Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-03-25

DRY verses, 8, 4-Golden Iext, lsa. H,
documentary by the Rev. d. ".
stearns.
QUARTERLY MISSIONARY LESSON.
l. Comfort we, comfort ye, 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 rs words of
Isaiah the prophet that every believer
should be perfectly satisfied that the same
Isaiah wrote, by the Spirit, the whole book.
See Math. viii II; xii, II; Luke iv, Is, 10.
2. 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. Czech. iii, 81
Gabriel spoke of this to Daniel in the reve-
lation of his seventy weeks which should
end in the bringing in of everlasting
righteousness, and making an end of in
EQUITY, transgression and sin. For the
SEVENTEEN week or period we still wait.
dan. tx, 24-27)
3. The voice of him that crieth in the
wilderness, Prepare we the way of the Lord
make straight in the desert a highway for
our God" From Math. iii, 81 Luke iii, t.
5; John |, %, we have no difficulty in locat-
ing the application of this verse; or. at
least, its nearer application, for many
prophecies have double horizon, nearer
and 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 have
foretold; but in Acts iii, 81, we read that
this shall be when Christ shall come sec
ond time. When John the Baptist came
in the spirit and power of Elijah he was re-
jected by the rulers, and so also was the
Christ duke l. II; Math. XII, IS, 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 be ready to welcome Him
duke xix, Ala; 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 first time it was in
humiliation, not in glory phil ii, SO, and
His glory was seldom seen, and by but a
very few, as on the Mount of Transfiqura-
ton, and at the marriage in Cana John i,
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
they also which pierced Him (Math XIV,
81; Col. iii, 4; Rev. i, D. Our lesson does
not therefore describe the blessings of the
Gospel as now preached to gather out the
church from all nations (Acts XIV, IA, but
the blessings that will be when after
Christ's second coming Israel shall be the
missionaries to the whole world.
6. 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 see the meaning of this
verse by comparing Psalms CHI, l5 James
i, 10, IL. Verse II of this chapter also helps
to explain it. Man can do nothing toward
his own redemption. Salvation is of the
Lord (Jonah ii, 81 from beginning to end
Z. "The grass withereth, the flower fad
eth, because the 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 Israel's sin To de
sire king like other nations, when God
wished them to be separate from all ma
tions and let Him he their king, was .
great sin against God
s. 1.-The grass withereth. the flower
fadeth, but the word of our God shall
stand forever" Man and his glory shall
fade away; his lofty looks and his haughti-
ness shall be bowed down, and the Lord
alone shall be exalted in that day lisa. ii,
II, ~. The world passeth away, and the
lust thereof but he that doeth the will OF
God abideth for ever q John ii, 10. Mans
thoughts and ways and righteousness and
purposes are all vain, unless in accord with
the word of the Lord u Pet i, 90 -25).
8. 80 thou that tellest good tidings to
Zion, get thee up into the high mountains
o thou that telest good tidings to Jeru.
salem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift
it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities OF
Judah, Behold your God" marginal read
ing and Revised Version. A magnificent
verse, but Zion, Jerusalem and Judah
mean just what the names imply and not
the church. lisa. XIV, s, 0; lii, 40 give
clear light upon it. The Lord shall build
up Zion when He shall appear in his glory
Ops, eli, l6), and then He will bring the
church back with Him (Col. iii, A.. There
fore let us be obedient and give Him nc
rest till He makes Jerusalem praise in
the earth lisa. xii, 8, y. Every soul now
won to Christ hastens His return.
10. Behold, the Lord God will come
with strong hand, and His arm shall rule
for Him; behold, His reward is with Him
and His work before Him" At His first
coming He came in weakness, but He will
come again in power for the redemption OF
His people, Israel; recompense to His PEG
pie, vengeance to His enemies Please take
the trouble to read carefully these passage.
and prove what | say lisa. xxxv, 4; xiii, 4
Luke xxi, 81, 2S; Heb. tx, 2s). Even we who
are now saved and have the first fruits Of
the Spirit wait longingly for the redemp
ton of our bodies at the resurrection of tn,
just, the first resurrection, when we shall
receive our rewards for service CRom. viii
%; Phil. iii, 20, 81; Luke xiv, IA; Rev. Xxx
5, 6; xxi, l2). After that He will return
with us in glory for the redemption OF
Israel and of the world. For we read
''The Lord my God shall come and all tn,
saints with Thee" 'The coming Of oul
|, Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" 81
we believe that Jesus died and rose again
pvan Gu than also which cIaa, IL, Toe,,.