Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-03-24
THE GOSPEL BLESSINGS.
LESSON XIII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 27.

Text of the Lesson, lisa. Il, 1-1O-Mem-
Org Verses, 8, 4-GoIden Text, lisa. xI,
documentary by the Rev. ID. NJ
stearns.
QUARTERLY MISSIONARY LESSON.
1. Comfort ye, comfort We, my people
saith your God" This chapter begins tn
second section of this great prophecy,
which is SO frequently quoted from by
the New Testament writers as words of
Isaiah the prophet that every believer
should be perfectly satisfied that the same
Isaiah wrote, by the Spirit, the whole book.
See Msth viii, II; xii, II; Luke Nv, Is, 49,
3. Speak we comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry unto her that her warfare appoint
ed time margin) Is accomplished, that her
iniquity is pardoned." This Is Jerusalem,
the throne OF Jehovah, the principal city
in the Holy Land, representing Gods peo-
pie in the days Of Isaiah, Judah and Is
rael; and these words are for their hearts,
with special reference to days yet future
when their appointed time of delverance
shall come, and the iniquity of the land
shall be removed in one day. (Zech. iii, 81
Gabriel spoke of this to Daniel in the reve-
lation of his seventy weeks which should
end i'll the bringing in OF everlasting
righteousness, and making an end of in
Equity, transgression and sin. For the
seventieth week or period we still wait.
Oan. tx, 2d-21)
3. Tile voice of him that crieth in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert n iShway for
our God" From Math. II, 5, Luke iii, /,
5; John i, g. we have no difficulty in locat-
ir,fr ho 1inat ~ J. tg
least, its nearer application, for many
prophecies have double borzon, nearer
and a more remote.
4. Every valley shall be exalted, and
every mountain and hill shall be made
low" All hindrances shall be removed
or overcome in that day, and all things re
stored to Israel that the prophets haye
foretold; hut in Acts iii, 81, we read shat
this shall be when Christ shall come a sec
ond time. When John the Baptist came
/ in the spirit and power Of Elijah he was re-
Jected by the rulers, and go also was tl4
Christ luke i, Il; Math. xi, 1S, 10; xvii,
12), and He plainly told Israel that they
knew not the time Of their visitation, and
that they would not see Him again until
they would DO ready to welcome Him
duke xix, 4l44; Math. xiii, 39).
5. "And the glory Of the Lord shall be
revealed, and all flesh shall see it together
for the mouth Of the Lord hath spoken it,.
When Jesus came the lirS time it was in
humfiation, not In glory Phil. ii, 90, and
/ His glory was seldom seen, and by but
very few, as on the Mount of Transtigura-
ton, and at the marriage in Cana John l.
IA; ii, II; II Pet. i, 16, ~ But when He
shall come in glory, bringing His saints
with Him, every eye shall see Him, and
ft,,,- ule ,t-li ,.h ,,if- / f,tI
81; Col. iii, 4; Rev. i, D. Our lesson does
not therefore descrbe the blessings of the
/ Gospel as now preached to gath out tho
church from all nations acts XIV, IA, but
the blessings that will be when after
| Chrisss second csminI Israel shall be the
missionaries to the whole world
o. THE voice said, Cry. And he said,
What shall cry? All flesh is grass, and
all the goodness thereof is as the flower
Of the field" We set the meaning Of this
verse ty comparing Psalms sill, IS; James
/ j, 10, II. Verse II Of this chapter also helps
to explain it. MAJ can do nothing toward
his own redemption. Salvation is of the
Lord (Jonah ii, 81 from beginning to end.
:. "1he grass witnereth, the flower fad
eth, because to- spirit OF the Lord bloweth
upon it; surely the people is grass To
lean upon Egypt or Asyria, to put conf
dence in man and worship idols, the work
of mems hands was Israe's sin. To de
sire king like other nations, when God
wished them to be separate from all ma
lions and let Him be their king, was a
great sin against God.
s. The grass withereth, the flower
fadeth, but the word of orr God shall
stand forever" Nan and his glory shall
fade away; his lofty looks and his haughti
kah IN Il,
alone shall be exalted in that day Isa IL
IL, ~. The world passeth away, and tn,
lust thereof; but he that doeth the will OF
God abideth forever q John ii. 10. Man:
thoughts and ways and righteousness anC
purposes are all vain, unless in accord with
the word OF the Lord q Pet. i, $500
9. 20 thou that telleet good tidings tC
Zion, get thee up into the high mountain
o thou that tellest good tidings to Jeru
salem, lift up thy voice with strength: lf,
it up, be not afraid; say unto tho chic, o.
Judah, Behold Your Cod marginal read
ing and Eeyi,rl Version. A maguihccu
verse, bnt zion, Jerusalem and Judal
mean JUst what the names imply and no
the church. lisa. XIV, 8, 8; Iii, 40 Civ,
clear light upon it, The Lord shall bulC
up Zion when He shall appear in his glor,
Ops. eli, 16l, and then He will bring tn,
church back with Him tco' II y. There
fore let us be = 90 -'., - - ~ Il,
rest till He n4"kcs Jv'.s-.ral IL praise il
the earth lisa. xii, &, u. Every soul nov
won to Chris hastens His return.
10. "Behold, the Lord God will com
with strong hand, and His arm shall rul
for Him. behold, His reward is with Him
and His work before Him" AT His frs
coming He came in weakness, but lie will
come again in power for the redemption o
His people, Israel; recompense TO HIS PEG
pie, vengeance to His enemies. Plepse tali
the trouble to read carefully these passage
and prove what say lisa. xXXv, 4; xiii, 4
Luke xxi %, %; Heb. tx, 2S). Even we VIII
are now saved and have the first fruits o
the Spirit wait longingly for the redemp
ton of our bodies at the resurrection of tn
just, the first resul rection, when we shal
receive our rewards for service (Rom. viii
%; Phil. iii, 20, ri; Luke xiv, IA; Rev Xxx
B, q, xxi, ~. After that He will return
with us in glory for the redemption o
Israel and Of the world. For we read
1.-The Lord my God shall come and all tn