The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-12-14
FRUITS GOOD AND BAD.
International 8. 8. Lesson for Dec. II,
1sDO--rext, Malachi 3,i1 to 4,0
Memory vs.. JI-1S.


II: 7-15.
TIME.-B. c. 4S3-427. probably. (see last
lesson) |
PLACE.-Jerusalem and vicinity.
EXPLANATORY.
/. Good Men in Bad World.--Vs. |
1918. We saw in our last lesson how
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. (See Jude l5.) What have we
spoken so much:" Omit so much.
V. lathe prophet replies: "Ye have
said It is vain to serve God:" Note their
spirit here and in what
profit is it that we have kept His ordi-
nance" The services God required for
His temple and worship. walked
mournfully:" With outward signs Of
sorrow and repentance for their sins, in
sackcloth and ashes, and frequent ma
tional fasts. (See Zech. 7:3. s; s:19.)
V. Is. 1--WE call the proud happy"
The word ''we" is emphatic. and sug-
gests a reference on the part of the
speakers to v. IL. "They that work
wckedness are set up:" Rather built
up," prosperous, successful. They
that tempt" etc: Rather. yea. they
tempt God, and are delivered, as r. V.
The persons are the same as in the pre-
ceding clause, "they that work wicked
ness"
V. 16. "They that feared the Lord:"
With reverential awe that led Him to
trust and obey him. "Spake often:'
Gotten" is not in the Hebrew) lone to
another:" Thus encouraging and
strengthening one another. 1.-The Lord
hearkened, and heard" Compare Matt.
1919, 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 If written in book
Henry. '"That thought upon His
name:" Which expresses His character,
His power, His glory.
V. II. "And they shall be Mine," etc.
Rather, and they shall be to Me, said
Jehovah of Hosts, in the day that am
preparing peculiar treasure; compare
the expression "a peculiar people"
in Tit. 2:14, and in Pet. go. See also
Ex. 1875; Deut. 7:6; Psa. 135:4.-Cook.
II will spare them" Keep them from
harm. "As a man spareth his own son
that serveth HIM" That is an obedient
and dutiful son.
V. 1s. "Then shall we return and dis
Germ" Look again, and then ye shall
see broad distinction, nay, more, n
real contrast, between the destiny Of
the righteous and the destiny of the
wicked.
II. The Contrasts of the Judgment
Day VS.. 1-3. First, the Wicked. vi.
"For" connects this verse with a 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 healing:" Heal
ing from trouble and from sin, and all
the miseries with which they are sur
rounded. "In His Wings" His swift
rays flying from the sun to us. This
doubtless refers to the Messiah. v. 8.
"And We shall tread down the wicked:"
Righteousness shall be victorious over
evil. I'm the day that shall do this"
At the time when Messiah shall come
and shall have perfected His reign.
III. There Shall BE Preparation for
Nlis Judgment.-Vs. 4-6.
First. BY the law of God which 10
ever with them to warn and to make
righteous. v. I. Remember" 80 as
to obey. 1.-The law of Moses:" The Ten
Commandments. and all the other laws.
which were the constitution and laws
of the Jews. (cven) the statutes and
judgments.
Second. BY forerunners. like Elijah,
who warned the wicked in season to es-
cape. and prepared the way for the COM
ing Of the kingdom Of Righteousness.
Y. 5. "Behold, will send you Elijah
the prophet" Viz. one who should be a
second Elijah. Matt. 11:14 and Mark
9:1l, 12. Before the coming OF the
great and dreadful day of the Lord"
In the original, this is taken verba tim
from Joel 2:31. 1t must refer to 1.-THE
day that shall burn as an oven." (Ma-
lachi 4:D. V. 6. ''And He shall turn
the heart of the fathers to the children:"
He shall turn the hearts of the fathers,
the lsraelites, to the Gentiles, the chill
dren, apostate, prodigal. outcast, but
still children. Or translate "to," with,
and the meaning is that the Office of the
Baptist should he to turn the hearts of
young and old alike. 1t 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 5:3). The law speaks wrath; the
Gospel. blessing.--J., F. and b.