The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-12-07
LESSONS IN GIVING.
Intern ational 8. .. Lesson for Dec. 10,
I ls0O-Text. Malachi 1r6-11, 3,s.l2
Memory Verse, DilO.

ana also IOrlnt hlans ana y.
TIME.-The prophecies. II they belong TO
| the period OF Neh, miah's absence In Per-
| Gn. were delivered i. c. 4SS-4.7. Others
place them soon after or before Ezra's re-
| forms. Il. c. 45S.
PLACE.-Jerusale-n and vicinity.
EXPLANATORY.
l. Gods Fatherly Love and Care for
His reoplc.-Vs. La. Malachi's proph-
ecy begins with the statement OF 4
great fact. which fact is itself an argu-
men. and appeal for right conduct
l have loved you. saith the Lord. The
reply was. "Whereir hast thou loved us +?
How do we know you love us? What
have you done to show your love?"
II. The Mean Way in Which They
Treated Their Loving God.-Vs. ell.
The prophet shows them why they have
been treated as they expected good
Heavenly Father to treat them. They
would not permit it.
V. 6. "A son honoureth his father"
That is the normal, natural and usual
way. IF then I be father, as you
cal me, and whose fatherly love you
expect, where is mine honour| Why
| do you not treat Inc as father?' 70
pricsts!" The religious leaders OF the
people. And ye say, Wherein have
we despised thy nameN They either
tried to brazen it out, or their CON
sciences were too dull to realize what
they had been doing.
V. 7. "Ye offer polluted bread upon
mine altar" That which they could not
use themselves they offered in sacrifice.
V. s. THE blind for sacrifice " y
the lame and sick" Whatever was
worthless and could not be sold or eaten
by themselves they offered in sacrifice.
"Is it not evil?" An insult, piece Of
yelfishness in the guise OF piety. To
show them that this Is so he bids them
"oifcr 1t now unto thy governor"
Would you take such a present as that
when YOU went to honor him, or ask
favor OF him?
V.9. "And now, l pray you. bescech
God that he will be gracious unto u.s."
That Is, apply the same reasoning to
God. AS you take present to the gov
ernor when you wish favor. SO bring
your polluted bread, and your sick
sheep, and your blind lambs. and. pre-
senting them to God, ask your favors OF
him. Yet, this hath been by your
means" This is what you really have
done, and yet you wonder that you have
not received all the favors you have
asked!
V. 10. "Who 80 would shut the
nought" You are supremely selfish
and wiz nothing for love, nothing from
the heart
V. II. "For." have no occasion to
accept such offerings, "for" there is an
abundance OF true sacrifices elsewhere.
"My name shall be Or. V. is) great
among the Gentiles." "The present as
foreshadowing the future" "Incense:"
A type and expression Of prayer. "Of-
fering" Spiritual sacrifices Of praise,
love and obedience.
III. The Conditions OF Spiritual
Prosperity.-Vs. S-12. After setting
some other duties In the right light,
and showing that judgment swift and
sure was coming upon evil-doers, the
prophet returns to the subject OF dis
honoring God by their neglect or per-
version Of their religious duties. In
chap. 1t was through offerings, here
through tithes.
V. s. "Will a man rob God?" Can
any dare to do such a thing? yet ye
have robbed me. - Wherein? In
tithes and offerings" The tithe was
1.-THE tenth" OF the increase OF their
property, the produce of their orchards,
vineyards, focks, herds and all their
gains.
V.9. Eye are cursed with CURSE"
| (See Deut. 2s.) They had expected to
gain for themselves by so much as they
withheld from God.
V. 10. "Bring ye all the tithes into
| the storehouse:" The chambers which
surrounded the temple on three sides.
These had been 30 empty that In Nehe-
| miah's absence one Of them had been
fitted UP for the abode Of the heather
| Tobiah (Neh. 10: 3S; 13: SO, IL, 13).
"And prove me-" Even II you are poor,
and may have to deny yourselves. put
me to the test, and see if my way is
not better than yours. "If l will not
open you the windows Of heaven:" A
poetical and prowrbial expression,
: signifying a great downpouring which
is fancifully ascribed to the opening of
windows in the sky (Gen. Z: II; 2 Kings
z: 2).-F. E. Todd. Pour you OUT"
Empty out" as II God meant that he
would empty forth his vast reservoir
OF blessings.-Cowles.
V. II. II will rebuke:" Warn off,
prevent from coming. THE devourer:
Lit, eater; lie.
V. IL. "All nations shall call you
blessed" Happy. So great will be your
prosperity and happiness that the fame
thereof will extend to all nations, as
| In Solomon's time. "A delightsome
land:" A lovely place to live in, para
disc.
Giving for Christ's cause and the good
Of men is great privilege. to be sought
after, longed for. God does not need
cur gifts. The wealth Of the universe