We learn from this Midianitish discomfiture a lesson which is oft repeated in the pages of holy writ. It declared more plainly than words that God can conquer by few as completely as by many, and that whilst it is His habit to employ human instruments to accomplish His purposes, He is really independent of them. It is "not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord," that we must look to achieve the greatest triumphs; and just as Gideon and his feeble host overthrew that immense army in the valley of Jezreel, so whenever our spiritual foes encamp in their force against us shall we also prevail if the sword of the Lord be our confidence. There may be no comparison between ourselves and the subtlety and rapacity of our evil assailants, but as the chosen of God He will accomplish in us also the prayer of the Psalmist, "Make them and their princes like Oreb and Zeeb: yea, make all their princes like as Zeba and Zalmana, who say, let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession." But in the vicinity of Jezreel was laid the scene of another memorable event in Jewish history. When the Spirit of God had departed from Saul and his reign was drawing to its close, we are told in 1 Sam. xxix. 1., that the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. This invasion of the Philistines ended, as we know, in Saul's defeat, when upon the neighbouring mountain of Gilboa he was slain by his own hands in despair. So that we may regard the valley of Jezreel and the adjacent mountain, as the spot which witnessed the melancholy termination of Saul's unhappy reign. And this fact must always teach us how powerless man is without the aid of God, and that when He ceases to fight for us our own strength becomes nothing but weakness. The son of Kish had forfeited the favour of the Almighty, He followed out the devices of his own heart, and at last the evil spirit which had succeeded the good as possessor of his heart accomplished his ruin. Gilboa and Jezreel remind us of Saul, and by his example they warn us to beware of self-confidence, to walk humbly with God, to put not our trust in any child of man, but to trust in the Lord who alone can be our safety and defence. Still more familiar are we, as intimately connected with Jezreel, with the history of Ahab and Jezebel. It was the scene of their sin, and by the word of the prophet was also the scene of their punishment. The king, rich in lands, and palaces, and gardens, cast his covetous eye upon the vineyard of the Jezreelite,-and the ground which he obtained by murder was watered with his blood, whilst his wife's dead body was trampled upon, and polluted in the streets of that very city. We can never surely read those incidents or listen to the name of Jezreel without bringing to mind the sure punishment of sin. With God there is no respect of persons. The poor man, and the sovereign are of equal value in His sight, and He will punish any sin in the one, however great in authority, whilst He beholds any sorrow of the other, however lowly may be his estate. Learn we then how certainly sin brings its punishment, and therefore let us constantly put up the Psalmist's prayer. "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me." Let us restrain all thoughts of covetousness. Our earthly lot is no security against this sin; but let us remember how its indulgence is almost certain to carry us as it did Ahab into further crime, and let us therefore recollect the Apostle's words, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." The Teacher in his School. LESSON ON THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER.-MARK IV. 1—20. [Points to be noticed in explaining the Parable of the Sower, and the lessons which may be drawn from it : Time-The Sabbath day. Place-The sea-side near Capernaum. PersonsJesus, His disciples, a mixed multitude. CHIEF LESSON-The different way in which men hear the Word. SECONDARY LESSONS. 1. Really to desire teaching, therefore must listen. 2. Those who thus listen and seek teaching, will be taught. 3. Must watch against Satan, and all other hindrances. 4. Religion must endure. 5. Persecution permitted to cleanse and purify the Church. 6. We cannot serve God and mammon. 7. The heart must be changed. 8. We must bear much fruit. 9. The Word, when received, will bring forth fruit. 10. Must bring forth fruit with patience. APPLICATION. If we neglect our privileges, we may lose them, or be unable to improve them. All are hearers; to which class do we belong ?] T. Who began again to teach? T. Where was Jesus teaching? C. By the sea side. T. What sea? C. The sea of Tiberias. T. Near what place? C. Capernaum. Mark ii. 1. T. We read, "He began again to teach by the sea side;" had He been teaching there before? C. Yes. Mark iii. 7. C. The Sabbath day. Matt. xii. 9, 10; xiii. 1. [Here should follow a description of Capernaum, which cannot be given without reference to books.] T. As He was teaching, who came to hear Him? C. A great multitude. T. What is a multitude? C. A great many people. T. Why did they come to hear Jesus? C. That they might learn. T. Did all wish to learn? T. What did some come for, if they Idid not wish to learn? C. They wished to see Jesus, and wondered what He would say. T. Was it right to wish to see Jesus? T. Was it enough to see Jesus, and hear what He would say, if they did not learn from Him? C. No, teacher: T. Do you always wish to learn when you go to hear God's Word at Church or at School? Then you will be like those who only stopped for the sake of seeing Jesus. But some were worse than this, for they only listened to find fault with what was said; then do you think it would do them any good? Which must you try to be like? C. Those who really wish to learn. T. What did Jesus do when the multitude came to Him? C. Entered into a ship and sat in it on the sea. T. Where did all the people stand? T. How did He teach them? T. What is a parable? C. A story not real, but what might have happened, told so as to teach a lesson in a pleasant way. T. Why did Jesus teach in parables ? C. Because it was the usual way of teaching in the East, in order to keep up the attention of the hearers, the same as we listen to a story when you tell us one. T. What is the first word He said? T. What does that mean? T. Why did Jesus begin by telling the people to listen ? C. Because he knew that unless they listened, they would not learn what he had to teach them. T. What can you learn from this ? C. Always to listen when we are being taught. T. Whom must you listen to? T. How does this parable begin? sow. T. What does behold mean? C. To observe, to look. T. Yes, it is very likely that a sower could be seen by the people as they stood listening to the parable. What had he to sow? C. Seed. T. As he went along, where did some of the seed fall? C. By the wayside. T. What is the wayside ? C. The side of the path. T. What sort of ground was it? T. Then the seed would not go in P C. No, it would stay on the top of the ground. T. What became of it? C. The fowls of the air, &c. T. Who are like the sower now? T. What is the seed they have to BOW? C. The Word. Verse 14. T. Where do they want to sow the Word? C. In the hearts of those who hear them. T. Are all willing to receive it ? C. No, some are like the wayside. T. What did you say the wayside was? C. Hard. T. Yes, and what is that like ? C. Hard hearts. T. Where are we told our hearts are hard? C. Job xli. 24. T. How does the word fall on a hard heart? C. It does not go in, but lies outside. C. The seed that fell by the wayside. T. What did you say became of the seed ? C. It was devoured by the fowls of the air. T. Who comes and takes away the word out of the heart? C. The devil. T. When does the devil come? - C. Immediately. T. Yes, he is always near. Then what must you do P C. Watch against him. T. In Luke viii. 5, we read, "it was trodden down;" who trod it down? C. The people who passed by. T. Can we lose the seed in the same way? C. Yes. T. How? C. By keeping company with those who are thoughtless. T. In what way will this make us lose the Word ? C. It will put it out of our minds. T. Then whom must you watch against besides Satan? seed fall? C. On stony ground. T. Where it had not much- T. And what happened to it? C. The heat of the sun. T. Why did it wither? C. Because it had no root. T. This describes another class of hearers; how do they receive the Word? C. With gladness. T. What more is said of them ? C. Sorrow. T. And what do you mean by per secution? C. Unkind treatment. T. What would they be persecuted for? C. For the Word's sake. T. Yes, because they kept God's Word, and followed Him. In what way might they be persecuted? C. They might be put in prison. C. Or beaten, or stoned. T. Can you think of any other way in which they might be persecuted? C. They might be put to death, or banished. T. Do you know of any who were persecuted in these ways for following Christ? C. The Apostles Peter and John, Acts iv. 1-3; v. 17, 18 and 40; Stephen; Acts vii. 57, 58; Peter; Acts xii. 1-5; Paul and Silas; Acts xvi. 22-24. T. Did they fall away? C. No. T. Had Christ led them to expect persecution for his sake? C. Yes, John xvi. 23; xv. 19-21. T. What promises had He given to encourage them in bearing persecution ? C. Matt. v. 10-12; Mark x. 29, 30. T. Were these promises fulfilled? C. Yes, for God enabled them to rejoice in tribulations, Acts v. 41; vii. 60; xvi. 25; Rom. v. 3; 2 Cor. vii. 4. T. What would become of those who had no root? C. They would be offended and go away. T. What must we learn from this? C. That our religion must endure; when we have begun to listen to Christ, we must go on. T. But if difficulties come in our way? C. We must not mind them, Luke ix. 57-62. T. Are people ever persecuted now? C. Yes, but not as they used to be. T. How may they be persecuted now? C. They may be laughed at, or lose a situation. T. Have they the same promises the Apostles had? C. Yes, in the Bible. T. Yes, and in the Bible they may see how God supported his servants in trouble, as He had promised; what should this teach them? C. To trust in God now. T. Will Jesus help us now, as He did his Apostles when they were in trouble for his sake? C. Yes. T. How do we know this? C. Because He has said He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. T. Why does God allow his servants to be persecuted ? C. To cleanse and purify his Church, by showing who are really faithful. T. What will those do who are really faithful? C. They will stand fast. T. And what will the unfaithful do? T. Where else did some of the seed fall? C. Among thorns. C. It came up, Luke viii. 7. T. And what did they do? T. Yes, the thorns grew faster than the good seed. Can you tell me how this is ? C. Because the ground was cursed for Adam's sin, Gen. iii. 17, 18. [This may be illustrated by an uncultivated garden.] T. Did the seed bear fruit ? T. What is meant by the thorns? C. Riches; cares of this world; lusts of other things. T. Some people hear the Word, and C. The deceitfulness of riches. C. The lusts of other things. T. Can you remember any one in the Bible who was so busy with the cares of this world, as not to be able to listen to Christ? C. Martha, Luke x. 38-42; Luke xiv. 15-20. T. Why are riches called deceitful? C. Because they cannot be trusted to. 1 Tim. vi. 17; Prov. xxiii. 5. T. What are lusts ? C. Pleasures and desires. T. What do these things do? C. Choke the Word. T. Where has the seed been sown |