Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-12-13
FRUITS GOOD AND BAD.
I'm crnatioDnl =. -. Lesson for Dec. IL
! ISoo-Text. Malachi 3iI3 to 4:O
Memory Va. 1U-IS.

|
TIME.-B. C. 4s3-427. probably. (see last
| lessonD
PLACE.-Jerusalem and vicinity.
EXPLANATORY.
l. Good Men in Bad World.-Vs.
| 1918. We saw in our last lesson how
| disappointed the Jews were that they
| had not received all that had been
| promised, that the reality fell so far
short of their expectations and their
| ideals. The prophet showed them that
they could find the reason for this not
in God, but in their own character and
actions. \ change in these would
| quickly bring the realization of their
| hopes. Now we have the same com
plant more definitely expressed.
V. 10. Your words have been stout"
Thai is hard presumptuous, impu.
dent. (See Jude 49, What have we
| spoken SO much" Omit SO much.
V. lathe prophet replies: "Ye have
said it is vain To serve Cod" Note their
bargaining spirit here and in what
profit is it that we have kept His ordi-
nance" The services God required for
His temple and worship. Walked
mournfully:" With outward signs of
sorrow and repentance for their sins, in
sackcloth and ashes, and frequent ma
tional fasts. (See Zech. 7:3. 5: S:I0)
V. Is. I'VE call the proud happy"
The word 1--WE" is emphatic, and sug-
gcsts a reference on the part of the
speakers to V. -. They that work
wickedncss are set up" Rather built
up prosperous, successful. They
that tempt" etc: Rather, yea, they
tempt God, and are delivered, as Il. V.
| The persons arc the same as in the pre-
! ceding clause, they that work wicked
ness"
Y. 16. They that feared the Lord"
| With revercntial awe that led Him to
| trust and obey him. "Spalle often:"
| Gotten" is not in the Hebrew zone to
another" Thus encouraging and
strengthening one another. The Lord
| hcarkened, and heard" Compare Matt.
1919, 20. ~ book of remembrance was
written" AN expression after the
manner of men, intimating that their
pious PROJECTIONS and performances are
kept in remembrance rs punctually and
particularly as if written in n book
Henry. That thought upon His
name" Which expresses His character,
His power, His glory.
V. II. And they shall be Mine" etc.
Rather, and they shall be to Me, said
Jehovah OF Hosts, in the day that am
preparing peculiar treasure; compare
the expression "a peculiar people"
in Tit. 2:14, and in Pet. go. See also
En-. 1888; Deut. 80; Psa. 135:4.-Cook.
Il will spare them" Keep them from
harm. LAS man sparcth his own son
that serveth HIM" That is an obcdient
and dutiful son.
V. Is. Then shall we return and dis
Germ" Look again. and then ye shall
see broad distinction, nay. more. a
rcaf contrast, between the destiny Of
the righteous and the destiny Of the
wicked.
ii. The Contrasts of the Judgment
Day vs. Is. First, the Wicked vi.
For" connects this verse with previ-
Gus one. The day cometh that shall
burn as an oven" or furnace.
II. The Righteous. V. .. shall the
Sun of righteousness arise" Right
eousness has here the not uncommon
sense Of deliverancc, salvation. blessed
ncss.-Cowles. with hcaling:" Heal
~,
the miscrics with which they are sur
rounded. I'm His wings" His swift
rays flying from the sun to us. This
doubtless refers to the Messiah. V. 3.
and We shall tread down the wicked:"
Righteousness shall be victorious over
evil. In the day that | shall do this"
At the time when Messiah shall come
and shall have perfected His reign.
III. There Shall Re Preparation for
this Judgment.-Ns. 40
First. BY the law Of God which is
ever with them to warn and to make
righteous. V. !. "Rcmembcr:" so as
to obey, the law of Moses" The Ten
Commandments and all the other laws,
which were the constitution and laws
Of the Jews, (even) the statutes and
judgments.
Second. by forerunners. like Elijah.
who warned the wicked i'm season 10 es-
cape. and prepared the way for the com
ing Of the kingdom OF Righteousness.
V. 3. Behold, will send Won Elijah
the prophet" Viz. one who should be "a
second Elijah. Matt. 1914 and Mark
9:ll, 10. Before the coming Of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord"
I'm the original, this is taken verbatim
from Joel 2:31. II must refer to "the
hoy that shall burn ass am oven" Cfa-
lacLi f:D. v. g. and lie shall turn
chcart ofthc fathers To- thccbildrer.
lle shall turn the hearts OF the fathers,
the IsracIitcs, TO the GcntiIes. the chill
dren. apostate, prodigal, cutcast. but
still children. Or translate "to." with.
and the meaning is that the office OF the
Baptist should be TO turn the hearts of
young and old alike. II is deeply sur.
eostvc that the last uttcrance from
Heaven 400 years before Messiah was
the awful word curse" Ncssiah's fret