Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-03-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON X, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 7.


Stearns.
26. Arise and go toward the south. I"
Thus spallc the angel of the Lord to Philip
while he was in the midst of this great
work in Samaria. He is sent from what
seems to be very great work out into the
desert, and he is not told why he is sent.
Simple and whole hearted obedience Is the
one thing required of u servant or sol
dier. Angels that excel in strength do
His commandments, hcarkening unto the
voice of His word. They do His pleasure
(Ps. CHI, 20, 21). If we are good servants
and soldiers, we will hold ourselves ac-
cording to II Sam XIV, 15 Chron. xviii,
81; II Sam. ill., 36.
81 And he arose and went and, be-
hold, n man of Ethiopia" Philip sees
what may he the object of his mission,
one man, an Ethiopian, the treasurer of
Queen Candace who had been to Jeru-
salem to worship. The time will yet come
when Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands
to God, when from beyond the rivers Of
Ethiopia suppliants shall bring an Offering
to the Lord (Zep iii, 10, Ps. xviii, 81
But, whether nation or an individual,
God regards all who truly seek Him Job
xxxiy, 800.
2o. "Sitting in his chariot, read Esaias
the prophet" What he had heard or seen
at Jerusalem we are not told, but we may
well imagine that he had heard somewhat
concerning those who had filled Jerusalem
/ with their doctrine and concerning Him
of whom they spake. He must have been
an earnest seeker after light, for God sent
Philip all the way from Samaria to be his
teacher and to lead him to Christ
20. Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go
near and join thyself to this chariot"
Whatever Philip may have thought he
now knew the object of his mission. His
trained ear heard the message of the Spirit
and without hesitation or question he
obeys l believe it is possible to live al
ways and fully under the control of the
| Spirit and have God working in us both
to will and to do of His good pleasure If
this is our whole hearted desire, He will
fulfill the desire of them that fear Him
ops. cxlv, 100.
80. "Understandest thou what thou
readest?" With this question Philip intro
duced himself to the man in the chariot,
having run to him as soon as he was COM
mandcd by the Spirit. Won the Lord sees
any one intent upon understanding His
word He will take pains to instruct him.
The marginal reading of job X, s, is very
suggestive Chime hands. took pains
about me " Gabriel was sent from heaven
to Daniel to make him understand and
to show him the truth (Dan. X, II, 21; XII,
p. The Holy Spirit has been given to ev-
cry believer to teach and to guido into all
truth (John xiv, 20; xvi, 13).
81. How can l. except " ne man should
guide me?' Thus graciously answered the
treasurer, and he invited Philip to step in
to the chariot with him. How smoothly
everything goes when the Spirit is work
ing Philip, sent by the Spirit finds one
in whom the Spirit has been working, and
therefore one ready to be taught. The
Spirit might have taught the eunuch Him
self without the help Of any man II John
ii, 27), but He saw fit to uso human instru-
mentality How blessed to be used of Godl
Only be willing, and He will use you.
80, 33. HE was led as a sheep to the
slaughter. Thus he read in what we
would call Isa. lii, :, 8, concerning Him
of whom Moses and all the prophets did
write, Jesus of Nazareth the Son of .Jo-
seph (John i, 49,, but he knew Him not.
This whole chapter will doubtless be the
general confession of Israel as u nation
after they shall have looked upon Him
whom they have pierced Czech. xii, lO
in the day when they shall say, "Lo this
is cur God We have waited for Him, and
He will save us" Elsa. XIV, o.
"a. 81 pray thee, of whom speaketh the
prophet this:' Whether the prophet was
speaking of himself or of some other man,
the eunuch could not mako out The
prophets were types of Christ and did in
their lives foreshadow in some measure
the suifcrngs of Christ. Isaiah and his
children were signs in Israel (chapter viii
49,, and jeremiah says of himself, Il was
like a lamb or an OK that is brought to
the slaughter" (Jer. xi, 49,
80. Philip began ut the same Scripture
and preached unto him Jesus. He would
probably 20 back to tho Passover lamb of
Elk xii and to the daily burnt Offering
and possibly to the coats of skins of Con.
iii, 2l; then on to the Lamb Of God, of
whom john the Baptist spakc He could
easily find in Isa. lii the sufferings, death.
resurrection and future glory of Christ.
But whatever line he took, he must certain
ly have shown Christ to be the only Say
lour of sinners and the fulnllmont of every
tyne and SHADOW.