The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-11-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VII. FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATioNAL SERIES, NOV. 20.
Text of the Lesson. III Chron. xxxiii, 0-16.
Memory Verses, IL, l3-Golden Text, I
John 4. .s-Commentary Prepared by tho
Rev. ID. M. Stearns.

Rev. ID. M. stearns.
copyright. 1898, by d. M. Stearnsl
o. $50 Manasseh made Judah and the
Inhabitants Of Jerusalem to err and to do
worse than the heather whom the Lord
had destroyed before the children of
Israel" This is a summary of the prcvi-
Gus part Of this chapter concerning the
sins of Manasseh, who began to reign when
he was 10 years old and reigned So years
in Jerusalem. He shed innocent blood
very much till no had filled Jerusalem
from one end to another III Kings xxi, 16).
Ho wrought much evil in the sight of the
Lord to provoke Him to anger. Then
think Of the people OF God acting worse
than the heathen who knew not God, and
even worshiping an IDOL carved image,
in the house of God where He had put His
name and His glory What n contrast to
the conduct OF his father Hezekiah, who
for the most part wrought good and right
and truth before the Lord his God (chap-
ter XXI, 20). How could such good ia
ther have such bad SOM But 1t is not
an uncommon story. Consider the sons
of Ell and OF Samuel and of David. How
could sinful King Abaz, because of whose
sins the Lord brought Judah low (chapter
xviii, 19), have such good son as Heze-
kiahf His mothers name was Abb, the
daughter Of Zachariah I'll Kings xviii, p,
and to her possibly much is duo. But Ma
nasseh's mother was Hephzibah (my de-
light is in her), and If there is anything in
aname he, too, may have bad good moth
er QI Kings xxi. u. Our Heavenly Father
knows what 1t is to have rebelllous chill
dren lisa. 1, p, and when He permits US to
have rebellious children it is ground OF
fellowship with Him.
10. ''And tho Lord spake to Manasseh,
and to his people, but they would not
hearken" Oh, how often tho Lord has to
say concerning those whom Ho would
love to bless that they would not let Him.
they would not listen to Him, they would
not como to Him lisa. xxx, ID; Math. xiii,
81; John v, 40). II we only would receive
His word with meekness, yield fully to
Him and be willing and obedient, how
much Of heaven we might have upon the
earth How earnestly God cries to His
people by ii servants the prophets, as.
for example, In .Jer. iii, IL, II, 'Only ac-
knowledge thine iniqulty; turn, o back
sliding children. saith tho Lord, for l am
married unto you. SEQ also Eek. xviii,
30-82; xxxiii, II, etc.
IL. Wherefore tho Lord brought upon
them the captains of the host Of the king
OF Assyria, which took Manasseh among
the thorns and bound him with fetters
and carried him to Babylon" Thus be
found some rcaping, for whatsoever q man
soweth that shall be also reap, and they
who sow the wind may reap tho whiriwind
(Gal. vi, z; Hos. vii, y. Afiliction Is Of
ten tho best thing that can come to one
who Is wandering from God. God is not
willing that any should perish, and II sim
pers will not listen to gracious words Of
love He will seek to win them by chasten-
ing, as He has said in Job xxxiii, go, 80.
IL. "And when he was In afflction he
besought the Lord his God and huiDbled
himself greatly before tho God OF his ia
thers'' 1t Is often tho case that only In
aflliction will q soul turn to tho Lord, even
as 1t Is written In Hos. v, 10, "In their
affliction they will seek Me early" 1t
will bo seen on n larger scale some day,
for 1t Is written in lisa. XVI, Q. when
Thy judgments arc in the earth, the inhab-
itants OF tho world will learn righteous
ness. Even the fearful judgments OF Rev.
TX and xvi are intended, II possible, TO
bring men to repentance. See Rev. TX, 20,
81; xvi, o, II. Pride and self will are
born in us rs the results OF Adams sin,
the work of the devil, and all people are
either Gains or Abels, the former proudly
resisting God and His salvation, and the
latter humbly confessing their sins and
accepting His way Of redemption. Tho
Pharisees when our Lord was Oh earth
were OF the line Of Cain, religious. but
proud and hating God and His way.
10. And prayed unto Him, and he
was cntreated OF him and heard his sup
plication and brought him again to Jeru-
salem into his kingdom Then Manasseh
knew that tho Lord He was God.' Ma
nasseh was evidently true pcnitent, and
Gods ear Is ever open TO such. 1t Is al
ways true for such ON Gods part, Him
that cometh unto Me l will in no wise
cast out" (John vi, 37). 1t is written in
/ Chron. v, go concerning some of Israel
that they cried to God In the battle and
He was entreatod OF them, because they
put their trust in Him. Ezra says In
chapter viii, 23, $50 we tasted and be-
sought our God for this, and He was en-
treated of us" As to the mercy which Is
with God for the greatest sinner who with
true penitence turns to Him we need only
consider the case Of the penitent thief or
of Saul Of Tarsus. But who conld be great
or In sin than this son of Hezekiahf
IA. Now after this he built o. wall with
out the city OF David" The building Of |
this wall and tho placing OF captains Of |
war In the fenced cities does not imply any
lack OF trust In God, but is rather sugges-
tive Of keeping the Lords property for the
Lord. In Canticles iy, 12 the bride Is COM
pared to garden inclosed, spring shut
up, fountain sealed; something kept
solely for the owner. In Isa. *, IS, the