Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-12-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER ".

FOR DECEMBER IL.
Subject: Preparation For the Messiah,
Nal. ILL.,, 1.12-Galden Text. Nal. iii.,
1-Memory Verses, S.1O-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
I. The coming of the Messiah ". u.
!. 81" That is, God. "My messen.
ger" The New Testament clearly
shows that the messenger referred to
here was John the Baptist Our Lord
bore witness to John Uuke 1920. See
also Matt. lilo; Mark 1:2, 3: Luke ]:
76 Prepare the way before Me"
That is, before the Messiah. Messen-
gers sent before the Eastern kings pre-.
pared the way for the chariots and ar
mics of their monarchs. A kings
highway" had to be carried through
the open land of the wilderness, val
leys filled up and hills leveled, winding
by-paths straightened for the march Of
the great army. Interpreted in its spir
itual application, the wilderness was
the world lying in evil. John prepared
the way for Christ in a moral wilder
ness by preachingrepentanceand show
ing the need of a Saviour. "The Lord,
whom ye seek" The Messiah whom you
are expecting. "To His temple Shall
soon be presented before the Lord in
this temple. He shall cleanse it frori
its defilement and fill it with His glory.
"Messenger of the Covenant He that
comes to fulfill the great design in ref
erence to the covenant made with
Abraham, that in his seed all the fam
lilies of the earth should be blessed.
Christ was the mediator of the new
covenant" QIeb. 9:15) - the "better
covenant established upon "hetter
promises UIeD. S:G-13; 1916. "le de.
light in They looked forward TO His
coming with pleasure.
II. The mission and work of the
Messiah Tvs. 90. >. who may
abide" Who will be able to endure
the testing of character His coming
will produce? They did not under
stand the meaning of what they DO.
sired; Just as many desire and hope
for heaven without realizing what they
must do to gain heaven. Like a re-
tiner's fire. John the Baptist said,
His fan is in His hand;' "lIc shall
baptize you with fire" In the relinct'S
fire is placed the ore, Il mixture of
good metal with rock and other mater
ials, and the fire "a separates the metal
from the droSs, and (2) thus purities
the metal, but does not destroy it; but
(:0 it consumes the drosS, or 50 s"par-
atos it that it is cast one side as re-
fuse. Like fullers soap 'R. W
Soap such as we have was not knoNn
to the Hebrews till long after Jcre-
miah's time, but they used ash ly"
3. "Shall sit" etc. There is an aiIu-
sion here to the reiiner sitting before
his fire with his eye on the metal. lie
kept it in the furnace until he knew
the dross to be completely removed by
seeing his own image reflected (liom.
500. Sons of Levi" The priests
Gods ministers. Purge Cleanse,
purify. May Offer etc. y sinner
cannot give acceptable service 10 God.
The Lord loves Righteousness: II" ac-
cepts only a holy heart and life tRom.
12:D. 4. BE pleasant The spirit
of praise, obedience and helpfuness
are like sweet incense before the Lord
GIeb. 1915, 1G). 5. ITO Judgment"
TO decide on your case and condemn
YOU if guilty. Swift Witness Com
ing suddenly and unexpectedly. The
sorcerers." Users Of witchcraft, all in
alliance with spirits OF evil; the users
of amulets. charms. etc, which are
really substitutes forrcligion. against
those that oppreSs" The gospel is al
ways in favor of the poor and against
oppression. And fear not Me. IhiS
was the foundation of ALI their Wlcked-
ness. &. Il change not God keeps
His covenants with His people.
III. Admonitions and promised
blessings Tvs. I'D {. From the
DAYS" etc. All through their history
they had been given to backslidinS.
"Keturn unto Me-" There was still a
chance to repent. "Wherein.' They
did not know how far from God they
were. s. "Will a man rob God:'
Sacrilege is the highest OF crimes. And
the most guilty are those claiming to
be Gods people. "Ye have" This
evil is not only the guilt of priests, but
of the whole nation. "Tithes." See
Deut 1874. "Offerings.' The first
fruits-not less than one-siNtieth part
of the corn, wine and oil.
Q. "Ye are cursed With famine
and scarcity. God had thus punished
them for neglecting to build the tenn
pie CHag. 1:10, ~; now, for not main
tanning the temole service. 10. BRING
-tithes." Make good your solemn en-
gagement with Nehemiah (Neh. 10:29).
Into the storehouse.' The chambers
which surrounded the temple on three
sides. "May be meat That there
may be provision for the daily sacri-
fees, and for the maintenance Of the
priests and Levites. prove Me"
Take God at His word ''Windows of
heaven" A poetical, proverbial eX-
preston, signifying Il great downpour-
ing (Gen. I'll; Kings T:2). Pour
you out" empty out" as If God
meant that He would empty forth His
vast reservoir Of blessings.
II. "Will rebuke." Prevent from
coming "The devourer." The locusts,
the canker-worms. the caterpilars and
all other destructive insects. For
your sakes." Because of My love for
you, and for the sake of your prosper
ity. The devOurer had been sent be-
cause Of their sins, but should be
stayed as a reward for their return to
duty II. "All nations" etc. So great
will be your prosperity and happiness
that the fame thereof will extend to
all nations, as in Solomon's time. Gods
people do in truth live in delightsome
land, land of green pastures and still
waters, OF dear companionships and
delightful skies. Blessed are that peo-
pie who render lovingly to God the
things that are His own. Delight
some land Your country will again
be known as the pleasant land, as it
lnG