The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-05
Sunday-SchoOI Lesson for August 8.
The Promise of Restoration.
EZEK XXXVI:25-36.
BY j. e. GILBERT, D. D., IL. D.,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education
EEK. XXXVI:25-36.

scribes that order-first pardon, then
regeneration, finally obedience. The
last is the end sought in all Gods
gracious dealings with men, in fact the
proof of the previous states John,
xv:1D. 4 disobedient man is not peni-
tent. neither has he a new heart (Deut.,
v:29). The law of God is the rule of
human conduct and the only basis for
a prosperous condition of society, and
he is right who sincerely desires and
earnestly attempts to keep that law.
Sin is lawbreaking, dishOnoring to God,
destructive to man q John, iiD. Hence
the prophet represents the Almighty as
declaring that the people after their
return from captivity should walk in
His statutes and keep His judgments.
To that end His spirit will be given
not to minister to their enjoyment
merely, but to re-cnfOrce their wills
and help them to n faithful perform
ance of all the duties required of them.
COVENANT Verse 2S)-The promise
of God goes forward to yet larger
things. He offers to renew the cove
nant which the people had broken, a
covenant or agreement between Him
and them made with Abraham, their
illustrious ancestor, fourteen centuries
before (Gen., Xii:2). There were two
special features of that covenant which
made it of incalculable value. First, It
was a pledge that they should be the
people of God, that He should be their
God, a pledge of mutual attachment
they to represent Him among the ma
tions, He to care for them. This fea-
ture was presented by the weeping
prophet DER. XXX:22) as an induce
ment to reform, and repeated many
times by our author (EZek., XXXvii:2O.
Second. the covenant included a war
ranty deed to the land of promise, exc
cuted to Abraham Gen, xv:1S), re-
newal through Moses (Deut. xXxiv:D,
and repeated after the conquest (John.,
XXiv:13). All this, which had been lost
through the idolatry and wickedness OF
Israel, should be regained if the spirit
ual reform above recited was accom-
plished.
PROSPERITY CVerses 49, 3O3S, 34).
1t would seem as if the foregoing
were enough. What more could a peo-
pie ask than to be restored to the Di-
vine favor and to the forfeited land
of their fathers. But Gods goodness
far exceeds human expectation and
desire (Eph. iii:3O). His promise of
spiritual blessing to the captive Jews
is supplemented by surprising pro-
mise of temporal good This latter
occupies a very large place in our les
son. The famine which had in the
later years come upon the land (Jer.
iii:6), the memory of which was asso-
Ciated with their captivity, should dis
| appear, and the consequent reproach
of the heather should cease. The
old-time fruitfulness of the field should
return and plenty should be in their
habitations Oeut. viii:S-9). The cities
should be rebuilded and inhabited and
| gladness should fill the hearts of the
people. Here is a plain statement
| of the doctrine found in many places
| in Scripture psalm xXvii:25) that
righteousness promotes ones welfare
| in this life (Matt.vi:33).
! PUBLICITY (Verses 80 and 36).-The
] good which the righteous receive from