_In the twelfth year of Ahaz King of Judah began Hoshea._ ASPECTS OF A CORRUPT NATION Hoshea, the king here mentioned, was the nineteenth and last king of Israel. He lived about 720 years or more b.c. After a reign of nine years his subjects were carded away captive to Assyria, and the kingdom of... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria._ CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL The seeds of Israel’s captivity were sown by Solomon. The introduction of foreign wives into the royal family was the first step toward Israel’s fall. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, cuts the die that stamps the face of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned._ A GREAT PRIVILEGE, WICKEDNESS, AND RUIN I. A great national privilege. We learn herefrom that the Infinite Governor of the world had given them at least three great advantages, political freedom, right to the]and, and the highest spiritual t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right._ INFATUATION OF SIN Again we come upon this report which we have had as it were a thousand times in identical terms. What is the wonderful charm of evil? Surely the philosophers have not answered that inquiry completely. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_They followed vanity and became vain._ VANITY A DEADLY SIN May I begin by explaining that these words are used as a summary of the reason why the people of Israel were broken to pieces by the attacks of Shalmaneser, the King of Assyria, and how it came to pass that their glory was destroyed, their... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord._ JEROBOAM I. The character of Jeroboam before he was king. He early discovered some of those distinguishing natural and moral qualities, which formed him for the extraordinary part which he finally acted on the stage of life. His natural genius wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon._ SUBJECTS WORTH THINKING ABOUT This fragment of Israelitish history brings under our notice four subjects which run through all human history, and which find their illustration in the events of modern as well as ancient life. I. The tyranny of ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_They feared the Lord, and served their own gods _ THE INCONSISTENT WORSHIP I. The first thought which I think suggests itself to our mind, is of the curious inconsistency of their conduct. They worshipped the true God; and, along with Him, they worshipped various false gods. Now, this seems strang... [ Continue Reading ]