Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-11-21

The SABBATH SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments ro'
November Is.
Subject: Woe to The Drunkards, lisa. xH'h'''
l3-GoIden Text, lisa. xviii, 7-menory
Verse, L Commentary on he
Days Lesson.

to Samaria, the beautiful capital OF lsraei;
The city was situated on the top OF round our
Hill and surrounded by rich valley. The
drunkards of Ephraim." Ephralm, the
leading tribe of the nation, had become de-
based in vice. They were tribe OF drunk
ards, and because of this the woe was upon
them. "a fading flower" A very toreiDIe
as a flower "The fat valleys" The val,
leys around Samaria were very fertile and
beautiful. Overcome with wine" Wine
causes men to fall an easy victim to temp
tation. Alcohol destroys the will power.
The drunkard has bad character and gen
orally enters recklessly into the vilest sins
What is overcome? /. Reason. Intern
perance makes fools of men. 2. Con
science. The moral sense becomes dead.
ened. 8. Physical powers. The drunkard
INDUCES in that which entirely units him
to meet the obligations that are resting
upon him. He incapacitates himself tor
any position of trust. The penalty is lost
manhood. social degradation, an impover
ished and desolate home and eternal ban.
ishment from God.
e. "The Lord hath a-strong one" This
is reference to the army of the Assyrians,
which was soon to come upon them like
devastating storm. The destruction would
C., a
great flood.
8. "Trodden under foot" Shalmaneser,
with the Assyrian host, invaded, overcame
and carried the people away, never to re-
turn. 1t is an unsolyed problem to this
day where the ten tribes are; whether they
continue to exist or are entirely extinct
All of this was because of sin, and espe
cially the sin of drunkenness.
4. GAS the first ripe fig" AS the first
ripe fruit was eagerly seized by the fruit
gatherer and hastily eaten, so Samaria
would be delicious morsel for the Assy.
rians. The image expresses in the strong
est manner the great ease with which the
invaders would take the city and the whole
kingdom of Israel and the eagerness with
which they would seize and consume the
prey. It is still true that trouble and sor..
row like an invading army come upon and
destroy those who might have been happy
and prosperous but for strong drink.
s. "Unto the residue" The prophet
now turns from the ten tribes to the two
nant of Gods people, who were to continue
a kingdom for more than 100 years after
Israel was carried into captivity. Judah
was to be favored and blessed Under
Hezekiah there was to be revival of re-
ligion. So, to-day, Jehovah will be "a
crown of glory" and "a diadem of beauty"
to those who trust His word.
6. "a spirit of judgment" A clear per.
ception of Gods truth. A clear head is
promised as well as glory and beauty.
'Turn the battle to the gate" Who pur'
sue the fleeing enemy even to the very
gates of their own city. We have a spirit.
ual warfare to wage (Eph. 6: ~, and we
are pledged to conquer the world for Christ.
Beware lest we render ourselves unfit for
military service by luxurious habits and
sinful indulgences The drunkards of
Ephraim could do nothing to oppose the
invaders.
7. "But these also have erred" (R. W
Jerusalem as well as Samaria has her inc.
briates and scenes of disgusting intoxica-
ton. Though her punishment is not as
near as that of the northern kingdom,
there are seen the marks of sure decline.
Note the effects Of strong drink portrayed
In this verse: l. Erring, wandering into
forbidden ways and places. g Even the
religious teachers led astray. 8. Wholly
absorbed in appetite. 4. They cannot see
things as they are, or judge correctly. 5.
The whole life is perverted. Gods minis.
tiers need pure heart, clean life and
clear vision.
8. 'There is no clean place" The liquor
business is filthy business, and every one
who is engaged in it or has anything to do
with it is made. filthy by it. The body,
mind and soua of the one connected with
it become polluted and corrupt.
9. 10. "Whom shall he teach," etc.
Many regard these verses as the words
used by the scoffers as they Knocked the
prophet. They treat Gods method OF
dealing with them and warning them by
10 hof u,ith
What, say they. doth He treat us as mere
infants just weaned? Doth He teach lis
like little children, constantly going over
the same easy lessons. We must conceive
verse 10 as spoken in mimicry, with
hooking motion Of the head, and in a
childish stammering tone.
ii. "Nay" Or. W The prophets reply
begins with this verse. Isaiah attacks them
with great force and severity, turning their
own language, spoken in mockery, back
upon themselves. Yes, it shall be as you
say, We shall be taught by strange tongue,
and in a strange land, whittier you will be
carried into captivity. Then you will be
forced to learn like children.
II. This is the rest" etc. God has
given them repeated and faithful warnings,
pointing out to them the true rest and the
way to obtain it, but they had closed their
ears and would not hear" and were going
on in their fancied security to certain de.
struction.
H.. "And fall backward" etc. They
had had great light, and this made them
great sinners, and they deserved terrible
punishment.
Thoughts.-The misery of this life comes
from Satan. The way to keep out of sin is
10 resist temptation. Drunkenness is the
means by which the devil drags down to
perdition both young and old. Christians
who follow the Bible will be total abstain
ers. The priests were forbidden to drink
vine; we are priests Il Pet. 2: 81, therefore
we ought to avoid it. Gods people are to
come out from the world and be separate
from sin and sinners. 2 Cor. 6: l4-l8. AL.
though His people are in the world, yet
they are not of the world. John II: ID.
Our world is staggering under the awful
curse of alcoholism. The liquor traffic is a
cancer eating the very life out of society.
It. destroys the morals of the country and
blights wherever it touches. Christians
,annot oppose it too strongly The sanction
20 the wholesale and retail murder of help.
less human beings, through the licensed sa-
Ioon, is enough to brand us as hypocrites,
Ind bring upon us the judgments of an Of
ended God. The man who sanctions the
traffic by his vote is partaker Of all its
vil.