The National tribune., 1892-01-28
SUNDAY MEDITATION.


Practical Duties Taught by study OF the
international sunday-sehOOI Lesson APP
pointed for Feb. :, 1892. Isa.. % LIS.
tone reading these notes should ars: carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures a.
indicated abOve.i
SUBJEcr: THE Gospel IN THE Prophecy OF
ISAIAH.
l. Data.
We have only this one account
2 Time and Place.
Isaiah probably wrote at jerusalem, B. c.
7I2.
3. Preliminary.
Our study now is the memorable 55th chapter
Of the prophecy OF Isaiah. This chapter IS IN
timately related to the J3l. That iOretells the
coming of the Messiah this sets forth the
grand results of the incarnation. God Is the
author OF tho lesson, Isaiah the amanueusis.
What he heard from God he wrote down for
men. making it known by voice and pen. The
people Of the Kingdom Of Judah first heard 10.
1t has been preserved and handed down to our
day.
p A. Norieu DID, says: "The scene pre-
seuted in the opening verses reminds Us OF an
Oriental bazaT. Nultitudes OF the poor and
wTetched are seen squanderiug their money
for that which cannot satisfy their need. O-ner
multitudcs too poor 10 buy even this illus0ry
+
the midst OF this vast thrOuging and perishiHg
mass the Deyiue Merchant spreads his wares
in richest profusOu. Then no lifts his voice,
and the truly evangelical cry IS heard, HO
every one that thirstetL - HAS not an ex-
hOrtatOu. but an exclamation Of unspcakable
compassion toward these needy and toiiiag
ones"
The Cosmopolitan Magazine ,lsS7j referring
TO scenes in Tangier, a seaport town Of Morocco
Africa lets little into Oriental lie We read
Slaves Of every description crowd and quarrel
a. they til their quaint eartheu jars at one OF
/ the broken down fountains from which the
| whole town IL supplied, or 20 about the streets
| carrying goat ,kins from which they offer water
| TO thirsty passers at so much drink. As their
shrill voices proclaim the freshness and coolness
/ OF their stock one realizes that he has before
/ him an Oriental custom which gives new
meaning TO Isaiah, %: ], where the prophet
| calls out. IS though hawking the water OF life:
Ho, everyone that thiFsteth. come 30 to the
waters. come buy without money aud without
| price"
4. Notes on Verses.
| Verse / is addressed 10 the hungry and
| thirsty those with quiekened spiritual pro-
\ clivities; those eager for the Water Of Life,
/ hungry for the Bread Of Heaven. All spirit
| ual blessings are at our dispO}a We can buy
/ all we need for our souls We are not to pay
in coin, but in faith, appreciation, appropria-
| ton. There is no partialty, olicarchy, aristOc-
Tacy, nor other difficult aud limiting qualifca-
/ tiOns. Salvation is as free as water How men
/ toll, sweat sacrifice for what cannot meet the
/ needs Of the spiritual nature. What high
1 price men pay in attempts 70 crafty the long
| ings Of the soul. aud yet fail Of success Moth
ing but our holy religion can avail for the soul.
/ None but Christ can do helpless sinners good.
| Ilearkeu not 10 false teachers, who promise
various devices for happiness 20 tho soul and
eontentment to the mind Hear Christ. ~.
| 81 Then you shall have the good. Your souls
will not Be hungry, PiEched up aud in distress,
but you shall be 90 plcntif1ny-Ied that your
| soul shall thrive, as animals do we'll and are in
flesh which have plenty Of proveuder. It is
| fatal 10 turn deaf ear 20 Jesus. God made
certain grand promises TO David and his de-
I sceudants. fPs., 500, 3. 81 Nothing but sin
can prevent these promises being realized.
| Heed Christ, and your mercies are certain. The
covenant was an everlasting one, and so reaches
| down even TO US. Then, God from time TO
time renewed his covenant agreement made
| with David. God loved the world that he
gave his Son. ". 4; 81. John, 3: 49, Christ
reaftTms all Gods promises, testifes 10 the
mercy and loving kindness OF Jehovah, bears
witness TO tho reality Of the ceremonial law in
its relations to Calvary. He becomes incarnate
so as to lead. VA. But to lead he must COM
mand. And Christ did not descend from
Heaven merely to become the pet Of a Nation,
the idol OF race, the Savior of clan. Cal
vary, as an elevation, and that made more con-
spieuOus by a cross lifted on high, looked every
way. pointed mercifully in all directions.
Never mind il you be not Israel'te5. Not a
nation, but nations (Y. 81 are interested in
The Crueifed." God and Christ are at one
as 70 salvation. If the one suffer, the other
eleyates. ". 81 God glOrifed the Messiah
from Bethlehem 10 Mt. Olives. Thu progress
Of Christianity Is a magnifying OF Christ. He
shall yet be in triumph at the Judgment. All
through eternity he shall be in honor of all the
saints. Call is made for immediate action. (V.
g. Some effort will be necessary. God is not so
eonspicuOusly present, that men may dispense
with all seekings after him. The more he is
sought the more he Is revealed. BY " Lord
we may understand Jehovah and so Christ.
Men cannot learn Of him without study. And
Christ implies salvation. Men must work out
salvation. God does not thrust redemption on
US. Human effort is dem9uded. Saying moth
ing as To whether the time may ever come when
Jehovah cannet be found merciful, or when he
will not be near, We see what is at least i'm
| piled IN the verse. There Is reason for imme.
date action. One can take no risks as 20 sal
! walton. Effort now cannot be in vain, for, ii
sought, God can now be found, and if found
he will now be placable. God is now near
He seems nearer at one time than another
Q. &, he seems near when we have met great
earthly losses; when Providence apparently
has withdrawn; when some dear friend is very
sick or near TO death when calamity or famine
or war prevails; when we are reading some
deeply devOut book or listening 10 a searching
Sermon; when we ourselves grow feeble. lose
, certain physical powers are evidently draw.
J ing near to our graves. These times come in
the lives of ns all. Naturally they draw Us
, near 10 God. Thousands have attributed theiI
salvation to experiences at such times. There
is encouragement to act up to our convictions
IL would DO best 10 be holy for the intrinsic
: value Of holiness. But there is greater iuspir
! alton. Leave sin, and it will not be in vain i1
the way of reward. ". ~ Mercy awaits the
,, wicked man fleeing from sin. Pardon is al
! hand for him who expels from his mind al
| unrighteOus thoughts. (E. ~ We could not
j. expect God would be so lenient. (V. 81 Mar
would not be so ready TO forgive his offenders
; But God does not think as we do nor act rs ",
conduct. There is an infinite difference be
tween Gods thoughts aud ways and those o
0 men. There is no use in trying 10 measure
, God by any human standards. No matter how
inconsistent, impossible unnatural it seems t,
US for Jehovah to be- so merciful, so ready
, with pardon, nevertheless it is a fact.
o The Spring hath birds however late,
And June must bring its roses
q To faintest hearts that trustiuI wait
For what Gods love disc.oses.