Greene County herald., 1913-03-07

~uOHS tIeIHt ana De We separately SdltAA
the Lord, and touch no unclean thing -
Cor. Gil. 1
No teacher Of this lesson should
omit a study OF chapter IS, even
though he may not refer to it texpiicitz
ly in this connection. We have there
presented a believers privilege. (D
friendship (y. I'D (a) with God. (blS
with man. (2) Intercession, v. 23sl
(3) knowledge, v. 25, 1 c. The art,
the power, the place, the glory, the
ing of intercession is to be coveted
by all believers. Abraham's intercess
sion prevailed though outwardly it
seemed to fail, see 1926. The PREF
pared teacher ought also be famil-
lar with the story of the change of
Abrams name and OF Gods dealing
with Abroham and Sarah as F@
corded in chapters IL and IS.
Lot and Sodom.
l. The Warning, Wv. 17-23.-Lot bad
pitched his tent towards SodomsY
and now the time for the execution OF
another judgment upon sin had an
rived. God, however, here gives ua
another illustration of his mercy
which always precedes judgment. That
mercy was not only to a righteous
man, one who had therefore a degree
of worthiness, but also to an nnda-
serving member of the same family
see I'll and Acts 1874. First Of all,
Lot is called upon to separate hinself
from his neighbors. Lot attempted to
convey this warning to his sons in-law,
but it was too late, his testimony, his
manner of life, his aims, and his am
bitions had corresponded with theirs
for such a period of time that the
fact of his belonging to the family OF
the promise was forgotten and '.he
sons-in-law." God is calling us from
the corruptions and the plaques OF
Babylon (Rev. 1870 and to separate.
ourselves from Sodom, see the goldea
text. While God is long suffering
e. Peter, 3:9) we must also renem-
Der that il men will sin willfuliy, il
they persist in their wickedaess. judg-
ment is sure to follow, Is, also 2
Peter $40, II. When Judgment does
come, as it did in this case, God knows
how to save his own, Peter 2:7-9.
The voice of sin cries from our cities
today. The voice of poverty, OF in.
temperance, of injustice, and it.
reaches before the face of the Lord. =
(Jas. 5:4) and unless America heedss.
unless men repent, God will most GER
tainly punish, Acts 1890, 81. This
punishment of Sodom was not only
the development of their own wicked
ness. but by direct agency of Gods de-
stroying angels. Look up the subject
OF Judgments.
Lot, we are told. was a righteous
man, 2 Peter 2:7, but he was most
sadly connected with the world, and
hence lost his testimony ". 14J. The
church of today is constantly hinder
ed by the incubus of believers Of this
type. God expects the disciple to so
separate himself from things that
though he may be '.in the world, he 10
not of the world"
Even Lot was loath to leave fyN
Is, 16), and later many of the Isrea1-
ties we're full Of regret over the miss
ing fiesh-pots of Egypt. The angels
Of God had to fairly drag Lot out OR
the doomed city. He came near losing
his very life as he persistently efuRg
to his property. The greatest weapon
and the most efficient one the devil
has to use in his warfare for humag
souls Is procrastination.
Gods Patience.
The long suffering and patience ~
God are most wonderfully shown I'm
verse is, and the whole secret OF L0t's
salvation was that the Lord was meN
ciful unto him, Eph. 49,
III. The Destruction, Wv. 23-2e.-kaea
escaped to a little city, zoar, whtch
God in his mercy promised not TO de.
stroy ". 21), and 1t was not till Loa
was clear OF Sodom that destruction
came. God could not break his word.
He had promised Abram, and haa
Abram pursued his opportunities,
chapter 1S, doubtless even Sodom
might not have been so utterly de-
stroyed. There was, as has been
suggested, probably a volcanic sruD-
tion of gases, retroleum, etc, bat
there accompanied it a supernatural
manifestation also, for it "raineA
down. v "a. The words "lookea
back" referring to Lots wife, imply
more than a mere passing glance. Her
heart was in the city she was leaving,
that city so full of pride, of bread,