel’s Wife, the Death of . 285
Fall, Idolatry shall . 309
False Prophets, Elijah, andthe . 156
Friends, Job and his . . 248
Fruit, the Basket of . . . 803
Gates of Gaza, Samson | carrying
the . . 101
Gift, Caleb’s . . . 87
Gleaning, Ruth . . - 107
God, the Greatness of... . 313
—— The House of, plundered and
21
ity, Woe to the
destroyed
Guilty ail
Hagar, Departure of . 13
Hair, Absalom suspended by the 135
Haman, Esther accuser . » 237
Heaven, Elijah calling Fire from 161
—————~ Elijah taken up to - 165
High Priest, Aaron the : . 69
Honoured, Mordecai . . . 286
Hosea’s Vision. 317
House of the Lord, Levites or-
dered to sanctify the : . 219
Idols, offering Incense to. . 299
Invitation, Esther’s . . . 233
Tsaac, Abraham offering . 16
Teracl, Lament of the ughters
of . . .
Israelites, the Children of J udoh
are treated kindly by the . 217
ii INDEX,
PAGE
Jacob, [saac blessing . . 19
Rachel first seen by. 23
Jael and Sisera . 89
Jericho, Fall of the ‘Wall of 8
Jerusalem, Fallof . 185
Joash, Jehoshabeath carr ies off
the ‘Infant Prince. . « 205
Job’s Friend, the Vision of . 247
Joshua, the Angel appearing to 79
J udgment-Seat, the . 71
Ladder, Jacob’s . . . - 21
Lamb, offering the. . . 63
Leprosy, Naaman cured of . 171
—_—- Uzziah struck with =. 215
Levites’ Collection, Joash calls for
the - 211
Lion, Samson slaying the . 99
—— A Prophet destroyed by a. 149
Manna, the Fallof . . - 389
Mantle, Elijah’s . . : . 163
Meribah, the Water of . - 63
Micaiah, "Ahab orders to Prison . 203
Moses, the finding of . : . 33
God’s charge to . . 43
the Death of . . . 17
Murder, expiation of . . » 73
Nehemiah at Jerusalem. . 297
Nebuchaduezzar . . . . 291
Offering, the Burnt- . ‘ - 37
Parable, Nathan’s . . . 31
Plague, the, stayed. . . 61
Poor, pity the. . . « 261
Priests, warning to . 319
Prison, Jeremiah released “from
the . 279
Promised Land, Moses viewing the 75
Prosperity, J ob restored to . . 251
Queen of § Sheba, King Solomon
andthe . . 197
Rash Vow, J ephthah’s . » 93
Reassured, Job . « 249
Red Sea, Israelites crossing ‘the | 37
Rejoicing, David + 253
Restored, Israel to be . . - 301
Resignation, Job’s . 241
Righteous, Hope for all the . 273
Ruins, Jerusalem in . . - 283
Rock, Moses striking the. . 41
Ruth; Boaz rewarding . . 109
Boazmarries . . iil
PAGE
Sacrifice, Noah’s . . . . i
—-_--— Manoah’s . : . 97
—~—~-— the Accepted . . 157
Samson, Death of . 108
Samuel called by the Tord | . 113
Saul, Samuel anointing. 17
~—— David sparing . 1 . 125
—- David playing on the ¥ arp
before y “8 : . Lg
*s seven Sons hanged . . 143
Sea, Jonah cast into the. . 807
Second Tables, Moses deliv ering
the . . 51
Sennacherib, Death of . . 181
Serpent, the Brazen . 65
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego . . . 289
Shepherd, the Good . . 269
Shunammite, the, and her Son . 169
Solomon, the Judgment of . . 147
Singers and Musicians, David ap-
pointing the 3
Stocks, Jeremiah brought ‘forth
from the . 275
Sun and Moon, J oshua staying the 85
Tables, Moses receiving the 5
Moses breaking the . 49
Tabernacles, the Feast of . . 225
Tadmor, the Building of _. - 195
Temple, Cyrus proclaims that he
will rebuild the . 223
Temple of Baal, destruction of the 3
Tidings, Cushi bringing .
Transgressions, Israel’s . . 177
Transgression and Penitence,
David's . 189
Tyre, the Fall of | . . 287
Violence shall be Punished . 263
Wall, the Writing on the . 293
Water of Babylon, the Children
of Israel by the . . 259
Well, Rebecca at the . . 17
Wicked, the Righteous shall not
fall before the . . . 257
Wicked, Judgments on the . 297
Widow’s Son, Flijah raising the 153
Wife, Jeroboam’s . . . 151
Witch, Saul and the . . - 127
Zechariah, the Death of . 213
Zion’s, (Mount) Deliverance . 305
TO CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.
Tue work now submitted to the Christian world,
it is desired to render especially attractive to youth.
With this object in view, awful and astonishing
incidents recorded in the Bible, for the instruction of
mankind, have been selected, more especially such
as admitted of pictorial representation. Few adults
can have forgotten the powerful impression made
on them in their younger days by the rude illustra-
tions which met their eye in the old story books.
The Fables of ASsop have been established, it may
be said, universally, in English memories by such
means. It cannot admit of a doubt, that a still
greater effect, and one immeasurably more desirable,
may be produced from a series of histories, which
though wonderful as those which have amused many
generations by their startling extravagance in the
‘* Arabian Nights,†can be put forth with the most
solemn warranty for their truth. They comprehend
everything that is grand in nature, daring in ad-
venture, and beautiful in description. What can
be more deeply interesting than conversations in
i PREFACE.
which the Fathers of Mankind, Ancient Kings, and
even Angels from Heaven, are the speakers? What
so exciting as those scenes which bring before us
the actions and the sufferings of holy Prophets,
devoted Apostles, and the Son of God himself!
Impressed with a due sense of the august charac-
ter of the events which are to be treated, the editor
has been anxious to relate them with clearness,
avoiding with equal care grandiloquent display, and
the too familiar prattle of the nursery. Though
praise may issue from “the mouths of babes and
sucklings,†it is not by means within the reach of
babes and sucklings that the rapidly expanding
mind of youth can be developed to its fair propor-
tions. Scripture revelations are injured by an
affectation of nurse-like gossip.
The most daring imaginations have not been
equal to a flight so lofty as to reach the astounding
wonders recorded in holy writ. What achievements
can approach those of Moses? What situations
equai in interest those presented to us in the
Bible? What fabled magician could pretend to
such mighty powers as we see exerted, when a
world is called into existence ; a vast ocean divided;
and the great luminaries of Heaven arrested in their
PREFACE. li
course? Not confined to these are the subjects
which claim attention, but an astonishing variety of
incidents command our admiration, while we are
successively occupied with appalling judgments,
affecting catastrophes, and miracles of mercy.
The sacred and venerated book in which these are
recorded, places before the youthful student, at the
same moment, worldly knowledge and divine wis-
dom. No common-place narratives are offered to
his contemplation. He seems to hear the language
of revered patriarchs, the speech of cherubim and
seraphim, and even the voice of the Most High.
It is difficult to imagine a mind accustomed to such
themes, which will not derive from them not merely
improvement, but words, thoughts, and aspirations
ennobling and sublime. Occupied with sacred mus-
ings, lifted above the sordid cares of every-day life,
its grovelling hopes and fears dismissed, the young
enthusiast may be permitted to exclaim with
Milton—
“Into the heaven of heavens I have presumed,
An earthly guest, and drawn imperial air.â€
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THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
mountains of Libanus and Antilibanus, in that
part of Syria which claimed Damascus as its
metropolis.
Adonis, a lover of Venus, the fabled ad-
mirer of a fictitious goddess, had many gardens
named after him, which were adorned by the
Greeks and Egyptians with baskets of silver,
and ingeniously fashioned earthen vessels.
The title given to several of these, ‘‘ The gar-
den of Adon,†reminded the hearer of the gar-
den of Eden, but the spot on which Adam and
Eve first drew the breath of life remained un-
known.
When their offended Maker caused them to
be expelled from the scene of their trans-
gression, it was no temporary exile to which
they were sentenced. God having willed that
they should leave it, man would vainly have
attempted to return: there was “‘ placed at the
east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a
flaming sword which turned every way to keep
the way of the tree of life.†After reading this
it is hardly too much to presume that mortal
foot was never again permitted to tread within
its limits. It will hence be seen, that sinful
disobedience, however sincerely repented, leads
to consequences which cannot be repaired, and
which must for ever be deplored.
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NAMING THE CREATION.
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NAMING OF THE ANIMAL
CREATION
“ And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of
the field and every fowl of the air; and brought them
unto Adam to see what he would call them; and whatso-
ever Adam called every living creature that was the name
thereof.â€â€”-GENESsIS, chap. ii., verse 19.
BEFORE CuRist, 4004 YEARS.
Gop having bestowed life on the human race
added the gift of the earth, and moreover
ordained that man should have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over every living thing that moveth upon
the earth. The gift was so great and so glori-
ous that if we met with such a narrative else-
where, we should deem it a vain fable, and the
thoughtless scoffer would be tempted to ask,
‘“‘how has God given dominion over the fish in
the sea, who have power in their own element
to dart forward or backward with the rapidity
of lightning, and to pass where no man can fol-
low them? Can man pretend to control the
fowls of the air, who proudly pass over him,
and sometimes reach a height which renders
them almost invisible to his unassisted vision ?
How is his rule established over the hare and
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many small animals, which, if they are inferior
to him in strength, so far surpass him in
speed, that a very few moments will carry them
out of his sight; and where are his power and
dominion should he try his strength against
that of the tiger, the lion, or the elephant?â€
Such language, ignorance and folly, attempt-
ing to reason, might hold, on reading the re-
cord preserved to us in Genesis. Truly it is
strange indeed, when we see what enormous
might, what swiftness, what magnitude belong
to the brute creation, that man should be able
to subdue them; yet we have only to look
around and we shall find ample proofs that
he has command over them all. The greatest
and the fiercest monsters of the deep and the
desert, are slain or captured by him, and con-
verted to our use.
And why is this? because man has been
endowed with that which has not been given
to other created beings, a rational mind.
The untaught youth will necessarily marvel
how such things could be. Scripture solves
the interesting, the sublime enigma; here we
find the origin of that which we behold. The
empire man possesses over the brute creation
was granted to him by his Creator, and to him
was assigned the office of giving them names.
woe
THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE.
Then their eyes were indeed opened. In
wild dismay they now found that they were
naked and helpless, and, as is ever the case
with sinners against the Divine law, they
feared to meet their God.
That was an awful evening for them which
followed their disobedience. God approached
them in the garden: they heard his dread
voice and tried to hide themselves. But the
attempt was vain ; vain they knew it would be
to deny what they had done, and vain was the
attempt of Adam in that hour of deep humilia-
tion, to throw the blame on his companion,
Eve.
God saw that the serpent was the tempter
which had wrought the evil. His curse fell on
the wretehed enemy of man; Eve was doomed
to know varieties of pain, Adam was con-
demned to toil through the remainder of his
life, and both were sent forth from the garden
of Eden, there to till the ground.
The reader will hence learn that to disobey
the commands of the Eternal, even though
their object may not be perfectly comprehended,
is fraught with danger. It is the duty of all,
but especially of the young, to study with
devout attention the word of God—
“ And where we can’t unravel learn to trust.â€
—
THE DEATH OF ABEL.
quence of their own misdeeds. Because it had
not pleased the Lord to view his offering with
favour, Cain formed the horrid design of taking
away his brother’s life. Abel, innocent himself,
suspected not that a thought so wicked could
have entered the heart of Cain. Fearing no
malice, he walked with his brother in the field,
as we may suppose had been his frequent
practice, and while conversing with him Cain
suddenly attacked and deprived him of life.
They were alone, but the all-seeing eye of
God was on the murderer. When the Lord
demanded ‘‘where is Abel?†he asked, ‘am I
my brother’s keeper?†thus intimating that
he could not answer for what had befallen
his victim. The foolish attempt to hide his
guilt instantly failed—God is not to be de-
ceived by the most artful of men. Solitude
and the darkness of the midnight hour are
in vain resorted to by the evil doer to baffle
Justice, and divine wrath ever pursues’ the
shedder of blood. Hence, the young will see
how desirable it is to preserve the mind from
being moved by envy or hatred, and guard
against giving way to feelings of anger. In
the words of Dr. Watts—
“ Children, you should never let
Your angry passions rise.â€
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THE DELUGE.
“The waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the
earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters, and
the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the
high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered.â€
-—GENESIS chap. vii., verse 18—19.
BEFORE CHRIST, 2349 YEARS.
Tue rebellious spirit of Adam which caused his
ignominious expulsion from Paradise, brought
‘“‘ sin into the world,†and left it a wretched
legacy to his posterity. In time the growing
depravity of mankind, became more than Divine
patience could longer endure. One righteous
man warned of the heavy judgment which im-
pended over a sinful race, was instructed to
build an ark, in which he and his family were
permitted to rest, while the windows of Heaven
were opened and rain deluged the lands. Terri-
ble indeed was the scene then witnessed :
tremendous the effects of God’s wrath. During
forty days torrents of rain continued to descend
from the clouds, overwhelming and destroying
everything that till then had been supposed to be
safe ; but as no sin can escape the eye of the
Omniscient, so no defence can save the trans-
gressor from his mighty arm. The mind recoils
VOL. 1. c 9
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‘ THE DELUGE.
shuddering at the thought, yet men who would
tremble to receive the sentence of a human
judge, carelessly trample on the laws of God.
When the sinners who had brought this ca-
lamity—this heavy judgment on the world,
were no more, the waters abated. In the
seventh month, on the seventeenth day, the ark
rested on Ararat.
The mountain thus indicated 1s named from
a@ compound, Ar-arat, in the Hebrew tongue
meaning ‘‘ mountain of descent.†Its exact
situation is not known. There are indeed
persons who boldly undertake to point it out,
but writers who have due regard for sacred
truth, are forced to admit that of the various
accounts given, it is doubtful which ought to
be preferred.
The history of the Deluge will lead the
serious reader to reflect how dreadfully com-
prehensive Divine wrath can be ; but while we
shudder at the thought, it will be remarked,
that God is as potent to save as to punish, and
often since the days of Noah it has been found,
that while dreadful judgments were spreading
far and wide universal ruin and despair, the
good man in his family has been saved from
peril, and remained, not only uninjured, but
serene till the storm had passed away.
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7,
NOAH’S SACRIFICE.
“ And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every
clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-
offerings on the altar.â€-GENESIS, chap. viil., verse 20.
BeroreE Curist, 2349 YEARS.
Wuen just but severe punishment had been
inflicted on a guilty world the waters subsided,
the hills began to appear, and the earth gener-
ally resumed its former aspect. Noah, while
in the ark, had sent forth a dove. The bird
was, however, unable to find any tree or other
place on which she could remain, and she re-
turned to the floating home of the patriarch.
The experiment was repeated, and she brought
back an olive leaf in her mouth. Sent forth
a third time, the feathered messenger returned
no more.
At length the waters were dried up, and
Noah was directed by the God who had so
graciously preserved him to leave the ark ;
and accordingly he went forth with his sons,
and his sons’ wives, eight in number, and all
the living creatures he had taken with him
into the ark
Joy and gratitude he doubtless felt, thus re-
stored, while all besides had perished; in proof of
11
—_
tt
NOAH’S SACRIFICE.
his thankfulness he raised an altar, and offered
solemn sacrifice to the Lord. This was one of
the most remarkable services connected with
religion in the time of the patriarchs. The
consuming of certain animals on a consecrated
altar was enjoined, as that which would gain
favour in the eyes of the Deity; ‘the wages
of sin being death,†it was held, that without
the shedding of blood there could be no re-
mission of sin.
Mankind have since been taught that such
observances may be dispensed with, but in the
case of Noah the offering proved acceptable to
the Lord, and He declared that He would curse
. no more the ground for man’s sake, and that
‘“while the earth remaineth, seed-time and
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night, shall not cease.â€
The promise made thousands of years ago
we plainly see is remembered still. The vicis-
situdes of the season, the transitions from
summer to winter, and from cold to heat, are
constantly witnessed within the range of every
twelve months. While we learn from the
mournful history of the past the dreadful effects
of God’s vengeance, we also read in the Bible
what our own eyes serve but to confirm of his
enduring mercies.
12
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DEPARTURE OF HAGAR.
“ Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and
a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her
shoulder and the child, and sent her away; and she de-
arted, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.â€â€”-
ENESIS, chap. xxi., verse 14.
BEFORE Curist, 1898 YEARS.
AsraHam had become an aged man before
his son Isaac was born, for at that time he had
numbered a hundred years. His wife, Sarah,
who had despaired of having a child, greatly
rejoiced in the event, and said in the fullness of
her joy, ‘‘ God hath made me to laugh so that
all that hear will laugh with me.â€
But the joy of Sarah did not prevent her
shewing an angry feeling when the son of
Hagar, a bondwoman, and also the son of
Abraham, was in her sight. She could not
endure the thought that Ismael, the child of
her servant should appear in the same scene
with Isaac, and as an equal. This feeling was
not momentary, but caused her frequently to
desire that Abraham would send away Hagar
and her son, which Abraham was backward to
do, till God called upon him to hearken to the
voice of Sarah.
Hagar took her departure from the house
13
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——
DEPARTURE OF HAGAR.
of Abraham. She was provided with a small
supply of bread and water, and journeyed in
the wilderness, where her provision soon failed.
The afflicted mother was disconsolate. She
threw her child under the shrubs, and with-
drew weeping, not to see it expire.
In that moment of deep distress when hope
was no more, an angel came down from Heaven
to comfort her, and then ‘‘God opened her
eyes, and she saw a well of water.â€
The child was saved, he grew up in the
wilderness, and he became an archer.
The Scripture reader will learn hence, that
when the sufferer from want can hope for no
relief from man, he should humbly seek assist-
ance from above. If angels from the sky are
not seen by the mortal eye, as in the ancient
world, God’s power and wisdom have ex-
perienced no abatement, and his mercy is as
distinctly perceptible to his sincere worshippers,
as ever it was in the days of Abraham. In-
stead of yielding to weak despondency, each
should call upon the Lord of all, and say—
Thro’ the skies when the thunder is hurl’d
The child to its parent will flee,
Thus amid the rebukes of the world
I turn, O my Father, to thee.â€
3
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ISAAC
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ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC.
“They came to the place which God had told them of; and
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order;
and bound Isaac his son, and laid him upon the altar upon
the wood.â€â€”GENEsI8, chap. xxii., verse 9.
Berore Curist, 1872 YEARS,
In the early history of the world it has already
been told, the practice of sacrificing to God was
very general ; aud on some extraordinary occa-
sions, to avert His wrath a human victim was
called for.
Abraham, a venerated patriarch, had long
been childless, he had at length the joy of
seeing his wife Sarah become a mother. She
gave birth to Isaac. That he should be dear
to his parents would, under ordinary circum-
stances, have been natural, but in this case the
boon conceded was especially valued.
In many parts the Bible teaches that the
good are severely proved. Sharp trials are
reserved for those who are faithful to duty, and
the Creator ordained Abraham to hear a sen-
tence most afflicting to the feelings of a parent.
He was commanded to take his only son into
the land of Moriah, and there offer him on one
of the mountains as a burnt offering.
15
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ABRAHAM OFFERING ISAAC.
However painful the task of obedience, Abra-
ham did not shrink from its performance. He
rose early and commenced the needful prepara-
tions. A journey of three days brought him
to the appointed spot, and the resigned father
looked on the mountains where it had been
intimated to him his son Isaac must die.
Two servants had accompanied them, who
were now dismissed, and the wood to kindle
the fire, and the knife to shed the victim’s
blood, were carried forward by themselves, the
son being as yet in ignorance of what was
contemplated.
In sadness Abraham prepared to obey the
command. He laid his hands upon Isaac, who
appears to have made no resistance, and to have
evinced no fear; and all being ready, and the
intended victim bound, Abraham’s hand was
raised, when an angel called to him to spare
the lad, for what he had already done suf-
ficed to prove that he feared God. Thus,
often when the afflicted christian, bending be-
neath a weight of woe, is borne down by melan-
choly anticipations, light suddenly breaks on
the drooping spirit from above; the dreaded
evil is averted, and Peace, ‘‘such as the world
cannot give,†takes full possession of the heart
that has proved faithful to duty.
16
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REBEKAH AT THE WELL.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1878 YEARS.
Arrer the birth of Isaac, Abraham lived
many years. In his old age he was desirous
that his son should marry, and he in con-
sequence resolved to send his eldest servant to
seck a wife for him in a distant land.
He instructed the domestic not to choose a
woman of Canaan, and moreover informed him
that the angel of the Lord would go before
in the land which he was to visit, and be at
hand to direct him to the place where he
should find the object of his journey.
The servant, who was a man of piety, tra-
velled on this occasion in great state, taking
with him ten camels, which were laden with
valuables. On his road he prayed to the
Lord that he would be pleased to bless his
master, and so to order things that when the
young females of the city approached a certain
well, by which he had caused his camels to
kneel, he might know by a sign which of them
VOL. I. D 17
“Rebekah came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder, and /
the damsel was very fair to look upon, and she went down
to the well.â€"—GeEnzgsIs, chap. xxiv., verses 15, 16.
a
REBECCA AT THE WELL.
all was the maiden most fitted to become the
daughter-in-law of Abraham.
“Let it come to pass,†said he, ‘‘ that the
damsel to whom [ shall say ‘let down thy
pitcher I pray thee, that I may drink,’ return
for answer, ‘drink, and I will give thy camels
also.’ â€â€™
Before he had done speaking, Rebekah ap- |
peared in sight. She was fair; Abraham’s
servant entered into conversation with her, and }
had the happiness to hear her give the answer
which he had prayed might issue from the
lips of the maiden who was destined to be $
united to Isaac.
He now accompanied Rebekah to her rela- /
tions ; it was soon arranged that she should be
the wife of his master’s son.
Isaac had waited anxiously to learn the result,
when one evening walking forth to meditate,
he saw a train of camels coming towards him.
They drew nearer, he beheld his future partner,
and assisted her to alight from the camel on
which she was seated. Rebekah shortly afterwards
became his bride. The happy event, it will be
seen, was brought about so soon, through the
confidence with which the faithful servant re-
lied on God to bless his labours in a good
cause, for the service of his master.
18
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JACOB.
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ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.
‘And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him,
and said unto him thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan.â€-—GENESIS, chap. xxviii., verse 1.
BEFORE Curist, 1806 YEARS.
Tue daughters of Canaan were doubtless a
very foolish if not a very wicked race. Abra-
ham was so anxious that Isaac should not
marry one, that he made his servant swear he
would not seek among them for a wife for his
son, and Isaac having become a father, and see-
ing his son Jacob of a proper age to marry, felt
the like anxiety on this subject.
Thoughtless young people sometimes in such
matters disregard the wishes of their parents.
Carried away by ungovernable passion, they
marry in haste, unsanctioned, and unblest ; sad
are the conseqnences ; instead of realising the
Joyous life which they had imaged to them-
selves, they soon find that they have care, pain,
and frequently utter ruin to deplore.
Jacob, more wise than to act such a part,
held himself ready to take that course which
the wisdom and experience of a father, might
point out as the one to be preferred. Then it
was that Isaac called to him and blessed him.
19
Oe
ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.
‘* Arise,†said he, “‘go to Padan Aram, to
the house of Bethel, thy mother’s father, and
take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of
Laban thy mother’s brother; and God Almighty
bless thee and make thee fruitful, and multiply
thee that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
and give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee
and to thy seed with thee.â€
Jacob accordingly went to a distant country
in the East, in order to comply with the wish
so expressed.
It will be seen in the history of Jacob that
he cheerfully, in this instance, obeyed the voice
of his father, and though he at first experi-
enced some disappointment, and had to wait
many years for that which he desired, yet in
the end all was well. He succeeded in amass-
ing riches, and in gaining for a wife the woman
he most loved and admired.
From his example we may learn that the
prudent self-denial, which enables sons to con-
form to the counsel given by an indulgent
parent, leads to wealth, worldly honours, and
happiness. The maddening folly, whieh, under
the name of love, has betrayed many heed-
less beings to sin and misery, was happily
avoided by the patriarch Jacob, ‘‘ and he was
blessed.â€
20
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IACOB'S
LADDER.
JACOB’S LADDER.
“ He dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and
the top of it reached to Heaven: and behold, the angels of
God ascending and descending on it.†GENESIS, chap.
xxix., verse 12.
Berore Curist, 1806 YEARS.
Ir has been seen that Jacob respected the com-
mands of his father; and that eventually he
was happy. Seeking a wife, he went out
from Beer-Sheba and journeyed towards Haran.
On reaching a certain spot, he determined there
to take up his abode for the night. In those
days inns, or houses for the reception of way-
faring travellers, were few, and the sun having
set, it appears Jacob was obliged to rest on the
ground, and to use some stones that he found
there for his pillow. In a vision, he beheld ‘‘a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it
reached to Heaven, and the angels of God were
ascending and descending on it.â€
Nor was this all, for behold the Lord stood
above it, and said, ‘“T am the Lord God of
Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the
land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it
and to thy seed.â€
But of far greater moment was that which
21
JACOB’S LADDER.
followed. It was interesting not only to Jacob
and his children, but to us, and to all the human
race, for the Lord added: ‘‘ Thy seed shall be
as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread
abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the
north, and to the south: and in thee and in
thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed.â€
Jacob was overcome with religious awe.
“This,†said he, ‘‘is none other than the house
of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.†And
he set up the stone on which he had rested that
night, poured oil upon it, and declared, that in
memory of that happy night in which he had
seen the Almighty and his angels, it should be
called “‘ the House of God.â€
We have not now to wait for the fulfilment
of the prophecy with which the sleeping Jacob
was cheered. The Jews, his children, have
been spread abroad, and the world has from
them derived the hope of a blissful immortality.
Pious gratitude, still resorting to that temple in
which the soul-inspiring revelation is made,
shall exclaim with the patriarch, ‘‘ This is none
other but the house of God, and this is the
gate of Heaven!â€
22
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FIRST
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RACHEL FIRST SEEN BY JACOB.
“Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter
of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and
rolled the stone from the well’s mouth.â€â€”GENESIs, chap.
xxix., verses 9, 10.
BEFORE Cunist, 1806 YEARS.
Ir for nothing else, the Bible would be ad-
mired by the lover of history and the antiquary,
on account of the striking pictures it gives of
ancient life. We learn from its venerated pages,
that in the earlier ages of the world, the hum-
blest cares of industry were not viewed as
degrading by Hebrew ladies. The servant of
Abraham found the future wife of Isaac fetching
water in a pitcher, and Jacob first sees the
beautiful Rachel, the daughter of the wealthy
Laban, engaged in tending her father’s sheep.
And Jacob, it will be seen, did not turn away
shocked at seeing her thus engaged, instead of
being occupied with the cymbal and the harp.
He viewed her with admiration ; kissed his fair
cousin, and having assisted her in giving water
to her flock, told her who he was, and fol-
lowed her to her home. There he was kindly
received, and his admiration of Rachel became
RACHEL FIRST SEEN BY JACOB.
s0 great, that he offered to serve Laban for
seven years, provided he might become her
husband. The offer was accepted, and such, we
are told, was his love for the fair maiden, that
the years passed as days.
Severely was Jacob tried when the period of
his servitude expired, for then, as it would seem
for the first time, Laban, a cold and selfish
man, objected to Rachel, his younger daughter,
being married before her elder sister. That sis-
ter, Leah, therefore, though never the object ot
his choice, became the wife of Jacob, but after
a short period, as in those times it was common
for a man to have more than one wife, he was
also united to Rachel, but on the condition that
he should work another seven years for Laban,
on her account.
It was by industry and perseverance that
Jacob eventually prevailed. By care and pa-
tience adverse fortune may be conquered, and,
as in the case of the patriarch, they are not in
the end disappointed who confide in the pro-
mises of God.
Pe A SI SR
I PI I LO a LO OA tt
,
JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.
«
“They drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold |
Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.â€â€”
GENESIS, chap. xxxvii., verse 28.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1728 YEARS,
Josern was loved by his father, Jacob, more
than any of his brethren, which caused him to
be viewed by them with envy. Their evil feel-
ings were increased by his recounting certain
dreams which he had had, and which appeared,
so they thought, to indicate that at a future day
he would be above them all. They at length
became very spiteful, and proposed among
themselves to kill him. One of his brothers,
named Reuben, less cruel than the rest, would
not consent to shed his blood, but persuaded
the other sons of Jacob to cast him into a pit,
from which he hoped he should be able after a
time, to rescue him, and take him home.
But some Midianites, who were merchants,
passed, and as it was common for them to
purchase men, in order to make them servants
or slaves, the brothers determined in that way to
dispose of Joseph. He was accordingly sold for
twenty pieces of silver, and carried off by the
merchants into the land of Egypt.
VOL. I. E 25
Roe eet
ee ee
Cee ee
JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN.
The conduct of his brethren, with the ex-
ception of that of Reuben, was the more sinful,
as he had only placed himself in their power
obeying the request of his father, by seeking
them; in the language of Scripture, ‘“‘to see
whether it was well with them and with their
flocks.†‘‘See,â€â€™ says Matthew Henry, “in
Joseph an instance of dutifulness to his father
and of kindness to his brethren; though he
knew they hated him, yet he did not for a mo-
ment reject his father’s command.â€
All comment may be spared on the conduct
of the cruel brothers who first conspired to
kill, and proceeded to sell Joseph into slavery.
Had he been wicked, of which there is no proof,
still their treatment of him would have been
blamed by every generous mind. Let brothers
and sisters, while they read his story in the
Bible, note well what followed; let them mark
the wretched state in which his hard-hearted
relatives soon found themselves; and seriously
consider what bitter reflections must have been
theirs in the day of shame and sorrow, by which
they were overtaken.
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JOSEPH’S COAT.
‘They took Joseph’s coat and killed a kid of the goats, and
dipped the coat in the blood.â€â€”GENEsIs, chap. xxxvii.
verse 31,
BEFORE CHRIST, 1728 YEARS.
Ir once we wander from duty, and think we
can stop in our career of sin, having only in
that single instance done wrong, we greatly de-
ceive ourselves,
When Joseph had been sold to the Midian-
ites, it soon occurred to the plotting brothers,
that they must account for the absence of the
betrayed one, and this led them to add to the
sin already committed, that of imposing upon
Jacob a deliberate falsehood.
Reuben, it ought to be mentioned, was no
party to the sale of Joseph, and when he missed
him from the pit he rent his clothes in grief,
exclaiming, ‘‘ the child is not; whither shall
I go?â€
Reuben, however, seems with the rest to
have agreed to deceive their father ; and a coat
which had been worn by Joseph, and which was
formed of materials of different colours, they
27
JOSEPH’S COAT.
stained with the blood of a kid, and presented
it to Jacob, who thereupon concluded that Jo-
seph had been devoured or torn to pieces by
some wild beast. He rent his clothes, wore
sackcloth, and mourned for him as for one that
was dead; and he resolved to go mourning
down to the grave.
Thus, having first allowed envy and resent-
ment to fill their hearts, they next conspire to
commit a murder; and, when happily dissuaded
from this, they sell their brother to strange
men; then plan a false story to impose upon
Jacob. Their succeeding in this, casts upon
them the dire reproach of having rendered their
aged parent a heart-broken mourner.
It will be seen from their course in after-life,
how a watchful Providence humbles those who
are indifferent to the pain they cause others to
endure. In the words of the poet—
“To each his sufferings all are men,
Condemned alike to groan;
The tender for another's pain.
Th’ unfeeling for his own.â€
DREAM.
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JACOB BLESSING HIS CHILDREN.
“Their father spake unto them, and blessed them every one
according to his blessing he blessed them.â€â€”GENEsis,
chap. xlix., verse 28.
BEroreE Curist, 1689 YEARS.
Jacosp remained a long time in Egypt, but
growing old, his sight became dim; he felt that
the time of his death was near, and he called on
his sons to assemble round him in his parting
moments. Such a scene ‘in the case of a dis-
tinguished individual is full of interest. We
naturally regard the last rays of a powerful
mind with that fond admiration which men feel
in contemplating on a summer’s evening the
glories of the setting sun.
His children being assembled, the dying pa-
triarch, Jacob, addressed them. He praised of
some the dignity, the strength and the judg-
ment of others, but in the case of Simeon and
Levi he remarked, the instruments of cruelty
are in their habitations. He expressed a holy
horror of being associated with such men, and,
“O my soul,†he exclaimed, “‘ come not thou
into their secret, be not thou united, for in
their anger they slew a man. Cursed be their
31
a
anger, for it was fierce, and wrath, for it was
cruel.â€
But for the dutiful Joseph, he declared that
“the blessings of his father which had prevailed
unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills,
should be on his head, and on the crown of the
head of him that was separate from his bre-
thren.â€â€™ Thus, we are told in Scripture, Jacob,
when his death was at hand, spake unto his
children; ‘“‘ every one according to his blessing,
he blessed them.â€
When man perceives that awful moment
draws near in which he must return to the
dust from which he was taken, in most cases
he desires to testify good-will to those who re-
main behind. While forgiving all sins against
himself, a just parent will discriminate between
a dutiful and an undutiful child ; a kind one
and a cruel one. Let it be the study of those
to whom the Giver of all good has granted
kind parents, so to conduct themselves, that
they may be entitled to receive that blessing,
which shall prevail unto the ‘utmost bound of
the everlasting hills,†from a dying father.
JACOB BLESSING HIS CHILDREN.
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MOSES
OF
FINDING
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THE FINDING OF MOSES.
“The daughter of Pharach came down to wash herself at the
river, and her maidens walked along the river’s side; ond
when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to
fetch it, and when she had opened it she saw the child, and,
behold, the babe wept.â€â€”-Exopus, chap. ii., verses 6, 7.
BeEroreE Curist, 1571 YEARS,
Tur Israelites in Egypt were reduced to a
state of bondage, and Pharaoh, the cruel king
of that country, had ordered that every male
child born of Hebrew parents should be
thrown into a river. The mother of Moses
would not obey the mandate of the king. Her
fondness for her offspring prevailed over every
other thought, and she so managed as to con-
ceal him for three months, when, fearing dis-
covery, she procured a small ark, in which she
placed the child, which she concealed among
the flags by the side ofa river. His sister was
- directed to watch at some distance, to give
notice of approaching danger.
While she was waiting there, the daughter
of the king, we are told, ‘‘ came down to wash
herself.â€â€™ She discovered the infant Moses.
The poor child was crying, no doubt from
being parted from his mother. His sister then
VOL. 1. F 3d:
aes
ae
ee
aa
THE FINDING OF MOSES.
approached, and asked if she might call a nurse
to tend the little one? The heart of the king’s
daughter was touched with compassion. She
at once rightly judged the infant was one of
the Hebrew race, whom maternal love had
Jaboured to save from an untimely death. The
sister acted her part well; the mother of Moses
then came forward, and the royal lady gave her
wages to nurse her own child.
In the history of Moses we see a helpless
babe saved from death by the daughter of the
tyrant who had pronounced his doom. At
the moment when the Egyptian princess thus
acted, who could have foretold that the weeping
infant in the small ark would in time become
a potent chief—be the selected instrument to
enable the people of his nation to escape from
their hard hearted task-masters— and, yet
more, be admitted to converse with God him-
self, that he might make known his commands
to all the nations of the earth !
y — we
—- J a
Ss
THE ISRAELITES
ENCAMPED.
THE ISRAELITES ENCAMPED.
“They took their journey from Succoth and encamped in
Ethen, in the edge of the wilderness.†Exopus, chap. xiii.,
verse 20.
BEFORE Curist, 1490 years.
Gop was pleased to instruct the children of
Israel in the course which they should pur-
sue, and, especially, in the rites they should
observe, and he enabled them to find their way
across a wilderness which had never been trod-
den by the foot of man before. Through the
land of the Philistines would have been the
shortest way, but that he was pleased to order
them to avoid: ‘Lest, peradventure, the
people repent when they see war, and return
into the land of Egypt.’
The narrative then proceeds: ‘ And the
Lord went before them by day in a pillar of
cloud to lead them the way, and by night in
a pillar of fire to give them light, to go by day
and night.â€
What a consoling assurance does it afford to
the true believer, that the Creator, ever atten-
tive to those who love and fear Him, and obey
his laws, watches constantly over their welfare
by day and night.
Neen eee
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THE ISRAELITES ENCAMPED.
God’s providence had enabled the chosen
people to leave that land into which they had
been driven by famine, and detained by tyranny.
In bringing them forth out of Egypt we see
their journey was lengthened, that it might be
less unsafe. They were not suffered to enter
the land of the Philistines, lest a near view of
the horrors of war should make them content
to endure the degradation of slavery.
They were then conducted to the border of
the wilderness of the Red Sea, and there the
Mighty One who does not suffer His people to
be tempted beyond their strength, graciously
came forward to dissipate their alarms. In a
pillar of a cloud he went before them in the day
time, that they might not be misled; and as a
pillar of fire in the night, he saved them from
being bewildered in the darkness.
Reading this history we see, that whatever
the nature of the evils which encompass men,
so we put our trust in the Supreme Being, we
may rely upon his being all-sufficient: that
the God who made us is competent to save.
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BALAAM AND HIS ASS.
“The ass saw the angel of the Lurd standing in the way, and
his sword was drawn.â€â€”-NUMBERS, xxii., verse 23.
Berore Curist, 1451 YEARS.
Tue story of Balaam is very extraordinary.
When the Israelites in their march towards
the land they were to call their own, had
reached the neighbourhood of Jericho, Balak,
the king of the Moabites afraid the progress
of such a host in his neighbourhood would
preduce a famine, sent for Balaam to curse
them, believing from the fame he had acquired,
that ‘‘ those he cursed would be cursed, and
that those he blessed would be blessed.â€
Balaam addressed himself to the Lord, tell-
ing what was desired. He was forbidden to
go with those who had been sent for him, or
to curse the Israelites. He accordingly refused
to accompany the Moabitish princes, and they
returned to Balak with that answer.
Again the king sent to him, offering great
promotion and great honour, and again Balaam
was tempted, and hesitated ; but tempted, per-
haps, by the prospect of riches he moved
towards Balak, and so doing offended God,
6
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BALAAM AND HIS ASS.
who, on this occasion, confounded the intel-
lectual Balaam by the voice of the animal on
which he rode.
Balaam was mounted on an ass, and at-
tended by two servants, when the angel of
the Lord stood in a path in the vineyards.
The ass turned aside, Balaam strove to ad-
vance, but his foot was crushed against the
wall, and, at length, the creature fell. Then
having repeatedly smitten her, Balaam wished
for a sword to kill the poor brute, when, to
his utter amazement, the ass was suddenly
gifted with speech, and said, ‘‘am I not thine
ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I
was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont
to do so unto thee?â€
To this Balaam replied, ‘“‘ Nay ;â€â€™ and then,
his eyes being opened, ‘‘ he saw the angel of
the Lord,†who now spoke to him.
Balaam fell on his face, and confessed that he
had sinned. Subsequently he acted a better
part. He braved the anger of an affronted
monarch, and boldly repeated, ‘“ If Balak
would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment
of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine
own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will
I speak.â€
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PHARAOH’S DREAM.
“And it came to pass at the end of two years that Pharaoh
dreamed.†—GENESIS, chap. xli., verse 1.
BEForE CuHrist, 1718 YEARS.
JosErpH was carried by his purchasers into
Egypt, and sold to an officer in the court of
Pharaoh, the king of that country. There he
was accused of bad actions which he had never
committed ; but far from his father, having no
kind friend or relative to take his part, those
who wished to spite him were believed, and he
was cast into prison. Two of his prison com-
panions, who were the king’s chief butler and
chief baker, had strange dreams. By Joseph
they were interpreted, who foretold that the
butler would be restored, and that the baker
would be hanged. His skill in such matters
caused him to be sent for to interpret the
dreams of the king. Pharaoh declared, that in
his sleep he seemed to stand on the margin of
a river, when seven kine, fat-fleshed, came
forth and fed in a meadow. After this he saw
seven other kine. The creatures which now
arrested his attention were lean and ill-favoured,
29
PHARAOH’S DREAM.
and these turned upon the well-favoured kine and
ate them up, yet their looks were not improved.
He next saw seven ears of corn growing full and
good, when, behold, seven ears withered and
blasted by the east wind sprung up near them,
and the thin ears destroyed the healthy ones.
Joseph explained the dream to foretell that
years of great abundance and of scarcity were
at hand, and gave such wise counsel that the
king appointed him to make provision against
the years of famine, in those of plenty which
were first to come. This Joseph did, and while
all the lands around were in want of food, there
was an abundance of corn in Egypt. Thither
Jacob sent for provisions ; and finally went
there himself with all his sons, and were kindly
treated by Joseph. Jacob remained in Egypt
the remainder of his days.
Thus, He who can bring ‘‘good out of evil,â€
was in this instance pleased to make the sinful
deed of his brothers the means of exalting their
intended victim.
30
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DAVID SPARING SAUL.
“The Lord delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would
not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed.â€â€”-
1 SAMUEL, chap. xxvi., verse 23.
Beroreé CuHRIsT, 1061 YEARS,
Saux became the enemy of David, and sought
him with an army of three thousand chosen
men, intending to put him to death. Aware
of his evil design, David called upon two of his
followers, named Abimelech, and Abishai, to
go with him in the stillness of night to the spot
where Saul had pitched his camp. They made
their way undiscovered by the guards, who sur-
rounded the king of Israel, and found Saul
sleeping with his spear stuck in the ground by
the side of his bolster. Perceiving him, thus
defenceless, Abishai wished to kill him, and
prayed David to let him smite the monarch
with his spear, as he lay, promising he would
strike him so effectually that a second blow
should be unnecessary.
David staid him, and forbade Abishai to
strike the Lord’s anointed, declaring the Lord
would not hold him guiltless who did such a
deed, and his day would come to die, or he
would fall in battle. The spear of Saul he
125
=~
DAVID SPARING SAUL.
took, and a cruse of water, which was also near
his bolster, and having retired to some distance
he called to Abner, the general of Saul’s army,
showed him the spear and the cruse of water,
of which he had possessed himself, and bitterly
reproached him for not having been more watch-
ful at his post, telling him that for such neglect
of duty he deserved to die.
Saul awaking heard David’s voice, and was
told what had come to pass. David complained
of those who had made the king his enemy,
prayed him to put his anger aside, and to let
one of his young men fetch the spear and the
cruse. Saul owned that he had sinned, and
promised that he would no more seek to do
David harm. ‘The Lord,’ said David, ‘“ de-
livered thee into my hand, but I would not
stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s
anointed.†Saul then blessed David and pro-
phesied that he would ‘“‘do great things.†They
parted in peace.
Loyalty in the sight of God, and in the judg-
ment of all good men, is a solemn duty,—
“ For kings are put in trust for all mankind.â€
Even when they err, it is not for a subject to
raise his hand against the life of the Lord’s
anointed.
126
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SAUL AND THE WITCH.
1. SAM. CH. 28.V.14
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BALAK AND THE PRINCES.
Moab.â€â€”-NUMBERS, xxili., verse 6.
BEroreE Curist, 1451 YEARS.
Tue startling miracle which Balaam had wit-
nessed while journeying towards Balak, and the
reproving voice of the angel, had effectually
admonished him not to do anything at the bid-
ding of man, which was in opposition to the (
command of God. He presented himself before
the king of Moab; he received his reproaches
for the delay which occurred, but frankly told
Balak that, ‘“‘only that which God had put
into his mouth could he presume to speak.â€
Balaam then desired that seven altars should
be erected, and that oxen and rams should be
prepared for sacrifice, and he promises to re-
port whatever God should make known to him.
He could not gratify the king; Balak and the
princes of Moab, in vain returned and sought
by offering sacrifices to render the Most High
not unfavourable to their wishes. Balaam
dared not to curse the Jews, the people of whom
the king stood so much in dread. ‘‘ How shall
I curse,†said he, “whom God hath not cursed,
69
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BALAK AND THE PRINCES.
how defy whom God hath not defied?â€â€™ “‘God,â€
said he, ‘is not a man that he should lie, and
behold I have received command to bless, and
he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it;†and
afterwards from his lips issued the memorable
prophecy, ‘‘There shall come a star out of
Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel and
shall smite the corners of Moab.â€â€™ He saw, he
knew that they were under the protection of
Jehovah.
In all his intercourse with the Moabitish king
we find Balaam duly impressed with that con-
viction which ought to live in every heart, that
it is not for mortal tongue to resist the voice of
God. ‘While it may be presumed the prophet
wavered between the hope of great benefits,
and duty, his will was controlled, first by a
despised animal, then by an angel from Heaven,
thus making him feel that all things and beings
were likely to unite against one, who should
madly oppose himself to the Lord. Far from
seconding the wrathful movements of Balak,
he blessed those whom he was sent to curse;
he was heard rapturously to exclaim, ‘ how
goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy taber-
nacles, O Israel !’’
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JUDGMENT SEAT.
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THE JUDGMENT SEAT.
“Tf there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between
plea and plea, then shalt thou arise and get up into the
place which the Lord thy God shall choose.â€â€”-DrvTER-
ONOMY, xvii. verse 8
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BEFORE Curist, 1451 YEARS.
SOC IE ST AT a
/ In the Bible we are taught that from time to
time the God of Israel condescended not only
, to give laws to his people, but to instruct them
in the way in which those laws ought to be ad-
ministered. This was not the least of his
mercies to that favoured race; the young can-
not too soon understand this. No earthly
good is worth having, wealth, glory, and liberty
are all valueless, without order; which can only
be permanently secured by regulating law.
Therefore it was that God gave Moses direc-
tions to establish a Judgment Seat.
Before this offenders against the law were to
be brought, and diligent inquiry having been
made into the charge preferred, they were to
be punished by death, or by less dreadful visi-
tations according to the nature of their mis-
deeds. An idea has been sometimes stated by
weak people that no crime would justify putting
a violator of the law to death, and it has been
71
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THE JUDGMENT SEAT.
said that such a proceeding had no sanction
from Scripture. These well-meaning but igno-
rant people the youth of to-day will be able to
teach are in error, when they read to them this |
text, ‘‘at the mouth of two witnesses, or three |
witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be
put to death.†Than this nothing can be more
distinct ; here we learn that God has that care
to preserve the good, that the evil who greatly
outrage or destroy them, may be punished even
to the death.
The Judgment Seat it will be seen was in-
tended to be awful. It was always to be ap-
proached with sacred reverence, but to the
wicked only was it to be terrible ; it was not to
be an instrument of dreadful infliction without
an object, but in mercy to the good, justice was
to be there inflexibly administered.
OL:
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EXPIATION OF MURDER a)
See
THE FALL OF MANNA.
“ ‘When the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of
the wilderness there lay a small round thing as small as the
hoar-frost on the ground; and when the children of Israel
saw it they said, one to another, It is manna.â€â€”-Exopuvs,
chap. xvi., verses 14, 15.
Berore Cunist, 1492 vEars.
Tue Israelites, as they advanced through the
wilderness to which they had been conducted
by Moses, murmured against their leader, as
fretful children sometimes complain that. all
their wishes cannot be met by their parents.
A cry arose against him, and his followers,
while they looked on the dreary waste which
they had reached, and reflected on the wea-
risome march which they had vet to perform,
and on the many privations which they must
still endure, lost all courage, and with it the
love of liberty expired. ‘‘ What benefit was it,â€
they asked, ‘‘ to be brought out of the land of
bondage to be exposed ‘to the pains of hun-
ger?â€â€™ They exclaimed, ‘‘Would to God we
had died by the hand of the Lord in the land
of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots,
and when we did eat bread to the full.†To
this they added the bitter reproach, that, Moses
39
Tomek
Sl
ot ee ct
THE FALL OF MANNA,
had brought them into the wilderness to kill
them all.
In pity of their sufferings the Lord declared
to Moses, that he would rain bread from
Heaven; and, accordingly, they found one
morning, when the dew had vanished from the
earth, ‘(a small round thing upon the face of
the wilderness, which proved to be manna.â€
They were cautioned against leaving any of it
carelessly about. Exposed to the open air in a
warm climate through the night, it bred worms,
and was most offensive.
On the sixth day we find the people di-
rected to collect a double quantity. This was
so ordered, that the Sabbath of the Lord, that
. blessed ordinance of mercy, in which all civil-
ized nations rejoice, might be kept holy.
Some of the chosen people, nevertheless, did
. not fail to go in search of manna on the Sab-
bath. Their avarice, folly, and presumption
were fitly requited.
In our time full often it is seen, that those
who neglect the observance of that day, gra-
ciously conceded to us for rest and for solemn
reflection, find their labours yield no _ profit,
and their search of pleasure fruitful of pain.
- 2
a an
MOSES STRIKING
GREET EEE EERE
EXPIATION OF MURDER.
“ All the elders of the city that are next unto the slain man
shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in
the valley: and say, our hands have not shed this blood.â€
DEUTERONOMY, xxi., verses 6, 7.
BEFORE Cunist, 1452 YEARS.
Tue statutes given to the children of Israel by
their great chief, Moses, were framed with a
view to their permanent government in many
cases, but in some with reference to their then
wandering state. When reading the Bible this
ought constantly to be borne in mind. Rules
framed for the government of fugitives escap-
ing from bondage, would hardly be applicable,
in every instance, to a settled civilised society.
To inspire horror for the crime of murder
was one of the first cares of Moses. Should a
man be found slain, because the evil could not
be repaired, it was not therefore to be passed
over as a trivial affair which demanded no con-
sideration, if the author of the crime were un-
known. In such a case, that the wrath of God
might not fall on the nation generally, for the
sin committed, the elders and judges were to
ascertain what city was nearest to the spot on
which the corpse had been found, a heifer was
VOL. I. L 73
Ce ER EE
Ne a a a a TD
EXPIATION OF MURDER.
to be sacrificed by striking off its head, and the (
elders of the implicated city were to wash their ‘
hands over the slaughtered animal, and so- ,
lemnly make the declaration: ‘“‘ Our. hands
have not shed this bloodâ€â€™ (that of the mur-
dered man), ‘‘ neither have our eyes seen it.
Be merciful, O Lord, to thy people, whom
thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent
blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge.â€â€™
How deep, how awful the guilt which in the
eye of God attaches to murder must be under-
stood and felt by every one, when it is seen
that among his chosen people, even in a case
where the assassin was unknown, and where it
was possible that some extenuating circum-
stances might have attended the act, a solemn
sacrifice and prayer were ordained; adeclaration (;
of innocence was made—in which of course it
was presumed the homicide would fear to join—
in order to avert the wrath of God from the
land which had thus been stained with crime.
(
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See
Be le SE NE RS EE eee
tDS
MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.
“ Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb;
and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water
out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in
the sight of the elders of Israel.â€â€” Exopus, chap. xvii.,
verse 6.
Berore Curist, 1491 YEARS.
Amone the evils which the Israelites had to
endure, was one of which the youngest reader
knows something; a want of drink. But the
thirst which children or men have to endure in
a civilised country, in all ordinary cases, though
painful, can give but a faint idea of the intoler-
able agony endured by persons who journey
in a hot climate, from a scarcity of water
through several successive days. No bodily
affliction, no torture which ingenious cruelty
has ever invented, can surpass the misery
known from raging thirst.
The Israelites had reached a place called
Rephidim, where they found no water. As
was too frequently their custom, they reproach-
fully called upon Moses to supply their wants.
“He chid their wanderings, but relieved their pain.â€
He, however, felt that he was not safe from
VOL. I. G 41
MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.
their rage, and, solemnly appealing to God,
he prayed that he might be instructed what
to do for the sufferers, who, groaning with
anguish, were almost ready to stone him to
death.
Then the Lord, determined that his power
should be seen, commanded Moses to take
with him the elders of Israel, and his rod, and
he added, ‘‘ Behold I will stand before thee
upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite
the rock, and there shall come water out of it
that the people may drink.â€
This was done, and in the sight of the
fainting multitude water burst from the rock.
Such startling miracles as the Bible relates,
do not in our time meet the mortal eye. We
have, however, the venerable record of them,
we have ‘‘ Moses and the prophets,†and hap-
pily we have abundant proofs that the power
of the Almighty has not abated ; and comfort
often as unexpectedly gladdens the hearts
of his people, as the water did the thirsty
Israelites issuing from the rock at Horeb.
S
MOSE
$$ SO
TO
{GI
S CHAI
GOD)’
GOD’S CHARGE TO MOSES.
“ The Lord said to Moses, Charge the people, lest they break
through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.â€
—Exopus, chap. xix., verse 21.
BEFore Cunrist, 1451 YEARS.
Wuewn the God of Israel was about to give
laws to the descendants of Jacob, Moses having
been permitted to hold converse with the
Eternal on Mount Sinai, was commanded to
prepare the people for this great occasion, and
he accordingly went down from the Mount to
sanctify them.
Mount Sinai was now involved in smoke,
which ascended as that of a furnace, and the
mountain itself quaked, for the Creator of all
things was there.
That curiosity and interest unknown before
were then excited, cannot create much sur-
prise; but the Lord saw that the Israelites
were likely, moved as they were at that mo-
ment, to lose sight of the reverend awe with
which the spot, glorified by his presence, must
be approached. To Moses, therefore, was
assigned the task of charging the peuple, “‘lest
43
coe
i
GOD’S CHARGE TO MOSES.
they should attempt to break through unto the
Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.â€
Moses did as he was commanded. He went
down to the people and set bounds round the
mount, after which he and Aaron were to go
up and receive the tables of the law.
Not only the people, but also the Jewish
priests were warned that it behoved them to
sanctify themselves, lest divine wrath should
overtake them: “lest the Lord break forth
upon them.â€
The caution to restrain the over-eager curi-
osity of the Israelites, was given in mercy.
Thoughtless men are too likely to approach
sacred places with sinful levity. In those mo-
ments when we approach, not Mount Sinai, but
the temple of religion erected near our own
abodes, all possible solemnity should be ob-
served. The opposite is frequently deplored
by the good, while they behold the church of
God polluted with worldly strivings :
“ And fools rush in where angels fear to tread.â€
THE
LECEIVING
MOSES
TABLES
THE DEATH OF MOSES.
“Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of
Moab, according to the word of the Lord.â€â€”-DEUTERONOMY,
chap. xxxiv., verse 5.
BEFORE Curist, 1450 YEARS.
Havine gazed from the summit of Mount
Pisgah, on the fair lands over which, in the
) fullness of time, the kings of Israel were to
,» reign, Moses died in the land of Moab.
| It is recorded that “the Lord buried him in
a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Beth-peor ; but no man knoweth of his se-
pulchre unto this day.†At the time of his
death he was a hundred and twenty years old,
but ‘‘ his eye was not dim, nor his natural force
abated.â€â€™
When their leader, protector, and friend was
no more, his loss was deeply felt by the
Hebrew nation. ‘‘ And the children of Israel
wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty
days.â€
( The fall of that great man they might well
(| contemplate with sorrow. It must have oc-
‘\ curred to them how often, ungrateful as they
| were, they had heaped foul reproach on him,
5
and even threatened his life for evils not of his
77
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THE DEATH OF MOSES.
creation, but which his pious advocacy caused
to be removed, and sad indeed must they have
been who had to lament that their wickedness
had occasioned him sorrow, whose loss they
had now to deplore.
Let the young reader deeply reflect on this.
Has he a parent? That parent is to him a
Moses, to lead him from the swaddling clothes
of infancy to the freedom which he may claim
in maturer years; from a state of helpless
weakness towards that situation of trust which
he is eventually to fill. If the kindly anxious
efforts to bring him forward meet with a
thankless return, in the fullness of time the
refractory youth (like the sinful Jews), when
the grave has closed over his friend, will with
poignant anguish mourn his loss with unavail-
ing tears. But then—
“Can thy foolish fond endeavour
Call him back who’s gone for ever ?â€
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MOSES RECEIVING THE TABLES.
“ He gave unto Moses, when he had msde an end of commun-
ing with him upon Mcunt Sinai, two tables of stone written
by the hand of God.â€--Exopus, chap. xxxi., verse 18.
BEFORE CuRistT, 1451 YEARS.
Tue seene which the artist here brings before
us, is one of the most extraordinary witnessed
in the whole history of man. Moses was per-
mitted to confer with the Almighty, who had
seen the vain sacrifices made before images, and
heard the mad cry, ‘“‘ These be thy gods, O
Israel, which have brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.â€â€ The Omnipotent then called
on Moses to refrain from farther intercession
on their behalf, that in his wrath he might
consume the sinners and make a great nation
of his faithful servant.
Bold as disinterested, Moses besought the
Lord his God, and said, ‘‘ Lord why doth thy
wrath wax hot against thy people, whom thou
hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt
with a great power and with a mighty hand!â€
He called on the Creator to abate his wrath, to
remember his servants Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and his former gracious promise.
This noble daring found favour in the sight
45
Te
Ne EE EE RE
MOSES RECEIVING THE TABLES.
of the Deity, he refrained from visiting the
sins of the wretched offenders with his awful
vengeance, and he gave to Moses the tables of
the law. They were the work of God, and the
writing was the writing of God graven upon the
tables.
Joshua, the friend of Moses, joined him on
his way to the camp. Songs of rejoicing were
raised by the Jews, while they danced round the
molten calf. At a distance from the scene
of degradation Joshua remarked to Moses,
‘there was a noise of war in the camp;’’ Moses
answered, “it is not the voice of them that
shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of
them that cry for being overcome, but the noise
of them that sing do I hear.†He saw the
Israelites bending before a vain image, and
pretending to ascribe to that contemptible ob-
ject the countless blessings they had known.
Moses paused not to censure; the tables, of
which he was the bearer, precious as they were,
he dashed down, in his wrath; the idol he threw
into the fire, and caused it to be reduced to
powder and the powder he forced the Israelites to
drink with their water.
Wanderers from reason and from God can
expect no comfort here, or in the world to
come.
46
THE ANGEL APPEARING TO
JOSHUA.
“He said, as captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come.
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship.â€
—JosHua, chap. v., verse 14.
BEFORE CHrRistT, 1450 YEARS.
Josuua, the son of Nun, succeeded Moses as
leader of the Israelites. He is stated to have
been ‘‘ full of the spirit of wisdom,†but to all
the dignity of the former chief he never could
attain, as since his time there arose not in
Israel ‘‘a prophet like unto Moses, whom the
Lord knew face to face.â€
But though not so highly favoured, Joshua
on more than one occasion was favoured with
direct communications from above. He was
bold in war, and having marched against Jeri-
cho, ‘he lifted up his eyes and looked, and
behold there stood a man over against him,
with his sword drawn in his hand.†This
man as he seemed, was in truth an angel, and
Joshua, still supposing him to be mortal, hav-
ing demanded whether he was for the Israelites
or for their adversaries, the angel replied,
‘“‘Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord
am I now come.†Then Joshua no longer
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THE ANGEL APPEARING TO JOSHUA.
supposed that it was a man like himself with
whom he held converse, and falling on his face
on the earth, he worshipped him and said,
What saith the Lord unto his servant ?
The celestial messenger directed Joshua to
loose his shoe from his foot, as the ground on
which he stood was holy. Joshua obeyed, and
he was then made acquainted with coming
events, and told of the impending fate of
Jericho.
Under difficult circumstances, less openly,
but perhaps not less efficiently, God’s servants
have often in all ages been warned of what was
to take place, and prepared by divine intelli-
gence for the scenes in which it was their duty
to mingle, and in which they were destined to
act a conspicuous part. On great occasions
wise chieftains have not failed to commend to
their followers devout exercises, and these have
in many cases been followed by a memorable
triumph.
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FALL OF THE WALL OF
JERICHO.
“The people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets:
and it came to pdss when the people heard the sound of the
trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that
the wall fell.†Josnua, chap. vi. verse 20, :
BEFORE Cunist, 1451 YEARS.
Ir has been seen that Joshua had been fa-
voured with a revelation from ‘on high. The
angel of the Lord had told him that he was to
prove victorious, and that Jericho, the city to
which he was about to lay siege, would fall
before him,
Thus encouraged, he boldly proceeded. He
rose early, and the ark of the Lord was carried
round the city on seven successive days, seven
priests blowing trumpets of rams’ horns pre-
ceded it, and on the seventh day, when the
people shouted, having previously been com-
manded to refrain from doing so, the trumpets
again sounded, and again the people raised a
loud shout, and the next moment, as the angel
had foretold, ‘‘the wall fell down flat, so that
the people went up into the city, every man
straight before him, and they took the city.â€
A dreadful scene followed. The Israelites,
VOL. I. M 8]
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FALL OF THE WALL OF JERICHO.
we read, “‘ utterly destroyed all that was in the
city, both man and woman, young and old, and
ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the
sword.â€
The people of Jericho must have been a sin-
ful race. Not only were they subjected to this
severity, but a solemn curse was pronounced
against any one who should rebuild the city,
and it was declared that he should “lay the
foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his
youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.â€
No exact records have been handed down to
us of the crimes of the wretched sinners who
were doomed thus miserably to perish. Enough,
however, is preserved to convey to us an awful
picture of the vengeance which must fall upon
those who rebel against the Eternal, and who
are found among the enemies of his people.
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JOSUUA STAYING THE SUN AND
MOON.
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( “ Joshua said, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou
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BtLFORE Cunist, 1451 YEARS. }
» THE carnage must have been dreadful when the |
vengeance of God pursued the flying Amorites. 5
It is to be kept in view that he had given a pro-
» mise to Joshua that not a man of them should ,
' stand before him, and this encouraged the
Hebrew leader to make the bold appeal that
he hazarded, when he prayed that the sun )
and moon might be arrested in their course. (
' Having preferred this petition, he then, in the |
sight of Israel, ordered the great luminaries of
Heaven to stand still over spots which he ,
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:
named, ‘‘and the sun stood still, and the moon
stayed until the people had avenged themselves
upon their enemies.â€
This was the object of Joshua, and it was
the will of the God of Israel that a memorable
example should be made. Never, we are told
in Scripture, was there a day like that before it
or since. The Lord fought for Israel, and
when he condescends to interfere on behalf of
85
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JOSHUA STAYING THE SUN AND MOON.
those who worship him, he is not restrained
to observe the conditions which man cannot
escape; he is not confined to use only such
weapons as may be found in a mortal armoury.
Events like these command our wonder, yet
why should they? The sun and moon are
great and sublime objects, and vast and stu-
pendous indeed must be the power which could
compel them to halt in their course. But is it
to be supposed that the power of Him who
made them and prescribed their laws, is other
than vast! They indeed,
“ Their great original proclaim!â€
but they are in His mighty hand, less than the
toys of a child in the grasp of a man.
The faith which Joshua had in the promise
of the Deity, that not a man of the Midianites
should stand before him, prompted that peti-
tion which completed their ruin.
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CALEB’S GIFT.
* It came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to
ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and
Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou ?â€â€”-JosHuA,
chap. xv., verse 18.
BEFORE CHRIsT, 1442 YEARS.
Various lands were given to the twelve sons
of Jacob, and these are minutely described in
the Bible, and an equitable division was made of
them by Joshua. Judah and his children re-
ceived for their share the country which bor-
dered on Edom, the wilderness of Zin being
its southward boundary. In one direction its
limit stretched to a place called Debir, and
among the changes which the lapse of years
rendered necessary this tract of land passed
into the possession of a man named Caleb.
For some reason he desired that Debir itself
should be added to his possessions, and he
made it known that, to him who would take it
he would give his daughter Achsah in mar-
riage.
Caleb had a nephew named Othniel, and this
young man, with, a view to the prize thus
offered, attacked Debir, was successful, and in
consequence became the husband of Achsah.
87
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CALEB’S GIFT.
The daughter, like some young ladies who
have lived since her time, seems to have
thought it would be right to get as much as
she could from her father for her husband, and
we find that first she urged Othniel to beg ((
a field from him, and then solicited him her- 5‘
self to give her springs of water with his bless-
ing; she was so fortunate as to obtain all she (
asked. \
Human nature was always the same as we |
see it now; children naturally look up to their
parents for aid; and well-disposed parents are, (:
as naturally, when it is in their power, disposed |:
to afford it. Sons and daughters who are pre-
pared to obey the commandment, which re- |
quires them to honour those whom God has (
placed over them, will do well to bear in mind,
that at a proper season fathers and mothers
are as glad to give, as children can be to re-
ceive. This should warn them not to be too
importunate, if just observation fail to teach
that the most selfish are not always allowed to
fare the best. ° (
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JAEL AND SISERA.
« Jael, Heber’s wife, took a nail and an hammer in her hand,
and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his tem-
ples.â€â€”—JUDGEs, chap. iy., verse 21.
BEFORE Cirist, 1440 YEARS.
In the story of Sisera we have another instance
of its being the good pleasure of the Deity to
humble the tyrannical and the proud.
For their sins the Lord permitted the Israelites
to fall into the power of Jabin, king of Canaan;
he was a mighty prince, for he possessed nine
hundred chariots of iron. He made a bad use
of his power, and greatly oppressed the Isra-
elites; in their distress they called upon the
God of their fathers, and Deborah, a divine
prophetess, thereupon announced to them that
Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his
followers should be delivered into their hands.
Thus encouraged, Barak, a Jewish commander,
encountered the Canaanitish host, defeated it,
and Sisera, its captain, was forced to fly from
the battle-field alone and on foot.
He reached the tent of Jael, the wife of
Heber ; she knew the enemy of Israel and in-
vited him to rest in her tent; and there, on his
asking for water, she gave him a bottle of milk,
VOL. 1. N 89
a
TL ae
JAEL AND SISERA.
TTT TTT |
and to conceal, covered him with a mantle;
having been requested by the fugitive, if in-
quiry should be made for him, to deny that he
was there.
He was weary and soon fell asleep; Jael,
noting this, took a hammer and nail and drove
“the nail into his temples and fastened it into
the ground.†The victor, Barak, arrived
shortly afterwards, when Jael showed him
the bleeding corpse of the enemy he had pur-
sued. ‘‘ Come,†said she, ‘and I will show
thee the man whom thou seekest. And when
he came into her tent behold Sisera lay dead
and the nail was in his temples.â€
Then sung Deborah and Barak, “so let all
thine enemies perish O Lord, but let them that
love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in
his might.â€
90
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JEPHTHAH’S RASH VOW.
“Jepthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and behold his
aughter came out to meet him with timbrels and wita
dances.†—JuDGES, chap. ii., verse 34.
Berore Curtst, 1187 YEAR&
JepuTHan the son of Gilead, a bold warrior and
one of the judges of Israel, was in early life sent
from the house of his father by his brethren,
as being the ‘“‘son of a strange woman,†but
when the children of Ammon made war on the
Jews they were anxious that he should fight on
their side. Heconsented to espouse their cause
on their swearing that if they should be deliv-
ered from their enemy by his hand, that he
should thenceforward be their head.
He first endeavoured to avoid war, by showing
that the children of Ammon had no just ground
of complaint against Israel. His words were
little attended to, and he then prepared for
battle, and doing so made a solemn vow to the
Lord, and said, ‘if thou shalt without fail
deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
then it shall be that whatsoever cometh forth
of the doors of my house to meet me when I
return in peace, shall surely be the Lord’s, and
I will offer it up for a burnt-offering.â€â€™
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JEPHTHAH’S RASH VOW.
—
The hostile hosts engaged, the Israelites were
victorious, and the children of Ammon were de-
feated with great slaughter.
Brilliant triumphs often bring great sorrows,
returning from the war Jephthah was met by
his daughter ; she came with timbrels and with
dances to honour the conqueror. The un-
happy father saw his child, and rent his clothes
in grief and agony, while he recalled the fatal
vow which bound him to offer what first should
issue from his house on his return, as a burnt-
offering to the Lord.
Sad was the lot of the parent, sad the lot of
the child, but however painful the task of ful-
filling it, a solemn vow to the Lord must not
be disregarded. Such was the feeling of Jeph-
thah; he had made the vow while yet the fate
of Israel was in suspense. Now the battle was
won, it was too late to alter it; great as his
affection was, the promised sacrifice must be
made.
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LAMENT OF THE DAUGHTERS
OF ISRAEL.
«The daughters of Isracl went yearly to lament the daughter
of Jepthah the Gileadite."—Jupcrs, chap. xi., verse 40.
BeEroreE Curist, 1187 YEARS.
Tue history of Jephthah, it has been shown,
teaches that men should be cautious in making
promises, but resolute to fulfil them when
once they have been made. This is further
enforced by the nobly devoted conduct of his
daughter.
Informed of the vow made by her parent, she
gave way to no weak complaining ; she did not
aggravate Jephthah’s distress by loudly bewail-
ing her untimely death. ‘‘ My father,†cried
the heroic virgin, “if thou hast opened thy
mouth unto the Lord do to me according to
that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth.â€
To know that her father had triumphed over
his enemies and those of his country, was hap-
piness for her, and rejoicing in his glory she was
content to die.
The only request she made was that she and
her maidens might retire for two months to the
mountains to muse on her fate. To this Jeph-
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LAMENT OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ISRAEL. |
thah consented, and at the end of the period
named she returned and he fulfilled his vow.
In honour of this heroic daughter, it became
a custom for the daughters of Israel annually to
repair to the spot where, after the sacrifice it
may be presumed her ashes were deposited, and
there recall her virtues and her end.
Deeply interesting must the scenes have
been to which this event gave rise, when the
youth and beauty of Israel assembled to hon-
our the child who, not even to save herself
from a painful death, would endure that a
father should fail in a vow which he had made
to the Lord. On these sad but pious meet-
ings, each contemplating the virtuous de-
votion, and the sacrifice so commemorated
must in spirit have been disposed to say with a
modern poet—
“Go, you may call it madness, folly,
You shall not chase my grief away
There’s such a charm in melancholy,
I would not, if I could, be gay.â€
96
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GOOD
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MANOAH’S SACRIFICE.
“It eame to pass when the flame went up towards heaven
_ from off the altar, that the angel of the Lerd ascended in
the flame of the altar."—JuDGES, chap. xiii., verse 20.
BeEFrore Crist, 1170 years.
In a place called Zorah, @ certain man lived
whose name was Manoah. He had been long
married but had no child. With him and his
wife this was matter of regret. Hope had failed
them, when an angel of the Lord appeared to
the woman announcing to her that she should
yet become a mother—that she would bear a
son, who should be a Nazarite to God all
his life, and who should deliver Israel out of
the hands of the Philistines.
_ Manoah, on being told of this announcement
by his wife, prayed that the angel or ‘the man
of God†who had already been sent might
come again, to instruct them what it would
become them to do for the child when it should
be born. To this his prayer, God lent a
favourable ear. The angel a second time
appeared to the wife, who thereupon ran to
Manoah, and brought him to the presence of
the celestial visitor.
In answer to inquiries made, the favoured
VOL. I. oO 97
at a a
OE pn rn am nee pe ea
ere a pt at tT,
MANOAH’S SACRIFICE.
pair were now instructed what course it would
be proper for them to pursue. Manoah wished
to entertain the angel, but he declined to eat of;
a kid, which he offered to make ready for him,
but directed the thankful husband to make
a burnt offering to the Lord.
A kid was then sacrificed. It was offered
on a rock, the angel, Manoah, and his wife
standing by. The flame rose from the altar
toward Heaven, and while Manoah and _ his
wife still gazed, the angel was seen ascending
in the flame, and speedily vanished from their
view. The wondering mortals fell on their
faces, overpowered by a spectacle so astonish-
ing. Fear, at first, possessed them, but to this
hope and joy soon succeeded, and the promise
made was in due season fulfilled.
The gratification of the wish nearest to a fond
mortal’s heart is often long deferred ; for faith
this may prove a severe trial, but we ought not
to despair. Asin the case of Manoah, when
least we expect it all for which we have sighed
may be granted.
LION
r THE
SLAYIN(
SAMSON
7
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ee.
MOSES VIEWING THE PROMISED
LAND.
“The Lord said unto him (Moses) this is the land which I
sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying,
I will give it unto thy seed.â€â€”-DEUTERONOMY, chap.
xxxiv., verse 4.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1445 YEARS.
Tue extraordinary career of Moses we now
see drawing to a close. Snatched by a kind
Providence from death in his infancy, he had
been able to humble the pride of Pharaoh, to
confound those in whose wisdom the monarch
had confided, to annihilate his host, and to
conduct the chosen people through the Red
Sea, and through the wilderness, till they
approached the land which the Lord had
promised it should be theirs to inhabit.
Moses had reached the plains of Moab, and
thence he ascended the mountain of Pisgah,
which is described as being over against
Jericho. From this eminence it was the plea-
sure of God that he should see the territory
reserved for the children of Israel. It compre-
hended the land of Gilead extending to Dan, all
Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manas-
seh, and the land of Judah “ unto the utmost
75
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MOSES VIEWING THE PROMISED LAND.
sea,’ as also the south of the valley of Je-
richo and the city of palm-trees, extending to
Zoar; and ‘ this,†said the Lord, ‘is the land
which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and
unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy
seed.â€
To Moses it was a joyful sight. He saw
before him the fruit of his long-continued
labours, but while gazing on it, he was told,
‘“‘ T have caused thee to see it with thine eyes,
but thou shalt not go over thither.â€â€™
The ways of God are mysterious. It may
create some surprise that the moment which
seemed to realise the chief’s fondest hopes, should
tell him that his life was at an end. Of this,
however, it has been told he was forewarned.
Often do we see the weary pilgrim, when
closed his toilsome labour, suddenly snatched
away from promised enjoyment; but the heart
that is faithful to duty, and properly awake to
the goodness of the Most High, will not suffer
this to create dismay. He who made us, best
knows what is fit for us; his wisdom and his
bounty may deny us what we had promised
ourselves, but the good will still have their
reward.
76
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TOUT Re
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OF MOSE
DEATH
THE
I 4
SAMSON CARRYING THE GATES
OF GAZA.
Samson arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of
the city, and the two posta, and went away with them.â€â€”
JuDGES, chap, xvi., verse 3.
Brrore CuHRIsT, 1440 YEARS.
Samson was renowned for strength ; with that
strength he had many weaknesses, but often the
spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and
then his power was such as no mortal could
withstand.
On one occasion he went to Gaza, and the
men of that place being informed of his arrival
conspired against him, surrounded him and lay
in wait all night, intending to put him to death
when he should go forth in the morning.
Those who watched did so to little purpose,
or when they saw their intended victim they
were so overawed by his bold bearing and mar-
vellous strength, that they did not dare to
molest him. He did not remain till the return
of day at Gaza, but rising at midnight he ‘‘took
the doors of the gate of the city, and the two
posts and went away with them, bar and all,
and put them upon his shoulders, and carried
ee tl Dt lt tO Or
SAMSON CARRYING THE GATES OF GAZA.
them up to the top of an hill that is before
Hebron.â€
Gaza was one of the principal cities of the
Philistines. The prowess of Samson had hum-
bled their pride, and when it was known that
he had entered it alone they thought, by closing
the gates, it would be impossible for him
to escape before they had mustered in suffi-
cient numbers to overpower and destroy him.
The might with which he was endowed enabled
him, as we have seen, not merely to unfasten
the gates, but to carry them away, post, and
bar and all. Beholding this. might well strike
terror to the hearts of the Philistines; they
saw in him a man, in some respects defective,
but still raised up by the Eternal to be the
deliverer of his countrymen, and the scourge
of their enemies; they felt their own might was
contemptible when compared with that of a
warrior who had the spirit of the Lord upon
him.
oe fteref "thy Yi
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THE DEATH OF SAMSON. _
& MY <
. RAN
THE DEATH OF SAMSON.
“He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell
upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein.â€
—JUDGES, chap. xvi., verse 30.
BEFORE CurisT, 117 YEARS.
Tue Philistines at length got Samson into their
power, and treated him very cruelly ; they put
out his eyes, and carried him to Gaza, where
they loaded him with brass fetters, and com-
pelled him to grind in the prison-house.
Then they rejoiced, and offered sacrifices to
Dagon. ‘Our God,†they shouted, ‘has
delivered our enemy into our hands,†and the
poor blind prisoner was brutally ordered to be
brought forth, that his distress might make
them sport.
But a greater God than Dagon observed the
vile doings of these wicked revellers. In a
vast building three thousand men and women
were assembled, to mock the affliction of a
poor sightless fettered captive. In that moment
of bitter sorrow did Samson pray; and ‘“‘ Oh,â€
he said, ‘Lord God, remember me, I pray
thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this
once, O God, that I may be at once avenged
of the Philistines for my two eyes.â€
103
THE DEATH OF SAMSON.
God heard the sufferer’s prayer, and the
strength of Samson was restored; grasping the
two middle pillars, which sustained the edifice,
one with his right and the other with his left
hand, ‘‘let me die,’’ said he, ‘ with the Phi-
listines ;’? and bowing his head with all his
might the house fell, and crushed in its fall the
heartless persecutors, who had tortured him
and mocked his woe.
In a moment that abode of idolatry, which
had been the scene of unhallowed merriment,
became a spectacle most dreadful to behold.
The voice of joy was heard no more, it was lost
in the shrieks and groans of the wounded and
the dying.
To abate and punish the insolence of cruel
men, is often the will of God. Pride would do
well to reflect that His power can exalt the
humble, and in a moment involve the oppressor
in helpless ruin.
104
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THE UNLEAVENED CAKES.
«The angel of the Lord put forth the end of his staff that was
in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and there rose up fire out of the rock.â€â€”JUDGEs,
chap. vi., verse 21.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1245 YEARS.
To God all things are possible ; this is shown
in a striking manner in various parts of the
Bible. In histories already quoted, at his fiat
we have seen water gushing from rocks ; it will
now be seen that his messenger could compel
a rock to give fire from its bosom.
The Midianites prevailed against Israel, and
the chosen people were reduced to a state of
great distress, when an angel appeared to one
of their valiant men named Gideon, and an-
nounced to him that it was the good pleasure
of the Almighty that he should become the
deliverer of his countrymen.
Gideon at this time was threshing wheat
with his father, which they proposed to conceal
from the Midianites. The glad tidings brought
by the angel Gideon could hardly credit, and
he prayed the stranger to give him a sign, and
to wait till he laid before him a present or offer-
ing. The angel having consented to stay,
91
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THE UNLEAVENED CAKES.
Gideon made ready a kid and placed it with
unleavened cakes under an oak; this done,
having arranged them by the ‘direction of
the angel, Gideon saw his heavenly visitor
touch the flesh and the cakes, when fire issued
from the rock and consumed them.
In ancient times favoured mortals, in many
instances, were permitted to see and to converse
with angels. Though sometimes they were not
immediately recognised, their glory was ‘often
almost too great to be gazed upon by the in-
habitants of earth; such was the case with
Gideon in this instance, when he found that he
had ‘‘seen an angel of the Lord face to face,â€
till he received an assurance from above that
he should not die.
The angel departed out of his sight, and
Gideon, no longer in doubt as to the quality
of his visitor after what he had witnessed,
owned he had seen a messenger from Heaven,
and built an altar there unto the Lord.
92
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NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTERS.
IN-LAW.
“ Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, go, return each to
her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you as ye
have dealt with the dead and with me.â€--RutH, chap. 1.,
verse 8,
BEFORE CuHRrisT, 1312 YEARS,
Naomi was a Hebrew matron. She had been
left a widow, and her two sons, Mahlon and
Chilion, married two females of Moab, named
Orpah and Ruth. Both the young men died
after a time, when Naomi, who, with her hus-
band, had taken up her abode among the
Moabites, prepared to leave Moab for Judah.
Her daughters-in-law proposed to accom-
pany her, but she, in tenderness to them, told
each to return to her father’s house. ‘‘ Go,â€
said she, ‘‘and may the Lord deal kindly with
you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with
me.†She added, ‘‘ The Lord grant you that
ye may find rest, each of you, in the house of
her husband.’’ Then she kissed them, and
they lifted up their voices and wept.
They were slow to depart, and she again
pressed them to do so, remarking that she had
no husband, and if she had, and were again to
VOL. I. P 105
NAOMI AND HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW.
be a mother, it would not be right that they
should tarry till her children were grown up and
old enough to become their husbands.
It was the custom of the Israelites, when a
young husband died, that his brother should
marry the widow, and any children that were
born after the second marriage were to bear the
name of the deceased. Naomi, having no sons,
was anxious that her daughters-in-law should
feel themselves at liberty to enter into other
families.
Orpah was, at length, content to take this
advice; she kissed Naomi and departed; but
no argument could prevail with the gentle and
affectionate Ruth to do the like. In the fond
language of filial love her cry was, “ Intreat me
not to leave thee, or return from following after
thee; for whither thou goest I will go, and
where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God.â€
She was resolved that death only should part
them, and God rewarded her generous attach-
ment.
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kUTH
GLEANING
RUTH GLEANING.
“She said, I pray you let me glean and gather after the
reapers. Then said Boaz unto Ruth, go not to glean in
another field, neither go from hence.’—-RutH, chap. ii,
verses 7, 8.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1312 YEARS,
Ir has been seen that in the day of Naomi’s
sorrow, when she had to mourn the loss of her
husband and her sons, the kind Ruth, herself
a widow, remained with her mother-in-law.
They were poor, and in the harvest time Ruth
went into the fields to glean after the reapers,
for their joint support.
We then learn that it was her hap to light
on part of a field which belonged to Boaz, who
was the kinsman of Naomi’s late husband.
Boaz was a well-disposed man, and seeing
a stranger damsel he enquired who she was,
and learned that she had returned from the
land of Moab with Naomi. The servants of
Boaz also reported that she had humbly soli-
cited that she might go after the reapers.
His heart was touched with compassion, and
probably with admiration of the generous care
of the young gleaner, if not of her personal
attractions, and he desired her to glean in
107
RUTH GLEANING.
no field but his, to abide by his maidens, and
to follow those who reaped. He also told her
that he had charged his young men not to
molest her, and that she might partake of the
refreshments provided for his people.
Amazed at his kindness, she fell on her face
before him, expressing her surprise at having
thus found grace in his eyes. His good-will
was further shown, and his reapers were
ordered to let her glean among the sheaves,
and to drop some handfuls in her way.
And why was this? Let the important
lesson not be forgotten; because she could feel
for another; because she was kind to Naomi.
This recommended her to Boaz, and induced
that virtuous man to exclaim, “The Lord
recompense thy work, and a full reward be
given thee by the Lord God of Israel, under
whose wings thou art come to trust.â€
UTH
R
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THE MOLTEN CALF.
“ They have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it,
and have sacrificed thereunto.â€â€” Exopvus, chap. xxxii.
verse 8,
BrErore Curist, 1452 YEARS.
We learn in the Bible, that the chosen people
of God were from time to time favoured with
distinct intimations of his will. In the com-
mandments, issued from Mount Sinai, they
were warned against idol worship, and told by
the Most High, in language not to be mistaken,
‘“‘T the Lord thy God am a jealous God.â€
To a young mind it is not easy to explain
what pleasure a thinking man could derive, or
what hope entertain from prostrating himself
before an image, or addressing a prayer to a
piece of wood or stone; yet, strange as it may
seem, though it was declared as offensive to the
Lord of all, as it was in itself ridiculous, in
the absence of Moses, they called upon Aaron
to make them gods, saying they knew not
what had become of the leader who had
brought them out of Egypt.
Remémbering how grateful they ought to
have been to Him who had miraculously sus-
tained and comforted them, the good must be
47
er
See
THE MOLTEN CALF.
shocked that such a request should be made by
such a people, but still more must it move their
wonder that Aaron, the brother of Moses, in-
stead of reproving their proneness to sin, in-
stead of showing them the folly of their vain
desire, that Aaron should call upon them to give
up their golden ear-rings, of which he made an
image or images, which were hailed by the
thoughtless crowd as the gods of Israel.
How Aaron could be so lost to all reason, so
forgetful of what the Lord had done, and so
wicked as to sin against the truth, it is difficult
to imagine. The fact, however, admits of no
dispute, he shared their misconduct, and pro-
ceeded to build an altar, on which sacrifices
were to be offered, and he then caused proclama-
tion to be made that the morrow should be set
apart for a feast to the Lord; not in honour of
the Great Protector of Israel to whom so vast
a debt of gratitude was due, but to the golden |
calf, or other objects which he had produced,
calling them gods, and exhibited to be wor-
shipped by idolatrous folly.
The weakness of our nature, in the case of
Aaron and the Israelites is mournfully exempli-
fied. The ungrateful are blind, and are easily
prevailed upon to be guided by a blind leader ;
the Giver of all Good is soon forgotten by
worshippers of gold. 48
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MOSES BREAKING THE TABLES
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MOSES BREAKING THE TABLES. |
‘Moses’ anger waxed hot,and he cast the tables out of his
hands, and brake them beneath the mount.â€â€”Exopvs,
clap, uxxii., verse 19,
Buroke Cerist, 1491 YEARS.
Rerurnine with the precious gift prepared by |
‘the work of God,†it has been seen that ¢
Moses had the mortification to find those for
whom he had toiled so long had gone back to
hateful idolatry, and that in his wrath he
dashed down the tables of which he was the
bearer.
In this act, unpremeditated as it was, we see
exemplified that courage which enabled the
great prophet of Israel to confront the Egyptian
monarch and his magicians, and to brave every
difficulty and danger that opposed the execu-
tion of his design. He saw the God he wor-
shipped outraged by mad-and disgusting folly,
! for Aaron had made the Israelites ‘“‘naked unto
their shame among their enemies,Չۉ۪ and pre-
cious as his charge was, highly as he valued
those tables on which God’s will had been in-
scribed by his own dread hand, he scrupled not
to dash them down ; to break them to pieces
in the just indignation which came over him
VOL. I. H 49
i
MOSES BREAKING THE TABLES.
when he saw so fearful an outrage committed
against reason, decency, and God himself.
A fearful vengeance, as will hereafter be
mentioned, overtook the wretched beings who
had suffered themselves to be so fearfully mis-
led; but in this place it may be well to remark
on the conduct of Moses. In his eyes, nothing,
however glorious, however important, was to
stand for a moment in comparison with the
iust homage due to the Mighty Author of all
things. Even the tables of the law he cared
not to preserve, when he saw the lord affronted
by lewd and debasing superstition. Remem-
bering this, men should look to realities, not to
their own vain imaginings ; for ‘‘ God is a spirit
who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.â€
Let those who rejoice in life, and hope to see
many happy days, beware of those who would
beguile them into the paths of folly, who would
make them forget in idle mirth what they owe
to a bountiful Creator.
OY ed
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BOAZ REWARDING RUTH.
“ He said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold
it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of
barley, and laid it on her.â€â€”Rurn, chap. iii., verse 15.
‘BEFORE CHRIST, 1312 YEARS.
Turoven the whole of the wheat and barley
harvest, Ruth continued to glean in the fields
of Boaz. To her mother-in-law she carried all
she thus obtained, and Naomi, on hearing what
she owed to the kindness of Boaz, exclaimed,
knowing him to be a kinsman, “‘ blessed be he
of the Lord who hath not left off his kindness
to the living and to the dead.â€
It was thus that Ruth persevered in her
labours for the support of the widowed mother
of her late husband; nor did her kindness know
abatement from lapse of time, and this was re-
warded by Naomi with wise counsel. By her
advice Ruth was careful to go into the field with
the young maidens belonging to Boaz, and to
avoid as far as might be the young men. Her
staid conduct was noted by Boaz, and when on
some occasion of rejoicing, like the harvest-
home of England, the generous employer had
laid down on his thrashing-floor to seek repose,
she carefully watched at his feet.
109
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BOA,
ww NN RL LE EE I ES
MOSES DELIVERING THE SECOND
TABLES.
‘When Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two
tables of testimony, Moses wist not that the skin of his
face shone.†—-Exopus, chap. xxxiv., verse 29.
BEFORE Curist, 1491 YEARS.
Moszs implored the Lord to forgive the sin
into which his people had been betrayed.
Sacrifice and prayer were resorted to, in the
hope that the wrath madly provoked by
wretched idolatry might be turned aside. They
were, nevertheless, made to suffer for their
gross misconduct. All the inflictions to which
they were subjected may not be recorded, but
three thousand fell by the swords of the sons
of Levi.
At length the intercession of Moses found
grace in the sight of a benevolent Deity, who
breathed the relenting promise, ‘I will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will
show mercy on whom I will show mercy.â€
The Lord then commanded Moses to pre-
pare two tables of stone like those which had
been destroyed by the sudden impulse of right-
eous indignation, when he saw those for. whom
A TE
Oe
MOSES DELIVERING THE SECOND TABLES.
he had toiled so long and accomplished so
? much, offering mad homage to the unconscious
( image of a brute. With those new tables he
was to repair, on the morning of a certain day,
)
!
to the top of Mount Sinai, and there to pre-
sent himself alone. No man was to be seen
near the spot on which the Creator of man
deigned to communicate with his true wor-
shipper, and the flocks and herds were to be
removed from the foot of the mountain.
Moses having hewed two tables of stone,
repaired at the time appointed to the sum-
mit of the mountain. Then we read in
Scripture, the Eternal descended in a cloud,
and proclaimed himself ‘‘ the Lord God, mer-
ciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abun-
dant in goodness and truth.â€
It was the tables so procured by Moses that
now in our churches exhibit a portion of the
divine law—the ten commandments—to all
who attend. These great and wise rules, pre-
pared for the guidance of mankind, have
formed, through many ages, the groundwork
of the most important instruments prepared
by statesmen to govern nations. To read, to
understand, and to remember them, should be
one of the first cares of youth.
52
* —_.
FG
OFFERING THE LAMB.
BOAZ MARRIES RUTH.
“The kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew
off his shoe.†—Rutu, chap. iv., verse 8.
BrForeE Curist, 1312 YEARS.
Ruts, it appears, was possessed of some land
which had belonged to Elimelech, her late
husband. There was a nearer kinsman than
Boaz, and, according to the usages of the He-
brews, this relative might have purchased the
land, and taken Ruth to be his wife, “‘to raise
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.â€
To this person Boaz applied to purchase the
land with the accustomed forms. The kinsman
declined to comply, ‘‘lest he should mar his
fortune.â€
Then Boaz determined to be himself the.
buyer. He accordingly ‘ plucked off his shoe,
and gave it to his neighbour,†such being the
custom of the Jews, for ‘‘this was a testimony
in Israel.†He called upon the elders and all
the people to witness the act, declaring to them
that he had made Ruth, the fair Moabitess, his
wife, ‘‘to raise up the name of the dead upon
his inheritance, that the name of the dead be
111
BOAZ MARRIES RUTH.
not cut off from among his brethren, and from
the gate of his place.â€
All rejoiced at their union ; all congratulated
Ruth on the event. Her dutiful love for a
mother-in-law had gained her general admira-
tion; and, as the wife of Boaz, it was her lot
to give birth to a son, who afterwards became
known as the grandfather of David, while the
gentle Ruth shines in Hebrew history as the
mother of a race of kings.
In this beautiful Scripture histcry we are
most impressively taught, that
“ Heaven can reward, if mortals will be kind.â€
The tender affection of Ruth, which caused
her to insist on remaining with a kind mother-
in-law in the day of sorrow, and to mitigate as
far as might be the evils attendant on poverty,
and her strictly correct conduct, gained her,
first, the blessing of Naomi and the applause of
all the city; and in the fullness of time they
made her a happy wife and mother, gave her
great wealth and undying fame.
BY
-~
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, INS Se
NS ~~ . - b
SS DREFCoS
SAMUEL
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a
OFFERING THE LAMB.
“Tf he offer a lamb for his offering then shall he offer it be-
fore the Lord.â€â€”Lrviricvs, chap. iii., verse 7.
BEFORE CurisT, 1491 YeaRs.
Tue Scripture not only contains the law of
God, as made known to a renowned and fa-
voured nation, through whom it was foretold
’ ‘all nations should be blessed,†but it brings
‘ before us many of the customs and habits
adopted by or prescribed to the Israelites after
their liberation from Egypt, and while journey-
ing to that land in which they were to rest.
Considered simply as a record, as a history, it
is invaluable to the antiquary.
We learn from Leviticus that in certain
eases an animal was to be sacrificed. For a
peace-offering a lamb without blemish was to
be chosen. By some writers this has been
regarded as a type of that purity seen in the
person of Jesus Christ, who, at a later period,
came a self-devoted sacrifice, to suffer for the
sins of the world, and to die that man might
live.
The lamb was to be taken to the door of the
tabernacle, or place of worship of the congre-
53
_— ——
Re SRS
=~ I NNR
mo LO IT I
OFFERING THE LAMB.
gation, and there killed by the high priest.
This done, the blood was to be ‘ sprinkled
round about the altar.†It was directed that
the priest, or acting minister, should burn cer-
tain portions of the victims; it was thus that
he was “‘to offer, as the sacrifice of the peace-
offering, an offering made by fire unto the
Lord.†In certain cases a goat might be
taken, in preference to a lamb. It was to be
slain in the same way, and the blood sprinkled
round about the altar, and the Jews were pro-
hibited from eating the fat and the blood.
The importance of these ceremonies is,
perhaps, now but imperfectly understood.
During many generations they were solemnly
observed by the Israelites, and held to be of
great value in the sight of the Most High by
kings, prophets, and people. A greater Law-
giver than even Moses at length taught that
God would regard as a more acceptable offer-
ing, a humble, a broken, and a contrite heart.
ASSN
7, °
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FP
O
CONSECRATION
ee ET
CONSECRATION OF AARON.
“Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly
was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle.â€â€”
Leviticus chap. viii., verse 4.
BEFORE Curist, 1490 YEARS.
Amonc the religious ceremonies of the Jews,
that of Consecration holds a conspicuous place.
The extent to which it should be used has
been the subject of fierce altercation in modern
times. Archbishop Laud was accused of fa-
vouring superstitious usages on certain occa-
sions while consecrating churches. He insisted
that he had only aimed at treading in the foot-
steps of Moses and Aaron.
Persons as well as places are consecrated.
By divine command Aaron was brought by
Moses to the door of the tabernacle. There
he and his sons were washed, after which
Moses put upon him the coat, and girded him
with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe,
and put the ephod upon him, and girded him
with the curious girdle of the ephod, and put
the breast-plate upon him, and in it the Urim
and the Thummim, after which the mitre, or
“the holy crown,†on his head. Then anoint-
ing oil was brought. The altar was sprinkled
55
NO EE EEE
ae cram |
seven times with it, after which oil was poured
on Aaron’s head to sanctify him. The grand
observances were concluded with the sacrifice
of a bullock, as a sin-offering.
Many of these ceremonies have been pre-
served among the most refined nations of com-
paratively modern times, and used on occasions
!
of the gravest importance. Such ceremonies |
youth must not undervalue as vain forms.
They are intended to impart to those con-
(
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CONSECRATION OF AARON.
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nected with the august offices of religion that
pomp and dignity, imaging the elevation of
their minds, which wise men have deemed fit-
ting to their high calling.
The Urim and Thummim, it may be proper
to state, are supposed to have been exquisitely
bright jewels, worn by the High Priest of Israel
on great occasions, and intended, by their pure
radiance, to image the divine presence. In the
original Hebrew, the words mean light and
perfection, and the gems so worn by Aaron are
said to have had engraven on them the names
of the twelve tribes of Israel, and to have shone
with additional lustre when the Most High
listened with favour to the prayers addressed to
Him on their behalf.
/
THE BURNT-OFFERING.
«There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed
upon the altar the burnt-offering.â€â€”-LEVITICUS, chap. ix.,
verse 24,
BEFORE CHRIST, 1490 YEARS.
Tue sacrifices of the Israclites were various,
according to the evil that was to be averted,
or the boon that was to be implored. Of
these the burnt-offering, or holocaust, was one
in which the whole of the victim was con-
sumed on the altar.
Eight days after the consecration of Aaron,
Moses directed that sacrifices should be made ;
a calf for a sin-offering, this Aaron was to pre-
sent for himself; a kid was selected to be a
peace-offering, and a ram and a bullock were
named as a burnt-offering for the people.
The victims were brought in solemn state
to the place of sacrifice, and there slain by the
priests. When the rites had been duly per-
formed, and the incense rose from the altar,
Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people
and blessed them; and he and Moses having
entered the tabernacle of the congregation,
came forth again and blessed them.
VOL. I. I 57
tt A tft tt OO Oe
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THE BURNT-OFFERING.
Then the wondering Israelites beheld what
must have been the subject of equal amaze- ,
ment and exultation. ‘‘ The glory of the Lord /
appeared unto all the people,†and “‘afire came {
out from.before the Lord†and consumed the
offering.
Grand and sublime must the spectacle have \
been, when the glory of the Creator was thus
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presented to mortal eyes, and celestial flame
embraced the victims offered as a burnt-offer-
ing, and as an atonement on the altar. It
produced a burst of universal joy; the people
shouted, and fell on their faces. The heavenly
radiance was, doubtless, more than frail human
beings could steadily regard ; the vivid repre-
sentation of Him
“ Who, light himself in uncreated light,
Dwells awfully retired from human ken,
Or angel’s purer eye.â€
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AARON THE HIGH PRIEST.
“The Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brothcr,
that he come not at all times into the Holy Place.â€â€”Lrvi-
TICUS, xvi., verse 2.
BEFORE CHRIsT, 1491 YEARS.
In the accompanying plate Aaron is seen in
his priestly vestments, standing in the open
air. We learn from the text that he was not
at all times free to enter ‘‘the holy place
within the veil before the mercy-seat.†He
was cautioned against doing so, lest he should
die.
The tabernacle was only to be approached
with the greatest reverence. Here the ark of
the Lord or of the covenant was kept. The
ark was a kind of chest made of a peculiar
“kind of wood; it was two cubits and a half
long, one and a half broad, and one and a half
deep. Within and without, it was covered
with pure gold; and in this the tables of stone,
on which God had engraved the ten command-
ments, were preserved.
The lid or covering of the ark was called the
mercy-seat. It was indicated by a word in the
Hebrew tongue, which meant atoning for.
Two figures of celestial beings, called cherubim,
59
come
AARON THE HIGH PRIEST.
were placed with expanded wings over the ark.
Here, veiled in a cloud, the Supreme Being
was supposed to preside, and divine commands
were issued from the cloud. This will explain
why Aaron and the priests were enjoined to
approach with cautious solemnity, and some-
times even to refrain from entering the taber-
nacle when the Lord of all was about to glorify
it with his presence.
Prayers and sacrifices were necessary on the
high priest’s assuming office, and special direc-
tions were given as to his dress. He was
directed to put on the holy linen coat, and a
lower garment of linen, a linen girdle, and a
linen mitre. ‘‘ These,†we read, ‘ are holy
garments ; therefore shall he wash his flesh in
water, and so put them on.â€
The special injunctions given, on many oc-
casions, to those engaged in devotional exer-
cises, to purify themselves, seems to teach
that cleanliness should almost, as a matter of (
course, be associated with piety.
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SAMUEL CALLED BY THE LORD.
“The Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose
and went to Eli.†SamvgL, chap. iii., verse 8.
BrroreE Curist, 1165 yEARs.
Tue prophet Samuel was the son of Elkanah
and Hannah; the latter had passionately de-
sired to become the mother of a male child, (
and had promised that if the prayer she ad-
dressed to God for this blessing were answered,
“the child should be given to the Lord all the
days of his life.†The desire of her heart
being gratified, Samuel in his childhood was |
placed under Eli the high priest, and “minis- \
tered before the Lord, being a child, girded with
a linen ephod.â€â€™ |
As a youth he grew in favour “ both with
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the Lord and also with men.Չۉ۪ He continued
to minister before Eli; that pious sage became
old, his eyes waxed dim, and on one memor-
able night, before the lamp of God had gone out
in the temple of the Lord where the ark was,
, tle aged priest lay down to rest, and Samuel
had done the same when a voice was heard
i. calling him by name. He rose and went to Eli,
who told him that he had not called him, and
VOL. I. Q 113
NT I ER
—
SAMUEL CALLED BY THE LORD.
desired him to lic down again. Again the voice
was heard as before, and again Samuel was told
by Eli that not by him had he been called.
Up to this moment Eli seems to have sup-
posed that it was a childish mistake, or fancy
on the part of Samuel, but when the voice was
heard for the third time, he no longer doubted
that it was that of the Almighty, and he then
instructed the child if it should strike his ear
again, to reply, ‘‘ speak, Lord, for thy servant
heareth.â€
Samuel listened attentively to the priest, and
the mysterious voice being heard once more,
gave the answer which Eli had suggested.
And thin God condescended to make an
awful revelation to Samuel; he communicated
to him that a heavy judgment was impending
over the house of Eli, ‘‘ because his sons made
themselves vile, and he restrained them not.â€
This was soon fulfilled, the two sons of Eli
were slain by the Philistines, and Eli, shocked
at heariug of their fate, “fell from a high place
and broke his neck.â€
Thus it will be seen the sins of the children
brought them to an untimely end, and their
father also. He had sinned in the eye of the
Lord by not duly restraining and correcting
them in the day of their youth.
114
THE FALL OF DAGON
Shr OL
THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
* The Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set
it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass that every one that
is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live."—-NUMBERS,
chap. xxi., verse 8.
BeErore CHRIst, 1452 YEARS.
Tue Hebrews on their journey from ‘“ Mount
Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass
the land of Edom,†besides enduring great
fatigue, were subjected to many privations.
Their sufferings were severe, but their impa-
tience of pain was so excessive, that they not
only, as on other occasions, complained of
Moses, but they madly spoke even against the
God of Israel himself!
It is the duty of man, and, his dependent
state remembered, his interest also, to submit
with devout resignation to the sharpest trials
which the Deity may send. Failing in this
the daring and rebellious conduct of the
foolish Jews so offended, that God doomed
them to know a further dreadful punishment,
and sent fiery serpents among them. The
horrid creatures, the instruments of divine
wrath, assailed many of the people, and death
followed their bite.
VOL. I. K 65
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THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
Soon overcome by new dismay, the sinners
who had dared to affront the majesty of Hea-
ven, called on Moses to pray for them. He
complied, and on hearing his imploring voice,
the Lord directed him to make a fiery serpent,
and elevate it on a pole, at the same time
promising, that the sufferers who looked upon
it should live.
This was done. The great leader of the
chosen race placed a brazen serpent in their
view ; the sick saw it and regained health.
In the case of the brazen serpent, when
Moses had fulfilled the instructions given him
from above, his wounded followers, looking on
it as the symbol of mercy, were comforted,
and speedily restored. Sharp punishment had
first awakened them to a sense of their folly,
and anything short of suffering would have
been insufficient. When the desponding sinner,
duly humbled, can recognise in what comes
before him a lively image of God’s mercy,
his griefs are nearly at an end; like the
penitent Israelites, he has only to “look up
and live.â€
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SAMUEL ANOINTING SAUL.
“Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head.â€â€”1
SAMUEL, chap. x., verse 1. ,
BEFORE Curist, 1160 YEARS,
Saut, the son of Kish, who was of the tribe of
Benjamin, is described to have been in early
life ‘‘a choice young man.†Being on one
occasion sent to seek some of his father’s asses
which had strayed, he passed through various
countries into the land of Zaph, but without
accomplishing the objéct of his journey ; while
there he recollected that Samuel, a man of God
who had a great name as a prophet or seer, re-
sided in the neighbourhood, and he conceived
a desire to visit him and take counsel from
him.
Saul went into the city to seek Samuel, and
soon found him; the prophet had been warned
from above of his approach and it was an-
nounced to him that Saul was to be a captain
over the Hebrew people. Their cry had gone
up to the Lord, and to Samuel it was made
known that Saul, the chosen instrument of
mercy, was to be the means of saving them
from the Philistines. ,
11
SAMUEL ANOINTING SAUL.
The son of Kish and his companion or ser-
vant were hospitably entertained by Samuel.
Something more than good cheer was in reserve
for him, for before they parted Samuel desired
Saul to let his servant pass on, while he re-
mained with him in order that he might make
him acquainted with the word of God.
When they were alone the prophet took a
vial of oil, and poured it on the head of Saul,
saying, “is it not because the Lord hath
anointed thee to be captain over his inheri-
tance?â€â€™? He then instructed him whither he
should go, and whom he should meet, and
withal announced to him that he should be
enabled to prophecy—would be “‘turned into
another man’’—and that God would be with
him.
Saul it will hereafter be seen, did not prove
a righteous man, but that power which can
bring good forth from evil, often causes those
who are not virtuous themselves greatly to fur-
ther the designs of Providence.
Itt ll ttt et
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DESTRUCTION OF THE
AMORITES.
“The Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with
a great slaughter at Gibeon.â€â€”Josuva, chap. x., verse 10.
BrroreE Curis, 145) YEARS.
Durine the onward march of the children of
Israel, the conquests of Joshua created great
alarm among the princes who possessed terri-
tory which they were likely to approach. The
people of Gibeon sought Joshua and effected
an amicable arrangement, under which they
were to remain at peace with the Hebrew
nation.
When it was known in the neighbouring
kingdoms that Gibeon had become friendly to
the Israelites, Adoni-sedec, king of Jerusalem,
sent to the kings of certain states, inviting
them to join with him to attack Gibeon. The
five sovereigns who reigned over the people
called by the general name of Amorites accord-
ingly formed a league for that purpose. Then
the men of Gibeon called on Joshua for pro-
tection, which he, assured of the support of
God, promised to afford.
He did not wait for their approach, but fell
93
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DESTRUCTION OF THE AMORITES.
suddenly upon them in the night. Their dismay
was great and complete. ‘‘'The Lord discom-
fited them, and slew with a great slaughter at
Gibeon, and chased them along the way that
goeth up to Beth-boron, and smote them to
Azekah and unto Makkelah.†The routed
host had not only to endure the usual violence
of mortal enemies of superior force, but when
they approached Beth-boron, the Lord cast
down great stones upon them. More died in
the course of their disastrous retreat, from
being struck by hail-stones, than fell by the
sword !
The combined Amorites confiding in their
strength, expected to crush Gibeon. The
dismal result shows the folly of man when
he dares to oppose his feeble arm to the power
of the Omnipotent. God’s will at once withers
the energies of mortals, and leaves them ex-
posed to hopeless ruin or inevitable death.
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DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP
BEFORE SAUL.
“When the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took
an harp and playa with his hand; so Saul was refreshed,
and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.â€â€”1
SAMUEL, chap. XVi, verse 23:
BEFORE CuRIsT, 1100 YEARS.
Tue power of musicis great ; when men were
in a comparatively wild state its influence on
them was wonderful. Heathen writers tell of
many prodigies, but even in profane history we
find nothing more truly astonishing than that
which we have on the.authority of Scripture.
Saul, king of Israel, had given into evil ways,
forgetful of the glorious distinction he had re-
ceived from the Lord, and in consequence the
spirit of God departed from him ; soon he fell
into a state of great melancholy ; he felt that
for his sins he was doomed to punishment. It
could not be concealed from those about him,
and his servants remarked that an evil spirit
had entered into him; his anguish was such
that he ‘ howled and grumbled aloud,â€â€™ such,
according to the learned doctor Chandler, is the
meaning of the original Hebrew.
In this sad condition it was suggested to him
119
a A Of
La I I
SOE EE EE
DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL,
that music might relieve his pain, and he was
told that David, the son of Jesse, who was then
watching his father’s sheep, was one that ‘‘ was
cunning in playing†upon the harp. Saul
thereupon sent to Jesse commanding him to
send the youth to him.
A lively picture is here given in the Bible of
the simple dignity of royalty in those days.
Jesse complying with the mandate of his sove-
reign, sent a present; he ‘‘ took an ass laden
with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid, and
sent them by his son David unto Saul.â€
When the son of Jesse appeared before the
king, and had clasped the harp in his hand, the
music called forth by his skilful touch pro-
duced the desired effect. Evil spirits delight in
discord ; the evil one which distressed Saul flew
from the soothing sound or animated strain of
David’s harmony, and the Jewish monarch was
refreshed, and regained his health.
Civilized life owes much of its comfort to
music, nor ought the study of it to be deemed
frivolous or other than important, when we
have it on Scripture authority that it so largely
tends to restore composure to a disconsolate
sufferer, whose mind seemed lost in misery, and
cut off from the cheering influence of hope.
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DAVID AND GOLIATH.
* Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head; also, he armed him with a coat of
mail.â€â€”-1 SAMUEL, vhap. xvii., verse 38.
BEFORE CuRistT, 1063 YEARS,
Tue combat of David with Goliath is one of
the great events of David’s life: Goliath was
the champion of the Philistines, and a warrior
of renown; David was but a stripling, and had
up to that time been occupied in keeping the
sheep of his father Jesse. He heard Goliath
proudly defy the Israelites, and, addressing him-
self to the king, he offered to go forth and fight
the dreaded Philistine. Saul objected to him
that he was too young to encounter such a foe,
but David replied he had killed a bear and a
lion, which had seized a lamb of his father’s
flock, and he feared not to brave the champion
of the Philistines, ‘‘ who had defied the armies
of the living God.â€
His suit was granted, and Saul put on the
youth his own armour, a brass helmet, and a
coat of mail ; but David declined wearing these,
and taking his staff, his sling, and five smooth
stones from the brook, he prepared with no
other arms to meet the foe of Israel.
VOL. I. R 12)
i. DAVID AND GOLIATH.
Goliath beheld his advance with scorn, and
ON A A I A AO OG te
EE CE EE; EL,
said; ‘“‘am I a dog that thou comest to me
with staves?†and inviting him to come on,
he added, ‘I will give thy flesh to the birds
of the air and the beasts of the field.â€
To this insulting speech the young Israelite
replied that he came in the name of the Lord of
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom
Goliath had defied. That God, he said would
deliver the great Philistine into his hands, and
he would take his head from him and give the
carcases of himself, and the host of the Philis-
tines to the birds of the air and the beasts of
the field. Then hurling a stone from his sling,
he “smote Goliath on the forehead ; it sunk
into his forehead and he fell to the ground.â€
He drew from its sheath the sword of the proud
Philistine, and with it severed his head from his
body, which he carried in triumph to Jerusa-
lem, while the routed host of the Philistines
fled to the gates of Ekrom.
The pride and strength of man can little
avail against the people of God; in his cause
weakness triumphs over strength; and courage,
might, and valour are all of no avail.
AND
ABIGAIL
DAVID
THE FALL OF DAGON,
“On the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his
face to the ground, before the ark «f the Lord,â€â€”1 SAMUEL,
chap. v., verse 4.
BEFORE CHRIST, 1165 YEARS.
In the conflict between the Jews and their foes
the Philistines, in which the sons of Eli had
fallen, the ark of the Lord shaving been capr
tured by the victors, was carried by them in
triumph to the temple of Dagon their idol. It
was placed in scorn near the image which they
worshipped, and greatly the idolaters rejoiced
in having, as they supposed, humbled and de-
» graded the God of Israel.
Short was the period of their joy, ‘‘ when
they arose early on the morrow, behold Dagon
was fallen upon his face to the earth before the
ark of the Lord.â€
Of this the Philistines seem to have taken
little notice ; that Dagon was thus found they -
ascribed to carelessness or accident, and set |
him in his place again, but on the succeeding
morning again, ‘behold Dagon was fallen upon
his face to the ground before the ark of the |
Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the ©
palms of his hands were cut off upon the .
115
THE FALL OF DAGON.
threshold ; only the stump of Dagon was left
to him.â€
Happy would it have been for them had this
been all—had they had not only to lament the
loss of a wretched image which they had been so
foolish as to worship as a god, but the mockery
in which they had rashly indulged was more
severely visited. ‘The hand of the Lord was
heavy†upon the people of Ashdod, the city of
the Philistines, many of their number were
destroyed, and terror spreading on every side
they soon resolved to send the ark of the Lord
away.
We are told,
“ God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.â€
His wrath, when awakened, silent in its march,
is terrible in its effects, and the proud scoffers
assailed in their pride are in a moment humbled
by his resistless power.
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SAMSON SLAYING THE LION.
* A young lion roared against him, and the Spirit of the Lord
- came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would
have rent a kid.â€â€”JupGés, chap. xiv., verse 5, 6.
‘BEFORE CHRIsT, 1141 YEARS.
Tue promise made to Manoah and his wife it
has been stated was not made in vain: it was
realised in the birth of Samson. He grew, was
remarkable for his strength, and ‘‘the Lord
blessed him.â€
When Samson had reached man’s estate, he
saw a female at Timnath. She was a daughter
of the Philistines, and he wished to make
her his wife. His doing so was opposed by
his father and mother. They knew not that
this movement was of the Lord, and that he
“sought an occasion against the Philistines,â€
who at that time had dominion over Israel.
He had accompanied his parents to Tim-
nath, when a young lion roared against him.
Then the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon
him; he knew no fear; he saw no danger; but
rushing on the ferocious animal, he killed the
creature, rending him with his hands alone,
as he might have rent a tender kid.
This was but the prelude to other daring
99
I ILL LPL ELE DD
SAMSON SLAYING THE LION.
feats. His birth was not announced by an
angel, but to signify that he had to act an im-
portant part. Animated by the spirit of God,
his ingenuity and courage rendered him formi-
dable to the oppressors of his country. In
him it was the pleasure of the Most High
to let the world see what a single man could
accomplish against the foes of Israel.
He lived in troublesome times, and his fame
soon made him enemies, but that spirit, with
which we are more than once told he was en-
dowed, enabled him for a long time to baffle
their malice, and break from their snares.
As a man, Samson was far from being a
perfect character. He had many failings, but
his valour achieved extraordinary triumphs for
his brethren. Sustained by an unseen power,
his arm was irresistible.
OIE I
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SAMSON CARRYING THE GATES OF GAZA.
UDG. CH.16.V. 3
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CLOSED ARE PROUD GAZAS GATES TILL MORN,
THAT SAMPSON MAY A CAPTIVE STAY;
Ee WwrAr PwVvtc wr re ViEw Ss vw"! SCoRD.
ABIGAIL AND DAVID.
«“ When Abigail saw David she hasted and lighted off the ass,
and fell before David on her face."—1 SAMUEL, chap. xxv.,
verse 23,
BEFORE Curist, 1095 YEARS.
Napat was a wealthy man who lived in Car-
mel, and who had for his wife a woman named
Abigail; her understanding was good and her
countenance beautiful, but Nabal was churlish,
and his doings were evil.
He had three thousand sheep, and when they
were under the hands of the shearers, David
sent ten young men to guard Nabal’s servants,
with a request to their master that they might
find favour in his sight. The young men from
David made his wish known to Nabal, but he
rudely answered them, “Who is David? and
why should I take my bread, and my water,
and my flesh, that I have killed for my shearers,
and give to men I know not?â€
So harsh a reply gave great offence to David;
he took his sword and ordered his followers to
do the like. His men had been a defence to
the shearers, and as a wall to them by night
and by day, and as Nabal had returned evil for
good, David sternly vowed that he would de-
123
ABIGAIL AND DAVID,
stroy all that belonged to him and cut off every
man of his people.
David’s advance with a hostile intent was |
made known to Abigail, the wife of the churlish /
Nabal. To save her husband and his servants (
she resolved to meet David, and seeing him
approach she threw herself on her face before
him on the ground, made him rich presents,
and by gentle solicitation prevailed upon him
« not to shed blood and avenge himself with his
| own hand.
She knew that the Lord had appointed him {
(| to be ruler over Israel, her entreaties prevailed, (
( and David blessed her for saving him from
( shedding blood. Nabal shortly after died, and
she became the wife of David. (
( Temper and kindly representations, especially :
(( when associated with female loveliness, can
soften the most obdurate of men. We find ;
this exemplified in the story of Abigail; she {
saved the lives of many men, and the warrior, ‘
| who in his wrath had resolved on their destruc-
tion, blessed the fair one who had turned that
wrath aside, and induced him to refrain from |
i) seeking a cruel revenge.
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RED SEA.
“ The children of Israel went into the Red Sca upon the dry
ground, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand and on their left.â€â€”Exopus, chap. xiv., verse 22.
Brrore Cirnist, 1491 YEARS.
Pursuine their way, guided by the pillar of
a cloud and the pillar of fire, the Israelites
drew near the shore of the Red Sea, when
the approach cf Pharach and his hest spread
great alarm among the chosen pecple. For
placing them in a situation of such peril, they
began to reprcach Moses, and angrily asked,
‘were there no graves in Egypt, that thou hast
brought us here to die?â€
The fearless Mcses, assured that God would
, not abandon his people in the hour of danger,
exhorted his followers to stand firm, and they
should see the salvation of the Lord, who
would fight for them.
Then the pillar of the cloud which had
advanced before them, passed behind them. It
remained between the Israelites and the Egyp-
tian camp; to the former it gave light by
night, and to the latter darkness. The Lord,
moreover, tock the wheels from the Egyptian
(
|
THE ISRAELITES CROSSING THE
THE ISRAELITES CROSSING THE RED SEA.
chariots, and so discomfited the pursuers, that
many of them were disposed to fly, being i im-
pressed with a fear that the Lord fought for
the children of Israel. Pharaoh’s host, how-
ever, not duly heeding the miracles of God,
continued to chase the fugitives, and followed
them into the Red Sea.
Then it was, that Moses being commanded
by the Lord, stretched forth his right hand,
and never was wand of enchanter moved with
uch awful effect. The agitated waves which
had been piled up on cither side, that God’s {
people might pass through, as on dry land, on
a sudden sunk into their former bed. All the
host of Pharaoh were involved in one common
(pain, There remained not so much as one
single man alive.
How resistless was the might of Israel’s
God as thus displayed ! What. sinner, seeing
this, can heedlessly risk offending the awful
majesty of Heaven. Ought not cach to say,—
)
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“ Shall winds and waves their God obey,
And I refuse to hear;
Shall he that bounds the flowing sea
Not bind me with his fear?
“Q Thou who rulest scas and skies,
Corruption’s flood control;
Nor let the waves of passion. rise
Within my troubled soul.â€
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SAUL AND THE WITCH.
“ He said unto her what form is he of? and she said an old
man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle, and
Saul perceived that it was Samuel.â€â€”1 SaMvEL, chap.
xxviii, verse 14.
BreFoRE CHRIST, 1061 YEARS.
Tue scene with Saul and the witch of Endor,
is one of such startling interest, that it is diffi-
cult to imagine anything in the region of fic-
tion which could surpass it.
In all ages there have been men who believed
in the possibility of the living holding commu-
nication with the dead; greatly as that impres-
sion may have faded in modern times, it is not
yet wholly extinct, and many say’ with Dr.
Johnson, that “ belief is for it though reason is
against it.â€
The prophet Samuel was no more, Israel had
lamented him, and he was buried in Ramah, his
own city. Bereft of him Saul was greatly dis-
turbed by the menaces of the Philistines, and
though he had, since he came to the throne,
‘“put away those who had familiar spirits and
wizards, out of the land,’ he now determined to
seek a witch who was reported to have a fami-
liar spirit, and who resided at Endor. ,
12
SAUL AND THE WITCH.
Thither he went in disguise and at night,
and with some difficulty prevailed on the
woman to exercise her art, and to call on the
departed Samuel to rise from the grave.
At her cry the prophet rose; she described
him as an old man covered with a mantle.
It was an awful moment; notwithstanding
his disguise the witch then knew the quality of
Saul, while the dead prophet, forced from his
resting-place, sternly demanded ‘‘why hast thou
disquieted me?’
Then Saul explained that the perils which
threatened him made him desirous of Samuel’s
counsel.
‘The Lord hath departed from thee,†was
the appalling answer of the spectre; ‘‘ he hath
rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it
to David, because thou obeyest not the voice
of the Lord ;†he added the terrible announce-
ment, “the Lord will deliver Israel with thee
into the hands of the Philistines, and to-morrow
shalt thou and thy sons be with me.â€
Thus it will be seen, when Saul presumed to
ask that the order of nature should be inter-
rupted—that the inmates of the tomb should
be disturbed at his pleasure, the dread result
was fatal to his hopes, and only served to aug-
ment his anguish and dismay.
128
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DAVID DANCING BEFORE THE A
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THE PLAGUE STAYED.
“ He stood between the dead and the living: and the plague
was stayed.†NUMBERS, chap. xvi., verse 48.
BrEroreE Curist, 1471 YEARS.
Amonc the Israelites there were three men,
named Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who,
repining at the power which Moses and Aaron
possessed, declared that all the congregation
was holy, and that their leaders ought not to
be lifted above them. It was their object to
excite anger against the brothers, in order that
they might be deprived of the dignities they
enjoyed, and which the malcontents hoped to
obtain for themselves. They described in
glowing language the plenty which had been
known in the land of Egypt, but said nothing
of the vile and murderous oppression from
which they had been rescued.
Confiding in the rectitude of his conscience,
Moses appealed to God, who saw with great
wrath the sinful labours of Korah and his
companions, and the base and ungrateful con-
duct of those who had followed them so far
as to adopt their angry feelings. His ven-
geance overtook the sinners. The earth
ne ee
THE PLAGUE STAYED.
opened her mouth and swallowed up the pre-
suming leaders, ‘“‘ and their houses, and all the
men that appertained unto Korah, and all their
goods, they and all that appertained to them,
went down alive into the pit, and the earth
closed upon them.â€
The people who beheld this dreadful sight
fled in shuddering alarm. But the awful visi-
tation they had witnessed was not all. A fear-
ful plague broke out among them, and no
fewer than fourteen thousand seven hundred
died of it. Again the prayer of Moses was
heard by the Almighty, and an offering of
atonement was accepted. Aaron was_per-
mitted to stand between the living and the
dead, and the plague was stayed.
To revolt against those whom Providence
has placed in authority leads to many evils.
When on slight grounds a rebellious spirit is
allowed to burst forth with violence, wide-
spread ruin and a mournful waste of human
life inevitably follow.
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THE WATER OF MERIBAH.
“ Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock
twice; and the water came out abundantly.â€â€”NuMBERS,
chap. xx., verse 11.
Berore Curist, 1452 years.
TuosE to whom the difficult task is assigned of
governing large masses of people, are not only
liable to be severely censured for evils which
they may have unintentionally caused, but
visitations which it is not in their power to
produce or to avert, are often used as a pre-
text for assailing their fame, if not for taking
away their lives.
In the desert of Zin the Israelites expe-
rienced a want of water, and they in conse-
quence gathered together and plotted against
Moses and Aaron. ‘‘ Would to God,†said
they, ‘‘we had died when our brethren died
before the Lord.†Again, they ungratefully
complained of having been brought from
Egypt, in which every male child born of
Jewish parents was doomed to be murdered,
but which they pretended now they could only
recollect as a place of comfort, in which all
that was necessary happily to sustain human
beings could be abundantly procured.
i
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THE WATER OF MERIBAH.
The calamity was great. Moses and Aaron
appeared and gave them a promise that the
sufferings of the people should be relieved.
Moses was only to speak to the rock, and it
should give forth water.
Moses and Aaron gathered the people to-
gether, and Moses said to them, ‘‘ Hear now,
ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this
rock ?†Twice he struck it with his rod, and,
as at Rephidim, an abundant supply was
forthwith obtained. Moses, however, in this
case did not precisely obey the divine com-
mand. He struck the rock with his wand
instead of speaking to it, and for his failure,
it was declared to him that he should not
bring the congregation into the promised land.
It will be seen from this and other passages
of Scripture, that the wants of God’s people
are often abundantly provided for by means
of which they had previously no conception.
The truly wise do not forget in the day of
sadness, that God can remove all distress, and
from unimagined sources give sweet relief, as
he afforded to the fainting Iraelites water from
the rock
64
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THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
NUM. CH. 21.7.
XNERS WHEN THE LORD APPEARS
GRACIOUSLY PLEASED RELIEF TO GIVE,
DRY HIS TEARS,
GOD AND LIVE
NNEI
DAVID DANCING BEFORE THE
ARK.
“David went and brought up the ark of God from Obed-
edom. And David danced before the Lord with all his
might.â€â€”-2 SAMUEL, chap. vi., verses 12, 14. .
Berore Curist, 1035 YEARS.
Tue ark has been already described; how
sacred an object it was among the Israelites,
may be seen from the reverential mention which
is made of it. Over its covering, the mercy
seat, two cherubim spread their wings, and
from between them the priests were understood
to hear the voice of the Creator of man. —
It was the wish of David that the ark of the
Lord should be removed from a place called
Baale, where it had rested ; it had been carried
part of the way when it was touched rudely, or
irreverently by the hand of a man called Uzzah,
and for this sacrilege he appears to have been
struck dead instantly, by the side of the ark.
Such fearful evidence of Divine wrath caused
David to experierice serious alarm. ‘‘ How,â€
said he, ‘shall the ark of the Lord come
to me?†After the awful event which he
had witnessed, he would not rashly attempt to
carry it further, but he placed it in the house
VOL. I. g 129
DAVID DANCING BEFORE THE ARK.
of Obededom the Gittite, and there he suffered
it to remain for three months.
Prayer, we may suppose, and converse with
holy men, had in the course of that time re-
assured him, and at length he “brought the
ark into the city of David with gladness.â€
Sacrifices were offered, and great rejoicings
took place, and we are told that ‘;David danced
before the Lord with all his might.â€
To very young readers this may appear
strange, but dancing in ancient days was com-
monly associated with solemn songs of thanks-
giving. Their varied measures were supposed
to be as capable of indicating reverence as
mirth ; and many of the psalms are believed to
have had dances performed with them which
were supposed to belong to them, as part of
the devotional exercises which were used to
honour the Creator on great occasions.
It is well known that dances of a very differ-
ent character from those we contemplate, are
not unusual in the East; dancing, like every-
thing that is good and useful, may be abused
by wicked ingenuity. Shameless women and
effeminate men, render that which should be
used as a graceful, healthful exertion, an un-
seemly exhibition, and offensive to all that is
decorous and good.
130
PARABLE
NATHAN’
NATHAN’S PARABLE.
“The Lord sent Nathan unto David,â€â€”2 SaMUEL, chap. xii,
verse 1.
BEFORE CunistT, 1085 YEaARs.
TueEreE is something very touching in the fable
which the prophet Nathan recites to David, and
something nobly bold in the application of it.
Polygamy was common among the Jews, and
one man might have several, and indeed many
wives. David, greatly as he had been favoured
by God, sinfully coveted the wife of Uriah, one
of his officers, and having first caused the lady
to come to him, by his order Uriah was placed
in such a situation that he fell in battle.
It was then that the prophet Nathan went
to David, and said, ‘‘ there were two men, the
one rich, and the other poor; the rich man had
many flocks and herds, his humble neighbour
but one ewe lamb. The little animal was a
favourite, it was brought up with his children,
and playing with them about his cottage, was
as one of them; it fed with him, it drank out
of his cup, and lay in his bosom.â€
A traveller visited the rich man whom he
desired to entertain; but, like many wealthy
people of modern times, he was disposed to be
131
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!
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ea.
i gel
NATHAN’S PARABLE.
hospitable at another’s expense. He rudely
seized the poor man’s ewe lamb, killed it, and
feasted his guest with it.
The cruel selfishness of this man of wealth,
when thus represented to David, moved his
anger, and he declared to Nathan, ‘as the
Lord liveth, the man who has done this thing
shall surely die, having first been compelled to
restore the lamb fourfold.â€
Then said Nathan, ‘‘ Thou art the man.â€
The man of God scrupled not to tell his
king to his face, that he was the wicked spoiler
whom he had declared worthy of death. IIe,
great, rich and powerful, with many wives, had
taken Uriah’s only one, and had caused Uriah
to be killed with the sword. Such conduct he
declared the vengeance of God would pursue.
In this striking narrative it will be seen that
God’s wrath fails not to visit the wrong-doer.
While we admire the dignified bearing of the
( holy prophet, we ought to mark the fierce in-
dignation waked in David by the supposed
cruelty of another. Let those who read this,
examine well their own hearts, that while they,
as they think, condemn the wicked wanderings
of another’s conscience, may not be forced to
say with Nathan ‘ Thou art the man.â€
}32
— OO
NATHAN REPROVES DAVID.
NATHAN REPROVES DAVID.
“Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.â€â€”2 SAMUEL,
chap. xii., verse 7,
Beroreg Curist, 1035 YEARS,
Tue fearful reproof, breathed by Nathan in the
ear of David, already commented upon, did not
comprehend all that the bold prophet felt
bound to utter in the name of an offended God.
He recounted the great things which had been
done for the royal sinner, and proceeded in the
name of the Deity to ask him ‘ wherefore he
had despised the way of the Lord to do evil in
his sight,â€â€™ and further he declared because he
had taken the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, to be
his wife, therefore, not only should the sword
never depart from his house, but evil should
arise out of his house against him, and he
should be degraded in the sight of all Israel.
Language like this is not often poured into
royal ears; the king quailed before the seer,
and with appropriate humility, confessed that
he had sinned against the Lord. His grief and
remorse we may conclude were great, for in
consequence of the shame which had fallen on
him, and the penitence he manifested, Nathan
was softened, and told the offending monarch
133
NATHAN REPROVES DAVID.
that the Lord had put away his sin, and that
he should not die, but as his bad conduct had
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord
to blaspheme, though he should not die, the
child which had been borne to him by the
wife of Uriah, should assuredly be called away.
This was touching David in the tenderest
part; he fasted, wept, and prayed, but the
doom had been pronounced, it was irrevocable,
and the child died.
It was feared by those about him, that his
grief would be excessive when he learned that
the object of his care was no more, but on
hearing that the infant was dead, he was found
composed and resigned. Grief, he reflected,
could not recall the departed ; “I,†said David,
“shall go to him, but he shall not return to
me.â€â€™
Here we see the sin of the father caused
death to the child; children that live in com-
fort, ought from this history, to learn that to
the virtues of their parents much of their hap-
piness is owing.
134
ee pe re am pa pe gp pa gee eee
Ne
Ses
eae
BiG
2s Wa Bs 33 Ya ees cag,
Aa ees ; ee nee: ; FS : ‘ | we ca
f ABSALOM SUSPENDED BY THE HAIR
aah
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ABSALOM SUSPENDED BY THE
HAIR.
“Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the
thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of
the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the
earth, and the mule that was under him went away.â€â€”
2 SAMUEL, chap. xviii., verse 9,
Brvore Cunist, 1020 YEARS.
A sap son sins against God; Absalom was
disobedient to his father David, and he acted a
wicked part by his brother Amnon, who
through Absalom’s means, was slain at a merry-
making.
King David was afflicted with learning this,
and Absalom fled from his just resentment, but
after a time a woman, sent by Joab, came, and
by a cunning fiction, prevailed upon the king
to promise that the blood of the offender should
not be shed.
Absalom, in consequence of this, returned
to Jerusalem, but his father, mindful of his
crime, would not see him. At this the wicked
son was greatly incensed: that his life was
spared, that he had been permitted to return
to Jerusalem were as nothing in his estima-
tion, since he was not taken into favour
135
~~
~—
ne ee
ABSALOM SUSPENDED BY THE HAIR.
again as if he had been a good son and a kind
brother.
Nor was this all, he exerted himself to make
the Jews discontented with David ; he tried to
make them believe that the king, indifferent to
their welfare, had appointed no one to do them
justice, ‘‘so Absalom stole the hearts of the
men of Israel.â€
Moved by wicked advisers, he at last made
war upon his father. David prepared for
battle with that skill which experience and
years give, and which rendered his host more
than a match for the hot-headed followers of
the undutiful young man. A great battle was
fought and twenty thousand men were slain.
On that day, Absalom riding on a mule,
passing under an oak ‘his head caught holdâ€â€™
of the tree and he was suspended between earth
and heaven.
This strange accident may almost be regarded
as a miracle, interposed to prevent a wicked
son effecting his escape from that battle-field
in which many brave men had lost their lives
through his rebellious and wicked conduct.
eG
_—==T—=—eh—e0— SE
Tike DEATH
OF AB SAL.OM
= EN
THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.
“Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through
the heart of Absalom.â€â€”-2 SaMvEL, chap. xviii, verse 14.
BeroreE Curist, 1020 yzars.
We have seen how Absalom was arrested in
his flight. His situation, suspended to a tree
by the hair of his head, must have been a very
painful one; but this was not all the undutiful
son had to endure. .
Joab, David’s general, when Absalom was
compelled to fly on account of the death of his
brother, interposed his good offices with the
king, and was the means of procuring his recal.
When he had succeeded in this, so great was
his joy, that we read, ‘‘ Joab fell to the ground
on his: face, and bowed himself, and thanked
the king; and said, To-day thy servant know-
eth that I have found grace in thy sight, my
lord O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the
request of his servant.â€â€™
Having acted so friendly a part, and brought
about a reconciliation between David and Ab-
salom, he was both grieved and ashamed when,
instead of seeing in the latter that dutiful sub-
mission and penitence which might have been
VOL. I. T 137
THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.
looked for, he found that he had, in truth,
raised up a daring rebel, prepared to erect the
standard of revolt, and lift a traitorous hand
against the authority of the monarch, the peace
and the life of the father.
When it came to his knowledge that Absalom
was hanged in the oak, Joab told the speaker
that had he smote him to the ground ten
shekels of silver and a girdle should have been (
his reward. The man reminded him that (
David had desired that Absalom should not be |
|
Ne
wee
touched. In that moment Joab did not regard
the pleasure of his sovereign, but taking three
darts he struck them through the heart of the
ill-fated Absalom. Ten young men, Joab’s
armour-bearers, then attacked the wounded
prince, and put an end to his life.
Thus we see the undutiful son, requiting a
father’s kindness with ingratitude, prepared for
himself a dreadful accident, and a wretched
z
oN OA TRE.
138
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TIDINGS
BRINGING
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CUSHI BRINGING TIDINGS.
“The king said unto Cushi is the young man Absalom safe ?
And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king and
all that rise against thee, to do thee hurt be as that young
man is,â€â€”2 SAMUEL, chap. xviiL, verse 32,
BEFORE Curist, 1020 YEARS.
Durine the battle, which, as we have seen,
ended so disastrously for Absalom, David, who
had been compelled by his people to refrain
from personally taking part in it, is described
to have remained between the two gates of the
city.. There he waited with impatience, and
not without anxiety, for news from the field.
It was at length announced to him by the
watchman that a man approached, running
alone, and a few moments afterwards he
thought he could distinguish the runner to be
Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. That name gave
David comfort, and he expected that he would
prove the bearer of good news. Such he was,
for he soon threw himself at the feet of the
king, announcing that all was well, and blessing
the Lord God for the discomfiture of those who
had lifted up their hand against the king.
Another messenger was seen running from
the battle. It was Cushi, and he confirmed
139
eat
eee
Oe
ee
CUSHI BRINGING TIDINGS.
what Ahimaaz had reported, saying, ‘The
Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them
that rose up against thee.â€
David then inquired whether Absalom was
safe. The answer returned embodied a wish
that all the enemies of the king were as that
young man was at that moment; in other
words, told that he was dead.
Whatever joy the monarch might feel to
know rebellion crushed, the heart of the father
was sad at receiving this intelligence. Though
Absalom had greatly and repeatedly offended,
parental love still survived in the heart of
David. He withdrew to his chamber, and
wept, exclaiming, ‘‘O Absalom, my son, would
to God I had died for thee.â€
This recital ought to make a deep impression
on juvenile readers. They cannot sin without
not only exposing themselves to pain and
punishment, but, consequent on their suffer-
ing, their parents are doomed to the bitterest
anguish kindly hearts can know.
140
DEATH OF AMASA.
« Amasa took no heed of the sword that was in Joab’s hand,
so he smote him therewith in, the fifth rib.â€"—-2 SaMvEL,
chap. xx., verse 10.
BEFORE CuRIsT, 1018 YEARS.
Wuen Absalom had been vanquished and
slain, a man named Sheba, the son of Bichri,
headed a body of revolters. His followers were
men of Israel, but ‘‘the men of Judah clave
to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.â€
Amasa, one of David’s officers, was ordered
by the monarch to assemble the men of Judah
within three days, and be present with them.
Amasa obeyed the command, but appears to
have gone about the work negligently, and did
not complete his task within the appointed
time. .
David anticipated that Sheba might do him
more harm than he had sustained from the
wicked and undutiful conduct of Absalom, and
he forthwith ordered that he should be pursued
by such forces as were then at his command.
Amasa went at the head of them. Joab
thought Amasa had failed in his duty to the
king. He approached Amasa, and took his
beard with the right hand. Amasa took no
141
DEATH OF AMASA.
heed of the sword which Joab grasped, and
Joab thought it right to smite him with it
under the fifth rib, so that his bowels came
out on the ground, and he died.
Sheba was then pursued by Joab and his
men, while the wretched Amasa wallowed in
blood in the midst of the highway. A man
who saw the corpse removed it into a field,
and threw a cloth over him.
Some of the most remarkable Scripture
records are not so full as curiosity might
desire. In the deplorable fate of Amasa, how-
ever, we see how severely it was thought neces-
sary to punish those who did the work of the
king negligently. It teaches that those who
are in places of trust are not only to perform
the part assigned to them, but to do so without
delay. In many cases to lose time is to lose
everything, and that which can be done to-day
must not be carelessly put off till to-morrow.
Sheba was not more fortunate than Amasa.
He was pursued and besieged by Joab in Abel
of Beth-maachah. The city was alarmed at
his approach, and, on his demand, the people
cut off Sheba’s head, and threw it over the
wall to the Hebrew general.
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SONS
SAUL’S SEVEN SONS HANGED.
“He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they
hanged them in the hill before the Lord.†—2 SaMUEL, chap.
xxi., verse 9.
Berore Curist, 1018 YEARS.
Durine three years, in the time of David, a
famine spread desolation and sorrow through
the land. The calamity, it was made known to
David by the Lord, was a visitation sent from
above in consequence of the murderous cruelty
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of Saul to the Gibeonites.
On learning this he addressed himself to the
Gibeonites. If possible, he wished to repair
their wrong as far as might be, or, at all events,
to abate their wrath, and accordingly he asked
them what he should do to make an atonement.
Their resentment was high, and they dectared
they would not receive silver nor gold, nor
would they be satisfied with the death of any
common men of Israel; but they demanded
that seven of the sons of their foe, that seven
of the sons of Saul, should be given up to their
vengeance.
To this stern demand David replied he would
give what was asked. Two sons of Rispah,
‘‘whom she bare unto Saul Armoni and Me-
143
a
SAUL’S SEVEN SONS HANGED.
phibosheth, and the five sons of Michal, the
daughter of Saul, were the selected victims.
These, we read, he delivered into the hands of
the Gibeonites, who hanged them in the hill
before the Lord; ‘‘and they fell all seven toge-
ther, and were put to death in the days of
harvest, in the first days of the beginning of
the barley harvest.â€
Where great crimes had been committed an
awful spectacle in the way of atonement was
called for among the Israelites. In the case
of the seven sons of Saul we find a mournful
illustration of the decree, that the sins of the
fathers shall be visited on the children. Than
this no truth in Scripture is more signally con-
spicuous. It has been seen from age to age.
Parents should be virtuous, not only for their
own sakes, but with a view to the comfort of
their children ; and children who are not ex-
posed to great distress should ask themselves,
“Owe we not our exemption from woe to the
merits of our parents?â€
144
DAVID, BATHSHEBA, AND SOLO-
MON. |
“« Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the
king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite min-
istered unto the king. "—1 Kines, chap. i., verse 15.
BeEForE CuHRIstT, 1018 YEARS.
AmsiTion frequently misleads men of exalted
station. King David had many sons, and one
of these, named Adonijah, when his father was
old, wished to be king. With this object in
view, he, as was the custom in those days,
prepared chariots and horsemen, and fifty men
to run before him.
It is also mentioned, that he slew sheep and
oxen to entertain his adherents, and while they
were festively revelling, Adonijah omitted to
call to his aid Nathan, the prophet, and the
mighty men of Israel. His folly in this is
obvious, and he soon felt the consequences of
it; for ‘Nathan, thus neglected, waited upon
Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and advised
her to go into the chamber of the aged king,
and remind him, that he had sworn unto her
that her son Solomon should reign after him.
With the eagerness of a fond mother desiring
VOL, 1. U 145
DAVID, BATHSHEBA, AND SOLOMON.
the advancement of her son, Bathsheba sought
the presence of David, and making her obei-
sance, reminded him of what he had sworn
respecting Solomon by the Lord his God, and
she entreated him at once to declare, as Adoni-
jah was then said to reign, that Solomon was
his true successor, that his right might not be
questioned at a future moment, when David
should sleep with his fathers.
Nathan attended, and backed her suit, and
inquired of the old king if he had consented
that Adonijah should reign, and David then,
ép set the matter completely at rest, called in
Bathsheba, and declared that her son should
fill the throne after him.
On that very day, by his command, Solo-
mon rode upon the king’s own mule, and pro-
ceeded to Gilon, where the trumpets sounded,
and ‘“‘all the people said, ‘God save king
Solomon.Չۉ۪
Adonijah soon found that the followers he
had been feasting, were not so ready to defend
his claim as they had been to eat at his cost.
Not hoping for safety from them, “he caught
hold of the horns of the altar,’’ and having
humbled himself before the newly-appointed
king, his error was pardoned and he was
permitted to withdraw in peace to his home.
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THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON,
‘The king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to
the one and half to the other.â€â€”-1 KINGs, chap. tii., verse 25.
Berore Curist, 1014 years.
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TuE memorable judgment of Solomon in one
remarkable case has been the admiration of
men in all successive ages.
| Two females appeared before Solomon; they
lived in the same house, and each had given
birth to a child. One affirmed the child of
the other to have died, and she added, its
mother had risen at midnight, while the speaker
slept, and taken the living child to herself,
'. placing her own lifeless infant in its bed. In
the morning she found a dead child in her
bosom, which she had discovered was not her
son, but was that of her neighbour.
The second female affirmed herself to be the
mother of the living child.
Solomon, noting their contradictory repre-
sentations, seemed to doubt in whose favour
he should decide; but, eventually, affecting a
desire to do justice for the satisfaction of all
parties, he ordered a sword to be brought, and
this being done he called to one of his officers
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THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON.
within the hearing of the females, ‘‘ Divide
the living child in two, and give half to the
one and half to the other.â€
“Then spake the woman whose the living
child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned
upon her son, and she said, O, my lord, give
her the living child, and in nowise slay it.â€
But the other said, Let it be neither thine
nor mine, but divide it.â€â€™
No more was necessary to convince Solo-
mon, who knew human nature, that the woman
who could be content to see the child slain was
not the parent of it. The voice of nature spoke
out in the fond mother, who prayed that her
infant might be given to a rival, rather than
that it should be slain. ‘‘ Give her the living
child,†said the king, “and in nowise slay
it, for she is the mother thereof.â€â€™
In this beautiful picture of maternal anxiety,
we see that, thousands of years ago, a mother
was as eager to save her child from harm as
parents now living can be to protect. their
offspring. From race to race the holy flame
of maternal love has been transmitted with
undiminished lustre, and we may presume it is
the will of God that it should endure for ever.
145
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A PROPHET DESTROYED BY A
LION.
“ And he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the
ass and the lion standing by the carcass: the lion had not
eaten the carcass, nor torn the ass.â€â€”1 KINGs, chap. xiii.,
verse 28.
BrFroRE CHRIST, 1016 YEARS.
A man of God, we read in scripture, ‘‘ came
out of Judah by the word of the Lord.’’ He
prophesied, and what fell from his lips offended
Jeroboam king of Israel, who ordered the man
of God to be taken from the altar. When
stretching forth his own hand, it became so
dried that “he could not pull-it back again.â€
Then he entreated the man of God to pray
tor him. This was done, and his hand was
restored, The king would fain have entertained
the prophet, but his answer to Jeroboam’s
invitation was, “If thou wilt give me half
thine house, I will not go in with thee; neither
will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
for so was it charged me by the word of the
Lord, saying eat no bread nor drink water,
nor turn again by the same way that thou
camest.â€
A PROPHET DESTROYED BY A LION.
So he went another way, and returned not
by the way that he came to Bethel.
Another prophet lived in Bethel, who went
to seek him.
“T am a prophet also, as thou art,†said
the old man of Bethel, “‘an angel. spake unto
me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘ Bring
him back with thee into thine house, that he
may eat bread and drink water.’†This was
not true. The man of Judah, nevertheless, ate
with the man of Bethel.
The word of the Lord then came to the man
of God from Judah, and told, that “inasmuch
as he had disobeyed the command he had
received, his body, when dead, should not reach
the sepulchre of his fathers.
He was killed by a lion on his way home.
The old prophet, who had caused the catas-
trophe, found his late companion’s “‘ carcase
cast in the way, and the ass and the lion stand-
ing by it.†He mourned the sad event, say-
ing ‘‘ Alas! my brother,†and he caused the
remains to be put in his own grave.
His grief seems to have been great, and
great it might well be; since by inducing the
man of Judah to neglect the command of God,
he had caused the death of his too-credulous
friend.
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JEROBOAMS WIFE.
“Get thee to thine house: and when thy feet enter into the
city, the child shall die.â€â€”-1 K1NGs, chap. xiv., verse 12.
Berore Curis, 943 YEARS.
Tue Author of our being nas, for wise pur-
poses, made parental love so strong and so
universal in the human breast, that even the
most selfish and the most cruel who view with
scorn or satisfaction the misery of their neigh-
bours, are distressed when their own children
are affected or in danger. The child of Jero-
boam fell sick. The father, anxious to know
the fate of his offspring, sent his wife with a
present to the prophet Ahijah; she was to
appear before him in disguise, to ask what
would be the issue of her son’s illness.
Ahijah resided at Shiloh, and when the
woman drew near the Lord apprised him of
her coming, of her object, and of her deceit
in feigning to be-another.
She must have been greatly surprised when
she reached the house of the prophet, who was
blind from age, to find that her artful design was
known, and herself recognised as the wife of
Jeroboam. ‘‘Come in,†said the sightless
151
JEROBOAM’S WIFE.
man of God, ‘thou wife of Jeroboam; why
feignest thou thyself to be another?â€
If this recognition gave her pain, she was
nothing relieved when Abijah added he had
heavy tidings to impart. Then he told of the
sinfulness of Jeroboam and of the evi] conse-
quences which were destined to follow, and in
relation to the immediate object of her anxiety,
he now delivered himself of these thrilling
words :—
‘“‘ Arise thou, therefore, get thee to thine
own house: and when thy feet enter the city,
the child shall die.â€
The grief of the mother was great. The
mention of it in the bible would have been
superfluous. No mother sees her child perish
untimely, without knowing the deepest afflic-
tion. With an aching heart she left the pro-
phet, and went to Tirzah, ‘‘ and when she came
to the threshold of the door the child died.â€
It will be remarked, that the wife of Jero-
boam gained nothing by the fraud she prac-
tised, but pain and humiliation. In the case of
the child, we have another instance of suffer-
ing and death through wicked parents; another
lesson that wise children cannot too highly
value good ones.
WSS SSS
MLIJAH RAISING Tllk WIDOWS SON
ELIJAH RAISING THE WIDOW’S
SON.
“The Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again and he revived.â€â€”1 Kinas, chap.
Xvii., verse 22,
BEFORE CuRiIstT, 909 YEARS,
Wuen it was the pleasure of the Almighty
to withhold his rain and dew for a lengthened
period, the prophet Elijah, warned of the
coming evil, took up his residence by “the
brook Cherith, which was before Jordan.â€
There the holy man was sustained on food
brought to him by ravens, but after a time the
brook was dried up, and then he repaired to.
Zarephath, where he saw a widow woman, andâ€
begged of her a morsel of bread, which he saw
in her hand. She replied that she had but a
handful of meal in a barrel and a cruse of oil,
and was engaged in preparing a last repast,
for herself and her son, before they laid them
down to die.
Elijah still pressed his suit, and assured her
' in the name of. the Lord, that the barrel or
meal should not fail, nor the cruse of oil be
exhausted, till rain should again be sent to
gladden the earth.
VOL 1. x
ELIJAH RAISING THE WIDOW’S SON.
She listened to his words, and allowed the
prophet to share her little store; and, as he
had foretold, ‘‘ the barrel of meal wasted not,
neither did the cruse of oil fail.†Thus far
all was well, but the son of the widow fell sick,
and at length sank to all appearance dead, for
no breath was left in him. In her grief she
almost accused Elijah of slaying her son, as she
seemed to think that it was in consequence of
the prophet taking up his abode with her that
the lad had died.
He took the lifeless boy from the bosom of
his weeping mother, and solemnly appealing to
the Lord in prayer, entreated that the ‘“child’s
soul might come into him again.â€
Extraordinary as this petition was, God
granted what the prophet desired. The child
revived, and Elijah presenting him to his
mother, exclaimed with holy exultation, “ See,
thy son liveth.â€
Then the widow felt indeed convinced that
Elijah was a man of God. ‘“‘ This, said she I
know, and that the word of the Lord in thy
mouth is truth.â€
God, in numerous cases, grants to the earnest
prayer of his faithful servants, blessings which
it would seem to man’s unassisted reason, pre-
sumption to hope for and madness to implore.
154
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ELIJAH AND THE FALSE PROPHETS.
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ELIJAH AND THE FALSE PRO-
PHETS.
“Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, choose you one bul-
lock for yourselves and dress it first; for ye are many, and
call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.â€
25.
1 Kinas, chap. xviii, verse 25.
BeEForeE Curist, 906 YEARS.
A Famine afflicted Samaria, and king Ahab
sought for the prophet Elijah, to learn from
him what might be the cause of the ‘evil,
or probably, what might put an end to it.
Obadiah, the governor of Ahab’s house, met
Elijah, and induced him to appear before the
king. ‘Art thou he,†Ahab demanded, “ who
troublest Israel?â€
The bold answer of Elijah was a flat denial,
and more than that, a direct accusation of
Ahab. ‘‘I,â€. said the holy.man, “have not
troubled Israel; but thou and thy father’s
house in that ye have forsaken the command-
ments of the Lord, and thou hast followed
Baalim.â€
Then he called upon the king to send for
the prophets of Baal and those of the groves,
four hundred in number, who ate at Jezebel’s
table, and this having been done, he challenged
155
—
ELIJAH AND THE FALSE PROPHETS.
them in the presence of all the people -to
prepare two bullocks for sacrifice, and cali upon
Baal to consume one of them while he did
the same by the God of Israel with the other.
A victim was slain and dressed for sacri-
fice in the usual way; the false prophets
called on their idol, saying, ‘‘O Baal! hear
s!†but in vain. Their god was deaf; the
priests leaped upon the altar, but to no pur-
pose, and then they wounded themselves with
knives and lancets till the blood gushed out,
yet still they were unheeded, unanswered by
Baal.
With what scorn did the prophet of the
true God regard the fanaticism of these weak
idolators. ‘‘ Cry aloud!†he sarcastically called
to them, “for he (Baal) is a god; either he is
talking or he is pursuing, or he is in a jour-
ney, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must
be awaked.â€â€™
But still in reply to the worshippers of Baal
‘there was no voice nor any that answered.â€
Thus must it ever be, when weak idolators
bend before images, and turn aside from Him
who made the heavens, the Author of all life,
the Giver of all good.
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