The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-29
READING FOR THE DAY.


Sunday-School Lesson for Dec. 6, 1885.
THE SINFULgNATIoN-Isaiah |, Lis.
GOLDEN TExT--Cease to do evil; learn to do well.
-Isaiah !, 10, IL.
To no man was it given to so fully understand
and foretell the coming glories of the new Israel,
The marvellous history Of the promised Messiah,
as to Isaiah, the son of Amor. After the Psalms,
no part of the Old Testament is read more fire.
quently than the book of Isaiah. and we nat
urally desire to know more about the writer.
This first verse has been fifty compared to
the preface of a modern book, added
after the work has been completed.
He prophesied, or uttered, the visions
which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem
during the reigns Of the four kings, Uzziah,
lothian, Ahaz and Hezekiah. From the last of
The reign of Uzziah. B. c. $50, to the last of that
of Hezekiah, b. G. 698, covers a period of over
sixty years. During all this time he was the
foremost prophet, and his magnificent visions,
his earnest expostuiations, his great faith, his
evangelical spirit and teaching, place him easily
m the front of the greater prophets of the ma
ton.
The history of his own times is given in 2
Kings xi-xxi and in. 2 Chron. xxvi-xxxiii; and
She date of this lesson is near l30 B.
e., in the time of Ahaz.
APPLICATION.
1. The Sinful ness of Man. even his Total De-
pravity-The picture of Israels condition is a
very dark and sad one. and shows the ultimate
degradation of sin and the complete ruin it will
work. But back Of the picture of their sins is
the fact of sin itself-behind the ''putrefying
sores" is the disease of sintulness. One who has
the smallpox or the yellow fever has it ''all
over at the beginning as at the end of the dis
ease, and may communicate it to others, and go
On and on without much Of the dreadful ex-
ternal evidences of it, and while they
are still It'll able to 60 about they may
We are all sinful, and as such offensive
before God. We live for self, ''our hearts are at
enmity against God" And as teachers we ought
to dwell on this fact of sin in the heart. Sinful
ness, a tendency to do wrong things, is a fearful
fact in the eyes Of the Holy One Of Israel. And
we have to do with God. and to answer to Him,
not man.
q My People Doth Not Consider-If men
would fairly consider these questions, the way of
duty would be plain. But they will not consider.
They shut their eyes, they hide in the dark, and
shink to be excused on the ground OF ignorance.
But ignorance, or mot knowing" may be our
special sin, as we might have known.
8. Incense an Abomination-The prayers
and worship of men may be hateful in the sight
OF God. The man who holds on to his secret sin
may fill the altar with his offerings, and all his
worship and service is in vain; yea, worse, they
may be a trouble unto God.
A. Reason of Unanswered Prayers-It was
really because they did not repent of and forsake
their sins. God does not obligate himself to an
swer prayer except according to His own Word.
s. Wash Ye, Make You Clean-The sinner
can in no way wash or renew his own heart before
coming to God. The Lord only can do this work,
and it comes through prayer and faith. The
sinner must 60 and plead. Just as l am" But
these words were for those who were of the people
Of God, and whom God required in this way to
show their sincerity and repentance.
g. Come Now. and Let Us Reason Together
AT this present hour.
2. White as Snow-The blood of Christ can
10 for rs this complete work. SO that we shall
Ytand wholly clean before Him.