The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-09-01
LESSON FOR SEPTeMpru
THE SHEPHERD OF cApr,.
RAEL.
LESSON TEXT-Ezekio,, .,

the kingdom of Judah, the nas Z
!. Consciousness was largely crusboS :
e the people were without heart y.
: common affairs of life rs
a though born in Jerusalem. nron..a
in Babylon near the River Keho, =
object of his prophesying wan y
courage the. captiveS by placing NJ,
them Gods promise of their retu,
their own land. His name x,r.,.
God will strengthen" which -
, appropriate 10 the mission wb,.,
the providence of God he was o.r
upon TO fill. The visitn of tho q.
Shepherd was very striking and y.
lifting TO accomplish this.
|. israePs Faithless Sheph.rd,
nouneed. wv. 1-10. These false
herds included the kings n,.
judges and priests. Ezekiel poIo,,
that the captivity was because a, !.
but he shows that the greatas, :,
obtains with reference to thess :,
ers' They were PLACED in the pOstr
to care for and protect the sheen n
following indictments are h,O,.
against them:
l. They fed themselves instead
the flock ". y. They were esseut,
1 ly selfish. They ministered to tb.,l
selves instead of the sheep. Too man
today are filling public offices 70, a
sake of private gain. Sometimes eva
ministers are found who are more cm
cerned about themselves, their plz.
ures and profits, than they are abo-
the souls of the people who SUNNI
them.
2. They were cruel ". 81. Tr
were not only mere hirelings, guIlu 4
looking after themselves, but they A
ually behaved like robbers, preuu
upon the fiocks. All are guilty Of tb
same sin who use their influence uI
power to the disadvantage Of othsn
In the theOcratic kingdom such behs.
Tor was peculiarly obnoxious, as th|
rulers and ministers were Represents
tives of Jehovah himself. The mIns
ter and public officer today Is actla|
In his capacity for God, not for bin
self, therefore he should make mi
cause of heaven his chief concern.
3. They neglected the diseased
wounded, Maynard. and lost wv. +a|
As a result of their selfish cruelr
the sheep were without food; thep
fore exposed to disease; had no bond
Of unity, were exposed to the ravsge
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. no.,
u. The Faithful Shepherd. wv. n
16). The Shepherd here is none ethe
than Jesus Christ. The wonderfuI
blessings here described will be real
lied by Israel In millenial times. Ths
blessed condition will be ushered IN
by the second coming of Christ, Hos
sincerely all should pray. Thy king
dom come" When the true Shepherd
comes: u
1. He will seek his lost. sheep ". III.
Though they have gone astray through
wilfulness On their part, and neglect
on the part of falthless shepherds
Jesus will seek them out and save
them. To save the lost was his Pc
culiar mission duke 1910.
z. He will rescue them from the
power of their enemies ". 12). Gods
sheep have real enemies and they have
fallen into the enemies hands, but the
Faithful Shepherd is able to deliver
them. mo one Is able to pluck then
out Of his hands" John 10 :28, 29).
3. He will bring them back to their
own land ". 49,. Poor. scattered Is
rael shall one day (may It be soon!)
be brought back to their own land.
This Is the one unmistakable sign BY
which we may know the beginning Of
he end Of this dispensation. Be a.
'ured that II Is not wars, nor pes
licences that mark the sign Of the clos
II this age, but the movements of VI
'ael.
a. He will feed them wv. IA, Isl.
L Will feed my flock, and will caux
hem to lie down, saith the Lord CD
VIII seek that which was lost, and |
ring again that which was d1ro
way, and will bind up that whichu
roken, and will strengthen that Wild
vas sick; but l will destroy the hf
nd the strong; will feed them lib !
Judgment" -,
This means that regathered Israe
hall enjoy all that the loving kind
ess and wisdom of God has enabled
i'm to provide, even though they are
way through their wilfulness and neg.
ect.
8. He will seek that which was lost
v. 49,. That which has been driven
way he will seek and bring II back
gain.
9. He will heal them from weak
ess and suffering ". 16). All the
Wounds which Israel has received
hese many centuries shall be healed
'or the Shepherd Healer there are
% incurable ills. neither any diseases
hat battle his skill. The weak and
ender shall be cared for by him
While all these blessings are peculiar
Y for Israel. they likewise can be er
Dyed by all those who will receiW
lis grace now and allow him to resion
nd heal them.
III. The Golden Age wv. 80
The vision of the world as IL nov
5 most disheartening. II is midnis~
arkness. In this blackness we WM