The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-12-10
JI79
Sn7oosl-Scf70ol
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR DECEMBER f3.


Subject: Solomon Dedicates the Tenn
pie, 4 Kings S---Golden Text, Ps.
1c2:t--Commit Verses 10, H.
Read Kings Chs. 5-S.
TIME.-1OO4 B. @. PLACE.--Je-
rusalem.
ExPOSTTION,-I. The Gathering
at Jerusalem to Dedicate the Temple,
4, 2. Great national gatherings for
religious purposes we're one of the
marked features of the life of Gods
chosen people Israel. Not only had
they their three regular yearly feasts
| lex. 23:14-17) but there were special
| gatherings for special occasions like
| this (cf. Josh. 23:2; 24:1; l Chron.
! 2S:G. Sometimes, as in the case be-
| fore us, the regular and the special
were combined (cf. Ezra 3:1-6). The
Israelites when walking with God
took plenty of time for due acknowl-
edgment of Gods goodness, and for
| the cultivation of their moral and
spiritual life. The dedication of the
temple occupied seven days, and was
Immediately followed by the regular
yearly Feast of Tabernacles q Chron.
7:S-10). There were in all fourteen
days of confession of sin (for the
Day of Atonement occurred on the
tenth day of this month, Lev. 1927,
which would be the third day of the
seven days of the dedication), OF
thanksgiving and worship and prayer.
No wonder that God manifested Him
self to them in such glorious way,
The immediate purpose of this great
national gathering of all the leading
people of the nation was that they
might bring up "the ark of the Gov
! enant" with due honor. All the sen
ators of the nation were there, but
none of them presumed to touch the
ark that stood for Gods presence II
, their midst God had appointed tha
only "the sons of Kohath" should
J bear the ark (Nu. 4, Is B). On thi
occasion the most important of th'
sons of Kohath, the descendants o
Aaron, the priests themselves, bor
the ark (cf. Josh. $50, IA, 15; 6:6
De. 31:9; 1 Chron. 15: q, 11-15) }
Not only the ark, but the entir
tabernacle, which up to this time ha
been at Gibeon, was brought up. Sac
rifices and offerings expressing cor
, fession of sin, trust in atonemen
through blood, conservation and CON
munion with God, were offered I
: countless profusion. BY the "oracl
: of the house" is meant the most Hol
/, Place reserved for the ark (ch. 6:1s
;. 22). In this most Holy Place tn
!. ark was placed under the shelterin
! wings of the Cherubim (cf. ch. 1927
: Elk. 25:20-23). At the time the re-
: ord contained in this book was wri
S ten everything still remained just {
0 it was arranged the day of dedicatio
f ". 81. The ark contained the tU
It tables of stone which Moses hs
II hewed out at Horeb, and on whiC
o Jehovah Himself had written "tl
o ten words" (or commandments) ID
If 1915, r. W. These ten words
were Gods covenant with Israel (E
ie 34:27, 2S, R. W. Hence the al
IT that contained them was called I'll
ark of the covenant" With the la
O. of God perfectly kept within, and
II blood-sprinkled mercy seat aboy
~ where God met His people (E
g 25:20-22), 1t was remarkable ty
VI of Christ. These ten words were al
called "the testimony" because tn
OIL were Gods witness to the truth a
rs to His will There was absolute
eu nothing else in the ark but these t.
m tables of stone. Besides the ark,
the tabernacle, were the pot
is mama (Ex. 1888, BAD and Aarol
ST. rod that budded (Nu. 17:10, III.
tn these were by divine commandme
so closely associated with the ark
he testimony, the author of the Epis
be to the Hebrews regards them as bel
ut In it. (The Greek proposition ira
he lated "in" has a wider meaning a
,is use than our word "in.") Only
law which Jehovah Himself
oafnallU inctdn tho
~, The complete Mosaic law (not mer
ny the ten words) written out in full
the hand of Moses, was beside
ark of the covenant, in the taberna
80 (De. 31:26), and afterwards in
9 temple, where it was found when
q temple was being repaired in the d
Q of Josiah Il X. 22:1-20).
= III. The House of Jehovah FIJI
az With the Glory of Jehovah, 10,
62, 63. When everything was CT
me plete, and the temple was left el
Ists tied of all else for God Himself,
ber came down and filled 1t with
ox. own ineffable glory. When ev'
tha thing is in place, and we have
=. sented ourselves to God to be
~ temple, and have taken off our hal
In He will come and fill us too with
lses glory THE cloud" that allied
size house of the Lord" was the -Sheki
nre. glory of His own awful presence
nee, 1872; Elk. 1921; 14:24; 16:
mes 24.16-1S; 2 Chron. 5:13, 14). w
80 thu conditions are met to-day,
pt just as really and manifestly, and
tne more blessedly, fills His house '
His glory. In a similar way Jehc
rik- had filled the tabernacle with
scts. glory when that was set up, and
size, erything finished according to
liam word eek. 40:34, 35). And He a
sect nlie1 tne .einpie wHn 1e csunu ~.
pro- VIA We have as a far ar more abiding privj
ody. than israel; for 1t is ours to const
and ly behold the glory of God in
8. person OF Jesus Christ q Cor. 3