The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-01-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON /. FIRST QUARTER, iNTERNA-
TIoNAL SERIES, JAN. 9.

copyright. 1905. by American Press Association
We are now to have a whole year In
what Ia called the Old Testament, the
Scriptures which Jesus SO loved and
which He was always quoting and
opening up and heartily indorsing.
We are to spend nine months in the
books Of Moses and the last quarter In
Joshua to Samuel. We will do we'll to
bear in mind that all Scripture con-
Germs Himself, all was written by the
Spirit OF God, and all things written
In the law of Moses, the prophets and
the Psalms concerning Him must be
fulfilled luke xiv, u, Al, There Is
nothing within our reach so much to
be priced as the knowledge OF God
der. tx, %, 2il. and DIR. Andrew Muir
ray says concerning the Bible. "fhe
central thought OF this book Is God; Its
one object IL 10 reveal God, and In
reading II our chief desire should be
to know God" The book as a whole
Is the story OF this earth on which we
live and the purpose Of God concern
ing IL. The first two chapters Of Cen
| esis and the last two Of Revelation tell
Us Of the earth as II was and as IL will
be again, without any sin or sorrow
| or devil or curse. Between Gen. Ill
and Rev. TX II is, as DR.. Weston says,
the story Of the conflict between
Christ and the devil for man and his
inheritance. the earth.
The opening sentence Of our lesson 10
q dateless statement telling US In a
few mighty words how heaven and
earth came into existence. Literally IL
Is "the heavens and the earth" That
God the Father created all things by
and for Jesus Christ Is seen In John !.
Is: Col. |, 10, II. That all was done
| by His word and spoken into existence
out OF nothing Is seen In rs. xxxili, .,
| o: Heb. ri. .. Some Of the comfort
| that comes TO O child VI God from
these facts may be seen In lisa. ri.
2G-3l: Jer. XXI. II: Ats ~. 2i'3i
That the earth was not created with
out form and void we learn from lisa.
xiv, Is. II Is more plain In the Revised
Version by comparing verse with that
passage. The two words translated
without form and void" are found in
combination only In two other places
| lisa. xxxlv. II: Jer. ~. III. aud In each
they refer TO the result OF a catastrO-
phe. The inference from this record
in Genesis Is that In the far distant
past, the beginning" God made the
| heavens aud he earth good. rs lie nl-
ways makes all things. but that some
thing happened which resulted In the
| confusion and emptiness of verse 2.
The six days work Of our lesson II
therefore not tie record Of The crea.
\ ton. hut u i restoration. Tor 4 Il mo-
where writtcp that IL II days the
Lord created The hea, opd the earth.
but II Is written = * days the
Lord made te2N and earth" (Ex.
/ ". III. See the two words in Gen.
/ ii. .. The beautiful part Of II u that
Nil was done by the Spirit - God and
/ the word o. God. no one and no thing
hlndering. Note In verse 2. The Spirit
q God moved or brooiei.- then notice
the ten times and God said" Notice
also the other verbs. saw. divided. call
81. made, created, blessed. ended. rest.
al. finished. sanctined. given, In this
section ending with chapter Il. . Note
the sentences. ''C;od saw that Il was
good" and 1T was So" each used sev.
en- times, and also the twice seven
/ times use u the word let" Ii II Ger.
tainly q magnificent picture Of God
working unhIndered aud accomplish.
Ing Ills good pleasure, the result being
a perfect earth without sin or suffer
Ing or curse Of any kind and. as we
shall SCI I'm our next lesson. man IN
the image of God In communion with
Col, having dominion over aIi things.
ThEs the Bible begins. aud thus II
ends. and II We are In Him who "a
both tie beginning and the end. the
FIRST and tire last (lsev. /. y. II. ~. we
shall share the kingdom with Him
when He shall have sub,iuei all things
unto Himself. do not know ans
other way 10 take this record than Just
~ 10 reads. the work Of each day IN
its day. and. titus accepting u. adors
aud praise Him who DID II all.
But while II II n record Of enrth's
restoration II IL also suggestive Of the
birth Of n soul and the development oi
life in that soul The condition Of ey
cry uDsaved person Il described b.
the words without form and void" Of
confusion aud emptiness" and truly
IN such MI IN darkness. hut Cos
speaks. md the Spirit works. the llghI
shines in. and there II the work % ~
( generation. The Spirit uses this illus
trail1n when lie says. God. who com
handed the light 90 shine 0it"gf dark
, ness, hath ahlnpi 10 our hearts 10 Civ,
the light NJ the knowledge u tho gI0r,
o. God IN the face ~ Jesus Christ ti
> Cor ~. u. Then, being redeemed
: there IL a division between light ant
I, ,lafl uass, mnd we become children o
thn day u TlIess. Y. -. We then begil
y lrarp tho difference between water
nl,ova and waters beneath. ~ In Joltl
, u.s. n. -. Next We coute % tire thlr'
: dar. or resurrection extpfieneu II fruit
Z