The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-08-02
THE NEW HEART.
international Sunday school Lesson
foe August q, tsDD-TeHt, Esekiei
Bdt25-s0-Memcry verses, 25-2T,


LIGHT FROM OTHER scriptures
Sin a Captivity John s:si; Rom. 6l6, ~,
i.23. q, S.2l. 2 Pet. 2.i9. Cleansing. -Psa.
6.6; 5l:7; Heb. 1929; / Cor. GIL. Eph. $50. l
john ~. The New Heart--John S.3-s. Cal
6.i5, Jcr. 81 80, 81 49, Ezek. li:is. 20: Matt.
1889. 1879 Rom. 1917. Jas las Place IN
Bible Iltstory,-2 Kings chaps ~ 20.
TIME Ezekiel was carried captive ~
c. 500, perhaps at the age OF 80 U:D; began
to prophecy Il e. b92. and continued tiIl
so. THIS prophecy belongs to the period
after the destruction OF Jerusalem. 6>6
PLACE. Ezekiel was born In Jud q, hut
after he was taken captive he dwc,t at Tel.
abb on the hank OF the river Chcbar prob.
ably one OF the great canals near Baby lon.
III. A. White, NJ A.
CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. -The de.
struction OF Jerusalem, %. {. Csc Ne.
buchadnczzar. King Of Baby lon. and Fharaol
hophra, king OF Egypt The seven Wis,
Allen" flourishcd IN Greece. Tarquinius
Irscus ruled at Rome. soon. the wise
lawgiNer at Athens, Sappho. the Greek
poetessi Aesop, noted for his fables. aus
The Philosopher Pythagoras-all lived dur.
inB Ezekiel NE time,
EXPLANATORY.
|. Cleansing from Past Sin.-V. 2j.
In the previous verses the prophet pic
lures the corruption and idolatry which
dciiled the people, and the punishment
which was inflicted 10y God on account
of IT,, then the promise of return, for
the sake OF His kingdom. Them"
When the time shall come for God to re-
store Israel to their own land ". 2D.
will L." God is speaking Sprinkle
clean water upon you:" The concep-
ton Of cleansing by sprinkling clean
water comes from the Mosaic ceremo-
NAL system. (Sce especially Mum.
lg:l1-lg, and also Psa. 5l:7.)-Cowles.
(Also Heb. 9;l3,14.) New Testament
Light. Cleansing from sin is absolute
~ essential to the salvation of the indi-
yidual and of the nation. God saves not
in sin, but from sin from. 5:l2; |. Cor.
3:l7; go; Rev. 2l:20. D We are
clcansed from the guilt of sin by for
giyeness Col. l:l4; Tit. 2:lI; Rom.
j:ls SAD (2) from the consequences
Of sin John 3:l6; Rom. 500; 81 from
the love Of sin, by the new heart re-
ferred 10 in V. 20.
II. The New Hearty. &c. ~ new
heart also will | give you:" The heart
is the center OF life to the body; II
sends the lfc-blood TO every part; il
it is weak or imperfect the Mole body
is weak and sickly. "A new spirit" \
new motive, new principle Of action, a
new love. and | will take away the
stony heart" The heart OF sin Is
called stony, like a rock. New Tesla.
ment Light. This is the great doctrine
II y Ia
by our Lord Himself in His statement
respecting the new birth John $3.50.
and everywhere presented as preemi-
nently the work Of the Spirit of God.
Ill. The New Life.--N. %. II will
put my Spirit within you:" This is the
gift OF the Holy Spirit, promised by
joel (2:2S). Keep My judgments"
Ills laws, His decisions, as to what was
right.
". Motives for Choosing the New
Life VS.. 1886. First Motive: \
Promise of Restoration. V. 2s. And
We shall dwell in the land:" They shall
be restored 10 their own land.
Second Motive: Deliyerance from
Sin. V. 20. II will also save you from
all your uncleannesses:" The outward
blessings promised could not continue
unless they should first be saved from
sin.
Third Motive: A Promise of Prosper
ity and Plenty Tvs. 20, 3O) 81 will call
for the corn" (grain): God as the
owner Of the earth and controller Of
all its forces, will summon them to sup
ply the grain needed for their support.
V. 30. "And | will multiply the fruit OF
the tree:" There shall be plenty OF
food. "No more reproach of famine"
The heather seem TO have reproached
the Israelites with having a God who
would allow them to suffer hunger.
The heather did not understand the
reason. (See v. 49,
Fourth Motive: A Nature Refined,
Purified, Ennobled Tvs 81, 800. al.
Then shall We remember your own evil
WAYS and shall loathe your
selves" When they see their own
sins in contrast with Gods goodness,
then they will realize how mean and
disgraceful their sins were. N.32. And,
lest the goodness OF God in restoring
them should lessen their feeling as to
their own character, God tells them:
mot for your sakes do | this" They
did not deserve II.
Fifth Motive; A Promise for Their
Country. Patriotism Tvs, 1890. V. 80.
"In the day that shall have cleansed
you:" They must never forge that
this was the necessary condition OF
salvation. V. 35. This land that was
desolate is TO become like the garden
Of Edcn:" In these verses the tenn
poral side(so TO speak, OF these verses
stands forth prominently. This
prophecy Is being fulfilled in every
Christian community, as far as II II
Christian; but it's complete fulfillment
will be in the renewed and restored
earth, when, sin being removed, and
God dwelling with men, the beauty and
glory OF paradise shall be restored (see
Rev 81 and 22).
Sixth Motive. V. go. Then the
heather .. shall know" The Jews
should not only be blessed themselves,
but become missionary people. maxi
ing known the true God TO the sur
rounding nations.