Part 10 (2/2)

III. =General Aspects of Is'ra-el at the Close of the Conquest.=

1. With regard to the =native races=. They were not destroyed nor driven away, as had been commanded.[10] They remained as subject people in some places, as the ruling race on the seacoast and in the Jor'dan valley. We see their influence, always injurious, throughout all Is'ra-el's history (Exod. 23. 31-33; Deut. 7. 1-5); and some think that the present inhabitants of the country belong to the original Ca'naan-ite stock.

2. The =Is'ra-el-ites= did not occupy all the country. They possessed most of the mountain region, but none of the seacoast plain on the Jor'dan valley. They were like the Swiss in modern times, living among the mountains. Even in the New Testament period the lowlands were occupied mainly by Gen'tiles.

3. The =landed system= was peculiar. =Estates= were inalienable. They might be leased, but not sold; and on the year of jubilee (every fiftieth year) all land reverted to the family originally owning it.

Thus every family had its ancestral home, the poor were protected, and riches were kept within bounds.

4. The =government= was a republic of families without an executive head, except when a judge was raised up to meet special needs. Each tribe had its own rulers, but there was no central authority after Josh'u-a (Judg. 21. 25). This had its evils, for it led to national weakness; but it had its benefits: 1.) It kept Is'ra-el from becoming a great worldly kingdom like E'gypt and As-syr'i-a, which would have thwarted the divine purpose. 2.) It promoted individuality and personal energy of character. There would have been no ”Age of Heroes” if Is'ra-el had been a kingdom like E'gypt.

5. The =religious system= was simple. There was but one altar at s.h.i.+'loh for all the land and for all the tribes, and the people were required to visit it for the three great feasts (Deut. 12. 11, 14; Josh. 18. 1).

This was the religious bond which united the people. If it had been maintained they would have needed no other const.i.tution, and even its partial observance kept the people one nation.

6. The =character= of the people was diverse. Throughout the history we trace the working of two distinct elements: There was the true Is'ra-el--the earnest, religious, G.o.d-wors.h.i.+ping section, the Is'ra-el of Josh'u-a and Gid'e-on and Sam'u-el. Then there was the underlying ma.s.s of the people--secular, ignorant, p.r.o.ne to idolatry, the Is'ra-el that wors.h.i.+ped Ba'al and Ash'to-reth, and sought alliance with the heathen. One element was the hope of the nation; the other was its bane.

We shall constantly see the evidences of these two elements in the story of the Is'ra-el-ites.

Blackboard Outline

I. =Can.= 1. One st. 2. Var. tri. 1.) S. P. Phil. Can. Phoe.

2.) M. R. Am. Je. Hiv. Hitt. 3.) J. V. Can. 4.) E. T.-L. Mo.

Am. Bash. 3. Gov. loc. 4. Idol. imm. 5. Weak.

II. =Camp. Conq.= 1. Camp. Eas. Jor. 1.) Gil. Jah. 2.) Bash. Ed.

3.) Mid.

2. Camp. Wes. Jor. 1.) Cent. Pal. Jer. Ai. She. 2.) Sou. Pal.

Beth-hor. 3.) Nor. Pal. L. Mer.

3. Supp. Camp. 1.) Cal. cap. Heb. 2.) Jud. cap. Bez. 3.) Dan.

cap. Lai.

III. =Gen. Asp. Isr. at Clo. Conq.= 1. Nat. rac. sub. 2. Isr. in mtn. reg. 3. Land. sys. 4. Gov. rep. fam. 5. Rel. sys.

6. Char. peo.

Questions for Review

To what race did the Ca'naan-ite tribes belong? What were their tribes, and where located? What was their government? What was their wors.h.i.+p? What was the effect of their wors.h.i.+p on their character? What had taken place shortly before the coming of the Is'ra-el-ites? What campaigns of conquest were made before the death of Mo'ses? What battles were fought in these campaigns? What tribes took possession of this territory? On which side of the Jor'dan were Josh'u-a's campaigns? What traits as a military leader did he show? What places were captured on the first of Josh'u-a's campaigns? What was the effect of this campaign on the enemies? Against what section was Josh'u-a's second campaign? Where was the great battle fought? What is said to have taken place at this battle? What cities were captured at this time? Where was the third campaign of Josh'u-a directed? Where was the battle fought in this campaign? What were the three supplementary campaigns? What city was conquered by Ca'leb? What city was occupied by the tribe of Dan?

What king, long after Josh'u-a, completed the conquest of Ca'naan? What was the condition of the native races after the conquest? What was the result of their continuance in the land? What portion of the country was occupied by the Is'ra-el-ites? What modern a.n.a.logy is given to them? What was the system of land tenure among the Is'ra-el-ites? What were some of its benefits? What was the form of government? Wherein was the system defective? What were its excellences? What was the religious system of the Is'ra-el-ites? What was the effect of this system? What was the religious character of the people? What was the condition of the ma.s.s of the Is'ra-el-ites?

EIGHTH STUDY

The Age of the Heroes

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