The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-12-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson XlV.-Fourth Quarter
For Dec. 81, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, Nal. iii, I to iv,
Uns.ead of Review)-Mennory Verses,
iii, IS, 17-GoIden Text, Nal. iii, Z.
Commentary Prepared by Rev. D. M.
Stearns.
Although a portion of this prophecy
has been assigned as our lesson, the
lesson suggests study Of the whole
prophecy. The words my messenger
of iii. /, are just translation Of the
word "AIalachi'' of /. l, and through the
messenger we learn 1.-The burden Of the
word of the Lord" which is. Il have
loved you" ii, 2. We are reminded OF
Deut. vii. G-S, where the only reason
given why the Lord chose them for a
special people unto Himself is because
the Lord loved you" Compare Jer.
XXI, 3: John iii, 1G: X...... J: Nv. .; l
John iii, lG Who is this that so loves
unlovely people? Even He who says:
Il am Il great King My name shall be
great among the nations. am the
Lord | change not" ii, IL, II: iii, %.
What does He ask in return for such
love? Simply that they hear His mes
SAGE. lay it to heart and give glory to
Hi; name, walking with Him in peace
and equity, even as Levi did Ill, ?. 5, 81,
bringing in all the tthes and proving
Him as ready to pour upon them more
blessing than they could receive iii,
1O), for He is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all we ask or think
(Eph. iii, 2O). How did they requite
such love? They despised His name
by Offering polluted bread upon His al
tar, by offering the blind. the lame and
the sick for sacrifice; by offering to the
Lord what they would not offer their
earthly ruler and by calling all their
so called service WEAKNESS Ii, G-S, II.
49,. They wearied the Lord with their
words. saying, Every one that doeth
evil is good in the sight Of the Lord.
and he delighteth in them iii. 10.
They robbed the Lord of hosts in
tithes and offerings and yet said,
wherein have we robbed thee?" They
said. 1T is vain to serve God. and
what profit is 1T that we have kept His
ordinance and walked mournfully be-
fore Him?' They called the proud
happy and set up those who wrought
wickedness iii. 8, 1915.
Yet He said: Return unto Me, and
| will return unto you. will rebuke
| the devourer. and all nations shall call
| you blessed. for We shall be Il delight
| some land, saith the Lord of hosts Gii
I, 12,. He is the same as when He
| pleaded with them before the captiv
| ity, saying, 20 Israel. thou hast de
| strOyed myself. but in Me is thine
help" 20 Israel. return unto the LORD
| thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine
iniquity" (Hos. xiii, 8; xiv. u. Return
| thou backsliding Israel. saith the Lord
only acknowledge thine in
| iuuity. - Turn. o backslidins
| children, for | am married
unto YOU der iii. 12-1N In thu
| midst Of all the unbelief there was
as there always has been and will be
a faithful remnant referred to in iii, 16
Then they that feared the Lord spakt
often one to another. and the Lore
hearkened and heard it, and Il book O.
remembrance was written before Hin
for them that feared the Lord, ant
that thought upon His name" l have
quoted the whole verse. for it seems
so marvellous that God should keep ;
special record of those who even thinl
npon Him. Many have been comfort
ed by this blessed assurance. Thel
see how He speaks of them in vers'
II, "AIy Jewels" or as in the margin
and the following passages. "Specia
treasure" (Ex. xix, 5; Ps, cxxxv. 4
Deut. vii. &: xiv. 2, XVI. 49,. Compare
Pet ii. 8; John xvii. %: Tit ii. IA, re
is that which is more fully described
in chapter iv and referred to in Matt
XIV. 81; Col iii. 4: II Thess. i. 40
Rev. xix, II; Ps. |, 1-6. 1t is the com
ing of Christ with His saints of Zech
xiv. 5: Thess. iii, 13, and the fOrme
passages just quoted when with Hi
redeemed ones He will execute Hi
judgments on the ungodly and shoy
mercy to His land and His people.
will be the day of vengeance upon Hi
enemies and the time of redemption
for Israel lisa. xxXiv. s: xXXv. 4: xii
n. When He shall come as the SUI
Of Righteousness xiv. y then shall tn
righteous shine forth as the sun (N1att
/ xiii. a and as the brightness of tn
armament dan. xii. b. There will be
however, an event to precede tina
) which is not mentioned in the OF
,, Testament, the first stage Of His re
turn. His welcome to His elect churc
out of all nations in the air when H
shall be to them as the morning stat
which is always seen before the SUI
rising (Rev. xxi. 16: ii, 2G-2S). 1t
after the removal of the church
Thess. iv. 1e-1S; Cor. XIV. 81. 50: Re,
" and W that the great and dreadfr
day of the Lord, so often mentioned i
the prophets and fully described i
Rev. vi to xviii, shall come on th
: earth. Then shall Israel be purified
, according to iii. 2. 3; iv, s. 6: Zeci
: xiii. 8, Q. John the Baptist. who cam
! IN the spirit and power of Elijah t
s herald the first coming of Christ. wa
the messenger of chapter ill., l. an
1 the voice of lisa. Il. 8. but the re:
9 Elijah will be the herald OF Christ
second coming in glory to judge til
nations and set up His kingdom wit
, redeemed Israel as the center in the
own land and Jerusalem the thron
Of the Lord Usa. IL, 21: .Ier iii. 10.
was after John the Baptist had bee
beheaded that the Lord Jesus sail