The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-12-16

LESSON FOR DECEMBER 19.
FALL AND CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL,
BY T.. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course OF Moody Bible
Institute Of Chicago)
Copyright. 1916. Western Newspape. Union.)

| GoLDEN TEXT-He that after being
.ePIoVeo nardeneth his neck shall sud-
uenly be destroyed. d.-Prov. 29:1.
In the sweep OF our six years cycle
OF study we prefer to consider this les
son first and use the Christmas story
Luke 2:1-20) to illustrate the love Of
GOD which Israel (the last ten tribes)
80 basely outraged ere 1t passed into
| oblivion.
]. The StlH-Necked People, Wv. 6-13.
The fact ". g. of Israel's captiv,tv
mas always appealed to the interest
and the imaginations Of men. The
cause Of the captivity was threefold
W Ihey had sinned" ". y. II
was not single offense but q course
OF action which was performed Cal
openly, walked" ". 81. For 215 Years
following, -Solomon's reign thew bad
Deen openly idolatrous and trespassed
upon GODS grace. (b) Secretly" ".
~ Hoseas teign was the same as
that OF his 1S predecessors. Doubt.
less he was good diplomat and poll,
tlclan, though his vacillation between
Egypt and Assyria brought ruin. but
III Gods sight the secret acts and
practices of the people were omen
ana known FPS. 1897 1-12; Heb. 5:13).
Many today do In secret things that
were (are) not right" A clearer line
or demarcation between the church
ana the world Is sadly needed. (2)
'Ihey were consecrated to evil wv.
l0, ID. To cover our sins Is NOT ia
prosper prov. 2S:13). but If we con.
less our sins Gods Son will cover
them by the forgiveness Of his atone
ment Cps. 32:1-5; John 1:9). Israel
cared not, however, for his forgive
ness, despite the fact it was he that
brought them up out of the land OF
Egypt 1t is passing strange that
israel should so fully violate the ex-
press commands Of God Gev. 26:1:
Deut. 26:2l; Ex 20:3-5, etc.. Some
claim they did not possess the law.
II pelng OF later date, a self-evident.
~ foolish proposition, but even so.
now can men OF our time violate so
many Of the plain precepts OF the
word OF God? Does this prove that
the Bible does not exist? The an
swer to this query is sufficient an.
s"er TO the destructive critics. Israel
sets up idols" ". 1O) and burnt
sacriflce' (see Deut. 12:31) which
things they did ITO provoke the Lord
to anger" (3) They abandoned them.
selves to evil. AS though to remove
all possibility Of reformation they nor
alone served idols" w. 12) but "they
SOLD themselves to do that which was
evil" w. 10.
u. The Sovereign God, w. 14-1e.
Gods character and will had been
1ully set before the nation (Ex. 20:
3-6). Repeated warnings ". 13) had
Deen given by faithful prophets, also
repeated forgivings, yet Israel is
~ willful, they would not hear" w.
~, but deliberately followed in their
fathers footsteps. (2) Proud and vain
wv. IA, 15) and (3) utterly abandoned
w. 10, and hence must receive the
judgment Of Gods righteous anger
(see EX. 20), or else God is not right.
eous. He repeatedly sought to turn
them aside, but they slew his faithful
prophets Matt. 21:33-39). God is
calling In mercy with long suffering
IN this present evil age; unbeief in
God and his word is still prevalent:
skeptlcism and loose morals every.
where abound, and shall God 60 on
and call forever? prov. 29:1: Pet.
3:910).
III. The Savior Of Men, Luke 2:1.2o.
God's love for Israel was manifest
(made plain) through his loving acts
ana the messages of warning pro.
claimed by his prophets. But we have
more marvellous revelation CT his
love In the person Of his Son whose
birthday we are about to observe.
Hamaria lost its "crown OF PRIDE" but
we may receive a crown Of righteous,
ness as the sons Of God" John 1:
IL; III Tim. 4:S) but not so unless
we obey (John 1929 his word.
Let us therefore take I'D the an
gelic praise % GLORY to God in the
hiehest;' highest heavens, highest de.
gree and quality of praise of him who
is infinitely wise and loving.
W ON earth peace" with God,
with man, in the individual heart and
among the nations.
feace or conscience because of sina
forgiven, in fact, all blessings. han.
plness and prosperity because of peace
due to victory over sin which is the
destroyer Of peace.
la) Good will toward men," those
win whom God is well pleased. and
9od has good will only toward all
men. =.
lie loved sinful Israel and he loves
Us so that he gave his only begotten
son that whosoever believeth need
not perish but have everlasting life"
| even as the shepherds found" the
savior ". 16) so may all men VINO
truly seek him (Heb. 11:6; Luke 10:
| 10).
what better can we do on Christ.
mas Sunday than openly to give God