Imperial Valley press., 1912-12-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
As Prepared by Rev. J. n. SammIs
Of the Bible Institute Of Los Angeles]
CHRISTMAS
Lesson XII-December %
Isaiah Q.i-7

1. This happy day has been cele-
brated from the beginning. Abraham
joyed to see it (Jno. 1866, fell on his
face and laughed Gen 17:G. Job
glorifled in it. 81 know that my Re-
decmer liveth, that He shall stand in
the latter day upon the earth" (Job
25-i9). Balaam, astonished, gazed
toward its dawning and cried, | shalt
see Him, but not now; shall behold
Him, but not nigh there shall come
Star out of Jacob, and Scepter shall
rise out of Israeli tNu. i:17. Da-
vid wondered and wOrshipped in its
light. 'Is this the manner Of man,
o Lord Gord?" he cried, and failing Of
utterance, said, "What more can David
sayw q Sam. 7:iS-29l. To Daniel
il was the readletter day of time dan.
9:25). Micah from afar saw its star
over Bethlehem (Mi. 5:2). Adam cX-
ulted to see the Son of woman smite
the dragons head and clear the way
to his lost paradise Gen. 3i5). ia
cob caught the pitch of its song from
the tuning Of the angels strings (Gen.
i9:iO). Glorious Christmas promise:
light Of the eXiles way from Eden to
Bethlehem; pouring melody into saint
|, souls Of old who sang their 'psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs" from
Miriam to David, from David to Isaiah.
from saiah to Elizabeth. Mary, Zecha-
riah, Simeon!
2. Dark was Isaiah's day (chap.
10. Ahaz was antichrist in his time
-apostate, prosecutor, burner OF
babes, miniatures of the Christmas
child, in the fires Of Moloch. The far
stretching ray Of the Christmas star
alone sustained hope and courage in
the cropping few of that olden dark
ness.
3. Christmas in Isaiah OIL (see
r. w.. Great promise! Gloom gives
way to glory: Galilee Of the Gentiles
shall see light: shadows of death are
lghtened (see Matt. :5); Jairus,
widow of Main, publcans and sinners.
shall have their Christmas, tool Min
ished Israel FPS. 107 :39) multiplied!
Joy increased. harvest time the op-
pressor broken!
The Christmas gift. a. "A Child is
born" literally "a birth is BORN "a
born thing''-the humanity of it. ~
~ Son is given" not ''born." but "bc-
gotten" the deity of it (Jno. 3:16l.
(3) "The government shall be on His
shoulder" King. constitution. parlia-
ment. He shall rule! Army. navy, po
lice. He shall secure!
~ His name snail be called
Wonderful" Wonderful everything. !.
wonderful birth: wonderful acc rnpaEi
ments: wonderful union of natures,
finite. infinite! wonderful childhood:
wonderful holiness among the unholy.
wonderful works; wonderful words;
wonderful grace: wonderful cross;
wonderful waking; wonderful ascend
ing: wonderful gospel; Problem Of
sages: Admiration of the wise; Ador
alton of the pious: Comforter Of the
weary: Fondler of babes; Support and
Consoler of age. Wonderful! ~
"Counsellor," the very Word and
Truth itself-wisdom of God Il Co.
pa wisdom of saints (30) wisdom
wondered at NIX. 6:2); none spake
like Him (Jno. :46l; life and death,
stability and ruin hang on His coun-
sells (Mt. 1:24-21). (6) mighty God"
His name. because His nature. He
made the mother that bare Him: the
angels that heralded Him: the hands
that crucifled Him (COl. 1:15-1T .
Therefore, ITO the Son He saith, Thy
throne. 0 Cod is forever and ever"
Heb. 1:S). ~ 1.-The everlasting
Father''-"befOre all things and by
Him all things exist (Col. :17): He
is the Mold of our image (Eph. 2:14) ::
and calls us His children (Hb. 2:13). I.
(s) 1.-The Prince of peace"-"Our
peace" (Eph. 2:i4); who ''made
peace" (2:I5). and gives peace (Jno.
1i:21l. whose kingdom is peace (Ro.
1i:11}. who proclaims peace (Eph.
2:i1: Lk. 2:i4): and who calls us to
peace (CoI. 3:15). and ever salules
us with Peace" (Jno. 20:2i: Ro.
III; | So. 1 3: Gal. 1 :3: Phil. 4 2:
etc. etc, ETC.
II. Christmas Past.
Christmas camel 1. Angels fitted
from Jerusalem to Nazareth, from
Zacharias to Mary, to Joseph, and as
sembled above the plains of Bethlehem
and poured out their ecstasy on the
hills Of Judah, offering to share their
merrymaking with men Of good will"
g How dark the tunes? (Eph. ::
i7-i9): how vile the morals? (Ro.
:22-27; Eph. 5:12): how vicious the
disposition? (Rom. 1:28-32); how
hopeless the outlook? (Eph. 2:12) ::
how low the state of Israel? (Lk. 81; :;
Mt. 2:t6: Nix. 6:34: Lk. 23:1S-21;
Jno. 1915.
g. Had the promise failed? 1t was
fulfilled in part. Failed? No: but the
people failed. as it was written lisa.
%: Ps. 22).
III. Christmas Present.
i. The eternal secret is open. Gen
tiles are fellow heirs, of the same body,
and partakers of the promise in Christ
through the gospel (Eph. 3:6). For
1900 years they have rejOiced in the
wOndrOuS birth.
2. 1t is Christmas; the world over
the story is told: in Christian lands
millions rejoice in spirit and in truth,
sending gifts to one another, and offer
ing gold and frankinscence and myrrh
to the Lord. Millions more, multiplied
millions, make holiday if not holy day,
and salute one another with the
Christmas peace: other millions make
it an opportunity to indulge their lusts:
hut on just and unjust the day pOurs
its good.
3. Ii is Christmas-andm millions are
still in bondage: millions in poverty:
millions in bitter toll and weariness:
the "Cry of the Children" rends the
heart; mans cruelty and avarice make
countless millions mourn; Dives feastS
in purple and fine linen, while Lazarus
nurses his sores on the dOOrStepS; ten
thousand are murdered from Christmas
to Christmas; billions on navies and
armies and implements of war, to
slaughter their brethren from Christ
mas to Christmas; fifteen millions in
a single city on white slaves from
Christmas to Christmas; Africa, China,
India are still in heather darkness, and
South America.
4. Ii is Christmas those who
know its meaning, comparatively
"ltile flock" glOrifying its Christ by
giving gold toll, life itself to uplift the
fallen, relieve the oppressed, loose the
prisoner. give childhood to children,
Christ to the ChriStless, and the Christ
mas gospel, crimsOned by Calvary,
glorious by PentecOst, to the world
without God and without hope. Shame