The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-01-15
THE SONG OF zAC.4ARlAS.
International Sunday-School Lesson fol
January 20, 1890.


January 20, 1890.
LESSON TEXT-Luke 1:67-S0.
GOLDEN TExT-Thou shalt go before
the face of the Lord to prepare His
ways.-Luke 1:16.
TIME-B. C. 5, June or July.
PLAcE-The hill country of Judea,
perhaps Hebron.
CoNNECTIoN-For many months, since
the previous October Uesson ~, Zacha-
rias had been deaf and dumb. This was
chastisement for his unbelief, and yet
there was inclosed within the chastise-
ment blessing. In due time son was
born. When, eight days after, the
friends gathered at the house for the
rite of circumcision, they expected that
OF course the only son would be named
Zacharias, after his father. They ac-
cordingly made signs to him, for he
could not speak. In reply, he called
for writing materials, and wrote: His
name is John" as the angel had hidden
them name him. Then the fathers
tongue was loosed, and its first use was
to utter hymn of praise.
ExrLANAT0RY-G7. Ard he father
Zacharias acas filled cith tie HOLY Ghost.
This shows the source of the hymn
Zacharias now uttered, and of its truth.
The intellectual atmosphere of the time
was full OF errors and Misunderstanding
in regard to the expected Messiah and
His Kingdom, so that no eye could dis
Germ the pure truth, and no heart could
separate it from the popular errors I'M
less guided by the Spirit of all Truth
z. Prophesied. In classical Greek this
word means speaking for another es-
pecially speaking for a god and inter-
preting his will to man. Zacharias
prophesied by uttering what God in
spired him to speak, without reference
to the question whether that word fore
told future events or not. This hymn
was doubtless composed during the nine
months when Zacharias was dumb. But
that chastisement was the best thing
for him in his state of mind then. AS
he could not speak, he therefore read
Gods word, and his meditations were
long and deep, guided by the Holy
Spirit. she attained higher spiritual
life. He formed new conceptions of the
power and mercy of God. Meredith.
Then, when his son was born and the
prophecy of the angel was fulfilled, and
speech was restored to him, this song
broke forth from his lips, ''as the metal
flows from the crucible in which it has
been melted the moment that an outlet
: is made for it."-Godet. 1t was the
bursting forth of the sunshine through
the departing storm; it was the advent
OF the verdure and flowers of spring after
adreary winter.-P.
l. FIRST STANzA - Thanks that the
. Promised Time has come.-Vers. 6S-7O.
6S. Blessed be the Lord. The first words
OF restored speech are words of praise.
To bless God is not merely ''to acknowl-
edge and proclaim His infinite and eter-
nal blessedness," but to express our joy
and delight in it, our desire that it may
continue, our gladness that God reigns.
1t shows our perfect sympathy with God
and His Kingdom.
ii. SECOND STANzA. Praise for deliy.
erance from Enemies. - Vers. 7l-73.
II. That we should be saped from our enc
mics. They were subject to the Romans,
instead of having king of their own
They were oppressed by rulers and tax
gatherers. Herod, their King, WIS an
alien and abounded in cruelties and ar.
bitrary exactions. Their land was in ar
almost chronic state of dissension. "Nc
doubt in the first instance the enemies
from which the prophets had promised
deliverance were literal enemies (Deut
1929; lisa. 14:2; 5l:22, 90, etc., but every
pious Jew would understand these
words as applying also to spiritual enc
mics. "-Farrar. And from the hand of al
that hate us. The Jews were even then
despised race, and hated by those. t,
whose religion and customs they wer,
opposed. Even Cicero ridiculed thu
Jews in public speech, and fling a
them would bring cheers in the theat
rum. Every vile story was believe,
against them, as that they worshipet
swine because they would not eat pork
and that they were expelled from Egyp
on account of leprosy.
THIRD STANzA-Praise for the Posi-
tive Blessings of Salvation. -Vers. IA
rs. The negative blessings of salvation
-deliverance from evil things-hav,
great value, and are preparation TO
better things; but they are small com
pared with the positive blessings. 1t il
a great thing for garden to be fire,
from weeds, and to be protected iron
wild beasts and thieves; but the rea
value of the garden depends on the quail
ity and abundance of its fruits and flow
ers. So in the human SOUL the positiv,
virtues, more than the negative, are tn
measure of it's value.
FOURTH STANZA-Praise for the Her
aid of the Dawn.-Vers. rs, II, IS. And
thou child: Greek, 'little child, "-Johl
the Baptist, then eight days old. Shal
} be called: not only shalt be, but shall b.
recognized as the prophet Of the Hghes,
the Most High God. God Is called tn
Highest because He is high above all il
goodness, in nature, in power, in ever
attribute and work. For thou Shalt @
before the face. Precede in time, and G,
in the view, under the eye, Oh the or
/ rand Of the Lord: probably to Zacharias
the same person as the Highest in tn
preceding sentence, and yet the even
shows him to be the Messiah I
prepare His scays. The figure here use
.. is founded on an Eastern custom of send
ing persons to prepare the way for tn
! march of monarch through wild an
. uncultivated region. This consisted @