The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-01-12
SABBATH SCHOOL.
LESSON ron SUNDAY JAN. is.
Encouraging the People. "Haggsi II, 10
Golden Text; Psalm cxxvii, 1. Com
uenfRry

The prophecies of Hsggai and schariah
should lie read in connection with the his
torical books OF Ezra aud Nehemiah for
these prophets were specially commissioned
10 encourage the people tore luild the temple
ana the city. After the foundation nf tho
temple was lair. "a we learned in last
lesson, tnemies bindered the work, aud lt
ceased until the second year of Darius,
where our present lesson pcgins (Ez. iv.,
ga.
J. "In the second year of Darius the king,
IN the sixth month, in the first dav OF the
month, came the word OF the Lord bv
haggai tho prophet" Hazgai, lise every
true prophet, was simply the Lords messcn.
ger with the Lords message (verso 49,.
= "Anus speaketh the Lord of Hosts.
saving, This people say, The time is not
conie-the time that the Lords house shouI
be built" This phrnsc ''speaketh or saith
the Lord OF Hosts" Is fouud thirteen time,
IN this short prophecy and "saith the I.ordS.
IS round seven times. while the name Lord
IN capitals (which is always jehovah j
iound altogether in the thirty-eight verses
ot this prophecy mt least thirty-four times
80 we are not to see Haggai. whose name Is
mentioned but nine times (and that is an
unusual nuniber for 50 short a prophecvl.
but only jehovah. and Hopgni as HI.
Spokesman. Notice that the Lord observes
what people say. and also what they think
tkzek. xi.. 8. xxxiii., 30; Jer. XII, Is, ie,
'Hhi NAiif Nut w OTl tns lfDfI lV
haggai the prophet. saying. The words os
tho people are wrong words;' thoy indica-
TED lack of sympathy with God in His
purposes. The house OF the Lord now beint,
built Is the church. which is His body tHeh,
~. u; Pet. H., ); Cor. ILL.,, Q: Eph. II .
~ ~, aud there is much indifference 10 it
ON the'p1rt OF the Lords people there was
TO the temple IN the days OF Haggai. The
W ord OF the Lord Was sent to correct the
people and bring them into sympathy with
,'od ana his purposes. See lisa. viii, ~, r.
4. us Il time for you, ye. to dwell in
Sour cailed houses, aud this house lie waste,p
They were ncslectlng the temple, the house
of jehovah, and attending 10 their own
houses. The church Is a spiritual building
to be gathered out OF all Nations and prp.
sented TO Christ as His Bride in order that
He msy return with her to establish His
Kingdom on earth and I'LL tho earth with
His glory, but the Lori might well say 70
the various denominations whica make up
thevisible church: us It time for you to bs
10 occupied with ycur own little company
instead OF wording earnestly to complesa NV
bodyV as 1t time for you 20 be spondin.
hundreds OF thousands OF dollars upon
church buildings instead OF sending the Cos
pei To the nenthenP
j. "Now. therefore. thus saith the Lord Of
Eosts, Consider your ways" Because Of the
neglected condition o. His house Pe would
have them stop aud consider. lie would have
them loos at things from His standpoint
like jeremiah when he said, as IL nothing
toyou all ye that pass by2 Behold and SEQ
II there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow
which Is done unto me- wherewith the Lord
hath afflicted me in the day OF His iierrs
anger" dam. l., IL. When we think OF
Jesus waiting and longing for the com
pletion OF His c.urch, that He may cous
again for the conversion OF His people Israel
ana of the orld, may we not hear Him say
Ing, ''ls IL nothing to youY Consider your
ways and see that as the heavens ara
higher than the EARTH so are My ways than
your ways lisa. w., o..
q. "Ne have sown much, and bring in lit
tie; ye eat, but ye have not enough
Count the seveniolu disappointment in this
and the ninth verse and compare lisa. lv., :.
Wherefore do yc spend money for that
which is not bread and your labor for that
which satisheth .notY Men labor in vain
and spend their strengthoav v.a0lnr ~ufeI
xix, " when they are out OF harmony NiS
COD; but when God Is working in US. though
| 10 may sometimes seem that our lauor is M
vain, u Is never really so. His word may
not accomplish what we please, but it wiil
accomplish what de peases lisa. w., III, an 1
| our work Is not IN vain IN the Lord Il Cor
Xv., 5Sl. Wages in bag with holes make
| us think OF the treasures on earth which tn
| Saviour contristed with tae treasure in
heaven luke 'sL, 80.
| Z. Thus saith the Lord OF Hosts Consid-
er your ways" Tue Holy Spirit never re.
peats needlessly. The fifth verse was In
| connection with the desOlation ana neglect
| OF the Lords house, but this Is in connection
with their own desUlation or fruitless toll.
| In this an ths next verse, with verses Ian
! 5 OF the next chapter, there ~ an interesting
seventold command Consider. Go up
| Bring wood, Build the house. BE strong.
Work. Fear nou each part OF which ",
may well take 10 Ourselves in references 4
cur part IN completing the church. Their,
Will Ue nothing Dut failure in our lives A.
long as we neglect tne Lords work, anC
even though one should amass the wealth o
Babylon, in one hour II shall come 4
naught ,itev. xviii, ~.
5. "Go up 10 tue mountain, and brin
Uood, and build the house. ana I will tax
pleasure in II, land will be glorihed, saith tn
Lord.' We nave nothing TO do S'ith difficult
ties, either real or apparent. /, is ours I
obey; resuits are with God. l;7 piaasur
and His glcry are everything. Even Chris
| pleased not Himself, and one Of His last 10Y
ful testimonies was II have glorified Thee o,
the earth" from. XIV. 3, John xviii 81. Ie
us take as our daily notices ''For III
| Pleasurc,' FOR Jesus Safe" "ilorify 90 .
REV iv., II, II Cor. iv.. II; Cor. vi, 20
and live 10 build the house.
| e. "Why. saith the Lord OF Hosts Becau,
of mine house that is waste, and We run ever,
man into lis own house." IL we seek frs
| the kingdom OF God aud His Righteousness W,
have the promise that all else will be- adde,
| iMath. vi, 80: whereas il we seel; first ou
own interests there is the probability tina
whatever we may accumulate, God viii
blow it away or su idenly take US ava,
| from it,
This seems a strange place 10 close th
lesson. trust teacters will go on to con
slider the threofod assurance of l., 10: H., 4
| .. 5, concerning His presence. His spirit anC
His wealth. Note also thrice "Be strong
of chapter H.. and compare Josh. I. 80: I
Chron. xxi, {, $; xv., I: but be warned by
III Chron. XVI, -, Il. Fail not to note tn
great shaking OF chapter H., 6 Z. aud 60 n
| pare Heb. xii, 25-29, K, 5.3I. Fro thai
great shaking comes the church will be gath
cred in and out OF the storm. and the elec
remnant of Israel will also be safely hidder
| FPS. l.. 10; lsR. XVI, 1921: Luxe XXI. 36
Rev. ill.,, lOl. Then will all thrones agains
Christ be destroyed and He shall reign for
eyer.-Lesson Helper
What To Try.
Try sIulllng powdered borax up tn
io5trils for catarrh in the head.
Try taking your cod liver oil in TO
nato catsup ii you want to make ii pal