Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-07-21
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Iv.-Third Quarter, For
July Is, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, ! Kings viii, n 80.
Memory Verses, %, 24-Golden Text,
lisa. wi, 7--Commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.

the tabernacle of Moses and the tenn
pie OF solomon were the three most re-
markable buildings in the history Of
the world. for God Himself was the
sole designer of each, and each was In
tensely typical of things TO come CON
corning the Saviour, salvation and the
kingdom. The great truths of our re-
demption have been made more plain
TO me by tabernacle studies than in
any other way. and | most earnestly
commend to ali readers little book,
costing only % cents, entitled The
Tabernacle" or The Gospel According
to Moses" by George Rodgers. (Am.
S. S. Union. 1916 Chestnut. Philadel-
phia.) The spiritual lessons from the
temple are very similar, but with more
OF the kingdom outlook.
Solomon began TO build the temple
$50 years after the Exodus Al Kings
vi, u. II you add up the figures in
Acts Kill, covering this period. you win
make 1t 513 but if you subtract the 90
years of the expressions OF all Israel
in the days OF the Judges, the accounts
viii agree perfectly Out Of fellowship
with God means lost time, whether
with nation or an individual (Num.
vi, Il; Job xxxiv, ~. Solomon's tenn
pie was finished in the eleventh year
Of his reign. and it was plundered Just
thirty -four years after, In the fifth
year Of Rehoboam II Kings vi, 81, IS;
w{x k..
between the birth OF the Messiah, the
true temple, and His death. Zerubba-
bel built the second temple after the
return from Babylon. At the time of
Christ's ministry Herod had been re
building that temple forty-six years
John Il. oo,. The last eight chapters
OF Ezekiel tell OF a temple yet to be
builded when Israel shall be restored.
Both tabernacle and temple were dwell.
ing places for God in the midst Of Is
rael. God was In Christ. Every true
believer is now His temple q Cor. vi.
10, 20l. The church, His body, now be
ing builded. is the temple in which we
are for the present most interested
(Eph. Il, 1922. All the materials for
tabernacle and temple were willing Of
ferings lex. XIV, 2; xxxv. %; Chron.
xxx, 8, o. ~. Christ gave Himself
3S). We must be willing offerings,
keeping nothing back
Remember the only foundation III
Chron. iii, u spoken of In previous
lesson, the great atonement suggested
by Moriah and 0rnan's threshing floor
and the silver sockets Of the tabernacle
boards and see Cor. Iii, IL. II We
are truly In Christ we are living stones
in the temple now being builded Il Pet.
Il. 81, but as in the temple OF our les
son every stone was made ready In
the quarry or somewhere for its partic-
ular place In the building II Kings vi.
n, so, while the believer Is a stone by
the precious blood of Christ. we are be-
ing made fit for our places In the build
ing by the daily training here. When
the temple was nnished and the ark set
In its place In the holy Of holies the
glory Of the Lord filed the house, so
that the priests could not stand to min
lister Il Kings viii, AID. 1t Is our priv
hege thus to be Spirit filed. so that
self may find no place. Our special
lesson verses are little part of Solo
mons great prayer at the dedication
Of the temple. In which he glorified
God, saying, Lord God of Israel, there
is no God like Thee, : who keep
est covenant and mercy with Thy serv-
n<c ha< al L hx,f <f.tth al
their heart" txxiiD. He also praised
God for fulfilling His word to David
and asked Him to continue TO do so
verses "a. 26j. Then he asked the
Lord that His eyes might be open night
and day toward the house he had build
ed for His name oversees 21-30.
He presented seven separate petitions
concerning different matters. saying
each time Hear Thou in Heaven" or
Hear Thou in Heaven Thy dwelling
place" verses 80. 30. 81. SO. 80. 43. 40.
49). He pleaded that He would do this
for Israel. as His Inheritance. whom
He had separated from among all the
people of the earth. and that He would
maintain their cause at all times. as
tht uldttti haiehl ttuuhcs Vis as IA tue
margin. the thing of day in his day
verses 81. 90. 59i. This expression is
found also In the story of the mamma
(Ex. xvi, 4, margin and elsewhere.
reminding US that His care is sure day
by day as He has taught us to pray.
His desire was that all the people
Of the earth may know that the Lord is
God and that there is none else" verse
90}. So it was also with Joshua and
David and Hezekiah Josh. iv. "a:
Sam. xvii. 46: III Kings xix, 19), and
nothing less should be our desire.
Before he began to build he said.
The Lord my God hath given me rest
on every side. so that there Is neither
adversary nor evil occurrent" (chapter
v. A.. and now he says, blessed be the
Lord that hath given rest unto His
people Israel: - there hath not fail
ID one word Of all His good promise.