The Yale expositor., 1905-10-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON III, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. is.

czSvi, documentary Prepared by
Rev. ID. M. stearns.
! copyright, 1906 by American Press Association
The kingdoms Of this world had pass
ed from the head Of gold, Babylon, to
the breast and arms of silver, the
Modes and Pefsans Dan. Ii, -, 1880.
The lion had given place to the bear
Dan. VII, 4, -, which bear, although
so described in reference TO other ma.
tons, is spoken Of as a ram, Il harmless
domestic animal in reference to Israel
because Of the kindness of Cyrus and
Darius to Daniels people dan. viii,
! 20). The seventy years of Judah's cap
tivity were ended, and the time had
come for her restoration, according to
Jer. xxx, 10. Not only had the resto-
ration been foretold, but the very king
who should accomplish it had been
mentioned by name some 200 years be-
fore Qsa. xiv, %; XIV, u.
Josiah. one Of the good kings Of Jul
dab. was mentioned by name about 300
years before he was born q Kings Kill,
=; ii Kings xiii, 1910. Besides these
five others are named in Scripture be-
fore their birth. Let the scholars tell
their names. Every thought and pur-
pose Of God will surely be fulfilled; His
counsel will stand, and He will do all
His pleasure Elsa. xiv, "a; XVI, 10; Ps.
xxxiii. ID. When His time h. come
He stirs the hearts of whom II pleas
eth to accomplish His pleas @. lie
may have used Daniel, His sc ant at
the court of Cyrus. to cnlightcl Cyrus
concerning His purpose, but lie alone
could make Cyrus willing. Throughout
the whole Bible it is most fascinating
and inspiring an leads to heartfelt
alteration OF Jehovah to watch Hin
working, whether as Creator or Re
deemer, Israers Messiah, the Great
Head Of tie church or the King Of
kings and Lord OF lords. Notice in the
first two verses Of orr lesson such
statements as "thc word Of the Lord"
1.-THE Lord stirred up" the Lord hath
given me" and "EIe hath charged me-"
then see the hearty obedience of Cyrus
to the word of the Lord.
The central topic of the book OF Ezra
is the rebuilding OF the house Of the
Lord at Jerusalem, as will be seen
more fully in our next lesson and this
house is mentioned ut east fifty times
in the book. We cannot think Of Israel
as nation apart from the temple or
tabernacle, for no sooner had God
brought them out of Egypt than He
gave commands to Moses to have them
build Him a sanctuary that He might
dwell among them QEX. XIV, 81. While
Israel is for the present blinded, the
fullness of the gentiles is being gath
cred, and another house ia being build
ed, living temple made of living
stones, with which we have to do
Qom. ri. -. &c; Eph. II, 1922; Pet.
Ii, -.
To gather the material for this build
ing, the church, the gospel must be
preached everywhere, and. rs in the
days OF Cyrus, so now the word is.
Let him 90 who is willing, and God
viii be with him, and whatsoever re-
maineth let MIN help with gold and sill
yer and goods those who 50 forth
/ oversees 3. y. Whether we abide Mt
home or go to the ends OF the earth, IN
/ less we are living to complete the
church, the body Of Christ, we are not
Of much use. If we can neither so nor
! give we can by earnest, believing pray
er work through those who have gone
and bring blessing from heaven to any
part of the earth.
! In verses 5 and 6 we see the willing
ones whom God made willing going
forth and the others helping with will
ing offerings. for God was working
| Phil. ii. 49,. IL there be first a will
ing mind it is accepted according to
! that n man hath and not according to
that he hath not, and God only expects
us to do as of the ability which He Civ
eth QI Cor. WILL II; Pet. iv, IL. If we
are only yielded to God He will not
| leave us untalented but we must be
sure to use the one talent if only one
we have.
Although the Lord gave the vessels
of his house ut Jerusalem as well as
His people into the hands OF other ma
tons for time Dan. /, /, .; Jer. xii,
| y, He never ceased to care for them,
and the man who dared to i'll treat them
was slain that same night dan. V, .,
30). lie cares for each one Of His re-
deemed, even though they may be in
mans estimation vessels of n second
sort or even lowlier. and whoever
touches one Of them touches Himself.
See verse 10 and Zech. H. s; Acts tx,
! 4. \ gentle handing over these treas
ures to Il Jew makes us think OF the
queen OF Sheba bringing presents to
King Solomon and tho wise men of the
east bringing gifts 60 tie Child Jesus
as the King of the Jews ana points on
ward to the time when the wealth Of
the gentilcs shall como to Israel and
the nation ard kingdom that will not
serve Israel shall perish Gsa. *. 5-12;
Ps. lXxii. 10. ID
We are not surprised to. read of gold
and silver basins and chargers and
other vessels. but what about the nine
and twenty knives? Well. they were all
the Lords property and belonged to
| His house and He had need of them