The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-20
THE, SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER 24.

montary on the DAYS Lesson.
9. "The people that walked In darkness
The people Of Judah. They were at thia
time under two.fold darkness: Q Tns
darkness OF outward trouble. Sea- Elngs
1887; 16:4-S, 17;'2 Chron. 2S:5-s. They
were In moral darkness; They we're at.
tackled by the King OF Israel and by the
king Of Damascus, and stterward by the
king Of Assyrla. Great multItudes were
carried captives, Or we're slain. In this
deep afllctlon otthe Jewish nation her old
foes rose up against her. The Edomltes,
on the southeast, and the Phillstines, on
the south vest, poured 10 their troops upon
the devoted land and added to its calamt.
ties. This Phillstines took permanent pos.
overruu, occupying 1t and aiding II TO their
dominion. judah was indeed drought low
and made Naked" Q Chron. 2S:18. Her
country was desolate, her cities were burned
with fire; her land-strangers devoured 1t
In her presence, Isa. 1T. The territory that
remained to her was truly but very
small remnant, and even that was threat
ened. To escape from these troubles king
Ahaz appealed to Tiglath-Plleser H., Of
Aasyrla, for help. he came, and the result
was that Ahaz had to rob the temple and
! his palace Of their treasures In order to pay
the required tribute; and, still more, he
sacrificed the independence aud honor OF
the realm itself.-Peloubet.
8. "Thou hast multiplied the nation"
The prophet shows them the Messiah and
His times. He would move them TO hope,
awaken faith, arouse to Righteousness, by
the vision OF good times coming. The only
way to such a blessed contamination was
by the path OF holiness, obedience and
faith. "They Joy before Thee" The pro-
phet notes It to be religious JOY because
, it Is said to be before God-that Is, IN His
presence and with q grateful acknowledge
ment OF His benefits. This seems to denote
that the events predicted would be the
source OF greater joy to all true Israelites
than any Of their former dellverances;
though, at the same time, the unbellsving
Jews who constituted the bulk OF the ma
tion would be driven into darkness, RS they
were, both as to their outward mlserles and
their dark and blinded state in respect Of
spiritual concerns.
4. "Thou hast broken the yoke" Tue
Jews were successlvely delivered from the
burdensome and CALLING yoke OF the Assy-
rlans, Chaldeans, Per5ians and Macedon-
. ans; but these deliverances were only q
shadow OF redemption from the yoke Of
Satan; and that redemption seems here
i especially predicted as II already accom-.
Gideon with handful OF men conquered
the hosts OF. Midlun, so Messiah, the
child ". 81, shall prove to be the "Prlnce
OF peace, land the small company under
Him shall overcome the mighty hosts OF
Antichrlst. See the same contrast In Mic.
5: 2.5. ...
I 5. "For every battle." It was the cus-
, TOM OF antiquity to pile the arms OF pros.
trate enemies, the spolls of>iess value, and
their spotted garments, into g; heap and
then burn them. All that belongs to war
shall be swept away; the war nself shall
de- The Messiah abolishes ALT war; but
. not until His foes are either swept awny by
Hlsjudgment5 or melted Into penitence and
won over to submission by His love. These
promises were great comfort, not only
for the promise OF victory over the then
threatening enemy, but from the assur-
ance OF final triumph and success. The
tide from the socean OF future blessings
flowed back upon the present. The light
from Jesus Christ shone back on Judah all
through ths seven hundred years that lay
between. The best things in life are but
dlmly seen and partly known. -
| 6. unto u.s." The'prophet spake OF the
predicted blessings as II already com muni-
child was born for the benefit OF US men.
OF US sinners, OF all believers, to theend OF
the world. In tue far distance the prophet
forssaw the Redsemer OF the world. It. is
Interesting to notice how this promise
gradually dawned upon the world through
the pronhets. A little later came the
, vision OF the suffering Saviour (lsa. 53);
then the town where He should be born
/ (Micah 5:2);' q more complete revelation
came through Daniel. These prophecies
were 80 spread abroad that at the time OF
His coming there prevailed throughout
the entire East an intense conviction that
ere long a powerful monarch would arise
In Judea and gain dominion over the
world. Virgil, who lived q. little before
this, owns that O child from heaven was
looked for, who should restore tho golden
nge and take away sin. "a son Is given"
Gods gratuitous gift, upon which man
had no claim. John SIG. A gift Of love,
Of joy, OF universal fitness to our needs,
Of eternal enrichment, OF forever iucreas-
Ing value; and this gift insures all other
gifts. Rom. s:92. As Son OF man jesus
was"a child born;" as Son Of God he was
"Son given." "Government." Tho en-
sign OF government, the sceptre, tho
sword, or key, was borne upon or hung
from tue shoulder. All government shall
BIZ vested In him. "Hls name" A name
stands for all that is in the man-his
character, his principles and his property.
"Wonderful." Because His nature was
both human and divine. Whoever refuses
to believe In the supernatural must pause
at the manger. He can go no farther.
How Godhool aud manhood could be knit
| together In. the person OF Christ Is beyond
US. But things incomprehensible are not
incredible. All divine works are wonder-
full. There are mnrvels enough in drop
OF water TO bewlder the wissst. Counsel
lor." One who has wisdom to guide himself
and Others Jesus was tho embodiment OF
theWisdom OF God. Mighty God." God the
mighty One. As He has wisdom, so he has
strength; He Is able to saye to the utter
most; aud such IS the work Of the Mediator
that no less a power than that OF the
mighty God could accomplish 1t. He has
control of oil forces for the salvation OF
men; He Gun conquer all enemies, make
His kingdom triumphant over all obstacles,
cnn always stand batore aud above His
people, leading them oa to higher and
higher developments. Everlasting
Father" Expressing the divine love and
pity for men, q love that can never fail, for
it is everlasting. The Father plteth His
children that are weak In knowledge, and
instructs them; pitles them when they are
froward, and bears with them; pitles them
when they are sick, and comforts themi
when they are fallen, and helps them up
again. prince OF Peace" As King he
preserves, commands, creates peace. His
peace both keeps the hearts OF Hls people
and rules in them. He Is the Author OF all
that peace which Is the present and futura
bliss OF bis subjects. Peace Is used to ex.
press all the blessings that come to a
kingdom where there Is peace from out.
ward enemies, peace between rulers and
ruled, peace between the different NOM
pers OF the kingdom; no disorders, no idle.
neas no criminals.