The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson lII.-FTrst Quarter, Fer
Jan. is, 1919.
The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text o. the lesson, Ger. HS--Msrrery
Verses, 17-fs-Goidcn Text, Jehn viii,
34-comnsRtary Prepared by Rsv.
D. NJ. atsarns.
In chapters 1 and Il we have seen
the only absolutely perfect man and
woman that ever walked this earth,
In q perfect paradise without sin, God
Himself their companion and friend
and they having dominion I'VE MI
things. There IL no such glorious re-
ality mentioned as existing on earth
again till we come TO the recorded
the new earth In Rev. xxi, but a
great and uneeasing conflict between
God and His and our great adversary.
the devil, TO whom we are introduced
In today's lesson. Il Es interesting tn
note that we have the beginning OF
his record I'm Gen. Hi and the end
thereof in Rev. Xxx. the third chap
ter from the end OF the Bible. In
this lesson we have the first mention
OF the devil, of unbelief, of sin, Of ssuf-
ferlng. ana also OF a delfverer, a re-
demption and q great restoration. An
understanding Of this chapter helps
greatly to understand the whole Bible.
This great adversary IL described
in Rev. xii. 81; TX. 2. as the great
dragon. that old serpent. called the
devil and Satan. who deceiveth fire
whole world. He is also called the
god OF this world. the prince OF the
J power Of the air, the spirit that noyn,
worketh in the children Of disobeda~
ence QI Cor. iv, 4; Eph. ii, 2. The
whole world IL said to be under his
control IL John v. lD). The Lord
Jesus said OF him, 1.-THE prince Of this
world cometh and hath nothing IA
me" John xiv, 30). In this his hEe
appearance after Adam was given the
! dominion over the earth he used the
serpent, which was then evidently the
wisest and probably most beautiful Of
ali creatures beneath man; afterward
condemned because OF this partnes.
ship TO SO prone on the earth Cyerse141
Notice in verses Is that In TIE
devils first recorded utterance, Yea,
hath God saidT' he questions the word
OF God, and In the words following he
questions the love OF God. In verse q
he makes God q iar Compare 210
and in verse 8 sets before Eve an am
bition to be rs God. Those who In
any way talk or act thus show atonoe3
in whose employ they are. To all
such, however they may pose az servt
ants Of Christ, unless they truly rs-
pent, our Lord tells us that he win
say TO them, ~ never knew you; de-
part from Ne" (Matt. vii, "a, 23i.I
Verse 9 reminds us OF I John, 2-Ie, the
lust OF the flesh, the lust Of the eyes,
the pride OF life, all OF which are OF
the world and not Of God. with all
that they needed, ali fuliness from the
hand Of God, Adam and Eve fell. But
with hunger and loneliness, under the
same temptations, the last Adam re-
sisted the devil and overcame him.
By the same sword of the Spirit we
may overcome (Eph. vi, 18. III. See
some of the results OF ~sIn-fear, try
ing to hide from God, the man bIaSa-
fng God for the gift of the woman,
dg leaf aprons a substitute for gar-
ments OF light and glory. Tnasmuch
as the minding OF the nesh is death
(Rom. viii, 8, margin), they died
that day, as God had said they would.
This il the first afraid" in the Bible
and the first attempt to hide from
God. Contrast ali the fear nots'' and
the life hid with Christ In God. Note
the first question OF God, Where art
thour' (verse o. and see the Coed
Shepherd seeking His lost sheep.
When all is confessed then God be-
gins to speak and act on thlir behalf
and to reveal His eternal purpose.
There is a curse upon the serpent and
upon the ground and sorrow predicted
for the woman and the man d4-I9l.
The Old Testament as we. have tends.
with the word curse. but 10 the last
chapter OF the New Testament we
read, There shall be no more curse I
(Rey. xxi, 81, and the reason why
is given in Gal. III, I3-Christ
made q curse for as. The th0Ens
OF verse IS take us also TO Col.
gotha, or, rather, to Jesus before ,Pf-s
late. and then to Rom. viii, 20-23y
where we see Him who wore ths
crown Of thorns redeeming the eaRths
Lesson verse lis shows the great De-
liverer as the seed OF the woman; born
Of q virgin. suffering at the hands or,
the adversary, but finally cOnquea4nga1
him. Here is also the saISaEson 0e
Eve, for enmity between the sinpk
and the devil Is an evidence OF saliva
tion. tits the work OF Cod, II viii pmt.ss
The method OF salvation % fully s@R
forth In verso ri. where we see tans
Lord God shedding blood, probably OF
lambs. and by skins thus obtained pro-
vidirg redemption clothing for Ad6uA
and Eve instead of the leaf aprons OF,
their making. The guilty pnari
can do nothing but drop their own 81
forts and accept Gods provision. ia
which vas simply and clearly etfcfsk
the shedding Of the blood Ok the lamb
Of God on GolgoEha Ii due time.
When we receive His rixhkeousnAss
instead OF our own then We may slng:
~He hath clothed me with fha 6as~
ments OF salvation. Ha hath ccverans
ma with the robe Of rightoousnees
Nsa. ixi, 10l. The resurrection aaa
future glory of the redeemed mmx h
seen in versa ~ and are fuIiy set fngk
IN q booklet on THE Tree Of Lie amssI
the CheEublm." which may Do obEa5n-
I'd az 3 cents each Or 80 cenEA b dox6
~ addressing u. Ms 81. box 210. Mxss
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