Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-17
IA MISSIONARY LEssoN.1

we by word and deed make known that
Jesus is Jehovah, the only true God and
only Saviour, we have the missionary
spirit. Israel was Gods chosen people to
be His witnesses, but idols were witnesses
unto themselves that they were vanity.
Compare verse with this verse. Those
who know not God may worship vanity,
but the people of God are to worship Him
in spirit and in truth.
10. "Who hath formed god or molten
craven image that is profitable for moth
ing?" Surely only those who are blind
and foolish, and God has pronounced a woe
upon all such QHab. ii, Is, l9). Israel
His own people, He commanded not to
worship craven images (EX. Xxx, 4, 81, and
yet they forsook Him and did the very
thing He commanded them not to do. He
has commanded us to be His witnesses in
the power of His Holy Spirit ACTS j. s.,
telling us of old that His work cannot be
done by might OF wisdom of man, but only
by His Spirit Czech. iv, g. yet we, like
Israel, turn from Him and think more Of
men and money than of Him.
II. Behold, all his fellows shall be
ashamed; and the workmen, they are of
men," Nothing but shame and confusion
can attend those who turn from God to
men, for without God nothing can be done
! (JOhn XIV, 81 Real work that will stand
must be God working in us to will and to
do of His good pleasure; all else will come
to naught. "The loftiness of man shall be
bowed down, and the haughtiness of men
shall be made low, and the Lord alone
shall be exalted"
10. Gle is hungry and his strength fail
. eth; he drinketh no water and is faint"
This is the smith who with fire and ham
mer and tongs fashioned the metal of the
image to he worshiped, but his god
which his hands make cannot strengthen
him nor give him drink. Contrast the
true God, who giveth power to the faint
and to them that have no might. He in
creaseth strength. He pours water upon
him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry
ground lisa. x, 20; Xiv, -.
49, The carpenter maketh it after the
| figure of man, according to the beauty
of man, that 1T may remain in the house"
A wooden man, made by man, and yet
worshiped rs god-and there are lots of
them in the world still. We profess to
know man, who was also carpenter,
and at the same time true God-God mani
fest in the flesh, who died for us and rose
again from the dead and is now at the
right hand of God, truly God and truly
man, having all power. If we do really
know Him as our own Saviour and God,
then He lives in our bodies as His abode,
and being in the house He cannot be hid;
but how is it He is so little seen?
"A. "He heweth him down cedars: he
planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish
it." He uses trees which the true God
makes to grow, and which are nouIished
Ivy rain from heaven, but knows nothing
of trees of righteousness the planting of
the Lord, that He might be glorified lisa.
Xxi, B. And why? Because the men who
ought to be like trees planted by the rivers
of water, bringing forth fruit in season,
are forsaking the only fountain and turn
ing away from God Ops. i, 3; Jer. ii, 49,.
Is. He maketh it a craven image and
falleth down thereto" The same wood
with which he warns himself and bakes
his bread he worships as his god. H does
not know who gives him life and breath
and all things, and seems not to have heard
of the God who fed Israel for forty years
with bread from heaven. Jesus says to us
that He is the Bread of Life which came
down from heaven, and that He givec Him
self for the life of the world John vi, 81.
16. HE eateth flesh, he roasteth roast
and is satisfied" Meat and drink and the
nourishment of his animal life are all he
cares for. He lives like the brute beasts
like those today vino say they have nc
time for church and religion; they must
earn living, and think that things OF
heaven are only for those who are sick and
, dying, or aged people and little children.
II. "And the residue thereof he maketh
a god, and worshipeth it, and prayeth unto
it." Are we reading of South Sea island
ers or of people from the heart of Africa
who know no better? No, we are reading
of people near to Israel, and of many in
Israel, that nation which God exalted
above all nations, that through them He
might be known, and this tells how they
, had fallen. But wait, o church of God
ere you condemn them. Israel became al
| empty vine and brought forth fruit unto
himself Qlos. X, y. What are you doing
with your entertainments and lecture.
and fine music and works of mems heart,
:, and hands, bowling down to these things
- and to people of culture and influence
= instead of bowling to God alone
10. "They have not known nor under
stood, for He hath shut their eyes that they
cannot see" The greatest thing on earti
is the knowledge of God; it is better thar
all earthly wisdom or riches or might (Jer
tx, 90, 2D. Jesus said, This is life eternal
to know Thee the only true God, anC
Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (JohI
xvii, 3) And Paul counted all things bu
loss for the eXcellency Of the knowledge O
Jesus Christ phil iii, 81. Because Israe
deliberately and willfully turned ava,
from her God He therefore shut her eye
and hardened her heart. Compare Isa vi
o, 10; Math. xiii, 10.
10. And none considereth in his heart.
No one seemed to have sense enough I,
say, Here is wood of which make a fire I,
warm me, and bake my bread, and roas
my meat, and the rest worship as a god
falling down to the stock of tree. WheI
once men turn away from the word of God
they are ready to believe any delusion, ant
they will find plenty Oh Thess ii, -l2).
90. "He feedeth on ashes; deceived
heart hath turned him aside that he car
. not deliver his soul" If we heed no
promptly and only the word of God, satal
will continually deceive us and give u
ashes for bread. See how the church i
I deceived today, fancying that she is Israel
and that her mission is to convert tn
world, and that she has plenty of time t,
do it in. See how the people follow thos