The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-15
IA MISSIONARY LEssoN.l

A MISSIONARY LEssoN.1
o. "They that make craven image are
all Of them vanity, and their delectable
things shall not profit Jehovah will yet
be known in all the world, and in so far as
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 a
craven image that is profitable for moth
ingi" Surely only those who are blind
and foolish. and God has pronounced a woe
upon all such QIab. II. Is, l9). Israel
His own people He commanded not 10
worship craven images lex. 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 tActs 1, s..
telling us Of cid that His work cannot be
done by might or wisdom OF man. but only
by His Spirit (Zech. iv, 81, 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 70
men, for without God nothing can be done
| John XIV, s. Real work that will stand
must be God working in us TO will and 70
do OF His good pleasure; all else will come
to naught The loftiness OF man shall be
bowed down, and the haughtiness of mer
shall be made low, and the Lord alone
shall be exalted"
10. Gle is hungry and hts 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 Toe worshiped. but his god
| which his hands make cannot strengthen
him nor give him drink. Contrast the
true God, whJ giveth power 10 the faint
and TO them that have no might He in
oreaseth strength. He pours water upon
him that is thirsty aud floods upon the dry
| ground Elsa. xl, 20; Xiv. ~.
10, "The carpenter maketh 1t after the
| figure of a man according 20 the beauty
| of "A man, that 1t may remain in the house"
| A wooden man, made by man, and yet
worshiped as a god--and there are lots of
them in the world still. We profess to
! know a man, who was also q 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. II do really
| know Him as our own Saviour and God,
| then lie live in our bodies as His abode.
and being in rho house He cannot be hid;
but how Is it He is so little seen'
A. ole heweth him down cedars: he
| plauteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish
! It." He uses trees which the true God
makes 20 grow, and which are nourished
| 10y rain from heaven, but knows nothing
of trees Of righteousness, the planting of
the Lord, that He might be glorifed dsa.
Xxi, -. And whyg Because the men who
ought TO be like trees planted by the rivers
Of water bringing forth fruit in season,
are forsakng the only fountain and turn
Ing away from God Ups i, 8; Jer II, 49,.
| l5 He maketh II n craven imagel and
| falleth down thereto" The same wood
| with which he warns himself and bakes
his bread he worships as his god. He does
not know who gives him life and breath
aud 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 gives Him
/ self for the life OF the world John vi 81
10. ole eateth flesh, he roasteth roast
| and Is satisfied" Meat and drink and the
nourshment Of his animal life are all he
cares for. He lives like the brute beasts,
| like those today who say they have no
time for church and religion; they must
earn n 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
god, and worshipeth II, and prayeth unto
IT," Are we reading OF South Sea island
ers or of people from the heart of Africa,
who know 10 bettert No, we are reading
Of people near 20 Israel, and of many in
Israel that nation which God exalted
above all nations, that through them lie
might be known. and this tells how they
had fallen. But wait, o church Of God,
ere you condemn them. Israel became an
empty vine aud brought forth fruit unto
himself (lIos. X, ~ What are you doing
with your entertainments and lectures
and fine music and works of mems hearts
and hands, bowling down TO these things
and TO people OF culture and influence,
instead Of bowling To God alone.
Is. 'They ave not known nor under
stood, for lie hath shut their eyes that they
cannot seen The greatest thing on earth
is the knowledge Of God; it is better than
all earthly wisdom OF riches or might (Jer.
tx, %, 2D. Jesus said. This is life eternal.
to know Thee, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" John
xvii, 81 And Paul counted all things bu.
loss for the excellency Of the knowledge o:
Jesus Christ phil. iii, 81. Because Israel
deliberately and willfully turned away
from her God He therefore shut her eyes
and hardened her heart. Compare lsa vi.
y. 10; Math. xiii, Is.
10. And none considereth in his heart"
No one seemed 10 have sense enough to
say, Here is wood Of which make "A fire to
warm me, and bake my bread, and roast
my meat, and the rest worship as a god,
falling down to the stock of tree. When
once men turn away from the word of God.
they are ready to believe any delusion, and
they will find plenty Oil Thess. Il, 10-l2J.
20. "He feedeth on ashes a deceived
heart hath turned him aside that he can
not deliver his soul" II we heed not
promptly and only the word OF God, satan
will continually deceive Us and give US
ashes for bread See how the church is
deceived today, fancying that she is Israel,
and that her mission Is 10 convert the
world, and that she has plenty OF time TO
do it In. See how the people follow those
who destroy the Word, and leaven their
food till it seens as II the whole was
leavened alreedy. Let us turn eyes and
hearts TO Him who is expecting till His
enemies be made His footstool" QIeb. K.
49,, and filed with His spirit live to make