The Progress., 1896-11-07
Two Ways.

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tion and often the
winds blow m o t
hercey and the cold is most benumbing
on the heights of success. God once more.
presented to the kings vision the TWO,
ways and urged him to go the right way
Inc application is for us all. We can H.
iustrate this truth by various Bible events
ana characteristic scene on Mts. Ebal
ana Gerizim, the scene on Mt. Carmel,
the warnings of Jesus himself. The OBJ
lect OF this lesson is to persuade our read
ers to make the right choice and the wise.
The section includes 8: 1-9 and the par
allel account in 2 Chron. 7: 1922. Time.
Probably B. c. 992. in the 24th year OF
Solomon's reign, when in the height or
MS prosperity he needed another warn
ing. (See under verse 81
Place. Jerusalem
The text Of tOday's lesson, with explain
atory notes. follows:
D. II have heard thy prayer" Some nave
thought that this reference to Solomon
prayer of dedication and the similar order
or thought in what follows implies that
this vision was sent Immediately AFTER
the dedication of the Temple. 81 have
hallowed this house + to put my
name there forever" I accept it as mine;
and my purpose has not changed. Mine
| eyes, to watch over it. and to note the
sincere worship that will go up from 1t.
And mine heart" in love, and affection,
and care. I not only see, but delight IN
1t. l will care for it as the apple OF NINE
eye. 1t shall be a peculiar treasure. 'Per-
petually." l will keep my part of the
covenant This temple shall never be de-
stroyed or injured through any neglect OF
mine. The Way of Life. 4. ''If thou wilt
walk before me, as David thy father
walked. in integrity of heart and in up
rightness" (cf. ch. 3: 6, IA; II: 3D. David
was not perfect, as our author tells us
elsewhere (ch. Is: S: CT. ch. 1: 6; Sam. "a:
1O. His integrity consisted in his unvary-
ing loyalty to the true God.-Pulpit Com
8. 'Then will establish the throne. '
for ever" There was always this con-
dition imposed. God would do his part
faithfully No outward force could destroy
them God would be their rock and their
Fortress wall of fire, and his angels
would be their guard. The only possible
source of destruction lay with the people
themselves. "There shall not fail thee
a man." AS matter of fact, neither Sol
onion nor his descendants kept their cove
nant with God and great David's great
er Son." the everlasting king. through
whom the kingdom of David abides and
increases, did not come through Solomon's
line, but that Of his brother Nathan,
whose descendant Mary was his mother
dukes Genealogy) while only the legal
heirship came through Solomon, whose
descendant Joseph was the legal father
Of Jesus (Matthew).
PRACTICAL. Only righteous nation
can endure. And this according to the
eternal law of God. The first care, there
fore, of every patriotic citizen is to make
righteousness prevail in every depart
ment.
The Way of Death g. But If We shall
at all (wholly) turn from following me-"
ETC. The meaning is rather "if We shall
wholly turn away from following me-"
See the parallel passage in Chronicles e
Chron. Z: 1y,-"If We turn away and for
sake my statutes" The 1sraelites were
not to be cut off, except for an entire
defection.-Cook. "And serve other Gods"
The Israelites were exposed to two forms
of forsaking God: one was by crimes dis
orders and all breaking Of the second
table of the law, which naturally and
necessarily led to ruin; and the other was
by neglect of religion and turning to
idols, which led to the breaking of al!
the other commandments. The whole
tendency of idol worship was to impurity
of life. The neglect of God took away
the restraining influences of religion and
the very life and soul of mortals.
T. "A proverb and byword" "The very
name Of Israel will become a proverb.al
expression significant Of disastrous fail
ure," to be used in mockery and sarcastic
socrn. Compare Deuteronomy %: 81, 45,
63.
s. "At this house, which is high" "con-
spicuous in it's ruin as in its glory" or
(which has been high, exalted, glorious
by Gods presence and blessing; as the
Revised Version renders: "and though
this house be high; yet even this shall
not preserve it. "Shall hiss" in scorn
and contempt.
9. Because they forsook the Lord their
God, who brought forth their fathers out
Of the land of Egypt" This shows %
the greatness of their sin, involving, as it
did, the utmost degree of ingratitude; C)
the folly of their course in rejecting SO
powerful and so good a God; and (3) how
much God had done to prevent them from
going astray.
HISTORY. The whole subsequent his
tory of the nation is commentary on
this warning.
Practical Suggestions.-1. "The very
kindest thing friend can do for us is to
admonish us when we are going wrong.
Thou mayest be sure that he that will
in private tell thee of thy faults is thy
friend, for he adventureth thy dislike and
doth hazard thy hatred. Sir w. Raleigh.
God showed this proof Of love to Solo
mon."-Pulpit Com. @ The wise man al
ways forsees the evil. He takes wise
outlook into the future to see where diff
ferent paths lead. 1t is not fear. or cow
ardice, but wisdom which leads him to do
this. g. The fear of the evil consequences
of sin is not the basis of character 1t is
not the handspring Of a true life 1t is
only help to the partially good, and a
motive to those who have not yet chosen
the right and safe way.