PART THREE

III. When the Is´ra-el-ites went out of E´gypt a nation was born, and the family became a state, with all the institutions of government. Therefore we call this the =Period of the Is´ra-el-ite People=.

1. It opens with the =Exodus from E´gypt=, B. C. 1270? (Exod. 12. 40-42), and closes with the =Coronation of Saul=, B. C. 1050?.

2. During this period the government of the Is´ra-el-ites was peculiar. The Lord was their only King (Judg. 8. 23), but there was a priestly order for religious service (Exod. 28. 1), and from time to time men were raised up by a divine appointment to rule, who were called judges (Judg. 2. 16). This constituted the =Theocratic Administration=, or a government by God.

3. We subdivide this period as follows:

1.) =The Wandering in the Wilderness.= This was a part of God's plan, and trained the Is´ra-el-ites for the conquest of their land (Exod. 13. 17, 18). It lasted for forty years (Deut. 8. 2).

2.) =The Conquest of Ca´naan=, which immediately followed the crossing of the Jordan (Josh. 3. 14-17). The war was vigorously carried on for a few years, but the land was only seemingly conquered, for the native races remained upon the soil, and in some places were dominant until the time of Da´vid.

3.) =The Rule of the Judges.= From the death of Josh´u-a, B. C. 1200?, the people were directed by fifteen judges, not always in direct succession.

4. This period has been justly called "the Age of the Heroes"; and from many great men we choose the following:

1.) =Mo´ses=, the founder of the nation (Deut. 34. 10-12).

2.) =Josh´u-a=, the conqueror of Ca´naan (Josh. 11. 23).

3.) =Gid´e-on=, the greatest of the judges (Judg. 8. 28).

4.) =Sam´u-el=, the last of the judges (1 Sam. 12. 1, 2).

Blackboard Outline

+---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ |I. Per. Hu. Ra.|II. Per. |III. Per. |IV. Per. |V. Per. | | | Ch. Fam.| Is. Peo.| Is. Kin.| Je. Prov.| +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | C. M. | C. A. | E. E. | | | | C. A. | E. E. | C. S. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | Dir. Adm. | Patr. Adm. | The. Adm. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | Fa. | Jou. Pat. | Wan. Wil. | | | | Del. | Soj. Eg. | Con. Can. | | | | Dis. | Opp. Isr. | Ru. Jud. | | | +---------------+------------+------------+ | | | A. E. N. | A. J. J. | M. J. G. S.| | | +---------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+

Review Questions

What is the third period of Bible history called? With what events did it begin and end? How was Is´ra-el governed during this period? What are its subdivisions? How many judges governed the Is´ra-el-ites after Josh´u-a? Name four important persons of the third period. State for what each of these persons was distinguished.