Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-06-13
THE RICH MANS FOLLY.
XII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, JUNE is.

lCompiled from Lesson Helper quarterly by per
mission of H. S. Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
phia.l
Is. "And one of the company said unto
Him" In the first verse of this chapter we
are told that this company consisted of an
innumerable multitude, such throng that
they trode one upon another. The following
verses down to this first one of our lesson
tell us that in the midst of this multitude He
taught His disciples that they should beware
of the leaven (the hypocrisy of the Pharisees;
that they should not fear the death of the
body, but rather fear the death of soul and
body in hell compare Matt x, 2s) that they
should not fear to deny Him before men, but
rather fearlessly confess Him, looking to the
future, and that they should not be anxious
as to what they should say when arrested and
brought before the authorities for His sake,
for the Holy Spirit would teach them to say
the right words at the right time. In order
to see why He thus teaches His disciples let
the whole of the previous chapter after our
last lesson be carefully read, and learn from
It the attitude of the religious rulers of the
nation towards Him, and remember that He
knew that they treated Him SO they would
in due time treat His followers.
"Master, speak to my brother, that he di-
! vide the inheritance with me-" What an un-
seemly interruption Jesus had been speak
ing of judgment and eternity, of future glory
and future torment Xxi, 20, 81, 49, xii, ), 8, 81;
but here is a man who is more interested in a
share of some property in this world than in
any future good or evil. He does not seem
to have needed anything that Jesus had said.
And yet his is not an uncommon case, for I'M
der the most solemn dscourses upon eternal
realities, there may be found in worshiping
congregations, even today, men and women
SO occupied with present things that the
preachers words are of no use to them. 1t is
! just the same if in Sunday school boy is
thinking more about his marbles, or ball, or
kite, or top, than about the lesson being
taught. Eek xxxiii, 81, well describes all
such.
a. "And He said unto him, Man, who
made me judge or a divider over you9"
! The man did not know the Teacher whom he
had thus addressed. The one seeking a share
of an earthly inheritance was man entirely
of this world, while the one whom he asked
to interfere on his behalf was a man not of
this world Jesus had come to lead people to
the possession of an inheritance incorrupti-
BILE, indebted, and that fadeth not away re-
served in Heaven Il Pet. j. A.. The glories of
that inheritance He will divide and appor
ton to the overcomers in due time. (See
Luke xxi, 2S-30; Rev. xxi, Z; iii, 2l ii, 26,
20. But to this present world, it is an
evil one; it lieth in wickedness Tor the wicked
one); Satan is its acknowledged prince and
god; We are not 10 love it, for its friendship
is enmity with God, and it is reserved unto
fire against the day of judgment and perdi-
ton of ungodly men Gal. i, A; John v, 10;
John xiv, 30; II Cor. iv, A. John ii, XIV;
James iv, 4; II Pet. iii, 9, q
What a poor place to possess an inherit
ance How much better to be content with
food and raiment here and wait for the re-
demption of this earth, when it shall rejoice
in the liberty of the glory of the sons of God
and we shall reign over it with Jesus Christ.
10. "And He said unto them, Take heed,
and beware of covetousness." The tenth
commandment forbids coveting. Moses was
to choose rulers who were God fearing men,
men of truth, hating covetousness. Ex Xxx,
II: xviii, 81. The word has several mean
ings, such as a wish to have more, love of
money, dishonest gain the first is the mean
ing of the word here, and in Mark vii 20-23
it is classed by the Saviour with all manner
of evil which proceed from within and de-
files us. All can see that dishonest gain is
sinful, but some may question the sinfulness
Of wish to have more either of money or
possessions.
16 "The ground of a certain rich man
a parable to make more clear to those who
have ears to hear the truth He has presented.
Here is all abundant harvest from the ground
of one who knew not God. He is already rich
and his riches are increased Gods rain and
sunshine have done it, and yet it would seem
as if the man was no child of God. 1t was
this sort of thing that puzzled Asaph. He saw
the ungodly prospecting, increasing in riches,
their eyes standing out with fairness, having
more than heart could wish, not in trouble
nor plagued like other men, and yet bias
pheming God FPS. lxxiiD; but as he waited
upon God he saw the reason of it all and was
led to rejoice more than ever in God Him
self. Prosperity in the tIings of this world
is no token of the favor Of God.
II. "What shall do, because | have no
room where to bestow my fruitsf" Thus this
rich man thought within himself. His in
crease was an anxiety to HIN, he looked upon
} them as his fruits, evidently not thinking of
the God who gave them to him, nor that the
goodness of God was intended 10 lead him to
repentance Rom. ii, A..
IS "And he said, This will l do: will pull
down my barns, and build greater; and there
will l bestow all my fruits and my goods. -
He had talked W it'll himself about it, and this
was the decision of the most important per-
son in the world, the only one who knew any
thing, the only one to be pleased, the only
one worth living for, he himself. So the old
barns come down, the large new ones 20 up,
and there all my fruits and my goods are
carefully bestowed for the personal comfort
of myself
49, And will say TO my soul Soul, thou
hast much goods laid up for many years; take
thine ease, eat, drink, and he merry The
soul to which he talked links him with the