The Omaha guide., 1934-09-15

UNIFORM
esool Lesson
B REV. p. 3 FiTzwATER. D.. D..
Member OF Faculty. Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago.S
q by Western N~ewsDaper Union.
Lesson for September 16
sAIAH CONTRASTS FALSE AND
TRUE WORSHIP

who hath not lifted up his soul unto
vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalm
24:3, 4.
PRIMARY ToP1c-Teling God we'r.
Sorry.
JUNIOR TOPIC-when Gods PeopI.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR ToP.
fC-What Is True Worship?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP.
1C-The Nature of True Worship. !
Isaiah's visions present the redempI
tive purpose of God through the con.
summation OF the Messianic Kingdom.
The first verse is the title. The book
contains prophetic utterances of ear.
lier and later dates. Chapter l. from
which our lesson is taken. contains the
divine arraignment of the people for
their sins.
I. The Moral State of the People
wv. Pa.
/. Filiai ingratitude ~. -. The
universe is summoned to hear the
Lords complaint against Judah and
Israel for their base ingratitude and
even rebellion. In spite of Gods care.
even rs Of a father for his children,
they persisted In sin and in violation
Of their covenant with God.
2. Brutal stupidity ". 81. The OK
and the ass are proverbialIy stupid, but
Israel's stupidity exceeded theirs. Is
rael would not recognize God as her
rightful sovereign or acknowledge him
as the author of her mercies.
8. Habitual evil-doers ". ~. They
were not sinners in outward act mere
ly, but In nature and heart were laden
with iniquity. BY heredity they passed
their vices from generation to gener-
alton. q
IL. Their Consequent Mi.erIes wv.
5-9s.
1. Their perplexity ". 81. The
hand Of chastisement had been laid
upon them; but this failed to do them
| good Their affections were followed
| by deeper and more heinous sins.
2. Their awful confusion ". g..
The calamity which befell them ex-
tended to all classes
! 3. The desolation of their country
(vv. 80. Revolts from within and
invasions from without left their coun-
try desolate. Physical ruin always
follows moral and spiritual decadence.
4. Assurance to a remnant (v. 81.
Gods purposes cannot fail. A rem
nant was saved In Israel. This r.
strikingly set forth In the ninth chap,
ter of Romans.
III. Formal Worship Rebuksd wv.
Notwithstanding the calamities visit
ed upon them, they did not neglect
the observance of religious rites and
ceremonies. They punetihously OBJ
served the forms of religion while in
dulging in Ubiquitous practices.
1. God does not derive benefit from
religious sacrifices ". 11). Our wor.
ship and service are not for Gods
profit, but for that of ourselves.
2. Gods attitude. toward formal
worship CIV. 12-14). The very rites
and ceremonies which Ged ordained for
the purpose of helping men to APP
proacb him become disgusting and irk-'
some to him when formally INDUCED.
8. Gods refusal y. 15). Every act
of worship while the heart and life
are stepped with ~iniquity only incites
the divine anger.
Nv. An Amended Ike Gods Re-
quirement wv. 1920. J:
Though the nation had so %grievously
sinned, their case was not hopeless.
However, in order to enjoy his mercy
there must be:
/. A cleansing ". 16). "Wash you,
make you clean" The washing by wa
ter symbolfzed the cleansing by the
blood of the Son Of God.
2. Put awa. the evil Of your do
ings' ". 16).
3. "Cease to do evir' ". 16). Cen
nine repentance causes one to desist
from the practice of sin. /
4. Learn to do well" ". 1D. One
can only cease to do evil by learning
to do well. .
8. Seek Judgment" ". I'D. Bur.
6ens should be removed from the op
pressed, justice should be melted our
70. the fatherless, and the widows
should be befriended I
6. Encouragement to come to God
". 49,. Though their gull. was great
and the judgment which befell their
was awful, Gods p%ardoning and clean
sing grace was sufficient. \
v. A Promise and a Warning wv.
IS. 20).
1. The promise ". 19). They were
to eat the good of the land on the COR
ditisn Of a surrendered win and an
Sobedient nfe-God's terms.
2. A solemn warning ". 20). Re-
fusal to hear Gods appeal and rebel
lion against Gods demands would re.
suit in being devoured with the sword.
Prayer