patriarchs and prophets-第115节

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as　long　as　they　were　faithful　to　Him。　Now；　as　in　the　days　of　Jacob；　〃the
terror　of　God　was　upon　the　cities　that　were　round　about　them〃　（Genesis
35：5）；　and　the　Hebrews　were　unmolested。

The　place　appointed　for　this　solemn　service　was　one　already　sacred　from　its
association　with　the　history　of　their　fathers。　It　was　here　that　Abraham
raised　his　first　altar　to　Jehovah　in　the　land　of　Canaan。　Here　both　Abraham
and　Jacob　had　pitched　their　tents。　Here　the　latter　bought　the　field　in　which
the　tribes　were　to　bury　the　body　of　Joseph。　Here　also　was　the　well　that
Jacob

500

had　dug；　and　the　oak　under　which　he　had　buried　the　idolatrous　images　of　his
household。

The　spot　chosen　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　in　all　Palestine；　and　worthy
to　be　the　theater　where　this　grand　and　impressive　scene　was　to　be　enacted。
The　lovely　valley；　its　green　fields　dotted　with　olive　groves；　watered　with
brooks　from　living　fountains；　and　gemmed　with　wild　flowers；　spread　out
invitingly　between　the　barren　hills。　Ebal　and　Gerizim；　upon　opposite　sides
of　the　valley；　nearly　approach　each　other；　their　lower　spurs　seeming　to　form
a　natural　pulpit；　every　word　spoken　on　one　being　distinctly　audible　on　the
other；　while　the　mountainsides；　receding；　afford　space　for　a　vast
assemblage。

According　to　the　directions　given　by　Moses；　a　monument　of　great　stones　was
erected　upon　Mount　Ebal。　Upon　these　stones；　previously　prepared　by　a
covering　of　plaster；　the　law　was　inscribednot　only　the　ten　precepts　spoken
from　Sinai　and　engraved　on　the　tables　of　stone；　but　the　laws　communicated　to
Moses；　and　by　him　written　in　a　book。　Beside　this　monument　was　built　an　altar
of　unhewn　stone；　upon　which　sacrifices　were　offered　unto　the　Lord。　The　fact
that　the　altar　was　set　up　on　Mount　Ebal；　the　mountain　upon　which　the　curse
was　put；　was　significant；　denoting　that　because　of　their　transgressions　of
God's　law；　Israel　had　justly　incurred　His　wrath；　and　that　it　would　be　at
once　visited；　but　for　the　atonement　of　Christ；　represented　by　the　altar　of
sacrifice。

Six　of　the　tribesall　descended　from　Leah　and　Rachelwere　stationed　upon
Mount　Gerizim；　while　those　that　descended　from　the　handmaids；　together　with
Reuben　and　Zebulun；　took　their　position　on　Ebal；　the　priests　with　the　ark
occupying　the　valley　between　them。　Silence　was　proclaimed　by　the　sound　of
the　signal　trumpet；　and　then　in　the　deep　stillness；　and　in　the　presence　of
this　vast　assembly；　Joshua；　standing　beside　the　sacred　ark；　read　the
blessings　that　were　to　follow　obedience　to　God's　law。　All　the　tribes　on
Gerizim　responded　by　an　Amen。　He　then　read　the　curses；　and　the　tribes　on
Ebal　in　like　manner　gave　their　assent；　thousands　upon　thousands　of　voices
uniting　as　the　voice　of　one　man　in　the　solemn　response。　Following　this　came
the　reading　of　the　law　of　God；　together　with　the　statutes　and　judgments　that
had　been　delivered　to　them　by　Moses。

Israel　had　received　the　law　directly　from　the　mouth　of　God　at　Sinai；　and　its
sacred　precepts；　written　by　His　own　hand；　were

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still　preserved　in　the　ark。　Now　it　had　been　again　written　where　all　could
read　it。　All　had　the　privilege　of　seeing　for　themselves　the　conditions　of
the　covenant　under　which　they　were　to　hold　possession　of　Canaan。　All　were　to
signify　their　acceptance　of　the　terms　of　the　covenant　and　give　their　assent
to　the　blessings　or　curses　for　its　observance　or　neglect。　The　law　was　not
only　written　upon　the　memorial　stones；　but　was　read　by　Joshua　himself　in　the
hearing　of　all　Israel。　It　had　not　been　many　weeks　since　Moses　gave　the　whole
book　of　Deuteronomy　in　discourses　to　the　people；　yet　now　Joshua　read　the　law
again。

Not　alone　the　men　of　Israel；　but　〃all　the　women　and　the　little　ones〃
listened　to　the　reading　of　the　law；　for　it　was　important　that　they　also
should　know　and　do　their　duty。　God　had　commanded　Israel　concerning　His
statutes：　〃Therefore　shall　ye　lay　up　these　My　words　in　your　heart　and　in
your　soul；　and　bind　them　for　a　sign　upon　your　hand；　that　they　may　be　as
frontlets　between　your　eyes。　And　ye　shall　teach　them　your　children；　。　。　。
that　your　days　may　be　multiplied；　and　the　days　of　your　children；　in　the　land
which　the　Lord　sware　unto　your　fathers　to　give　them；　as　the　days　of　heaven
upon　the　earth。〃　Deuteronomy　11：18…21。

Every　seventh　year　the　whole　law　was　to　be　read　in　the　assembly　of　all
Israel；　as　Moses　commanded：　〃At　the　end　of　every　seven　years；　in　the
solemnity　of　the　year　of　release；　in　the　feast　of　tabernacles；　when　all
Israel　is　come　to　appear　before　the　Lord　thy　God　in　the　place　which　He　shall
choose；　thou　shalt　read　this　law　before　all　Israel　in　their　hearing。　Gather
the　people　together；　men；　and　women；　and　children；　and　thy　stranger　that　is
within　thy　gates；　that　they　may　hear；　and　that　they　may　learn；　and　fear　the
Lord　your　God；　and　observe　to　do　all　the　words　of　this　law：　and　that　their
children；　which　have　not　known　anything；　may　hear；　and　learn　to　fear　the
Lord　your　God；　as　long　as　ye　live　in　the　land　whither　ye　go　over　Jordan　to
possess　it。〃　Deuteronomy　31：10…13。

Satan　is　ever　at　work　endeavoring　to　pervert　what　God　has　spoken；　to　blind
the　mind　and　darken　the　understanding；　and　thus　lead　men　into　sin。　This　is
why　the　Lord　is　so　explicit；　making　His　requirements　so　very　plain　that　none
need　err。　God　is　constantly　seeking　to　draw　men　close　under　His　protection；
that　Satan　may　not　practice　his　cruel；　deceptive　power　upon　them。　He　has
condescended　to　speak　to　them　with　His　own

504

voice；　to　write　with　His　own　hand　the　living　oracles。　And　these　blessed
words；　all　instinct　with　life　and　luminous　with　truth；　are　committed　to　men
as　a　perfect　guide。　Because　Satan　is　so　ready　to　catch　away　the　mind　and
divert　the　affections　from　the　Lord's　promises　and　requirements；　the　greater
diligence　is　needed　to　fix　them　in　the　mind　and　impress　them　upon　the　heart。

Greater　attention　should　be　given　by　religious　teachers　to　instructing　the
people　in　the　facts　and　lessons　of　Bible　history　and　the　warnings　and
requirements　of　the　Lord。　These　should　be　presented　in　simple　language；
adapted　to　the　comprehension　of　children。　It　should　be　a　part　of　the　work
both　of　ministers　and　parents　to　see　that　the　young　are　instructed　in　the
Scriptures。

Parents　can　and　should　interest　their　children　in　the　varied　knowledge　found
in　the　sacred　pages。　But　if　they　would　interest　their　sons　and　daughters　in
the　word　of　God；　they　must　be　interested　in　it　themselves。　They　must　be
familiar　with　its　teachings；　and；　as　God　commanded　Israel；　speak　of　it；
〃when　thou　sittest　in　thine　house；　and　when　thou　walkest　by　the　way；　when
thou　liest　down；　and　when　thou　risest　up。〃　Deuteronomy　11：19。　Those　who
desire　their　children　to　love　and　reverence　God　must　talk　of　His　goodness；
His　majesty；　and　His　power；　as　revealed　in　His　word　and　in　the　works　of
creation。

Every　chapter　and　every　verse　of　the　Bible　is　a　communication　from　God　to
men。　We　should　bind　its　precepts　as　signs　upon　our　hands　and　as　frontlets
between　our　eyes。　If　studied　and　obeyed；　it　would　lead　God's　people；　as　the
Israelites　were　led；　by　the　pillar　of　cloud　by　day　and　the　pillar　of　fire　by
night。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　47

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　League　With　the　Gibeonites


From　Shechem　the　Israelites　returned　to　their　encampment　at　Gilgal。　Here
they　were　soon　after　visited　by　a　strange　deputation；　who　desired　to　enter
into　treaty　with　them。　The　ambassadors　represented　that　they　had　come　from　a
distant　country；　and　this　seemed　to　be　confirmed　by　their　appearance。　Their
clothing　was　old　and　worn；　their　sandals　were　patched；　their　provisions
moldy；　and　the　skins　that　served　them　for　wine　bottles　were　rent　and　bound
up；　as　if　hastily　repaired　on　the　journey。

In　their　far…off　homeprofessedly　beyond　the　limits　of　Palestine　their
fellow　countrymen；　they　said；　had　heard　of　the　wonders　which　God　had　wrought
for　His　people；　and　had　sent　them　to　make　a　league　with　Israel。　The　Hebrews
had　been　specially　warned　against　entering　into　any　league　with　the
idolaters　of　Canaan；　and　a　doubt　as　to　the　truth　of　the　strangers'　words
arose　in　the　minds　of　the　leaders。　〃Peradventure　ye　dwell　among　us；〃　they
said。　To　this　the　ambassadors　only　replied；　〃We　are　thy　servants。〃　But　when
Joshua　directly　demanded　of　them；　〃Who　are　ye？　and　from　whence　come　ye？〃
they　reiterated　their　former　statement；　and　added；　in　proof　of　their
sincerity；　〃This　our　bread　we　took　hot　for　our　provision　out　of　our　houses
on　the　day　we　came　forth　to　go　unto　you；　but　now；　behold；　it　is　dry；　and　it
is　moldy：　and　these　bottles　of　wine；　which　we　filled；　were　new；　and；　behold；
they　be　rent：　and　these　our　garments　and　our　shoes　are　become　old　by　reason
of　the　very　long　journey。〃

These　representations　prevailed。　The　Hebrews　〃asked　not　counsel　at　the　mouth
of　the　Lord。　And　Joshua　made　peace　with　them；　and　made　a　league　with　them；
to　let　them　live：　and　the　princes　of　the　congregation　sware　unto　them。〃　Thus
the　treaty　was　entered　into。　Three　days　afterward　the　truth　was　discovered。
〃They　heard　that　t