Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-01-23
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
LESSON ", FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 27.

ed by Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1905, by American Press Association
1t has been we'll said that the foun-
dation truths of Scripture are all founo
in these opening chapters, and we nave
seen something of this in our last three
lessons. Redemption by the death OF
sinless substitute and also the glory TO
which the redeemed shall attain are
simply set forth in chapter Ill, 10. "a
"a. and now we have in Cain and Abel
representatives of all who profess 10
worship God. 1t seems from the SIM
ple 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-
ences to that age in Mum. Nv, ana IRON
Luke Iii, %, Adam and Eve may nave
had many sons and daughters. mat
this was the case we infer from verses
1917 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 OK
life and the glory of the redeemed
shown in the cEerubim.
In these two men we have two rep
resentative worshipers, each knowing
the way of access to God as 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 a more excellent sacri-
fee than Cain, by which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, Coo
testifying of his gifts, and by 1t he,
being dead, yet speaketh" (Heb. xi, A.
On the other hand, we read that cain
was of that wicked one the deviD and
slew his brother because his
own works were evil and his brothers
righteous" q John iii, 12). In Cor x,
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 the devil, and Cain listened
to the wicked one rather than to God,
as his mother had done before him.
The whole Bible story is the develop
ment of these two lives, the one lead
ing to Christ-God manifest In the
iesh-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 or
fire. while the seed of the woman shall
be the victor, and the kingdoms OF this
world shall be the Kingdom Of our
Lord and Of His Christ (Rev. Xxx, 10;
xix, 20; xi, 49,. 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
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 to come in the place of
torment.
We must see these men coming to an
appointed place probably as near as
possible to the presence Of God at the
east of the garden) to worship God, and
as they present their offerings, one in
faith or obedience, the other in unbe-
lief or dsobedience. God accepts the
one and rejects the other. We are not
left without information as to how
God accepted sacrifice. In Lev. TX, "a;
Judg. vi, 81, xiii, 20; King xviii, "A,
3S; III Chron. vii, 1-3, we have abundant
testimony, and we can see by faith
the fire from the flaming sword touch
ing and consuming Abefs Offering,
while Gains remains untouched, and
his rebellion deepens, and he is angry
against God and against his brother
and hates both, and the murder that
was in his heart becomes an awful
reality in due time, for the great MUIR
: derer had taken possession of him
Il John Ill, Is; John viii, Az.
Yet see the love of God as He rea-
sons with Cain and points him to the
sin offering still within his reach for
him to accept and offer il he will, for
verse Z really says, "A sin offering Is
at your door," But Cain will not sub
NIT to God. The line of Cain is seen
not only in this chapter to the end, but
In Pharaoh. a Sennacherib, and all
blasphemers until the last Of whom we
read in Dan. XII, 80, 40; Rev. Kill.
But the Lord liveth who will bring
every one and every work into judg-
ment, and the question, Where is
Abel, thy brother" Is still ringing
down the ages, and though many may
say, Am | my brothers keeper
Eek. xxxiii, Z, 8, indicates that much
blood may be required at the hands OF
many. If we know the gospel Of the
grace of God, we are debtors to all
who know 1t not, to give it to them
also, but are we ready? Rom. 1, 14-16.)
Note Jehovah's two questions In ill, O.
iv, 8, Where art thou" where is thy
brother" and may we hear them tC
some purpose. The only way to God
is by Him against whom the sword
awaked Czech. xiii y, for there is none
other name under heaven whereby we
may be saved. and there Is no saliva
ton through Him but by His precious
blood (Acts ". IL; Lev. xvii, IL; Heb
tx, IL, 22). AS to the infallibility Of
these Genesis records let it suffice thai
He who spake as never man spake oil
would dare to speak indorses the rec
ord Of the creation Of Adam and Eve
and speaks of the blood Of righteous
Abel Matt. xix, 4, 5: kill. 8N.
! Eyu0 IA 81 n