p. 16 | Our Bible Band

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 25, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 13.

Our Bible Band.

Schedule for Week Ending April 4, 1908.

Sunday	March 29	Joshua	11, 12
Monday	" 30	" 13, 14	" 92
Tuesday	" 31	" 15, 16	" 93
Wednesday	April 1	" 17, 18	" 94
Thursday	" 2	" 19, 20	" 95
Friday	" 3	" 21, 22	" 96
Sabbath	" 4	" 23, 24
		Judges 1, 2	" 97

Joshua, chapters 11 to 21, have to do with the division and settling of the Promised Land among the tribes. There also is suggested their lack of faith and their slowness; yet chapter 21 closes with the assurance that God had wrought all that He had promised. "There failed not aught of any good thing which Jehovah had spoken."

Chapter 22 records the return of the two and one-half tribes to their chosen inheritance east of the Jordan, after all Israel had received their inheritance. When they went back, they builded an altar of witness. The nine and one-half tribes thought it first to be rival worship, but subsequently learned otherwise. The last two chapters are made up largely of the closing counsel of Joshua to Israel. This faithful servant of God died at the age of 110 years, impressing the probity of his life upon his entire generation. The last two verses record the faithfulness with which Joseph's charge was kept.

The book of Judges takes its name from the leaders whose record of work is found in it. They were not judges in the sense the term is now generally used, but really defenders, saviors, raised up in times of crises. See chapters 3:9; 2:16. Yet some of them adjudicated differences and judged between brethren, especially Deborah and Samuel. The book divides easily into three parts: (1) An introduction, showing that not all of the country had been possessed. Chapters 1; 2; 3:1-6. (2) The stories of the twelve judges. Chapter 3:7 to 16:31. (3) Two additional chapters, recording the building of the sanctuary at Dan, and the crime of the people of Gibeah, with whom the whole tribe of Benjamin identified themselves. The time it was written or its writer we do not know. Internal evidence seems to show it was written in the days of Samuel or one of his school of prophets. Its chronology is difficult. It records fearful backsliding and the great mercy and goodness of God.