f . I E Y^\ LIERARY | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO "Bible History A Practical Commentary upon the principal events of the Old and New Testaments, with directions for their application in the religious and moral training of children BY THE REV. A. URBAN JOSEPH F. WAGNER NEW YORK tOAN STACK REMIGIUS LAFORT, S. T. L. Censor Librorum imprimatur # JOHN M. FARLEY, D. D. Archbishop of New York NEW YORK, October 15, 1905 COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY JOSEPH F. WAGNER, NEW YORK U? CONTENTS History of the Old Testament FIRST PERIOD FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM (About 4000 to aioo B. C.) PAGE I Creation of the World 5 II Creation and Fall of the Angels 7 III Creation of Man. Paradise 9 IV The Fall of Man. The Promise of a Saviour 10 V Cain and Abel '3 VI The Propagation and Corruption of Mankind 15 VII The Deluge (2400 B. C.) * VIII Noe Leaves the Ark and Offers Sacrifice 17 IX The Sons of Noe. Noe's Death 19 X The Tower of Babel.... SECOND PERIOD HISTORY OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL THE TIME OF THE PATRIARCHS (aioo to 1500 B. C.) XI The Call of Abraham.. 22 XII The Peacableness and Unselfishness of Abraham 24 XIII Abraham's Faith and Hospitality 26 XIV The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha 28 XV The Birth of Isaac. The Sacrifice of Isaac 29 XVI Isaac Marries Rebecca. Abraham's Death 3 XVII Esau and Jacob 33 XVIII Jacob Journeys to Laban 35 XIX Jacob's Return Home. Isaac's Death 36 XX "Joseph's Dream 3 8 XXI ' oseph is Sold by His Brethren 39 XXII '[oseph in the House of Putiphar 40 XXIII Joseph in Prison 42 XXIV Joseph's Elevation.... 43 XXV The Famine in Egypt 46 XXVI Second Tourney to Egypt 48 XXVII Joseph Tests His Brothers and Makes Himself Known y> XXVIII Jacob Journeying to Egypt 53 XXIX Jacob's and Joseph's Death 55 XXX Patient Job 57 THE TIME OF MOSES (1500 to 1450 B. C.) XXXI Birth of Moses /. 59 XXXII Hoses' Flight and Calling 61 XXXIII The Ten Plagues 65 XXXIV The Paschal Lamb and the Flight out of Egypt 67 XXXV The Passage Through the Red Sea 69 XXXVI The Miracles in the Desert 71 XXXVII The Ten Commandments 73 XXXVIII The Golden Calf.... 77 XXXIX The Tabernacle 79 XL The High Priest. The Priests and the Levites 83 XLI The Sacrifice of the Old Law 84 XLII Feasts and Holy Seasons 86 XLIII The Spies 88 if; 53i CONTENTS. PAGE XLIV The Sabbath Breaker. The Schism of Core. Aaron's Rod 91 XLV The Doubting of Moses and of Aaron. The Brazen Serpent 94 XLVI Balaam's Prophecy 96 XLVII Moses' Last Exhortation and His Death 99 THE TIME OF JOSUE AND THE JUDGES (1450 to 1095) XLVIII Entrance into the Promised Land ....101 XLIX The Judges 105 L Gedeon 106 LI Samson 109 LII Ruth in LIU Samuel 114 THE TIME OF THE KINGS (1095 to 588 B. C.) LIV Sanl, the First King 117 LV David Anointed as King 120 LVI Goliath Challengeth Israel. He is Slain by David 122 LVII The Friendship of David and Jonathan 124 LVIII David, the Pious God-Enlightened King 128 LIX David's Fall and Repentance 131 LX Absalom's Conspiracy and Punishment 133 LXI David's Last Admonitions and His Death 136 LXII Solomon's Prayer and Wise Decision 139 LXIII Construction and Dedication of the Temple 141 LXIV Solomon's Wisdom, Riches and Glory. His Death 144 LXV The Sending of the Prophets. Division of the Kingdom (975 B. C.) 147 LXVI The Prophet Elias 149 LXVII The Sacrifice of Elias 152 LXVIII Naboth. The Punishment of Achab and Jezabel 154 LXIX Elias is Consoled and Appoints Eliseus. His Ascension Into Heaven 156 LXX The Prophet Eliseus 158 LXXI The Prophet Jonas . 160 LXXII The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel (722 B. C.) 162 LXXIII Tobias 163 LXXIV Advice of Tobias to His Son 165 LXXV Tobias and the Angel Raphael '. 166 LXXVI The Kings of Juda 168 LXX VII The Prophet Isaias 169 LXXVIII Judith 171 THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON (606 to 536 B. C.) LXXIX Captivity at Babylon and the Destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremias 173 LXXX The Jews in Babylon. Ezechiel's Vision 175 LXXXI Young Daniel and His Friends 176 LXXXII Daniel Saves the Chaste Susanna 177 LXXXIII Nabuchodonosor's Dream.... 179 LXXXIV The Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace 181 LXXXV Baltassar's Sacrilege and Punishment 182 LXXXVI The God Bel. Daniel in the Lions' Den. 183 PERIOD AFTER THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON (536 B.C. to the Birth of Christ) LXXXVII The Return from Captivity. Rebuilding of Temple and City. The Last Prophets 1 85 LXXXVIII Esther 186 LXXXIX Eleazar (170 B. C.) 188 XC The Seven Machabees 189 XCI Death of King Antiochus 191 XCII Judas Machabeus 192 XCIII The Fulness of Time 194 CONTENTS. History of the New Testament THE BIRTH AND HIDDEN LIFE OP JESUS PAGE I Announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist 198 II Announcement of the Birth of Jesus 199 III Mary's Visitation.. .. 201 IV Birth of John 202 V Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ 203 VI The Presentation in the Temple 205 VII Adoration of the Magi 207 VIII The Flight Into Egypt and Return 209 IX Jesus at the Age of Twelve in the Temple an THE PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS X John the Baptist, the Precursor of Jesus 214 XI Jesus is Baptized ai6 XII Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil 217 XIII The First Disciples of Jesus ... 219 XIV The Wedding at Cana 221 XV Jesus Drives the Sellers from the Temple 223 XVI Nicodemus with Jesus 224 XVII Jesus and the Samaritan Woman 226 XVIII Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth 228 XIX Jesus Teaches and Works Miracles 230 XX The Miraculous Draught of Fishes 231 XXI The Man Sick of Palsy 233 XXII Choosing the Apostles 234 XXIII The Sermon on the Mount 235 XXIV Jesus Cures a Leper and the Centurion's Servant 246 XXV Raising of the Young Man of Nairn 248 XXVI The Penitent Magdalen 249 XXVII Jesus Cures a Man Who Had Been Sick for Thirty-eight Years 251 XXVIII The Sin Against the Holy Ghost. Commendation of Mary. The Sign of Jonas 253 XXIX The Sermon on the Lake. Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven 255 XXX The Tempest at Sea 260 XXXI The Daughter of Jairus and the Woman Afflicted With an Issue of Blood....26i XXXII Preparatory Mission of the Apostles and of the Seventy-two Disciples 262 XXXIII John the Baptist in Prison and Put to Death 264 XXXIV The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes 266 XXXV Jesus Walks Upon the Waters and Heals the Sick 267 XXXVI Promise of the Holy Eucharist 268 XXXVII The Woman of Chanaan. Healing of the Deaf Mute 271 XXXVIII Preferment of Peter. Authority of the Other Apostles 273 XXXIX The Transfiguration of Jesus 275 XL Jesus Requires Childlike Disposition and Warns Against the Giving of Scandal 276 XLI Jesus Teaches His Disciples How to Pray, and Exhorts Them to Persever- ing, Common Prayer 278 XLII The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant 279 XLIII The Parable of the Good Samaritan 280 XLIV Martha and Mary 282 XLV The Man Born Blind 283 XLVI Jesus, the Good Shepherd 285 XLVII The Parable of the Prodigal Son.... 286 XLVIII The Parable of Dives and Lazarus 288 XLIX The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican 290 L Jesus Blesses Little Children 291 LI The Danger of Riches. Reward of Voluntary Poverty 292 LII The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard 294 LIII Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple 295 LIV Various Sayings of Jesus 296 LV The Raising of Lazarus 298 LVI Jesus Foretells His Passion. He is Anointed by Mary 300 LVII Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 301 LVIII The Parable of the Marriage Feast 303 LIX The Coin of Tribute 304 LX The Greatest of the Commandments. Denunciation of the Pharisees. The Widow's Mite 305 LXI Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem, and of the End of the World 306 CONTENTS. PAGE LXII The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins 308 LXIII The Parable of the Talents 309 LXIV The Last Judgment 310 THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS LXV Negotiations of the Betrayer. The Paschal Lamb and the Washing of the Feet 313 LXVI Institution of the Holy Eucharist 314 LXVII Jesus Foretells the Treason of Judas, the Desertion by the Apostles and the Denial of Peter 316 LXVIII Farewell Words and Prayer of Jesus ...318 LXIX Jesus on Mount Olivet....". 320 LXX Jesus Taken Prisoner 321 LXXI Jesus Taken Before Annas and Caiphas . 322 LXXII Peter Denies Jesus 323 LXXIII Jesus Is Mocked and Led Again Before the High Council. The Despair of Judas 3 2 5 LXXIV Jesus Before Pilot and Herod 326 LXXV Barrabas Preferred to Jesus. Jesus Scourged and Crowned with Thorns..327 LXXVI Jesus is Presented Before the People and Condemned to Death 329 LXXVII Jesus is Crucified 330 LXXVIII The Seven Last Words and Death of Jesus 332 LXXIX The Opening of Jesus' Side. His Burial 334 GLORIFICATION OF JESUS LXXX The Resurrection 336 LXXXI Jesus Appears to Magdalen and the Other Women. The Chief Priests Bribe the Guards 337 LXXXII Jesus Appears to Peter and to Two Disciples on Their Way to Emmaus 339 LXXXIII Jesus Appears to the Assembled Disciples and Institutes the Sacrament of Penance 34 LXXXIV Jesus Shows the Marks of His Wounds to Thomas 341 LXXXV Jesus Bestows on Peter the Supreme Pastorship 342 LXXXVI The Ascension of Christ 343 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE DAYS OF THE APOSTLES LXXXVII Choosing of the Apostle Mathias 347 LXXXVIII Descent of the Holy Ghost 348 LXXXIX Healing of the Lame Man 349 XC The Holy Life of the First Christians. Ananias and Saphira 351 XCI The Apostles in Prison and Before the High Council 352 XCII Election and Ordination of the Deacons. Stephen the First Martyr 353 XCIII Persecution of the Church at Jerusalem and Further Spreading of the Same. The Sacrament of Confirmation 355 XCIV The Officer of the Queen 35$ XCV The Conversion of Saul 357 XCVI Peter Visits the Christian Communities 359 XCVII Baptism of Cornelius 36 XCVIII Peter in Prison (A. D. 42) 361 XCIX Paul and Barnabas Travel to Pagan Countries to Preach the Gospel 363 C The Council at Jerusalem (about A. D. 50) 364 CI Further Activity of the Apostle Paul for the Propagation of the Faith 366 CII Activity and Death of the Other Apostles. Beginning of Holy Scripture...^/ CUI Conclusion ..., , 369 AN EXPLANATION OF BIBLE HISTORY, HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. FIRST PERIOD. FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM (ABOUT 4000 TO 2100 B. C.) I. CREATION OF THE WORLD. A. Preparation. Many thousand years ago there was no earth, no sun, no moon, no star, no animal; not even man existed. God alone reigned supreme then as always. We shall now see how God created the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the animals upon the earth, the birds in the air, the fish in the sea, and last the most perfect of creatures man. B. Narration. Points : ( I ) The Creation of the World. (2) The Institution of the Sabbath. C Explanation. (a) "In the beginning" that is to say, before the world was formed, the time when nothing existed but God alone " God created " that is, by His divine power He called forth out of nothing "heaven and earth" heaven, the invisible world wherein the angels dwell; the earth, the visible world, the temporary abiding-place of man. This earth as first called forth was not beautiful as now, but a great waste of waters, a place desolate, empty, void without animal or plant it had not yet been prepared for man. Over the wide expanse of desolate waters, whose great depths covered vast precipices, the Spirit of God moved, that all might be brought from chaos to order and made into a habitable earth for the being man He was later to create. " And God said : Be light made " " Light" full, complete, independent light. " And God said : Let there be a firmament " " Firmament," that is, the atmosphere which surrounds the earth and which we generally call the heavens. It is that space which extends from the earth to the fixed stars. " The waters were divided from the waters ; " that is, one portion of them became as vapor, and was elevated above the firmament in the form of clouds : these God called the waters above. The other portion He called the waters below the firmament ; that is, the waters which were left upon the earth ; this water He called the sea, and gathered it into the place He had prepared for it the basin of the sea which surrounds the dry land. Next, God made " the dry land to appear," to which He gave the name of earth, which means sterile. He covered it with grass, herbs, etc., in one word 6 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. plants, which within themselves contained seeds in order that they might propagate and multiply their species throughout the ages to come. "Lights:" God created the heavenly bodies, the lights of the heavens the sun, from which the earth receives the light and heat necessary to life, and upon which the separation of day and night depends ; furthermore, the moon and the stars. God next created the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, animals of all kinds upon the earth, insects and reptiles. Last, God created man as the crowning of all creation. All that God made was very good that is, beautiful, well arranged and man was uncorrupted, free from sin. (fc) God rested on the seventh day that is, He ceased to work, to create. He blessed this day and called it holy that is, He made of the day upon which He rested a holy day, and this day should bring a blessing upon all who thereafter kept it holy, a blessing in time and in eternity. D. Commentary. (i) God is the Creator of the World. The world heaven and earth are created by God, brought forth from nothing. Why do we call God " the creator of heaven and earth " ? The attributes of God. (a) God is eternal. " In the begin- ning God created." God was here before the beginning of time. He had no beginning and will have no end. What is meant, then, by the eternity of God? 1 (b) God is all-powerful. Man in order to form any object must needs have materials tools. God needs but to say the word. God had but to will that it be, and the heavens and the earth and all that they contain were created ; therefore, God is all-powerful. What do you mean by saying God is all-powerful? 2 (2) The Sabbath. On the seventh day God rested. He blessed this day and called it holy. God distinguished this day then from all other days. He blessed, sanctified, made of it a holy day. After six days of work man also must rest from his labors on the seventh day, and this day he must keep holy. Later God gave unto man a particular command concerning this day. What is the third com- mandment ? 3 E. Moral Application. To-day you have heard how infinitely great and powerful God is. Therefore we should entertain the greatest respect and love for God; especially in our thoughts of Him, in our speech with Him. When do we speak with God ? Every time, then, that you pray be not heedless, but mindful of God's presence and pray with fervor, love, devotion. Practise now what you have heard and be attentive to your prayers after the instruction : " Ask, and it shall be given you." Has Christ not said, " Let the little ones come unto me " ? Ask then fervently, lovingly, and all will be granted unto you. NOTE. The numbers given in the footnotes refer to corresponding questions in the BALTIMORE CATECHISM. (i) i 4 . ( 2 ) i 9 ( 3 > 353 . CREATION AND FALL OF THE AtiGELS. ^ II. CREATION AND FALL OF THE ANGELS. A. Preparation. God created heaven and earth. In creating heaven He also created those who were to dwell therein the holy angels. Of the angels I shall speak to you to-day. B. Narration. Points: (a) Creation of the Angels, (b) Fall and punishment of the bad angels and reward of the good angels. C. Explanation. (a) Creature: that which has been created, that which exists plants, animals, people are creatures or beings, and as we can see them with our bodily eyes, they are visible beings or creatures. The angels are also creatures, but as we can not see them with our bodily eyes, they are invisible beings or creatures spirits. God created innumerable angels, count- less angels that is, more than could be numbered myriads of angels. He endowed them with superior gifts to make them superior to man. These gifts are beauty, strength, holiness. Therefore, when God created them, they were good, (b) Though created in a state of sanctity they were not im- peccable, and many of them fell through pride. These rebelled against God: a revolt ensued. Michael was one of the most beautiful and the highest of the angels. He remained at the head of the good angels who were faithful to God, and these were rewarded by being admitted to God's presence to remain forever happy. The bad angels were cast forever from His sight. D. Commentary. (i.) The Lesson of the Angels, (a) The state of the angels. The angels are spiritual creatures. They do not, like man, consist of body and spirit, but are pure spirits, (b) The name angel means messenger. The first duty of the good angels is to adore and praise God. They also execute His orders with regard to man. His important messages have been brought to earth by these messengers. Owing to the rapidity with which the angels carry out God's commands they are always pictured as possessing wings, (c) Their relations to man. As man is also destined by God to be one day with Him in heaven, the angels have a particular love for man as a future sharer of their eternal happiness. Especially is this true concerning the guardian angels. God has given unto each one of us from the first moment of our existence an angel guardian to pray for us, to encourage us to good, and to protect us from harm in soul and body. How are the good angels disposed toward us ? What do we owe to oui guardian angels P 1 2. Pride. , The angels were to give honor to God, as the highest Lord of heaven and earth, by their obedience. The bad angels re- belled against this decree, they wished to be higher than God, and in their pride they no longer wished to honor Him by the obedience they owed to Him. How does man sin through pride ?* (O 36. 60 59. 8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. (3) The Malice of deadly sin. God, who metes out reward and pun- ishment according to justice, cast the bad angels, for having com- mitted one sin, the sin of pride, into hell for all eternity. Man can realize, therefrom, what a dreadful evil sin is in the sight of God. In what does the malice of mortal sin consist ?* E. Moral Application. The intense hatred God has for sin can be seen by the dreadful punishment of the bad angels. To be for- ever shut out from God's presence and cast into the dread torments of hell is the greatest misfortune which could possibly overtake us. Therefore, my dear children, fly every temptation, repulse every sin, that you may never incur the wrath of God and have the awful fate of the bad angels. III. CREATION OF MAN. PARADISE. A. Preparation. On the sixth day God created man. To-day I shall tell you how God created man and where He placed him. B. Narration. Points: (a) Creation of the First Man. (b) Paradise, (c) Creation of Eve. C Explanation. (a) God said: "Let us make man to our image and likeness " that is, after the likeness of God ; man, then, was to be an image of God ; he was to resemble God. " And let him have dominion." Therefore, man is the highest and most perfect creature on earth, the lord of the earth, the crown of all creation. " And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul." The soul, then, is the breath of God, something Godlike. (b) Paradise or Eden, a garden of delight, probably in the neighborhood of the present Armenia. "And the Lord God brought forth of the ground all manner of trees, fair to behold and pleasant to eat of: the tree of life also in the midst of paradise : and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." " The tree of life" so called because its fruit had received from God the power to give health, beauty, and youth to man. "The tree of knowledge of good and evil" so called because those who ate of its fruits were to know within themselves the difference between good and evil. " And the Lord God took man, and put him into the paradise of pleasure, to dress it, and to keep it." He was not to dress it in order to obtain from it the necessary nourishment, but simply for his own delight. "And he commanded him, saying: Of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, for in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death " that is, he and his descendants were to die ; that is, incur death; whereas, if he obeyed God's command, he and his descendants were never to know death. (c) "And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone." As a being endowed with understanding, he could not alone entertain him- (O 54- CREATION OF MAN. PARADISE. 9 self with creatures not endowed with reason, nor enjoy the gifts of God. In order that Adam might recognize his own need of a help like unto himself, God brought before him all the animals He had made. " But for Adam there was not found a helper like himself. Then the Lord cast a deep sleep upon Adam, and he took one of his ribs and made it into a woman, and brought her to Adam." Adam was indeed delighted to find a being like unto himself, and he said : " This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." " And God blessed them, saying : Increase and multiply, and fill the earth ;" that is, people the earth with their descendants, their children, and their children's children. And God gave them sanctifying grace. D. Commentary. (i) The Doctrine of Man. (a) Nature and existence of the same. God created the body of man from the slime of the earth and breathed into this dead body a living soul, an immortal soul. How did God create Adam, the first man? (b) The image of God in man. This is a twofold likeness. The natural and the supernatural gifts in which he resembles God. The natural gifts consist in these, that the human soul is immortal and endowed with understanding and free will, gifts which belong to the nature, the being of man. The supernatural gifts consisted in these, that the first man possessed sanctifying grace, that he was endowed with great knowledge, and was free from all inclination to evil; that he was not subject to hardships, sufferings, or death. These were supernatural gifts, because they were above, beyond nature the nature of man could not assume them, could not claim them. They were supernatural. How was the first man the image of God ? In what do the natural gifts consist ? In what, the super- natural F 1 (2) Attributes of God. God's infinite love and goodness. God loved Adam and Eve with a great love, and showered His favors upon them. Therefore we speak of the infinite goodness of God. What do you mean by saying God is good ?* (3) The Bkssed Trinity. By the words, " Let us," etc., it is con- cluded that there are several Persons in One God. How many divine Persons are there in one God ?* ' E. Moral Application. We have seen how God loved our first parents and bestowed His numberless blessings upon them. Thus God loves all mankind, including us all. Think of the manifold blessings God, out of the abundance of His love, has already be- stowed upon you. (Examples.) Therefore you must love God, who has so loved you, with your whole hearts, and try in every way to please Him. This you can do in all your actions by consecrating (i) 106. (a) 2cx Cs) 23. jo TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. them to Him with the thought: All for the love and greater glory of God. The instruction closes with a prayer to the honor of God. IV. THE FALL OF MAN. THE PROMISE OF A SAVIOUR. A. Preparation. Although the command God gave to our first parents was so easy of fulfilment, they did not keep it. In to-day's instruction I shall tell you how Adam and Eve fell into sin, how God punished them, and how He promised them a Saviour. B. Narration. Points : (a) Fall of our First Parents, (b) Their bad conscience, (c) Punishment pronounced upon the serpent and the promise of a Redeemer, (d) Punishment pronounced upon Adam and Eve. (e) Their expulsion from paradise. C. Explanation. (a) The devil grudged man his happiness because he him- self was unhappy; he was moved by hatred and envy to harm man; he took the shape of a serpent to deceive the woman Eve. " Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made " " Subtle," that is, cunning, sly, deceitful. " And the serpent (that is, the devil, who spoke through the serpent) said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?" The devil cunningly hides his true aspect; therefore, he does not ask Eve to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree against the express command of God. Only after having roused in Eve a doubt as to God's veracity, His justice, does he suggest to her to disobey Him. Once having listened to the tempta- tion, Eve was easily persuaded to believe the devil rather than God. " The serpent said to the woman : No ; you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil ; " meaning their spiritual eyes would be opened and that they would have a higher knowledge than they had before possessed. " You shall be as gods." In order to move the still hesitating Eve to commit sin, the devil made use of a lie. Through it Eve was tempted by pride, which, as in the case of the angels, brought about her fall. (&) "And the eyes of them both were opened;" that is, they realized that the devil, in the guise of a serpent, had shamefully deceived them. " Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God." They were afraid before God. " And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him : Where art thou? " Where (into what sad condition) have you fallen? " And Adam answered: I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." "Naked" not only in body, but in soul, which had been deprived of its beautiful robe of innocence. "The Lord said: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?" This question was put to Adam by the all- knowing God, to move him to a repentant acknowledgment of his guilt, (c) "And Adam said: The woman whom thou gavest me to be my com- panion gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said to the woman : THE FALL OF MAN. THE PROMISE OF A SAVIOUR. n Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me" that is, lied to me " and I did eat. And the Lord said to the serpent : Because thou hast done this thing " meaning, because thou hast made thyself a tool of the devil : the first part of the punishment " thou are cursed among all cattle and beasts of the earth ; upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life "applied to the serpent ; the second part" I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel " applied to the devil, who had thought that man, having been tempted to fall, would in the future cleave to him. Instead of this, God made known to him that enmity would be between him and mankind, and that one of the woman's seed (that is, one of the descendants), Mary, should crush his power. And he would lay his snares for her in vain. By giving birth to the Saviour of the world Mary conquered the devil. (rners of the ark : let two rings be on one side and two on the other. Thou lit make bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold, and 8o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. thou shalt put them in through the rings that are in the sides of the ark, that it may be carried on them. And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee. Thou shalt make also a propitiatory of the purest gold." (" Propitiatory," a covering for the ark, a propitiatory or mercy seat as from thence God showed mercy.) Thou shalt make two cherubims of beaten gold. Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory. Thou shalt make also a candlestick of beaten work of the finest gold. Thou shalt make also seven lamps, and shalt set them upon the candlestick, to give light over against" (xxv. 10-14, 16-18, 20, 31, 37). (fc) "And thou shalt make the taber- nacle in this manner: thou shalt make ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, diversified with embroidery. The length of one curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, the breadth shall be four cubits. All the curtains shall be of one measure. Five curtains shall be joined one to another, and the other five shall be coupled together in like manner. Thou shalt make also fifty rings of gold wherewith the veils of the curtain are to be joined, that it may be made one tabernacle. Thou shalt make also another cover to the roof of rams' skins dyed red; and over that again another cover of violet colored skins. Thou shalt make also the boards of the tabernacle standing upright of setim wood. Thou shalt make also a veil of violet and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, wrought with embroidered work, and goodly variety: And thou shalt hang it up before four pillars of setim wood, which themselves also shall be over- laid with gold, and shall have heads of gold, but sockets of silver. And the veils shall be hanged on with rings, and within it thou shalt put the ark of the testimony, and the sanctuary, and the holy of holies shall be divided with it" (xxvi. 1-33). "The sanctuary," etc., that part of the tabernacle which was without the veil, into which the priests daily entered, is here called the sanctuary, or holy place; that part which was within the veil, into which no one but the high priest ever went, and he but once a year, is called the holy of holies, literally the sanctuary of the sanctuaries, as being the most holy of all holy places. "And thou shalt set the propitiatory upon the ark of the testimony, in the holy of holies. And the table without the veil: and over against the table the candlestick in the south side of the tabernacle: for the table shall stand on the north side" (xxvi. 34, 35). "The table" on which were to be placed the twelve loaves of proposition, or, as they are called in the Hebrew, the face bread, because they were always to stand before the face of the Lord in His temple as a figure of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Sacrament, in the Church of Christ, (c) " Thou shalt make also an altar of setim wood, which shall be five cubits long and as many broad, that is four square and three cubits high. And there shall be horns at the four corners of the same and thou shalt cover it with brass. And thou shalt make for the uses thereof pans to receive the ashes, and tongs and fleshhooks, and fire pans : all its vessels thou shalt make of brass. Thou shalt make also an altar to burn incense, of setim wood" (this burning of incense was an emblem of prayer, ascending to God from an inflamed heart). "Thou shalt make also a brazen laver with its foot, to wash in: and thou shalt set it between the tabernacle of the testimony and the altar. And water being put into it, Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet in it: when they are going into the tabernacle of the testimony, and when they are to come THE TABERNACLE. 81 to the altar, to offer on it incense to the Lord" (that is, the priests were to wash their hands therein) (xxvii. 1-3; xxx. I, 18-20). (d) "And thou shalt make the holy oil of unction, an ointment compounded after the art of the perfumer, and therewith thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the testimony, and the ark of the testament, and the table with the vessels thereof, the candlestick and furniture thereof, the altars of incense, and of holocaust, and all the furniture that belongeth to the service of them. And thou shalt sanctify all, and they shall be most holy: he that shall touch them shall be sanctified. Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and shalt sanctify them, that they may do the office of priesthood unto me. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying : Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: See that thou keep my sabbath: because it is a sign between me and you in your generations : that you may know that I am the Lord, who sanctify you" (xxx. 25-30; xxxi. 12, 13). The cloud covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the glory of the Lord filled it. For the cloud of the Lord hung over the tabernacle by day, and a fire by night, in the sight of all the children of Israel (xl. 32-36). D. Commentary. i. The Tabernacle and its Meaning. There being but one God, so among the Israelites there was but one sanctuary. The tabernacle could be disjoined and carried from place to place during the wanderings of the Israelites. The holy of holies con- tained the ark of the covenant, which was to remind the people of their covenant with God. It concealed the tables of the law, a vessel containing manna, in memory of God's goodness in the wilderness, and later also the blooming rod of Aaron. The cherubims on the cover of the ark were a sign of God's perpetual protection over Israel. In the sanctuary where the priests were to offer their sacrifice were: (a) The altar of incense, the fragrant scent from which rose as a reminder to the Israelites to lift their hearts to God and preserve their souls in the sweet odor of virtue, (b) The candle- stick with its seven lamps was a figure of the light of the Holy Ghost and His sevenfold grace, the ever-burning lights a sign of faith ever living in good works, while the self-consuming flames demonstrated the burning love one should have for God, consuming, if necessary, one's every power and force to serve Him and keep His commandments, (c) The table for the loaves of proposition. To remind the people that every good gift comes from God and incite them to show gratitude. The veil which was to separate the sanctuary from the holy of holies was a reminder that the gates of heaven were still closed by sin. In the forecourt in which the Israelites worshipped stood: (i) The altar of holocaust, which with its bloody sacrifice gave warning to the people that they, through sin, were also deserving of death and should do penance. 82 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. (2) The brazen laver was a reminder of the purity of heart with which priest and people should appear before God. 2. The Taber- nacle a Figure of the Catholic Church. There was but one taber- nacle; there is but one true Church. The tabernacle reminded the Israelites of the covenant of the Old Law; the Church reminds us of the true and eternal union of God with us His children. The law is no longer engraved on tables of stone, but in the hearts of the faithful. The ark of the covenant with the manna bears a re- markable likeness to the tabernacle of our altar in which is pre- served the true Bread of Heaven, our divine Saviour, in His Sacra- ment of Love. The pillar of a cloud which covered the tabernacle is a figure of the presence of God in the Catholic Church. Instead of the smoke from the burnt offering in the tabernacle arise the prayers of the faithful in the Church of God, as a sweet odor of incense. The light of the seven-armed candlestick puts us in mind of the light of the gospel of the New Law. The seven arms were a figure of the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Ghost and of the seven Sacraments. The table of the loaves of proposition was a figure of the altar in the Catholic Church upon which, under the appear- ance of bread, Christ daily offers Himself in sacrifice. The altar of holocaust was a figure of the cross upon which the " Lamb of God " shed His precious blood. The brazen laver was a figure of the baptismal font and the confessional, in which, by the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance, sins are washed away and purity of soul restored; it was also a figure of the vessel in which the priest washes his fingers before the consecration in the Mass and of the holy water font at the entrance of the church of God. E. Moral Application. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the holy of holies, and he but once a year. You may enter daily into the very presence of God hidden under the Sacramental veil, in the tabernacles of our altars. Earthly friends may weary of you, you may not always be welcome to their houses, but your Saviour never wearies of you; you are always welcome to enter into His house. Nay, he invites you, He pleads with you to come and visit Him. He is always ready to listen to all your joys, to all your sorrows ; go to Him then often, never pass His house, the church, without entering, if only to say " Good day, my Jesus ! " Think of Him so often alone and forsaken in the great Sacrament of His love. THE HIGH PRIEST. THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES. 83 XL. THE HIGH PRIEST. THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES. A. Preparation. For the service of God in the tabernacle one of the twelve tribes of Israel was destined, according to God's command. The head or first priest was called the high priest. In their sacred services the priests were aided by the Levites. B. Narration. (a) Election of the tribe of Levi. (b) Con- secration of the priests and Levites. (c) Vestments of the high priests and the priests. C. Explanation. (a) Each of the twelve sons of Jacob had branched out, through his descendants, into numerous families. The descendants of each son therefore formed a tribe ; one of these tribes, that of Levi, was chosen by God for the priesthood. "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Bring the tribe of Levi, and make them stand in the sight of Aaron, the priest, to minister to him, and let them keep the vessels of the tabernacle, serving in the ministry thereof. And thou shalt give the Levites for a gift, to Aaron and to his sons, to whom they are delivered by the children of Israel. But thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons over the service of priesthood. I have taken the Levites from the children of Israel. For every firstborn among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. For every firstborn is mine, since I struck the firstborn in the land of Egypt: I have sanctified to myself whatsoever is firstborn in Israel both of man and beast, they are mine, I am the Lord" (Num. iii. 5-13). The firstborn male child was conse- crated to the priesthood and the firstborn of beast offered in sacrifice, (b) (i) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Take the Levites out of the midst of the children of Israel and thou shalt purify them, according to this rite: Let them be sprinkled with the water of purification (the water from the brazen laver in the forecourt). And when the Levites are before the Lord, the children of Israel shall put their hands upon them : And Aaron shall offer the Levites, as a gift in the sight of the Lord from the children of Israel, that they may serve in His ministry. And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his sons and shalt consecrate them. (2) And Moses did as the Lord had commanded. And all the multitude being gathered together before the door of the tabernacle, immediately he offered Aaron and his sons : And then he vested the high priest. He took also the oil of unction and poured it upon Aaron's head, and he anointed and consecrated him. And after he had offered his sons he vested them. And taking the ointment, and the blood that was upon the altar, he sprinkled Aaron and his vestments, and his sons and their vestments with it" (Lev. viii. 4-30). (c) "And these shall be the vestments that they shall make : a rational and an ephod, a tunic and a straight linen garment, a mitre and a girdle" (Ex. xxviii. 4). "The rational," this part of the priest's attire, he wore at his breast; it was called the rational of judgment because it admonished both priests and people of 84 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. their duty to God, as upon it were engraved the names of all their tribes. The vestments consisted of (i) a white linen garment, (2) a girdle, (3) a white head dress (alb, cincture and amice of the priest of the New Law). There was also the mitre (still used by the bishops of the New Law), which signifies the royalty of the priesthood. "And Moses did as the Lord had commanded. He vested the high priest with the straight linen garment, girding him with the girdle and putting on him the violet tunic, and over it the ephod, and binding it with the girdle, he fitted it to the rational. He put also the mitre upon his head, and upon the mitre over the forehead he put the plate of gold" (Lev. viii. 4, 7-9). D. Commentary. The Tribe of Levi was Chosen According to God's Will for the Priestly Office because it did not take part in the Dread Sin of Idolatry (the worship of the golden calf) . (a) The priesthood in the Old Law. The high priest was God's representative on earth, the spiritual head of the people of Israel and their mediator with God. The priests offered the daily sacrifice in the tabernacle, kept the seven lamps of the candlestick burning, and gave the blessing to the people congregated in the forecourt. The Levites helped the priests in their sacred duties, kept watch over the taber- nacle, carried the separate parts of the tabernacle of the testimony as well as the sacred vessels (with the exception of the ark of the covenant) on the journeyings of the Israelites, and attended to the cleansing of the tabernacle, (b) The Priests of the Old Law Figures of the Priests of the New Law. The high priests and Levites are figures in the Old Law of the Pope ; bishops, priests and their servers of the New Law. E. Moral Application. The priesthood of the New Law was also instituted by God. Always cherish a great reverence for the Holy Father the Pope, for the bishops and the priests of God. They are set over you by God's decree and it is their duty to in- struct you and to lead you to eternal salvation. Obey them, be- cause to them Christ said : " He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me" (Luke x. 16). XLI. THE SACRIFICE OF THE OLD LAW. A. Preparation. According to the will of God the priests were to offer daily sacrifice to Him. B. Narration. (a) Bloody sacrifices. (b) Unbloody sacri- fices, (c) The daily sacrifice. THE SACRIFICE OF THE OLD LAW. 85 C Explanation. (a) " Speak to the children of Israel and thou shalt say to them: The man among you that shall offer to the Lord a sacrifice of the cattle, that is, offering victims of oxen and sheep, if his offering be a holo- caust, and of the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish, at the door of the testimony to make the Lord favorable to him: And he shall immolate the calf before the Lord, and the priests, the sons of Aaron shall offer the blood thereof, pouring it round about the altar, which is before the door of the tabernacle. (6) When any one shall offer an oblation of sacrifice to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense, and shall bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priest: and one of them shall put up a memorial upon the altar for a most sweet savor to the Lord. And whatsoever is left shall be Aaron's and his sons, holy of holies of the offerings of the Lord. Every oblation that is offered to the Lord shall be made without leaven, neither shall any leaven or honey be burnt in the sacrifice to the Lord. (No leaven or honey was to be used in the sacrifice offered to God: to signify that we are to exclude from the pure worship of the Gospel all double dealing and affection to carnal pleasures. Whatsoever sacrifice thou offerest, thou shalt season it with salt, neither shalt thou take away the salt of the covenant of thy God from thy sacrifice. In all thy oblations thou shalt offer salt. (Salt was to be used as an emblem of wisdom and discretion, without which none of our performances are agree- able to God, and because salt is an emblem of purity, as it prevents cor- ruption.) And they shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings, for an oblation to the Lord" (Lev. i. 2, 3, 5; ii. I, 2, 10, II, 13; iii. 3). (Such sacrifices as were offered either on occasion of blessing received or to obtain new favors. In these some part of the victim was consumed with fire on the altar of God; other parts were eaten by the priests and by the persons for whom the sacrifice was offered. There were also offerings for sin, Sacrifices then were offered to God for four different ends or intentions: 1. By way of adoration, homage, praise and glory due to His divine majesty. 2. By way of thanksgiving for all benefits received from Him. 3. By way of confessing and craving pardon for sins. 4. By way of prayer and petition for grace and relief in all necessities.) (c) "All that I have commanded thee thou shalt do unto Aaron and his sons. Seven days shalt thou consecrate their hands: And thou shalt offer a calf for sin every day for expiation. Seven days shalt thou expiate the altar and sanctify it, and it shall be most holy. Every one that shall touch it shall be holy. This is what thou shalt sacrifice upon the altar: Two lambs of a year old every day continually" (Ex. xxix. 35-38). D. Commentary. i. Sacrifice is the Oldest and Most Perfect Way of Showing Honor to God. God is the possessor of every created thing. To man is only given the use of the things created. The one offering sacrifice in the Old Law chose the best of that over which he had charge and brought before God, offering it up in acknowledgment that God was the absolute master of the life and death of all creatures. In offering sacrifice to God we 86 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. acknowledge God's supreme dominion over all things and our entire dependence on Him. What is a sacrifice? 1 Sacrifice is as old as mankind. The sons of Adam (Cain and Abel) offered as they undoubtedly had learned from their parents. Of what other sacrifices have we learned? From now on sacrifices are strictly ordained by God. Have there been sacrifices at all times therefore ? 2. The Sacrifices of the Old Law were Figures of the Sacrifice of the New Law. As in the Old Law there were bloody and unbloody sacri- fices, so also in the New Law do we find a bloody sacrifice the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and an unbloody sacrifice the sacrifice of the Mass. The partaking of that which was offered in the peace sacrifice of the Old Law was a figure of Holy Com- munion in the New Law. The animals and other creatures sacri- ficed to God in the Old Law were to be by God's command with- out a blemish. So in the New Law the Lamb of Sacrifice, Christ Jesus, is without spot or stain, and the offerings, the appearance of bread and wine, are a " clean oblation." The daily sacrifice of the Old Law pointed to the perpetual daily sacrifice of the New Law. " From the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation" (Mai. i. n). Therefore the sacrifices of the Old Law were but symbols or figures of the sacrifice of the New Law. Why were the sacrifices of the Old Law abolished ? What is the sacrifice of the New Law ? E. Moral Application. The Israelites showed the greatest atten- tion and respect when present at their sacrifices; yet their sacrifices were but figures of that great sacrifice which we have the privi- lege, the honor, of attending. Have the greatest reverence for the sacrifice of the Mass ; there is no act so holy, so pleasing to God, so rich in graces and blessings. Think of that loving Saviour who offered Himself up for us on the cross ; think of His suffering, His dreadful agony. You were not there to console Him then ; but now, when He offers Himself daily in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, you can show your love for Him by the greatest respect and devo- tion whenever you have the happiness of being present at Mass. XLII. FEASTS AND HOLY SEASONS. A. Preparation. According to God's command certain days and seasons should be deemed especially holy by the Israelites, and these feasts were to be celebrated with great solemnity. :(i) 264. FEASTS AND HOLY SEASONS. 87 B. Narration. (a) The three principal feasts, (b) The day of atonement, (c) The Sabbath year and jubilee. C. Explanation. (a) "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them : These are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall call holy. Six days shall ye do work: the seventh day, because it is the rest of the sabbath, shall be called holy. You shall do no work on that day: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your habitations. These also are the holy days of the Lord, which you must celebrate in their seasons: The first month, the fourteenth day of the month at evening, is the phase of the Lord (the Easter or Pasch) : And the fifteenth day of the same month is the solemnity of the unleavened bread of the Lord. Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread. The first day shall be most solemn unto you, and holy: you shall do no servile work thereon. You shall count therefore from the morrow after the sabbath, wherein you offered the sheaf of the firstfruits, seven full weeks, that is to say fifty days, and so you shall offer a new sacrifice to the Lord. And you shall offer with the loaves seven lambs without blemish, of the first year, and one calf from the herd and two rams, and they shall be for a holocaust with their libations for a most sweet odor to the Lord. You shall offer also a buck goat for sin, and two lambs of the first year for sacrifices of peace offerings. And when the priest hath lifted them up with the loaves of the firstfruits before the Lord they shall fall to his use. And you shall call this day most solemn, and most holy. You shall do no servile work therein " (Lev. xxiii. 1-7, 15, 16, 18-21). "Three times in a year shall all thy males (from twelve years old and upward) appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of taber- nacles" (Deut. xvi. 16). (fc) "Upon the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the day of atonement, it shall be most solemn, and shall be called holy: and you shall afflict your souls on that day and shall offer a holocaust to the Lord. You shall do no servile work in the time of this day, because it is a day of propitiation, that the Lord, your God, may be merciful unto you." The high priest entered the holy of holies, the only time in the entire year, on this day. (c) "Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: when you shall have entered into the land which I will give you observe the rest of the sabbath to the Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and shalt gather the fruits thereof: But in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath to the land, of the resting of the Lord: thou shalt not sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard. Thou shalt also number to thee seven weeks of years, that is to say seven times seven, which together maketh forty-nine years. And thou shalt sanctify the fiftieth year, and shalt proclaim remission to all the inhabitants of thy land: for it is the year of jubilee. Every one shall return to his pos- session and every one shall go back to his former family" (xxiii. 27, 28; xxv. 2-4, 8, 10). D. Commentary. The Jewish feasts were figures of the Chris- 88 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. tian feasts. As the Israelites celebrated three great feasts (the Day of Atonement was not a feast, but a day of fasting and prayer), so in the Catholic Church are celebrated three great feasts Easter, Pentecost and Corpus Christi of which the Feast of Tabernacles was a figure. The Day of Atonement was a symbol of our Good Friday, upon which Christ died for the sins, not of one people but of all mankind. Which is the first commandment of the Church? 1 What does the Church command by this first commandment? E. Moral Application. Never be tempted to miss Mass on Sun- days and holy days of obligation. Enter into the spirit of the feasts. Try also to assist at High Mass and listen attentively to the sermon or instruction ; for " he that is of God heareth the words of God " (John viii. 47). Also make it a point not to lose benedic- tion without good cause. What more beautiful way to sanctify the day than by receiving a blessing from the loving hands of your Saviour hidden in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. XLIIL THE SPIES. A. Preparation. For about one year the Israelites remained at Sinai, then they continued their march toward the Promised Land; when on the borders of the same they sent out men to view the land. B. Narration. (a) The lies of the spies. The people murmur, (b) Moses intercedes with God for the people. Sudden death of the spies, (c) The disobedience and defeat of the people. C. Explanation. (a) "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Send men to view the land of Chanaan, which I will give to the children of Israel, one of every tribe of the rulers. And Moses sent them, and said to them : View the land, see what sort it is: and the people that are the inhabitants thereof, whether they be strong or weak: few in number or many" (Num. xiii. 2, 3, 18, 19). These men then were sent out to find the nature of the in- habitants and of the land in order to know whether or not it would be easy to conquer. "And they that went to spy out the land returned after forty days, having gone round all the country, and came to Moses and Aaron and to all the assembly of the children of Israel to the desert of Pharan, which is in Cades (see map). And speaking to them and to all the multitude, they shewed them the fruits of the land: And they related and said: We came into the land to which thou sentest us, which in very deed floweth with milk and honey (meaning a very fruitful land) as may be known by these fruits: But it hath very strong inhabitants, and the cities are great and walled. (O 389- THE SPIES. 89 Wherefore the whole multitude crying wept that night And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying: Would God that we had died in Egypt and would God we may die in this vast wilderness, and that the Lord may not bring us into this land, lest we fall by the sword, and our wives and children be led away captives. Is it not better to return into Egypt? But Josue, the son of Hun, and Caleb, the son of Jephone, who of themselves also had viewed the land, rent their garments (to show their contrition for having lied to the people) and said to all the multitude of the children of Israel: The land which we have gone round is very good: If the Lord be favorable, He will bring us into it, and give us a land flowing with milk and honey. Be not rebellious against the Lord and fear ye not the people of this land, for we are able to eat them up as bread. All aid is gone from them : the Lord is with us, fear ye not. And when all the multi- tude cried out, and would have stoned them, the glory of the Lord appeared over the tabernacle of the covenant to all the children of Israel. (6) And the Lord said to Moses: How long will this people detract me? How long will they not believe me for all the signs that I have brought before them? I will strike them therefore with pestilence, and will consume them : but thee I will make a ruler over a great nation, and a mightier than this is. And Moses said to the Lord: Forgive, I beseech thee, the sins of this people, ac- cording to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast been merciful to them from their going out of Egypt unto this place. And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word. But yet all the men that have seen my majesty, and the signs that I have done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, shall not see the land. Say therefore to them: In the wilderness shall your carcasses lie. All you that were numbered from twenty years old and upward, and have murmured against me." That is, those of God's chosen people over the age of twenty who after all the signs and wonders He had shown unto them still murmured against and mistrusted Him, should never enter the Promised Land, but all of those under twenty should yet enter into it. " Therefore all the men, whom Moses had sent to view the land, and who at their return had made the whole multitude to murmur against him, speaking ill of the land that it was naught, died and were struck in the sight of the Lord. But Josue and Caleb lived, of all them that had gone to view the land." The ten who did not repent were struck dead, but the two who, confessing their lie, repented were forgiven, (c) "And Moses spoke all these words to all the children of Israel. And behold rising up very early in the morning, they went up to the top of the mountain and said: We are ready to go up to the place of which the Lord hath spoken: For we have sinned. And Moses said to them : Go not up, for the Lord is not with you : lest you fall before your enemies. But they being blinded went up to the top of the mountain. But the ark of the testament of the Lord and Moses departed not from the camp. And the Amalecite came down and the Chanaanite that dwelt in the mountain : and hunting and slaying them pursued them as far as Horma (see map)" (xiv. 26, 44, 45). The people, puffed up with pride, thought they could enter the Promised Land without God's help, disobeying Him, for He had said through Moses that they were never to enter the land 9 o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. of Chanaan; they attempted to enter and were overcome, slain and pursued by the Chanaanites. D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His justice. The unbelieving and embittered people wished to stone to death the two spies, Josue and Caleb, after they had confessed their lie. They also murmured against God and against Moses because they had been led out of Egypt. Therefore God punished them by forbidding their entrance into the Promised Land. When they attempted an entrance against God's will they suffered a dreadful defeat. This was a well-merited punishment (also the punishment of the ten unre- pentant spies). What is this attribute of God by which He rewards the good and punishes the wicked according to their desserts ? What do you mean by saying "God is just"? (b) His mercy. The race of Israel deserved to be removed from the earth, but Moses interceded and God again forgave them. He showed them mercy. What do you mean by saying " God is merciful " ? 2. The Sins of the People, (a) God had so often shown His power and His good- ness to the Israelites (when He led them out of bondage, and in the manifold blessings bestowed upon them during their sojourn in the wilderness) that they should have remained firm in their confidence and belief in Him when the ten messengers returned and cried down the land to mislead the people. The Israelites sinned against faith and against hope. (First commandment.) How do we sin against faith ? % How do we sin against hope P 2 The people cried out against God. They became angry and spoke of Him with contempt, that is, blasphemed. Therefore God said to Moses : " How long will this people detract me ? " ( Second com- mandment.) What is blaspheming? Do we commit sin by blas- phemous thoughts? The people wished that they might die in the wilderness, saying : " Would God we may die in this vast wilder- ness ! " They wished, therefore, evil to themselves. This is called cursing. What is cursing? When Josue and Caleb acknowledged their guilt and tried to appease the people, the latter became more angry and wished to stone them to death. (Fifth commandment.) What does God forbid by this fifth commandment? 8 What does God command by the fifth commandment?* 3. The Sins of the Spies, (a) Lying. The messengers cried down the land of Chanaan, stating that the people would be crushed by the strong inhabitants of the same. This was a deliberate and intentional de- nial of the truth. What is meant by a lie? (b) Scandal. By (i) 321. (2) 327. (3) 368. (4) 367- SABBATH BREAKER. SCHISM OF CORE. AARON'S ROD. 91 their lies the messengers incited the people to doubt and mistrust God and to do all the above-mentioned sins. When we incite, advise or help our neighbor to do evil, we scandalize him. (Fifth com- mandment.) When do we injure our neighbor spiritually? When do we scandalize our neighbor? Is scandal a great sin? E. Moral Application. Detest lying from the bottom of your heart. " Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord " (Prov. xii. 22). God often severely punishes lies even in this world. The sudden deaths of the ten unrepentant spies is an example. There is something so contemptible, so shameful about a lie that man's nature revolts. Love truth and avoid everything that seeks to hide the truth. Avoid the slightest prevarication or exaggeration. If lying lips are an abomination, truthful lips must be beautiful in the sight of God. XLIV. THE SABBATH BREAKER. THE SCHISM OF CORE. AARON'S ROD. A. Preparation. While the Israelites still journeyed in the wilderness it chanced that one of their number was caught breaking the Sabbath. How he as well as some who revolted against Moses, Aaron and the priesthood were punished we shall see in to-day's lesson. B. Narration. (a) The punishment of the Sabbath breaker, (b) The schism of Core and his adherents; their punishment, (c) The rod of Aaron. C. Explanation. (a) "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness and had found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day, that they brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole multitude. And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do with him. And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die, let all the multitude stone him without the camp. And when they had brought him out, they stoned him, an'd he died as the Lord had commanded, (fc) And behold Core, the son of Isaar, the son of Caath, the son of Levi, and Datham and Abiron, the sons of Eliab (of the tribe of Ruben), and Hon, the son of Pheleth, of the children of Ruben, rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel, leading men of the synagogue. And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them." That is, they considered that all alike were holy and con- secrated to the Lord, not alone the tribe of Levi. " Why lift you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?" Meaning why should Moses and Aaron 92 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. consider themselves as holding higher places before God. " When Moses heard this he fell flat on his face and speaking to Core and all the multitude, he said: In the morning the Lord will make known who belong to Him, and the holy He will join to Himself: and whom He shall choose they shall approach to Him. Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiron, the sons of Eliab. But they answered : we will not come. Is it a small matter to thee, that thou hast brought us out of a land that flowed with milk and honey, to kill us in the desert, but that thou must rule also like a lord over us ? " Thus revolting against Moses, and the authorized priesthood, they also indirectly revolted against God. " Moses therefore being very angry (this anger was a zeal against sin, and an indignation at the affront offered to God) said to the Lord : Respect not their sacrifices. And he said to Core : Do thou and thy congregation stand apart before the Lord to-morrow and Aaron apart. Take every one of you censers, and put incense upon them, offering to the Lord. When they had done this, and had drawn up all the multitude against them to the door of the tabernacle, the glory of the Lord appeared to them all. And the Lord speaking to Moses and Aaron said: Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may presently destroy them. Command the whole people to separate themselves from the tents of Core and Dathan and Abiron. And Moses said : By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all things that you see. If these men die the common death of men, the Lord did not send me. But if the Lord do a new thing, and the earth opening her mouth swallow them down, and all things that belong to them, and they go down alive into hell, you shall know that they have blasphemed the Lord. And immediately, as he had made an end of speaking, the earth broke asunder under their feet: And opening her mouth devoured them with their tents, and all their substance. And they went down alive into hell, the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people" (Num. xvi. 1-33). The crime of these men which was punished in so remarkable a manner was that of schism, and of rebellion against the authority established by God in the Church, while usurping the priesthood without being lawfully called and sent; the same is the case of all modern sectaries, (r) "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod by their kindreds, of all the princes of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of every man upon his rod. And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all their families (these rods were rods or switches from the almond tree). And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to thee. Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: And I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, wherewith they murmur against you. And when Moses had laid them up before the Lord in the tabernacle of the testimony: He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, had budded : and that the buds swelling it had bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds. Moses therefore brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel: And they saw and every one received their rods. And the Lord said to Moses : Carry back the rod of Aaron into SABBATH BREAKER. SCHISM OF CORE. AARON'S ROD. 93 the tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be kept there for a token of the rebellious children of Israel, and that their complaints may cease from me lest they die" (xvii. i-io). Through this miracle God proved chat the priesthood was instituted by Him that it was a divine institution. D. Commentary. i. God's Justice and Power. These were shown in the punishment meted out to the Sabbath breaker and in that of Core and his followers. What do you mean by saying "God is just"? God worked a great miracle when in one night He caused the rod of Aaron to bud, blossom and bear fruit. To whom alone can miracles be ascribed? What do you mean by saying " God is all-powerful " ? 2. The Desecration of the Sab- bath. According to God's command the man found breaking the Sabbath was punished by death. The severity of this punishment shows us what a serious sin is the desecration of the Sabbath (Sun- day). To-day as well as in the past the breaking of the Sabbath is followed by severe punishment, if not in time then certainly in eternity. Remember, then, to keep holy the Sabbath day. What does God command by the third commandment? 1 Why do we keep the Sunday instead of the Sabbath? How should we keep Sunday holy? What is strictly forbidden on Sunday?* 3. The Sin of Core and His Followers, (a) Pride. Core and his fellow schismatics wished to be, like Aaron and his sons, priests of the Lord. But as the priesthood was instituted by God, and those to serve Him in it chosen by Him, they wrongfully aspired to what was not their right ; they arose in their pride and no longer gave to God the honor due to Him. They refused to submit to His holy will. They treated Moses and Aaron, who were placed over them by God, with contempt, rebelling against their authority. They therefore com- mitted the sin of blasphemy (what is blasphemy?) and the sin of pride. When do we sin by pride? (b) The schism. Moses and Aaron were the spiritual as well as temporal governors of the people, being chosen by God to carry out His laws. Core and his followers refused to obey them longer. Against which command- ment did they sin in this? What does God command by the fourth commandment? 8 Do we owe special honor, love and obedience to any others besides our parents ? From whom do spiritual and tem- poral superiors derive their authority? E. Moral Application. Remember the dreadful punishment meted out to Core and to those who rebelled with him. Honor, love and obey your parents, pastors and teachers. " Honor thy father CO 353. () 358. (3) 361. 94 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. and thy mother, which is the only commandment with a promise: that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be long lived upon earth" (Eph. vi. 2, 3). Always show proper respect and sub- mission to priests, as the representatives of God and the dispensers of His holy mysteries. XLV. THE DOUBTING OF MOSES AND OF AARON. THE BRAZEN SERPENT. A. Preparation. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness even Moses and Aaron so far forgot themselves as to doubt, upon one occasion, God's mercy. The people again murmured against God and were punished by fiery serpents. Having repented their sins they were miraculously saved by God. B. Narration. (a) The doubting of Moses and of Aaron and their punishment, (b) The brazen serpent. C. Explanation. (a) "And the people wanting water came together against Moses and Aaron: And making a sedition said: Would God we had perished among our brethren before the Lord. And Moses and Aaron, leaving the multitude, went into the tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to the Lord, and said: O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur. And the glory of the Lord appeared over them. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Take the rod, and as- semble the people together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield water. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their cattle shall drink. Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he had com- manded him, and having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you forth water out of this rock? And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abun- dance, so that the people and their cattle drank. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them." The fault of Moses and Aaron, on this occasion, was a certain diffidence and weakness of faith ; not doubting of God's power or veracity, but apprehending the unworthiness of that rebellious and incredu- lous people, they doubted if God would again show mercy and help them, (fe) "And when they had removed the camp from Cades, they came to Mount Hor (southeast of Cades), which is in the borders of the land of Edom : where the Lord spoke to Moses : Let Aaron, saith he, go to his people : for he shall not go into the land which I have given the children DOUBTING OF MOSES AND AARON. BRAZEN SERPENT. 95 Israel, because he was incredulous to my words. Take Aaron and his son with him, and bring them up into Mount Hor : And when thou hast stripped the father of his vesture, thou shalt vest therewith Eleazar his son: Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there. Moses did as the Lord had commanded: And they went up into Mount Hor before all the multitude. And when he had stripped Aaron of his vestments, he vested Eleazar his son with them. And Aaron being dead in the top of the mountain he came down with Eleazar. And all the multitude seeing that Aaron was dead, mourned for him thirty days throughout all their families." Aaron died at the age of 123 years (Num. xx. 2-30). "And they marched from Mount Hor by the way that leadeth to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom. And the people began to be weary of their journey and labour: And speaking against God and Moses, they said : Why didst thou bring us out of the land of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we any waters, our soul now loatheth this very light food (so they called the heavenly manna; thus worldlings loath the things of heaven, for which they have no relish). Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit them and killed many of them." "Fiery serpents" so called because they that were bitten by them were burned with a violent heat " Upon which they came to Moses, and said : We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and thee : pray that he may take away these serpents from us: And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to him: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign : Whosoever being struck shall look on it shall live. Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: and all that looked upon it were healed" (xxi. 4-9). D. Commentary. i. God's Faithfulness, Justice and Power. (a) His faithfulness. Aaron's death; he did not enter into the Promised Land, (b) His justice. Punishment of Moses and Aaron for having doubted and of the Israelites for having murmured against God. (c) His power. Water coming out of the rock. 2. Doubts against Faith. God had expressly said to Moses and Aaron : " Speak to the rock and it shall yield water." With strong faith in these divine words they should have given water from out of the rock to the people ; instead, at the moment they had gathered the people before the rock they doubted God's mercy, saying: " Can we bring you forth water out of this rock? " They thus sinned against the absolute faith we owe to God. What is the Christian virtue of faith? 1 Why must we take as true what God has said or revealed? How do we sin against faith? 3 (First commandment.) 3. Purpose of Earthly Sufferings. The Israelites murmured against God; therefore God sent fiery serpents among them. The nation realized its sin, repented and asked for pardon and mercy. God therefore sends physical evils into this world, that the sinner may mend his ways and not be forever lost. If God (i) 107. (2) 321. 96 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. takes care of all things, why is there so much suffering? 4. The Brazen Serpent a Figure of Christ. The guilty Israelites were bitten by serpents, which caused their death. The human race, guilty in the person of Adam, has been bitten by the infernal ser- pent, which causes death to the soul. The brazen serpent was made and put in a conspicuous place; Our Lord became man and was elevated on the cross. Those who looked with faith on the brazen serpent were healed from the bites of the fiery serpents; all who look on Our Lord with faith and love are cured of the wounds in- flicted by the infernal serpent. Nothing but the sight of the brazen serpent could cure the bite of the serpents; nothing but faith and love of Our Lord can cure the wounds which the devil inflicts on our souls. E. Moral Application. Fly from sin as you would from the deadliest serpent. A poisonous serpent may cause death to the body; sin may cause eternal death to the soul. Find out which is your predominant sin, that is, the one you most often commit, and make a strong resolution to most carefully avoid this as well as every other sin. Every morning, on arising, beg God to preserve you from sin throughout the day; call upon your guardian angel to aid you and keep you from falling into sin. XLVI. BALAAM'S PROPHECY. A. Preparation. The Israelites conquered the surrounding country east of the Promised Land. One of the kings of the conquered country wished to have the people cursed by a prophet, thinking that he would then more readily regain the land. Instead, the prophet gave his blessing to the people and prophesied good things to them. B. Narration. (a) Israel's conquests. Balaam's blessing, (b) Balaam's prophecy. C. Explanation. (a) "And Israel sent messengers to Sehon, king of the Amorrhites. And he would not grant that Israel should pass by his borders : but rather gathering an army went forth to meet them in the desert, and came to Jasa, and fought against them. And he was slain by them with the edge of the sword, and they possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jabbok, and to the confines of the children of Ammon: for the borders of the Ammonites were kept with a strong garrison. (Arnon and Jabbok rivers, see map.) So Israel took all his cities, and dwelt in the cities of the Amorrhite, to wit in Hesebon, and in the villages thereof. And Moses sent some t BALAAM'S PROPHECY. 97 view of Jazer: and they took the villages of it, and conquered the inhabi- tants. And they turned themselves, and went up by the way of Basan, and Og the king of Basan came against them with all his people, to fight in Edrai. So they slew him also with his sons and all his people, not letting any one escape, and they possessed his land" (Num. xxi. 21-35). And they went forward and encamped in the plains of Moab, over against where Jericho is situated beyond the Jordan. And Balac the son of Sephor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorrhite, and that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault (the land of Balac, king of the Moabites, lay to the east of the Dead Sea), sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, a soothsayer, who dwelt by the river of the land of the children of Ammon to call him, and to say: Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me. Come therefore, and curse this people, because it is mightier than I : if by any means I may beat them and drive them out of my land: for I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shalt curse is cursed. He answered : Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. And God said to Balaam: Thou shalt not go with them nor shalt thou curse the people: because it is blessed. The princes return- ing, said to Balac: Balaam would not come with us. Then he sent many more and more noble than before. Balaam answered: If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less. I pray you to stay here this night also, that I may know what the Lord will answer me once more." By desiring them to stay, after he had been fully informed already that it was not God's will he should go, he gave way to the inclination he had to gratify Balac for the sake of wordly gain. God punished his perverse disposition by permitting him to go (though not to curse the people as he would have willingly done), and suffering him to fall still deeper and deeper into sin, till he came at last to give that abominable counsel against the people of God, which ended in his own destruction. So sad a thing it is to indulge a passion for money! " God therefore came to Balaam in the night and said to him : If these men come to call thee, arise and go with them: yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee. Balaam arose in the morning and saddling his ass went with them. And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam, who sat on the ass and had two servants with him. The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way, the angel stood in a narrow place be- tween two walls, wherewith the vineyards were enclosed. And the ass seeing him, thrust herself close to the wall, and bruised the foot of the rider, but he beat her again. And when the ass saw the angel standing she fell under the feet of the rider : who being angry beat her sides more vehemently with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass (the angel moved the tongue of the ass, to utter these speeches, to rebuke, by the mouth of a brute beast, the brutal fury and folly of Balaam) and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time? Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill : I would I had a sword 98 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. that I might kill thee. The ass said : Am not I thy beast on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? Tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee? But he said: Never. Forthwith the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword, and he worshipped him, falling flat on the ground. The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes. And when Balac heard of it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situated in the uttermost borders of Arnon. So they went on together, and came into a city that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom. And Balaam said to Balac: Stand awhile by the burnt offering, until I go to see if perhaps the Lord will meet me, and whatsoever he shall command, I will speak to thee. And the Lord put the word in his mouth, and said: Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak. And taking up his parable, he said : Balac, king of the Moabites, hath brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east: Come, said he, and curse Jacob: make haste and detest Israel. How shall I curse him whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him whom the Lord detesteth not? I shall see him from the tops of the rocks, and shall consider him from the hills. This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob and know the number of the stock of Israel? Let my soul die the death of the just, and my last end be like to them. I was brought to bless the blessing I will not hinder. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the victory of the king in him. (b) Behold the people shall rise up as a lioness, and shall lift itself up as a lion: The hearer of the words of God (the words God made known to Balaam) hath said, who knoweth the doc- trine of the Highest, and seeth the visions of the Almighty, who falling hath his eyes opened: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him but not near (only in the distant future). A star shall rise out of Jacob and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel (from one of the descendants of Jacob) : And shall strike the chiefs of Moab, and shall waste all the children of Seth " (meaning by this all the pagan peoples) (xxii. 1-39; xxiii. 3-24; xxiv. 16, 17). D. Commentary. i. God's Power and Omniscience. God forced Balaam, against his will, to bless the people of Israel. Which at- tribute of God did this show ? What do you mean by saying " God is all-powerful " ? God made the future known to Balaam. Who alone can know what the future will bring forth? What is this attribute of God ? What do you mean by saying " God is omnis- cient " ? 2. The Prophecy of the Messias. Balaam prophesied that in the distant future one would come, who would rise like a star, who would be the prince of princes, and that He would over- come all pagan peoples. " A star shall rise out of Jacob and a sceptre spring up from Israel : and shall strike the chiefs of Moab." This prophecy foretold the coming of the Saviour. He came from the chosen people, Israel^ about 1450 years after Balaam, and shone MOSES' LAST EXHORTATION AND HIS DEATH. 99 like a bright star before men, enlightening all mankind. He estab- lished His kingdom on earth the Church. He overcame and still overcomes the pagans, bringing them into the one, true Christian fold. E. Moral Application. God prevented Balaam from cursing the people of Israel. God, being all-holy, loves and wills only what is good. Most carefully guard against the sinful and shameful habit of cursing and swearing. Never defile, by evil words, the lips that speak to God in prayer and receive the sacred body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion. XLVII. MOSES* LAST EXHORTATION AND His DEATH. A. Preparation. The time came when Moses was to die. Before his death he most beautifully admonished the chosen people whom he had led through the wilderness. B. Narration. (a) Moses' last admonition, (b) His death. C. Explanation (a) " Consider "that I have set before thee this day life and good, and on the other hand death and evil: That thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways and keep his commandments and ceremonies and judgments, and thou mayst live, and he may multiply thee and bless thee in the land, which thou shalt possess. But if thy heart be turned away, so that thou wilt not hear, and being deceived with error thou adore strange gods and serve them (the false gods of the pagan Chanaanites) : I foretell thee this day that thou shalt perish, and shalt remain but a short time in the land, to which thou shalt pass over the Jordan, and shalt go in to possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing." It was for them to make their choice, but he exhorted them, saying : " Choose therefore life, that both thou and thy seed may live: And that thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and obey his voice, and adhere to him for he is thy life and the length of thy days that thou mayst dwell in the land, for which the Lord swore to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give to them" (Deut. xxx. 15-20). And Moses went, and spoke all these words to all Israel, and he said to them : I am this day a hundred and twenty years old. I can no longer go out and come in, especially as the Lord also hath said to me : Thou shalt not pass over this Jordan: and this Josue shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. And Moses called Josue, and said to him before all Israel (that all the people might know him to be their new leader in the place of Moses, and give obedience unto him) : Take courage and be valiant: for thou shalt bring this people into the land which the Lord swore he would give to their fathers, and thou shalt divide it by lot. And the Lord who is your leader, he ioo TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. Himself will be with thee : He will not leave thee, nor forsake thee : fear not, neither be dismayed" (xxxi. 1-3, 7, 8). (b) "Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab upon Mount Nebo (east of the Dead Sea) to the top of Phaega over against Jericho : and the Lord shewed him all the land of Galaad as far as Dan. And all Nephtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasses, and all the land of Jucla unto the furthermost sea. And the south part, and the breadth of the plain of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Segor. And the Lord said to him: This is the land, for which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I will give it to thy seed. Thou hast seen it with thy eyes and shalt not pass over to it. And Moses the servant of the Lord died there, in the land of Moab, by the commandment of the Lord : And He buried him in the valley of the land of Moab over against Phogor: and no man hath known of his sepulchre until this present day. God buried him by the ministry of angels, and would have the place of his burial unknown, lest the Israelites, who were so prone to idolatry, might worship him with divine honors. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, neither were his teeth moved (that he was still in his vigor and his strength). And the children of Israel mourned for him in the plains of Moab thirty days : and the days of their mourning in which they mourned for Moses were ended. And Josue the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands upon him. And the children of Israel obeyed him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses. And there arose no more a prophet in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face" (xxxiv. i-io). D. Commentary. I. Moses' Last Exhortation. Moses exhorted the people: (a) To a firm faith in the one true God. This was the more necessary, as the Israelites were again to live among idolaters, (b) To an interior and childlike love for God, who had showered His blessings upon them. What is the commandment of the love of God? What does the commandment of the love of God re- quire of us? (c) To make known to their children the goodness of God and teach them His commandments, (d) To keep all of God's commandments, and thereby bring upon themselves God's richest blessings; if they broke the same, God's curse would be upon them. 2. The Prophecy of the Messias. Moses prophesied that God would call forth a prophet out of Israel. This prophecy was fulfilled in our Saviour, of whom Moses was a figure. 3. God's Justice and Faithfulness. Moses was to die before entering the Promised Land. This was a just punishment for having doubted the mercy of God. What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? In the death of Moses God executed His threat. What is this attribute of God ? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful " ? 4. Moses as a Figure of Christ. When Moses was born, a cruel ENTRANCE INTO THE PROMISED LAND. 101 king put to death the children of the Hebrews; when our Saviour was born, a cruel king put to death the children of Bethlehem and its environs. Moses escapes the fury of Pharao; our Saviour escapes the fury of Herod. Moses is sent to deliver the people from the bondage of Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land; our Saviour is sent by God to deliver the people from the bondage of sin and lead them into heaven. Moses performed great miracles to prove that he was sent by God ; Christ performed great miracles to prove that he was the son of God. Moses fed his people with bread that fell from heaven ; our Saviour feeds men with the living bread which came down from heaven for their salvation. 5. The Virtues of Moses, (a) Moses possessed a great love for his people. For them he left the king's palace in Egypt to encounter the hardships of the Wilderness. He interceded for them with God, even offering himself to God in atonement for their sins, (b) He showed most admirable patience with the people, who even at- tempted once to stone him. (c) His deep piety was proved in his fasting, prayer and direct intercourse with God. (d) His zeal for the honor of God was proved in all his words and works, especially on his return from Sinai and in his last beautiful exhortations before his death. E. Moral Application. Think often of the manifold blessings God has bestowed upon you. Show your love and gratitude in acts of thanksgiving, but most particularly by keeping His com- mandments. " He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me " (John xiv. 21). REVIEW OF THE LIFE OF MOSES. i. Brief description of the journey of the Israelites through the desert. 2. The prophecies of the Messias. 3. Figures of the Mes- sias. 4. What means were employed by the all-wise Providence to preserve the true faith and the memory of the promise of a Redeemer among the people of Israel. THE TIME OF JOSUE AND THE JUDGES (ABOUT 14501095 B. C). XLVIII. ENTRANCE INTO THE PROMISED LAND. A. Preparation. After the death of Moses the Israelites passed over the Jordan, conquered the land of Chanaan, and divided it among the twelve tribes. io2 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. B. Narration. (a) Passage through the Jordan. (b) The conquest of Jericho, (c) Conquest of the remaining lands, (d) Division of the same, (e) The death of Josue. C. Explanation. (a) "And Josue said to the people: Be ye sanctified: for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. So the people went out of their tents to pass over the Jordan : and the priests that carried the ark of the covenant went on before them. And as soon as they came into the Jordan, and their feet were dipped in part of the water (now the Jordan, it being harvest time, had filled the banks of its channel), the waters that came down from above stood in one place, and swelling up like a mountain, were seen afar off from the city that is called Adorn, to the place of Sarthau : but those that were beneath ran down into the sea of the wilderness (which now is called the Dead Sea) until they wholly failed. And the people marched over against Jericho (see map) : and the priests that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, stood girded upon the dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all the people passed over through the channel that was dried U P " (Josue iii. 5, 14-17). With firm faith and confidence in God the people entered the passage made through the Jordan. This miracle had been revealed to Josue by God. "And when the priests that carry the ark of the Lord, the God of the whole earth, shall set the soles of their feet in the waters of the Jordan, the waters that are beneath shall run down and go off : and those that come from above, shall stand together upon a heap" (iii. 13). (fc) "And the people came up out of the Jordan, the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Galgal, over against the east side of the city of Jericho. Now when all the kings of the Amorrhites who dwelt beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of Chanaan, who possessed the places near the great sea, had heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the children of Israel, till they passed over, their heart failed them, and there remained no spirit in them, fearing the coming in of the children of Israel. And the children of Israel abode in Galgal, ami they kept the phase on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the plains of Jericho: And they ate on the next day unleavened bread of the corn of the land. And manna ceased after they ate of the corn of the land, neither did the children of Israel use that food any more, but they ate of the corn of the present year of the land of Chanaan. (There being now sufficient nourishment the manna was no longer neces- sary.) Now Jericho was close shut up and fenced, for fear of the children of Israel, and no man durst go out or come in. And Josue rising before day, the priests took the ark of the Lord, and seven of them seven trumpets which are used in the jubilee: and they went before the ark of the Lord walking and sounding the trumpets: and the armed men went before them, and the rest of the common^ people followed the ark, and they blew the trumpets. And they went around about the city the second day once, and returned into the camp. So they did six days. But the seventh day rising up early they went about the city, as it was ordered seven times. And when in the seventh going about the priests sounded with the trumpets, Josue said to all Israel : Shout : for the Lord hath delivered the city to you : So all the people shouted and the trumpets sounded, when the voice and the sound thundered ENTRANCE INTO THE PROMISED LAND. 103 in the ears of the multitude, the walls forthwith fell down: and every man went up by the place that was over against him: and they took the city. At that time, Josue made an imprecation, saying: Cursed be the man before the Lord that shall raise up and build the city of Jericho. (Jericho, in the mythical sense, signifies iniquity : the sounding of the trumpets by the priests, the preaching of the word of God, by which the walls of Jericho are thrown down, when sinners are converted; and a dreadful curse will light on them who build them up again.) (c) And Josue arose, and all the army of the fighting men with him, to go up against Hai : and he sent thirty thousand chosen valiant men in the night. So Josue and all Israel seeing that the city was taken, and that the smoke of the city rose up, returned and slew the men of Hai. Therefore Adonisedec king of Jerusalem sent to Oham king of He- bron, and to Pharam king of Jerimoth, and to Japhia king of Lachis, and to Dabir king of Eglon, saying: Come up to me, and bring help, that we may take Gabaon, because it hath gone over to Josue, and to the children of Israel. But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon which was besieged sent to Josue. And Josue went up from Galgal, and all the army of warriors with film most valiant men. And the Lord said to Josue : Fear them not : for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them shall be able to stand against thee. Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before them: Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon. And the sun and the moon stood still, till the people had conquered their enemies. The same day Josue took Maceda, and destroyed it, with the edge of the sword. And he passed from Maceda with all Israel to Lebna, and fought against it; from Lebna he passed unto Lachis, with all Israel. And the Lord delivered Lachis into the hands of Israel. And he passed from Lachis to Eglon, and took it the same day. He went up also with all Israel from Eglon to Hebron, and fought against it : took it, and de- stroyed it. Returning from thence to Dabir, he took it and destroyed it. So Josue took all the country of the hills and of the south, and the land of Gosen, and the plains and the west country, and the mountain of Israel and the plains thereof. And part of the mountain that goeth up to Leir as far as Baalgad, by the plain of Libanus under Mount Hermon : all their kings he took and smote and slew" (iv. 19: v. ; viii. 3, 21; x. 3, 39; xi. 16, 17). (d) Josue was old, and far advanced in years (he was then about one hun- dred and one years old), and the Lord said to him: Thou are grown old, and advanced in age, and there is a very large country left, which is not yet di- vided by lot: (not yet possessed by the children of Israel) And now divide the land in possession to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe of Manasses, with whom Ruben and Gad have possessed the land (that is with the other half of that same tribe) which Moses the servant of the Lord delivered to them beyond the river Jordan on the east side: But to the tribe of Levi he gave no possession: but the sacrifices and victims of the Lord God of Israel, are his inheritance, as he spoke to him. (This tribe was to possess no land that they might be unhindered and give themselves up entirely to the service of God. They were to live by the gifts of the others, receive tithes, one-tenth of all that was raised, and also by the sacrifices and victims.) This is what io 4 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. the children of Israel possessed in the land of Chanaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, and the princes of the families by the tribes of Israel gave to them: Dividing all by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, to the nine tribes and the half tribe. For to two tribes and a half Moses had given possession beyond the Jordan: besides the Le- vites, who received no land among their brethren" (xiii. I, 7, 8, 14; xiv. 1-3). (?) "And when a long time was passed, since the Lord had given peace to Israel, all the nations round about being subdued, and Josue being now old and far advanced in years. Josue called for all Israel and for the elders, and for the princes, and for the judges, and for the masters, and said to them: I am old and far advanced in years: And you see all that the Lord your God hath done to all the nations round about, how he himself hath fought for you: Take courage and be careful to observe all things that are written in the book of the law of Moses: and turn not aside from them neither to the right hand nor to the left. Lest that after you are come in among the Gentiles, who will remain among you, you should swear by the name of their gods, and serve them, and adore them : But cleave ye unto the Lord your God: as you have done until this day. This only take care of with all diligence, that you love the Lord your God. And he sent the people away every one to his own possession. And after these things Josue the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died being a hundred and ten years old" (xxiii. I, 9). D. Commentary. i. God's Power and Faithfulness. God worked many miracles in favor of the Israelites upon their entrance into the Promised Land. Name them. (i. The separation of the waters of the Jordan and standing still of the same, that a dry passage be made for the Israelites. 2. The falling of the walls of Jericho. 3. The standing still of the sun.) Who alone can work miracles 1 What do you mean by saying " God is all-powerful " ? On the boundaries of Chanaan Jacob offered sacrifice to God, who promised that He would lead Jacob's descendants back into the land of Chanaan. We see how the promise of God was fulfilled. What is that attribute of God by which He will surely keep His promises and carry out His threats? What do you mean by say- ing " God is faithful " ? 2. The Miracles and their Object. Con- sider the first miracle ! The waters of the Jordan stood still, divid ing themselves and rising like a mountain on either side of a dry passage. This is impossible to any natural power. Who, then, wrought this wonderful work? Consider the falling of the walls of Jericho, not by means of human strength, but at the sound of the trumpets and the shouting of the Israelites, this being the will of God. Again Josue, fearing that the day would close before the entire defeat of his enemies, after addressing the Most High, THE JUDGES. 105 turned toward the sun and said : " Stand thou still ! " and the sun stood still, because nothing is difficult for God; it costs Him no more to stay the sun than it does to put it in motion. Such works, because they are beyond the natural power of man and can be ascribed only to the omnipotence of God, we call miracles. Why do we call such works miracles? These wonderful works of God in favor of the Israelites, and seen by them, certainly should have strengthened their faith and hope in and love for God. 3. Josue a Figure of Christ. Josue signifies Saviour; Jesus signifies Saviour. Josue succeeded Moses, who was not permitted to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land; Our Saviour succeeded Moses, whose law was not sufficient to bring men to heaven. Josue intro- duced the children of Israel into the Holy Land ; Christ introduces the children of God into heaven. Josue after many combats with the pagan Chanaanites finally possessed all the land for the Israel- ites; Christ obtained for us the possession of heaven by His bitter passion, death and resurrection, through which He conquered Satan. As long as the Israelites were faithful to the advice of Josue, they were happy; as long as Christians are faithful to the counsels of Our Lord, they are happy. E. Moral Application. The Israelites fought hard and valiantly before they conquered their enemies and obtained the Promised Land. So must you fight hard and valiantly, that you may conquer yourselves and obtain heaven. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away" (Matt. xi. 12). Strive earnestly to overcome your evil inclinations and especially the fault you most frequently commit. Make the firm resolution to conquer that sin especially into which you most frequently fall. Seek to become more and more virtuous. Virtue is far more precious than wealth, beauty or talents. XLIX. THE JUDGES. A. Preparation. After the death of Josue the Hebrews no longer had a leader but were governed by judges. Whenever the people were attacked God chose certain pious men, called judges, to free them from the power of their enemies. B. Narration. (a) Ingratitude of the Israelites. (b) Their punishment, (c) The judges, (d) God's mercy. io6 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. C. Explanation. (a) "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they served Baalim. And they left the Lord the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt: and they followed strange gods, and the gods of the people that dwelt round about them, and they adored them: and they provoked the Lord to anger, forsaking him and serving Baal and Astaroth. (What is here said of the children of Israel, as to their falling so often into idolatry, is to be understood of a great part of them: but not so universally, as if the true worship of God was ever quite abolished among them: for the succession of the true church and religion was kept up all this time by the priests and Levites, at least in the house of God in Silo.) (b) "And the Lord being angry against the Israelites, delivered them into the hands of plunderers: who took them and sold them to their enemies, that dwelt round about: neither could they stand against their enemies" (Judges ii. 11-14). (c) "And the Lord raised up judges, to de- liver them from the hands of those that oppressed them: (d) And when the Lord raised them up judges, in their days He was moved to mercy, and heard the groanings of the afflicted, and delivered them from the slaughter of the oppressors" (ii. 16, 18). D. Commentary. i. Bad Company. The pagan Chanaanites in a short time led the Israelites into idolatry. What leads us to fall away from the faith? 2. God's Justice and Mercy. As often as the Israelites disobeyed God, He punished them by giving them into the hands of their enemies, by whom they were severely op- pressed. What is that attribute of God by which He punishes the wicked according to their desert? What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? When the Israelites acknowledged their sin and, showing their contrition, begged of God for mercy and help, He freely forgave them and assisted them to conquer their oppressors. What is that attribute of God by which He graciously pardons every one that is sincerely penitent? What do you mean by say- ing "God is merciful"? 3. Object of Earthly Sufferings. See chapter XLV. E. Moral Application. Avoid all evil companions and occasions of sin. Love and frequent the society of those friends who are virtuous and who would aid you to strive after that which is good. L. GEDEON. A. Preparation. The Hebrews soon forgot the promises they had madw. They even forgot God Himself, and went so far as to give themselves uy to idolatry. God punished this crime, and all that followed from it by allow- ing the infidel nations, among others the Madianites, who lived southeast of the land of Chanaan (see map), to lay waste their country. In their necessity GEDEON. 107 the Israelites called upon God, repented of their sin and begged for mercy. God sent the judge Gedeon to deliver them. B. Narration. (a) Ingratitude and punishment of the Israel- ites, (b) Gedeon and the angels, (c) The two miracles, (d) Gedeon's setting out for battle, (e) Conquest of the Madianites. C. Explanation. (a) "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord: (In that they worshipped the god Baal.) And he de- livered them into the hand of Madian seven years: And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian. And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites. (&) And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the wine press, to flee from Madian (had it been done in the open fields it would have fallen into the hands of the Madianites), the angel of the Lord ap- peared to him and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men. And the Lord looked upon him and said: Go in this thy strength, and thou shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian : Know that I have sent thee. He answered and said: I beseech thee, my Lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, and I am the least in my father's house. (Mark how the Lord chooseth the humble, who are mean and little in their own eyes, for the greatest enterprises.) And the Lord said to him I will be with thee and thou shalt cut off Madian as one man. (c) Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the Eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Israel. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon (strengthening him for the combat) and he sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to fol- low him. And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him. And Gedeon said to God : If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said, I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel. And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew. And he said again to God: Let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray thee that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with dew. And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. (These miracles took place before the army of 32,000 men who were to take part in the conflict and had been requested by Gedeon to give them confidence and courage.) (d) And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hr.nds: Lest Israel should glory against me and say: I was delivered by my own strength. (By this we see that God will not choose for His instruments in great achievements, which depend purely on His grace such as, through pride and self-conceit, will take the glory to themselves.) Speak to the people and proclaim in the hearing of all, whosoever is fearful io8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. from Mount Galaad and returned home and only ten thousand remained. And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many, bring them to the waters and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, this shall go with thee let him go : whom I shall forbid to go let him return. And the Lord said to Gedeon: By the three hundred men, that lapped water, I will save you, and deliver Madian into thy hand: but let all the rest of the people return to their place. (These were preferred that took the water up in their hands, and so lapped it, before them who laid themselves quite down to the waters to drink: which argued a more eager and sensual disposition.) So taking victuals and trumpets according to their number, he ordered all the rest of the multitude to depart to their tents : and he with three hundred gave himself to the battle. (?) The same night the Lord said to him: Arise, and go down into the camp: because I have delivered them into thy hand. But Madian and Amalec, and all the Eastern people lay scattered in the valley as a multitude of locusts: their camels also were innumerable as the sand that lieth on the sea shore. And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbor a dream. He to whom he spoke answered: This is nothing else but the sword of Gedeon the son of Joas, a man of Israel. For the Lord hath delivered Madian and all their camp into his hand. And when Gedeon had heard the dream, and the interpretation thereof, he adored: and returned to the camp of Israel and said: Arise, for the Lord hath delivered the camp of Madian into our hands" (Judges vi. I, 6, 7, II, 12, 14-16, 33-40; vii. 2-4, 7-9, 12-15). D. Commentary. i. God's Wise Precaution for the Preserva- tion of the True Faith. Idolatry, to which the Israelites had again given themselves, was a great danger to the true faith. Little by little all of the people would have been drawn to the worship of idols and faith in the one true God, and hope for the coming of the Messias would have been destroyed. Therefore God gave His unfaithful people into the hands of the enemy and allowed it to be sorely pressed. In its great need Israel recognized its crime and returned penitent to God. 2. God's Justice, Mercy and Goodness. God's justice may be seen in the punishment of the Israelites for their unfaithfulness to God. What do you mean by saying " God is just"? His mercy and goodness showed themselves (a) in the pardoning of the sins of the people when they returned penitent to Him, and (b) in delivering the people from the hands of their enemy. What do you mean by saying " God is merciful"? " God is good " ? 3. Gedeon a Figure of Christ. Gedeon was the saviour of his people ; Christ the Saviour of all mankind. Gedeon was the last among his brothers ; our Saviour deigned to appear as the last among men. Two great miracles prove that Gedeon is chosen ; the greatest miracles prove that our Saviour is chosen the Liberator of mankind. Gedeon with only three hundred men marched against SAMSON. 109 a whole host of enemies ; our Saviour marches to conquer the uni- verse with twelve humble fishermen. E. Moral Application. Learn from Gedeon, who said of him- self : " I am the least in my father's house," the beautiful lesson of humility, the virtue of so many saints who are now glorified and happy with God for eternity. Meditate upon the humility of our Blessed Mother : " Behold the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to Thy word." Beg of Jesus this great virtue, " Jesus meek and humble of heart make my heart like unto thine." Remember the words of the Scriptures : " And who- soever shall exalt himself shall be humbled : and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted " (Matt, xxiii. 12). LI. SAMSON. A. Preparation. After the death of Gedeon the Israelites again fell into idolatry, and in punishment God allowed them to be severely oppressed by the Philistines for forty years, after which He delivered them through Samson of whom we shall now speak. B. Narration. (a) The foretelling of the birth of Samson, (b) Samson's strength and delivery, (c) Samson in Gaza, (d) Samson and Dalila. (e) Samson's death. C Explanation. (a) " Now there was a certain man of Saraa, and of the race of Dan, whose name was Manue, and his wife was barren. And an angel of the Lord appeared to her, and said: Thou art barren and without children: but thou shalt conceive and bear a son. Because thou shalt con- ceive and bear a son, and no razor shall touch his head: for he shall be a Nazarite of God, from his infancy, and from his mother's womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. (Nazarite of God, that is, one set aside, in a particular manner, and consecrated to God.) (fc) And she bore a son, and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp of Dan, between Saraa and Esthaol. Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnath. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand. Then the Philistines going up into the land of Juda, camped in the place which after- wards was called Lechi, that is, the Jawbone, where their army was spread. And the men of the tribe of Juda said to them : Why are you come up against us? They answered: We are come to bind Samson and to pay him for what he hath done against us. And they bound him with two new cords, and and timorous, let him return. So two and twenty thousand men went away no TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. brought him from the rock Etam. Now when he was come to the place of the jawbone, and the Philistines shouting went to meet him, the spirit of the Lord came strongly upon him : and as the flax is wont to be consumed at the approach of fire, so the bands with which he was bound were broken and loosed. And finding a jawbone, even the jawbone of an ass, which lay there, catching it up he slew therewith a thousand men. (c) He went also into Gaza the capital of the Philistines (see map). And when the Philistines had heard this, and it was noised about among them that Samson was come into the city, they surrounded him, setting guards at the gate of the city, and watching there all the night in silence, that in the morning they might kill him as he went out. But Samson slept till midnight, and then rising he took both the doors of the gate, with the posts thereof and the bolt, and laying them on his shoulders, carried them up on the top of the hill, which looketh toward Hebron, (d) After this he loved a woman who dwelt in the valley of Sorec, and she was called Dalila. And the princes of the Philistines came to her, and said: Deceive him, and learn of him wherein his great strength lieth, and how we may be able to overcome him, to bind and afflict him : which if thou shalt do, we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver." "And when she pressed him much and continually hung upon him for many days, giving him no time to rest, his soul fainted away, and was wearied even until death. Then opening the truth of the thing, he said to her: The razor hath never come upon my head, for I am a Nazarite, that is to say, consecrated to God from my mother's womb: if my head be shaven, my strength shall depart from me, and I shall become weak, and shall be like other men." But she made him sleep upon her knees, and she called a barber, and shaved his seven locks, and began to drive him away, and thrust him from her; for immediately his strength departed from him. Then the Philistines seized upon him, and forthwith pulled out his eyes, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in prison made him grind. (?) And now his hair began to grow again. And the princes of the Philis- tines assembled together, to offer great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to make merry, saying: Our god hath delivered our enemy Samson into our hands. And the people also seeing this, praised their god, they commanded that Samson should be called, and should play before them. And being brought out of prison he played before them. And he said to the lad that guided his steps : Suffer me to touch the pillars which support the whole house, and let me lean upon them and rest a little. Now the house was full of men and women, and all the princes of the Philistines were there. Moreover about three thousand persons of both sexes from the roof and the higher part of the house were beholding Samson's play. But he called upon the Lord, saying : O Lord God, remember me, and restore to me now my former strength, O my God, that I may revenge myself on my enemies, and for the loss of my two eyes I may take one revenge. (This desire of revenge was out of zeal for justice against the enemies of God and his people; and not out of private rancor and malice of heart.) He said: Let me die with the Philistines. And when he had strongly shook the pillars, the house fell upon all the princes, and the rest of the multitude that was there : and he killed many more at his death, than he had killed before in his life. And his breth- RUTH. in ren and all his kindred, going down took his body, and buried it between Saraa and Esthaol in the burying place of his father, Manue " (Judges xiii. 2, 3, 5, 24, 25; xiv. 5, 6; xv. 9, 10, 13-15; xvi. 1-5, 16, 17, 19, 21-28, 30). D. Commentary. i. God's Justice and Goodness. The Israelites had again done evil in the sight of the Lord; therefore He gave them up to be oppressed by the Philistines for a period of forty years. This was a well-merited punishment. What is this attri- bute of God by which He punishes the wicked according to their desserts? What do you mean by saying "God is just"? In order to deliver the people from the hands of their oppressors, God raised up for them a saviour in the person of Samson. This was a great blessing for the Israelites. What is that attribute of God by which He bestows numberless blessings? What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? 2. Samson a Figure of Christ. The birth of each was announced by an angel. Samson killed a lion, which came to devour him; Our Saviour overpowered Satan, who, like a lion, endeavors to devour His Church. Samson was betrayed and delivered up for a price by Dalila. Our Saviour was betrayed and delivered up for a price by Judas. Samson sacrificed his life for his people. Christ sacrificed His life on the cross for all mankind. E. Moral Application. Four or five times Samson freed himself from the enemies who had overpowered him ; but when again bound he no longer had the power to free himself, and he met with death. Beware of relapsing into sin. Four times, five times, twenty times you may fall, and, rising again, return to God, but the time might come when falling into mortal sin you might die in that state and be forever lost. LIL RUTH. A. Preparation. In the time of the judges there lived a pious woman, named Ruth ; whom, owing to her virtues, God chose to be one of those from whom Christ sprung according to the flesh. B. Narration. (a) Elimelech and Noemi in the land of Moab. (b) Noemi's return to Bethlehem, (c) Ruth gleanetti in the field of Booz. (d) Ruth's care for Noemi. (e) Booz marrieth Ruth. C. Explanation. (a) "In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, U2 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. (Bethlehem, southwest of Jerusalem, Moab, east of the Dead Sea, see map.) He was named Elimelech, and his wife Noemi: and his two sons, the one Mahalon, and the other Chelion. And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died : and she remained with her two sons. And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years. And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband. (&) Wherefore she went forth out of her place of sojournment, with both her daughters-in-law: and being now in the way to return to the land of Juda, she said to them: Go ye home to your mothers: the Lord deal mercifully with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. And they lifted up their voice and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother-in-law. And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her. (Noemi did not mean to persuade Ruth to return to the false gods she had formerly worshipped: but by this manner of speech, insinuated to her, that if she would go with her she must renounce her false gods and return to the Lord the God of Israel.) She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart : for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. (Thus Ruth embraced the true faith.) The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also, if aught but death part me and thee. So they went together and came to Bethlehem. (c) Now her husband Elimelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Booz. And Ruth the Moabitess said to her mother-in- law: If thou wilt, I will go into the field, and glean the ears of corn that escape the hands of the reapers, wheresoever I shall find grace with a house- holder that will be favorable to me. And she answered her: go my daugh- ter. She went therefore and gleaned the ears of corn after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that field was Booz, who was the kindred of Elimelech. And Booz said to the young man that was set over the reapers whose maid is this? And he answered him: This is the Moabitess who came with Noemi, from the land of Moab, and she desired leave to glean the ears of corn that remain, following the steps of the reapers: and she hath been in the field from morning till now, and hath not gone home for one moment (She was therefore untiringly diligent in order to obtain the necessary nourishment for herself and Noemi. Therefore Booz was much pleased.) And Booz said to Ruth: Hear me, daughter, do not go to glean in any other field, and do not depart from this place : but keep with my maids, and follow where they reap. For I have charged my young men not to molest thee. (of) All hath been told me, that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law after the deatfi of thy husband : and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord render unto thee for thy work, and mayest thou receive a full reward of the Lord the God of Israel, to whom thou art come, and under whose wings thou art fled. And Booz commanded his servants, RUTH. 113 saying: H she would even reap with you hinder her not: And let fall some of your handfuls of purpose and leave them, that she may gather them with- out shame, and let no man rebuke her when she gathereth them : She gleaned therefore in the field till evening: and beating out with a rod and threshing what she had gleaned, she found about the measure of an ephi of barley, that is, three bushels: which she took up and returned into the city, and shewed it to her mother-in-law; moreover she brought out and gave her of the remains of her meat, wherewith she had been filled. (?) Booz there- fore took Ruth, and married her : and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son. And the woman said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord, who hath not suffered thy family to want a successor, that his name should be preserved in Israel. And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul, and cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter- in-law : who loveth thee : and is much better to thee, than if thou hadst seven sons. And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it and was a nurse unto it. And the women, her neighbors, congratulating with her and saying : There is a son born to Noemi : Called his name Obed : he is the father of Isai, the father of David." (From whom was descended the Saviour.) (Ruth i. 1-5, 7, 8, 14-17, 19; ii. 1-3, 5-9, n, 12, 15-18; iv. 13-17). D. Commentary. I. The Ruling of Divine Providence. God decreed that Ruth should glean in the field of the rich man Booz, because He wished to reward her for her many virtues. Booz being pleased with the virtuous maiden, took her as his wife, which put an end to her poverty. Thus God ordains and arranges every- thing in this world according to His wisdom, goodness and justice. What do we call God's supreme care in preserving and governing the world? 2. Noemi's Virtues. Although dwelling long in a pagan land, Noemi remained true to her faith, and by the beauti- ful example of her life won her daughter-in-law Ruth over to the one true faith. 3. Ruth's Virtues. Ruth's love for and devotion to Noemi was so great that she left her country and her people to remain by her side. She was obedient, diligent, modest and pure in heart. Moral Application. Beg of the Blessed Mother that you may imitate her purity and love it as Ruth did. Remember that through this virtue you are like unto the angels. " Oh, how beautiful is the chaste generation ! for the memory thereof is immortal, because it is known both with God and with men" (Wisd. iv. i). n 4 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. LIIL SAMUEL. A. Preparation. After Samson, the high priest Heli was judge in Israel. While he was judge Samuel was born. B. Narration. (a) Anna's prayer and its fulfillment. Samuel in Silo, (b) The wickedness of the sons of Heli. (c) The declara- tion of the punishment against the house of Heli. (d) The fulfill- ment of the punishment, (e) The ark of God in the land of the Philistines, (f) The repentance and victory of the Israelites. C. Explanation. () "There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana. And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children. And this man went up out of the city upon the appointed day, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo : And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool before the door of the temple of the Lord. (Heli there- fore was the spiritual as well as the temporal head, being both high priest and judge.) As Anna had her heart full of grief she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears. And she made a vow, saying: O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and will give to thy servant a man child : I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head. Then Heli said to her : Go in peace : and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him. And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel : because she had asked him of the Lord. (This name imports " Asked of God.") And after she had weaned him she carried him with her, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli. And Anna said: I beseech thee my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord. For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. (6) Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial (children of the devil because they served him), not knowing the Lord. Nor the office of the priests to the people : but whosoever had offered a sacri- fice, the servant of the priest came, while the flesh was in boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand, and thrust it into the kettle or into the caldron or into the pot, or into the pan: and all that the fleshhook brought up, the priest took to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that come to Silo. Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord. But Samuel minis- tered before the face of the Lord: being a child girded with a linen ephod. SAMUEL. 115 And his mother made him a little coat which she brought to him on the ap- pointed days when she went up with her husband, to offer the solemn sacri- fice. And the child Samuel became great before the Lord, (c) And the Lord said to Samuel : Behold I do a thing in Israel : and whosoever shall hear it both his ears shall tingle. In that day I shall raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin and I will make an end. For I have foretold unto him, that I will judge his house forever, for iniquity, because he knew that his sons did wickedly and did not chastise them. Therefore have I sworn to the house of Heli, that the in- iquity of his house shall not be expiated with victims nor offerings for ever. Then Heli called Samuel, and he asked him: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. So Samuel told him all the words and did not hide them from him, and he answered: It is the Lord : let him do what is good in his sight. And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground, (d) And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: And Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the stone of help. (In Hebrew Ebenezer; so called from the help which the Lord was pleased afterwards to give to His people Israel in that place, by the prayers of Samuel.) And the Philistines came to Aphec, and put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there was slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men. And the ancients of Israel said : Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come into the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp all Israel shouted with a great shout. So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown. And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army and came to Silo the same day, with his clothes rent, and his head strewed with dust. And when he was come, Heli sat upon the stool over against the way watching. For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. Now Heli was ninety and eight years old and his eyes were dim, and he could not see. And he said to Heli : I am he that came from the battle, and have fled out of the field this day. And he said to him : What is there done my son ? And he that brought the news answered and said : Israel has fled before the Phil- istines, and there has been a great slaughter of the people : moreover thy two sons, Ophni and Phinnes, are dead : and the ark of God is taken. And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from his stool backwards by the door and broke his neck and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: And he judged Israel forty years, (e) And the Philistines took the ark of God, and carried it from the stone of help into Azotus. And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon. (They attributed their victory to their god Dagon and gave him the ark as a present.) And when the Azotians arose early the next day, behold Dagon lay upon his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord : And the hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Azotians, and He destroyed them, and afflicted Azotus and the coasts thereof with emerods. And in the village! and fields in the midst of the country, there came forth a multitude of mice, n6 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. and there was the confusion of a great mortality in the city. And the men of Azotus seeing this kind of plague, said: The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us: for his hand is heavy upon us, and upon Dagon our god. (The ark was sent back to Bethsames, where many were slain for looking through curiosity into it) (/) And the men of Cariathiarim came and fetched up the ark of the Lord and carried it to the house of Abinadab in Gabaa: and they sanctified Eleazar his son, to keep the ark of the Lord. And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, Baalim and Astaroth : and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Astaroth, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said : Gather all Israel to Masphath, that I may pray to the Lord for you. And they fasted on that day, and they said there we have sinned against the Lord. And it came to pass when Samuel was offering the holo- caust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel : but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel. And the men of Israel going out of Masphath pursued after the Philistines, and made slaughter of them till they came under Bethchar. And Samuel took a stone, and laid it between Masphath and Sen: and he called the place the stone of help. And the cities, which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorrhites. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life" (I. Kings i. 1-3, 9-11, 17, 20, 24-28; ii. 12-14, 17-19, 21 ; iii. 11-14, 16-19; iv. 1-3, 5, 10, 12, 13, 15-18; v. 1-3, 6-7; vii. i, 3-6, 10-12, 15). D. Commentary. i. The Vow of the Pious Woman Anna (re- fer to chapter XVIII.). 2. Sacrilege. The sons of Heli took what according to the law of the sacrifice belonged to God only. They dishonored the holy place, the place of offering con- secrated to God by the holy tabernacle, and threatened those who. came to make offerings, when they opposed their wicked actions. What do you call the profaning of holy things, persons or places consecrated to God? What is sacrilege? 1 3. Heli's Sins. Heli did not punish his sons for their wrongdoing and they became more and more wicked. Therefore he was to blame for their godless- ness. He violated the fourth commandment. What is the duty of parents toward their children? 2 By this sin of omission Heli shared in the sins of his sons. Do those parents sin who neglect their duties toward their children? How many ways are there of being accessory to another's sin? 3 In which way was Heli ac- cessory? (The seventh.) 4. God's Justice, Goodness and Mercy. God rewarded Samuel for his virtues by making him judge over Israel, and through his intercession freeing the Israelites from the (x) 144. (2) 3<54. (3) see page 3S . SAUL, THE FIRST KING. 117 hands of the Philistines. He punished Heli for his neglect of his duty towards his sons, the sons of Heli he punished for their un- godliness, the Israelites for their faithlessness towards Himself, and the Philistines for their crime in making a gift of the ark of the Lord to their gods. What is that attribute of God by which He rewards the good and punishes the wicked according to each one's desserts? What do you mean by saying " God is just"? God heard the prayers of Anna and gave her a son. He forgave the sins of His people when they penitently returned to Him, and let them triumph over their enemies. What do you mean by saying "God is good"? "God is merciful"? E. Moral Application. Beware, lest by disobeying your parents you become like the sons of Heli. God severely punishes those children who break the fourth commandment. Honor and love your parents, pastors, teachers and all your superiors and show them gratitude. Take the child Jesus as your model. Though the Son of God, He was subject to Mary and Joseph. REVIEW OF THE TIME OF JOSUE AND OF THE JUDGES. Recapitulation of chief events. Messianic Prophecies. Messianic types. How was the true faith in Israel preserved by divine Providence ? THE TIME OF THE KINGS (1095-588 B. C). LIV. SAUL, THE FIRST KING. A. Preparation. The Israelites now wished to be governed by kings, instead of the judges, who were only called forth by God in times of danger. According to God's command, therefore, Samuel anointed Saul and he was made the first king of the Israelites. B. Narration. (a) Israel's desire for a king, (b) The anoint- ing of Saul, (c) Saul's disobedience and downfall. C. Explanation. (a) "And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. And his sons walked not in his ways: but they turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment. Then all the ancients of Israel being assembled, came to Samuel to Ramatha. And they said to him : Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk n8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. not in thy ways: make us a king to judge us as all nations have. And the Lord said to Samuel: Now therefore hearken to their voice: but yet testify to them and foretell them the right of the king, that shall reign over them. Then Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who had desired a king of him. (The rights of the king over the people were to be made known to them beforehand that they might not later complain of their own choice.) But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, and they said: nay: but there shall be a king over us" (I. Kings viii. I, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, 19). (b) "And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people. And Samuel took a little vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said: Behold, the Lord hath anointed thee to be prince over His inheritance, and thou shalt deliver His people out of the hands of their enemies, that are around about them. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that God hath anointed thee to be prince. (By anointing Saul with oil Samuel made known to him he had been chosen by God to be king over His people, the oil signi- fied that he had received the necessary strength and wisdom ; oil signifies light in that it nourishes the light and strength as it refreshes and strengthens the members of the body. Samuel "kissed him" as a sign of his allegiance.) And Samuel said to all the people : Surely you see him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people : And all the people cried and said: God save the king, (c) And Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over His people Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I have reckoned up all that Amalec hath done to Israel : how he opposed them in the way wTien they came up out of Egypt. Now therefore go, and smite Amalec, and utterly destroy all that he hath : spare him not, nor covet any- thing that is his: but slay both man and woman, child and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. (The great Master of life and death [who cuts off one-half of all mankind whilst they are children] has been pleased sometimes to ordain that children should be put to the sword, in detestation of the crimes of their parents, and that they might not live to follow the same wicked ways. But without such ordinance of God, it is not allowable in any wars, however just, to kill children. And Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the flocks of sheep and of the herds, and the garments and the rams and all that was beautiful, and would not destroy them. And Samuel came to Saul. And Samuel said : What meaneth then this bleating of the flocks, which soundeth in my ears, and the lowing of the herds which I hear? And Samuel said: When thou wast a little one in thy own eyes, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel. And the Lord sent thee on thy way, and said: Go, and kill the sinners of Amalec, and thou shalt fight against them until thou hast utterly destroyed them. Why then didst thou rot hearken to the voice of the Lord? but hast turned to the prey, and hast done evil in the eyes of the Lord. And Saul said to Samuel : Yea, I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and have walked in the way by which the Lord sent me and have brought Agag the king of Amalec, and Amalec I have slain. But the people took of the spoils sheep and oxen, as the firstfruits of those SAUL, THE FIRST KING. 119 things that were slain, to offer sacrifice to the Lord their God in Galgal. (Saul put the blame upon the people, trying to make himself appear free from guilt this was a lie in the sight of God and added to his guilt) And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices : and to hearken rather than to offer the fat of rams. (What a beauti- ful lesson of obedience is herein taught to us.) Forasmuch therefore as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being king." (Thus Saul was cast off by the Lord and the kingship taken from him and from his family.) (ix. 17; x. I, 24; xv. 1-3, 9-12, 14, 17-23). D. Commentary. i. God's Goodness and Justice. God listened to the desire of Israel for a king and caused Saul to be anointed, furnished him with the necessary wisdom and strength and allowed him to vanquish his enemies. Thus God out of the abundance of His love bestowed numberless benefits upon Saul and upon His people Israel. What do we call this attribute of God? What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? Saul had received many graces and benefits from God, but nevertheless he proved himself ungrateful through his pride and disobedience. Therefore he was cast off by God, which was a well-merited punishment. What do you call that attribute of God by which He rewards the good and punishes the wicked? What do you mean by saying "God is just"? 2. Pride. Saul's success in battle against his enemies caused him to fall into the sin of pride. He took unto himself all the glory of the conquest and had built for himself a triumphal arch. In his pride he did not carry out God's commands and took to himself the honor and glory due to God. When do we sin by pride? To which class of sins does pride belong? Which are the seven capital or deadly sins? 1 3. Obedience to God. Samuel said to Saul : " Obedience is better than sacrifices." Saint Gregory the Great, in referring to this, said : " Through the sacrifice on the altar one offered to God the flesh of the animals ; through obedience one offers to God one's own free will." As free will is the highest and most-prized possession of man, it stands to reason that obedience is better than sacrifice. He who obeys God keeps His command- ments, and only he who loves God keeps His commandments. How do we show that we love God? E. Moral Application. Saul was cast off by God because he was disobedient. Every time we deviate from the commandments of God or of the Church we disobey God. How can one truly love God and yet deliberately disobey Him? What a beautiful thing CO 59 120 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. is true friendship, the love that one man has for another, by which each strives without any thought of self only for the good and happiness of the other. Think of the infinite love God has for each one of you. He wishes to be your friend think of it, God your friend! Give him then your hearts and your wills; prove to Him your love by keeping His commandments. " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matt. xix. 17). "Let us love God because God first hath loved us " (I. John iv. 19) . " He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me" (John xiv. 21). LV. DAVID ANOINTED AS KING. A. Preparation. After the rejection of Saul as king of Israel, God made known to Samuel that David was to be anointed and was to reign over Israel. B. Narration. (a) Samuel's grief, (b) The sons of Isai. (c) The anointing of David, (d) David at the court of Saul. C. Explanation. (a) "And the Lord said to Samuel: How long wilt thou morn for Saul whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite : for I have provided me a king among his sons. Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem (see map). And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And when they were come in, he saw Eliab and said: Is the Lord's anointed before him? And the Lord said to Samuel : Look not on his countenance, nor on 'the height of his statue: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart. (The virtues of the heart humility, piety and fear of the Lord.) Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of these. And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There re- maineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai : Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither. He sent therefore and brought him. Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said arise and anoint him, for this is he. (c) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren : and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward : and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha. (rf) But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. (An evil spirit by divine permission, and for his punishment. Saul was greatly depressed at being cast off by God and the evil spirit found herein an oppor- tunity to embitter him more and more and draw him farther from God and DAVID ANOINTED AS KING. 121 at last in despair he took his own life.) And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our Lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skilful in playing on the harp, and when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayest bear it more easily. And Saul said to his servants provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer. So whenever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him." (Chased away by David's devotion. He played on the harp and sang hymns and Saul's heart became lighter.) (I. Kings xvi. i, 4-7, 10-17, 21, 23). D. Commentary. I. God Sees the Heart. David was small and not of comely build, but owing to his virtues : piety, humility, purity and fear of the Lord, he was beautiful in the sight of God. Beauty of stature counts for nothing in the sight of God. He looks upon the heart, the virtues it contains. In what does Christian virtue consist? 2. God's Omniscience, Wisdom and Faithfulness. God looks upon the heart and sees its every attribute invisible to the eyes of man. Man's most secret thought is known to God. What is this attribute of God ? What do you mean by saying " God is omniscient"? Our Lord had David anointed king and wished, in contrast to Saul, to make of him a good and virtuous ruler. In order that he might be well versed in his duties and the matters of government, God so ordained that David should live at the court of Saul and be brought into daily contact with him. What is that at- tribute of God by which He knows how to dispose of all things so as best to attain His end ? What do you mean by saying " God is all- wise"? God promised through the dying patriarch Jacob that the tribe of Juda should bear the sceptre until about the time of the com- ing of the Saviour. Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin, but with David the sceptre came to the tribe of Juda. What is that attribute of God by which He will surely keep His promises and execute His threats ? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful " ? E. Moral Application. Seek to become ever more and more virtuous, adorn your soul and not your body. Virtue is far more precious than wealth, beauty or talents. God looks not upon beauty of face, form or clothing, but upon the heart and the virtues it contains. Strive then for that priceless beauty of the soul which will last for all eternity. " He that is just let him be justified still ; and he that is holy let him be sanctified still" (Apoc. xxii. n). 122 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. LVI. GOLIATH CHALLENGES ISRAEL. HE is SLAIN BY DAVID. A. Preparation. The Philistines again made war with the Israelites. Among the Philistines there was a giant by name Goliath, of whom the whole of Israel was in fear. David fights with him and slays him. B. Narration. (a) Goliath's challenge, (b) David's daring resolve, (c) Preparation for the battle, (d) The happy outcome, C. Explanation. (a) "And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a val- ley between them. And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a span : And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sides of iron: and his armourbearer went before him. And standing he cried out to the bands of Israel, and said to them: Why are you come out prepared to fight? am not I a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose out a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, we will be servants to you : but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us. Now the Philistine came out morning and evening and presented himself forty days. And Isai said to David his son: Take for thy brethren an ephi of frumenty, and these ten loaves, and run to the camps to thy brethren." "And David leaving the vessels which he had brought, under the care of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the place of the battle and asked if all things went well with his brethren. And as he talketh with them, that baseborn man whose name was Goliath, the Philistine of Geth, shewed himself coming up from the camps of the Philistines: and he spoke according to the same words, and David heard them. And all the Israelites when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceed- ingly, (fc) And David said to Saul: Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, or a bear, and took a ram out of the midst of the flock : And I pursued after them, and struck them, and delivered it out of their mouth: and they rose up against me, and I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them. For I thy servant have killed both a lion and a bear: And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be also as one of them. I will go now, and take away the reproach of the people : For who is this un- circumcised Philistine, who hath dared to curse the army of the living God? And David said : The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Phi- listine. And Saul said to David: Go and the Lord be with thee. (c) And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands : and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the shepherd's scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand, and went forth against the Phi- listine, (d) And the Philistine said to David : Am I a dog, that thou comest GOLIATH CHALLENGETH ISRAEL. SLAIN BY DAVID. 123 to me with a staff? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And David said to the Philistine: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield : but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel which thou hast defied. This day, and the Lord will deliver thee into my hand and I will slay thee, and take away thy head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear : For it is His battle, and He will deliver you into our hands. And when the Philistine arose and was coming, and drew nigh to meet David, David made haste, and ran to the fight to meet the Philistine. And he put his hand into his scrip, and took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about, struck the Philistine in the forehead: and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he fell on his face upon the earth. And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine. And as David had no sword in his hand, He ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head. And the Philistines seeing that their champion was dead, fled away, (e) And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the Philistines fell upon their camp. And when David was returned, after the Philistine was slain, Abner (the captain of the army) took him and brought him in before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand (I. Kings xvii. 3, 4, 7-9, 16, 17, 22-24, 34-37, 40, 43, 45-51, 53, 57). D. Commentary. I. Pride and Humility. Goliath depended upon his own strength; scorning the Israelites, he scoffed at the one true God. He sinned through pride. When do we sin by pride? David on the contrary was humble. Not upon himself in his own strength did he build, but cast himself entirely upon the Lord. What an example of perfect confidence in God ! " I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel which thou hast defied." God punished the proud Goliath in that He allowed him to be overcome. He rewarded the humility of David, giving to him the victory, thereby also drawing towards him the people of Israel who gave to him their gratitude and affection; thus was the way preparing for David's advent to the throne. 2. Permissible Homicide. By the fifth commandment it is forbidden to kill. Did David sin in killing Goliath? Is it ever permissible to take the life of another? 3. Envy. David's good fortune and the gratitude of the people toward him, for his success in slaying the dread giant Goliath, caused Saul to be filled with envy. What sin did Saul commit? When do we sin by envy? E. Moral Application. " By the envy of the devil death came 124 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. into the world; and they follow him that are of his side" (Wisd. ii. 24, 25). "Pride is the beginning of all sin" (Eccles. x. 15). Beware, then, my good children, of envy and of pride, two sins of the devil. Be humble and charitable. If you are more gifted mentally or in temporal goods than your neighbor, remember through whom these gifts were obtained and use them in His service. If you are poor and lowly in this world, envy not those more richly endowed, but picture the humble home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and strive to follow in their footsteps. LVII. THE FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. A. Preparation. Jonathan, the son of Saul, was filled with love for David and all through his life proved the unselfish beauty and loyalty of his friend- ship. B. Narration. (a) Jonathan meets David and is filled with love for him. (b) Saul's envy and the friendship of Jonathan and David, (c) David is sent away by Jonathan to shield him from the enmity of Saul. David's generosity, (d) The death of Jona- than and Saul, (e) The sorrow of David. C. Explanation. (a) "And Saul said to David: Young man, of what family art thou? And David said: I am the son of thy servant Isai, the Bethlehemite. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father's house. And David and Jonathan made a covenant, for he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the coat with which he was clothed and gave it to David, and the rest of his gar- ments even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle, (fc) Now when David returned after he slew the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets, and the women sung as they played, and they said: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was exceeding angry, and this word was displeasing in his eyes, and he said : They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand; what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul did not look on David with a good eye from that day and forward. And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David exceedingly. And Jonathan told David, saying: Saul, my father, seeketh to kill thee : wherefore look to thyself, I beseech thee, in the morning, and thou shalt abide in a secret place and shalt be hid. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art: and I will speak of thee to my father, and whatsoever I shall see, I will tell thee. THE FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. 125 And Jonathan spoke good things of David to Saul his father: and said to him : Sin not, O king, against thy servant, David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are very good towards thee. And he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salva- tion for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why therefore wilt thou sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without fault? And when Saul heard this he was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore : As the Lord liveth he shall not be slain. Then Jonathan called David and told him all these words : and Jonathan brought in David to Saul, and he was before him, as he had been yesterday and the day before. And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul (that is he was again filled with envy and hatred toward David and tried by every means to cause his death), (c) But David fled from Najoth, which is in Ramatha, and came and said to Jona- than: What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin against thy father, that he seeketh my life? And he said to him: God forbid, thou shalt not die: For my father will do nothing great or little without first telling me. And Jonathan said to David: Whatsoever thy soul shall say to me, I will do for thee. And David said to Jonathan: If thy father look and inquire for me, thou shalt answer him: David asked me that he might run to Bethlehem, his own city: because there are solemn sacrifices there for all his tribe. If he shall say, it is well: thy servant shall have peace, but if he be angry, know that his malice is come to its height. So David was hid in the field, and Saul said to Jonathan his son: Why cometh not the son of Isai to meat neither yesterday, nor to-day? And Jonathan answered Saul: He asked leave of me earnestly to go to Bethlehem. Then Saul, being angry against Jonathan, said to him: Do I not know that thou lovest the son of Isai to thy own confusion. For as long as the son of Isai liveth upon earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now presently send and fetch him to me: for he is the son of death (that is, one that de- serveth death, and shall surely die). And Jonathan understood that it was determined by his father to kill David. So Jonathan rose from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread on the second day after the new moon. For he was grieved for David. And when the morning came, Jonathan went into the field according to the appointment with David. David rose out of his place, and falling on his face to the ground, adored thrice: and kissing one another, they wept together. And Jonathan said to David : Go in peace : and let all stand that w.e have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord. And David arose, and departed : and Jonathan went into the city. But David abode in the desert in strongholds, and he remained in a mountain of the desert of Ziph, in a woody hill. And Saul sought him always : but the Lord delivered him not into his hands. And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life. And Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hands in God: and he said to him: Fear not, for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, yea, and my father knoweth this: And the two made a covenant before the Lord : and David abode in the wood : but Jonathan returned to his house. Then David went up from thence and dwelt in strongholds of Engaddi. And when Saul was returned from fol- 126 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. lowing the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi. Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats. And there was a cave into which Saul went, now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave. And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, and thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe. After which David's heart struck him be- cause he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe (with remorse, as fearing he had done amiss). And David stopped his men with his words and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way. And David also rose up after him: And going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying : my lord the king. And said to Saul : Why dost thou hear the words of men that say : David seeketh thy hurt ? Moreover, see and know, O, my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee. (He refers his whole cause to God to judge and punish accord- ing to His justice: yet so as to keep himself in the mean time, from all per- sonal hatred to Saul, or desire of gratifying his own passion, by seeking re- venge. So far from it that when Saul was afterward slain, we find that instead of rejoicing at his death he mourned most bitterly for him.) And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David : Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil. The Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me. And the Philistines fought against Israel. And the Philistines fell upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they slew Jonathan, and Abinadab and Mel- chiser, the sons of Saul. And the whole weight of the battle was turned upon Saul: and the archers overtook him, and he was grievously wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armourbearer : Draw thy sword, and kill me. And his armourbearer would not. Then Saul took his sword and fell upon it. And when the armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. (e} And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul's camp, with his garments rent and dust strewed on his head : and when he came to David he fell upon his face and adored. He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain. Then David took hold of his garments and rent them. And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son. Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places. The illus- trious of Israel are slain upon thy mountains: how are the valiant fallen. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the valiant, the arrow of Jona- than never turned back. Saul and Jonathan, lovely and comely in their life, even in death they were not divided: How are the valiant fallen in battle? Jonathan slain in the high places? I grieve for thee my brother Jonathan: THE FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. 127 exceedingly beautiful, and amiable to me above the love of women. As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee " (I. Kings xvii. 58; xviii. 1-4, 6-9; xix. 1-7, 9J xx. i, 2, 4-7, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33-35, 41-43; xxiii. 14-18; xxiv. 1-6, 8-10, 12, 13, 17-19; xxxi. 1-5; II. i. 2, 4, n, 17-19, 22, 23, 25, 26). D. Commentary. I. The Friendship of David and Jonathan. We see by this touchingly beautiful chapter of the Bible how God blesses the pure love and friendship of two souls. " The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of Davki." Which are the chief commandments that include all the others? What kind of love should we have for our neighbor? David and Jonathan loved God with their whole heart above all things; then came in God and through God their love for each other. How perfect was this love, how sincere, how active, how disinterested! How God must have smiled upon it! Did Christ Himself not give us a perfect example of friendship in His great love for St. John? "A new command- ment I give unto you : That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John xiii. 34). "And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity (love) " (I. Cor. xiii. 13). 2. David's Love for His Enemy. Saul was a most dangerous enemy to David, con- tinually seeking the means to obtain his death. Yet David loved him with a Christian love and sought not to be revenged upon him though the opportunity was in his hand. When is our love for our neighbor universal? Why must we love all, even our enemies? "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke :iii. 34). 3. The Fifth Commandment. Saul was filled with envy, ice hated and sought to kill David. Anger, hatred and envy are >rbidden by the fifth commandment. " Whosoever hateth his >rother is a murderer" (I. John iii. 15). "Saul took his sword id fell upon it." Hence he took his own life. What does God for- )id by this fifth commandment? 1 When do we injure ourselves lily? 4. God's Justice and Wisdom. God rewarded David for lis virtues in that He protected his life in all the dangers which >aul prepared for him. Saul was punished by God for his sins. r hat is this attribute of God ? What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? God wished to prepare David for his position as king over Israel, therefore he allowed him to undergo much suffering that his virtues might be tested and strengthened. God knows how to dispose of all things so as best to obtain His end. What do you mean by saying " God is all-wise " ? (O 368. i 2 8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. E. Moral Application. My dear young people, there is nothing in this life more beautiful, more consoling, more helpful than true friendship. It helps us on in our love and service to God in our duties to our fellow man and in our fight against temptations and in the discouragement due to our falls. Choose then wisely your friends, not for their standing in society, not for their earthly wealth, not for beauty of face or form. They may be of the humblest origin, poor in this world's possessions and not fair to look upon in the sight of man ; but if they possess nobility of character they are truly noble; if unselfish, possessed of high ideals, lofty aims, then truly rich ; if filled with the love of God and Christian love of their neigh- bor, then truly beautiful in God's sight. If you have found such a friend prize him or her above all earthly treasures. Be loyal, true at all costs. Love " beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (I. Cor. viii. 7). A loving friend will help and comfort us in all our trials, all our sorrows, rejoice with us in all our joys. Each will help the other onward, upward through the battles and discouragements of life, like Jonathan and David, till eternally happy and at rest with God the father of us all. LVIII. DAVID, THE Pious GOD-ENLIGHTENED KING. A. Preparation. Saul now being dead David could ascend to the throne. We shall now see how this came about and how David acted when king. B. Narration. (a) David as king over all Israel. (b) The tabernacle is erected upon Sion. (c) David's regulations for God's service, (d) His prophecies. C. Explanation. (a) "Then all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron, saying : Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh. Moreover yesterday also and the day before, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that did lead out and bring in Israel : and the Lord said to thee : Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel. The ancients also of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David to be king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years (from 1055-1015 B. C.). But David took the castle of Sion, the same is the city of David. And David dwelt in the castle, and called it the city of David: and built around about from Mello and inward. And he went on prospering and growing up, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. And David knew that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel DAVID, THE PIOUS GOD-ENLIGHTENED KING. 129 and that he had exalted his kingdom over his people Israel. (His kingdom was largely increased. The Euphrates, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Arabian and Syrian deserts bounded his kingdom.) (6) And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went, with all the people that were with him of the men of Juda to fetch the ark of God, upon which the name of the Lord of hosts is invoked, who sitteth over it upon the cherubims. And they laid the ark of God upon a new cart : and took it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gabaa : and Oza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. (Gabaa, the hill of Cariathiarim, where the ark had been in the house of Abinadab, from the time of its being restored back by the Philistines.) But David and all Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of wood, on harps and lutes and timbrels and cornets and cymbals. And the ark of the Lord abode in the house of Obededom the Gethite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household. So David went, and brought away the ark of God out of the house of Obededom into the city of David with joy. And there were with David seven choirs (companies of musicians) and calves for victims. And David danced with all his might before the Lord : And David and all the house of Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet. And they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle, which David had pitched for it : And David offered holocausts, and peace offerings before the Lord. And when he had made an end of offering holocausts and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts (II. Kings v. 1-4, 7, 9, 10, 12; vi. 1-3, 5, II, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18). (c) David divided the priests into twenty- four classes and these were to have charge of the sacred services for a week at a time by regular turns. God inspired David to compose his canticles and made known him many future events. The book which contains the inspired writings )f David is called "The Book of Psalms." It contains one hundred and ifty psalms. (salms. They are divided into " Psalms of Praise," in which God is glori- ied and thanked for all his benefits. "Penitential psalms," in which the >salmist begs God for mercy and forgiveness for sin. And the "prophet- ical psalms," which contain prophecies pertaining to the Messias and in which the establishment of the Church of the New Testament, the Church of Christ, is prefigured by the benefits bestowed on the people of Israel. D. Commentary. i. David's Virtues, (a) Zeal for the honor of God. David loved God, and therefore was most zealous in his efforts to have Him honored. He built a beautiful new tabernacle to replace the old one which had fallen into decay. He arranged the divine service that it might be celebrated with greater regularity and beautified it by introducing sacred songs with their accompaniments on harps, lutes, timbrels, cornets and cymbals. This beautifying of the divine service edified the worshippers and increased their devo- tion. He set a good example to all and taught his people thereby I 3 o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. to faithfully observe the first commandment. What is the first commandment? 1 What does God command by this first com- mandment ? How many kinds of honor do we owe God ? How do we honor God interiorly? (b) His love of justice. Each of his subjects should have justice shown unto him; therefore this pious king gave his personal attention to the administration of justice. In serious disputes he decided the case, in others he left the decision to the 6,000 Levites appointed for this purpose. 2. The Prophecies Concerning the Messias. Although David lived more than 1,000 years before our Saviour, nevertheless by the inspiration of God he foretold many things concerning the Messias which were accom- plished in Christ Jesus. He foretold that the Messias would be dis- owned by the Jews, and would convert all nations. Who was dis- owned by the Jews and converted all nations? That the Messias would be betrayed by one of his disciples; that His enemies would spit upon His face ; that they would mock Him in His agony ; that they would pierce His hands and feet ; that they would cast lots for His garments; that they would give Him vinegar to drink; all this was done to our Divine Saviour and to no other but Him. David also announced that the Messias would rise from the tomb without seeing corruption ; Christ rose from the tomb without seeing corrup- tion, and to Him only can this prophecy be applied. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ is the Messias foretold by David. 3. The Saviour the Son of God and a Descendant of David. God promised David that the Saviour who was to be the Son of God was to be born of the race of David. "And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee and I will establish his kingdom He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be my son " (II. Kings vii. 12-14). Our Lord Jesus Christ is both the Son of God and the Son of David. (True God and true man.) He is the builder of the true temple, which is the Church, His everlasting kingdom, which shall never fail. E. Moral Application. Like the pious king, David, be ever most zealous in all that pertains to the honor of God. Always observe the Lord's day in gratitude to God and for His honor. Let nothing tempt you to miss Mass on Sundays and feasts of obligation. Be most reverent and attentive when in God's House. Thus you will edify and set a good example to your neighbor. co 315. D AV ID'S FALL AND REPENTANCE. 131 LIX. DAVID'S FALL AND REPENTANCE. A. Preparation. Although David was so good and pious he once fell into a grievous sin. B. Narration. (a) David's fall, (b) The prophet Nathan. David's repentance. C. Explanation. (a) "And it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth to war, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they spoiled the children of Ammon and be- sieged Rabba; but David remained in Jerusalem. (This was the war against the Ammonites in the land east of the Jordan.) In the mean time it hap- pened that David arose from his bed after noon, and walked upon the roof of the king's house. (The houses in the Orient have flat roofs, upon which one can take a walk. Surrounding the edge of the roof is a balustrade.) And he saw from the roof of his house a woman, over against him ; and the woman was very beautiful. And the king sent, and inquired who the woman was. And it was told him, that she was Bethsabee, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Urias the Hethite (Urias was a vice-commandant of the troops that had gone to war under the general-in-chief Joab). And David sent to Joab, saying: Send me Urias the Hethite. And Joab sent Urias to David. And when the morning was come, David wrote a letter to Joab: and sent it by the hand of Urias, writing in the letter: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die. (David thus wished him to be killed, that he might obtain his wife for himself.) Wherefore as Joab was besieging the city, he put Urias in the place where he knew the bravest men were. And the men coming out of the city, fought against Joab, and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Urias the Hethite was killed also. And the wife of Urias heard that Urias her husband was dead, and she mourned for him. And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done was displeasing to the Lord. (II. Kings xi. 1-3, 6, 14-17, 26, 27). (fc) "And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him he said to him: Thus saith the Lord, God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee from the hand of Saul. Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight? Thou hast killed Urias the Hethite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Urias the Hethite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house. And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David : The Lord also hath taken away thy sin : I 3 2 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. them chalt not die. Nevertheless because them hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing the child that is born to thee shall surely die. And David besought the Lord for the child : And David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died, and David said : While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept for him: for I said: who knoweth whether the Lord may not give him to me, and the child may live? But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Shall I be able to bring him back any more? I shall go to him rather: but he shall not return to me" (xii. i, 7, 0-1 1, 13, 14, 16, 18, 22). D. Commentary. i. David's Sins, their Cause and the Means to Avoid them. David saw the wife of Urias and saw that she was beautiful. Instead of turning aside his glance he looked upon her until he coveted her for himself. In coveting the wife of his neigh- bor David sinned against the ninth commandment. What is the ninth commandment? Instead of controlling his evil desire David sent for the wife of Urias in order that he might tempt her to be untrue to her husband. David broke the sixth commandment. What is the sixth commandment? David scandalized the wife of Urias, thereby breaking the fifth commandment. What does God forbid by this fifth commandment? When do we injure our neighbor spiritually? When do we scandalize our neighbor? Is scandal a great sin? David commanded Joab to place Urias in the front of the battle that he might be killed. Therefore he caused the death of Urias. In this he sinned against the command " Thou shalt not kill." When do we injure our neighbor bodily? In order- ing Joab to place Urias where he would surely be killed, David caused him to sin. How many ways are there of being accessory to another's sin? When are we answerable for another's sin? Im- purity or lust is one of the seven capital or deadly sins. This sin was the source of all David's other sins. Which are the seven capital or deadly sins ? Why are they called capital sins ? How did it happen that so pious, God-enlightened king as David could fall into so grievous sin? (a) Because he remained at home in idleness instead of going to battle with his troops, (b) Because he kept not sufficient watch upon himself nor tried to control the curiosity of his eyes nor his evil desires. What should we especially avoid as dan- gerous to holy purity ? What should we do to preserve our purity ? 2. Attributes of God. (a) His holiness. "And this thing which David had done was displeasing to the Lord." Why? Because God hates all that is evil. What is this attribute of God ? What do you ABSALOM'S CONSPIRACY AND PUNISHMENT. 133 mean by saying "God is holy"? (b) His omniscience. Although David had sinned in secret, it was known by God, who sent the prophet Nathan to charge him with his secret sins. What is that attribute of God by which He knows all things ? What do you mean by saying "God is omniscient"? (c) His goodness. Nathan told David of all the benefits God had bestowed upon him. What is that attribute of God by which He bestows His blessings upon us ? What do you mean by saying "God is good"? (d) His omnipresence. " Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight ? " What is that attribute of God by which He is in all places ? What do you mean by saying " God is omnipresent " ? (e) His justice. "Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee." These evils, inasmuch as they were punishments, came upon David, by a just judgment of God, for his sin. What do you mean by saying " God is just "? (f) His mercy. In deep con- trition David acknowledged his sin : " I have sinned against the Lord." Therefore Nathan said to him : " The Lord also hath taken away thy sin." What is that attribute of God by which He pardons the penitent sinner ? What do you mean by saying " God is merci- ful " ? 3. True Conversion. David saw the grievousness of his sins and his shameful ingratitude toward God. He acknowledged, in con- trition, "I have sinned against the Lord," and ceased not until his death to weep in sorrow for his transgressions. David knew his sins, was heartily sorry for them and sincerely resolved to commit them no more; he acknowledged them to Nathan, and throughout the remainder of his life did penance for them in order to satisfy God's justice. His conversion and penance being most sincere he received pardon for his sins. How many things are required on our part to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily ? E. Moral Application. David would surely not have fallen into so grievous sins had he been watchful and had he not been spending his time in idleness. If you do not wish to be so unhappy as David be watchful over your senses and beware of idleness. Satan finds some mischief for idle hands to do. LX. ABSALOM'S CONSPIRACY AND PUNISHMENT. A. Preparation. In punishment for David's sins Our Lord had said: "I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house." Absalom, a son of David, conspired against his father, the king. i 3 4 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY B. Narration. (a) Absalom's conspiracy, (b) David's flight, (c) Absalom's defeat and end. (d) David's sorrow and return. C Explanation. (a) " But in all Israel there was not a man so comely, and so exceedingly beautiful as Absalom: from the sole of the foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. (That is, his body was without blemish.) And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king's judgment, Absalom called to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered and said : Thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel. And Absalom answered him : Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said: O that they would make me judge over the land, that all that have business might come to me, that I might do them justice. Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel. (He flattered the people and gave them to think that they would have much better times were he king in order to draw their al- legiance from David to himself.) And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying : As soon as you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye : Absalom reigneth in Hebron. Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart and knowing nothing of the design. (6) And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom. And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem : Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. And the king's servants said to him: Whatsoever our lord the king shall command, we thy servants will willingly execute. And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: And they all wept with a low voice, and all the people passed over : the king also went over the brook Cedron (east of Jerusalem, between the city and Mount Olivet), and all the people marched toward the way that looketh to the desert, (c) And David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds. And the people of Israel were de- feated there by David's army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men. And it happened that Absalom met the servants of David, riding on a mule : and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and the earth, the mule on which he rode passed on. And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak. And Joab said to the. man that told him : If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sides of silver, and a belt? And he said to Joab : If thou wouldst have paid down in my hand a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king's son : for in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Ab- salom, and Joab said: not as thou wilt but I will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absa- ABSALOM'S CONSPIRACY AND PUNISHMENT. i 3 $ lorn: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak, ten young men armourbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an ex- ceeding great heap of stones upon him : but all Israel fled to their own dwell- ings, (rf) And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man run- ning alone. And the watchman said : The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas, the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man : and cometh with good news. And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king, and falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king. And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else. And the king said to him: Pass and stand here. And when he had passed, and stood still, Chusai appeared : and coming up he said : I bring good tidings, my lord, the king. And the king said to Chusai : Is the young man Absalom safe? And Chusai, answering him, said: Let the ene- mies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is. The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son : Would to God that I might die for thee Absalom my son, my son Absalom. And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and all Juda came as far as Galgal to meet the king, and to bring him over the Jordan." D. Commentary. i. The Fourth Commandment. Punishments for the violation of the same. Absalom sinned grievously against the fourth commandment, (a) Against the reverence he owed his father (in that he spoke ill of him), (b) Against the love he owed him (in that he deeply grieved him), (c) Against the obedience he owed him (in that he would not obey him or listen to his advice, but conspired against him). What does God command by this fourth commandment? When do children sin against the reverence they owe their parents ? When do children sin against the love they owe their parents? When do children sin against the obedience they owe their parents? Just punishment was not long in overtaking Absalom for his sins. The battle which he waged against his father was unsuccessful. In his flight he remained hanging to the branch of a tree and underwent much suffering, until at last his unfilial, un- grateful heart was pierced by the lance. So he met with a shameful death. His grave was filled in with stones, and to-day yet this spot is held as an accursed place. Therefore the wicked son Absalom met with shame and disgrace while in this world and the curse of God in the next. What awaits those who grievously fail to do their 136 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. duty toward their parents? 2. God's Faithfulness and Justice. God made known to David through His prophet Nathan : " Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house." This was fulfilled in the conspiracy of Absalom against his father. What is that attribute of God by which He will surely keep His promises and execute His threats? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful " ? Absalom grievously sinned against his father. There- fore he was overtaken by a just punishment. What is that attribute of God by which He rewards the good and punishes the wicked ac- cording to each one's deserts ? What do you mean by saying " God is just"? E. M oral Application. May the dreadful punishment of Absalom impress upon you the seriousness of violating the fourth command- ment. Have you spoken ill of your parents, grieved or disobeyed them? Then form the firm resolution from now on never again to commit these sins, but to honor, love and obey your parents, pastors, teachers and all your superiors and show them the gratitude which is their due. LXI. DAVID'S LAST ADMONITIONS AND His DEATH. A. Preparation. David had grown old. His end was approaching. Be- fore his death he gave beautiful admonitions to his son Solomon, and to all the Israelites. B. Narration. (a) The contemplated building of the Temple, (b) David's admonitions, (c) His death. C. Explanation. (a) "David said to Nathan the prophet: Dost thou see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins? But it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying : Go, and say to my servant David : Thus saith the Lord : Shalt thou build me a house to dwell in? And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will raise up thy seed after thee and I will establish his kingdom. (This prophecy partly relateth to Solomon; but much more to Christ, who is called the son of David in Scripture, and who is the builder of the true temple, which is the Church; His everlasting kingdom which shall never fail.) He shall build a house to my name, and I will es- tablish the throne of his kingdom for ever" (II. Kings vii. 2, 4, 5, 12, 13). "And David said to Solomon : My son, it was my desire to have built a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed much blood, and fought many battles, so thou canst not build a house to my name, after shedding so much blood before me : The DAVID'S LAST ADMONITIONS AND HIS DEATH. 137 son that shall be born to thee, shall be a most quiet man; for I will make him rest from all his enemies round about: And therefore he shall be called Peaceable (Solomon), and I will give peace and quietness to Israel all his days. He shall build a house to my name, and he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him: And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever, (fr) Now then my son, the Lord be with thee, and do thou prosper, and build the house to the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken of thee. The Lord also give thee wisdom and understanding, that thou mayest be able to rule Israel, and to keep the law of the Lord thy God. For then thou shalt be able to prosper, if thou keep the commandments, and judg- ments, which the Lord commanded Moses to teach Israel: take courage and act manfully, fear not, nor be dismayed. And David, being old and full of days, made Solomon his son king over Israel. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, and the priests and Levites, and standing said: Now then before all the assembly of Israel, in the hearing of our God, keep ye and seek all the commandments of the Lord our God: that you may possess the good land, and may leave it to your children after you for ever. And thou my son Solomon know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts and under- standeth all the thoughts of minds. If thou seek him, thou shalt find Him : but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever. And king David said to all the assembly: Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is as yet young and tender: and the work is great (that is, it is a great undertaking to build a house for the Lord), for a house is prepared not for man, but for God. And I with all my ability have prepared the expenses for the house of my God. Gold for vessels of gold, and silver for vessels of silver, brass for things of brass, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood : and onyx stones and stones like alabaster, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble of paros in great abundance. Now, over and above the things which I have offered into the house of my God, I give of my own proper goods. Now, if any man is willing to offer, let him fill his hand to-day and offer what he pleaseth to the Lord. And the people rejoiced when they promised their offerings willingly: because they offered them to the Lord with all their heart (not for wordly gain or the opinion of their fellow men, but with simplicity in their love for God and His glory). And David the king rejoiced also with a great joy. And he blessed the Lord be- fore all the multitude, and he said: Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of Israel, our father, from eternity to eternity. Thine, O Lord, is magnificence, and power, and glory, and victory: And to thee is praise: for all that is in heaven, and in earth, is thine : Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art above all princes. Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise thee all these things? All things are thine: and we have given thee what we have received of thy hand. For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. Our days upon earth are as shadows and there is no stay. I know, my God, that thou provest hearts, and lovest simplicity, wherefore I also in the simplicity of my heart, have joyfully of- fered all these things: and I have seen with great joy thy people, which are here present, offer thee their offerings, (c) So David, the son of Isai, reigned i 3 S TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. over all Israel. And the days that he reigned over Israel were forty years: In Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem three and thirty years. And he died in a good old age, full of days, and riches and glory. And Solo- mon his son reigned in his stead." (He died then at the age of seventy years, having ascended to the throne at the age of thirty and reigned during forty years.) (Par. xxii. 7-13; xxiii. I, 2; xxviii. 2, 8, 9; xxix. 1-3, 5, 9-11, i* 15, 17, 26-28'). D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His omniscience. "For the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the thoughts of minds " (Par. xxviii. 9). God knows all things, even the most secret thoughts. What is this attribute of God? What do you mean by saying "God is omniscient"? (b) His holiness. David could not build a house for God, because he was a man of blood, that is a warrior, slaying many in battle, and especially owing to his sinfulness in causing Urias to be slain. This being displeasing in the sight of God He would not accept a house from his hands. Which is that attribute of God by which He loves and wills only what is good, and hates all that is evil ? What do you mean by say- ing "God is holy"? (c) His justice. David said to his son: "If thou seek him thou shalt find him: but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever" (xxviii. 9). What is that attribute of God by which He rewards the good and punishes the wicked ? What do you mean by saying " God is just "? 2. Review of David's Life. According to God's providence tasks of especial importance were given to David, (a) He was to secure for the Israelites their pos- session of the Promised Land. This he achieved through his many and victorious battles by which all his enemies were overcome, (b) He was to establish the unity and concord of the twelve tribes. This he did by regulating the divine service, as well as by the wisdom and justice of his laws. He was an exceptionally important instrument in the land of divine Providence. That he so well fulfilled all the tasks set for him, making of his life's work one great success, was due to his eminent virtues, among which his humility, his confidence in God, his piety, his zeal for God's honor, his love for his neighbor and for his enemy, his justice and generosity, take the foremost rank. 3. David a Figure of the Messias. David was born in Bethlehem; Our Lord was born in Bethlehem. David was a shepherd, and, armed only with a sling and shepherd's crook, slew the giant Goliath ; Our Lord, the divine shepherd, with only His cross vanquished the devil. David in return for the love and benefits he had showered upon Saul received only his ingratitude, hatred and enmity; our divine Lord, SOLOMON'S PRAYER AND WISE DECISION. 139 for His infinite love and countless blessings, received the blackest ingratitude of mankind. David sinned, and to atone for his sins was obliged to go out of Jerusalem ; Our Lord, though innocence itself, to atone for the sins of the world, was conducted out of Jerusalem. David crossed the torrent Cedron, weeping; Our Lord penetrated with grief crossed the same Cedron. David went up to Mount Olivet ; Our Lord also ascended Mount Olivet on the eve of His bitter suffering and death on the cross. David was accompanied by a small number of faithful servants ; Our Lord was followed by His holy Mother, St. John and a small number of pious souls. David in his affliction was insulted by Semei, whom he forbade his followers to injure; Our Lord, on the cross, was insulted by the Jews, for whom He prayed. David returned in triumph and received the homage of his subjects; Our Lord rose in triumph from the tomb and received the homage of the whole world. E. Moral Application. One of the beautiful exhortations of David to his son Solomon, " Know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind," applies also to you. The very first lesson taught to you in the Catechism is that you must know God, love Him and serve Him. Observe most faithfully the commandments of God in every detail. Fulfill willingly, gladly, all that God asks of you, and you, too, will gain eternal happiness and see God face to face. LXII. SOLOMON'S PRAYER AND WISE DECISION. A. Preparation. Solomon now reigned as king over Israel and God was with him. Shortly after the beginning of his reign God appeared to him by night and asked of him what gift he desired. Solomon begged for the gifts of wisdom and knowledge, which were bestowed upon him. B. Narration. (a) Solomon's prayer for wisdom and the grant- ing of the same, (b) The dispute between the two women, (c) Solomon's wise judgment. C. Explanation. (a) "And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying: Ask what thou wilt that I should give thee. And Solomon said: Thou hast shewn great mercy to thy servant David, my father, even as he walked before thee in truth and justice, and an upright heart with thee: and thou hast kept thy great mercy for him, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. (Although anointed king during his father's i 4 o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. lifetime, Solomon reigned only after David's death.) And now, O Lord God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a child and know not how to go out and come in. (By these words Solomon shows his humility. He was now twenty years of age.) And thy servant is in the midst of the people which thou hast chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people which is so numerous ? And the word was pleasing to the Lord that Solomon had asked such a thing. And the Lord said to Solomon : Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor the lives of thy enemies, but has asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment. Behold, I have done for thee according to thy words, and have given thee a wise and understanding heart, insomuch as there hath been no one like thee before thee, nor shall arise after thee. Yea, and the things also which thou didst not ask, I have given thee : to wit, riches and glory, so that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, and keep my precepts, and my commandments, as thy father walked, I will lengthen thy days. (6) Then there came two women that were harlots to the king, and stood before him : And one of them said : I beseech thee, my Lord, I and this woman dwelt in the house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day, after that I was de- livered, she also was delivered, and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this woman's child died in the night; for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I thy handmaid was asleep, and laid it in her bosom : and laid her dead child in my bosom. And the other woman answered: it is not so as thou sayest, but thy child is dead and mine alive. On the contrary she said: Thou liest: for my child liveth, and thy child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king, (c) Then said the king: The one saith, my child is alive, and thy child is dead. And the other answereth: Nay but thy child is dead, and mine liveth. The king therefore said: Bring me a sword, and when they had brought a sword before the king, divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other. (Solomon had not the intention to slay the child, but gave this seemingly cruel command in order to distinguish the true mother, knowing that she would rather give her child into the hands of a stranger than have it lose its life.) But the woman whose child was alive said to the king (for her bowels were moved upon her child), I beseech thee, my lord, give her the child alive and do not kill it. But the other said : Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. (By the hardness of heart shown in this utterance she proved that she was not the mother of the child.) The king answered and said : Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed, for she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard the judg- ment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment" (III. Kings iii. 5, 14, 16-20, 22-28). CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE. 141 D. Commentary. i. Solomon's Virtues, (a) His humility. Sol- omon, though king, called himself a servant of the Lord and a child in His sight. What virtue did he accordingly possess? What virtues are especially opposed to the seven capital sins? (b) His prudence. Solomon did not pray for wealth or glory, but asked God to grant him " an understanding heart " " to discern between good and evil/' that he might always do what was right and pleasing in the sight of God. His first consideration was for the welfare of his soul and the souls of the people entrusted to him. He wished to obtain for himself and his people peace in time and happiness for all eternity. He possessed, therefore, the virtue of prudence. To which class of virtues does prudence belong? Which are the four cardinal or principal virtues on which all the other moral virtues rest ?* What is prudence? 2. Envy. The woman who in sleep had stifled her child envied the other woman her living child. When do we sin by envy? Among what class of sin is envy numbered?" Why are they called capital sins? Let us see into what other sins this woman's envy led her! Through envy she was led to steal the living child from her neighbor (seventh commandment) ; to lie to the king (eighth commandment) ; and at last to desire the death of the inno- cent babe "divide it" (fifth commandment). 3. Lying. The woman who by night had stolen the babe from its mother declared before the king that it was her own. She lied with deliberation and intent, in order to deceive the king and obtain his consent to keep the child. What is a lie? E. Moral Application. Learn from Solomon Christian prudence ! Beg God, above all else, for spiritual gifts piety, fear of the Lord, purity of the heart ! Earthly possessions, such as honor, riches, even life itself, pass with time the spiritual remain for life eternal ! " Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven : where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also " (Matt. vi. 19-21). LXIII. CONSTRUCTION AND DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. A. Preparation. David had entrusted to Solomon much gold and silver with which to build a temple for God. CO see page 34. (a) 59. i 4 2 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. B. Narration. (a) Building of the Temple, (b) The dedica- tion of the Temple, (c) Solomon's prayer and its fulfillment. C. Explanation. (a) "And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent his servants to Solo- mon : for he heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father : for Hiram had always been David's friend. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying: Thou knowest the will of David my father, and that he could not build a house to the name of the Lord his God. Wherefore I purpose to build a temple to the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying: Thy son, whom I will set upon the throne in thy place, he shall build a house to my name. Give orders therefore that thy servants cut me down cedar trees out of Libanus, and let my servants be with thy servants: and I will give thee the hire of thy servants whatever thou wilt ask, for thou knowest how there is not among my people a man that has skill to hew wood like to the Sidonians. And Hiram sent to Solomon saying: I have heard all thou hast desired of me : and I will do all thy desire concern- ing cedar trees, and fir trees. My servants shall bring them down from Libanus (see map) ; the wood from these cedars and firs was chosen for its sweet odor and durability and hewn by the most skilled workmen, and the most costly stones were quarried in the mountains and hewn by the masons) to the sea : and I will put them together in floats in the sea, and convey them to the place which thou shalt signify to me; and will land them there, and thou shalt receive them : and thou shalt allow me necessaries to furnish food for my household. And king Solomon chose workmen out of all Israel, and the levy was of thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Libanus, ten thou- sand every month by turns, so that two months they were at home. And Solo- mon had seventy thousand to carry burdens, and eighty thousand to hew stones. Besides the overseers who were over every work, in number three thousand and three hundred that ruled over the people, and them that did the work. And the king commanded, that they should bring great stones, costly stones, for the foundation of the temple and should square them : And the masons of Solomon and the masons of Hiram hewed them: and the Giblians prepared timber and stones to build the house. (All the parts were so prepared that they exactly fitted together, " so that there was neither ham- mer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was building." The fitted parts were conveyed from Libanus to Moria [see map], where the temple was built The mountain of Moria lies in a northeasterly direction from Mount Sion and it was here that Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac.) And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, in mount Moria, which had been shewn to David his father, in the place which David had prepared in the threshing floor of Oman the Jebusite. And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was threescore cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in height. And there was a porch before the temple of twenty cubits in length according to the measure of the breadth of the temple : and it was ten cubits in breadth before the face of the temple. And he made in the temple oblique windows. And upon the wall of the temple he built floors round about, in the walls of the house round about the temple and the oracle, and he made sides round about, CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE. 143 (Chambers or cells adjoining to the Temple, for the use of the Temple and of the priests, so contrived as to be between the inward and outward wall of the Temple, in three stories one above another. The inner temple or holy of holies, where God gave his oracles.) And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones hewed and made ready : so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building. So he built the house, and finished it and he covered the house with roofs of cedar. And he made the oracle in the midst of the house, in the inner part, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. And the house before the oracle he overlaid with most pure gold, and fastened on the plates with nails of gold. And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold. (b) And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord into its place, that is to the oracle of the temple, into the holy of holies under the wings of the cherubims. Nor could the priests stand and minister by reason of the cloud. For the glory of the Lorfl had filled the house of God. Then Solomon said : The Lord promised that he would dwell in a cloud. But I have built a house to his name, that he might dwell there forever, (c) Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel who hath accomplished indeed that which he spoke to David my father. He said: O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven nor in earth: who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts. And now, Lord God of Israel, let thy word be established which thou hast spoken to thy servant David. Is it credible then that God should dwell with men on earth? If heaven and the heaven of heavens do not contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? But to this end only is it made, that thou mayst regard the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, O Lord my God: and mayst hear the prayers which thy servant poureth out before thee. And when Solomon had made an end of his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the holocausts and the victims: and the majesty of the Lord filled the house. And the Lord appeared to him by night and said: I have heard thy prayer and I have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice" (III. Kings v. 1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13-18; II. Par. iii. i; III. Kings vi. 2-5, 7, 9, 19, 21, 22; II. Par. v. 7, 14; vi. I, 4, 14, 17-19; vii. I, 12). D. Commentary. i. God's Being and Attributes, (a) God is in- finitely perfect. Solomon said : " There is no God like thee in heaven nor in earth." " Heaven and the heaven of heavens do not contain thee." God can not be likened to any being, He surpasses all ; no space can bound Him, He fulfills all things. He is an infinitely per- fect spirit. Who is God ? Why do you say that God is infinitely per- fect? (b) God's goodness and mercy. The singers lifted up their voices, saying : " Give glory to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever." What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? What do you mean by saying " God is merciful " ? 2. Exterior Worship. How do we honor God exteriorly ? The Israelites in sol- i 4 4 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. emn procession carried the ark of the covenant into the Temple; Solomon fell upon his knees and lifted up his hands toward heaven in prayer; and all the Israelites fell upon their knees and prayed. How many kinds of honor do we owe to God? 3. The Sanctity of the Temple. The Lord sanctified the Temple. " For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God." His eyes were to be opened upon the house by night and by day, and to all who prayed there He would listen. E. Moral Application. If the Temple of Solomon was so holy how much more holy is our house of God the Catholic church. Therein is present Our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus, true God and true man ; daily He offers Himself for us to His heavenly Father in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Be ever reverent in your behavior when you have the happiness to be in His presence in His house. Never fail to kneel in adoration before the Divine Prisoner in the Tabernacle of the Altar. LXIV. SOLOMON'S WISDOM, RICHES AND GLORY. His DEATH. A. Preparation. Solomon asked but wisdom and God bestowed also riches and glory upon him, so that there had never been a king like unto him in all the days before. Despite his happiness and the admiration he received from all mankind, his end was sad. B. Narration. (a) Solomon's riches and glory, (b) His wis- dom, (c) His sad ending. C. Explanation. (a) "And Solomon built his own house in thirteen years and brought it to perfection. And the foundations were of costly stones, great stones of ten cubits or eight cubits. And the weight of the gold that was brought to Solomon every year, was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold. Besides that which the men brought him that were over the tributes, and the merchants, and they that sold by retail, and all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the country. King Solomon also made a great throne of ivory : and overlaid it with the finest gold. It had six steps : and the top of the throne was round behind ; and there were two hands on either side holding the seat : and two lions stood, one at each hand. And twelve little lions stood upon the six steps on the one side and on the other : there was no such work made in any kingdom. Moreover all the vessels out of which king Solomon drank were of gold: and all the furniture of the house of the forest of Libanus was of most pure gold; there was no silver, nor was any account made of it in the days of Solomon. (&) And king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the earth desired to see Solomon's face, to hear his wisdom, which God had given his heart. And the rest of the words SOLOMON'S WISDOM, RICHES, GLORY. HIS DEATH. 145 of Solomon and all that he did, and his wisdom behold they are all written in the book of the words, of the days of Solomon. (Being inspired by the Holy Ghost Solomon's words belong to the Holy Scriptures. In " The Book of Proverbs " he directs men to wisdom and virtue ; in " Ecclesiastes," or " The Preacher," Solomon setteth forth the vanity of the things of this world : to withdraw the hearts and affections of men from such empty toys; and in the " Canticle of Canticles " he glorifies the infinite love of God.) (c) And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to follow strange gods : and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. And Solomon did that which was not pleasing before the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as David his father. Then Solomon built a temple for Chamos the idol of Moab, on the hill that is over against Jerusalem, and for Moloch the idol of the children of Ammon. (He built the temples not because he believed in these strange gods, but for love of his pagan wives. In this manner he spread idolatry in his kingdom, making himself guilty of serious sin.) And he did in this manner for all his wives that were strangers, who burnt incense, and offered sacrifice to their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his mind was turned away from the Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. The Lord therefore said to Solomon: because thou hast done this and hast not kept my covenant, and my precepts which I have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom and will give it to thy servant. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son, for the sake of David my servant, and Jerusalem which I have chosen. And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel, were forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father, and Roboam his son reigned in his stead" (III. Kings vii. I, 10; x. 14, 15, 18-21, 23, 24; xi. i, 4, 6-9, 11-13, 42, 43)- D. Commentary. i. Solomon's Sins. It is indeed sad that a king so endowed with the grace of God should have ended his years in so inglorious a manner. In consequence of his great riches and glory he failed to have recourse to God in prayer and became (a) indifferent in faith. How do we sin against faith? 1 (First com- mandment.) Because Solomon became indifferent in matters of faith (regarding God and His commandments), he took to himself pagan wives, which was forbidden by God, and for love of them built pagan temples. In doing this he was an accessory in the sin of idolatry, that is, was guilty (b) of one of the nine ways of being accessory to another's sin. Which are these nine ways? Thereby he gave also (c) scandal to his subjects. When do we injure our neighbor spiritually ? When do we scandalize our neighbor ? 2. The Danger of Riches. The depth of Solomon's fall into sin is a warn- ing of the danger that lies in great wealth. Wealth and good (i) 321. (2) see page 35 146 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. fortune drew Solomon more and more away from Our Lord, until at last he quite forgot his God and became a great sinner. People possessed of great wealth and earthly happiness easily forget God and their duty toward Him, and finally lose eternal happiness. Therefore Christ says : " For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (Luke xviii. 25). "For where thy treasure is there is thy heart also" (Matt. vi. 21). If we possess earthly treasures and use them in such a manner as through them to obtain heavenly treasures then our love for them is supernatural, therefore meri- torious. 3. God's Justice. Because Solomon broke God's command- ments he was punished by God. " Because thou hast done this, I will divide and rend thy kingdom and will give it to thy servant." What is this attribute of God? What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? 4. Solomon a Figure of Christ. Both Christ and Solo- mon were princes of peace and full of wisdom. Solomon built a magnificent temple to the true God ; Our Saviour changes the world, which was a vast temple of idols, into a temple of the true God. On the report of the wisdom of Solomon the queen of Saba leaves her kingdom and is filled with admiration ; at the name of Our Lord kings, queens, whole nations of idolaters, quit the worship of idols and admire the wisdom of the Christian law. The queen of Saba offered rich presents to Solomon, the three kings of the East brought rich presents to Jesus the Infant King. E. Moral Application. The cause of Solomon's fall was his neglect of prayer; if you do not wish also to fall into serious sin then pray daily with fervor and attention. " Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation." St. Paul says, " Pray without ceasing " (I. Thess. v. 17). Pray therefore often and with devotion both at church and at home and in your daily journeyings. Pray in peace, pray in stress, pray in joy, pray in sorrow, pray in sickness, pray in health, pray in danger, pray in temptations. Pray at all times, pray with perseverance. " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and you shall find ; knock and it shall be opened to you " (Luke xi. 9). REVIEW OF THE TIMES OF THE KINGS OF THE UNDIVIDED KINGDOM. i. Brief account of the events of this period. 2. Further develop- ments regarding the prophecies of the Messias. 3. Figures of the SENDING OP PROPHETS. DIVISION OP KINGDOM. 147 Messias. 4. Review of geographical questions. Where situated and when named: (a) Bethlehem? (b) The desert of Judea ? (c) Mount Gilboa? (d) Mount Sion? (e) The brook of Cedron? (f) The woods of Ephraim? (g) Mount Moria? (h) Libanus? LXV. THE SENDING OF THE PROPHETS. DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM (975 B. C.). A. Preparation. After the death of Solomon the word of God regarding the division of the kingdom came to pass. The Israelites again cause sorrow to God by their numerous sins and Our Lord sent among them holy men to preach penance and announce future events. These men were called prophets. B. Narration. (a) Roboam's counselors, (b) The falling off of the ten tribes, (c) Setting up of idolatry in the kingdom of Israel, (d) The prophets. C. Explanation. (a) "And Roboam went to Sichem : for thither were all Israel come together to make him king (members of all the tribes). And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam came and all the multitude of Israel, and they spoke to Roboam, saying : Thy father laid a grievous yoke upon us : now therefore do thou take off a little of the grievous service of thy father, and of his most heavy yoke, which he put upon us and we will serve thee. King Roboam took counsel with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and he said what counsel do you give me, that I may answer this people? They said to him: If thou wilt yield to this people to-day, and condescend to them, and grant their petition and wilt speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always. But he left the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, that had been brought up with him, and stood before him. And he said to them: What counsel do you give me? And the young men who had been brought up with him said: Thus shalt thou speak to this people who have spoken to thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease us. Thou shalt say to them: My little finger is thicker than the back of my father. And now my father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add to your yoke : my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scor- pions, (b) And the king answered the people roughly, leaving the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men. Then the people seeing that the king would not hearken to them, answered him, saying: What portion have we in David? or what inheritance in the son of Isai? Go home to thy dwellings O Israel, now David look to thy own house. So Israel departed to their dwellings. (The kingdom of Israel embraced the northern portion of the Promised Land; the kingdom of Juda the southern portion.) But 1 4 8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. as for all the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Juda, Roboam reigned over them. And Israel revolted from the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again that they gathered an assembly, and sent and called him, and made him king over all Israel, and there was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Juda only, (c) And Jeroboam said in his heart: now shall the kingdom return to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem : and the heart of this people will turn to their lord Roboam, the king of Juda, and they will kill me and return to him. And finding out a device he made two golden calves, and said to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem : Behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt... (It is likely, by making his gods in this form, he mimicked the Egyptians, among whom he had sojourned, who worshipped their Apis and their Osiris under the form of a bullock.) And he set the one in Bethel and the other in Dan. (Bethel was a city of the tribe of Ephraim in the southern part of the dominions of Jeroboam, about six leagues from Jerusalem; Dan was in the extremity of his dominion, to the north in the confines of Syria.) And this thing became an occasion of sin: for the people went to adore the calf as far as Dan. (d) And behold there came a man of God out of Juda, by the word of the Lord to Bethel. (God sent the prophets, that through their words and miracles the people might be brought to a knowledge of the evil they were committing and by repentance return to the one true God,) (III. Kings xii. I, 3, 4, 6-u, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20, 26-29; xiii. i). D. Commentary. i. Roboam' s Evil Counselor. The young men of whom Roboam sought counsel advised him to yet more severely oppress his people. They gave evil counsel ; counseled him to commit sin. Oppression of the poor is one of the sins that cries to heaven for vengeance. Which are the four sins that cry to heaven for vengeance? In giving evil counsel these young men were ac- cessories to Roboam's sin. How many ways are there of being ac- cessory to another's sin? 1 2. Revolt against Lawful Authority. Roboam was the lawful king over Israel. When the ten tribes fell away from him and chose their own king they revolted against lawful authority and sinned against the fourth commandment. What does God command by this fourth commandment? 2 How do we sin against our spiritual and temporal superiors? 3. Scandal. In causing his people to commit idolatry Jeroboam was guilty of the sin of scandal. That is, he intentionally led his subjects into sin, injuring them spiritually. When do we injure our neighbor spir- itually? When do we scandalize our neighbor? 4. Attributes of God. (a) His faithfulness. God had made known to Solomon that his kingdom would be given to one of his servants, only a por- tion being reserved for his son. This came to pass. God had kept (i) see page 35. (2) 362. THE PROPHET ELIAS. 149 His promise. What is this attribute of God? What do you mean by saying "God is faithful"? (b) His goodness and mercy. Although the people again forsook God and worshipped idols He did not forsake them, but in His divine love sent prophets among them. What is this attribute of God ? What do you mean by saying "God is good"? The prophets were to awaken the people to a sense of their wrong and bring them back, in the spirit of penance, to the feet of God. What is this attribute of God? What do you mean by saying " God is merciful "? (c) His infinite power. God worked miracles by the hands of the prophets. Who only can per- form miracles ? Why can God alone work miracles ? What do you mean by saying " God is all-powerful " ? E. Moral Application. Watch over yourselves that you do not sin against the fourth commandment. See that you bear no ill will toward your lawful superiors, speak no ill of them and be prompt in your obedience. Remember the words of Christ : " Render unto God the things that are God's and unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." The Prophets of the Old Law: God called up prophets and sent them out to bring the king and his people to repentance. These prophets were pious men who exhorted the people to re- pentance and foretold the future by the inspiration of God. God gave to them also the power of working miracles. There are two kinds of prophets; those who have not written their prophecies, as Elias and Eliseus, and those who have written them. Among the latter some are called the great prophets, because we have a greater number of their writings, such as David, Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, and Daniel ; others are called the minor prophets, because we have fewer of their writings : Joel, Jonas, Osee, Micheas, Aggeus, Zach- arias, Malachias, etc. LXVL THE PROPHET ELIAS. A. Preparation. The godless king Joroboam had been succeeded by six different kings, each reigning for a period over Israel. During the reign of the last of these, Achab by name, whose ungodliness was in excess of that of any of the others, the prophet Elias was sent by God to redeem him and his people. B. Narration. (a) Elias by the torrent of Carith. (b) Elias at Sarephta. 1 50 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. C. Explanation. (a) "And Achab the son of Amri reigned over Israel in Samaria two and twenty years (919-897 B. c.). And Achab the son of Amri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. Nor was it enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat : but he also took to wife Jezabel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. And he went and served Baal and adored him. And he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Elias the Thesbite of the inhabitants of Galaad said to Achab: As the Lord liveth, the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to the words of my mouth. And the word of the Lord came to him, saying: Get thee hence, and go toward the East and hide thyself by the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan, and there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according to the word of the Lord: and going, he dwelt by the torrent Carith, which is over against the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the even- ing, and he drank of the torrent. But after some time the torrent was dried up, for it had not rained upon the earth. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying : Arise and go to Sarephta of the Sidonians (that is, a city of the Sidonians) and dwell there: for I have commanded a widow woman there to feed thee. He arose and went to Sarephta. And when he was come to the gate of the city he saw the widow woman gathering sticks, and he called her, and said to her: Give me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. Bring me also I beseech thee a morsel of bread in thy hand. And she answered as the Lord liveth I have no bread, but only a handful of meal in a pot, and a little oil in a cruse : behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it, for me and my son, that we may eat it and die. And Elias said to her : Fear not, for thus saith the Lord the God of Israel : The pot of meal shall not waste, nor the cruse of oil be diminished, until the day wherein the Lord will give rain upon the face of the earth. And it came to pass after this that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick, and the sickness was very grievous so that there was no breath left in him. And Elias said to her : Give me thy son. And he took him out of net. bosom, and carried him into the upper chamber where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the Lord, and said : O Lord my God, hast thou afflicted also the widow, with whom I am after a sort main- tained, so as to kill her son? O Lord my God, let the soul of this child, I beseech thee, return into his body. And the Lord heard the voice of Elias: and the soul of the child returned into him, and he revived. And Elias took the child, and brought him down from the upper chamber to the house below, and delivered him to his mother, and said to her: Behold thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elias: Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true" (III. Kings xvi. 29-32; xvii. 1-14, 17, 19-24). D. Commentary. I. Attributes of God. (a) His omnipresence. Elias said to Achab : " As the Lord liveth the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand." What is this attribute of God by which He is every- THE PROPHET ELI AS. 151 where ? What do you mean by saying " God is omnipresent " ? (b) His infinite power. Nothing can withstand the power of God. The winds and the clouds must obey Him. By His command no rain fell in the kingdom of Israel. The ravens, at God's word, daily brought nourishment to Elias. The pot of meal and the cruse of oil were not diminished, because God so willed it, though daily they supplied the nourishment for three. By the infinite power of God Elias recalled to life the only son of the widow. What is this at- tribute of God ? What do you mean by saying " God is all-power- ful "? (c) His goodness. In God's infinite love His servant Elias was shielded from the anger of Achab and his daily needs mirac- ulously supplied. What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? (d) His justice. The long drought was a well-merited punishment for the godless king Achab and his idolatrous subjects. What do you mean by saying "God is just"? 2. Faith, Confidence and Mercy of the Widow of Sarephta. The widow of Serephta, although a pagan, was possessed of great and beautiful virtues. Above all her great faith. The prophet said to her she should not fear, that the meal and the oil would not diminish, and though her supply was so minute she hesitated not, but with faith in his word, coming from God, used therefrom to supply his needs. When is our faith firm? In obeying the request of Elias she also fulfilled one of the corporal works of mercy to feed the hungry. Which are the corporal works of mercy? God rewarded the faith, confidence and mercy of the poor widow by supplying her daily bread in the time of famine and by restoring to life her only son. " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." 3. Life and Death. The son of the widow was dead. What happens at man's death? Without the soul the body is dead. The prophet, by the help of God, wished to restore the widow's son to life. What then had to take place? Therefore Elias prayed : " Let the soul of this child, I beseech thee, return into his body." E. Moral Application. Be firm in your faith, like the widow of Sarephta. She heard the word of God as it came from the mouth of the prophet and believed it. We hear the word of God through the holy Catholic Church. Let us firmly adhere, then, to her teach- ing, and thank God for the grace of faith. In all your needs have confidence in God. He did not allow Elias nor the widow and her son to suffer hunger during the great famine. He clothes the flowers of the field and feeds the birds of the air. Has He not I S 2 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. told us that not a sparrow falls without Him? How, then, can He forget us if we are not forgetful of Him. Show, then, your con- fidence in God, for He will never forsake you in your need. LXVII. THE SACRIFICE OF ELIAS. A. Preparation. While Elias was yet at Sarephta, he received from God a command to visit king Achab and inform him that at last rain would fall. This Elias did, and also offered sacrifices, for which God performed a great miracle in order to convert the godless inhabitants of the kingdom of Israel. B. Narration. (a) Elias in the midst of the people on Mount Carmel. (b) Elias' proposition, (c) Prayer of the priests of Baal, (d) Prayer of Elias. (e) The long-desired rainfall. C. Explanation. (a) "And Achab said to Abdias: Go into the land unto all fountains of waters, and into all valleys, to see if we can find grass, and save the horses and mules, that the beasts may not utterly perish. (Owing to the long drought men and beasts had endured much suffering, many unto death.) And Achab came to meet Elias, and Elias said: Send now and gather unto me all Israel unto Mount Carmel (a mountain range in Samaria, extending northeast to the Mediterranean Sea), and the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves, four hundred, who eat at Jezabel's table. Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophets unto Mount Carmel. (b) Elias, coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt between two sides ? If the Lord be God, follow Him : but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word. And Elias again said to the people : I only remain a prophet of the Lord : but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men. Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces and lay it upon wood, but put no fire under : And I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it. Call ye on the names of your gods, and I will call on the name of my Lord : and the god that shall answer by fire let him be God. And all the people answering, said: A very good proposal, (c) And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it : and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made, (d) Elias said to the people : Come ye unto me. And the people coming near unto him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, that was broken down : And when it was now time to offer the holocaust, Elias the prophet came near and said: O Lord, God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things. Hear me, O Lord, hear me : that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again. Then the fire THE SACRIFICE OF ELIAS. 153 of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, and the wood and the stones (the twelve stones representing the twelve tribes with which Elias built the altar) and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (poured upon the offering and into the trench by the command of Elias, that the mir- acle might be the greater). And when the people saw this they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God. (?) And Elias went up to the top of Mount Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant : Go up and look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And again he said to him : Return seven times. And at the seventh time, behold a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man's foot. And he said : Go up and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot and go down lest the rain prevent thee. And while he turned himself this way and that way, behold the heavens grew dark with clouds and wind, and there fell a great rain. And Achab getting up went away to Jezrahel (III. Kings xviii. 5, 16, 19-26, 29, 30, 36-39, 42-45). D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His infinite power. Although the heavens were clear fire came down and consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, even the water with which they had been soaked. This was a great miracle. Who only can work miracles ? What do you mean by saying " God is all-powerful " ? (b) His faithfulness. God had promised the prophets that rain should again fall upon the earth. We see how God kept His promise. What do you mean by saying "God is faithful"? (c) His good- ness. Although the people had committed the grievous sin of idolatry and had forsaken God, He sent rain, that the great famine might cease. This was indeed a great blessing for the faithless people. What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? 2. The Prayer of Elias. Elias retired to the top of the mountain, to be alone with God. He wished his prayer to be without distraction. He bowed himself to the earth, praying with great humility. How must we pray? 1 The fruit of the prophet's prayer was the help God sent the people in their dire necessity. What are the principal fruits of prayer? 3. The Virtues of Elias. (a) First, he possessed a firm, constant and living faith. While the people of Israel worshipped idols, he adored the one true God. Neither King Achab nor the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal could shake the faith of Elias. When is our faith firm ? His firm faith and great confidence in God made Elias (b) implicitly obedient to God's commands, though this was not unattended with danger. Obediently he went to his enemy Achab, though he knew he sought his life. In this he showed d) 307. 154 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. (c) the virtue of fortitude, being willing to bear any persecution, even the loss of his life, rather than fail in his obedience to God. What is fortitude? E. Moral Application. Be never afraid to profess your faith openly; consider not the earthly consequences, but think of your eternal reward. Bear in mind the words of Our Saviour : " Every one that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven " (Matt. x. 32). LXVIII. NABOTH. THE PUNISHMENT OF ACHAB AND JEZABEL. A. Preparation. The godless King Achab showed no gratitude whatever when God, by a fertile rain, put an end to the dreadful famine in his kingdom. He committed new crimes, and was finally, with his ungodly wife, punished with death by God. This is told in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Naboth's refusal. (b) Jezabel's crime. (c) Elias' prophecy, (d) Fulfillment of the same. C Explanation. (a) " Near the palace of the king" at Jezrahel, north of Samaria, where Achab, who usually resided in Samaria, had another palace. " Give thee the inheritance of my fathers " which was prohibited by the law. " Could neither eat nor sleep " for anger, (b) " Stoned to death." The punish- ment of blasphemy was death, (c) "That he might now take the vineyard," for, according to the law, the king took possession of the estate of such a criminal, (d) " The new king," Jehu by name, who had all the relatives of the impious Achab put to death. " The dogs ate her flesh " ; only the head, feet and hands remained. D. Commentary. i. Achab' s and Jezabel's Sins. The prophet reproached Achab thus : " Thou hast murdered and taken ill-gotten goods." Achab was cause of the death of the innocent Naboth because he, although able, and as king bound to do so, did not hinder the false accusation, unjust sentence and cruel death of Naboth. What does God forbid in the fifth commandment? 1 How may we sin against the body and life of our neighbor? Achab was also guilty of being accessory to another's sin when he silently con- sented to the sin of his ungodly wife. In how many ways may we share the guilt of another's sin ? 2 Finally, Achab wrongfully usurped possession of Naboth's vineyard. The law designated that the estate of one put to death for blasphemy should fall into possession of the (i) 368. (2) see page 35, NABOTH. THE PUNISHMENT OF ACHAB AND JEZABEL. '55 king. But the accusation against Naboth was false, consequently his sentence and stoning were unjust, and the law could not rightly be applied to Naboth's property. Achab knew this; nevertheless, he took possession of the vineyard. Since this was done by violence it was an act of robbery. Against which commandment did Achab thereby sin ? What does God forbid in the seventh commandment ?' Jezabel committed the same sins, since she was the occasion for them. She was, furthermore, accessory to another's sin, for she bade the authorities of the city to sin. 2. The Sins of the City Author- ities and False Witnesses. The fourth commandment, it is true, obliges subordinates to obey their superiors, but only in so far as they do not command anything sinful. Since Jezabel, in order to convict Naboth, demanded false witnesses from the authorities of the city, therefore something sinful, they were not bound to obey. When would we not be allowed to obey our parents and superiors? When the elders obeyed the command of the king, they rendered themselves guilty of being accessory to another's sin by consent and co-operation. The false witnesses made untrue statements before the court of justice. Accordingly they sinned against the eighth commandment, by giving false testimony as well as by lying. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?* What do you under- stand by lying ? 3. The Justice and Faithfulness of God. (a) Jezabel, by inducing the city authorities to commit this crime against Naboth, rendered herself guilty of a grievous sin. Achab shared the guilt because he allowed it to pass. Besides, he took wrongfully pos- session of Naboth's vineyard. For this both met with well deserved punishment. What, therefore, do we call God? What is meant by saying "God is just"? (b) His faithfulness. God had, through his prophet, declared that Achab and Jezabel would soon meet with death for their crimes. " Just at the place," etc. God fulfilled what he threatened. What, therefore, do we call God? What is meant by saying "God is faithful"? E. Moral Application. Have you perhaps, likewise, ill-gotten goods in your possession which you stole from your neighbor (pencils, pens, fruit, etc.)? Give them back or make restitution! They bring no blessing. Think of the punishment of Achab and Jezabel ! Remember, there is no blessing in ill-gotten goods I CO 373- CO 379. 156 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. LXIX. ELIAS is CONSOLED AND APPOINTS ELISEUS. His ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN. A. Preparation. At the great miracle that Elias had worked upon Mount Carmel (see LXVIL), four hundred and fifty priests of Baal had been slain. Queen Jezabel, for this reason, deeply hated Elias, and she devised to have him killed. Elias had to flee from her persecution and became very sad. God consoled him, and commanded him to appoint Eliseus as his successor in the prophetic office, and then Elias was taken from this world in a wonderful manner. All this we learn in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Flight and miraculous feeding of Elias. (b) He is consoled by God. (c) The appointing of Eliseus. (d) The ascent of Elias into heaven. C. Explanation. (a) Elias was persecuted because he caused the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal to be slain. " He was sad," because the in- habitants of the kingdom of Juda still carried on idol worship, and all his endeavors to convert the people had been in vain. He desired to die so that he might no longer be a witness of this abomination. " He walked in the strength of that food " ; i. e., this food had so strengthened him that he could go forty days and forty nights without further partaking of nourishment. " The mount of God," Horeb, is so called because there God once appeared to Moses in a burning bush. This mountain appeared to the prophet as a special place of grace, to which he made a pilgrimage, there to beg of God endurance, strength and courage for his difficult calling, (fe) "Amidst the whistling of a gentle wind," meaning that God had concealed Himself in the form of a gentle wind, as He once appeared in the pillar of cloud. " I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel whose knees have not bowed before Baal," meaning those who had not fallen away from the true God to practise idolatry. God wished thereby to console the prophet, who imagined that all Israel had fallen away, (c) He finds Eliseus, who is ploughing, invests him with his mantle, whereby he gives to understand that Eliseus is to be his successor, (rf) " The spirit of God led him," i. e., God revealed to him that he would soon depart this earth, and urged him to go to the Jordan. There appeared a fiery chariot ; i. e., Elias was taken away from the world upon a shining cloud having the form of a fiery chariot with horses. He goes toward heaven, but not into heaven ; for he could not yet enter there, because heaven was closed through the sin of man, and was only to be reopened by the death of the Redeemer. Elias had to wait, like the other just of the Old Law, in the forecourt. According to general tradition Elias is one of the two witnesses who, according to the revelations of St. John, are to return at the end of the world. It is believed that he will then, by his exhortations, convert many, and will finally be put to death by ELIAS CONSOLED. HIS ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN. 157 the Antichrist. " Disciples of Elias " his followers who had remained on the other side of the Jordan. "The spirit of Elias," i. e., the spirit of God that had been with Elias, and that had caused him to work miracles, was trans- ferred to Eliseus. D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His goodness. God loved His devout servant Elias, hence He bestowed many blessings upon him. He protected him from the machinations of the impious Jezabel, refreshed the prophet with food and drink, and consoled him in his great sadness. What do we call God, therefore ? What do we mean by saying " God is good " ? (b) His omnipotence. God proves this (i) by that miraculous food which sustained the prophet's strength for forty days and forty nights; (2) by dividing the waters of the Jordan when they were struck by the prophet's mantle; (3) by the miraculous ascent of Elias to heaven. What do you mean by saying " God is omnipotent " ? 2. The Virtues of Elias. (a) His sadness. The fact that, notwithstanding his ef- forts, the blinded people continued in the worship of idols, filled the prophet with sadness, because God was thereby so greatly of- fended. Christ declares such sadness to be blessed. " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (b) His longing for death. In order that he might no longer behold the crime of his people and their grievous offense against God, and that he might attain to God, the prophet wished to die. Is it permissible to wish for death ? 3. Elias a Prototype of Christ. Both were sent by God ; both prophets and miracle workers. Elias miraculously increased the store of meal and oil for the widow of Sarephta ; Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the five thousand in the wilderness. Elias raised to life the only son of a widow ; Christ made the young man of Nairn to live again, the only son of a widow. Both fasted for forty days in the desert. Elias offered a sacrifice; Christ offered Himself to God as a sacrifice. Elias prayed upon the mountains Carmel and Horeb ; Christ frequently prayed upon mountains (before the choosing of the apostles ; upon the Mount of Olives). Both were sorrowful unto death, were miraculously fortified by an angel ; both ascended into heaven, and will one day return from there. E. Moral Application. Be sad and sorrowful about your own sins and those of others, and avoid to be pleased at the sins of others. By so doing you would render yourself guilty before God of the same sins. 158 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. LXX. THE PROPHET ELISEUS. A. Preparation. Eliseus was now the successor of Elias in his office of prophet, and, like him, performed many miracles. Some of these will be told in the following story. B. Narration. (a) The miracle at Jericho, (b) The punish- ment of the wicked boys. ( % c) The healing of Naaman. (d) Giezi's lie and punishment, (e) The glorification of Eliseus after his death. C. Explanation. (a) After the ascent of Elias into heaven, God con- firmed Eliseus as one of the prophets sent by him. The people perceived this from the numerous miracles worked by Eliseus. " The waters are very bad." They had a brackish taste. " Bring a new vessel, and put salt into it." Salt is the symbol of purification. " He went out," for the spring was situated out- side the town, " and the waters were healed " ; that is to say, made drinkable and (Kings iv. 2, 22) pleasant of taste, not however through the salt, but by God's grace. That spring is shown to this day ; it is called the Sultan's spring, or Eliseus' well, and issues a very palatable water, (b) In " Bethel," in the south of the kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam (like Dan in the north) had caused a golden calf to be set up for worship (see LXV.). "And Eliseus threatened him in the name of the Lord," i. e., he announced unto him God's chastisements, (c) " Syria," northeast from the land of Chanaan. " Naaman was afflicted with leprosy." What is leprosy? (see XXX.). By an Israelite serving' maid : who had been carried off by robbers, brought to Syria, and sold there as a slave. "Better than all the waters of Israel." The Jordan has muddy waters. " Father " ; from this address by his servants it may be sup- posed that Naaman was a kind master to his subjects. Therefore his servants loved him and were anxious to see their master healed and well, and they persuaded him to obey the words of the prophet " No other God but the God of Israel," i. e., the God of Israel is the only true God. By this sentence Naa- man proclaimed his acceptance of the true faith, (d} " Disciples of the prophet." By these are understood the followers who by prayer, contem- plation and a stern life, like our religious orders, strove after higher perfection and virtue. The prophets instructed them, for which reason they are called "disciples of the prophets." "A silver talent" about $200 in our money. " Was not my heart present when the man turned back ? " God had revealed to the prophet everything that had taken place between Naaman and Giezi. (e) "After his death," which occurred fifty years after the departure of Elias (in the year 840 B. C). Eliseus was about one hundred^ years old. "In the grave," i. e., in the vault where Eliseus' corpse was deposited, from which they hastily rolled away the stone that sealed it. D. Commentary, i. Attributes of God. (a) His omnipotence. THE PROPHET ELISEUS. 159 God accredited the prophet Eliseus by many miracles. Enumerate them. Who alone can work miracles? Why can only God work miracles ? What do you mean by saying that " God is omnipotent " ? What are miracles? (b) His justice. It is revealed in the punish- ment (i) of the wicked boys at Bethel, and (2) in that of the avaricious and lying Giezi. What do you mean by saying " God is just "? 2. The Sin of the Boys of Bethel. It was a twofold one. In the first place, the impious boys had ridiculed the venerable prophet by calling him a " bald head." Since Eliseus was a prophet, those boys had furthermore reviled, in him, God's messenger. Hence their punishment was so severe. Through the boys' death also their parents were punished, because they had brought them up badly. What are the duties of the young toward old age? In what way do we sin against spiritual and temporal authority ? 3. Giezi' 's Sins. After Naaman was healed, Giezi followed him, to request presents from him, because he was avaricious and greedy. How do we sin by avarice? Among what sins is avarice classed? Why are these sins called capital sins ? We will see what other sins proceeded from Giezi's avarice. Giezi pretended that his master had sent him because two of the disciples of the prophets had come. Was this true? Giezi therefore had intentionally spoken an untruth, a lie. What is a lie ? On returning, when Eliseus asked him where he had been, he lied again. Naaman had given to Giezi two talents of silver and two garments, believing that Eliseus had asked for them through Giezi. As Giezi kept those gifts, they were unjustly acquired prop- erty, gotten by deceiving, or cheating, Naaman. How do we sin by deception? By Giezi's avarice the seventh and eighth command- ments were broken simultaneously. 4. The Veneration of Relics. God raised to life the dead man who was thrown into the grave of Eliseus at the very moment when he became in contact with the re- mains of this servant of God. Since God has frequently worked miracles through the remains, or relics, of the saints, we rightly hold the same in great veneration. Why do we venerate the relics, or remains, of the saints ?* E. Moral Application. Keep always in mind the punishment of the wicked boys of Bethel, and avoid ridiculing old age. Nor make fun of a drunken man, of a beggar, of cripples and other persons afflicted with infirmity. Should your conscience reproach you in this respect, then make to-day a firm resolution never again to treat your fellow men unkindly and harshly. (O 340. 160 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. LXXI. THE PROPHET JONAS. A. Preparation. Several years after the death of Eliseus God bade a prophet named Jonas to go to the heathen and ungodly inhabitants of Ninive, capital of the Assyrian kingdom, to preach penance to them. How Jonas at first resisted God's commands, and how he was punished for it ; how he finally went to Ninive and preached there, and what the inhabitants did will be learned in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Punishment of the disobedient Jonas, (b) His preaching of penance at Ninive. (c) Enlightening the prophet about the sparing of the city. C. Explanation. (a) Eliseus died in the year 840. Jonas was called twenty years later. " Ninive," on the Tigris, with a circumference of nearly two hundred miles. The kingdom of Assyria was situated to the east of Syria. "The wickedness thereof is come up before me." Before God punished the wicked Ninivites he desired to warn them. Therefore he sent Jonas to them. Jonas ran away. For what reason? Because he feared that he would only be reviled and mocked by the heathens of Ninive, and also because he would gladly have seen the destruction of that city which was so dangerous for his people and country. (As a matter of fact, a century later the kingdom of Israel was conquered and destroyed by these Assyrians.) For this reason Jonas wished to shirk the divine commission by flight. A ship sailing from Joppa for Tharsis, in Spain. It was in danger of being wrecked. The ship's crew were Phoenicians. They asked one another who was responsible for the calamity? They thought the fearful storm was a punishment for a great crime committed by one of those on board. The storm broke the waves towered about them. A large fish appeared. It was a whale, the largest fish in existence; it attains a length of thirty feet, and its jaws are wide enough to swallow a man whole. The preservation of Jonas in the whale's belly was a miracle of the divine omnipotence, (b) He walked through the city, i. e., he walked through all the streets, saying : The city will be destroyed unless you do penance, (cj Jonas was displeased, because he would rather have seen Ninive's downfall. The Lord said : there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that know not how to distinguish between their right hand and their left, i. e., that are still inexperienced, or under age, and therefore do not yet know good from bad. God wished to tell the prophet: If you are so dejected at the loss of a plant that did not even belong to you, how much more compassion should I have for upward of 120,000 innocent children, and for their sake alone spare the city? D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His omnipresence. Jonas wished to flee from God. For this reason he embarked on a THE PROPHET JONAS. 161 ship to a foreign country. Can we flee from God ? Why is this an impossibility ? What do you mean by saying " God is omnipresent " ? (b) His omnipotence and justice. God sends a fearful storm, causes the lot cast to fall upon Jonas, calms the storm, lets a huge fish appear to swallow Jonas, and keeps him alive for three days in the belly of the fish. These were proofs of His omnipotence. What is meant by saying " God is omnipotent " ? That Jonas was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a fish was well deserved punishment for his disobedience. What do we therefore say of God ? What do we mean by saying "God is just"? (c) His patience. Although Ninive's sins were so heinous that they cried to heaven for venge- ance, God did not punish the Ninivites immediately. He granted them forty days' time to be converted. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying " God is patient "? (d) His mercy. When the Ninivites did penance and were converted, God forgave them their great guilt, and did not punish them with destruction of their city. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying "God is merciful"? (e) His un- changeableness and faithfulness. What do you mean by saying " God is unchangeable, faithful " ? God's treatment of the Ninivites would seem contrary to His unchangeableness and His faithfulness, because He altered His determination to let Ninive perish, and did not fulfill what He had threatened through the prophet. However, when calling to Jonas, " yet forty days, and Ninive shall be de- stroyed," it is necessary to add, " if it be not converted." As the Ninivites, as a matter of fact, were converted, this threat had had its effect, and the merciful God could now remit to the repentant Ninivites the punishment which His justice had threatened. 2. The Good Works of the Sinner. The Ninivites, living in the state of grievous sin, fasted and prayed; they performed good works. As a result they became converted and their city was spared. From this we learn that the sinner's good works, although not meritorious for heaven, are by no means unprofitable; for they obtain, as this story proves to us, the grace of conversion, and sometimes avert temporal punishment. Is, therefore, the good which is done in the state of sin useless? 3. Jonas a Figure, or Type, of Christ. Jonas was sent to the Jews and pagans ; Christ, too, came into the world for the Jews and pagans, i. e., for all mankind. He brought a gospel for all, and died for all. Jonas offered his life voluntarily, to save his companions; Christ went voluntarily to death, to save all who 1 62 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. would believe in Him from eternal perdition. Jonas was swallowed by the fish, and on the third day thrown up upon the shore; Christ was laid in the tomb, whence He rose again on the third day. Christ Himself refers to this latter resemblance to Jonas. When the Jews demanded a sign from Him that He was speaking the truth, He said : " A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign : and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so also shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the bowels of the earth." E. Moral Application. Learn from this story that you can not flee from God. His omnipotence and justice will reach you, even at the furthermost ends of the earth. Think of this, especially when tempted to sin. LXXII. THE FALL OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL (722 B. C). A. Preparation. Although God sent many prophets to the inhabitants oi the kingdom of Israel to preach to them penance and amendment of their lives, and to threaten them with divine chastisement for their sins, they would not be converted, for which reason the threatened punishment at last de- scended upon them. We shall hear about this in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Impenitence of the inhabitants and their punishment, (b) Fate of the kingdom of Israel and its inhabitants. C. Explanation. (fl) They were exhorted by the prophets to do penance, notably by Amos and Osee. They led a luxurious life; indulged in the vice of intemperance; committed murders, robbery and adultery, (b) The tribes of Juda and Benjamin had remained true to the old religion. D. Commentary. i. God's Patience, Justice and Faithfulness. " The Lord ceased not to call upon the inhabitants of the kingdom of Israel to do penance." Since the impious first king of this king- dom, God had exhorted the inhabitants for more than two hundred and fifty years, through His prophets, to do penance and to amend their lives. He had therefore waited long, and had granted them considerable time in which to be converted. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is patient " ? But since the wicked inhabitants of the kingdom of Israel would not amend their lives, the well merited chastisement finally descended TOBIAS. 163 upon them ; it consisted in the overthrow of their kingdom, the inhab- itants being carried off into captivity. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying " God is just "? That which God had threatened through the prophet Amos, at least a hundred years before the fall of the kingdom of Israel, " Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom," had actually taken place by the overthrow of this kingdom. God carried out what He had threatened. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful " ? 2. Resistance to Divine Grace. God had offered His graces abundantly to the people of Israel by urgently inviting them to do penance. But they resisted divine grace, and were therefore scattered. And likewise will the one be punished who resists the grace of God and His many admonitions and warnings. What ought we to do, that we may attain the grace for our salvation? E. Moral Application. Take well to heart the sad fate of the people of Israel, and be careful not to resist divine grace, such as they did. Mind the good lessons given you in religious instruction ; listen to the exhortations which your parents, teachers or spiritual directors give you; obey the voice of conscience, which warns you to avoid evil ! Then you will escape the sad fate of captivity in hell, and the grace of God will work your salvation. REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. I. Short rehearsal of its history. 2. Which prophets appeared in it? 3. Prototypes of the Messias. 4. Geographical questions. Where were situated and upon what occasions were named: (a) Sichem (Samaria)? (LXV.) (b) Bethel? (LXV. and LXX.) (c) Dan? (LXV.) (d) The brook Carith? (LXVI.) (e) Sarephta? (LXVI.) (f) Carmel? (LXVII.) (g) Jezrahel? (LXVIII.) (h) Mount Horeb? (LXIX.) (i) Jericho? (LXX). (j) Syria (Damascus)? (LXX.) (k) Ninive? (LXXI.) (1) Samaria? (LXXII.) (m) Mount Garizim? (LXXII,) LXXIIL TOBIAS. A. Preparation. The former inhabitants of the kingdom of Israel were now held captive in Assyria. Among them there lived a very virtuous man, of whom the following story relates. 1 64 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. B. Narration. (a) Tobias' piety and charity, (b) his fear of God, (c) his patience in suffering, and (d) his conscientiousness. C. Explanation.^(a) "Tobias." He was at the capital city of the country, Ninive. He avoided association with the ungodly. He went up to Jerusalem, not to Bethel or to Dan, like so many of his fellow citizens. He exhorted his fellow captives to penance and to patience, (b) Sennacherib persecuted the Israelites. He had suffered a defeat before Jerusalem (see LXXVL), and for that reason revenged himself upon the Israelites in captivity, (c) Tobias, ex- hausted after his night's work of burying the dead, lay down by the wall of his house. As he was sleeping, hot dung from a swallow's nest fell upon his eyes, which finally produced blindness, (rf) His fears that the young kid might have been stolen. He was in doubt whether the gift had been lawfully acquired. His wife, made angry by this suspicion, replied sharply, and re- proached him, because he had given away his entire fortune to the poor and needy, so that he was now poor himself. D. Commentary. The Virtues of Tobias, (a) His piety. Tobias, from his earliest youth, had shunned the society of the wicked, ob- serving God's commandments faithfully and conscientiously. On great festivals he would not, like his ungodly fellow citizens, go to Bethel or Dan to worship the golden calf, but made a pilgrimage to the Temple at Jerusalem to worship the true God. Tobias there- fore possessed the virtue of piety, (b) His charity. In captivity he visited and consoled, from motives of pure charity, his unfortunate fellow captives, exhorting them to penance and amendment of life, as well as to patience in suffering. He did good to the poor without distinction, not expecting reward; he gave them money, food and clothing; he buried the dead. His charity therefore was sincere, un- selfish and indiscriminating. When is our charity sincere? When is our charity unselfish? When is our charity indiscriminating? Tobias, in his charity, consoled the sorrowful, admonished sinners to follow the right path, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, buried the dead. What particular works did he thereby practise? Name the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 1 (c) His fear of God. The king had forbidden, under pain of death, the burying of the dead; but Tobias disobeyed him because he feared the law of God more than the law of the king. He possessed, therefore, the fear of God in a high degree. In what cases is it permissible not to obey parents and superiors? (d) His conscientiousness. When his wife one day received, as a present, a young kid, Tobias objected to the value of the gift ; he suspected that the donor might not have acquired it lawfully. For this reason he wanted it returned to him, Tobias (l) 222, 22 3 . ADVICE OF TOBIAS TO HIS SON. 165 is thus seen to have been very conscientious; he would not retain goods or property unlawfully acquired. What ought we to do if we have the property of others unlawfully in our possession, or if we have injured our neighbor? E. Moral Application. Devote yourselves to the practice of piety from early youth. Observe the commandments of God faith- fully. Avoid the society of wicked associates. LXXIV. ADVICE OF TOBIAS TO His SON. A. Preparation. Tobias had become old and infirm, and believed that death was near. Hence he gave his son, as a last legacy, a number of ex- cellent admonitions. The following story will tell us of them. B. Narration. Advice (a) for the faithful observance of the fourth commandment, (b) to fear God, (c) warning against im- purity and pride, exhortation (d) to justice, (e) to charity, (f) to piety and to confidence in God. C. Explanation. (a) The many and great perils your mother hath suf- fered, in her health, in anxieties, in work, (b) " Have God in thy mind," i. e., remain pious and good, then God will be with thee ; never consent to sin, thereby committing one. (c) " For from it all perdition took its beginning," i. e., through pride it was that sin, and with it corruption, entered the world. Remember the fall of the angels, and that of our first parents, (rf) " Bless God at all times," in good or ill fortune. He will guide thy path, lead thee. Be not solicitous concerning your future; there is much good, as, peace of soul, a good conscience here on earth and, in the next life, eternal happiness. D. Commentary. i. Tobias an Exemplary Father. All his life long Tobias was solicitous about his son's salvation. By word and example he had brought up his son to piety, fear of the Lord and all virtues. Thinking that his end was approaching, he impressed these important duties once more upon the son. He counseled him : (a) To observe faithfully the fourth commandment: Honor thy mother. What does God require of us m the fourth command- ment? 1 (b) To the fear of the Lord. " All the days of thy life have God in thy mind." How long does the Holy Spirit remain in the soul? (c) To justice. "If any man works for thee." Cheating the laborer out of his wages is a sin crying to heaven for vengeance. Which are the sins crying to heaven? (d) To charity. " Give alms." Which are the corporal works of mercy? (e) To piety and con- (i) 362. 1 66 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. fidence in God. " Bless God " ! He warns him of sin, and in particular of impurity to be shunned especially ; of pride : " Never suffer pride to reign in thy mind." Why ought we particularly to shun impurity? When do we sin by pride? 2. The Young Tobias an Exemplary Son. The son answered and spake : " Father, I will do all these things." Tobias received his father's good counsels gladly and willingly, and promised obediently to live up to them. He obeyed thus faithfully and conscientiously the fourth command- ment. When do children sin against the obedience they owe? E. Moral Application. Be good and obedient children to your parents. Listen gladly to their advice, obey promptly and willingly. If you have neglected this in the past, then make the resolution this day to obey cheerfully in the future, to listen attentively to your parents' advice and to follow it. LXXV. TOBIAS AND THE ANGEL RAPHAEL. A. Preparation. After giving these good counsels, Tobias sent his son to a distant place, to collect a debt of long standing. The angel Raphael ac- companied him upon this long journey. We shall now learn what came to pass upon the journey and after the return. B. Narration. (a) Departure of Young Tobias and the angel, (b) The enormous fish, (c) Tobias* marriage to Sara and return, (d) Joyful meeting and healing of the father, (e) Raphael's departure. C Explanation. (a) "Rages in Media." Media was the adjoining king- dom, to the east of Assyria; from Ninive to Rages was a distance of about 500 miles. Tobias had lent a sum of money to a relative named Gabelus. The angel Raphael in the disguise of a young man. (b) Tobias put his feet into the water. Washing the feet was on account of the footwear then in use (sandals with wooden soles, attached to the feet by leather thongs), a daily custom, especially on journeys, (c) His parents began to be sad, owing to his long absence. Returns with his companion, i. e., with the angel, (d) Raphael tells them to thank God, not him. " God has shown his mercy unto you. I am one of the seven who stand before the Lord." They were seized with fear, and fell prostrate on the ground. Tobias died in peace peace of soul, because he had loved virtue, and had hated and shunned the evil. D. Commentary. i. The Fourth Commandment. Young Tobias, as we have seen in this story, was an exemplary son. He honored TOBIAS AND THE ANGEL RAPHAEL. 167 his parents, was obedient to them and loved them. The tender devotion for his parents that animated him is shown in his words: " Let me depart, for I know that my father and mother are troubled on my account." He did not wish to cause them sorrow and trouble, therefore he started for home. How do children sin against the love they owe their parents? Because the young Tobias did his duty to his parents faithfully and conscientiously, God fulfilled the promise which is joined to the fourth commandment, " that thy days may be long in the land." God protected him by sending the angel Raphael. He blessed him by bestowing a virtuous wife and temporal wealth upon him. He allowed him to reach a great age, for it is said he saw his children's children. He received, un- doubtedly, in the next world eternal happiness as his reward. What may those children expect who faithfully observe the fourth com- mandment? 2. The Doctrine of the Guardian Angel. By this Bib- lical story the Church's doctrine of guardian angels is confirmed. Tobias took leave of his son with the words, "Thy holy angel protect thee ! " from which may be inferred that he believed in guardian angels. In order to know what guardian angels do for us, let us consider the angel Raphael in our story. He loved young Tobias, hence he asked to accompany him on his journey ; he protected him in danger, when the huge fish threatened to swallow Tobias ; he gave him good advice, exhorted him to persevere and to pray ; he offered the prayers and the good works of the elder Tobias to God. How are the guardian angels disposed toward us? 1 Tobias greatly es- teemed his companion, the holy angel. He called for him when he was in danger, obeyed his counsels faithfully, and showed his grati- tude by offering him the half of his fortune. What do we owe our holy angel guardian? 3. Good Works. The angel Raphael an- nounced that the reason for his having been sent was to be found in the good works which Tobias had performed. These may be summed up in three words: Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By "prayer" is meant not merely actual praying, but in general all works of devotion; for instance, Tobias' pilgrimage to Jerusalem. By " fasting " is understood every work of mortification ; for instance, when Tobias took no rest at night so that he might bury the dead. Under " almsgiving " are numbered the works of charity and mercy which Tobias practised so diligently. What good works are par- ticularly recommended in Holy Scripture? These good works are specially recommended to us because they are the opposite of the 0)36. 1 68 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. threefold evil of lust or concupiscence, by which we are so frequently enticed to sin the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and pride ; because the lust of the eyes, or avarice, may be overcome by alms- giving, the lust of the flesh, or sensuality, by fasting, and pride by devout prayer, which presupposes the humbling of ourselves before God. 4. Concerning the Sufferings of the Just (cf. XXX. The patient "Job," with whom Tobias had many things in common). E. Moral Application. Venerate your holy guardian angel, listen to his voice when he warns you of danger, never cause him any sor- row. (Let the lesson be closed with a prayer to the guardian angel.) REVIEW OF THE ASSYRIAN CAPTIVITY THE HISTORY OF TOBIAS. I. A short recapitulation of the events of this period. 2. How were the Israelites treated under Salmanasar? under Sennacherib? Where situated and upon what occasion were mentioned: (a) Ninive? (b) Rages? (c) Tigris? LXXVL THE KINGS OF JUDA. A. Preparation. Since the division of the kingdom of Solomon (975 B. C), we have only concerned ourselves with the kingdom of Israel and learned its history, its fall and the captivity of its people. In the following stories we shall hear something about the fate of the kingdom of Juda, which was composed of the tribes of Juda and Benjamin who had remained faithful to Roboam, and which had for its capital Jerusalem. The following story will treat of the kings of this realm. B. Narration. (a) Ozias' crime and punishment, (b) King Ezechias. (c) Other kings. C. Explanation. (a) Ozias reigned in happiness because peace and pros- perity prevailed in his kingdom, and in consequence of his numerous victories his name had become famous among the nations. But he wished to usurp the duties of the priesthood, and to enter the Temple, which was permitted to the priests only, (b) Ezechias was a God-fearing sovereign; he caused the altars of the idols to be torn down, and forbade idolatry in his realm, (c) The succeeding kings were without shame; that is, without fear of the divine punishment. They worshipped idols, especially the idol Moloch. Hea- thenish abominations, such as superstition, atheism, magic and debauchery. D. Commentary. I. God Humbles the Proud. King Ozias be- (i) See page 66. THE PROPHET ISAIAS. 169 came vain in consequence of his success and good fortune. St. Chr) 3- ostom says of him : " Inebriated by his success and puffed up by his good fortune, Ozias desired more than his office accorded to him, and because he was king he imagined that he might exercise also priestly functions." By his usurpation of priestly prerogatives he elevated himself inordinately, did not pay to God the honor due Him, denying obedience to God by transgressing His laws, and reviled his neighbor by threatening the priests who opposed him. How do we sin by pride? How humiliating was the punishment which then befell Ozias! The proud king was stricken with a most loathsome disease which, on account of its infectious nature, rendered him in- capable of reigning any longer. He lost, therefore, his royal dignity, and was forced to end his days in an isolated dwelling, far from the abode of man. How true is the word of the Lord : " Who so ex- alteth himself shall be humbled." 2. The Divine Institution of the Priesthood. The awful chastisement of the proud Ozias for usurp- ing the prerogatives of the priests was at the same time a confir- mation that the priesthood was a divine institution. So also is the priesthood of the new law instituted by God. Upon whom did Christ directly bestow the priesthood? Who are the successors of the apostles? 3. God's Justice and Benevolence. God rewarded Ezechias for his faithful observance of the law by miraculous as- sistance; but he punished the arrogant Ozias with leprosy, and in- flicted other chastisements upon the wicked kings. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying "God is just"? God blessed the virtuous Ezechias: that means He bestowed many benefits upon him. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying "God is benevolent" ? E. Moral Application. Take warning, by the awful punishment of Ozias, never to give way to pride. Remember that we have no ri^ht to be proud, for what we are and what we have we owe to God's benevolence. LXXVIL THE PROPHET ISAIAS. A. Preparation. In order to convert the ungodly kings and the wicked people God sent them many prophets, of whom the most renowned was Isaias. The following story will tell us about him. B. Narration. (a) Isaias preaches penance, (b) His prophecies of the Messias. C. Explanation. (a) Isaias (760-700 B. C). The prophets of the Old Law. 1 7 o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. " Purify yourselves, namely, cleanse your heart from sins." They were pro- voking God's wrath by their impenitence, (b) He spoke of Christ's life like the evangelists; that is to say, as if he had witnessed it all, like the evangelists as if he had been a contemporary of the Redeemer. " The tongues of the dumb are loosed," so that they speak like other men. " There is no beauty nor comeliness in him." As a result of the cruel treatment He is entirely disfigured, not recognizable. " Man of sorrows," because He had to suffer so much. He endured all this to give us salvation, to procure for us the peace of the soul. We are healed of the wounds which sin had inflicted upon our souls. He opened His mouth, but it is not to complain of the injustice which He suffers innocently. He is dumb as a lamb; that is, he suffers with patience and with resignation to the will of God. D. Commentary. i. God's Sanctity, Omniscience and Mercy. God, through the prophets, calls upon the people to cleanse and to wash themselves from all sin. Sin or evil displeases God. He detests and abhors it. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is holy " ? God tells the people, through the prophet, "to remove their evil thoughts from His sight." God knew, therefore, that the people thought evil. What do we call God because He knows even the most secret thoughts? What do you mean by saying "God is omnipresent"? If the people had been converted to Him, if they had ceased to lead bad lives, then God would have forgiven them. " If your sins are as red as scarlet." What do we call God because He is ready and willing to pardon the truly penitent sinner ? What do you mean by saying " God is merciful " ? 2. God is Ready to Forgive all Sins. We may conclude from the words " if your sins," etc., that forgiveness for all sins, even the most grievous, can be had from God. Can all sins be remit- ted ? Hence it is a great sin for one to think, " God can not forgive my sins": this would be a sin against the Holy Ghost (to despair of God's grace). Which are the six sins against the Holy Ghost? 1 3. The Ninth Messianic Prophecy. Isaias prophesied of the Re- deemer: (a) That He should be born of a virgin. "Behold a virgin." This virgin was Mary. In which article of faith do we ex- press this as our belief? What does the third article of faith say? (b) That He would be God. " His name shall be called Emmanuel " (God with us). "God himself comes to redeem you." What do the prophets call the Redeemer in their prophecies? (c) That He would work many miracles. " Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened." By these miracles the Redeemer will give proof of a divine attribute, omnipotence, and thus prove His divinity, (d) That He would suffer and die. He will endure much sorrow " be (i) See page 66. JUDITH. 171 wounded," " beaten," " led to the slaughter " and " sacrificed." He will suffer all things, even death like a lamb. In whom was all this literally fulfilled? What does the fourth article of the creed teach us? The prophet declares also that the Redeemer would suffer voluntarily. " He was offered because it was his own will." Was Christ compelled to suffer death? Then Isaias goes on to prophesy that the Redeemer will suffer and die for our iniquities, to bestow upon us peace (of soul) with God, and to heal us of all our sins. Why did Christ wish to suffer and die? (e) " That the nations (all peoples) shall pray to Him, and that His grave shall be glorious." All the nations of the earth shall acknowledge the Messias as God, and worship Him, which as a matter of fact has been fulfilled, for Christianity has spread over the whole earth and is still spreading. His grave became glorious through His resurrection. E. Moral Application. God hates and detests bad thoughts and sinful actions. Suppress, in particular, every thought of impurity, of envy, pride, of malicious joy at the misfortunes of others, and avoid all bad actions. (This lesson should be closed with an act of contrition and good resolution.) LXXVIIL JUDITH. A. Preparation. About one hundred years after the prophet Isaias, the kingdom of Juda was in imminent danger of destruction. It was, however, once more delivered from this peril through the act of a brave woman named Judith, of whom we shall learn more in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Holof ernes before Bethulia. (b) Judith's prayer and resolve, (c) Her heroic deed, (d) Joy and sally of the inhabitants of Bethulia. (e) Judith's renown and end. C. Explanation. (a) Bethulia, a fortress to the north of Jerusalem, in the Gelboe mountains. Holofernes orders the supply of water cut off, to compel the surrender of Bethulia. Judith, a widow, fasted much; that is to say, she fasted daily with the exception of holydays. She wore a penitential garment; that means a coarse garment of haircloth, (fr) She implores the Lord to enlighten and assist her. (c) She delivers the head of Holofernes to her maid, bidding her put it in a wallet, (rf) The prince of the people the chief or supreme official in Bethulia. D. Commentary. I. Judith's Virtues, (a) Her piety. It is said of her that " she prayed much " and devoutly ; without doubt for this reason she was reputed to be a saintly woman. What does prayer mean? 1 (b) Her mortification. Judith led a retired life, fasted a great deal, and wore haircloth, (c) Her chastity. Judith is called a d) 304. 1 72 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. chaste widow. What is forbidden by the sixth commandment? 1 (d) Her fortitude. In her fortitude she was not deterred from facing the dangers that confronted her, and of delivering her country from the dreaded enemy. In what does fortitude consist? (e) Her patriotism. Judith faced awful dangers. The hostile Holo- fernes could have slain her or deprived her of liberty. Neverthe- less, through her intense love of her people and country, she was ready even for such sacrifice, (f) Her humility. She was pos- sessed of this virtue in a high degree. She herself exhorted to humility. " Let us wait humbly for his consolation." She gave to God the glory for the vanquishing of Holofernes : " Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in him." 2. Judith the Type of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Judith was a chaste woman ; Mary is the most chaste virgin and the most pure mother. Both were imbued and animated with glowing love for their people, for mankind, and they prayed much in the retirement of their chamber. Judith humbly refused all honor for herself and gave it to God ; Mary, in her profound humility, called herself the servant of the Lord. Judith cut off the head of Holofernes, the enemy of the Jews ; Mary crushed the head of the infernal serpent, the enemy of mankind. Ozias praised Judith: "Blessed art thou, O daughter of the Lord, above all women upon the earth " ; the angel said unto Mary : " Blessed are thou among women." The Jewish people called Judith the " glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the honor of our people " ; Mary as queen of all the saints is the glory of heaven, the joy of the angels and blessed, the honor of Christendom. E. Moral Application. Begin your work with prayer, as Judith did. Did you begin this day with prayer ? Do you say grace before meals ? Never forget to begin and end your day's work with God (prayer). REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDA BEFORE THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON. (i) A short recapitulation of the events of this period. 2. The prophecies concerning the Messias. 3. Which prototype of Mary have we been made acquainted with? 4. What prophets have been active in the kingdom of Juda? (see LXXVL). 5. Questions on geography. Upon what occasion were mentioned and where are situated: (a) Bethulia? (LXXVIII.). (b) Mount Gelboe? (LXXVIII.) (O 371- IN CAPTIVITY AT BABYLON. JEREMIAS. 173 THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON (606-536 B. C.X LXXIX. CAPTIVITY AT BABYLON AND THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. JEREMIAS. A. Preparation. Since the inhabitants of the kingdom of Juda, notwith- standing the exhortations of the prophets, had not amended their ways, God permitted their kingdom to fall, the capital to be destroyed, and the inhabi- tants to be dragged into captivity. This was the time of the prophet Jere- mias, of whom we shall be told in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Fruitless warnings of Jeremias. (b) Fall of the kingdom of Juda. The Israelites led captive to Babylon, (c) Lamentation of Jeremias. (d) His prophecy. C. Explanation. (a) "With a yoke" (Jer. xxvii.). By yoke is generally understood a harness of wood placed upon the necks of oxen, and to which are fastened the traces. The prophet appeared among the people with a yoke upon his neck, as a sign to them of the oppression of the captivity with which God would visit them as a punishment for their impenitence. But they persecuted him because his penitential sermons and reproaches on ac- count of their sins displeased them. Jeremias was finally scourged and thrown into a dungeon. He was set free by Nabuchodonosor, after the conquest of Jerusalem. (#) " King of Babylon," or Babylonia, with capital Babylon on the Euphrates. Nabuchodonosor came again and besieged Jerusalem, because the Jews had revolted against him. This was in the year 599. A fearful famine set in, which was so terrible that the most revolting things were eaten, even children being killed and devoured by their own mothers. Finally, after a siege which had lasted a year and a half, Jerusalem was destroyed, in the year 588. The city was plundered and sacked. The ark of the covenant, the holy tent, and the altar of burnt offerings had been previously removed by Jeremias and hidden in a cave on Mount Nebo. Almost all of the people were carried away captive, except some of the very poorest, who were left be- hind to cultivate the land" (lii. 16). (c) Jeremias was allowed by the victor the choice either to remain or to go to Babylon. "The mistress of the people," the once powerful Jerusalem, that ruled over many nations, has become like a widow ; that means forsaken, deprived. It was now taxed with a tribute to the king of Babylon. " The ways of Sion " ; that means the roads, paths that led to Sion (Jerusalem) "O all you who pass by the way" by Jerusalem. " Convert us " (Lam. v. 21). God must make a beginning with His grace. "Renew our days": the prophet asks for them a return of former happy times, (d} "He knew," in consequence of divine revelation, what i 7 4 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. would happen to the house, that is, to the descendants of these two king- doms. " I will write my law in their hearts and be merciful to their in- justices." The New Law, that God here promises through His prophets, will be a covenant of the heart, a law of grace. D. Commentary. i. Attributes of God. (a) His patience. God had unceasingly, through His prophets, especially through Jeremias, invited the obstinate inhabitants of the kingdom of Juda to do penance. He bore with them patiently for 387 years, until at last the threatened punishment was visited upon them. God had there- fore waited a long time before He punished. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is forbear- ing"? (b) His faithfulness. That with which God had threatened the impenitent people of the kingdom Judea through His prophet Jeremias had actually come to pass. " You shall serve the king of Babylon." God had accordingly carried out His threat. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful"? (c) His justice. The realization of the divine threat was a well merited punishment for the impenitent people, who were now deprived of freedom and home. The prophet, who was inno- cently kept a prisoner, however, was by God's providence rewarded with liberty. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? 2. The Necessity of God's Grace. In Jeremias' words, te Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted," the necessity of divine grace is clearly pointed out to us. God must make a beginning with His grace. " No one can come to me, unless the Father draws him " ; that means by His grace. To what extent is the assistance of grace necessary to us? 1 3. The Tenth Messianic Prophecy. The prophet evidently referred, in his prophetic words, " Behold, the day cometh when I shall make a new covenant with the house of Israel," to the New Law, which was to be more perfect than the Old Law. While in the Old Law the commandments were written upon tablets of stone, in the New Law God wills that His commandments should be written in the hearts of men, that they may be purified by His grace from their iniquities and be saved. E. Moral Application. You are members of the New Law fore- told by the prophets. In holy Baptism the law, that means the com- mandments of God, were implanted in your heart. God cleansed you from original sin and sanctified you. And when you went to Confession God purified you from your sins afresh, and bestowed (o 105. THE JEWS IN BABYLON. EZECHIEL'S VISION. 175 His grace again upon you. Be careful not to lose it again by grievous sin, and remember the words of the apostle : " Brethren, we exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain." LXXX. THE JEWS IN BABYLON. EZECHIEI/S VISION. A. Preparation. The unfortunate inhabitants of the kingdom of Juda found themselves now in captivity in the great Babylonian kingdom. What happened to them there, and how God consoled them through a prophet, we shall learn in the following story. B. Narration. (a) Longing of the captives for their home, (b) Work of the prophet Ezechiel. (c) His vision, (d) Mean- ing of the same. C. Explanation. (a) God permitted the Jews to be taken captive by the Babylonians. For seventy years the Jews remained captive in Babylon. They wept and sighed, longing to return to their country. " On the branches of the willow trees we hung up our harps " ; they meant by that, that in their sadness they could not sing to the harp. "Hymn of praise" a joyful song. "How could we sing the songs of Sion in a strange land?" According to their ideas, this would have been a desecration of the songs that they had chanted in Jerusalem at the divine worship. " May my right hand be forgotten " (by God, who giveth all life and movement), so that it would become lame and useless. " My tongue clave to my jaws," for thirst, " so that it is dumb, if I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joys " ; that means, if anything but Jerusalem should cause me gladness ! (b) Vision apparition, (c) Vision of of the dry bones the bones of the dead (Ezech. xxxvii. i). Thus saith the Lord God : " Come, spirit, from the four winds " the four points of the compass, (d) " Our bones are dried up," so they said, for they felt, in their captivity, as if they were dead, in a grave. D. Commentary. i. Purpose of Suffering. How great the sor- row of the captives was may be inferred from the touching lamen- tations, put into verse by their contemporary. Still this sorrow, this common suffering, was most salutary for the Jews. They realized now how foolishly they had acted by forsaking God, and giving no heed to exhortations and warnings of the prophets. For this reason they returned to God with contrition and were converted. Thus these sufferings brought about an amendment of life of the Jews. If God provides for everything, why is there so much suf- fering? 2. The Divine Mercy and Goodness. Although the cap- tivfty of the Jews was a severe punishment for them, yet it was at 176 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. the same time a proof of divine mercy. " God desires not the death of the sinner, but that he should be converted and live." For this reason God called the prophet Ezechiel, who exhorted the captives to be converted. What do you mean by saying " God is merciful "? Through the prophets God caused it to be revealed to the captives that He would lead them back to their country, and thus gave them a fresh proof of His infinite love and goodness. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? 3. The Eleventh Messianic Prophecy. Ezechiel's vision of the resurrection, by the spirit, of the dry bones lying scattered in the valley, according to the explanation which God Himself gave, points, first of all, to the Jews dwelling scattered throughout the kingdom of Babylon whom the Lord would bring together, instil with new courage and lead back to their country. This marvelous vision may be applied also to the New Law, in which the Redeemer, who gathers around Him the nations, scattered over the whole world in darkness and the shadow of the death of unbelief, reanimates them by the Holy Spirit, and transforms them into a great people and in the kingdom of His Church. E. Moral Application. You, too, belong, through holy Baptism, in which the Holy Spirit was granted to you, to this great people and kingdom of God, to the holy Catholic Church. Look to it that not by grievous sin, which drives the Holy Spirit out of your soul, you are relapsed into spiritual death. LXXXI. YOUNG DANIEL AND His FRIENDS. A. Preparation. Even in captivity there were not lacking among the Jews temptations to disobedience against the divine law, particularly by partaking of forbidden food. Many sinned, others remained faithful to the commandments. To this number belonged the youthful Daniel and his friends. We shall now learn how God rewarded them for this. B. Narration. (a) Daniel's and his friends' fear of God. (b) Their reward. C. Explanation. (a) Daniel and his friends Ananias, Misael and Azarias were selected for service in the palace, which means that they were to be trained to be court officials. For this reason they received instruction in the writing and speaking of the Babylonian language, as also in all the sciences. They resolved not to eat the food forbidden by their law. According to their DANIEL SAVES THE CHASTE SUSANNA. 177 law the Jews were forbidden to eat: The flesh of unclean animals, such as pork, for instance; the meat of animals that had been strangled to death, and in which still remained the blood, raw meat, certain parts of the meat of animals, finally, the meat of animals that had been sacrificed to idols. Hence Daniel and his friends wished to eat only vegetables, (b) God gave them wisdom and science as a reward for their piety, so that they sur- passed all Jews and Babylonians in knowledge. They received the " gift of prophecy," i. e., the gift to foretell the future. D. Commentary. i. The Fear of God. Daniel and his friends re- solved to observe the law of God, and not to eat forbidden foods, be- cause they feared to offend God. They possessed, therefore, the virtue of the fear of God, and practised the same, although grievous temptations to be disloyal to God were not wanting. Their fear of sin was greater than the inducements of temptation. Must we avoid grievous sins only? 2. Temperance. As we have seen, the induce- ments to sin were very great for Daniel and his friends. The tempt- ing foods and precious wines must have excited their desires. But they bridled their sensual inclinations and desires, and were not pre- vented thereby from right-doing. They possessed, therefore, also the virtue of temperance, which is one of the four cardinal virtues. In what does temperance consist? 3. The Law of Abstinence. Accord- ing to the Jewish law it was forbidden to partake of flesh foods and wines with idolaters. Since the Babylonians were idolaters, Daniel and his friends contented themselves with vegetables and water, thereby observing the abstinence, which prescribes in our days that upon certain days, especially Fridays, no meat must be eaten. What does the third commandment of the Church prescribe? Who is obliged to abstain from meat? E. Moral Application. Observe conscientiously the prescribed abstinence from flesh meat on Fridays and other days of obligation. If it is hard for you to do so sometimes, reflect that Friday is the day upon which the Saviour endured so much suffering for you. For His sake you certainly can undertake the trifling deprivation of flesh meat for a day. LXXXII. DANIEL SAVES THE CHASTE SUSANNA. A. Preparation. The great wisdom which Daniel had received as reward for his piety revealed itself, on one occasion, in the trial and conviction of two villains who had falsely accused a virtuous wife. The following story will tell us about it. i 7 8 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. B. Narration. (a) The temptation, (b) Susanna's accusation and condemnation, (c) The unmasking and punishing of the wicked judges. C. Explanation. (a) Daniel is chosen to be judge. By permission of the king (Nabuchodonosor) the Jews were allowed to be judged according to the laws of their own country. "Susanna went to walk in the orchard" ; one was adjoining nearly every house. She was tempted to evil, to a sin against the sixth commandment. She was taken by surprise. Because of the false testimony of these two wicked men Susanna forfeited her good name and reputation and was condemned to death. " For if I do this thing, it is death to me" (Dan. xiii. 22), spiritual death, death of the soul. "And if I do it not I shall not escape your hands," because you will accuse me falsely and my, condemnation will follow. It is better for me to fall into your hands and die innocent. (&) Every one who knew her wept, because they knew her virtues, and they believed it impossible that she would burden herself with such crime. She called upon the Lord to save her. The multi- tude of the people was to pronounce the verdict, because the judge whose duty it otherwise would have been to pronounce the verdict appeared as a wit- ness. She was condemned to be stoned to death, (c) God enlightened Daniel so that he perceived the unjust condemnation of Susanna. The mastic tree a tree not found in these parts, the fragrant resin of which is used as incense. "Thou hast lied against thy own head," Daniel says to the wicked judge; that means to thy own destruction. The witnesses contradicting themselves, the assembly knew that she was innocent Daniel became great in the eyes of the people, who greatly respected him. D. Commentary. i. Fortitude. Susanna found herself in an ex- tremely difficult position. If she had consented to sin, she would have lost thereby the friendship of God and heaven. If she did not consent, then she would be dishonored before the whole multitude, condemned and put to death. Nevertheless, she would rather die than offend God. She possessed, therefore, the virtue of fortitude. In what does fortitude consist? (cf. LXXVIIL). 2. How to Over- come Temptations against Chastity. We may learn of Susanna how to act in time of temptation, especially in temptations against chastity. When this shameful sin was suggested to Susanna she immediately thought of God's presence. The thought of God, then, is the best means against temptation. Then she cried loudly for help. So, too, should we act under such circumstances ; if there is no other means of escaping from sin, then cry aloud for help. 3. Attributes of God. (a) His omnipresence. The wicked judges sought to tempt Susanna to sin by suggesting to her that " no one saw them." But Susanna knew that One saw them, namely, God. Therefore she said : " It is DREAM. 179 better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord " (Dan. xiii. 23). Of what attributes of God did Susanna think, therefore? What do you mean by saying " God is omnipresent"? (b) His eternity and omniscience. Susanna prayed to the eternal God. What do you mean by saying " God is eternal " ? " Who knowest hidden things, and knowest all things." What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is omniscient"? (c) His justice. Susanna, the virtuous and chaste wife, was saved from death by God's providence, while the two villains who sought her ruin had to undergo that very death which they planned for Susanna. Thus God rewarded her virtue, and punished her accusers for their wickedness. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? E. Moral Application. Whenever you are tempted to unchastity, think instantly of God's presence. LXXXIII. NABUCHODONOSOR'S DREAM. A. Preparation. Daniel's wisdom and power of prophecy came again into prominence when King Nabuchodonosor had a strange dream, which, how- ever, he could not remember. No man except Daniel could recall the dream and give its significance. We shall hear about it in the following story. B. Narration. (a) The king's wrath against the magicians and wise men. (b) Daniel's prayer heard, (c) Significance of the dream. C. Explanation. (a} The dream. The king had a vision in his dream, but afterward forgot what he had seen, and only the impression remained that in the dream he had experienced great fear. Nabuchodonosor sent for the wise men to explain the meaning of the dream, which, not being om- niscient, they could not do. Daniel and his friends were also sent for, because they, too, belonged to the wise men of the land, (b) Daniel tells what Nabu- chodonosor saw in his dream, about the statue of gold and the stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands, that is to say of itself, and how this stone broke the statue to pieces (Dan. ii. 34). (r) And the king spoke to Daniel and said: "Verily, your God is the God of gods" (meaning the su- preme ruler, even over the pagan gods, idols) " and Lord of kings." Daniel was advanced to a high station. D. Commentary. I. Even the Heathen were not Forsaken by God. In the story of the Tower of Babel we learned that God abandoned to their evil inclinations the wicked people who, refusing 180 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. to obey Him, worshipped idols. Later we learned how He chose the God-fearing Abraham, and made him the patriarch of the great Israelitish race, in whom the true faith and the hope of the Redeemer were preserved among men. Yet God had not entirely forsaken the heathens. Now and again He sent to them pious and enlightened men, who proclaimed to them the true faith and promised the Re- deemer. Jonas, for instance, was one of these men, and so was Daniel, of whom we now speak. God revealed to Daniel the king's dream, whereby Nabuchodonosor was moved to acknowledge that " Your God is the God of gods," thereby acknowledging that the God of Israel is the true God, and that he had hitherto worshipped false gods. At the same time God pointed, through Daniel, in the inter- pretation of the dream, to the coming Redeemer and to His powerful kingdom. 2. The Twelfth Messianic Prophecy. According to the interpretation of Nabuchodonosor's dream revealed by God to Daniel there were to succeed (and actually did succeed) to the mighty king- dom of Babylon (the head of gold), (a) the Median kingdom of Cyrus (the kingdom of silver), (b) the Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great, the conqueror of the world (the brazen king- dom), (c) the Roman Empire (the kingdom of iron), which, how- ever, was not solid internally, and therefore was split up into many smaller kingdoms (hence the feet of iron and clay). " The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall stand for ever" (Dan. ii. 44). Daniel indicated thereby the kingdom of God upon earth, the Church, which has taken unto herself all the kingdoms of the universe and will never be destroyed. " The gates of hell shall never prevail against it." 3. The Church is Universal, or Catholic. The stone which crushed the statue became a great rock and filled the whole earth. The Church founded by Christ had a small beginning, but in a short time spread among the different nations, and is spreading ever more and more. What marks, accordingly, does the true Church, founded by Christ, possess? 1 Why is the Roman Church manifestly catholic, or universal? E. Moral Application. Be grateful to God for the grace of being children of the true Church. Show your gratitude by obeying your Mother, the Church, in all her commandments. Remember the say- ing of St. Cyprian : " They will not have God for their Father who have not the Church for their Mother." 128. THE THREE YOUNG MEN. 181 LXXXIV. THE THREE YOUNG MEN IN THE FIERY FURNACE. A. Preparation. Although King Nabuchodonosor had acknowledged the God of the Jews as the supreme God, still he did not give up his idolatry. He caused an idol to be set up on a pillar and ordered all his subjects to worship it. Daniel's three friends would not comply. How they were to be punished for this, and how they were miraculously saved by God, will be told in the following story. B. Narration. (a) The strong faith of the youths, (b) Their punishment and miraculous rescue, (c) Effect of these miracles. C. Explanation. (a) King Nabuchodonosor made a pillar of gold; that means a pillar covered with gold plate, upon which probably stood the image of the idol Bel. At the dedication of the same (that means upon the day when the pillar was to be worshipped for the first time), all present pros- trated themselves before it with the exception of the three youths. Daniel was not present upon that day. (b) "Who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hands " ? that means there is no God powerful enough to set you free. " If you do not worship the idol, you shall be instantly cast into the fire"; the three youths made known their perfect resignation to the will of God, and their firm determination to die rather than worship idols, (c) The king was astonished because the youths were not burned; he was frightened by the miracle which he beheld in the furnace, for he saw four young men, and the form of the fourth is like "a son of the gods"; that is to say, not like a human but like a supernatural being. " Not a hair of their heads was singed " whereby we perceive that the fire had no power over them. D. Commentary. I. The First Commandment and the Worship- ping of Images. Nabuchodonosor required his subjects to worship "a statue; that means to give to it divine honors. Why was this wrong ? Whom alone must we adore ? In which commandment does God command this ? What is the first commandment ? l What does it forbid? We Christians, too, have statues in our churches and homes, namely, images of Christ and the saints. Is it allowed to venerate the pictures of Christ and of the saints r* But does it not say : " Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image " ? Is it not superstition to pray before statues? 2. Lawful Disobedience toward Superiors. The three youths were disobedient to the king by not prostrating themselves and adoring the statue. Was this act of disobedience a sin? In which cases may we refuse obedience to parents and superiors? 3. God's Omnipotence and Justice. It was d) 315. ( 2 ) 431. 1 82 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. manifestly a miracle that the fire, contrary to nature, had no power over the young men. Who worked this miracle? What do we say of God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is omni- potent " ? By miraculously preserving the lives of these youths in the midst of the fire God thus rewarded them for their steadfastness and their obedience to His commandments. But those who threw them into the furnace He punished according to merit. What do you mean by saying " God is just " ? E. Moral Application. See that you always faithfully observe the first commandment. Honor God without fear of wicked persons. If it ever seems difficult for you to profess your faith publicly, re- member the words of our Saviour, " Whoso confesses me before men, him will I also confess before my heavenly Father." LXXXV. BALTASSAR'S SACRILEGE AND PUNISHMENT. A. Preparation. What Daniel had said in his interpretation, that the dream of Nabuchodonosor, viz., that other kingdoms would succeed the Babylonians, was in part already fulfilled under the reign of the wicked son and successor of that king. In the following story we shall learn more about this. B. Narration. (a) Baltassar's sacrilege. The mysterious hand, (b) The mysterious words interpreted by Daniel, (c) Baltassar's punishment. C. Explanation.(d) The king Baltassar prepared a great feast (Dan. v. i), to which all the nobles of the realm were invited. They drank out of the vessels of gold and silver which the king's father, Nabuchodonosor, had carried away from the Temple at Jerusalem, and which had been used only in the divine service. (&) Daniel tells Baltassar: "Thou hast lifted up thy- self against the Lord"; that means thou hast rebelled against him, because thou hast desecrated and misused the sacred vessels dedicated to His service. "Thou hast been weighed in the balance and found wanting," which means, in proportion to thy wicked deeds thou hast done so little good that thou art not worthy to live any longer, (c) The same night Baltassar was slain by his brother-in-law, after which the kingdom was so divided that north Babylonia was incorporated into the Median, south Babylonia into the Per- sian kingdom. D. Commentary. i. Intemperance and its Consequences. Bal- tassar had partaken of too much wine, so that he was drunk. What is this sin called ? What sin do we commit by intemperance in eating and drinking? Intemperance is one of the seven capital sins, so- THE GOD BEL. DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN. 183 called because many other sins arise from them. What other sin was the result of Baltassar's intemperance? Holy Scripture says drunkards shall not possess the kingdom of heaven. 2. Sacrilege. Baltassar caused to be brought in the vessels dedicated to the service of God, consecrated vessels, that he, his wives and the nobles, might drink from them. It was a profanation of sacred articles, a sacri- lege. 3. Divine Justice and Faithfulness. Baltassar's shameful crime soon met its punishment. God allowed the impious king to be slain that same night. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying "God is just"? That which God had an- nounced through Daniel was thus fulfilled. The kingdom of Baby- lon was divided between the Medes and Persians. What do we say of God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful"? E. Moral Application. Avoid intemperance in eating and drink- ing. You do not confer any benefit upon your body by eating or drinking immoderately; you are far more likely to undermine your health by intemperance. Remember : " By surfeiting many have perished: but he that is temperate shall prolong life" (Ecclus. xxxvii. 34). LXXXVI. THE GOD BEL. DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN. A. Preparation. Cyrus, the Persian king, who soon took possession of Babylon, took great liking to Daniel. The king's subjects, on the contrary, hated Daniel and sought to take his life. But God saved him in a miraculous way. The following story will tell us about it B. Narration. (a) The king is convinced of the impotence of Bel and of the dragon, (b) Revenge of the Babylonians, (c) Mirac- ulous preservation of Daniel in the lions' den. (d) His deliverance from the same ; punishment of his enemies. C. Explanation. (a) "The new king"; that is to say, Cyrus. He asked Daniel why he would not adore Bel ? Daniel explains to the king how it was impossible for Bel to eat and drink. The king then had food placed before Bel, and withdraws after Daniel had sifted fine ashes on the floor, that they might know if any one had entered. (&) Daniel brings about destruction of the idolized dragon, i. e., a great serpent, whereupon the Babylonians became furious and demanded his being delivered up to them. The king delivers him up for fear of his own life, and they cast him into a lions' den a deep cave, where seven of these animals were kept, (c) An angel, by the force of 1 84 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. his spirit (that means in an instant), transports Habacuc to the den of lions. Daniel eats the food, having been for six days without food of any kind. (d) The king comes to bewail Daniel, namely, his death. D. Commentary. i. Zeal for God's Glory. Daniel gave proof of this by doing all in his power to convince the Babylonians of the worthlessness and impotence of their false gods, that idolatry might be abolished, without caring as to whether the Babylonians hated and persecuted him for it. Daniel loved the true God, adored Him, and was desirous that the Babylonians likewise should know, love and worship the true God. When do we adore God in our heart? 2. God's Omnipotence and Goodness. The lions desisted from sav- ageness, and, contrary to their nature, left Daniel unhurt. God brought this about. He " shut the lions' jaws," by virtue of His om- nipotence, which nothing can withstand. A second proof of the di- vine omnipotence was the carrying of Habacuc from Judea to Baby- lon, a distance of 2,400 miles, in an instant. What do you mean by saying " God is omnipotent " ? For his zeal for God's glory, by which Daniel sought to rid the Babylonians of their idol worship, he was cast into the lions' den. Therefore God showed His love and goodness toward him in several ways. He protected him from the wild animals and sent food to him through the prophet Habacuc. What do you mean by saying " God is good " ? 3. Grace before Meals. When Habacuc appeared with food in the lions' den Daniel did not seize it hastily, although very hungry, but he first thanked God, who had thought of him in His goodness. Neither should we sit down to the table without first saying grace. When, particularly, ought we there- fore to pray ? E. Moral Application. Do you always say grace before and after meals? Remember that those who do not pray before and after meals are like reasonless animals, that eat their portion without thanks to the one who gave the food. REVIEW OF THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. i. Short account of this period. 2. Reiteration of Messianic prophecies. 3. What prophets were active during this time? 4. Under which kings and under what rule were the Jews during this period ? THE RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY. 185 PERIOD AFTER THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON (536 B. C.). LXXXVII. THE RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY. REBUILDING OF TEMPLE AND OF CITY. THE LAST PROPHETS. A. Preparation. The days of the Babylonian captivity were approaching their termination. After it had lasted for seventy years, the king, Cyrus, granted permission to the Jews for their return. How the people rejoiced! Thousands of them gathered hastily and turned their way toward home. We shall read of this now. B. Narration. (a) End of the captivity, (b) Building of the Temple, (c) The prophets Aggeus and Zacharias. (d) Building of the city, (e) Ingratitude of the people. Malachias. (f) Jesus Sirach and the book of Wisdom. C. Explanation. (a) When the Jews were led away captive, in the year 606 B. C., God promised that they should not always remain in affliction or captivity. In the seventieth year of their captivity, in the year 536 B. C., the silver and golden vessels were restored to them, and about 40,000 Jews re- turned to Judea, former kingdom of Juda. (fr) They immediately built an altar for burnt offerings in the same place where it had formerly stood. Then they laid foundations for a new temple, and within a year's time it was in course of construction, (c) This temple, although in magnificence not equal to the old, " was to be more glorious, because the desired of all nations " would be seen in it; that means the Messias was to appear in this temple. Also the walls were rebuilt to fortify Jerusalem against the attacks of enemies. The Persian king Artaxerxes commissioned Nehemias to go to Jerusalem and urge the people to rebuild the walls. Nehemias assists Esdras by obtaining many favors for him from the king. The Samaritans wanted to lay siege to Jerusalem; they were angry at not having been allowed to take part in the erection of the temple. The Samaritans were driven off by force of arms. (d) " Ecclesiasticus," the book of Jesus Sirach, a collection of exhortations, instructions, rules of life and eulogies. The sacred scriptures of the Old Testament were translated into Greek by seventy-two Jewish scholars about 300 B. C., and since the Greek language was then the language of the educated classes, it was made accessible to many pagans, who thus became acquainted with the true faith and the prophecies concerning the Messias. D. Commentary. i. God's Mercy and Faithfulness. Although the Jews had sinned grievously against God by despising His ex- hortations, warnings and threats, and by persecuting His prophets, 1 86 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. yet God had again compassion upon them, and because He foresaw that in captivity they would acknowledge and repent their injustice He had promised to them their eventual return from captivity. What do you mean by saying " God is merciful " ? " After seventy years shall be accomplished." This promise God kept, as history shows. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is faithful " ? 2. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Prophecies Concerning the Messias. (a) The prophet Aggeus prophesied that the magnificence of the second temple would be greater than that of the first one because the Messias would there appear. As a matter of fact, in magnificence the second temple was inferior to the first, but not in glory ; for the " divine glory " filled it when the divine Redeemer was presented here as a child, when as a boy twelve years old He was an object of admiration, and when as man He impressed the multitude with reverence, fear and wonder by His teaching and His miracles, (b) Zacharias proclaimed that the Redeemer as king, but not, according to worldly ideas, rich and powerful, but poor and as the true Saviour, would make His solemn entry into Jerusalem upon the foal of an ass, which actually took place shortly before His bitter passion and death, (c) Malachias predicted the rejection of the Jewish sacrifice and the establishment of a new and more perfect sacrifice, which would not be confined to one single place, like the sacrifice of the Jews, but would be offered up in all places as a pure (therefore unbloody) oblation. What is this perpetual sacrifice, as prophesied by Malachias ? Prove that the holy Sacrifice of the Mass is really the sacrifice foretold by Malachias. E. Moral Application. You have the happiness of being able to assist daily at holy Mass. Make use of this opportunity frequently, and remember that there is no more effective means to honor and adore God, or to beg for grace, than at this most blessed Sacrifice, which is as great and as perfect as God Himself. LXXXVIIL ESTHER. A. Preparation. Although the king, Cyrus, had granted to the Jews per- mission to return to Jerusalem, a great many of them remained in the Persian realm. Through the cunning of a certain man they were put in peril of their lives, but were saved through the courage of a woman named Esther. The following story treats of this. B. Narration. (a) Mardochai's solicitude for Esther. The res- ESTHER. 187 cue of the king, (b) Aman's promotion and his hatred of the Jews. (c) Esther's brave intercession. The first repast with the queen, (d) Mardochai's promotion, (e) The second repast with the queen. Fall of Aman and rescue of the Jews. C. Explanation. (a) Mardochai was Esther's fosterfather, she being an orphan. Esther found favor in the sight of Assuerus (i. e., Xerxes I.), but she had not told him of her nationality, because Mardochai had advised her not to do so. Two court attendants conspired against the king; the plot was dis- covered by Mardochai, who informed Assuerus through Esther. The con- spirators are put to death, (b) Aman was a Mede whom the king had pro- moted to a high office. Because Mardochai would not bend his knee before him he became furious, and resolved upon his destruction. In order to ac- complish this he tried to bring about the extermination of all the Jews in the kingdom. Accordingly, he caused an edict to be published, that on a certain day every Jew, including women and children, should be slain and their pos- sessions confiscated, (c) Esther went to the king to plead for her people and was received with an angry frown, because it was against the law for any subject to appear before the king unless sent for. Aman is delighted because honored with an invitation to banquet with the king and queen. (d) The king bids Aman go to Mardochai and confer the highest honors upon the very one whom Aman desired to have executed. What a humilia- tion for the haughty and revengeful Aman! (e) Upon the king asking Esther what she wishes, she asks that her life and the lives of her people be spared. By this request Esther confesses that she is a Jewess. D. Commentary. i. Pride. Aman was a proud man. Although invested with the highest dignities at court, still he was not satisfied. When the king asked him, " What ought to be done to the man whom the king wished to honor "? he immediately thought of himself, and in his pride made unbecoming pretentions, by which he exalted him- self inordinately. How do we sin by pride ? Pride is one of the capi- tal sins, so called because other sins proceed from them. We shall see what other sins proceeded from Aman's pride: (a) Because Mardo- chai would not bow down before him Aman hated him. (b) In his hatred against Mardochai he resolved to have all the Jews slain. How do we sin against the person and life of our neighbor? (c) In order to obtain the king's consent to his project Aman calumniated the Jews. How do we sin by calumny? 2. Miraculotis Dispensa- tion of Divine Providence. The wicked Aman had resolved to slay all the Jews in the kingdom of Persia. The edict had already gone forth into every part of the realm and had caused great consternation and lamenting among the Jews. For Mardochai, however, whom he especially hated, Aman had caused a gibbet to be erected, near his t88 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. house, that he might see him die. But " man proposes, and God dis- poses." How wonderful were God's dispensations in this case. He brought it about that the king, passing a sleepless night, asks for the year books to be produced and read to him, by which Mardochai's discovery of the plot against his life is brought to his memory. Aman is made to confer honors and distinction upon Mardochai, and finally dies upon the very gibbet he had erected for the other. Thus does God rule and guide the world, and frustrate the wicked plans of men. How does God rule the world ? What do we call the divine solicitude in preserving and ruling the world ? 3. Esther a Type, or Figure, of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Esther was raised from her lowliness to be a queen ; Mary had the unspeakable dignity of being made queen of heaven. The reason for Esther's exaltation was the delight which the king took in her virtues; Mary, too, was exalted to her high dignity on account of her virtues. As Esther alone was made exempt from the rigid law of the king's court, so also Mary alone, of all human beings, was exempt from the law of original sin. As Esther knelt before the king's throne to plead for the people, so does Mary intercede for mankind before the throne of God. E. Moral Application. Venerate diligently the Blessed Virgin and she will pray for you before the throne of God. Bear in mind that a devout servant of the Blessed Virgin will not be lost. (The les- son should be closed with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin.) LXXXIX. ELEAZAR (170 B. C). A. Preparation. We will now return to the Jews, who had re-entered their country. They remained subjects of the king of Persia even after that in their own country. The Persian rule lasted from 536 to 331 B. C. The Jews were ruled by governors, to whom they paid tribute (tithes), otherwise they were independent and free. When, in the year 331 B. C, Alexander the Great, of Macedonia, had conquered the kingdom of Persia, the Jews came under the dominion of Macedonia. After Alexander's death, in 323 B. C, the Jews, after a long strife between Egypt and Syria for their country, came under the dominion of the king of Egypt (301 to 230 B. C), after which they became subjects of the Syrian kings. Under the latter they suffered greatly. The Syrian king Antiochus was especially cruel to them, as the fol- lowing story will show. B. Narration. (a) Oppression of the Jews by Antiochus. (b) Eleazar's steadfastness. C. Explanation. (a) The Syrians worshipped an idol, namely, the Greek THE SEVEN MACHABEES. !8 9 god Zeus. (&) Antiochus required Eleazar to eat the flesh of swine, and because he refused he was tortured, his hands and feet were stretched out upon a plank and he was beaten. His friends tried to persuade him to yield, to make pretense only of eating the forbidden meat, but he refused, saying it would be a bad example for the young. Nor would he seek safety in flight, saying that God would punish him if he even only pretended to apostatize, from his faith. D. Commentary. i. The Law of Abstinence. The Jews were )rbidden to eat the flesh of swine because it was considered mclean. To us Christians a law of abstinence is also given, what day are we obliged to abstain from eating flesh meat? XXXI. ). Scandal- giving. If Eleazar had done as he was idvised the young people would have been scandalized, and he would have given them a bad example. For the young people, who would not know that Eleazar was only pretending, would have been led by Eleazar's bad example to transgress the law under similar circumstances, and thus would have sinned (apostatized). How do we injure our neighbor in body and soul? 3. Eleasar*s Virtues. This old man, of over ninety years of age, a true model of beautiful virtues. Worthy of admiration is : (a) His steadfastness in the faith. The cruel Antiochus would force him to apostatize. But Eleazar would suffer torture and martyrdom, give his life, rather than fall away from his faith. When is our faith steadfast? (b) His love of sincerity and right-doing, by which he considers it a " disgrace " to allow lawful meat to be secretly brought and then to pretend that he was eating swine's flesh. He would rather suffer martyrdom than sin by hypocrisy. When do we sin by hypocrisy? (c) His profound piety. " I cannot escape from the hand of the Almighty, living 01 dead." Hence he feared to offend God, and underwent the most agonizing sufferings till death released him. " Lord, thou knowest that I bear this cheerfully because I fear thee." E. Moral Application. Learn from Eleazar to profess your faith steadfastly, not fearing whether it will bring injury and disgrace upon you. Never, under no circumstances, must we deny our faith. May the fear of God, from whom you can not escape, alive or dead, preserve you from this sin ! XC. THE SEVEN MACHABEES. A. Preparation. King Antiochus was even more cruel to the seven Machabees and their mother than to Eleazar, when they would not renounce their faith. We shall hear about this in the story. 1 9 o TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. B. Narration. The heroic death (a) of the eldest of the seven brothers; (b) of the five brothers next in age; (c) of the youngest, and of the mother. C. Explanation (a) The heroic death of these seven brothers being related in the Second Book of Machabees, they are called the seven Macha- bees. Without doubt they were martyred at Antioch, the residence of King Antiochus, and they probably belonged to the large Jewish population of that city, (fr) The third brother tells the king that he had received his tongue and his hands from heaven, i. e., from God. (c) The mother exhorts her youngest son in her own language, namely, in the language of the Jews. " Thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy partner with thy brethren," meaning prove by thy steadfastness that thou art no less devout than thy brothers. " For we suffer thus from sins " (the sins of the whole nations). D. Commentary. I. Steadfast Faith. The seven brothers, as well as their mother, possessed an admirable steadfastness in the faith. Neither alluring promises nor awful torments and sufferings could induce the brothers to be disloyal to their faith. The mother's steadfastness is still more worthy of admiration. How must this great woman have suffered when she saw six of her sons martyred ? And yet she encourages her last and only surviving son to be worthy of his brothers and to suffer death. She would sooner lose him than persuade him to apostatize. When is our faith steadfast? The reason of the steadfastness of these eight heroes of the faith is found in their firm belief in God and His revelations. They knew (a) that One mightier than the cruel Antiochus watched over them, " the king of the world"; (b) that God is infinitely just, and that He would restore to them the lives that they sacrificed for His sake: " I have received these from heaven, and I hope to receive them again." " The king of the world will raise us up who die for his laws, in the resurrection of eternal life." Armed with so firm a faith, they feared not the king, who could only take their earthly life, but could not harm their souls, and they feared not the fright- ful torments. 2. Lawful Disobedience. Although it was their king who gave his commands to the seven brothers and their mother, they were not able to obey him, because he commanded something for- bidden by God. Here words of the apostle are applicable: "We must obey God more than man." In which instances must we not obey even our parents and superiors? E. Moral Application. You also will be often tempted to trans- DEATH OF KING ANTIOCHUS. 191 gress God's commandments. Your temptations, however, are trifling, in comparison with the severe trials of the Machabees and their mother. Remain steadfast and faithful to God. Think of God in temptations and say : " O God, I would rather die than sin." XCI. DEATH OF KING ANTIOCHUS. A. Preparation. The cruel King Antiochus, who tortured the Machabees so frightfully, not long afterward finds a miserable end, of which we shall learn in this story. B. Narration. (a) The incurable sickness, and (b) the sad end of Antiochus. C. Explanation. (a) The punishment (cf. XC). Antiochus returns with dishonor from a distant country (Persia), where he had suffered defeat. In his fury about the defeat, and also about the revolt of the Jews, he desired to revenge himself upon them, and to reduce Jerusalem to a grave- yard. He was grievously wounded; breaking his limbs, he was obliged to be carried on a litter. Worms (maggots) came forth from his body. (&) Realizing his sins and wickedness, he came to understand that his misfortune was due to his numerous misdeeds. He wanted to make costly presents to the Jews, wished to defray at his own expense the cost of the Jewish sacri- fices ; to give the Jews their freedom, even to become a Jew himself, and to travel throughout all countries proclaiming the power of God. But his repentance was unreal, and he died a miserable death in the year 163 B. C. D. Commentary. I. God's Justice and Omniscience. Antiochus was a cruel king, who had shed much innocent blood. Well merited punishment overtook him. He who had often tortured others was now himself tormented by an incurable, loathsome sickness, which was so hideous that no one would go near him, and, abandoned by his own people, Antiochus met a miserable end. What do we call God for this reason? What do you mean by saying " God is just "? Antiochus' repentance was not accepted by God. His conversion was not sincere. God sees the heart. He knows the most secret thoughts. He knew the wicked king's motives and knew that he only made these promises in the fear of death, and that, once more well, he would again persecute and ill-treat the Jews. What do we call God for this reason ? What do you mean by saying " God is omnis- cient "? 2. Natural Contrition. Antiochus, it is true, realized his sins and regretted them, but not because he had thereby offended God, but 192 TEACHER'S HANDBOOK TO BIBLE HISTORY. on account of their natural bad consequences on account of the painful and incurable sickness. A natural contrition of this kind is not sufficient for the forgiveness of sins. Contrition must be super- natural. When is contrition supernatural? 1 Would it suffice to re- pent of our sins on account of the temporal harm that results to us from them ? E. Moral Application. Repent of your sins every evening, be- cause through them you have grievously offended God, who through the day has granted you so many spiritual and corporal blessings. XCII. JUDAS MACHABEUS. A. Preparation. The harsh treatment which the Jews had suffered at the hands of the inhuman King Antiochus, of Syria, embittered them and drove them to revolt against the Syrians. After many battles they finally succeeded in defeating them, regaining their freedom. The following story will tell us about this. B. Narration. (a) Commencement of the combat under Matha- thias. (b) Judas 5 wonderful victory, (c) The sacrifice of propitia- tion for the dead, (d) Judas' vision and the defeat of Nicanor. (e) Death of Judas and final deliverance of the Jewish nation. C. Explanation. (a) Modin, a city in Judea, to the northwest of Jerusa- lem. Mathathias destroyed the altars of the idols which had been set up by Antiochus, and made war upon the heathen, namely, upon Antiochus and the Syrians, (fc) Upon his death, in the year 166 B. C., he was succeeded by his son Judas, who was extraordinarily strong and powerful. He belabored the enemies of the Jews with his sword as if it were a hammer, striking them to the earth. He purified the Temple, which had been desecrated and defiled by Antiochus. He made war also upon the neighboring people, the Edomites, Ammonites and Arabians. In the battle five men with shining armor came from heaven to his assistance; they were angels in human form, (c) 11 Heathen charms " little presents which had been offered or dedicated to the gods (amulets), and were worn in honor of the gods, and supposed by the superstitious to render them invulnerable. Judas found these amulets upon the Jews killed in battle, which explained the reason why they had fallen, namely, as a punishment for their sinful actions. He sends twelve thou- sand drachmas of silver to Jerusalem (about $2,000), for which sacrifices were to be offered for the repose of their souls. (