The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-10
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR SEPTEMBER IA.

II. This commandment" This refers
to what Moses had just been tellinS them;
The great commandment OF loving ana
obeying God. which is the sum Of the law.
''ls not hidden" Rather. is not too d'fii;
cult for thee. Jehovah has not imposed
upon His people conditions impossible oi
ful6lment, nor are His requirements dim
cult of comprehension. The will OF God,
which is but darkly manifested to other
nations (Acts II: 27), is clearly revealed
unto thee; thou canst rot pretend ignor'
ance. Heather oracles are shrouded in
mystery, but the commands Of God are
simple and duty is clear. Sec lisa; IS: i9
Neither is it far off," Nowhere does the
fundamental religious thought Of prophecy
find clearer expression than in Deutcron0-
my-the thought that Jehovah asks moth.
ing for Himself, but asks it rs n religious
duty that man should render to man what
is ri2ht-that his will lies not in any un.
known height but in the moral sphere
which is known and understood by all.
l2.l3 Not in heaven-neither beyond
the sea-" The law OF loving and obcying
God was well known to the lsraelites. IL
was not concealed in heaven, for II had
been revealed. They were not under the
necessity OF undertaking long journeys or
distant voyages, as many ancient sages did
in quest OF knowledge. The apostle Paul
rom. 10: 8S) has applied this passage TO
the gospel, for the law of Christ IL sub
stantially the same as that OF Moses, only
exhibited more clearly in the spiritual ma.
ture and extensive application. and accom-
panied with the advantage OF gospel grace,
is practicable and easy. II Is needless Tor
man to search for what is made known.
We need not climb the sky nor cross the
sea. May hear it." God speaks to His
people through the prophets and through
the gospel. !. Lovingly. 2; Distinctly.
3. Authoritatively. And do IT.. II Is
practicable. The word is clear and its OBJ
legations are not beyond our power to ful.
I'll. To know is no. enough; we must
cheerfully do what is commanded.
IA. rs very nigh" 1t is accessible. ].
hvered and published in our hearing. 2.
II is not distant from us to be brought
from far of lands, but it Is night. The
anxious follower after Righteousness Is not
disappointed by an impracticable code, nor
Knocked by an unintelliGble revelation.
'.Ip thy mouth" The law is made plain,
so that he that runneth may read; thy
priests lips keep this knowledge, and when
difficulties arise it may be heard at their
mouth. Nal. 2: 7. 1t is communicated to
thee in q familiar language, 30 that IT can
be talked of among thy children. In thy
heart" In the heart for our personal sal.
vation, in the mouth for Gods glory and
the salvation of others. In the heart and
not in the mouth is cowardice; IN the
mouth and not in the heart IL hypocrisy.
The gospel believed is fountain m the
heart; the gospel confessed is the streams
through the mouth. :,
Is. "Set before thee" The law had
been clearly and concisely stated. They
had the alternative Of good and happy,
or q disobedient and miserable life: Life
and death" Obedience TO Gods COM
mandfnents leads to life, disobedience leads
TO death. Prov. IL: 10. True life consists
in a union with Christ the source Of all
life; it implies all present and future good.
Death is a separation and Punishment from
God and implies present and future misery.
l6. ITO love the Lord" etc. In this
verse we have the whole o. true religion.
Matt. %: 81; Cor. Is: 4-8. He that has
this love in his heart has the fountain and
source Of all virtue. 1t is to the life what
the handspring is to q watch, what a foun.
tain is to a stream, what the soul IL to the
body, what the two olive trees Of Iecha-
riah's vision were to the lamps they fed.
1t is the work of Christianity first Of all to
implant this principle OF love in the heart.
and when this is done all the great practi-
cal questions which vex the world will be
settled, the difficulties vii! be removed,
and the wrongs destroyed. Walk in His
ways" Gods ways are safe, pleasant and
attractive. Our duty is laid down; wo
must walk" This viii require repeated
and constant effort on our part. "Mayest
live" etc. All temporal blessings as well
as spiritual good follow as reward for
right doing.
the world. Jas. 4: s; John 2: Is. World.
illness, pride, pleasure seeking. ease, forget
fulncss OF God, luxury-these have drawn
the curse Of God. Not hear" No. heed.
or pay attention to the Commandments of
God. Other gods" The gods OF the
heathen. Serve them" BY entering into
the l;ccntious and wicked practices which
were INDUCED in.
ls Surely perish" The punishment Of
the wicked Is inevitable. The wages of
sin is death" There is no respec. Of per.
sons with God. His laws are established
and Interchangeable. Jer. is: 7-l0; Gal. 8:
7. 8; Psa. 81: 20; Prov. 3: 80. Not pro.
long" etc. Psa. 55: q. The excuses and
sinful indulgencies OF the wicked bring
them to an untimely end. Sin destroys the
sinner.
10. Heaven and earth to witness tR.
W Here are two great witnesses. God
and the hosts of heaven are called upon to
testify that every provision has been made
for mans salvation, and life is freely Of
fered. Earth is also called upon TO wit
ness to Gods love and mercy in faithfully
providing salvation. and then warning man
OF his danger in not accepting it. There
fore choose life" l. Man is free to choose.
God has made him 70. He alone ia rcspon-
sible for deciding with regard to his eter-
nal welfare 2 He is urged to choose life
God commends His love, claims our love,
commands us TO love. and only by loving
Him can We live. 3. Our decision admits
OF but one alternative. II is either life or
death with us, heaven or hell I. The de-
cision should be made without delay
Choose ye this day whom ye will serve"
Thou and thy seed" In very important
sense parents are responsible to God for
their children. Children should be taught
to obey and honor their parents, and to
have respect and reverence for sacred
things.
90 ''Cleave unto Him" Notice the
three steps: Love. obey. cleave. Without
close attachment and perseverance. tempo
rary love. however sincere and fervcnt.
temporary obedience. however disinterest-
ed. energetic and pure. while il lasts. will
be ultimately Intellectual. He alone who
endures TO the end shall be saved HE is
thy life" He gives life. preserves life. re-
stores life and prolongs ii by His power.
He gives physical spiritual and eternal
life. lie Is the author Of all life.