Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23

INTRODUCTION-The observance OF
q day In communication of the birth OF
Jesus Is q church appointment. There is
no intimatfon that the Divine Master de-
sired. or that His apostles enjoined, any
celebration. BY the supper alone. fit me-
mortal Of His death, He sought to perpetu-
ate His memory among those who loved
Him. A natural and spontaneous impulse.
however. causes His followers to rejoice on
account of His advent and to set apart
time, supposed 10 be an anniversary. for
common expression of admiration for His
character and deeds. Today the Sunday
schools of the world sit at the feet of an
old prophet who lived seven centuries be-
fore Messiah came to learn what vision
was granted by the Holy Spirit concerning
Him who should be born '.in the fullness
OF the times" The words, preserved for
twenty-five centuries, form good text for
Christmas study.
LUSTER.--{verse a. Looking down
the centuries Isaiah saw Jesus first as a
lurninary, as John saw Him (John, i:D, and
as Jesus speaks Of Himself John ix:5). He
saw Judea as 1t would be in the coming
time, "the land of the shadow of death
psalm xxiii:4). its inhabitants walking In
darkness. Reference Is here made to the
spiritual condition Of Israel. which at the
advent was indeed deplorabie. notwithE
StduQInS al the IneECAeS ana JuQSfieHlS VI
God sent to turn men from their sins Sud-
denly, while this ignorance and wickedness
abcunded. Jesus appears He was like the
rising OF the sun after long and weary
night of gloom and unrest (Mal. iv:2}. The
most luminous character in history appears
at a time and place and among people
when and where there could be no way to
account for his origin. He was not the
environment did not explain Him.
GLADNESS-(Verse By That which
Isaiah next saw Is fmperfectly represented
In the authorized text. The revised version
hast multiplied the nation. Thou hast in
creased their joy. They joy before thee ac-
cording to the joy in harvest, as men re-
joice when they divide spoils." National
giadness caused by national prosperity in
the way Of expansion Is the theme. 1t is
probable that the true spiritual Israel
was In the mind of the prophet GAL,
VIC, those who through faith in Jesus
made to Abraham Acts ii:13). a great COM
pany whom no man can number. gathered
from all lands Matt. viii:11). Their glad
ness was proclaimed at the advent of the
shepherds duke lilo, and John In Patmos
heard the joyful refrain Grew. xix:D.
DEIIVERANCE-(vers 4). The Jew
ish people were successfully in bondage to
the surrounding nations-the Assyrians.
Chaldeans, Persians and Macedonians. The
heavy yoke Of their oppressors had been
grievous In the extreme, and there was
constant longing for delverance. This. the
prophet declares, should come under Mes
siah. The yoke. the rod. the staff-emblems
of servitude-shou1d be broken and the peo-
pie should be free. These predictions filed
the public mind with expectation of tenn
poral prince. cherished even by the apos-
ties uuke xxiv:2D after the resurrection
(Acts i:69. It is generally believed, however.
that the prophet referred to spiritual deliv-
erances, which were to be desired because
more important than any release from po-
htical control. 1t was to this that Jesus
directed the attention of his hearers John
viii:36) and showed the way (John i:32).
CONTRAST-Verse 81. That Isaiah
spoke OF spiritual freedom is evident from
the contrast which he next makes between
military achievements as previously con-
Quoted and the victories OF Messiah. The
battle Is with confused noise, and the blood
of the wounded and dying stains the gar
ments Of the living. A most revolving spec
tacle is presented on the field of carnage,
which, indeed, was allowed. under the old
dispensation when the worlds sin must be
overcome by force. God was pleased to
order His people to fight for His cause, as
in the case of David psalm cxliv:D. But
In the time of Christ, as foreseen by Isaiah,
the delfveranee to be wrought out Will be
with other weapons. Fire. an emblem of
the Holy Spirit Matt. iii:1D, shall burn
and purify, and the hearts of men shall be
changed. SO that they will prefer righteous
ness.
CHILD-Verse 81. How shall all this be