The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-27
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOB
MAY 81.
Lesson Text: 1.-THE Temple Repaired
2 Chronicles. xiv. 4-14-
Golden Text: 2 Cor. ix.,
documentary.

10 perlOu dDOuG d JedIS cdEu6f
than the last lesson. Joash was the seventh
king Of the two tribes. and began to reign
about hundred years after the death OF
Solomon. Only seven ysirs old when he be-
gan to reign, he reigned forty years Tvs. y.
Only four kings reigned longer than he
three in Judah and one in Israel. Joash was
one Of the eight kings o. Judah Of whom 1t is
written that 'he did right In the sight Of the
Lord" But 1t is written that he did right
through the instruction of Jehoiada, the
priest III Kings xii, p.
The temple WAS first plundered in the fifth
year Of Rehoboam, about thirty-four years
after it was dedicated III Chron. xii. O. 81.
This Is suggestive Of the death Of Christ tho
true Temple in His thirty-fourth year.
During the reigns Of Abija Jehoram and
Ahaziah the temple was much neglected and
during the six years Immediately preceding
the reign of Joash, while the wicked queen
Athaliah reigned CHAP. xii, 2, 8, 1S, wick.
edness must have prevailed exceedingly. The
house or temple Of the Lord was thu center
of the nations life, and their treatment Of it,
or rather Of Him who manifested His pres
ence in =, indicated the health of the nation
or otherwise. The purpose of Joash to re-
pair or renew the house points to bless
ing about to come on the people.
3. '.And he gathered together the priests
and the Levites." The whole tribe OF Levi
was set apart by God for the special service
Of the sanctuary (Num. ill.,, 5-8). OF this
tribe Aaron and his defendants were to be
the priests, while all the rest Of the tribe
was given to him for special service (Num.
Ill, 9, 1G.
hGo out into the cities of Judah, and
| house Of your God from year to year, and
see that ye hasten the matter" This would
| have been q sort Of compulsory taxation for
the house Of God, and was contrary to tho
principle laid down in Ex. XIV, 2-"Of
every man that giveth it willingly with his
heart We shall take My Offering"
G. 'iAnd the king called for Jehorada,
the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou
not required Of the Levites to bring in out Of
Judah and Jerusalem the collection" The
priest and the Leyites probably under"
| stood their business better than the
ding did. 1t was not in their commission to
90 out collecting money, but 1t was COM
inanded that the people should bring In their
| offerings according to their ability (Deut.
xvi. 1S, II; Nal. ILL.,, 10. 1t is poor state
Of affairs when worker Of God has to 60
around collecting his salary, or when money
for the Lords work has to be wrung from
unwilling hearte. -.
woman, had broken up the house Of God"
| This was the woman who counseled her SON
Ahaziah tthe last king) to do wickedly, and
who, after his death, reigned six years tchap.
xii, 2, 8, 12). See her miserable end in
chap. xiii. Is. -.
And also al the dedicated things Of the
house Of the Lord did, they bestow upon Baa-
lim.n If we are children Of God by faith in
Christ Jesus then we are no longer our own,
but bought with price (the blood Of Christi
that re may glorify God Il Cor. vi, 10, 2N.
s. "And at the kings commandment they
made chest, and set it without at the gate
of the house Of the Lord" There was hole
in the lid of the chest, and it was set beside
| the altar on the right side as one cometh in TO
the house Of the Lord III Kings, xii, 81.
Things are looking better now; this is more
like Gods way, and there will surely be
blessing
9. "And they made proclamation
through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring into
the Lord the collection that Moses, the ssrv-
ant Of God, laid upon Israel in the wilder
ness.n This is more fully stated in II Kings,
xii, 4, 5, and carries us back to E1., XXX,
| Lie, where all who were numbered were to
give half shskel as an offering unto the
Lord to make an atonement for their souls,
the rich not giving more and the poor not
giving le s than half shekel This silver,
fike this sacrifice, was a symbol of atone
ment.
10. 'And all the princes and all the peo-
| ple reioiced, and brought in, and cast into
the chest until they had made an end" This
pleased the Lord, for "God loveth cheerful
giver," and III there be first willing mind,
! It Is accepted according to that man hath,
and not according to that he hath not li
Cor. *, Z; viii, 12,.
IL. "Thus they did, day by day, and gath.
cred money In abundance" As the chest
was filed it was emptied, counted, put up In
bags and set In its place again I'll Kings,
xii, 10.
IL. s'And the king and Jehoiada gave it
to such as did the work Of the service OF the
house Of the Lord" And they laid it out to
the carpenters and builders, and to masons
and hewers Of stone. and to. buy timber ana I'M
hewed stone to repair the breaches or the
house of the Lord III Kings xii, II, IN
They did not, like many nowadays, get the
work done first and then look for the money
to nav for it, but they first saw the where
withal on hand and then went forward Win
the work.
49, $50 the workmen wrought, and tho
work was perfected" King, priest people
and workmen. all laborers together. 10
now every preacher, teacher, missionary,
evangelist, or the humblest scholar who
gives a penny to help send the gospel to
others, are all laborers together in building
up the great temple, the church or body Of
Christ, which shall in due time be perfectef
lEph. H., 1922; Cor. ill.,, 81.
"And they set the house Of God in His
state and strengthened it." In the margin
of the r. v. 'tHis state" is according to
the proportion thereof" The Spirit bad
given David the plans for the temple Il
Chron. xviii, 1910, and they now re-
paired it according to the design OF the
Spirit.
IA. "And when they had finished it they
brought the rest of the money before the
king and Jehoiada" Why did they not use
up all the money, or put in bill for extrasi
What fools they would be in the eyes Of
many to-day! How easy to say that the
work cost more than they expected! But
see their faithfulness. The surplus was
made into vessels of gold and silver for the
house of the Lord Let the surplus OF
wealthy Christians bs devoted to sending
forth vessels of mercy to the unsaved; and
what joy such faithfulnesS would bring
forth in heaven and on earth!
"Thev offered burnt offerings in the house
of the Lord continually all the days OF
Jehoiada" This COOL priest lived to the e1-
traordiuary age Of l3O years, but when ne
I on the part of the king and the people. See
the rest of this chapter, and notice the idola-
try. and the murder of the priest Zechariah,
| the son of Jehoiada, and also the murder of
of Joasb the king. How sad termination
to reign that began so we'll! We are
Christs disciples, indeed, only il we continue
in His word John K, 27-29. If on the other
hand, we are only good because an older and
wiser friendi is controlling us then when we
lose that friend we shall be apt to fall. Let
us hide in Jesus, Rock Of Ages, our Great
High Priest, lean only on Him, trust Him
fully, and all will be well.-Lesson Helper.
A BooKKEEPER in q Wall street
banking house has made the discovery
that ink stains can readily be removed