Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-02-03

Text of the Lesson, Ez. vi, 14-22-Mem-
DRY Verses FL, 22-Golden Text, rs.
cxxii, I-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
IA. "And the elders Of the Jews builded,
and they prospered through tn prophecy
ing of Haggai the prophet and Zecharah,
the son Of lido" Our last lesson in this
book was in the third chapter where we
read OF the laying of the foundation of the
Lords house and of the joy of the people.
Then follows an account of how the adver-
sares hindered the work and caused it to
cease Gv, 4, ;, 24). In chapter v, L. we are
introduced to the two prophets named in
this first verse of our lesson, and in the
rest of chapter v and the next chapter
down to this verse we are told of the sue
cess of the work. Observe the secret of
their success in chapter V, 5, 1.-The eye Of
their God was upon the elders of the Jews"
Compare this with the encouraging words
of Hag. ii, 4, 3: "Be strong be strong, be
strong and work, for am with you, saith
the Lord of Hosts. My Spirit remaineth
among you. Fear we not"
10. And this house was finished" The
God of Israel had commanded it and had
moved upon the hearts of these kings TO
assist His people in the work. previous
verse, last clause.) "He doeth according
to His will in the army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth, and
none can stay His hand, or say unto Him,
| What doest Thou" Dan. iv, 1872 Anyrerv-
ant of such Master has no occasion ever
to fear or be discouraged, for the work is
| His, and He cannot fail lisa. xiii, 4;
Math. xvi Isl. Our place of rest is to re-
member that 1--WE are laborers together
! with Cod Il Cor. iii, o. but lie lis the EN-
/ ployer.
| 16. "And the children of Israel, the
priests and the Levites, and the rest of the
children OF the captivity, kept the dedica-
ton of this house of God with joy" The
temple finished meant the presence of God
in their midst, and consequently peace and
prosperity and victory over all enemies
/ Let them make Me n sanctuary, that
may dwell among them" (EX. XIV, s., were
Gods words to Moses when he was com
manded to build the tabernacle Il have
hallowed this house which thou hast built
to put My name there forever, and Mine
eyes and Mine heart shall be there per-
petually' Il Kings tx, -, were Gods words
to Solomon at the dedication of the temple,
and had Israel only walked with God in
humility and obedience she would have con-
tinued head among all nations, because of
the presence of the Lord, until this day.
The building of this temple of Zerubbabel
indicates another opportunity to have it so,
and they are full of joy.
II. "And for a sin Offering for all Israel,
twelve he goats, according to the number
of the tribes of Israel" Bullocks, rams
and lambs were the burnt Offering, which
also included an accompanying meat offer
ing, but the goat was the sin Offering. See
the full statement repeated at least eight
times in Mum. xxx. The sin offering,
typfyng Christ bearing our sins in His
own body on the tree, was to be offered
first, for before we can worship God or do
anything pleasing in His sight we must OBJ
tain the forgiveness of sins through the
merits of His one great sacrifice (Lev. xvii,
II; Heb. tx, II, IL; Acts, xiii, IS, 39). The
burnt offering also typilies the same great
sacrifice of Christ, but rather that aspect
of it in which we see Him as an Offering
and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling
SAVIOR (Eph. V, % The meat Offering is sug-
gestive of His holy and spotess life Being
forgiven by His blood we are to present
our bodies living sacrifice, that He may
live His life in us. On the phrase "All
Israel" see II Chron. xxx, l. Rom. XII, 26:
Eek. xxXvii. %.
Is. And they set the priests in their di-
visions and .he Levites in their courses for
the service of God which is at Jerusalem,
as it is written in the book of Noses" The
Levitcs were Il gift for the Lord to do the
service for the tabernacle and temple.
They were chosen to stand before Him, to
serve Him, to minister unto Him and offer
sacrifice (Num. xviii, 6; II Chron. xxx,
~. The priests lips should keep knowl-
edge and the people should seek the law
at his mouth for he is the messenger of
the Lord of Hosts (Mal. ii, y.
10. "And the children of the captivity
kept the passover upon the fourteenth day
of the first month" by faith Moses kept
the passover and the sprinkling of blood,
lest H. that destroyed the frstborn should
touch them" (Heb. Xi, 2S). These "sons of
the transportation" Verse l6, margin) did
well to remember the deliverance from
Egypt, but there is now drawing nigh a
deliverance from Russia and from all ma
lions that shall far Guido the deliverance
at the institution of the passover DER.
xiii, So. Then shall we understand the
words of the Lord Jesus in reference to His
last passover, 81 will not any more eat
Thereof until it he fulfilled in the kingdom
of God duke xxi, lG).
90. For the priests and the Levites were
purified together; all of them were pure. "
; There was ceremonial publication neces-
sary to the keeping of the passover, and in
! the days Of Hezekiah we read that they
kept it on the second instead of the first
month because the priests were not ulli-
GENTLY sanctihed I'll Chron. xxx, 9, 3; com
pare Mum tx 10, ~. If we would enjoy
Christ, our Passover who has been sacri
e feed for us, we must cleanse ourselves
from all filthness of the flesh and spirit
perfecting holiness in the fear of God q
Cor. V, Z; II Cor viii y.
81. "All such as had separated them
selves unto them from the flthiness of the
heather of the land to seek the Lord God
: of Israel did cat" 1t would seem that
> many of those who had been living in the
land when they saw the temple builded
and the worship of the true God estab
lished joined themselves to Israel. Sc
shall it be in the days that are coming
when men of all languages shall say to the
Jews, We will go with you, for God is with
you Czech. viii, 23). So is it now, wher
Christ is seen in us and not self, people
will be drawn away from the follies and