The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-07-21
NO. AZ.
THE GRACIOUS
INVITATI0Naa q
Sunday OOlLssson Icr July q. 1905
Specially Prepared fsr This Pager.

return of the Jews from captivity was
given vs B. O.
PLACE Isaiah prophesied Ia Jerusalem.
! Many scholars think this portion OF the
book was written By prophet az Babylon.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES, ,-Compars
the Invitation Of Isa 8:l. b. WITH those of
John i.l0-l4. 6.52-5s. 7.s7-s9i Rev. q g, aIif.
The sure moreies Of DAVID IN lisa. Bj
and IN z Sam. s-i0. q IS, Pse $50. ss.2S. %.
Get light on from Isa ga; AIS; IS. Z.
For the thought OF '. see Isa. ass, Jer.
| 2l2-IL
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. !. "Ho." An exclamation TO at
tract attention. Moderns have ex-
panded It into Hello. Every one that
thirsteth." One must feel his need in
order TO be attracted TO that which
will supply H. Waters. milk. wine"
BY these expressive figures the prophet
seeks TO set forth the blessings Of sal
walton.
v 2 Spend not bread" II
would be foolish to spend money for
articles Of food or drink, which, in
stead Of nourishing the body, poison
IT,; that is what the drunkard does.
V. 3. Incline your ear and come"
Hear and heed" is the reiterated call
Of this passage Your soul shall live"
Our spirit, heart, real life, can be sup
ported only by communion with Jesus
An everlasting covenant An agree
ment that can never be broken.
" Him" Il seems difficult TO
decide whether the historical David,
or "Davld's greater Son." Jesus, Is
here alluded to. David was in some
ways a type Of Jesus. lie was q
witness" to the surrounding nations
OF the true God.
vs.. Thou shalt call a nation" eto.
AS David spread the knowledge OF the
true God. 30 do Christians spread the
knowledge Of Jesus.
V. 8. Seek ye the Lord" While oodis
always seeking us. there must be IN our
part also a seeking, or. rather, q Will
ingness TO be found. 'Whiie He may
be founo.' This implies that q time
will come when God cannot be found.
this will be because our hearts have
grown hard so that they DO not re-
spond 10 His loving touch.
W The prophet now goes on to
tell how to seek the Lord. Wicked
forsake his way" Break on sinful
habits, turn from bad companions and
haunts Of vice. "Unrighteous man"
Literally, the man Of folsehood'--
that is. one who is false instead of
true. His thoughts" Evil thoughts
put a barrier between God and man.
VS.. s, 9. MY thoughts are not your
thoughts" etc This refers especially
TO Gods thoughts about saving men.
These surpass anything that could have
entered into our minds. Their vast
ness is pictured by pointing 10 the
heavens. Countless worlds appear
there as stars. while In size they far
exceed our earth OF SUM- SO are Gods
thoughts and ways beyond ovrs In
the matter Of pardon. for instance.
when we pardon those who have
wronged us. It is apt TO be grudgfngly,
with reservations, and With a feeling
that We never can forget the injury;
but God abundantly paYdOns.
vs.. 10, H. Gods work IN the proc
esses Of nature is often pointed to that
We may learn therefrom aboui His
processes Of grace. AS He sends the
rain and snow, SO He has provided for
refreshing and fertilizing our heerts.
The means he has furnished for doing
this is here called MY Word" We
must recollect the power Of the crea-
tive word Of God. think Of the heart
touching power Of the words of Jesus
by which the lives Of those who heard
were enlightened and purified. Gods
purposes for our salvation, as embodied
In His word, Shall not return void"
that Is. they shall accomplish that
for which they were intended in the
salvation Of mankind.
V. l2. For ye shall 90 out with
JOY" These words seem 70 apply pri-
marty 10 the return Of the eaptiyes
from Babylon; and, seoondarily, to all
the people Of God who shall be deiiy-
cred from the bondage Of eip and led
into the enjoyment Of peace and glad
ness through the reign Of Christ in the
hearts Of men everywhere The scene
is one Of real Joy.
V. 19. Instead OF the thorn" The
emblem Of sin. Shall come up the
FIR tree" Representing beauty and
usefulness So Of the "haer" and
myrtle tree" 30 great is the power
Of the Gospel that Il can change ma
lures which are sharp. thorny and
hateful. until they fll places OF
beauty and usefulness In the world.
This is accomplished, ia a measure. in
every converted soul the picture will
be filed out when Christ shah rule all
nations. and an men become his loyal
subjects. And II" (eoth the works
Of nature and the ofer Of salvation
made IN the preceding yeTsss) shall
be 10 the Lord for a namo." VIII re-
veal Gods love and His glory (com-
pare Jer BID.
Practical Points.
VI. All that IS needed 70 inyigo-
rate, cheer, nourish. is stored up in
Christ Jesus Rom sie2.
W. The best way 10 cure ourselves
and others Of The taste for the worlds
unsatissins pleasures is 70 car freely
Of that which truly nourishes the soul
-bph. 3;ls.
V.6. ood IS ever seeking Us, but
until We too seek, there can be NO
happy hndins- -isa. 05;13.
VI Ways Of wickedness must be
forsaken by those who would walk
with God.-Heb. 1871
Il u. L.