The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-01-06
LESSON TwELvE-DEcEMsER N.

iucdhS my mSonchSSAy anu ocAAS
critics regard the word as title of an
anonymous prophet who was Gods
messenger to the people. But it is
better to consider Malachi to be the
prophets name.
The People and the Times to which
the Prophet brought the Message from
God. If we read the later chapters of
Nehemiah and compare the sins and
evils which Nehemiah labored to re-
form with the sins and evils which
Malachi denounces, it will be seen that
both are laboring for the same ends,
and realize the same necessity Of re-
form.
The Promise of Better Times.-V. l.
See VS.. 10, 12, 16. II; Nal. Al. BE
hald ri. e., Goodwill send my mes
senger," one coming in Gods name and
bearing a divine message, whose work
shall be to prepare the way before
me-" the coming of God himself This
messenger, according to Nal. AS, in
terpreted by our Lord himself on two
occasions Matt. IL IA; Mark 9:12, 13l
was one who should come in the spirit
and power of Elijah, doing the same
work, rebuking sin, denouncing all
wrongs, calling men to repentance,
awakening the conscience.
Who Is Meant by the Messenger? 1.
The prophet was preaching to the peo-
pie of his own time, and must have
first referred to what was coming soon
to them. Nehemiah himself was away,
but he was to return soon and sudzen-
ly So that, in the words of Prof.
Dods, IF we suppose that the prophet
appeared slightly before Nehemiah's
return, then the practical measures of
the governor would seem to be the nat
ural fulfillment and execution of the
threats of the prophet. Nehemiah
came suddenly to the temple and
cleansed it (Neh. 1885, he was "a
swift witness (Neh. 1929 against all
wrongdoers (Mal 3:5); he appeared in
the spirit of Elijah (Mal. 4:5), enforc-
ing the law Of Moses"
2. But this cannot exhaust the mean
LIE CNCA " luClll. uC Odl1C nECQ
would come again and again, and cul-
inmate in John the Baptist, who pre-
pared the way for the great Messen-
ger of the Covenant, Jesus Christ
Who Is the Lord Whom Ye Seek?
THE Lord whom ye seek, whose pres
ence and power and protection ye de-
sire. "The messenger of the cove
nant," the one who brings from God
his covenant Of promise, including all
the blessings foretold to Israel from
the beginning, who shall make real to
them all the visions of glory and pros
perity the prophets had revealed.
Whom We delight in y whom you are
eagerly looking for to bring you your
desires. "Shall suddenly come" The
times look dark, but there is no doubt
about his coming; and it will be in
some unexpected manner. This prom
Use was meant for the people of that
time.
Note.-We cannot understand these
prophecies of the Jews of that day,
with long centuries of trial and trou-
BILE before them, and realize that the
prophecies were really fulfilled, unless
we see that they promise an era or
epoch, the beginning of which came to
them. The summer with its flowers
and autumn with it's fruits was put be-
fore them in a vision. But they had
only the beginning of spring days. A
man promises me an oak and sends me
small shoot, but have the oak. |
have just received a few little stems
from a man who promised me some
glorious flowers. paid for them, for |
had received the flower plants. One of
the great company that held the Sun
day school convention at Jerusalem
writes about the desolations of Pales-
tine: "A curse has settled upon the
country. Iehabod' is the exclamation
that rises to the lips as one looks upon
the desolation and degradation and
superstition that mark the places
where once the Light of men revealed
the Father Yet so fair land must
surely have a destiny Two gen
eraticns of English farmers would turn
northern Palestine into the fairest spot
in the world" This is also symbolic
Ct the spiritual redemption of the land.
The First Condition of Having These
Better Times Was Cleansing from Sin.
VS. &c. 2 But who may abide the
day Of his coming?" Who imagines
what it means? Who realizes the
moral changes necessary, and is will
ing to give up his sins in order to re-
ceive the blessing? So many now
hink they want holiness and heaven,
End all It's glories, who do not realize
what changes must be made in their
life, in business, in daily conduct, be-
fore heaven can be possible for them.
20 they really desire Gods heaven
FOR he is like a rehners fire." So
lola the Baptist said. His fan is in
his hand; "he shall baptize you with
ire.p In the refner's fire is placed the
Gre mixture Of good metal with rock
md other materials. and the fire %
eparates the metal from the dross and
(2l thus purifes the metal. but does
not destroy it; but (S) it consumes the
dross, or so separates it that it is cast
one side as refuse. And like fullers
sope. Rather, soap Of the washers.