The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-05-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY IS.

24-Goiden Text, Hosea VII, Mem
ory Verses, tT-19-Commen,,ry on tn.
Days Lesson.
| !. Leaving home Tvs. ll-l3). II. "a Ger
tain man" The simple, unpre .enl ious be
ginning OF the most beautiful of all the
| parallels. The man. is here the image ol
God the Father. 1.-TWO sons" Both are
Jews. The idea that the elder son repre-.
sents the Jews and the younger the Gen,
tiles is foreign to the parable, but in char
acter the two sons may be said to be rep.
| sentative OF mankind. for we have in them
examples OF two great phases. of aliena
tion from God; the elder is blinded by
seh;rIghteousness, the younger degraded
| by his unrighteousness.
II. The younger" He represents open.
| ly wicked persons. such as the pub,icans
| and sinners. He also represents the
thoughtess, careless youth He was over
confident, and could easily be deceired
Give. me- IL has been a custom in the
East tor sons to demand and receive their
portion of the inheritance during the
fathers lifetime.
49, "Not many days" He had decided
upon his course and FASTENED to be gone
This shadows forth the rapidicy (l) Of
national and (2) individual degeneracy
Gathered all together" Sinners who 90
astray from God venture their all TOOK
his Journey He was weary of his faith
er's government and desired greater lib
erty. As soon az the bride of restraining
grace is taken off, we are soon gone. The
journey the prodigal took represents the
sinner in his departure from God. He
went into far country far from truth
and virtue. Wasted his substance. So
sinners waste the gifts God has given them
The worldly life is always a wasteful life
It wastes body ard soul, life and health
time, talents and all that is precious and
valuable. Sinners waste their Bibles their
10 th3 thn,, ,o1, n,,,,, tI,n,.
heavenly inheritance and get nothing IN
return. with riotous living" In verse
80 we see how low he fell. His body
mind and soul were debased.
IL. In distress Tvs. lf.l6). IA. Spent all
He did not stop until his last dollar was
gone His passions reigned. This repre-.
sents the sinner who has thrown away the
mercy. favor and love of God and has
wlfully rejected the salvation of Christ.
1t seems that he spent all very soon; the
enjoyment of sin is brief. "A mighty fam.
Inc, The soul living at a distance from
God and shut out from intercourse with
Him, will very soon feel its own utter emp
tiness.. A mighty famine viii follow. I'm
want Real want is soul want. The
prodigal now felt the effects Of his dissi
pated course. The steps downward were
"apostasy. profigacy, penalty" See Prov.
"a; 3i: The soul has many cravings, and
the pleasures, riches and honors OF this
world can never satisfy it.
ID. "Joned himself to a citizen The
same wicked life That before was repre-.
sented by riotous living iS here represent.
ed by. sHryile living, for sinners are per.
feet slaves. The devil is the citizen of
that country; he is both in city and coun.
try. Sinners join themselves to him to
go at hia bidding John S: 3i). and arc de.
pendent upon him for their living. ''To
feed swine" This was doublv degrading,
and especially so to jew. The degradl.
tion at the end of course OF sin is here
represented shame, contempt and dis.
tress are welded to sin. and can never be
divorced.
l6. "With the huslls.' The huslls were
not the pods of some other fruit, but "the
fruit of the carob tree. used for feeding
swine" He was driven to the extremity
Of trying to satisfy his hunger with the
ners endeavor to satisfy the soul with
earthly and sensual delights. 'No man
gave unto him" Those whom he had
called his friends now deserted him. They
had taken his money and then cast him
aside. Satan's agents do the same to-day.
money health and character, and then
kick him out of the back door to die.
III. The decision to return Tvs. l7.l9).
II. "He came TO himself" Sin dethrones
the reason A state of sin is a state of
folly, and maaness, but the madness is in
llt NISSNl. o.
Is. Il will arise" He had left home ny
his own free will and he must return in
the same way God compels no one to
do right. "And GO" Following the decis.
ion there must be an effort put forth. In
returning to God there is something to do.
to make full confession of our sins Il
John | 0; job 80: 81, 2S). Against heav.
en-" Against God. "A!d before thee"
Iie, had also sinned against his earthly
father 1t is ever token of the sincerity
Of repentance when one views even the
sins committed against others as transgres
sions against God.
". The return and the welcome Tvs. 20,
2D. 20. "He arose" He Immediately did
all of these things that he had decided
upon. Great way off" He was coming
slowly, in rags, in disgrace, questioning
The father was ever watching for his re.
turn: So God knows when we start to-
ward Him. Sin has made the distance
great but as soon as the lost one starts to
return the Father has Compassion. And
ran, etc. This represents the readiness
with which God receives returning sim
ners. The running to welcome corresponds
to the seeking in our Lords other para
b!es. 81. II have sinned" He makes his
confession personal; he aliases himself.
This is always the result of true repent
ance. mo more worthy" All true peni.
LenIs lItl lnciT UNIV lnel are
conscious that they deserve nothing bat
death, and their only hope is in the mercy
Of Christ.
V. Forgiveness and rejoicing Tvs. 22-2D.
p. "But the father" The father did not
wait until he had finished his confession.
In this we see the great affection OF the
father al bis Willingness to forgive. Said
10 bis servants" The fathers JOY is full
and he instantly issues orders to celebrate
dis return. Bring forth quickly" Or. W
a J.et us show at once by your actions that
The wanderer is fully forgiven and rein
stated. "Put a ring on his hand" A sign
Of affection and that he was a free man.
There is no license given here to adorn
the body, as some have vainly tried to
show The true standard for such adorn-
ing is given by Paul and Peter Il Tim. 9:
0. 10; Pet. 8: g. AZ. 23 BE merry" Be
joyful and happy. The Bible gives the
children of God license to shout for Joy.
When Christ restores the wanderer there
is general rejoicing and he is Immediately
treated as a son. The best that God has is
given him, and the past is entirely blotted
out. "a. "Was dead" Lost to all good,
given up to all evil. "Is alive again" Here
was special cause for rejoicing. Who
would not be partaker OF this Joy?