Evening star., 1927-12-03

Once more we find the lesson
assigned for our consideration. seiect-
ed from the messages of lsalah. Inc
great prophet recognized the peru
faced by his beloved land, ana III
connection with last week study we
saw that he pointed out that the
nation could not worship Jehovah In
sincerity and spirituality unless they
reformed their daily life. lie sum
moned them to quit worshiping the
work of their hands; that which their
own fingers have made" by correcting
their life.
No one can read the opening chap
ters of Isaiah without feeling that the
nronhet is speaking Of our own day
and generation Atkins has called
attention to the fact that If we
Americans do not exactly worship
our motor cars, radios, aeroplaheS'
skyscrapers and marvellous n1achlhes'
we are dangerously near it. lie de-
scrihes so accurately the sins that
characterize the modern Western
nations that they ought to arouse us
TO enter upon an enthusias site and
eternal effort to win by personal effort
the present generation for the Master.
ITuless there comes a reformation IN
orr dav and generation, then as
people we will face the judgement or
Cod. The nation that will not serve
Him will perish. The records con-
tanned in our lesson of ancient and
decaying civilization are full of sug-
cestions warning us of our danger
unless we repent of our sins and COM
mence to live right for Gods glory.
Social Order Dissolved.
Isaiah's picture of Judah's coming
doom, when her social order would be
dissolved, is full of pathos. The patrl-
otic prophet loved judah and Jefusa-
lem with all his heart and soul. He
believed that in a peculiar sense they
were Jehoyah's. Although God had
tried to build a city and country
which would reflect His glory among
men and nations, Isaiah detected the
shortcomings of the mens Of his day
and marked the cause of their sin. lie
saw that the people were being guided
hv false religious guides. who had the
reputation of being reputable and inn
porfant members of the community as
the Judge. the priest. the military cap
tain and the counselor. The prophet
condemned these national leaders,
who ignored Jehovah and failed TO do
His will.
disorders that prevailed in Jerusalem
and Judah, the lust and pride. the
corrupt administration Of justice and
the oppression of the poor, the vio-
lence. and crime meant that the ma
tons doom was near. He saw the
hour approaching when their social
order would collapse completely. I'm
an Eastern monarchy there was the
deepest humiliation when an mex
perienced king, without pith. without
education, which comes of much life,
should reign over the people, and in
vite to his counsels men of equal
juvenility and ineXperience." The
prophet may have referred to the as
cension of the boy king, Ahaz, when
he predicted the nations political and
imminent doom.
Women have always played their
part in every nations life. Isaiah de-
clared that the desire of the vain and
proud ladies of Jerusalem for luXuries
and finery had a detrimental effect
upon the moral and religious life Of
the ma ton lie mentions "the q arti-
cles of their costly and curious attire"
and sternly warns the proud ladies' Of
Zion that all their gaudy parapher-
MALTA will ere long be exchanged for
captives' garb." when the nation reap
ed the result of their oppression Of the
| poor in revolution and anarchy.
The Saving Remnant.
| In the fourth chapter we have q
! prophecy of great Importance. 1t
| really opens up two new conceptions
/ of the Messianic idea. Isaiah sees be-
: yond the period of discipline a re-
stored land occupied by saved rem
nant. jefferson tells us that 'the idea
! Of the remnant is one of the dominant
| ideas of Isaiah, and his doctrine OF
| the remnant is one of the most )riei
| nal contributions which he made tc
the religious thought of the world.
! He saw few saved, so that the de
struction was not complete. He
| prophesied that these few would be
! the hope Of the future. God would
use them in establishing His kingdom
! upon the earth.
The saving Of the remnant is link
| Cd up with the coming of the Messiah
The blessings connected with the ad
! vent are three. The land would be-
wonderfully fruitful. the people would
he pure and holy and Jehovah Woulc
dwell among them, protecting the ma
| ton from all peril. In every darl
! hour of the worlds history men have
been inspired to carry on by the hopf
of the Lords coming. Our daily pres:
warns us of the danger of another
world conflict that may destroy civil
iZation. Dark, deSolate and discour
aging as such an outlook may be, the
last thing IN this world will not b'
war, but peace made possible by tn
| coming again of the Lord lWhoSe blrti
we are about to ceIebrate), TO fulhll tn
| aspirations Of men for redeemed
world. free from sin, suffering an'
| struggle, because the people VIII b'
like Him and all shall serve tht
Lord.
In an effort to arouse the people t
live right Isaiah used his poetica
gifts Every great advance In tn
| worlds history has been preceded b,
the birth of song. Humanity's great
est event was proclaimed by an angel
ic chorus to the shepherds watching
their fl0cks upon the Judean hills. Oul
greatest need as citizens and Chris
tians at the present moment Is 10
songs that will emphasize our common
mission, duty and hope as people
Isaiah gathered his congregation b.
his song concerning the vineyard. j
Eappealcd to them because they wer
. | familiar with the cultivation of TIL
grape. In that song he condsmne'
, FIudah to ruin because she had faile'
: ito produce good grapesals BY power