Arizona republican., 1917-05-19
International Sunday School Lesson for
 May 20
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF CON-
 TROL
Temperance Lesson)


 oriZe V. 7.)
 1) Woe to the crown of pride, to CoD inc drunkards of Ephrainf, whose Slor- ions beauty is a fading flower, and to the fading flower of his glorious beau tv, which are (is) on the head of the fat valleys (valey) of them that are overcome with wine. @ Behold, the ord hath mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and ta) de- stroying storm, as a flood (tempest of mighty waters OVerfoWing, shall the) cast down to the earth with the hand. (3) The crown of pride, (of) the drunk ards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet foot tf) And the glorious beau ty. which is on the head of the fat val lev. shall be fading flower, and as the nasty fruit (and the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first ripe fig) before the summer: which when he that looketh upon 1t seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. f5) In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for crown of glory, and for a diadem of beaty, unto the residue of his people, (6) and for spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn (back) the battle at the gate CD But they tback) the battle at the gate. CD But they (theSe) also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way (gone astray); the priest and the prophet have erred ! through strong drink, they are swal- lowed up of wine they are out of the way (gone astray) through strong drink: they err in vision, they stumble in judgment (S) For all tables are full of Vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. (9) Whom shall twiln ne teach knowledge- and whom shall twilD he make to understand doctrine 1the message)? them that are weaned l from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. @ (l0) For precept must be (F'or it is precepD upon precept, pre- cept upon precept: line upon line. line upon line: here a little. and there q little: Gl) For with stammering lips and another tongue (Nay, but by men of strange lips and with another tongue) will he speak to this people. (12) To whom he said This is the rest Wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest (This is the rest give ye rest to him that is weary); and this is the re- freshing; yet they would not hear. d3) But the word of the LORD was (There- fore shall be the word of the LORD be) unto them precept upon precept, pre- cept upon precept: line upon line line upon line; here d littie and there lit tie; that they might (maD go, and fall backward and be broken, and snared and taken.
 Time.-725 B. c. Place-Jerusalen
 Exposition-I The Destruction of the DTunkards Of Ephraim. IA The city of Samaria (see R. V. and Of. Ri 1G: 24) IS here compared to a chanlet of flowers on a drunkard's brow tR VD. This chaple. of flowers shall be trod- den under foot" because of their sin and pride. Drunkenness seems to have been so widespread as to have become d national sin tcf. ch :: II, F: Hos. |. }; Am. ,: 6, &, F: 1: l. 6: G. The ef- rect of their drink upon them was that they were overcome 0iterally "Smit- ten down) by it. Their ''chapIet of pride and glorious beauty" was after all but fading flower" fcf 1 Pe,. I 24) Jehovah's mighty and strong one was the king of --ssyria (2 Ri 1S I0-l2.) The Assyrians themselves were bloody, deceitful and rapaci0us peo- pie (Nah. 3: 1.) but they were an in strument in Jehovah's hand for fal- fllling His word and bringing judgment upon Hls backsliding people (cf. Ps I6: 1 ld.) The coming of the Assvrian is described by a threefold figure: "a tempest of hail." "a destroying storm. a tempest of mighty waters overflow ing. The thought contained in these iig.'e.s l. f 9 cf Mcc
 
 detruction and desolation was the wrath of God at sin c: 4-9D This de struetion. etc, all come upon them because they obeved not tha voice oi Jehovah, their God" C Xxi. IS: II 12. cf Mat 7 26. 27) The chaplet oi pride was to be "trodden under foot. So ali earthly pride snaH be. Two fig ures are used in v to describe the fal oi n@hlarla: a fading flower" and the lflSf l, ,i,.l. eats up as soon as he gets it in hi, hand tR. VI
 II. Jehovah of Hosts for T Crown o- Glory ,, 6. In the midst of the awfu uesoiation of his own time when eyer, crown of pride and all glorious bealit' IS a fading flower, the prophet look, IorWard to that day Cthe day of tn, Lords return and manifestation. s, Tn the midst of present sin ana i,,d.y ineht for sin we should look forwar, tor comfort in our hearts and onconr dseinent In our worl5) to our Lord, coHling agaln (Tit. ?: l3: ? Pet 9 iz-l4 R ND Tn that day" "a crown n sioiF VIII take the place of .tho crnu, or pride and "a diadem of beantv' tne place of the fading flower of hi SioriouS beauty Jehovah of hoe+e' hinself was to be his crown of glory, and "diadem of beauty" (cf In .. 95 But Jehovah is to be other tbinrs %- tn " 6; cf. ch. 26: 1: Zech. 9: [ If i,, f, 'ne remnant that Jehovah is to ho crown of glory and diadem of beaut, Tef. ch. 10: 20, 21; H. Is; ss7. 31 ss hom. Il: ,. g. Tn that day" JebovaI IS to be also for a spirit Of irdpnan 70 hlm that sitteth in judgment'' fcf Cof. 1: 30) He is also to Inc ..fo strength to them that turn bnc, tb, pattie al the gate Ger Deut. 20. 4. Dc 10 5Z-54' P: 1) We can have tb Lord Tor "a spirit of judgment~ an, TOT strength today Gas. T. c
 1T. l: {: Eph. 6: i0)
 III. Firing Through Wine Ont of tb Way Through Strong Drink S hese also dhe peope of Jerusalem as well as Ephraim. have erra, through wine and through strong drinl are out Of the way" The prevailing si, oI drunkenness had reached even Goa representatives, the priest and tb, nrophet of. ch. 56: 10-12; Mic ,. IT | ne priests were especially inexcusabI because of the plain direction of Cod, word tLev. 10: 9, 10: Ezk. A: .21 The, were reellng through strong drink the, were swallowed up of wine tbav n,an' 9one astray through strong drink (se V' Narg-l The result was, they ut terry faIied in their official acts Tho reeied m vision and stumbled in iude ineht. Wine and strong drink confus the spiritual perceptions and rob me, oi judgment. The use of wine OK strong drink made their social ga4har iis llithY and disgusting ~ sS