The Denver star., 1915-12-04
s;NDAY seRoo1
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Lesson x.-Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. 5, 1915.

Text Of the Lesson, u chron. XVI. g.
21-Memory Verse, 1s-GeIdsn Text,
Prov. xxx, 23-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. q. N. Stsarns.
Our studies thus far have made us
acquainted with many people. good
and bad, some better than others and
some worse than others, but none
souls but in the God Of Israel, who
often appeared as a man and in the
fullness of time became man for us.
God manifest In the flesh. Our study
today concerns n king whose reign was
the longest OF any. being hfty-two
years, but he became proud and self
willed and died leper. The study
Of these lives Is helpful only as, by
analogy or contrast, we learn to know
the Living God. the God OF Israel, for
the whole Bible Is intended to make
US acquainted with God that we may
love and trust and serve Him and
make Him known. Let us give few
minutes to AmaZiah. the son Of Joash
and the father Of Uzziah. whose rec
ord is In chapter XIV. He did right in
the sight OF the Lord in II measure and
for time verse y, but his record on
the whole is bad. He turned away
from following the Lord, bowed down
to idols and burned incense to them.
and when the Lord sent prophet to
reprove him he compelled him to for
bear verses l4-l6, 20
There was one incident in his life
the record of which contains n saying
which has often helped me and which
| have often passed on TO others. He
hired 10000 mighty men of valor out
of Israel to help him in battle. and
he paid them 100 talents OF silver A
man OF God was sent TO him 10 say
that he would not use these men, for
the Lord was not with them and that
God had power TO help and 10 cast
down. In reply to his question. But
what shall we do for the 100 talents
paid to Israeli" he was told. The Lord
is able to give thee much more than
this" oversees 60. We need to remem-
Der that God Himself hath power to
help. and II we make an unwise invest
ment or lose anything we may find
comfort in the fact that the Lord Is
able to give us much more
As to Uzziah. although his reign Is
the longest OF any. his record Is one
of the shortest. for there seems to be
but little to record. In some lives
much Is accomplished In n few years.
while In others a long life Is compara-
lively fruiticss because God Is not in
II. 1t is said that he did right In the
sight OF the Lord. aud. ns long as he
sought the Lori. God made him to pros
per txIvi. 4, 81. God helped him
against the Philistines and Arabians:
he built towers in Jerusalem and In the
desert. digged many wells 0or he had
much cnttle) and loved husbandry. His
name spread far abroad. and he was
marvelously helped till he was strong
tverses 7-15). His works seem to be
more for his own name than the name
OF the Lord and nothing enduring. and
all the time he seemed 10 he growing
more self important. growing away
from the Lord, seeing himself and those
who praised him.
What a contrast to Saul of Tarsus
who from the day that he saw the
Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus
could see no one else unless he might
draw them to Him. for whose excel
icncy he counted all things but dross
and In whom alone he gloried. the
whole story OF the daily life Is either
self or Christ. The true life is denying
self and magnifying the Lord. What
an utter failure man IS apart from
God for when this man BECAME strong
his heart was lifted up against God.
and he transgresscd against the Lord
his God and even dared TO burn in
censc In the holy place In the temple
OF the Lord. thing which only the
priests were authorized to do. When
the priests ordered him out he became
angry. and then the Lord smote him In
his forehead with leprosy, and he him
self fastened to go out. He dwelt In a
separate house and died II lepcr oversees
lG-2n In Gchazi the sin was GOV
etousncss and lying. but in this man It
was pride. self conceit, self will. All
cousummation of sin, as In these and
similar cases, points us onward to the
man OF sin, the greatest representative
OF the devil that ever was Or will be.
who will oppose and exalt himself
above nll that Is called God or that Is
worshiped. showing himself that
he is God al Thess. II. 3-1c: Dan. xi.
Sc; Rev. kiln. But he shall he over
come and cast into the lake OF fire at
the coming of the Lord (Rcv ky.
Many who have died lcpcrs have
gone home to heaven because redeem
ed with the precious blood OF Christ.
and we may meet Gehazi nnd Uzziah
there. too, for the suggestion in their
sins need not imply the loss OF the
soul. but. rather. the loss Of service. as