The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-03
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-FOurth Quarter, For
Nov. s, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

\ R@f@1 0y NuNs Ne hRa 61@3rM8s
! Az we have but one lesson in this
wonderful portion OF the Bible, we
must try to get some idea of the whole
book. 1t is the story Of God watching
over and providentially caring for His
people. and. though He Ia not men
toned By name. He is seen working all
through. The book ends most beauti-
fully and SUCCESSFULLY with these
words: "Mordecai the Jew was next
unto King Ahasuerus and great among
| the Jews and accepted of the multi
tude of his brethren. seeking the
wealth Of his people and speaking
peace to all his seed" TX, 81. We can
not but think of the kingdom OF which
this book Is historical and prophetic
picture, illustrating the grace OF God.
Amos vi, 10. aud Deut. XXI, IL, is.
may possibly throw some light on the
absence Of any name of God In the
book, aad yet the name of Jehovah is
really there four times in the form Of
an acrostic In the initial or final letters
Of four words In chapters 1, 20; ", A.
10; VII, Z. See DIR. Bullinger's booklet.
This any one with Hebrew Bible can
easily verify 1t Ia said that DIR. Gins
burg has discovered three ancient MSS.
In which these acrosttc letters are
written In larger characters and In
more prominent form. The absence Of
the name In any ordinary form sug-
gests the lines: "Oh, blest IL he TO
whom is given the instinct that can
tell that God is on the field when He
Ia most invisible" (Faber). Most hid
den, yet most manifest augustine
Some one has said that 1t is the story
of the people of God delivered from
death By a mediator of the highest
rank, who undertakes the greatest dan
ger and is mysteriously one of them.
The time of the story is supposed to be
between Ez. vi and vii. The princi.
pal truth seems to be that there is a
God In history working out His good
pleasure through human lives and or
binary means. AS one has said, "AlI
history is His story" God and the
devil are seen in conflict from Gen. II.
to Rev. III. Here 1t is Haman as the
devils man and Mordecai and Esther
on the Lords side.
Thus far In the story, ND TO our les
SON today. we see the greatness of an
earthly king and the magnifcence OF
his kingdom; his Ill treatment Of q
noble woman, put away, but remem-
bered: the choice OF another who re-
quired nothing but what was appoint
ed for her q, 10: II, 1, 49,; the faithful
and unwaveriDg interest OF her guard,
ian, Mordecai; the promotion OF Ha.
man and his plot to kill all the Jews
This brings us to the intercession OF
Esther In the lesson OF today, in which
she took the place of death to save the
lives Of her people dv, III. Our medi-
ator actually died In our stead to de-
liver us from the curse OF the law EGal.
iii, 10: Nv. A, 81. The words In Nv, IA.
''Who knoweth whether thou art come
to the kingdom for such a time as
thisf" make us think OF the words OF
the Lord Jesus. "For this cause came I
unto this hour" For this cause came
j into the world" John xii, 81: xviii,
3D.. IL we are redeemed by the pre-
cious blood Of Christ we may be Ger.
tain that all our life is planned Tor US
according to Eph. II. 10, and concerning
every occasion or opportunity we may
be sure that IL has been prepared for
us: that In II, by dying to self, we may
make manifest the life Of Jesus Gil
Cor. iv, 10. IL: Sam. x. n.
If we are unwilling He viii choose
some willing vassal to accomplish his
purpose, and the loss will be ours.
Esther sent word to Mordecaf that
he and all the Jews In Shushan should
Join her and her maidens in a three
days fast and then she would go into
the presence OF the king on behalf OF
her people. even IL IL should mean
death to her DIV, 15-1n. On the third
day she went to the king and obtained
favor IN his sight and the assurance
that he would do for her whatever she
asked, even to the half of his kingdom.
Our Mediator, who Is now In the pres
ence OF God for us. has given us all
with Himself. He takes every truly
penitent sinner into full partnership
with Himself. plotting out all that was
against us and putting sll Els right
eousness to our account. because He
died for our sins and rose again the
third day. IT any are perplexed by the
three days and nights OF the body Of
Jesus Christ in the tomb and cannot
work It in between Friday and the first
day of the week let them fnd the key
to the real meaning OF the time in this
story They were to fast three days.
night and day. and yet Oh the third
day Enot the fourth she went to the
king nv, is: v, d.
The rest Of inc Esther story is thrill
ing ais we read or Haman's galIowa
for Mordecai BITS superstition that he
was the man whom the king would de-
light TO honor. the kings sleepIess
night. the record found IN the book Of
the Chronicles concerning Mordecai.
Hauan'e sesps compelled TO do 10
Mordeca: wAat he had longed % haze
done to himself. then hir being hanged
on the gallnws he had prepared fot
Mordecas
How grand the statements Ok chap.
bers viii. TO: tx. 3. margin, The Jews
bad light. eladness and doy and hon
or Those who aid the business tlans
belonged to the king helped the Jews
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