CHAPTER XXI. LESSONS FROM A NATION'S MISFORTUNES. PURPOSE OF THE LESSON. To enforce the truth of the great law of retribution, showing how it holds good today. BEGINNING THE LESSON STORY. Refer again to the chronological chart. For some time now, we have been filling in names in the column headed Prophetical Writings. By this term we mean sermons or addresses by the prophets. In this chapter we go over to the column Historical Narratives. We are to learn something about the Old Testament books Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings. These books come to us in their present form, from a group of men called Deuteronomists, because of their close relations with the authors of the lawbook Deuteronomy. The word "Deuteronomists" should be written into the chronological chart, in the historical column, in a slanting fashion, so as to extend from a point opposite "Deuteronomy," down into the next century, between 600 and 500. But though these historians were closely associated with the making of a revised law-book, yet these historical books are included in the Hebrew Bible in the collection of the prophets. Their authors were indeed animated by the prophetic spirit. Continue with a brief account of their aims and methods. DISCUSSING THE LESSON. When you want to draw a book from the public library, how do you look it up in the card index? (Refer to the title and author's name.) Did Hebrew books have authors? Not always individual authors; sometimes a group or community of co-operating authors. Did they have titles? Very seldom. The history for example which is now divided into the books of Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel and I and II Kings, probably had no title at the head of the MS. Suppose we provide it with one. (Question 1.) In discussing this question many of the salient facts of the chapter may be brought out incidentally. Do these books really constitute single historical narratives? That is, do they form a literary unit, with a beginning, an end, and a single purpose running through the whole? What period does it cover? What is its purpose? Which of the following titles seems to you the most appropriate? A History of Israel, from the Death of Moses, to the Babylonian Exile. A History of Israel, from the Time of the Giving of the Law. The Rewards and Punishments of the Law, illustrated by the History of Israel. Can you suggest a still better title? Into what main part was this history originally divided? Bring out that Joshua and Judges each form a unit, then the books of Samuel, and finally the books of Kings. How is the main thesis of these writers brought out in this connection? Have the pupils turn to Judges 3:7-11; 4: 1-3, 5, 31b; and trace out for themselves the Deuteronomic "framework," or opening and closing formulæ. Have them turn also to I Kings 15: 1-3, 7-8; 16:1520; II Kings 13: 1-3, 8-9, and so forth, for the formulæ in the books of Kings. What misunderstanding regarding the local shrines underlies this formula in the books of Kings? Questions 2-4 bring up the question of the truth of the main thesis of the Deuteronomic writers. It can be easily shown that they carried this thesis to extremes. The Hebrew kingdoms might have been crushed by the Assyrians and Babylonians, no matter how pure and upright the lives of their people, and despite the wisest and most enlightened actions on the part of their rulers. In everyday life, we do not always find goodness rewarded nor wrongdoing punished. Nevertheless, is there then no such thing as a law of retribution? On the contrary, we find in the lives both of nations and of individuals, that The mills of the gods grind slowly But they grind exceeding small. PUPIL'S WORK ON THE CHRONOLOGICAL CHART. Have the pupils insert Deuteronomic History in the column of Historical Narratives. INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS. The Work of the Deuteronomic Historians. "The book of Deuteronomy was written in the interests of worship. Not, however, in the narrow sense of ritual. For worship at that time was immoral; prostitution was practised in the name of religion, so that morality itself was at stake. The book is as truly a prophetic protest against sin of all kinds as it is a priestly campaign against the reigning idolatry. The two were really inseparable, and for this reason we may call Deuteronomy and the books influenced by it propheticopriestly as distinguished, on the one hand, from the Jehovistic and Elohistic documents, which are specimens of the almost purely prophetic spirit working on history, and on the other from the priestly document, which is confined almost exclusively to ritual interests. 66 The Deuteronomist does not care for fact, as such. It is his to point the moral of the tale. For example he emphasizes in the book of Joshua that the promises of Jehovah to the patriarchs were fulfilled by the acquisition of the land; the affrighted Canaanites were convinced that Jehovah was God in heaven above, and on earth beneath; and the passage of the Jordan was designed to lead all the people of the earth to the fear of Jehovah. The Deuteronomist has a keen eye for the salient points of the history, for which he sometimes composes speeches of earnest and dramatic power. Such points are to be found at the opening and close of Joshua's career as leader (Josh. 1 and 23). He is naturally especially fond of emphasizing the law, regarding national and individual welfare as determined by the attitude adopted to it. It is to be the object of ceaseless meditation, day and night; the bravest and the wisest need it, a Solomon as well as a Joshua. "The influence of the Deuteronomic editor on the book of Judges is very marked. Not so much that he touched the details of the stories- many of the stories are practically intact, but he determined the whole conception of the history. The fortunes of the people in their new land before the consolidation effected by the monarchy ran a very checkered course: jealousies within and wars without, wars which often spelt failure and misery. To this period was applied the Deuteronomic view of history, which was that faithfulness to Jehovah and obedience to his commandments would be rewarded with material prosperity, while unfaithfulness and disobedience would be punished with misfortune. Fortunately, this view of the history is presented in the preface to the book proper, in a very elaborate scheme, 2: 11-3:6, which is repeated in a less elaborate and more definite form two or three times in the course of the book (for example, 3:7-10; 6:7-10; 10: 6-16). Neither the language nor the ideas of that scheme bear the remotest resemblance to the stories of the book, for example, of Jephthah, Gideon, Samson. "In the books of Samuel, the traces of Deuteronomic influence, though few, are significant, and occur at critical points in the history: a decisive battle against the Philistines represented as won for Israel by Samuel's intercession, Samuel's farewell address to the people, and Nathan's announcement to David of the continuance of his dynasty. "It is, however, in the book of Kings that the Deuteronomic influence has been most thorough and pervasive. The importance of the law receives emphatic reiteration, and the cardinal principle of that law, namely, the purity and centralization of the worship, is the standard by which all the kings are tried. It was only natural then that the Deuteronomist should seize the brilliant opportunity offered to him by the dedication of the temple. The northern kingdom had its own sanctuaries, therefore all the kings of the northern kingdom fell under the censure of the Deuteronomist as doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah; and, as Jeroboam is regarded as the founder of the schismatic worship, he is the type, as he is the source, of all subsequent infidelity. When a general charge is expanded into a definite one the catalogue of sins is presented in the language of Deuteronomy. But the law which would have abolished all those abuses was the law of the central sanctuary; to the Deuteronomist it was the central law, and special attention is repeatedly called to the breach of it even by good kings, like Asa. Of course it was no breach according to earlier ideas. The local sanctuaries had been for centuries legitimate, as we see from the many unchallenged allusions to them, for example, in the lives of Samuel, Saul and Elijah. Indeed, at one of them Solomon himself had a special revelation, but according to the Deuteronomic theory, they were all illegal."— McFadyen. ADDITIONAL READING REFERENCES. Fowler, History of the Literature of Ancient Israel, pp. 251-261. Driver, Literature of the Old Testament, pp. 103-116, 160-203. Gray, Critical Introduction to the Old Testament, pp. 52-86. CHAPTER XXII. COMFORTERS AND GUIDES IN DARK DAYS. PURPOSE OF THE LESSON. To cultivate the spirit of hope and good cheer, in the face of misfortunes. TELLING THE LESSON STORY. Take up the chronological chart again, and call special attention to the date of the destruction of Jerusalem. This event might well be marked in red ink, for it is the most influential event in the history of the ancient Hebrews. In fact a red line might be drawn clear across the chart, at this date (586 B.C.) to indicate that the history is divided at this point into two distinct divisions. This event influenced the development of Hebrew literature in two ways. In the first place, from this time on, a considerable portion of the race was scattered even as today throughout the civilized nations of the world. It was their religion alone, which kept them from merging themselves with these other nations and thus losing their racial identity altogether. Not a few of the later writings in the Old Testament came from these Jews of "the Dispersion," and reflect the varied influences of their surroundings. In the second place, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the fall of the kingdom of Judah, brought to the people new and distinct religious problems. For example, they were overwhelmed with discouragement and despair. (Proceed briefly with the salient facts in the pupil's book.) DISCUSSING THE LESSON. How Discuss question 1 in the light of games, such as baseball, basketball and football. What is meant by "overconfidence" before a game? What is the effect of overconfidence? is an overconfident team likely to act when suddenly confronted with an unexpectedly stiff opposition? When is it hard to be an optimist? When is it easy? Apply to this chapter. When were the optimists in the majority, in the history of Israel? What were such prophets as Amos and Micah and Jeremiah probably called, when they warned the people of the coming disaster? Translate into twentieth century English. (Cal |