Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-06-17

<1luuurn.nprrrunnuunp~--
religion lchapter II, ~. They blaspheme,
against Jehovah, but now lie Himself viii
come, In the person OF the angel Of Tn,
covenant, very Dear 10 them 10 Judge them
The priests were judged first, but now IL /,
the people (b) The Judge Is His own wit
ness No one needs to tell God anything
He knows all cases better than any witnss,
can tell Him. Compare Ps. i,6,I A swift
witness" means an unexpected vitness. y
testifying against living in sin and
security, 10 confound them with the evi.
dencs Of their guilt and 70 cut abort
their day of probation. Jesus calls
Himself the faithful and true witness. |"
/ (Rev. Ill, ~. (c) The classes of criminals
are named: I. "Sorcerers''-ths Jews.
against their own law, have been greatly
given to this species Of imposture and pro
family. Josepbus, the New Testament.
Maimonides and Juvenal mention Jewish
sorcerers. One wretcbed Jew in New Eng
land calls himself by the name Of the holy
oracle given by Jehovah to Israei-the
Urim and Thummim-as means Of dis.
guising his real name while telling for.
tunes. So in Juvenal we read Of Jewish
fortune tellers In Rome. 2. "Adulterers"
this must be taken literally, although the
word often Is taken spiritually to signify
idolatry. Compare chapter II, 14-1o About
the time Of Christ's coming there wns great
laxity as to divorce and breaches Of the
seventh commandment. g. In like manner
profane and perjured swearing, with equiv.
ocations and other subterfuges, was very
frequent. Compare Math. v, 33-37; xiii,
1o-22 4. To cheat laboring men out Of
their wages is denounced as a heinous Of
Tense. Compare Jas. VA B. Tho needy,
weak and destituts-the widow, orphans.
oreigners-stranger are especially avenged
upon those that fear not the Just judge
the Lord Of hosts, who here appears ~ An
avenger.
2. Jehovah Is judge (D Az the eternal
God He IL Interchangeable In His views.
What He says He will be sure to fulfill. This
Is a guarantee that His threatenings will be
fulfilled. (b) But as one of His purposes
10 to preserve Israel Just because He Is
Jehovah, the Unehangeable One, thersfore
thesons Of Jacob are not consumed An spite
of their rebellions and provocations they are
preserved. Compare Rom. XII, 90; Ps. lxxxix,
28-37.
8. Departing from God. (a) If Jehovah
changes not, Israel changes and changes for
the bad Through all the ages-from the
days OF your fathers~yeh have been disobedi-
ent ,apostates, departing from mine ordi-
nances, breaking my commandments, wan
dering from God and duty.
Ill THE REIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Verses s-12.)
l. Returning to God. (a) The first step
is to return to God. Repentance was
preached by John. Repentance is here set
forth as the first step of reconciliation with
God (b) The sign of repentance--sorrow
for having offended Gods to pay God His
due Israel held the tenure of the holy
land from Jehovah, one of the conditions
Of this tenure being the support of the
tribe Of Levi as ministers of the worship
Of Jehovah by means of tithes-the tenth
part Of the produce of the soil. The Jews
had robbed God of these tithes and had
come under His curse. Their willingness
to pay their dues would be the best proof
Of their repentance. (c) All the nation was
involved in this sin. (D All the tithes |
were to bo brought in. There were store
houses about the temple to receive the |
goods.
2. A blessing promised. (a) The windows
Of heaven are the outlets of sunshine and |
ratn, producing plenty on earth See Gen.
vii, Q; II Kings vii, Q, 10. It'll there be !
more than enough"-this IS the meaning of |
verse TO- 1.-THE history of the Jews In the |
time of Hezekiah had already afforded an
example Of faithful obedience in the mat
ter Of tithes and offerings, in overAowing |
abundance bestowed upon them by God"
III Chron. XXI, 10Y Perowne)
8. The land blessed that honors God. (s)
1t will be preserved from "the devourer''-
insect pests, especially the locust being so
called. In b wider sense it means any |
worm or insect that destroys vines or fruit |
tree or grain. (b) The vines would not cast |
their fruit before its time-that is, they
will be saved from winds and tempests or
blghts. (c) The land is "delightsome" to
Jehovah when 1t serves Him Alright Hap
py" ~ regards the people, "delightsome"
- regards God-~uch land must indeed be
blessed. God Himself assures Us here that |
to honor and serve Jehovah brings on any
land both temporal and spiritual prosperity. |
and every land will be SO that Is submis-
sivc to King Messiah.