The Dermott news., 1916-12-21
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDANSOIOOL
LESSON
(By r. O. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course ia the Moody
Bible Institute of ChiCago)
copyright. 1916. Western Newspaper uaioa.b
LESSON FOR DECEMBER "a
UNTO US A SON is GWEN
LESSON TEXT-Isaiah s:l-7.

| Ing rather, the IrlnCe or feaGe.-iSa 80
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 foreScen in tho
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 Ahaz, Il. c 1SS to
723. The king Of Assyria was attack
ing Syria. The tribes of northern Is
rael were carried away as eapdves-
! Judah was in danger of invasion. tSee
II Kings Il :2o) Isaiah was preacis-S
ing in his home city, Jerusalem. Ills
vision of the Messiah Savior WIS not
more than 500 years before John saw
the vision of the glorhed Jesus
!. Darkness Versus Light Wv. 1~5).
! We need to go back into the eighth
| chapter to get the full historical stua-
ton of this part of the lesson. Ajax.
trembling In Jerusalem, had with him
the Prophet Isaiah. the wise~t and
greatest man in his kingdom, yet Ahax
listened not To his words Of warning
and rebuke. He doggedly pursued his
own course aad 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 II those Of the
lands of Xehulon and Naihtali. the
Galilec of the nations (John 40:
T:52) and the light which shone in
them. which WAS the light of the world.
| Jesus Of Nazareth Gohn S:12). But
there Is n 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 1870. With the
co:alng of light comes the Increase OF
/ JOY ". II. W. In lsrae, there Is To
/ be- through Christ. n wonderful in
crease elsa. II :2o-222 Xeeh. 10: ~. In
Christ there is to be great joy, the JOY
of harvest and OF victory. Tie re-
lieion Of Jesus Christ is pre-cniuently
the religion of joy tAets So; Phil.
-: Peter ! ~ but the Child that
was TO he born was 10 be n beliverer
too fer the yoke OF burden" was a tax
of 81 900 that had recently been
| levied by the King of Assyria. II was
n night OF thick darkness for Israel
Then even ms now we have the moral
darkness. (Read Rom. l :20S32,) But
.b.,t to- .l.aIt
Jerusalem had been left in peace.
Hezekiah succeeded his father. Ahax.
and entered upon II religious revival In
the kingdom. The people who had
walked in darkness had seen a new
light. The prophet SAW the dawnIng
rays through the rlidst Of this dark
ness OF ignorance being removed He
also saw the coming of the Light Of
Men 7oo years later. and the multi
plication OF the nations, the increase
Of their joy.
II. Unto Us Son Is Born wv. 90.
The greatest JOY for Israel in lSaiah's
time was In this vision of the Messiah.
the promised Savior. Isaiah is look
Ing ahead seven centuries. We are
looking back nineteen. He WAS to be
! king over his people. Name and title
is here given. Cd Wonderful" be
cause Of his nature. being both HUI
man aud divine. The word made flesh
and dwelt among us. (2) Counselor
enc who has the wisdom to guide him
self ard others. No one guided by him
has ever failed of true success t3I
The Mighty God" He WAS truly God
50 that We can trust hiu 10 the utter
most. He can also save To the utter
most. (D Everlasting Father" ex-
pressing his divine loving kindness and
Standardization with the Father (5l
He Is also Prince of Peace" the one /.
who rules so that peace aud prosper
! ity abide In his Kingdom. He brings
peace between man and God. and be-
tween man and man. lie Is the peace
of the soul ms we'll rs bringing
peace - the soul. The completeness
OF this picture which Isaiah saw II
the one which 81. John saws OF which
we have been recently studying. These
two verses are marvellous ones not
only because of the clear prediction Of
| Jesus Of Nazareth. made more than
seven centuries before his first ad cent,
hut marvellous also for the ruiinesSs
and richness of the revelation they CON
| tain concerning the person. character
and work of Christ.
our Lords earth life began at Beth
| lehem, hut he was from all eternity
! (John s :56-5s; John :1-2l.
As a man Is not at peace with God
he cannot be nj peace with himself or
! his fellows; but as Jesus restores
peace between man and God. he also
restores peace Ia the heart OF the In
/ diVidual (Phil. 40.
| Sunday school officers and teachers
should realize the difference betwecn
| the peace with God Ctom. ID and
the peace Of God (Phll. 40.