The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-01-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS
LESSON ", FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 81. /

i John III, Ib--COmmenkary Fr0kak~
ed by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
copyright. 1905, by American Press Association
1t has been well said that the foun-
dation truths of Scripture are oil found
in these opening chapters. and we have
seen something of this in our last three
lessons. Redemption by the death of
sinIeSs substitute and also the glory to
W hich the redeemed shall attain are
simply set forth in chapter iii. -. IL
"a. and now we have in Cain and Abel
representatives of all who profess to
worship God. 1t seems from the SIM
pie record that Cain and Abel were the
first children given TO Eve; that in the
first she thought she had obtained the
deliverer of iii, Is, but, learning in
some way that it was not So she called
the next Abel, which signifies vanity
or transitory. BY the time they had
grown to manhood, perhaps thirty
years of age, judging from seven refer
euces to that age in Mum. iv, and from
Luke Iii, %, Adam and Eve may have
had many sons and daughters. That
this was the case we infer from verses
1911 of our lesson chapter.
To understand our lesson we must
consider the continuance of the garden
in Eden from which Adam and Eve
had been driven out. and we must also
see the justice of God in the flaming
sword keeping the way of the tree of
life and the glory of the redeemed
shown in the cherubim.
In these two men we have two rep
resentative wOrshipers. each knowing
the way of access TO God US they had
been taught; but. while one believed
and obeyed, the other rebelled against
Gods way OF sacrifice and dared TO at
tempt TO approach God in his own
way. There can be no faith without
some word from God to believe and
obey. but we read. by faith Abel Of
fered unto God more excellent sacri-
fee than Cain, by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, God
testifylng of his gifts, and by it he,
being dead. yet speaketh" Heb. ii. Il.
On the other hand. we read that Cain
was of that wicked one 1.-THE devil and
slew his brother because his
own works were evil and his brother
I righteous Il John iii. II. In | Cor. Y.
20. we read that the gentiles sacrifice
TO devils and not TO God: therefore we
must conclude that all worship Is either
OF God or theSdevll, and Cain listened
! TO the wicked one rather than 10 God.
as his mother had done before hin.
The whole Bible story Is the develop
ment Of these two lives, the one lead
ing to Christ-God manifest In the
| fiesh-and the other TO the antichrIst,
who will be the devil incarnate and
who. with his companion and his mas.
ter. shall find his place in the lake of
FIRE. while the seed of the woman shall
be the victor. and the Kingdoms VI this
world shall be the kingdom Of our
Lord and Of His Christ (Rev. X, 10;
xix. 20: ii. 15,. Many have gone and
are going in the way of Cain Jude III
who have no use for the precious blood
OF Christ. but insist that they know q
better and more beautiful way. even
the way of their own righteousness
Rom. x. 81. All such are. like Cain. OF
the wicked one and not Of God and
will find themselves. with their leader
in the world 10 come in the place OF
torment
We must see these men coming to ar
appointed place probably as near as
possible TO the presence OF God at the
east Of the gartlenD 10 worship Gvd. and
as they present their offerings. one ia
faith or Obedience. the other III unbe
lief or disObedlence God accepts tia,
0uc and rejects the other We are not
l'.ft without information as to how
God accepted sacrifice. III Lev. *. 81
judy. ri. u: xiii. -: k.ng xviii. -
-: II ChFon, vii. ~. We have ahundan
testimony. and we can see by faitl
the fire from the flaming sword touch
ing and consuming A.t-D~ Offering
while Gains remains uutnI.chpd. ans
his rebellion d""ppuS. and he is angrl
against God and against hin brUthe
and hates both. and the murder tina
was In bis heart becomes an awfu
reality In due time. for the great muir
derer had taken possession OF hin
Il John Ill., II: John viii a.,
Yet sce the love Of God as lie rea
sons with cain and points him 10 tn,
sin Offering stllI within his reach 10
him TO accept aud OFFER II he will. 10
verse : really says. "a SIN Offering 4
at your door" rut Cain will not sub
NIT 70 God. The line Of Gain Il seei
not only 10 this chapter to the end, bu
in Pharaoh. n Sennacberib. aud al
blnsphemers until the last Of whom ",
read In ban. II. 80. -; Rev. Kill.
But the Lord liveth who will brinl
every one and every wprk into jude
ment. and the question. where l
Abel. thy brotherF' II still rInginI
down the ages. and though many ma,
say. Am I my brothers keeYery
Ezek xxxIIi. :. =. indicates that 1sur
blood may be required at the hands q
many. II We know the gospel Of Oh
grace 81 God, We are debtors 10 al
WIN know u i,o;. 10 give II to iheT
also. but are We ready: nIom. 1 1910
Note Jehovah's two questions In Ili. 9