The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-09-20

anu puhiShlhS Juotig j. ""N ''"'' "
buke many people; and they shall beat
their swords into plowshnres and their
spears into pruning hooks. Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more"
All Christians agree that these words
apply to the Messiahs Kingdom They
tell us clearly and distinctly of how
the judgments of the Lord will be
abroad in the earth, causing wars to
cease and the knowledge of the Lord
TO fill the whole earth as the waters
cover the great deep Qsaiah xi, 81.
o, Houss of Jacob, comcl
We have already noted that this
prophecy belongs to natural Israel and
not to spiritual Israel. AS the first
verse declares, 1t concerns Judah and
Jerusalem. BY the time this prophecy
will have begun to be fulfilled. spir-
itual Israel will be beyond the vale.
1t is in full harmony with this that
we read in the fifth verse, 20 house Of
Jacob, Come ye and let us walk In the
light of the Lord" This is particular
ly the time when this message to nat
ural Israel should go forth. We un-
derstand the Scriptures to teach that
during the next few years the Lord
will have special dealings with Israel
in connection with this call. He will
point out to them the way Of righteous
ness and the great privileges that are
theirs as a people, because Of Divine
promises to their fathers, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, etc. But only those
who respond by turning to the light
of Gods Word to walk In 1t will be
in the proper condition of heart and
obedience to promptly get the blessing
at the beginning of Messiah's reign.
Those most prompt to respond Will get
the greater blessing
Verses Clio portray some of the rea-
sons why Gods favor has been with
drawn for a time from natural Israel
aside from the fact that his special
favor was for the time to be given to
Spiritual Israel Then follows de-
scription of the time of trouble, In
which present institutions will sue
| cumb, to be followed by Messiah's en-
pire Let us read some of these verses
and note their applicability to our day
| and the correspondence between these
! statements and very similar pro-
nounCements in the Book of Revela-
! tion, applicable also to the time in
which we are living. We will quote
end of the chapter
What the Trouble Will Accomplish.
The lofty looks Of man shall be
humbled and the haughtiness of men
! shall be bowed down; and the Lord
alone shall be exalted in that day. Oneof
the greatest obstacles in the pathway
Of humanity, hindering approach to
truth and righteousness Is pride. The
Almighty God Is not sufficiently rev.
erenced. The very learned men of all
our Colleges seem more and more to
doubt that there Is a God and that
the affairs of earth are subject to any
other regulations than those of chance,
except as the learned can regulate
them. The time Of trouble when the
various theories of man will be tried
and found wanting will demonstrate
most thoroughly that the wisdom from
above is neglected In favor of earthly
wisdom. The Lord says in another
place. The wisdom of their wise men
shall perish and the understanding OF
their prudent men shall disappear.
For the day OF the Lord of Hosts
shall be heavy upon every one that is
proud and lofty and upon every one
that Is lifted up, and he shall be
brought low, and upon all the cedars
of Lebanon that are high and lifted
up 1.-THE enthusiastically great and
upon all the oaks of Bashan 1.-THE po
litlcally strongl; upon all the high
mountains 1.-THE Kingdoms of the world
and upon all the hills that are lifted
up 1.-THE smaller princedomsl; and
upon every high tower and upon every
fenced wall representing human or
ganizntIons for strength and protec
tionl and upon all the ships of Tar
shish Tabor organlzationsl and upor
, all desirable prospects and ideals oi
, earthly ambition, the arm of the I.ort
| Will be heavy. The result will be thai
, the loftlness shall be humbled and tho
; huughtlness shall be made low and thC
, Lord alone shall be exalted in tha
, day; and the idols shall be utterly
, abolished. God must be first undeI
t the new order Of things. No peace Of
] blessing will otherwise result.
Hiding In Rocks and Caves.
Those in distress and perplexity vii
, In that time OF trouble flee to the hole
/. and the rocks and the caves of cart
{ for fear. AS Revelation wi, 16l ex
{ presses 1t, they shall call to the rocks
: Fall on us and hide us from the fac
D of him that sltteth upon the throne
: We are not to understand this NOR
: literally than its context. 1t does no
{ signify that people will be so foolis
4 as to literally pray for rocks to fal
t upon them. when they could NOR
5 easily destroy their lives In anothe
+ way, The thought is the very con
0 trary of this--that they desire protec
| ,Ii 81