The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-12-13
FRUITS GOOD AND BAD.
=. =. Lesson for Dee. ~,
IsOO-Text. malachi aiia 60 aiu
memory We. i0-Is.

COMPARE Malachi o. i-s. also Matthew
TiME.-D. C. .p-..1. probably. Csse las,
| iessonl
/ PLAcE.-Jerusaiem and vicinity.
| EXPLANATORY.
I. Good Men In a BAD world.-Vs.
1918. We saw In our last lesson how
disappointed the Jews were that they
had not received all that had been
promised, that the reality fell so far
short OF their expectations and their
ideals. The prophet showed them that
they could find the reason for this not
In God, but In their own character and
actions. A change In these would
| quickly bring the realization OF their
hopes. Now we have the same COM
plant more definitely expressed.
V. 10. "Your words have been STOUT"
That is hard. presumptuous, impu.
dent. (Sce Jude 49, "What have We
spoken 80 much" Omit so much.
V. lathe prophet replies: "Ye have
said II is vain TO serve God" Note their
bargaining spirit here and In what
profit 10 II that we have kept His ordi-
nance7" The services God required for
His temple and worship. walked
mournfullys" With outward signs OF
sorrow and repentance for their sins, In
saekcloth and ashes. and frequent ma.
tionnl tests. (See Zcch. 10, S; s;io)
v. is. I'VE call the proud happy"
The word 1--WE" Is emphatic, and sug-
gests u reference on the part Of the
speakers TO V. IL. They that work
wlckedness are set ups" Rather built
up" prosperous, successful They
that tempt" etc: Rather. yea. they
tempt God, and are delivered. as II. V.
The persons arc the same ~ In the pre-
ceding clause. "they that work wicked
ness"
V. i6. "They that feared the Lord"
With reverential awe thai led Him to
trust and obey him. "Spake often"
| Gotten" il not in the Hebrew ''one Co
another" Thus encouraging aud
| strengthening one another. The Lord
hearkened. and heard" Compare Matt.
1879, 20. "a book Of remembrance was
written" AN expression after the
manner OF men. intimating that their
pious Projections and performances are
kept in remembrance as punctually and
particularly as ~ written In n book
Henry. That thought upon Ills
name:" Which expresses Hlscharacter.
His power, His glory.
V. II. And they shall be Nine" etc.
Rather. and they shall be 90 Me- said
Jehovah Of Hosts. In the day that am
preparing a peculiar treasure, compare
the expression "a peculiar people"
In Tit. g;it. and In Pet. 2:9. See also
FIX. 1855; Deui. $50; Psa. i3s.t-Cook.
II will spare them" Keep them from
harm. las a man spareth his own son
that serveih him:" That Is an obedient
and dutiful son.
Wis. Then shall we return and dis
Germ" Look again. aud then ye shall
ace a broad distinction. nay. more. n
reai contrast. between the destiny Of
the righteous and the destiny OF the
wicked.
II. The Contrasts OF the Judgment
MY vs.. IL. First. the Wicked. vi.
For" connects this verse with previ.
Gus one. The day cometh that shall
burn as an oven;" or furnace.
ii. The Righteous. V. 2. "shall the
Sun of righteousness arise" Right
eousness has here the not uncommon
sense Of deliverance, salvation. blessed.
ness.-Cowles. with henling:" Heal.
ing from trouble and from sin, and all
the mlserics with which they are sur
rounded. I'm His WINGS" His swift
rays flying from the sun 10 us. This
doubtless refers TO the Messiah. Va.
"And We shall tread down the wicked"
righteousness shall be victorious over
evil. lin the day that I shall do this;"
At the time when Messiah shall come
and shall have perfected His reign.
III. There Shall lie Preparation for
this Judgment.-vs. 40.
First. BY the law OF God which IL
ever with them 10 warn and 20 make
righteous. V. 4. "Remembcr:" so as
TO obey. "the law OF Moses" The Ten
Commandments. and all the other laws,
which were the constitution and laws
OF the Jews, (eyen) the statutes and
judgments.
Second. BY forerunners, like Elijah,
who warned the wicked In season 10 es-
cape. and prepared the way for the com
Ing OF the kingdom of righteousness.
V. 5. Behold, | will send you Elijah
the prophet" Viz, one who should be
second Elijah. Matt. Il:i4 and Mark
0;ii, ~. Before the coming OF the
great and dreadful day OF the Lord:"
In the original. this is taken verbatim
from Joel 2;3i. II must refer TO "the
day that shall burn as an oven" (Ma-
lachi AN. V. Q. "And lie shall turn
theheart ofthe fathers to the children,"
He shall turn the hearts OF the fathers,
the lsraelltes, 10 the Gentiles, the chill.
dren, apostate, prodlgal, outeast, but
stu children. Or translate ito" with,
and the meaning Is that the Office OF the
Baptist should be 10 turn the hearts OF
young and old alike. II is deeply sug.
gestive that the last utterance from
Heaven 400 years before Messiah was
the awful word "curse." Messiah's first
word on the Mount was blessed"
Matt. $3.50. The law speaks wrath; the
Gospel, blessing.-J., Il. and d.
Figs and Thistles.