Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-11-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FOURTH QUARTER, M
TERNATlONAL SERIES, NOV. 6.


Lord God Of Israeli This was the mes
sage of Hczekiah, king who did right in
the sight of the Lord Chapter xxx, p, to
all Israel and Judah, regarding them as
one people. Although long divided into
two nations, they are one in His sight and
shall yet be one in the eyes of all nations
(Ezek. xxxvii, 81, 22). Hezekiah repaired
the house of the Lord and restored the
worship. He wrought good and right and
truth before the Lord his God and did ev-
cry work with all his heart and prospered
(chapter xxi, 20, 2D. He would have all
Israel remember their deliverance from
Egypt and rejoice in the Lord and serve
Him.
2, 3. "The king had taken counsel, and
his princes and all the congregation in
Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the sec
ond month" Although the first month
was the regular time for the feast, there
was provision in the law to keep it in the
second month if necessary (Ex. xii, 10;
Mum. tx, 10, ~. Place and time and
form are not SO important in Gods sight
as a heart that is right with Him. Even
feasts and Sabbaths are shadow of things
to come. Christ lis the reality of all, and
apart from Him nothing is real (Col ii,
IS, ~.
4. "And the thing pleased the king and
all the congregation. 1t is written OF
David in II Sam. Iii, 36, that whatsoever
the king did pleased all the people"
When king and people please each other,
and all together please God, that Is surely
a sample of the kingdom of God on earth.
Thus it shall be when Israel shall have be-
come righteous nation with the Christ,
the Son of David, as their King (Ez.
xxxvii, "a, 25).
8. "Make proclamation throughout all
Israel to keep the Passover unto the Lord
God of Israel at Jerusalem" This feast
oommemorating the great deliverance Of
Israel out of the bondage Of Egypt by the
mighty power of God was to be kept every
year, but in the Old Testament we have
an account of only five after the first one
In Elk. xii. These records are found in
Mum. tx, Josh. v, II Chron. xxxv, Ezra
vi and in our lesson. The greatest Pass
over in the New Testament Is recorded In
Luke xii, IA, Is, and in the other gospels
as having been kept by our Lord and His
apostles on the night before He was sacri-
feed for us as our Passover. He spoke at
that time of a future fulfllment in the
kingdom of God duke xii, 16), and in
stituted the Lords supper as memorial
of His death to be kept by His redeemed
till He shall come again.
6. aye children of Israel, turn again
unto tbeS,ord God of Abraham, Isaac and
Israel ana He will return to the remnant
of you.' Letters from a king to his peo-
pie urging them to turn to the Lord God
would be most unusual occurrence IN
our time. Even if church is in need OF
funds, it is more customary to turn to
some wealthy people or to some worldly
way than to the Great Head of the church.
z. "Be not ye like your fathers and like
/ your brethren which trespassed against
| the Lord God Of their fathers" Their sin
| Is briefly stated in .Jcr. ii, ID, "My people
have committed two evils; they have for.
saken me- the fountain of living waters,
| and hewed them out cisterns, broken els.
terms, that can hold no water" Thus they
changed their glory for that which could
not profit. The Lord was their judge and
lawgiyer and king, but they turned their
backs upon Him and preferred their own
way. Is there any analogy now?
s. "Yield yourselves unto the Lord, and
serve the Lord your God" The margin
says, "Give the hand unto the Lord" In
Rom. vi, 10, it is "Yield yourselves unto
0OQ d6 tuOoc tudO az q uAiVC AAOii Viz NOoA'
| AS unsaved sinners all we are asked to dc
is to receive Christ.
9. "The Lord your God is gracious and
merciful and will not turn away His face
from you If ye return unto Him." His
name in Elk. xxxiv, 6, is "The Lord, the
Lord God, merciful and gracious, long
suffering and abundant In goodness and
truth" Road also verse z. He says In
| III a. ho oh N mt VI
| In Heb. xiii, 8, He is Jesus Christ, the
same yesterday, today and forever" HI
is not willing that any should perish, ha.
provided eternal redemption for all and II
ever saying, Him that cometh to me
will in nowip cast out" John vi, 80.
| 10. $50 the posts passed from city Il
city, but they laughed them to scorn ant
Knocked them"-that is, many of Ephraim
! Manasseh and Zebulun did. The final ties
timony concerning Judah is, "They mock
ed the messengers of God and despised Hi
| words and lnisused His prophets until thu
wrath of the Lord arose against His PEG
pie, till there was no remedy" Oh Chron
| xxxvi, 16). This is the carnal mind which
is enmity against God and is ever thu
same, but these were not the heather whc
never heard of God. They were the people
for any nation on earth See II Tim. Iii
! 10.
II. Nevertheless divers of Asher, Ma
nasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselve
and came to Jerusalem" When Pau
preached in Rome some believed th
things which were spoken and some be
lieved not (Acts xviii, 24). So it eve
has been and will be till the end OF thi
age. Tho parallels of the sowor, the tares
the mustard seed and the leaven of Math
xiii, all teach this, as also the plain in
struction to both prophets and apostles II
Isa vi, O; Jer. !, 10; Ezek. Iii, 10; Math
x, 16. The messenger of God may Away
be sure that some will receive the messag
and that tho word of tho Lord will neve
return to Him void.
12. "Also in Judah the hand OF Got
was to give them one heart to do the com
mandment of the king and of tho princes
by the word of the Lord 1t is God VIII
worketh. He doeth according to His will
He guides His willing people and make
even tho wrath Of man to praise Him.
10. "And there assembled at Jerusalem
much people to keep tho feast OF unleay
ened bread" 1t was very great congre
cation, so those who would not come hur
none but themselves. When God is work
ing, those who will not fall In with HiI
lose the benefit to themselves, but tn
work goes on. There was great gladnes
and great joy in Jerusalem, and thei