The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-21
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.
tEssONxlll, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 25.

Text OF the Lesson, bSS1. 1A, -
-ory Verses, G-.-Golden Text, lisa.
il, documentary Prepared by Rev.
d. VI. Stearns.
Copyright, 1864, BY American Press Association
The memory verses give US the heart
story. Not only at Christmas, but at
all times, it is most appropriate study
for we cannot understand our Bibles
unless We keep before Us the plan ana
purpose Of God IS revealed therein.
The seed OF the woman Of Gen. III, 10,
is the Son OF Abraham, the Son OF Da-
yid Of Matt j, !; the Son Of Mary OF
Luke i, 1888. who is to have the throne
Of His father. David, and reign over
the house Of Jacob forever and OF
whose kingdom there is to be no END.
He is the lion Of Judah and the root OF
David Of Rev Y. 3; the root and OF
spring Of David and the bright and
morning star of Rev. xii, 16; the King
Of kings and Lord Of lords Of Rev. xvii,
Il; xix, 16. He is the Creator and pos
SCISSOR and controller OF all things, the
Redeemer Of Israel, the only Saviour Of
sinners. the Judge Of all mankind.
At the so called Christmas time the
children and all who attend the Sun
day school are apt to hear GOOD deal
about the Babe in Bethlehem, but they
are not apt to hear that the child Jesus
was born and was crucifed as the King
Of the Jews QIatt. ii, ,; XVII, so.
Even though our lesson today is from
the prophecy of Isaiah, whose message
was primarily to Judah and Jerusalem
Chapters i, i; ii, y, it is probable that
very little may be said about judah or
Jerusalem, yet the throne Of DAVID at
Jerusalem is the central place in the
lesson.
Verses and take US on to their full
fllment, or partial fuldllment, recorded
in Matt. iv, II, 16, and as to practical
application Of them to our own daily
life I am reminded Of a request that
came to me from missionary in Afri-
ca asking for prayer that while learn
ing the language of the people they
(walking in darkness) might see in him
a great light, even Christ made mani
fest in him. Would it not be q good
prayer for each Of US that Christ might
so live in US that all about US who are
still in darkness might see the light Of
His life in Us and be drawn to Him.
Verses 5 to 5 tell Of the JOY Of the
people when their Great Deliverer shall
have broken the yoke Of every oppress-
or. The first part Of verse should be,
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and
Thou hast increased the joy" See re-
yised version. It Will be by an over
throw Of their enemies, for it will be
the day Of vengeance upon their enc
mics, but Of redemption for Israel Qsa.
x1Nv, s.; xxxv, I; xiii, 4. There IS no
abiding Joy to a nation or Individual
apart from that which only He can
give. The Spirit loves to tell Of Israers
future glory: The ransomed Of the
Lord shall return and come to Zion
with songs and everlasting JOY upon
their heads. They shall obtain JOY and
gladness, and sorrow and slghing shall
fee away" Qsa. xxxv, 10; Ii, ID "The
Lord shall be thine everlasting light
and the days Of thy mourning shall be
ended" Qsa. K, 10, 20}.
Unto US child is born, unto US
son is given" had its fulfllment, Or at
least the first clause had, when the an
gel said to the shepherds on Bethle-
hem's plains, Unto you is born this
day in the city Of David 8 Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord Uuke il, 11).
Let us not fail to notice the words ''un-
to YOU or in our lesson unto u.s." It
IS Israel first and then all people. The
Sixty-seventh Psalm is almost without
significance unless the oft repeated
s.us" Of verses 1 and I is seen to refer
to Israel.
'1The government shall De upon His
shoulder y ''of the increase Of His gov
ernment and peace there shall be no
end upon the throne Of David" etc.
This must be taken as literally as sUn-
to us child is born" There is no oth-
er honest way to treat it. All other in
terpretations are perversions and
wrongs done to the word Of God, from
all which the Lord deliver US! Let tie
Lords own message to David and the
message Of Gabriel to Mary stand in
all their sublime simplicity and grand
eur Oh Sam. VII, 1916; Luke I, S0-sS),
and do rot hesitate to believe that It
shall be just as God says. Rejoice to
say, IT believe God that it shall be
even as it was told me- (Acts xvii, 2o).
"a king shall reign in righteousness,
and the work Of Righteousness
shall be peace and the effect Of right
eousness quietness and assurance for
ever" Qsa. xxi, l, ID. He shall be seen
to be wonderful in counsel and excel
lent in working" "Great in counsel and
mighty in work" Qsa. xviii, 20; Jer-
xxi, 49, He is the mighty God and
sthe everlasting Father, and he is say
ing to US even now, "Call unto Me, and
will answer thee and shew thee great
and mighty things which thou knowest
not" Ger. xxxiii, 81, and it becomes US
TO say, "Ah, Lord God, behold Thou
hast made the heaven and the earth by
Thy greatpowe and stretched outarm."
He is the Prince Of Peace, the God Of
Peace, the Peace Of God. Happy those
who can truly say, 'He is our peace
"He is my peace" Eph. Ii, 14), and hap
pier still all who have learned to '1et
the peace Of God rule in their hearts"
(Col. iii, 10. Whether men may accept
Gods purpose for Israel or not, the zeal
Of the Lord Of hosts Will perform it
tverse y. Let US dwell between His
shoulders Deut. xxxiii, 12) and allow
Him to carry US and all our burdens,
TOO. sure that when he gets the lost
sheep on His shoulders He will not fail
to bring it home with rejoicing duke
xv, 5, g. and tell the children that he
carries the lambs in His bosom Qsa. q,