The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-08
NAL, 3: LIP.

worthy traditions, serving to identify Malachi.
We take his prophecy without any personal
consideration.
NAL, 3: LIP.
j. Time.
We locate the prophecy of Malachi 420 B. C.
So between the Old and the New Testament we
have gap of about four centuries.
The following dates will help the STUDENT:
B. c. 800, Alexander the Great took Jerusa-
320 Ptoemy took 100. 900 Jewish cap
tives to Jerusalem and placed
them under the Ptolemaic rule.
203, Antiochus the Great conquered
Judea.
40, Antiochus Epiphanes plundered
Jerusalem including the Temple,
and tried to abolish Judaism.
49, Judas Maccabeus drove the Syrians
out from Judea aud cleansed the
Temple. a.
135, Antochus ". besieged Jerusalem.
100, John Hyrcanus threw off the Syrian
bondage.
60, Judea was made q province of
9. Notes
/. Covenant (2I The meaning of covenant
is so general we must in each case get the
environments. Now. the covenant in the Jew
ish sense was the promise made indirectly to
Adam and specifically to Abraham Ii was
renewed. or referred to. time and again from
Abraham down to Moses 1t was the covenant
represented by the Old Testament. The Israel
itish race were familiar with ali that is in
volved in the word covenant. 1t embraced the
promises made to the Jews, conditioned on their
LOYALTY to God and their obedience to His laws.
q Messenger. IL Our dictionaries show
that the word used TO mean not only messen-
ger but angel. In early days the word angel
was broader in Specification than now. 1t once
applied to anyone, human or angelic, or even
divine, who went forth to perform any speci-
fed duty or to carry any certain piece of in
formation. 1t was by an Angel of the Lord
the covenant was made known to Abraham.
That Angel was probably an incarnation of
Deity for the purpose of communicating with
man. It was then God who i'll reality adj
dressed Abraham aud promised, in blessing
will bless thee d. i. and in thy seed shall
the nations be blessed" 1t was Jehovah who
as an Angel appeared to Jacob at Bethel, and
that Angel was an incarnation OF Deity. 1t
was Jehovah who in an incarnated form APP
peared to Moses at the burning bush.
The Messenger referred to in V. seems to be
Christ. 1t is repeatedly said, God sent Him.
II himself declares He was sent. He is Gods
Messenger. Some think He was in each case
mentioned in the Old Testament the Angel;
that he was temporarily incarnated before born
at Bethlehem. The incarnated forms in those
| early cases were not the identical God, but
bodies in which God manifested Himself
bodies which could be sent, each one of which
| could be styled Messenger
/" in V. may, then, mean God the Father,
and Messenger" may refer to the Son of God,
Jesus.
g. Prepare the way. a. Christ paved the
way for the Christian religion laid the founda-
tions; started out the Apostles set forth the
principles and methods of operation spent 331
years in establishing the system Of salvation.
a. Temple. ~ The Temple at Jerusalem is
referred to, and we know our Savior went to
the Temple. He on two occasions entered
that structure unexpectedly, causing great con-
sternation, clearing out the utensils of barter,
and casting out the blasphemous money
changers.
5. Seek. a. There was constant expecta-
ton of the coming of the Messiah. The pros
pect was delightful. The whole world seemed
to be living in expectation of the arrival Of
some wonderful leader. The Jews in partcu-
lar hoped the Messiah would come -
6. Stand. t2.) Be able to render account.
The sinner will be conscious Of his impurity
and have fearful apprehension of the conse-
quences.
T. Refner's fire. (2.) Fire is a very thorough
refining element When ore is dug up it is
filed with dross and must be melted. When
once fluid, impurities be removed. Par
ticular reference is made to the refining of rich
metals. So we see the two, gold and silver, are
specified.
8. Soap. 1t Is not supposed that what we
know as soap was used in the time of the
Prophet Malachi. Jerome says it was kind
of herb used by fulIers to remove spots from
clothing. Some sort of ashes may be meant.
8. Offer in righteousness. 49, The mere
| Offering is of little account to God. Offerings
of sinners, however valuable the articles pre-
| sented may be, however correct the ritual. are
offensive. To offer 'acceptaby one must be
righteous. To get more righteousness out of
an act of worship the heart must be pure in
| intention. f
| tell the future by divination, magic, etc.,
called conjurers, enchanters 1t was supposed
| they were under the Influence Of evil spirits.
ii. Hireling. (5.bA person hired Ordi-
narily in early times hired persons did not
count very much. But One has always taken
the part of the working, employed classes. God
is interested in behalf of all such. No abuse Of
such is tolerated in the courts of Heaven Ac-
| counts are kept up there. There can be no
| cheating. God looks to our account-books and
| knows each case of unfair treatment OF men and
women at wages. -
| ~. Oppressors (5.) Several classes Of the in-
| jured are specited-employes, widows, orphans,
| strangers, and even God Himself. 1t is won
dertul how practical the Bible is. Ii touches
| on all the great questions that affect mankind.
| God stands between the dependent and all
harm Those who mstreat such must remem-
Der God is near by and will be sure to retaliate
| injuries
Ii. Change not. (6) In the midst of the I'M
ceasingly variable it is we'll there is One whom
! nothing moves; who regulates all things; who
forces into exactness everything except the
| human will, and who does not leave even that
| without incentives inducements, threatenings
| of certain acts and rewards of good conduct.
Ia. All nations shall call you blessed. 12.)
| The eminent Pussy has put this thought very
l we'll: "The promise goes beyond the mere