The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-06-14
SABBATH SCHOOL.
+: INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JUNE 1S.
Lesson Text: "Messiah's kingdorl,"
Nal. ILL.,, 1-12 - Golden Text:
Nal. ill.,, documentary.

!. "Behold, I will send my messenger. and
| he shall prepare the way before me, and the
| Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to
| His temple, even the messenger Of the cove
nant whom ye delight in. Behold He shall
come, saith the Lord of Hosts" Some 400
| years before Christ came, and more than 100
| years after the restoration from Babylon.
this servant of the Lord uttered His message.
1t is the word Of the Lord to Israel (chapter
| l., y, and about twenty-five times we find
| "Saith the Lord" or "Saith the Lord of
| Hosts" 1t has been called a miniature Of the
| times before the day of the Lord, when un-
| godliness shall prevail and the Lord shall
| come. The last words are suggestive of Him
who was made curse for US. John the Bap-
tist was the messenger preparing the way of
| the Lord at His first coming (Luke l., 76),
but Eli ijah will be the messenger at His Sec
! ond coming (chapter iv., 5) John came in
the spirit and power Of Elijah, but he was
not Elijah duke l., II; John l., 2D. Had
John and Jesus been RECEIVED the kingdom
,, would have come, but both having been re-
| jected the kingdom is postponed. Jesus
Himself said that Elijah shall come (Math.
xvii, 10-13).
2. "But who may abide the day of His
comng?" This is not the birth in Bethle-
/ hem, but the coming in power and glory.
He did not come Judging and overturning,
but in great grace and love and humility,
calling men unto Him, and instead Of exert
ing His power against His enemies He suf
! fered Judas to betray Him, His disciples to
forsake Him and the Roman soldiers, at the
instiSasion OF the Jews, to take Him and
| cruelty Him. He had power to keep His life
! or lay it down, and He chose to lay it down
| (John X, 1S). But when He comes as re-
| finer He will be judge, and other lives will be
laid down.
! s. "And He shall sit as a refiner and purt-
fer of silver" It will be the time OF Israeps
redemption, the restoration of all things OF
which the prophets have spoken. when the
Melton shall be all righteous duke xxi, 81,
%; Acts ill.,, 21; Isa. k, 21). The manner
OF it is given in Isa l., 1927, 81 will turn My
hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy
dress, and take away all thy tin afterward
thou shalt be called the city OF righteousness,
the faithful CITY," See also zech. xiii, 8, 8.
| Two parts are to be slain or perish, and it is
the third part that is to be refined.
4. Then shall the Offering OF Judea and
Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in
the days of old and Us in former years"
When He came the first time, they crucifed
Him then their city was destroyed, and to
this day they are people scattered and
peeled, byword and reproach But
and glory they shall be as Nation converted
in day Czech. ill.,. 8; xiii, 10; xiii, y.
Then shall q righteous Nation glorify God,
and all that see them shall acknowledge them
as the seed which the Lord hath blessed (Isa.
k, q lxi.. 81.
S. I'd will come near to you to judg
ment, and I will be swift witness against
those that fear not Me. saith the Lord OF
Hosts" In connection with the forgiveness
of the penitent, there must be judgment on
the ungodly. It will be 'the day OF the
Lords vengeance and theyear OF recompenses
for the controversy OF Zion," ''the day OF the
vengeance and the year of His redeemed"
| Elsa. xxxiv., 8; xiii, ~. When He comes to
be gloriied in His saints, it will be to yield
vengeance on them that know not God and
obey not the gospel (II Thess. l., 7-10). r
6. "ForI am the Lord I change not there
fore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
, Long suffering and abundant in goodness and
truth in His name from thebeginning Of their
history (Ex. xxxiv., g. and because Of His
covenant He will have mercy notwithstand-
Ing all that they have done (Jer. xxi. Sc,
97). "He being full of compassion, torgave
their iniqu!ty and destroyed them not-yea.
many time turned He His anger away and
did not stir up oil His wrath" Cps. xvii,
So. , md ,,,, -o.,,-,, ~.
TO you, sayeth the Lord OF Hosts. Blu: ye,
said, Wherein. shall we return" He re-
reminds them of the iniquity Of their fathers.
Even Moses testified in these words, ''Ye
have been rebellious against the Lord from
| the day that knew you" (Deut. TX, 24).
Yet He is ever pleading with them to return.
because He is love and has loved them with
an everlasting love (Jer. XXI, -.
8. "Will man rob God? Yet ye have
robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we
robbed Thee2 In tithes and offerings In
Nehemiah's day the Levites and singers were
go neglected that they had to leave their
work in the house of God and soto the fields
for a living, because the titheS we're not
brought in (Seh. xiii, 10-12).
g. E:Ye are cursed with curse, for We have
robbed Me, even this whole nation." Cursed
is every one that continueth not in al things
which are written In the took IS the law to do
them (Gal. lii, 10). Whosoever shall keep
the whole law and yet offend in one point Is
guilty Of all GAS. ii. 10). Ananias and
Sapphira died because they pretended to
| give all, but kept back part OF the price.
| How many sudden deaths there would be to-
day If all the liars and deceivers and robbers
| of God in time and money were dealt witn
| like Ananias and Sapphira!
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the store
/ house that there may be meat in mine house,
/ and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD
| OF Hosts" Here is challenge from the Lord
, of Hosts in which He says that il we obey
Him in this matter of tithes He will give such
blessing that there will be lack OF room to re.
| ceive it. It Is the testimony OF thousands OF
| believers that since they began to give to God
tenth Of every dollar they have prospered
! beyond oil precedent even in temporal things,
and much more in spiritual things.
| IL. "And will rebuke the devourer for
your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits
OF your ground" The tithe would recognize
! all as the Lords, and He would see to 1t be-
cause they acknowledged it as His. The de-
vourer and destroyer through the world and
the flesh Is continually getting the best OF us
until we present our bodies living sacrifice
to Him who redeemed US then He takes con-
troll Of us az His own possession and rebukes
the destroyer.
12 "And all nations shall call you blessed,
for ye shell be q delightsome land, saith the
Lord OF Hosts" This Is Israel's restoration
in the latter day. The enemy shall fill the
breadth Of Immanuel's land. but shall be
broken to pieces (Isa viii, S-10), and the
glory Of the Lord shall rise upon Israel Then
gentiles shall come to her light. and kings to
the brightness Of her rising; the wealth OF