The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1916-12-21
LESSON FOR DECEMBER "a
UNTO US A SON Is GIVEN.

ia born unto us a son is given; ana the
government shall be upon MS snouioers'
and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlast-
ing Father, the Prince of Peace-1sa- $50
The Christmas lesson naturally and
logically follows the three lessons we
have Just had from the book of the
Revelation where Jesus in his glory
had been portrayed, and the ultimate
success of his work is foreseen in the
new heaven and the new earth. isaiah
saw the vision of his first coming. John
saw the vision of his second coming,
when what he began the first time
shall ultimately be accomplished. The
prophecy here spoken was uttered dur
ing the reign of Akaz, B. G. 738 to
723. The king of Assyria was attack
ing Syria. The tribes of northern Is
rael were carried away as captives.
Judah was in danger of invasion. (See
II Kings Is :29.) Isaiah was preach
ing in his home city, Jerusalem. His
vision of the Messiah Savior was not
more than 500 years before John saw
the vision of the glorified Jesus.
I. Darkness Versus Light wv. 1-5).
| We need to go back into the eighth
chapter to get the full historical situa-
ton of this part of the lesson. Ahaz,
trembling in Jerusalem, had with MIN
the Prophet Isaiah, the wisest and
greatest man in his kingdom, yet Ahaz
listened not to his words of warning
and rebuke. He doggedly pursued his
own course and sought help in every
other quarter than the right one. This
explains Isaiah's words, '"The people
that walked in darkness" Primarily
he may have referred to those of the
lands of Zebulon and Naphtali, the
Galilee of the nations (JOhn 40;
7:52) and the light which shone IN
them, which was the light of the world.
Jesus of Nazareth John S:l2). But
there is q larger application in this
verse to the whole world which lay
in darkness until Jesus came, and the
whole world has seen or shall see the
great light duke 1 1879. With the
coming of light comes the increase OF
10y ". 3 r. W. In Israel there is to
be. through Christ, a wonderful In
crease Elsa. 40 1922; Zech. 10 ~. In
Christ there is to be great joy, the JOY
of harvest and of victory. The re-
lipion of Jesus Christ is pre-eminently
the religion of joy (Acts S:S; Phil.
4:4; I Peter 1 ~ but the Child that
was to be born was to be.a Deliverer
too. for the 'yoke of BURDEN was tax
of S1,80O,OOO that had recently been
levied by the king of Assyria. 1t was
night of thick darkness for Israel.
Then, even as row, we have the moral
darkness. (Read Rom. 1 :2O-32) But
; the prophet saw the joy of deliverance.
Jerusalem had been left in peace,
, Hezekiah succeeded his father, Ahaz,
and entered upon religious revival IN
the kingdom The people who had
t walked in darkness had seen a new
light. The Prop It saw the dawning
rays through the midst of this dark
ness of ignorance being removed. He
also saw the coming of the Light of
: Men 100 years later, and the multi
, plication of the nations, the increase
of their joy.
q IL. Unto Us Son Is Born wv. go.
. The greatest joy for Israel in Isaiah's
a time was in this vision of the Messiah
8 the promised Savior. Isaiah is look
s ing ahead seven centuries. We are
r looking back nineteen. He was to be
: is here given. (1) "Wonderful' be
t cause of his nature, being both hui
man and divine. The word made flesh
and dwelt among us. (2) "Counselor,'
one who has the wisdom to guide him
. self and others. No one guided by him
has ever failed of true success. (3)
;, 'The Mighty God" He was truly Coo
! so that we can trust him to the utter
most. He can also save to the utter
>, most (4) Everlasting Father" ex
. pressing his divine loving kindness ant
q Standardization with the Father. 81
He is also "Prince of Peace" the one
who rules so that peace and prosper
ity abide in his kingdom. He bring!
, peace between man and God, and be
tweeL man and man. He is the peace
=. of the soul as well as bringing
= peace to the soul. The completeness
= of this picture which Isaiah saw il
- the one which st. John saw, of whicl
we have been recently studying. Thes'
;, two verses are marvellous ones, no
:. only because Of the clear prediction O.
i, Jesus Ct Nazareth, made more thai
=, seven centuries before his first advent
;. but marvellous also for the fullnes
and richness Of the revelation they con
,, tain concerning the person, characte
and work Of Christ.
- Our Lords earth life began at Beth
=. 1ehem, but he was from all eternit
John 8 1868; John 1 :1-2).
. AS a man is not at peace with Co
- he cannot be at peace with himself o
- his fellows; but as Jesus restore
roaco hptwnon man and God he ais
:: restores peace to the heart Of the in
:. t1iviGual phil. 10.
= Sunday school officers and teacher