Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-01-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON i, FIRST QUARTER. iNTERNA-
TloNAL SERIES, JAN. IS.

Text of the Lesson, Gen. 4, 20, to II, u.
Memory Verses, &c, 27-GOlden Text
Gen. 1, ~ - Commentary Prepared
b, Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
ICopyright, 1906, by American Press Association
God, having again made everything
beautiful on this earth and having NIL
ed the air. the earth and the sea with
living creatures, completes His WORK
by creating man In His own image "
rule over all, and the Scriptures make
II clear that 1t is tie eternal purpose
of God that man shall rule over ana
control all things on earth. Inou
madest him to have dominion over tne
works of Thy hands; Thou hast PUT I'LL
things under his feet" FPS. VIII, ".
THAT tbis shall be the conclusion OF the
whole matter we learn from Cor. XIV
2b.2s The present condition, with an
assurance of the future, Is seen IN HeD.
ii & O. I'VE see not yet all things put
under Him, but we see Jesus
"Let us make man in our image Is
strongly suggestive Ito say the ieasp
of the council of the Trinity and car
RES us over to lisa. vi, 8. Whom
shall I send, and who will 90 FOR usr'
where we have both the Unity and the
Trinity. There is some light upon the
likeness or image Of God In which man
was created In Col. III, 10, with Eph. w.
%, "a, but Christ Is spoken OF as tne
image of God In Col. !. 10; HE'D. !. o. IL
Cor. ~. 4; and when the story is nm
ished His redeemed shall be like Him
(phil. III, 20, p: John Ill, p. Now IL
is our privilege to become more IKE
Him every day, beholding Him at
Gods right hand for US and accepting
all things az from Him Oh Cor. Ill. 1Sl.
The creation Of the frst man and
woman, described in these words. so
God created man In His own image, IN
the image Of God created Hs MIN;
male and female created He them
(verse 81, is more fully set forth IN
chapter II, Z, 21-2o, and must be received
exactly az here stated, for 1t is direct
revelation from God Himself concern
ing the way he did 1t, and 1t IL beyond
the power Of man to find out other
wise. We sec, therefore. in Adam ana
Eve the finest man and woman tas'
ever walked this earth-Adam the nm
est man, Christ excepted. and Eve the
finest woman without exception. Since
God 10 clothed with light az WITH gar
msnt CPS. civ, p they. being In the
image Of God. must have been eiothsd
with light also, q halo or glory which
was a part Of themselves as truly ss
the coverings of birds and other erea-
tures was a part Of themselves. They
had no put on" clothing such a. We
wear. and In that sense they were
naked u, 25).
One result of the blessing of the LORD
IL always fruitfulness oversees Y. 2S).
See in this connection John Nv, y, IL;
". SO: Rom. vi, %; vii. 4, and notice In
Lev. XIV, q, that the blessing OF the
Lord upon an ordinary sowing some
times produced three times the usual
Increase. The Rev. Yer. Of Prov. <. ~,
IL beautiful in this connection, The
blessing of the Lord 1t maketh rich.
and toll addeth nothing thereto" In
verse 20 we have the first "Behold" In
the Bible. and how previously sugges-
tive it is that we find 1t In connection
with these words, II have given you.
1 do not think that there can be more
inspiring. uplifting Bible study than
that Of the things freely given ~ by
God. beginning with ''ths unspeakabls
Gift" of His dear Son and going on
with Rom. Will, %; Cor. II, II. etc.
Chapter II, Ia, clearly belongs to this
flrst section Of Scripture and tells the
story Of the first day which God spe'
cially blessed, but notice In verse j the
word FINISHED" and If resting In Him
who said WREN He died for US, ut Ia
finished" then be quite sure that he
will perfect all that concerneth us (Ps
cxxxviii, Z, 8; Phil 1. 81. The sentence
His work which He had made" used
three times In verses 2, 8, suggests he
nevers as His workmanship (Eph. IL
1ol. in whom and through whom Ht
will finish all that He has begun. bu
unless He Is allowed to work In III
both to will and to do the things pleas
ing in His sight all will be only wood
hay and stubble to be burned. The
words created and made" Verse 8
cover the creation record Of chapter
1. and also the whole six days work
the making all things out OF nothing
and then fashioning anew. the created
matter after the catastrophe. Hi
resting from all His work takes ne Il
Heb iv, 8, 10. 1--WE who have believed
do enter into rest: for he tina
Is entered into his rest. he also hail
ceased from his own works. as God oil
from His" There Is a resting In Chris
as our Saviour when we see and accep
His finished work Of redemption. bu
there Is also restful service with Hin
as we take His yoke and learn OF HE
to live in the Fathers will.
As the seventh day was sanctified o
set apart for man to give bis Who'll
time to knowing God and learning I
rejoice in Him (see lisa. lviii. Is. IA
30 we, His workmanship, must consid
err ourselves as indeed set apart 10
Himself. q people for His own posses
sion Cps. ~. 8: Tit. II. IA. r. W.. Their
Is much to be learned from the nun
bers in Scripture, and we have her
considerable light on the signi6canc
Of the first seven numbers 1t does nc
require much keenness to see "abur
dainty" associated with FIVE. and III
ished" or perfected" associated wit
seven. Any one can see by countin
that God" is mentioned thirty-fv
times In this first section, and when "
let God work in us as He is seen worl
Ing here we will be Eve times sevel
or abundantiy finished. That Will M
fully be till Eve Ohe church, Is builds
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