The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-15

Aaron demand OF Pharaoh that he let Gods
people 60, and is always associated with
Gods special interest in that people The
prophet Jeremiah associates the two titles
thirty times, indicating His power to care:
for His people and deliver them.
HE hath visited and wrought redemption
for His people" R. W. 1t was four hun
dred years since Malachi had said that the
Lord would come on behalf Of his people,
and many more hundreds since God had
covenanted with David and Abraham, but.
now His time had come to work redemption
for them and to redeem them if they were,
willing. That we should meekly, patiently
and trustfully wait the Lords time is one Of!
the great lessons Of Scripture exemplifed In
patriarchs, prophets, apostles and in our
Lord Himself.
60. "And hath raised up an horn Of saliva
ton for us in the house of His servant Da-.
vid." The horn is the symbol Of strength or,
power. Hannah sings Of her horn and the,
horn Of His anointed; David sings Of tho
horn of his salvation, which is Jehovah o.
Sam. H., /, 10; Ps. xviii, q; and in Ps.
cxnii., II, Jehovah Himself says that in
Zion BE will make the horn of David to,
bud, indicating the coming Of the Messiah.
from the house Of David. aa
TO- "As He spake by the mouth of hisholy
-
began" The same spirit now speaking
through Zacharias had spoken in times past,
by the prophets, and afterward through
John and Jesus and the apostles, and will
even to-day speak through those who yield
themselves unto Him q Pet. l., 81; Pet. l.,
IL; Acts iv., 81; Luke xii. 12, and the Holy
Spirit speaking is none other than God
speaking (Heb. l., l. Q; John XII. 4g.
n. THAT we should be saved from our en-
4 f. - q. -.
Let us remember that this lesson, although,
(Rom. xv., ~ refers primarily and chiefly to
Israel and her salvation from all her enemies,
as the prophets had foretold.
70, g. TO perform the mercy promised to.
our fathers, and to remember His holy COW
enant; the oath which He sware to our ia
ther Abraham" In Ps. cv., $40 the COW
enant is spoken Of as one made with Abra-
ham and confirmed to Isaac, Jacob and Is
rael, and one of the promises in the covenant
is distinctly said to be to give them the Land
of Canaan. If any one will take the trouble
with Abraham in Gen. xii, xiii, xv., xvii,
xii, they will see the full terms Of that COW
enant, and surely be persuaded that it is spe-3
cially for Israel, and looks beyond even our
"a, Is. delivered, + serve film,
in holiness and Righteousness before.
Him all the days of our life" One glance at
Israers present condition, 1900 years out OF
their land, still sifted among all nations and
yet preserved, the rebuke still resting upon
them, clearly indicates that the words OF the
Spirit through Zacharias and the prophets
have not yet been fulfilled. And the reason
Is not far to seek. They rejected John and
did as they pleased to him Matt. xvii, ~;
they rejected Jesus, their Messiah, and cru
CITED Him, and the kingdom which was at
hand, including Israels deliverance and res
toration, is postponed till he shall return in
power and glory preceded by another John
the Baptist, even Elijah himself, as His fore
runner NAL. iv., S. O. But while Israel's
blindness continues because OF their unbelief
and rejection of their Messiah, He is taking
out of all nations people for His name,
and whoever is willing to receive Jesus as
their own personal Saviour becomes thereby
a child of Abraham mot ON Israeite), a child
of God, an heir according to the promise
Gal iii, Z, 26, 29), and shall in due time find
what it means to be q joint heir with Christ,
O king and priest unto God, when Jesus shall
be manifested as King of the Jews, King OF
Kings and Lord Of Lords, whom all nations;
shall serve, and before whom all kings shall
fall down Ps. lxxii., ~,
rs. "And thou, child, shalt be called the
prophet of the highest" Zacharias now
Speaks Of his son as the herald of the Messiah
and the prophet of the Most High; he no
longer doubts the words Of Gabriel.
''Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare His ways" If we have the spirit
Of John we will not seek any reputation or
glory for ourselves, but be gladly consumed
as we prepare His way who is soon to come
again.
II. "To give knowledge Of salvation unto
His People by the remission of their SINS"
None but the Saviour can give salvation, but
His servants can give the knowledge of sal
walton, and they should all be telling OF hls
IS Through the tender mercleS OF our
God" All salvation, whether national or IN
dividual, is of grace, and only Of grace; 50
long as we think in any way to merit it, we
cannot have it; but when we come empty.
CRYING ''God be merciful to me a sinner"
then salvation is ours.
whereby the dayspring froa, on high
hath visited u.s." The dayspring, according
to the margin. signifies 'sun rising" or
is the Sun, the Morning Star; the Branch, the
Light of the World, the Prince of Peace
The Revised Version says shall visit" in
stead of "hath visited" and includes, no
doubt, His coming to suffer and His coming
to reign.
70. $40 give light to them that sit in dark-
ness" Darkness and the shadow Of death
are the expressions used in lisa. tx, g to de-
scribe the condition of the people at His first
coming. Darkness and gross darkness" are
the expressions used III lisa. TX, 2, to describe
the state of things when He shall come again.
Inasmuch as light ignifes fellowship with
God, it is easy to see how all the progress OF
this Nineteenth century may be but gross
darkness in Gods sight, for whatever is not
light from God must be darkness from the
pit.
ITO guide our feet in the way Of peace"
He is the only one Who can do it, and with
out Him we shall never find peace either here
Or hereafter; but heart III which He dwells
has always peace, for VISIONS ways and
paths are pleasantness and peace.
So "The child grew and waxed strong IN
spirit" etc. The song of Zacharias is finished,
its first word was Blessed" and its last
''Peace"-our days and lives will thus begin
and end if He is our Redeemer and King:
This is now word alone concerning John:
alone with God, unhindered and unbiased by
the teachings of man he continues to grow IN
BODY and soul. until, like Elijah, he comes
forth from God to deliver His message. Let
rs attend Gods school. and, like Mary, sit at
Jesuss fect.-LcSSOn Helper.
L Il L