The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-12-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson xll.--Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. 22, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

! sam. wi, I-lS--Mcmory VERSES W.
Il and u. 13--Goiden Texts, Luke u,
II, and ! Sam. vii, 3--commentary
Prepared by Rev. o. N. stsarns.
ICopyright, 1907, BY American Press Associstion.l
Unwilling to omit either the Christ
mas lesson or the one on Samuel. we
will give a portion to each. taking the
Christmas story first. and II may be
that we shall find more connection be-
tween them than appears probable at
first sight. They both refer to Israel
and to rulers In Israel. and in both
there Is the work OF an enemy and de-
liyerance therefrom.
1t Is high time that all teachers ev-
erywhere should very strongly en-
phasize the fact that the wonderful
babe in Bethlehem was born king OF
the Jews and that II was predicted
Of Him that He should rule Tor feed or
shepherd Gods people Israel (Matt. II.
2, O; Mic. v. p. Gabriel told Mary that
her Son should occupy the throne OF
His father David and reign over the
house Of Jacob forever and that Of His
kingdom there should be no end luke
I, 30. 33). and this was In perfect &C.
cord with lisa. *. o. I: Jer. xiii, 5. q
and all prophecy. The time OF the long
postponed kingdom Is ever drawing
nearer. and every prophecy concerning
Israel shall be literally fulfilled. Let
the Christmas notices this year be on
these lines: "All Israel shall be saved"
There shall come out OF Zion the De-
liyerer." Upon the throne OF David
and upon bis kingdom" "IIe shall be
ruler In Israel" "Jesus Of Nazareth. the
King OF the Jews rom. H %: lisa.
IL. :: Mic. v. ?: John xix. i9I. In con-
nection with the story Of the wise men
and their gifts. tell Of the queen OF
sheba and her gifts. then show from
lisa. IL and xii and Zech. xiv that oil
nations shall yet bring gifts to Israel
and go up from year to year to worship
the king ut Jerusalem: show how the
effort Of Herod. the earthly king. to
destroy the child King VIII be matched
and far overreached by the fulhllment
Of Rev. xvii. II; XIX. 10. q. but the
Lamb shall overcome them. for he Il
Lord OF lords and King OF kings. See
Gods care Of the child Jesus By
dreams given 10 the wise men and 20
Joseph and take comfort from the
precious truth that II we are In Christ
His Father Is our Father and we are
kept and cared for moment by mo-
ment lisa. XVII. 81. Let the gifts Of
the wise men lead Us TO ask ourselves
by what gifts or devotion or self de-
nial or journeyings we are proving
our love 10 Him. who. though lie was
rich. for our sakes became poor that
We through His poverty might he rich
Gil Cor. will. o.. What Il II 10 Us that
We have heard the wondrous story Of
the great redemption and So many NIL.
lions whom lie also loves have never
heard! Let all gifts he 10 Him, 10 help
make Him known. and not TO those
who do not need them.
Turning 10 the lesson In Samuel. the
heart Of II seems 10 be. Return unto
the Lord with all your hearts. put
away the strange gods and prepare
your hearts unto the Lord To serve Him
only Cverse 81. The people had relied
upon the ark Of the covenant and not
upon the Lord and had lost the ark In
battle. The Thilistines found that the
ark brought them more trouble than
they wanted. 80 they returned II on a
new cart drawn by two milk cows
which. contrary to nature. went away
| from their calves. which We're shut ~
at home. The PhlllsiInes sent q golden
Offering. with the ark IN Golfer by
the side thereof. without human
guide or driver the cows took the cart
! 90 Eo;hshemesh ard stopped In tls
field uf q man called Joshua. The car
was used for fireancd and the cows
sacrificed ~ n burnt Offering unto the
Lord upon a great stone by which they
had stopped with the cart. The I'D oI
the ark. the mercy seat. was never Il
be removed hut by the Lords com
mand. yet the men ~ Bcthshemesi
dared to disobcy. and over J0.O00 were
slain. The law can only XII. Life comes
by the mercy seat aud the blood sprin
kicd upon IT,.
The rnen Of KIrjathjcarIm were sen
for. aud they brought up the ark ans
Put II In the house ~ Alinadnb In thl
bin. setting apart Elcazar. his sou. Il
keep II. aud Il alntle there twenty
years lycrscs !. =. the tabernacle be
ing still at Shiloh. from whenre israe
had taken the ark ~ battle.
The phillStIres were stilI oppressIni
Israel. but israel YVES crying unto tn
Lord. 80 Samuel gathered them tn Miz
peh. and they had q time Of confession
4 aud fasting and prayer and pouring
out their hearts before God. n8 u gym
Dol ~ which they poured out watci
perhaps paying. rs 0n another occasion
I'VE are ~ water split On the grouH
which cannot bc gathered up again
m Eam xiv. IT.. While thus engages
the rhlilstiucs came against them. 10
Samuel offered u lamb for a burnt al
fering and crieh unto the Lord. an
Tire Lord heard him. and He tiundefe
80 nightly upon tire ThilisfIucs tha
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