The Yale expositor., 1905-10-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ", FOURTH QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 22.


We need to bear in mind that the
central fact of this book is 1.-The house
of the Lord" mentioned fifty times,
and IL is most practical and applica-
bic to us who In this age OF our Lords
absence are engaged in building the
church Of the living God, the body Of
Christ Il Tim. iii. 10; Eph. i, %, 23).
In chapter ii, 80, G2. we see some peo-
pie who could not show that they be-
longed to Israel. Their names were not
found on the register, and consequent
ly they were put away and could not
take part In the work. Only those
whose names are IN the Book of Life
can enter the city Rev. XXI, %, and
they only can take part in the building
for they that are N the flesh cannot
please God Qtom. viii, s.. Those who,
being born again, do take part are only
expected to do as Of the ability which
God giveth Oh Cor. viii, u; / Pet. iv,
IL, but 1t must ne willingly Oh Cor.
tx, Z; EX. XIV, .; xXXv, ., p, %, 29).
The people gathered as one man to
Jerusalem, and il the Acts of the Apos-
the building Of the church, we have the
phrase zone accosd" eleven times. sew
en- times for ana four times against
the church. In the opening verses Of
our lesson chapter we see tie altar
builded and the sacrifices offered unto
the Lord, as the duty of every day re-
quired Oil, 3, II There will never be
n day while we continue in these NOR
tai bodies when we will not need CON
tinually the precious blood which
cleanseth from I'll sin. Although the
sacrifices were regularly offered. there
was delay in laying the foundation Of
the house and setting forward the
work. In our own day too many are
content to be saved, as if that was
all, and are ind ffcrent to giving the
gospel to every creature, that the build
Ing may be agtened to completion,
not seeming to understand the plan
and purpose of Cpd (Eph. iii, IL.
In the second month OF the second
year of their ~eturn to Jerusalem
(verse 81 the Foundation of the house
Of the Lord was laid with praise and
giving thanks unto the Lord 90, III,
but, while many shouted aloud for joy.
there were many who wept with loud
voice, some looking backward and
thinking Of the glory which had been
and others looking forward to the glory
before them. II is we'll to consider all
the way by which the Lord has led us,
but 1t is not we'll to weep as If all the
glory was behind us, for the best days
for the church and Israel and the
world are before us and not behind us.
There is cause to sigh and cry when
we consider the denominations of in
Equity which are about us (EZek. tx, A.,
but the glory to be revealed, of which
we are partakers, should cause us to
rejoice in that blessed hope and be
patient under our trials Rom. viii, IS;
V, 10; Pet. ", 49,.
The foundation has been laid, the
only foundation laid by God Himself,
and happy is he who buildeth thereon,
for he shall never be put to shame be-
cause Of his foundation lisa. xviii, 16;
l Cor. iii, IL; Eph. ii, 1920. When the
foundations Of the earth were laid the
morning stars sang together, and all
the sons OF God shouted for JOY Dob
xxXviii, 4, y. When Jesus was born
in Bethlehem the angels sang, GLORY
TO God in the highest" duke ii, 13, Ia.
When the work is finished the Head
stone shall be brought forth with shout
tngs of "Grace, grace unto it," and we
should ever greatly rejoice that He
who laid the foundation shall finish ii
and bear the glory and sit and rule, a
priest upon His throne Czech. Nv, Z, 8;
vi, II, 49,. If we fully believed that
He has made us kings and priests unto
God and that we shall reign with Him
in His kingdom we would be more
whole hearted for Him this little while
Rev. 1, 8, CIV, o.. 10; III Chron. XVI, 81.
The opening verses of chapter iv,
which are assigned to us, tell OF the
work of adversaries who first wanted
to help in the building and when not
permitted to help did all in their pow
er to hinder the work and succeeded
so well that the work upon the house
ceased until the second year of Darius
(verse pa. The powers which seek to
hinder in the Lords work are not to be
despised and they often seem to sue
coed for a time. Even the angel Ga
briel was hindered for three weeks on
one occasion while on his way to Dan
iel dan. X, 2, 49,.
We are told by the Spirit that we
wrestle against principalit!es and pow
ers. the rulers of the darkness o. this
world, wicked spirits in heavenly
places. and that we need the whole
armor of God to enable us to stand
and withstand in this evil day (Eph.
vi, 10. 49,, but because we are unbe-
lieving and ignorant of Satan's devices
he often gets an advantage over us.
We greatly need to watch and pray
Mark xiii, 33). Mere professors who
are not possessors cannot he used in
building the temple. These adversaries
said, 1--WE seek your God. as We do, and
we do sacrifice unto Him; let US build
with you" Verse -, but the governor
and the high priest and the others
oftnrVVQ