Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-07-20
I'HE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ", THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL CERES, JULY 22.

S-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
ID. And when they were departed, be-
hold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to
Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take
the young child and his mother and flee
into Egypt and be thou there until l bring
thee word, for Hcrod will seek the young
child to destroy him" The four dreams
of his chapter oversees ~, 13, L.. 22) make
us think of the many times mentioned in
Scripture when God revealed His will to
men in drea@ns, both to Jews and g~entiles.
AS to its being ofttimes His way, see
Num-. xii, 8; Job xxxiii, II, Is. He still
cares for His people and will surely guide
them by His word and His spirit, by His
providence, and if necessary by n dream
or even an angel. The Lord sees all the
plOttings of the evil cNc and will not suf-
fer him to hurt His children Czech. ii, 8;
Ps. xci, 8, 10). Note how the expenses of
this journey were met beforehand by the
gold of the wise men. Thus God always
f~oresees and anticipates the need of those
who rely upon Him CI Chron. xvi, 81.
IA. when he arose, he took the young
child and his mother by night and depart
ed into Egypt" Since the days of Cain,
the devils first instrument TO accomplish
murder, he has worked hard at it and of
ten been permitted to have his way, but
never unless for the glory of God and the
good of His people. An instrument whom
He wishes still to use here satan cannot
lay a finger upon. Consider Joseph and
Moses and Joash.
Is. And was there until the death of
HerOd, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Out of Egypt have l called My son" OBJ
serve the fulfilling Of prophecy in verses
II and 23 and chapter j, %. The Lord
of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as l
have thought, so shall it come to pass, and
as have purposcd SO shall it stand lisa.
xiv, pa. Every purpose of the Lord shall
be performed (Jcr. Ii, 29), and as He will
do nothing without revealing it to the
prophets (Amos iii, y we have only to
study prophecy in order to know what God
will yet do.
IS. "Then Herod, when he saw that he
was Knocked of the wise men, was exceed
ing)y wroth and sent forth and slew all
the children that were in Bethlehem, " etc.
Hcrod did not know Him who docth ac-
cording to His will both in heaven md on
earth, who bringeth the counsel of the ma
tions to naught and makcth the devices
of the people of none effect (Dan. iv, 35;
Ps. XXXiii, 100. These children thus sac
riflced to Hvod's rage may be said to nave
died for Jesus sake.
II. "Thcn was fulfilled that which was
spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying"
That which has been fulfilled and the
manner of fulfllment is the key to that
which is yet unfulflled. See Gen. XIV, -,
IA, with Elk. xii, SO, 40, and I Kings xiii,
2, with II Kings xiii, 1917, also Ps. xxi,
Is, Is, with John XII, "a; Xxx, 25, as sam
pies of fulfilled prophecy and simply and
heartily believe God concerning things to
come.
IS. "In Rama was there a voice heard,
~lamentation and weeping and great
mourning-Rachcl weeping for her chill
dren and would not be comforted because
they are not" This is quoted from Jer.
XXI, 10, and the next verse gives the com
fort of reward and restoration. The cap
tive Jews returned from Babylon, the Lane
OF the enemy. y greater return is draw
ing near from Russia and all lands of the
Jews enemies, but the promise will not
have complete fulfillmcnt till the return
from the land of the enemy-death. Then
will even these babes be given again to
their mothers.
10. but when Herod was dead, behold,
an angel of the Lord appearcth in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt" We think of another
Herod, who would not give glory to God,
and the angel of the Lord smote him
(Acts xii, 23). Sometimes the enemies of
the Lord are suddenly cut off, while at
other times He bears longer with them.
The servants Of the Lord can well afford to
leave all things with God and quietly wait
His time, like David, who would not smite
Saul, but said, Tho Lord shall smite him,
or his day shall come to die, or he shall
descend into battle and perish" Il Sam.
XVI, 100. Let us ever give place unto the
wrath of God (ROm. xii, 10, II. V, margin).
20. Saying, Arise and take the young
child and his mother and go into the land
of Israel, for they are dead which sought
the young child's life" Thus was fulfilled
the prophecy of Hos. Xl, /, quoted in verse
10, but that prophecy refers to Israel called
out of Egypt through Moses. See, then,
the double Significance of many prophecies,
first referring to Il person or nation, but
further on in the course of events to Christ
II His Kingdom, for all the promises of
God arc yea and amen in Him CI Cor. i,
2O). The Lord had told them to abide till
He brought them word Verse 49,, so they
waited patiently, with no plans for the
morrow, but looking for orders only from
Him.
21. And he arose, and took the young
SiiAN dAN bo iipbltI, anu came INTO inc
land of Israel" Tn very same Lord who
in the pillar of cloud and of fire led Israel
out of Egypt ! 400 years before is now a
helpless babe in Mary's arms, being carried
up out of that same Egypt. Great is the
mystery of Goodness, God manifest in the
flesh. He humbled himself to be born of
Mary, Graded in a manager, carried to
Egypt and back, live and grow up in the
humble home ut Nazareth, remain there
unknown for 30 years, then go forth on
His public work to be despised, rejected
and crucitied, all for me. The son of God
loved me and gave Himself for me.
%. But when he heard that Archelaus
did reign in Judea in the room of his ia
Their Herod he was afraid to go thither.
Notwithstanding, being warned of God in a
dream, he turned aside into the parts of
Galilee." The moment we turn our eyes
from God alone to look at people or circum-
stances fears are sure to come; winds and
waves will cause us to sink, but with eyes
fixed on Jesus we can walk on the sea.
Instead of hearing what people say, let us
hear what God the Lord will speak, for He
tHf1l Er.nnI~ gpa q. I : .-1 n -