The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-11-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson Vil.-FOurth Quarter, For
Nov. Ia, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts xviii. 11-31.
Memory Verses. 30, 31-Golden Text.
Rom. i, 1o-Commentery Prepared BY
Rev. D. M. Stearns


tifying OF the Lord Jesus. the result of
which eternity Will declare. they PRO
cecded toward Rome. tarrying three
days mt Syracuse. in Sicily. one day at
Rhegium. in the extreme south of
Italy, and seven days at Puteoli. where
they found believers. The brethren
at Rome. having heard of Pauls ar
rival at PutcOIi. came out to meet him
as far rs Appii forum and the three
taverns, thus encouraging him and
causing thanksgiving to God. Then
they returned with him to Rome.
There is a suggestion here OF the way
it will be at the coming of the Lord
When He comes to the air on His
way back TO earth the saints shall all
meet him in the air and later he man
ifeStcd with Him in glory. when He
shall come to the same Olivet from
which He assembled q Thess. ". 1G-1S
Col. iii. !; Xrrh. xiv. A.. Arriving Il.
Rome, the otbp" prisoners were de
liycrrd TO the captain Of The guard
but Paul WAS permitted to dwell b,
himself with soldier who kept him
For two whole years he dwpIt in hi,
own hired house and received Hll that
came TO him. preaching the Kingdom
OF God and teaching the things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ with
the most perfect freedom QG 80. 81
We shall mediate more fully on this
delightful occupation presently. AftCI
three days in Rome Paul called the
chief of the Jews together that n,
might state his case to them. which
he briefly did in facts with which we
are already familiar, and he added
For the hope of Israel | am bouu0
with this chain" (20l.
In Joel iii. Is. we read that in The
time of trouble the Lord will be the
hope of His people and the strength
of the children of Israel In | Tim
i. |, Paul says that he is IN apostle
of Jesus Christ by the commandments
of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus
Christ our hope. hut in the New Tes
lament | think we are safe in saying
that hope" always refers to the com
ing of Christ for His saints. as in
Tit ii. Is; Heb. vi. 1920; Rom. will
$50 The hope of Israel would then
be the coming of Christ as lSrael'S
Messiah to make of them a righteous
nation and bless all nations through
them. This implies Jesus. as the seed
of David, risen from the dead and
also the resurrection of the saints &C
tn MI
stated his case before these Jews of
Rome they said that they had not
heard of his troubles in Jerusalem. nor
had any one spoken any harm of him.
but they would like to hear what he
had to say about this sect which they
knew was everywhere spoken against
(22l. 1t was fOretOld that il would he
so Cps. cXviii. %: lisa viii. A. 10: iii
1-3; Luke ii. 34l. and~to this day.it is
so, for our Lord is still rejected and
by the world disOwned but the strange
thing is that. even among those who
Saviour and expect to spend eternity
with Him and are with more or less
zeal seeking to serve Him now. there
is such antipathy to anything concern
ing His second coming or the future of
Israel as righteous nation to bring
blessing to all nations.
1t may truly be said that as the
hope Of His church or the hope ~
Israel He is still spoken against by
those who. like these Jews, profess to
honor His word. Well they appointed
him day and came to his lodging
and from morning till evening he eX-
pounded and testified the kingdom
of God, persuading them concerning
Jesus both out of the law of Moses
and out of the prophets (23l. For two
years he continued to do this with all
who came to him. He had but one
topic-the Lord Jesus Christ and His
kingdom. He had but one boob-the
Scriptures. II the Scriptures are not
wholly and absolutely reliable, then
preachers are simply lecturers. talk
ing out of their own hearts their own
messages. which are all vain words,
for. apart from the word of God which
is forever settled in heaven FPS cXiX.
S9), we have no revelation of the will
of God and the purpose of God; but.
thank God. there are many left who,
like Paul. believe God that all things
shall be just as He has told us and
who. like our blessed Lord. find in all
the Scriptures. the law the prophets
and the Psalms. the things concerning
Himself duke xiv. 2T. Al. The
teacher Of the Bible should be able
to begin at Moses and from all the
book point ont the predictions concern
Ing the Sufferings of Christ and the
glory that shall follow as they are set
forth in shadow and symbol and in
plain statements. Gen. iii. 10. has
both in one verse; Gen. iii. 81, is full
Of the sufferings and the benefit to us:
Gen. ill., ~. talks of the resurrection
and the glory.
The story of Abel tells us in type of
suffering and of the blood that speak
eth better things than that of Abel
The story of Enoch. in the light of
the epistle Of Jude. tells of suffering
and of the glory of translation. In Noah
and Lot we learn. with our Lords
comment, Of the judgments which
must precede the kingdom. In Abra-
ham and his son we see the great sac
rifice and learn to look for the city.
JOSpDh helms MS TO be patipnt and TO