The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-15
Preparation for
the Messiah
Sunday School Lesson Tor Dec. IL. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TExT.-Malachi 3:1-12. Mem
Dry verses. $40.
GOLDEN TEXT will send my mes
senger. and he shall prepare the way be-
fore Me."-Mal. 81.
TIME.-It is commonly agreed that
Malachi prophesied during Nehemiah's abb
sence in Persia, between his first and Sec
ond visit, that is in the years after b.. c.
1873.
PLACE.-Jerusalem and the vicinity.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. The
Forerunner.-Foretold in Nal. 81; AS, 6;
lisa. 40:3-5. Came just before Christ's mis-
sion Matt. 11:13, IA; 17:12. 10; 21:S2; Marx
s:13; Luke 1:76-79).
How He Prepared the Vaginal. 81;
lisa. 4O:3; Matt. 3:5-12; Mark 1865; Luke 3d.
IS; John 1:15-34.
The Good Times Promised.-Psa 72:2-19;
lisa. FPS; 1921; 1870; 52:1-7; 54;11-13; 55:5-
10; COILS, 10. 20; 62:2, 3; Dan. 2:44, 45; 7:13. IA,
q, q; Joel 2;2S, 20; Mic. 4:3. A; Hag. 2:7-s;
Nal. I'll; Rev. 5;10-14; q and %.
The Two Conditions.-O Putting away
sin Lev. ~26:4O-43; 1 Kings S:46-5N 2 Chron-
7:14; lisa. 1:16, II; 55:6, Z; Jer. Ala; 7:5; 25:5;
Eek. 14:6; ~1S:21-31; ~33:10-16; Matt. 3:7, 8;
AIT; Luke 1873; 1918, IA; Acts 2:38; S:22).
(0 Religion in heart and life (Psa. 1; A:3-
.; lisa. A:3; 52:1; Jer. 32:3S; Eek. 11:19, 20;
Joel 2:12-1S; Matt. 1873: John 3:3-5; Rom.
81; Eph. 2:1-6; Tim. 4:).
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. 1. az" God. Twill send My
messenger" Revisers omit will,
making the promise very imminent.
This was best fulfilled in the send
ing of John the Baptist to prepare
the way for Christ (See marginal
~references). Prepare the way" See
lisa. 40:3, A.. The Lord shall
suddenly come" Not content with
sending messengers, God Himself will
come to visit His people. This was
fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, the
Son of God. Eye seek, We delight"
Some people of those days were
earnestly longing for the Messiah's
coming. Messenger of the covenant"
The Lord, who had repeatedly en-
tered into covenant with Israel.
V. 2. who may abide . His
coming?" He who comes is the
stand revealed. "Reiner's fire." Pre-
cious metals are refined by casting
the ore into the fierce heat of a fur.
mace, where all dross is burned away,
and only the purified metal remains.
"Fuller's soap" A fuller was one
who cleansed cloth.
v. 8. Sons of Levi" The Levites.
being the religious leaders of the peo-
pie, are first to be purified.
V. 4. Then . pleasant unto the
Lord" Only they whose hearts are
pure can offer acceptable offerings to
our God Matt. $50. The offering
of a humble, contrite heart He will
never despise.
V. 5. 81 will come . Judgment"
People had declared (2:7 that it
seemed most profitable to do evil, and
that the just God had departed from
them. To this the prophet replies
that, when God comes to purify His
own people, He will also condemn the
wicked. Swift Witness" He will
come so suddenly that He will catch
them in their very acts of wickedness;
He Himself will be their witness.
V. 6. 81 change not . not con-
sumed:" Our God is eternal and I'M
changeable. AS Jehovah, He had en-
tered into covenant with the Jews:
v. 7. From the days of your IA
TIERS" The ancestors of these
Jews had repeatedly done just as
these had done now. But once more
God says: Return unto Me, and I
will return unto you"
V. s. Twill a man rob God?' To
rob God would be a most atrocious
crime. Yet it is the very sin OF
which people of all ages have been
guilty (Mal. /: go. The one thing
His heart yearns for is our sincere
love. .
". 9. Cursed" The troubles that
had come upon them had been sent
as reminders of their neglect of God.
V. 10. "All the tithes:" The whole
1.-THE. 1t is still a very good plan for
us to set apart oneseventh of u
time (the Sabbath, and one-tenth OF
our money for Gods specific use. The
latter may be applied in helping the
poor, building and supporting
churches, sending the Gospel to the
heather. "S~torehouse:" Around the
temple on three sides were built cham
bers in which the tithes should be
stored. At this time they were so
empty that one had been used as a
home for Tobiah (Neh. 13:4-9). Meat
in mine house" Sufficient to carry on
the worship and work of God. =
v. II. 1.-The devourer:" The To-
Gust which was eating the scanty
crops. Cast her fruit" The grapes
shall not fall without r%ipening. II
we make God and Gods work our
first care, God will care for us and
ours.
V. IL. Gail nations blessed"
If God were allowed to have His way
in purifying and blessing HIS people.
all neighboring nations would be
amazed at Israel's prosperity and
would recognize it as the gift of Je-
hovah. So to-day, those Christians
who allow Jesus to nave the right of
way in their lives, honor their
Saviour and attract others to Him.
Practical Points.
v. 1. Each one of us is called to
be a messenger preparing the way for
Christi. Cor. 500.
V. 2. They who abide under tbs
purifying influence of the Holy Spirit
will not be ashamed before Jesus at
His coming.-John 1928.
v. 5. The oppressed have in God
a faithful cnampion.-Ps. 1875.
v. 8. We defraud God when we
rr;+bho1d tbn Iowa which ic HE dino