The Yale expositor., 1904-12-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
cEssoN X, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 4.


Prepared by Rev. ID. Nj. stearns.
ECQyright. 1901, by American Press Association.
The lesson today tells of the cleans
ing OF the temple and the re-establish.
rnent of the worship of God in the
regn of Hezekiah, for his father, Ahaz,
hid not right in the sight OF the Lord,
hut worshiped Baal and the gods OF the
1pngs Of Syria and put affairs to idols
IN every corner Of Jerusalem and In the
Ett1es of judah and destroyed the YES
sels of the house OF God and shut up
The doors of the house OF the Lord, SO
that the Lord brought Judah low be-
kause Of Ahaz, king of Israel He was
mot king OF the ten tribes, but of the
Fwo, yet he is called the king of Israel
Nchapter xviii, 2, 10, %, % perhaps
Because Israel is always one nation be-
fore God.
When King Hezekiah kept his great
passover, although he was not king Of
all Israel, yet he sent to all Israel and
Uudah to come TO Jerusalem TO keep
the passover. and, while some only
laughed and Knocked, there were many
OF AsAer~aRd Manasseh and Zebulun
who humbled themselves and came TO
Jerusalem (chaptcr xxx. l. 10, III!
When Hezekiah began to reign he be-
gan at once to do right in the sight of
the. Lord by opening the doors of the
house. of the Lord and repairing them
In tlfe very first month Of his reign
HVerse 81, and, calling the Levites, lie
said, Hear me, ye- Levites; sanctify
now yourselves and sanctiiy the house
or the Lord God Of your fathers and
EarfyiGorth the filthiness out OF the holy
place" (verse 81. nThey were obedient to
the word Of the king and began ut once,
but they were eight days cleansing the
Eemple proper and eight more before
they finished the work oversees 16,. 10.
AT least ten times in this chapter we
have the expression "the house of the
Lord," once "the habitation OF the
Lord" and once 1.-The temple of the
E,ord," making twelve in all, so that we
see at once the heart of the chapter,
and the great work in hand is the
cleansing and sanctifying of the house.
The practical suggestion comes to each
believer, Am clean before God as His
temple? If not, how shall l, as His
kemple, be clean and fit for His serv-
tceY rr4f
The last verses OF the previous chap
ter show us the condition of things
(which is all too common today-con-
formity to this present world, notwith-
STANDING the commands here plainly
Given-and that in Rom. xii, /, 2, BE
mot conformed to this world, but be We
transformed (transfguredl by the re-
newing of your mind that ye may prove
what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will Of God" By the precious
blood. of Christ the sinner receiving
Him is cleansed and made fit for the
presence OF God Col i, 1914; Eph. /. g.
"a, but, then, there is a daily cleansing
needed to fit us for His daily service,
for 1t is as true of us as it was of the
Eevites, "The Lord hath chosen you to
stand before Him, to serve Him, and
that We should minister unto Him and
offer sacrifice" Verse IL, margin), the
last clause having an explanation in
Heb. xiii, 10, 10. This necessary cleans
ing reminds us of the request in our
LORDS prayer, "Sanctify them through
Thy truth; Thy word Is truth" John
xvii, 10, and Of Eph. Y, o. THAT He
might sancrlfy and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word"
when the Levites reported the cleans
ing completed, the king rose early and
gathered the rulers and went to the
hohse of The lord and offered sin, Of
kerfngs anu burnt offerings tor aII Isra-
a Cverse pa. If we had the spirit Of
Hezekiah, we would not think so much
pf our church or denomination as Of the
thurch, the body OF Christ, OF which
1Ye form a part If we are true believers
and which we are here to hasten to its
completion, for the church Will be COM
pdeted and presented to Himself glo-
rfous church, holy and without blemish.
Then all Israel shall be sayed and after
that the whole earth filled with His
glory. a.f ..tt eu
The sin offering speaks OF Christ
made sin for us, and the burnt Offering
points to Christ wholly for God QI Cor.
", 81; Heb. Y, &, y. We must see Him
as our sin Offering before we can have
Fellowship with Him as the burnt offer
Ing. In connection with the burnt of
fering the singers sang and the trump
eters sounded until the burnt Offering
was finished oversees 81 and 2S). for the
Lord requires joyful service on the part
OF His people. Our Lord Jesus could
say, 81 delight to do Thy will, o my
God" Even Paul could say by the
grace Of God. 81 take pleasure in IN
firmities, in reproaches, in necessities.
in prosecutions, in distresses, for
Chrlst's sake I'll Cor. xii. l0), and
since He could take pleasure in these
things that the power of Christ might
rest upon him all believers should be
able at least TO "serve the Lord with
gladness" ops. C, .. They used the
words Of David and of Asaph and sang
praises with gladness Verse 3W.
Then Hezekiah said, "Now We have
consecrated yourselves, unto the Lord
conna uoor and hiring sacrifices and