Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-11-25

VI shAS - tiioSS VI w
hovah spoken to the house of lsreal
but apply to all people of all ages.
Verse II is a prophecy Of the mas
ter's grief over the holy city duke
1894; 19:41). Outwardly rich and
opulent. in Jehovah's sight the ma
ton had already fallen ". 2 r. W
and there lis non (present tense) to
raise her up" Israel is %personified
as a maiden sorely wounded. Spoken
decades before, Israel did fall and has
risen no more. But there is a POSSIBLE
ity Of mercy. There is here a ON
mand and a promise and those who
obey the command will obtain the
promise of life.
To seek we me" ". ~ is to turn
the face to him rather than to turn
the back. 1t implies the %forsaking
of all evil thoughts, yea, our own
thoughts and ways and to turn unto
him who will abundantly pardon lisa.
55:6-7; Deut. 30:28). There is life for
the most %outbreaking and outrageous
sinner If he will seek the Lord.
u. The Prophets Exhortation, w 40.
The places mentioned in verse five
had each been made sacred by Gods
presence and subsequently degraded
by idolatry. Bethel especially so.
Gen. 1878; 2S:10-lS; l Kings 12:29.29).
These new religions and the false
worshiping were beguiling even the
sincere and unwary, hence the warn
ing. We need to beware of the mani
fold new cults lest we depart from
the faith of our fathers. America Is
today standing upon a social and re-
ligious crater in many ways similar to
ancient Israel. God Is either a O n
Stunning fire (Heb. 15:2S-29; Mark
9:43-49) to the %impenitent or else a
minister of grace to those who repent
Verse eve is a suggestion regard
ing the rulers of that day and finds
far toe many counterparts in our own
times. In verse 4 Jehovah exhorts
In verse 6 the prophet utters the
same cry. Now ". 81 the appeal is to
seek him because to do so is wisdom.
(a) 1t is he that maketh the stars"
the earth, yea, everything, and it is
well to be on his side Cps. 1917. (b)
He "turneth the shadow of death into
morning (R. W (see Ps. 30:5). Who
can comprehend the vast host of his
saints for whom this has been done?
(c) He 'maketh the day dark with
the night" Or. W. This he is doing
repeatedly. The God who set the day
in its turn can also turn it aside;
he has done it both past and present.
(d) He 'calleth for the waters-and
poureth them out upon the face Of the
earth" This is both poetical and
scientific. God delivers the rain and
upon him we all depend. 1t Is the part
Of wisdom as well as of life to be on
the side of the self-existent. eternal Je-
hovah against whom mans strength
is as nothing ". 81.
What mar creates, man a destroy.
witness Liege and Louvain-and is
God any less able?
III. The Word Of Application, w.
1918. Sinners always hate the man
who rebukes their sin. Scripture is
not needed to prove this fact, for we
see 1t today. We are specifically
warned against the praise Of the
wicked luke $3.50 and any true and
upright witness for Christ knows that
he is abhorred by those whose lives
are crooked. John 3:1S, 20). Verse
II "a. W sounds very much like
many of the structures that are being
made regarding the acts of some of
the rich of today. How frequently we
behold mansions built from the pro-
ceeds Of oppression deserted by the
who anticipated their occupancy.
How few fortunes are really expended
and enjoyed by those who make the
accumulation. The name by which
we accumulate, our conduct towards
the Just Acts 1882, our acceptance
of brides. and our neglect of the needy
and the poor is all known to God,
". 12). Therefore," even as today
is difficult and costly to get justice
in our courts, even as iniquity is rapid
ly growing In the earth, about all the
prudent man can do is to hold his
peace, to wait upon God and watch for
him. He 1t is who must call with
voice lisa. 58:1) even though
he does now speak with human lips.
The fourth exhortation to seek" ".
14) is to search after the good, though
the time be an EVIL one"
The individual is to seek good. to
hate evil, and do all in his power to
justice in the gate" viz;
far as In his power lies, exalt to
the positions Of rulers and governors
those who also seek good. not evil"
The result will be that Jehovah, the
God of hosts. will be with us" even in
this evil time (See Gen. 1872, 3, 20;
Phi. 1880.
True goodness Is to hate evil and
love the good" FPS. 97:10: Rom. 1879.
BY this test we may know II we really
hate sin. If we are truly righteous.
This is the path of blessedness
Heb. 1:6).
Our nation needs the Jehovah OF
Amos. a sense of sin and a realization
hat ginncrs are lost. |