The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-12-02
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON K, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 4.

Text OF the Lesson, III Chron. xxx,
IS-3I-Memory Verses, 2S-3O-,GoId-
en- Text, I Sari. "A, 3O-Commentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
Eopyright, 1904, by American Press Association.
The lesson today tells OF the cleans
ing Of the temple and the re-establsh-
Eent Of the worship OF God in the
reisn of Hezekiah, for his father, Ahaz,
aid not right in the sight of the Lord,
but worshiped Baal and the gods of the
kings of Syria and put affairs to idols
IN every corner OF Jerusalem and in the
cities of Judah and destroyed the yes
sells of the house OF God and shut up
the doors OF the house of the Lord, SO
that the Lord brought judah low be-
cause of Ahaz, king of Israel. He was
not king Of the ten tribes, but of the
two, yet he is called the king of Israel
chapter xviii, ., 10, %, pa 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
Judah TO come TO Jerusalem TO keep
tie passover, and. while some only
hughed and Knocked, there were many
Of Asher and Manasseh and Zebulun
who humbled themselves and came TO
Jerusalem (chapter xxx, l, 10, III.
When Hezekiah began 10 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
h the very first month of his reign
tyerse -, and, calling the Levites, he
said, Hear me. ye Levites; sanctify
now yourselves and sanctify the house
Of the Lord God of your fathers and
carry forth the flthiness out of the holy
place" (verse 81. They were obedient TO
the word of the king and began at once
but they were eight days cleansing the
temple 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
bord' and once ''the temple of the
Lord" 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 |, as Ills
temple, be clean and fit for His seIv-
ice?
The last verses of the previous chap
ter show US the condition of things
which is all too common today-con-
IL q
standing the commands here plainly
given-and that in Rom. xii, /, =, BE
not conformed to this world, but be ye
transformed (transhgured) by the re-
newing of your mind that ye may prove
what is that good and acceptable ana
perfect will Of God" BY the precious
blood of Christ the sinner receiving
Him is cleansed and mace fit tor the
presence of God Col i, 12-14; Eph. i, g.
q, but, then there is a daily cleansing
needed to fit us for Ills daily service,
for ii is as true of us as it was Of the
Levites. "The Lord hath chosen you TO
stand before Him, to serve Him, and
that we should minister unto Him and
effer sacrifice" Verse IL, margin), the
hast clause having an explanation in
Heb. xiii, 10, 16 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. V, 26. THAT He
might sanctify and cleanse il with the
washing of water by the word
When the Levites reported the cleans
hg completed, the king rose early and
gathered the rulers and went TO the
house of the Lord and offered sin Of
ferngs and burnt offerings for all Isra-
ell verse 2D. If we had the spirit Of
Hezekiah. we would not think 50 much
OF our church or denomination as of the
church, the body of Christ. Of which
we form part if we are true believers
and which we are here to hasten to it,
completion, for the church will be COM
pleted ana presented to Himself glo-
rious church. holy and without blem.sh
Then all Israel shall be saved and after
that the whole earth filled with His
glory.
The sin Offering speaks of Christ
made sin for us. and the burnt Offering
points to Christ wholly for God QI Cor
" Il, lleD. y, %, -. " must ste nm
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 u 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, my
God" Even Paul could say by the
grace Of God, Il take pleasure in in
frmities, in reproaches, in necessities,
IN prosecutions, in distresses, for
Christ's sake" III Cor. xii. 10), 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, p. They used the
words Of David and of Asaph and sang
praises with gladness Verse 800.
Then Hezelliah said, "Now we have
consecrated yourselves unto the Lord
come near and bring sacrifices and
thank offerings into the house of the
Lord" (verse 81. SO the service Of the