The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-10
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JULY Z.
Lesson Text: eThe Ten Command
ments," Exodus Xxx, liz
Golden Text: Luke X, ~
Commentary.

1,2. While we now turn back from the
life and work Of the Lord Jesus. as revealed
to US in the gospels. to the story OF the
Lords dealings with Israel on the way to
the promised land, we are learning OF the
same Lord whose gongs forth have been
from OF old. from the days CT eternity Mic.
V, Q. marSin(. II was not because of any
worthiaess in them. but only because Of His
own fathfulness and His promise to Abra-
BAN that He brought them out Of Egypt
(Deut vii. 7. s; Gen. xv., 10, 14). 1t was
now the third month since they had been re-
deemed from the bondage of Egypt. They
had come to Mount Sinai, and the Lord had
offered to make them peculiar treasure
unto Himself above all people. a kingdom Of
priests. holy Nation. if only they would
obey His voice. This they readily promised
to do, and now We see them gathered about
Mount Sinai. the mountain quaking greatly
and covered with fire and smoke, out Of the
midst of which God speaks the words Of our
lesson to the people. See chapter xix. and
respect. unlike any before or since in
the history of this world. He first reminds
them that their redemption from Egypt was
wholly His doing without any help Of theirs,
for ''salvation Is Of the Lord" (Jonah H.,
81, and He never asks an unredeemed soul to
keep His commandments The only COM
mand to the unsaved is to believe on the
Lori Jesus Christ q John ill.,, 20; Acts xvi,
81, then when Christ has become to them
the end Of the law for Righteousness He will
fulfill in them the Righteousness Of the law
enabling them to walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit (Rom. X, 4; viii, ~.
8. Since they were redeemed by the only
living and true Got, to make Him name
on the earth in the sight Of all Nations GI
Sam. vii, 90; lisa. xiii, ~, 14). Their fore.
they were forbidden to have aught to do in
any way with the gods OF the Nations, idols
OF wood and stone. the work OF mems hands
II Kings xviii, So. 81: Jer. K. 10. 11). We
who have been redeemed from the curse of
the law by the work of our Substitute (Gal.
ill.,. 13), are TO have no idols between our
soul and God. but make 1t manifest that we
worship only Him.
4-6 Because they saw no similitude on the
day that God spoke to them out OF the midst
Of the fire, therefore they were to use no i'm
ages nor likeness of anything in their wor-
ship OF God. God is seven times called a
jealous God. The other six places are Elk.
xxxiv.. IA; Deut. iv.. "a; ", 0; vi, Is; Joshua
XIV, 19; Nah. l., 2. The word translated
jealous also means to buy. purchase or re-
deem. We are redeemed to be people for
His own possession Titus H., IA, R. w. and
He wants US all for Himself.
7. The name above every name must be
ever hallowed rs Jesus taught US to pray
(Math. vi. ~. Not only is all kind OF so
called profanity forbidden. but as the name
stands for the character (Ex. xxxiv.. 5-7) all
that would in any way belittle the character
of God must be carefully avoided. We are
here to. honor Him in every way and mag
Nifty His name.
I'll. The Sabbath was made for man, and
the Son of Man is Lord OF the Sabbath CLARK
H.. 81, 2S). If, then. He Is E.y Lord, the Sab
bath is specially mine that on it may have
special communion with Him. In Isa. lviii.,
13. IA, we are taught that We are to honor
Him. not doing our own ways, nor finding
our own pleasure, nor speaking our own
words. and that thus we shall delight our
selves in the Lord. In Col. H., 16, II. we
read that even the Sabbath is a shadow of
things to come, perhaps referring to the
keeping of Sabbath that remains for the
people of God (Heb. w., 81 but which we can
foretaste even here (Heb. iv., 10).
IL. The first four commandments, ordi-
narily known as the first table of the law,
are summed up by our Lord Jesus in Mark
xii, 80, 81 Quoting from Deut. vi, 5 and
Jer. XIX, 18) rs loving God with all the
heart, ard the last six as loving our neigh
Dor rs ourselves. Or as it is in Rom. xiii,
10. Glove is the fulfilling of the law" This
fifth command is spoken Of in Eph. vi, 2, as
'The first commandment with promise"
Next to God We are to honor our parents,
and curse Is pronounced upon such as do
otherwise Deut. xvii, 16; Prov. 80, ~.
-. Thou shalt not kill" In our Lords
commentary on this in Math. ". 81, %, He
teaches that anger lies at the root OF murder,
and in John ill.,, Is, 1t is written that she
hat hat ic q
ferring back to the story Of Cain and Abel.
Not only are we forbidden to hate any one.
but we are forbidden to speak evil or even
imagine evil against another James iv, IL;
Zech. viii, 10; vi, ~.
IA. ''Thou shalt not commit adultery"
That this command reaches not only to the
sinful act, but is broken by even a sinful
thought, is clear from our Lords comment
upon it in Math. v, o. Is. Another aspect
OF it is found in Jas. iv., 4, where we are
told that to love or be friend Of the world
that hates God is in His sight form OF adul-
terry. Let us pray:
Wash, Lord. and purify my heart,
And make 1t clean in every part,
And when tits clean, Lord keep It, too,
For that is more than can do.
IL. "Thou shalt not steal" Many would
scorn to take what dos not belong to them,
as between man and man, who possibly
might have to plead guilty when searched
by the question, "Will a man rob God?" In
asmuch rs our relation to God Is the first
qr estion, let the believer ask himself, Am I
robbing God Of any portion OF my being or
my time or my money! He claims our body
as His property (Rom. xii, l, 2; Cor. VI.
10, 20), and at least seventh OF our time and
tenth of our income.
16. Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor." Some love lying
rather than righteousness (Ps. ILL.,, 81, but
such are finally found without the city (Rev.
xii, 15). He that worketh deceit shall not
dwell within My house; he that telleth lies
shall not tarry In My sight Cps. ci.. y. God
is God of Truth-the Spirit Is q Spirit Of
Truth, and Jesus is the Truth Isa. lxv., IL;
John xvi. 13; xiv, g.. When they have full
control OF us, we will bear no false witness
II. "Thou shalt not covet." We might in
fer from Rom. vii, 7, In connection with
Phil. ill.,, 6, that Paul fancied that he had
kept the law pretty thoroughly except on
this one point, but he learned, as James also
did, that to keep the whole law and offend
only on one point makes one guilty OF all
(Jas. H., 10; Rom. vii, 1s). ."Guilty" Is the
word for every one (Rom. ILL.,, l9, 20). Some
one has we'll said, ITO do what the law re-
quires must have life, and to be what the
law requires I must have righteousness, but
by nature have neither and am therefore
cursed" When 1 receive Christ, He becomes
my life and righteousness and will fulfil the
law in ms."-Lessan Helper.