Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-31
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDGYSQlOOL
LESSON
By REV. p B. FITZWATER D. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chioago.)
Copyright. 1917 Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 2
THE SHEPHERD OF CAPTIVE Is-
RAEL.
LESSON TExT-Ezekie1 q

GOLDEN TEXT-The Lord is my shep-
herd, I shall not want.-Psa. 23:1.
With the complete subversion of
the kingdom of Judah, the national
consciousness was largely crushed and
the people were without heart for the
common affairs of life. Ezekiel,
though born in Jerusalem, prophesied
in Babylon near the River Kebar. The
object of his prophesying was to en-
courage the captives by placing before
them Gods promise of their return to
their own land. His name signifies,
God will strengthen" which is very
appropriate to the mission which in
the providence of God he was called
upon to fill. The vision of the Good
Shepherd was very striking and most
fitting to accomplish this.
/. lsraePs FaithIess Shepherds De-
nounced. wv. 1-10). These false shep-
herds included the kings, princes,
judges and priests. Ezekiel points out
that the captivity was because of sin,
but he shows that the greatest guilt
obtains with reference to these lead
ers. They were placed in the position
to care for and protect the sheep. The
following indictments are brought
against them:
1. They fed themselves instead of
the flock ". p. They were essential
ly selfish. They ministered to them
selves instead of the sheep. Too many
today are filling public offices for the
sake of private gain. Sometimes even
ministers are found who are more con-
cerned about themselves, their pleas
ures and profits, than they are about
the souls of the people who support
them.
>. They were cruel ". 81. They
were not only mere hirelings, guilty Of
| looking after themselves, but they act
ually' behaved like robbers, preying
upon the fiocks. All are guilty of this
| same sin who use their influence and
| power to the disadvantage of others.
In the theocratic kingdom such behav-
ior was peculiarly obnoxious, as the
rulers and ministers were representa-
tives of Jehovah himself. The minis
ter and public officer today is acting
in his capacity for God, not for him
self, therefore he should make the
cause of heaven his chief concern.
3. They neglected the diseased
wounded, wayward, and lost wv. 4-6).
AS a result of their selfish cruelty
the sheep were without food; there
fore exposed to disease; had no bond
of unity, were exposed to the ravageS
of wild beasts. Gods fiocks are in
many places thus suffering and dying
because they have not been fed. Gods
judgments are against such wv. 7-10).
II. The Faithful Shepherd. wv. IL
16). The Shepherd here is none other
than Jesus Christ. The wonderful
blessings here described will be real
lied by Israel in millenial times. This
blessed condition will be ushered in
by the second coming of Christ. How
sincerely all should pray, "Thy king
dom come" When the true Shepherd
comes:
l. He will seek his lost sheep ". 11)
Though they have gone astray through
wilfulness on their part, and neglec
on the part of faithless shepherds
Jesus will seek them out and saw
them. To save the lost was his pc
culiar mission Iuke 10 9:10).
2. He will rescue them from tn,
power Of their enemies ". 12). Cod
, sheep have real enemies and they hav,
fallen into the enemies hands, but tn
, Faithful Shepherd is able to delive
them. mo one is able to pluck then
out of his hands" John 1928, 29).
, 8. He will bring them back to thei
own land ". 13). Poor, scattered Is
rael shall one day (may it be soon
be brought back to their own land
This is the one unmistakable sign b.
which we may know the beginning o
the end of this dispensation. Be as
sured that it is not wars, nor pes
tilences that mark the sign of the clos
of this age, but the movements of Is
rael.
4. He will feed them wv. IA, Is,
II will feed my flock, and will caus
them to lie down, saith the Lord Coo
1 will seek that which was lost, an
bring again that which was drive
away, and will bind up that which wa
broken, and will strengthen that whic
was sick; but 1 will destroy tie ia
and the strong; will feed them wit
2 Judgment
: This means that regathered Israt
e shall enjoy all that the loving kinC
q ness and wisdom of God has enable
t him to provide, even though they al
d away through their wilfulness and nel
r lect.
d 5. He will seek that which was los
e w. 16). That which has been drive
= away he will seek and bring it bac
l. again.
e 6. He will heal them from veal
S ness and suffering ". 16). All tn
T wounds which Israel has receive
T. these many centuries shall be healet
s For the Shepherd Healer there al
l. no incurable ills, neither any disease
r that battle his skill. The weak an
l. tender shall be cared for by hir
e While all these blessings are peculia
ly for Israel, they likewise can be el
joyed by all those who will receiJ
his grace now and allow him to restol
and heal them.
2 Ill. The Golden Age wv. 1927
g The vision of the world as it now
y is most disheartening. 1t is midnigl
Y darkness. In this blackness we wo
d der why God does not interpose. "
l. wonder how he can be silent. Viii
i. midnight is upon US we are hopefI
E. for we see the bow of Gods prOmi!
If of better things flung across the SIX
lie This present order shall disappear b
y fore the new. In that new order:
c. 1. Jesus Christ, David's Son, sha
o. be king wv. %, 24). This new era
g blessedness can only come into rea
= zation when Gods Son shall establis
his kingdom upon the earth.
"oft in Danger, Oft in Woe"
le That soldierly hymn, "Oft in Da
lie i ger. Oft in Vice." was actually WRIT
by boy and girl who never saw o.
!" another. The boy was poor Hen
# K1rke White, who died before