The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-11-25
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR NOVEMBER 20.

Subject: Worlds Temperance Sun.
day, Isaiah 2s:1-1s-Golden
Text, 1 Cor. 9:27-Commit
Verse documentary.
TIME.-725 B. c. PLACE.-Jeru-
salem.
EXPOSITION. The Destruc.
ton of the Drunkards Of Ephraim, 1.
4. BY "the crown of pride" Is meant.
the city of Samaria (see r. v. and CT.
1 X. 1924. 1t is here compared to
a chaplet Of flowers on q d%runkard's
brow (R. W. This chaplet of flow.
ers, says Isaiah, shall be rodden
under foot because of their sin and
pride. The people of the northern
kingdom as a nation are spoken OF as
"the drunkards of Ephraim." Drunk.
enness seems to have been so wide:
spread as to have become a NATIONAL
sin (cf. CHI. Sill, -; Hos. 7:5; Am.
rs, 8, -; Al; $50. The effect OF
their drink upon them was that they
were Overcome" Cliterally, "smitten
down") by it. Let us not forget that
it was 1.-The native wines of a wine
growing district" that did this for
Ephraim, and hot distilled spirits nor
adulterated poisons. Their "chaplet
of pride and GLORIOUS beauty" was
after all but a fading flower" So 1t
is with every chaplet of earthly pride
and all the glorious beauty" OF this
present world q Pet. 1:24). The
prophets answer to Israels conf.
dence Is, their crown of pride was
that Jehovah had "a mighty and
strong one" This mighty and
strong one" was the king Of Assyria
e K. 1%S:10-12). The Assyrians them
selves were a "bloody," deceitful and
rapacious people (Nah. BID, but
they were an instrument In Jehoyah's
hand for fulfilling His word and
bringing judgment upon His back
sliding people (cf. Ps. 76:10l. The
coming of the Assyrian Is described
by a threefold figure: "a tempest OF
hail. "a destroying Storm" "a EN-.
pest of mighty waters OVERCOMING"
The thought contained in these fig
ures is that of widespread and over
whelming destruction (cf. Oh. 8:7, 81.
Back of all this work of devastation,
destruction and d%esolation was the
wrath of God at sin (2:4-9). This
destruction, ETC., all came upon them
because they obeyed notsthe voice
of Jehovah, their God" g K.fS:11.
12). Jesus uses a similar figure re.
garding those who hear His, words
and do them not (Matt. E26,g271. Is
II. Jehovah Of Hosts For q CrSHn
Of Glory, 8, 9. In the midst of the
awful desolation Of his own time,
when every crown OF pride and all
glorious beauty Is q fading flower.
the prophet looks forward to THAT
day. (the day Of the Lords Return
and manifestation -. Sc: in the midst
Of present sin and Judgment for sin
we should look forward tfor COM
! fort in our hearts and encouragement
In our worky to- our Lords. coming
again cit. 2:l3;s2SRetsts 12-14, r.:
W. I'm that day 80, crown of
glory" will take the place of "the
crown Of PRIDE" aid "a diadem OF
beauty the place Of sthe fading flow
er of his glorious beauty" "
III. Erring Through Wine, Out of
the Way Through Strong Drink. z. s.,
These also" 1.-THE people OF Jerusa-
lem), as well as Ephraim, 'haVe
erred through wine and through
strong drink are out Of the way"
The prevailing sin Of drunkenness
had reached even Gods representa-.
tives, "the priest and the prophet"
(cf. CHI. 6:10-12; Mic. 2:11). The
priests. were especially ~inexcusable
because Of the plain directions Of
Gods word s(Lev. 1873, 49, Ez.
t4A:21). They were Keeling through
strong drink, they were swallowed up
of wine, they were. gone astray
through strong drink lsee R: ",
Marg.).i The result was, they utterly
| failed in their official acts. They
reeled in vision and stumbled in judg.
ment. Wine and strong drink con.
fuse the spiritual perceptions and
rob men Of judgment. The religious
teacher who INDUCES in them is es-
pecially culpahle and utterly incapac-
itated for his holy Office. The use of
wine and strong drink made their
social gathering filthy and disgusting.
~. How God Teaches Those Who
VIII Not Hearken to His Word, 9-1S.
Verses 9 and 10 may be taken as
giving us the hooking answer OF
the people to Gods prophet. II
we take them this way the peo-
pie are represented as saying,
whom will he teach knowledge.
etc. (? Does he take US for babies
lust weaned? 1t Is precept upon pre-
sept, ETC." If the prophet himself is
the speaker, then Jehovah, is repre-
sented as teaching knowledge to
babes and not to the self-suficient
(cf. Matt. 1925; 2.:15, 16; Nix.
1919. These are the ones whom
He makes to understand the mes
sage" (R. w.. And the method Of
His teaching is "precept upon pre-
cept" (cf. Neh. 1929, 80; 2 Chr.
36:15; Jer. HID. AS they had not
listened to Jehovah speaking through
His prophets He will now speak to
! them through foreign ~conquerors ".
II, R. "; cf.' Deut. ~28:47-49). II we
will not hear Gods loving and patient
call to repentance He will speak to us
through cruel enemies. God had
called them to rest" They would
not hear that call; so He nov sent
them conflict and destruction. He
calls us also to rest" Matt. 11:2S,
29). If we will not hear that call He
will send US destruction e Thess.
1:7-9). The whole secret of their
trouble land of every mans trouble
to-day was that they would not listen
to Gods word.
Brings Relics From Africa.