The Progress., 1893-06-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XII JUNE IS The
MRSSIAH'S KINGDOM.
Golden Text: They Shall be Niue. saitS
the Lord of Hosts, In That Day
When 1 Make Up My jew
els-Mal. Iii: 1-I2.
Home Readings.


4. Messiahs Kingdom. ............ .....i if Ii
w. Messiah's Kingdom. zee. ......... iii 7.J2
II The Lords Jewels. ............ iii 1918
+. The Sun OF Righteousness. ............iv Ii
>. universal Rule. Psalm Xxi. Ill
3 Lasting Dominion. ..lxxii Us0
l. The Coming of the Lord. verses
1-s. l. my messenger" John the
Baptist. Prepare the way" BY
telling the people to repent of their
sins 'The Lord whom We seek q"
The Messiah whom ye are expecting
as the deliverer of Israel "Shall sud.
denly come" Though long looked
for, he will at last take the world, and
even his own people, by surprise.
THE messenger of the covenant" :"
Another name for the Messiah.
"Whom ye delight in" OF whose
coming ye delight to think.
2. "Who may abide the day OF his
coming?' Who is upright enough to
stand the tests of that day? Like a
retiner's fire" That burns the dross
out of the pure metal. "FullerS'
soap" That scours away the filth and
impurities from the garments.
3. He shall sit as a refiner. 8"
Watching the processes that he has in
hand. 'Shall purify the sons of
Levi" Cleansing the ministers of re-
ligion first.
4. ''Then shall the .ftering of Judah
and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the
Lord" When the ministers of religion
are personally purified, the offerings
which they present shall be acceptabl
unto the Lord.
5. II will come near to you to iudg-
ment" Coming near implies close and
thorough examination. "A swift wit
ness" A sudden and unexpected wit
ness "Sorcerers. Users of witch
craft against those that oppress
the hireling in his wages, the widow,
and the fatherless" God is the special
friend and defender of the helpless.
The stranger" The foreigner, the
alien.
6. 81 change not" L am the same
yesterday, to-day, and forever.
Therefore We sons of Jacob are not
consumed The changelessness of God
holds him to the covenants made with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; therefore
he chastens and corrects the sons of
Jacob instead of destroying them.
:. even from the days of your
fathers We are gone away" etc. Their
offense is TO new thing, but a matter
of long standing. Return, and
| will return" Repent, and 1 will re-
store you to my favor. But We said,
Wherein shall we return" Processing
to be ignorant of ever having COM
mitted any sins.
s, "Will man rob God?" viii lie
undertake so terrible thing? "Yes," 4"
answers God; and when the startled
Jews ask, Wherein" he promptly rc-
plies, I'm tithes and offerings" They
had kept back the tithes and offerings
that the law required them to give.
9. "Ye are cursed with a curse. :" Tho
very good things that they had with
held had become a curse instead of a
blessing.
10 Bring We all the tithes into the
storehouse." Change your selfish and
wicked policy. "Prove me-" Try me;
put me to the test ''Open you the
windows of heaven" A figure of
speech for a great downpouring.
IL. Il will rebuke the devourer. :"
viii warn off the locusts and other in
sects that devour your crops.
12. "All nations shall call you
blessed" So great shall be your pros
perity.
Things to Be Remembered-It 10 al
ways Gods policy to prepare the way
for the great things which he means
to bring to pass.
Every manifestation of Gods power
and glory tests the character of men,
rs the fire tests the gold that is put
into it.
When the ministers of religion are
personally pure, their work is accept
able to God.
No class of sinners can escape the
just judgment of God.
The chahgelessness of God is a
ground of hope to all penitent sinners,
but of despair to all impenitent ones.
We rob God whenever we refuse to
contribute just and liberal share
of our means to promote his glory and
sustain the church.
Temporal prosperity is also bound
Up with obedience to God.