Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-01-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON III, FIRST QUARTER, INTERNA-
TlONAL SERIES, JAN. 20.
Text of the Lesson, Gen. fiji, 1-i5.
Memory Verse, 15-Golden Text,
Cor. Nv, 22-COmmentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. nj. stearns.

Memory Verse, I5-Golden Text,
Cor. Nv, 22-Commentary Prepare,
by Rev. ID. nj. stearns.
Copyright, 1905. by American Press Association.
In this third chapter from the be
ginning Of the Bible we are introduce,
to one whom we have not met person
ally before, the one whose story 4
ended In the third chapter from tn,
end Of the Bible and who is Their,
known as "the dragon, that old ser
pent, which is the devil and Satan,
bis doom being a thousand years Ii
the bottomless pit and then the lake
of fire for ever and ever Today's les
| son gives us the beginning of the con
fict between God and the devil over
man and his Inheritance, the earth,
and the whole Bible Is the full record
OF this conflict Let the glorious con-
summation cheer us as we journey
on: "a new heaven and new earth
=. And there shall be no more
curse, but the throne Of God and Of
the Lamb shall be in it, (Rev. xxi, 1;
xxi, 3, n.
This great adversary seems to need
a creature through whom to work, and
to reach Adam and Eve he selects the
wisest and possibly the most beautiful
Of all Gods creatures, the serpent,
which at that time, as 10 clear from
verse ii, did not, as now, go upon his
belly. We can only briefly note some
characteristics of the devil as here set
forth, but may these lead us to study
moro carefully his wiles that we may
not be ignorant of bis devices, but re-
sist him and successfully overcome
him by the shield of faith and the
sword Of the Spirit, by the blood Of the
Lamb and the word Of our testimony
(Eph. vi, 1918; Jas. iv, z; Pet. v, SO.
Notice in the first five verses Of our
lesson how this wicked one questions
the word Of God and the love of God,
talks of unholy ambition and actually
makes God liar. He is zealously do
ing these things still and perhaps new
er more SO than today. Let us remem-
Der that all who question the word Of
God are for the time being In the
service Of the devil, and II we refuse
to accept the testimony Of God we are
guilty Of making God liar Il John
', 1W.
Eve saw and coveted and took. So
lid Achan Josh. vii, 2D and David III
Sam. xi, 2, a and multitudes over
since because Of this same devil. Con-
.rast this fall of Adam and Eve with
he victory Of the last Adam in the |
wilderness when similarly tempted. |
They had everything they needed |
Ind fell. He had nothing and was hun
Try, yet He conquered For our guild
'nce see John Ii, 1911.
Although Adam and Eve had no put |
n" clothing. as we have, they must
ave been clothed with light as a part
4 themselves, for they were In the
mage Of God before they sinned FPS.
iv, p. Life is knowing God, commun-
1g with God, and the absence Of this
, death John xvii, 3; Eph. ii, 4, 8, 12).
When they sinned they died, and as a
ubstltute for the garments Of light
Thich they had lost they made them
elves fig leaf aprons and attempted
} hide from God oversees Z, 81. But
God Is love" always. He came to
'alk with them In the garden as
foretime, and they no longer come to
leet Him, but are afraid Of Him and
lis voice. He lovingly calls them,
raws from them confession, and |
tier telling them some results of their
II He reveals to them by object les
ms the way of salvation and also a
lture resurrection life when the earth |
iall be paradise restored. The first
of Redeemer and De-
Verer for man who shall also finally
ush the devil is made TO the devil In
rise Is, where we have set before us
suffering and also cOnquering de-
Terer, serpent who shall have some
ccess for time, but Deliverer who
all finally crush him. This verse
lis Of the atonement and the new
nth, but In verse 81 the manner of
e atOnement by the shedding of
God is fully set forth. Here we see
e Son of God (for every manifesto
IA of God from the beginning is
rough the Son, John 1, 1-3, 49, with
Is own hand shedding the blood of
e innocent animals, probably lambs,
d providing redemption clothing for
e guilty but now penitent pair who
uld do nothing but drop their fig ri
If aprons and accept meekly and :
idly Gods provision. And they
gbt have sung if they had known q,
I'm the words Of lisa. Xxi, TO- Doubt p
IS the Son Of God In this institution =,
sacrifice looked down the stream of g,
ne to Golgotha, where He would lit. w
lily fulfill that for which He was h
apart before the foundation of the el
rid q Pet i. 1920, and Adam and n
e and through them their descend. IL
is were taught the way of forgive m
10 by the shedding of the blood of a Fl
,stltute and the only way by which
ners can draw near to q holy God 10
eb TX, lila, %; K, 49, 20). In
,est partaking Of the tree of life of
'uld .prolong their stay unduly in w
rial bodies tainted by sin they are d,
It out Of Eden, or, rather, out Of the IA
den of Eden, which we infer, con- su
ued with its tree Of life and flaming Is
ord and cherubim until the deuge. Il
Is Is no doubt the sword referred to ns
Zech. Kill, Z, as awaking against the Or
o sacrifice by whom alone we re- ii,
err Eden and have the tree of life by
tored to us Rev. ii. y. Let those
D have anointed eyes study the pc
rubin from This TO Rev. v, $40, and Tic
he song they sing along with all vi
lr previous history, does not indi- tn
E the redeemed of the Lord, then 20
ave not get seen Alright. OF
the devils aim was and Is to In
man 20 knowledge and progress Gil
TT from GOD, II Lay help us to I'M
sfan1 fhf trpyent condition - | ar