The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-29
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY 2.
Lesson Text: "Jesus Brought Into
the Temple" Luke H.. 1885,
Golden Text: Luke H., N
32-Commentary.

25 "And behold there was a man in Jeru-
| salem whose name was Simeon; and this
man was righteous and devout looking for
the consolation of Israel" tR. W. Were
there not many righteous men in Jerusalem
looking for the Messiah? 1t does not so ap-
| pear. or, il there were, here was choice one
who walked with God, separate from the
world. There are many now who bear the
name Of Jesus, but how few appear to find
their joy in Him and the greatest consola-
ton in looking for His return.
''And the Holy Spirit was upon him." Here
Is the secret of power to please God: "By
shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is
come upon you:" 'Tarry in Jerusalem until
ye be endued with the power from on high"
| lZec. ivv, o; Acts j., s; Luke xiv, 49). Let
us earnestly seek to be ''hlled with the Spirit
again and again, and anew for every SER
| vice.
26. 'And it had been revealed unto him by
the Holy Spirit" "The things Of God none
knoweth save the Spirit of God" THE Spirit
Of Truth will guide you into all truth" q
Cor. H., II; John xvi, 49,. 1t is impossible
for the natural man to understand spiritual
things; but being born Of God, born from
above, and having become partakers Of the
Divine nature we have One in us who isper-
feet in knowledge, who Himself wrote all
Scripture. and il we will only be still and
hearken diligently, He will guide us unto all
truth. Simeon, or Simon, signifies hear
ing" and he evidently heard to some pur-
pose. ~
81. And he came by the Spirit into the
temple" Notice the three things said Of the
Spirit in relation to Simeon: The Holy
Spirit was upon him, He led him into the
Jesus and so he seems to have led Anna
also Tvs. 49,; Now, in Simeon's day the Holy
Spirit had not been given as He was after
ward given at Pentecost; so, il Simeon en-
joyed so much of the Spirits power and
teaching, how much more should we enjoy
with the greater gift within our reach.
2S. Then he received Him into his arms
forgotten that day, when in his arms lay the
Holy Child Jesus, God manifest in tho flesh.
He had long before received Him by faith
into his heart but now his hands handled
and his very eyes saw the Deliyerer Of whom
all the prophets had written. Though we
never, like Mary or Simeon, held the child
Jesus in our arms, many have been privileged
to take care Of children for His sake, and He
will say to them, "Inasmuch as ye did it to
one Of the least of these" etc. We may all
by faith receive Him into our hearts, and then
some day we shall see Him face to face and
be like Him John j., 12; john ill.,. o..
go. Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant
depart in peace, according to Thy Vord."
No fear of death here; he had lived with
God on earth, his eyes had now seen the be-
ginning of the fulfllment of that which the
prophets had foretold, and he was ready to
90 out and wait with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob for the complete fulfillment Of the
mercy promised to them (Mic vii, 2W.
80. Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation"
Jacob said, Il have waited for Thy salvation,
o Lord" Isaiah sang, ''Behold, God is my
salvation" Moses and David sang .The
Lord is my strength and song, and He is be-
come my salvation" (Gen. Xix, IS; lisa. xii,
2; Elk. XIV, 2; Ps. cxviii., 14). But Simeon
is privileged to say that he had seen the SAL
vation of Jehovah, for whatever salvation
has been, is, or ever will be manifest on this
earth, is always through Jehovah, God Of
Israel, God manifest in the flesh, Jesus OF
Nazareth.
81. (which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all people," Whether we look at the
person of Jesus or the words or works Of
Jesus all is of God. As to His body it is
written: IA body hast Thou prepared Me-"
and as to His words and works hear these
words: The Father who sent Me- He gave
Me commandment, what should say and
what / should speak" THE Father that
dwelleth in me, He doeth the works" (Heb.
great salvation which He has wrought out
for Israel and for all the people it is written,
Ihave trodden the wine press alone; and Of
the people there was none with me" lisa.
xiii, Y. The salvation of Jehovah is fully
prepared salvation presented to us for our
acceptance.
%. "a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of Thy people Israeli Rp VI.
The Spirit through Simeon speaks again OF
that which He had before spoken through
the prophets; that the Messiah should not
only be the glory of Israel but light to
tighten the nations lisa. xiii, G; xix, o.;
and in Isa. k, 1-3, we have the order Of
events, where we are told that darkness
shall cover the earth and gross darkness the
people, but the Lord shall arise upon Israel
and His glory shall be seen upon them and
the Gentiles shall come to their light and
kings to the brightness Of their rising. ...
33. And His Father and His mother were
marveling at the things which were spoken
| concerning Him." In our last lesson Tvs. 19)
we saw Mary keeping and bordering the say
ngs OF the shepherds, and in our next lesson
we shall see her keeping and evidently pom
dering the sayings of Jesus Tvs. 5l), while
hero we see her narveling at the sayings of
Simeon. II the prophets did not fully COM
prehend many things which the Shirt caused
them to write, as is evident from Pet. j., 10
II, it is not to be wondered at that neither
Mary nor Joseph should comprehend all that
the shepherds and Simeon said about the
holy child Jesus. ...u.,
rising again of many in Israel" How lsraefs
Messiah could be for the fall Of many in Is
rael must have been at that time dark say
ing. and yet the Spirit through Isaiah had
said, HE shall be for a stone Of stumbling
and for a rock of offense to both the houses
of Israel: (: :: = and many among them
shall stumble and fall, etc. Qsa viii, IA, 15)
The Spirit through Paul tells us that they
stumbled because they would not accept
Christ as their Righteousness, choosing rather
the works of the law than Him in whom all
the law was fulfilled. But Paul also says as
Simeon said, and all the prophets, that as
surely as they have fallen so surely shall they
rise again. their fall has proved gain to the
Gentiles but their rising again shall be as
life from the dead to the whole world.
"And for sign which shall be spoken
against" AS Jonah was sign TO tne
Ninevites, and the prophets were signs 10
Israel, so Jesus was sign to the people oi
that generation. As they resisted and re-
fused to hear the prophets so they SpaKs
against Jesus, and therefore the men OF
Ninevah shall riss up in the Judgment
against them luke Ii, 29-32l.
IS. "a sword shall pierce through thy
own soul also, that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed" Let any woman
nut herself in Imagination in Marys place
and consider what may have been marys
suffering from the tongues OF others IN con-
nection with the birth of Jesus, and what
her soul agony at His death, and they VIII
have some light on this verse. Let us all re.
member that the servant cannot e4Pece
batter treatment than his master, and that
Nall that will live Cody in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution III Tim. ill.,, N.-Lesson