Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-03

mission oil IL. =. DOilnani puDISner, Inlladel
phia
Whether we study the Old Testament or
the New we are studying the same book
written by the same author, the Holy Spirit
and it is all concerning the one Glorious Per-
son. the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord God of
the Holy Prophets The saying of a servant
of God, that "the New Testament lies hid in
the Old, and the Old lies open in the New"
is worth oft repeating. The last prophet in
the Old Testament is heard saying, as the
voice of Jehovah: "Behold, | will send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way be-
fore me" (Mal. iii, n, and the lesson for today
is the record of the announcement by the
Angel Gabriel that the messenger was soon
to be born, so that, although some 400 years
intervene between Malachi and Luke, there
seems to be no break in the story
s. "a certain priest named Zacharias.n
Five persons are mentioned 10y name in our
lesson and in the verses Immediately follow
ing, but the two with whom we have special
ly to do are the priest Zacharas and the an
gel Gabriel 1t will be helpful to remember
that this lesson is in the time of the iron
kingdom of Dan ii, 10, and the fourth beast
of Dan. vii, Z, %; that Rome now ruled the
world; that Palestine was divided, not into
twelve divisions as in the lessons just closed,
but into three-Galilee, Samaria and JudHa
and that Herod was the Roman ruler OF
the southern province of Judra, in which
Iacharias and Elizabeth lived 1t will be
seen in | ChrOn. xiv, TO- that Abba or Abb
jah was tie eighth of the twenty-four courses
or orders into which David divided the
priests. Elizabeth being also of the prestly
tribe of Aaron or Levi shows that they were
obedient to the law which required them only
70 in tr1b vi
80. Zacharlas signifies Jah is renowned or
remembered, and Elizabeth the oath Of Cod
let the diligent eat the meat.
6. "They were both righteous before Godn
They were in fellowship with the righteous
Lord who loveth Righteousness Qos. ri, .;
and were therefore like Noah, righteous be-
fore Him Gen. vii. y, because like Abram
they believed God Gen. XIV, .; Rom. iv, 81.
By nature There is none righteous, no, not
one;' and 10y the deeds of the law no one can
become righteous; but the righteous Lord
has provided a Righteousness for all who will
accept it, even His own, even Himself
Z. "They had no child.n II was with Eliza
beth as with Rachel and Hannah and Ma
noah's wife; but she, like they, looked unto
God, and surely Joseph and Samuel and Sam
son and John the Baptist are among the
greatest of men, ami all sons of women who
had been barren. men III days to come we
see the significance OF lsa' NV, l, we shall
then readily recognize these shadows
s. He executed the priests Office before
Uou III inc orueF Oh MS course " nat gio-
rious motto for every day are those two
words, before God" calling to mind such
texts as Gen. vii, l. Xvii, !; ! Sam XII, 5, Z;
Acts x, %, etc, and reminding US that we
ought TO I'VE as IN his slGht, uoln5 al things
Tor his glory Il Cor. y, 81.
" HIS lou was 10 burn incense" ms IN
cehso was mace according u uodS express
command lor lhe service OF Inc sanctuary,
ana II was lorUluueh 10 maze any IKE IL Tor
any o1ner purpose upon pam OF death. Inc
priest was 10 puFH 1t every morning ana even
lH9 WIN ne uItSseu anu III Ine lamps Tx.
XXX, :, > "f-"ol. Dr. Brown quotes from
L!5hlioou as follows: Inc part assigned to
each prizes. Ill MS week OIL serN zee was Ciiei
10y lou. Iuice Were employed al the Offering
Of lhcehse-to remove lhe "Sues 81 the former
service 10 orlnG IN ana place on tue golden
aItar the pan hIIti win not burning Goals
taken from the altar Of burnt Offering, and
TO sprinkle the Ihcen use ON tine not coalS, and
while the smoke OF ii assembled to make inter
cesslon for the people TINS was the most
distinguished part OF the service ltev VIII, .,
ana TINS was what fel TO the lou oil Zacharlas
at TINS time.
H. me whole multitude OF the people
were praying without, at the time OF incense"
Inc connection OF prayer ana incense Is seen
IN rs cNH' :; lev YIN, ., / and the incense
Is significant OF the merits o. the Lord Jesus,
whose least word ana smallest act was fra
grant TO God, because he sought neither his
own VIII nor his own glory, but did always
those thlnSs which pleased MS father John
VI, ooi VIA, ~ oOl, 1t also teaches US that,
apart from the merits OF christ, nothing We
~, not even our prayers can he acceptable IN
Dod sight, but, lnasmuch as he ever uveth
to make mtercesslon for US the weakest may
with holiness come, ana the leeblost may do
nm service, since what Is done by any re-
deemed soul, as unto nm, Is made acceptable
by his merits
II, There appeared unto INN an angel OF
the Lord standing on the right SIDE OF the
altar OF incense. ln'a was III the HOLY Place,
INTO "HIch the priests Went every DAY, where
were 'he tables OF she"biedd' the golden
candIeStlcHS, ten OF each ~ enron w. . -
anu lhe golden altar, or aIar oil incense be-
lore the Neil' ana by the sac Of which the
anger no" stood me ahEe4S are Eod MN
lStprlng / q fsB