The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-02
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST s.

SubJect: The New Heart, E7ek. xxxvi..
. 25.3e-Golden Text: "a New Heart
Also Will Give You" Ezek. xxxvi..
28-Commentary on the Lesson.
ISruoDucr1oN.-We 80 back in history
between forty and fifty years from our last
lesson, when Nebuchadnezzar was king In
Babylon and the Jews were held captive
oy him. This prophecy was written soon
after the destruction ofJerusalem. Ezekiel,
:he author OF this prophecy, was born IN
Jerusalem about B. G. 623, in the reign Of
Josiah, at the. finding Of the book Of the
law. He was carried captive to Babylon
With King Jehoiachin, B. @. 59s, eight years
after Daniels captivity. He began to
prophesy B. G. 59S, when he was thirty
7ears old, and continued to prophesy
twenty-five years. How long he lived after
that Is not known.
CONNECTING LINKs. It was not, until the
third siege upon Jerusalem that Nebuchad-
aezzar destroyed the city. Daniel was car
lied into captivity after the first siege OF
Jerusalem, B. C. 606. Ezekiel wqs taken
captive In the second siege, B. O. 69S. The
Hpal siege, when Jerusalem was destroyed,
vas b. G. 586. Daniel had then been in
Babylon twenty years, Ezekieltwelve years.
The prophecy Of which this lesson forms
part wns sermon to the Jews IN Babylonia
is captlyes, to show them what was neces.
,ary for them In egder to return
God In their own land. Here are
words Of hope, and promise and comfort.
Visions Of glory and blessing are given to
he prophet Ezekiel, through which be
shows the people their way back to God
Ind their own country. Our lesson teaches
that they were first to be restored to In
ward holiness, then to outward prosperity.
That part OF Israel which had been taken
~ Nebuchednezzar WAS called judah. The
zen tribes went into captivity more than
century before. The return is OF the
rs. 'iThen." When God restores ISRAEL
20 their own land. Y. "a. Peloubet. "Will
[ sprinkle clean water upon you" Lam
zuage taken from tho law, viz, the water
mixed with the ashes of heiier sprinkled
with hyssop on the unclean. Numbers
1918. The truly cleansing water; the In
auence OF the holy Spirit, typiaed by water,
whose property 1t Is to cleanse, whiten,
purify, refresh, render healthy and 3D., fruit, :,
he soul whut filth is to the Bodybuilding,
1nhealthiul, uncomely, repulsiye. From
.very sort OF external and internal abomi-
aatlon and pollution.
90. "a new heart also" The heart is the
centre OF life to the body; 1t sends the life-
blood to every part; II It is weak or imper-
ect the whole body Is weak and sickly.
80 the character, the supreme love, the
will, are to the souIand the elife.-Peloubet.
"A new spirit" will renew your minds,
.nlighten your understanding, correct
your judgment and refine your will, 50
hat you will have q new spirit to actuate
four new heart. "Stony heart" Cold,
aard, dead. Cold to Gods love and good
aess, not warming with gratitude. holy
emotions and heavenly desires. Hard, not
| sasily impressed or moved by the divinest
motives; 1t is selfish and not stirred with
| ;he needs of others. Dead-no spiritual
life. in 1t, no source OF good works and
beautiful living-dead to Gods goodness,
holy influences and dead to heaven.
27. my spirit Within" The great prin-
hple Of life, light and love. "Walk In MY
ytatu.es." Thoroughly furnish them with
wisdom and will and active powers for
svery good work. Not by force, or by ex-
iernal violence, but by internal principle.
"keep Ny Judgments" Gods promises
must drive rs to His precepts as our rule,
Ind then His precepts send US back.to His
promises for strength.
%. Dwell in the land" Go there to
lbide. BE Ny people," Wholly given MP
10 Me In body, soul and spirit.-Clarke.
"Your God" What the spring sun Is to the
sarth, that would God be to them after the
sold hard winter Of their exile. All lie,
power, beauty, comfort, warmth and irults
come through the sun.
29. "Uncleapnesses." From falling into
them. "Corn." Type OF both material and
lpirItual prosperity and increase. Material
| prosperity was pavt OF the divine pledge
siven In tho Mosaic covenant.
80. "No reproach OF famine" The
beathen reproached the Israelites with
having o God who would allow them to
luffer hunger. They did not understand
The reason. This promise was IN large
measure fulfilled In tho return after the
Ieyenty years Of exile. There will be
more complete .fulfllment II the Jews now
In exile in oil lands for rejecting Christ
thall.return to their own land; but they
! must first receive the new heart from Christ
and be filed with His Spirit.
81. "Your own evil why's. .loathe your.
| Ielves." Here We see what Is the most
powerful inducement to an evangelical
repentance, namely, just sense OF the
mercy and grace OF God toward US. Inc
pore We see OF His readiness to receive us
into favor upon ourirepentance the moro
ashamed will we be or ourselves that We
should ever sin against so much love.
80. "Not for your sakes." Not on the
ground Of any gooi deservings OF yours.
i check on all vain presumption In the
Jews and confidence OF their own merit;
!ault to which they have been very prone
In every nge.
SO. "Wastes shall be builled." The lnnd
of Canaan was the promised land or Isrnel.
During the years Of their captivity thero
gas much destruction throughout their
land. When Israel truly rcpented OF SIN
they would be ready to build again tlelf
cities, as God would be pleased to have
them.
IS. "Thls land that was dcsolate is be.
como like tho garden OF Eden" Satan's
blast is removed; Gods blessing has taken
place. The heathen who once made the
desolation OF the lund IL ground OF reproacb
against Jehovah Himself are constrniped
to acknowledge Isruel's more than renewed
blcsscdness to be Gods own work and
ground for glorifying His name.
SO. "The henthen shall know" Repeat.
edly they had Knocked the God OF the Jews,
but the prosperity that should follow upon
the return OF Israel to Canaan would put to
silence all vain expressions against the
power and love OF God. When God opens
His hand We are filled. There Will be such
evidences OF His power that oil may see
and learn that he IL the living God. Moth
Ing but sin humiliates. Gods blessing a!'
ways lifts up. His grace Is like the walls
of protection built around the cities. Ihe
heuthon cannot rob the true child OF Coo
of his possessions. He May enter upon the
same by repentance, obedience ana iaich'
II the Lord" All glory Is due 20 Coo. hE
works uttract to Himself.