655
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
October 1927
BLACKBOARD OUTLINE
Memory Verse; “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Lev. 19:18. Approach : Boys and girls, how do you feel when somebody promises you some thing and fails to keep the promise? You are very much disappointed. Has father
body for the sin of my soul?” The first question in this series is, indeed, vital to every individual. The second and third questions desire to know if they can approach God simply through the ceremonialism and sacrificial system of the law,- to which questions the negative answer is given (Isa. 1:10-17). If God is moved and propitiated by multitude of sacrifices, Solomon’s sacrificing 22,000 oxen and 122,000 sheep (1 Kgs. 8:63) certainly would satisfy the Lord. God is not pleased with innumerable offerings and elaborate ceremonialism which are divorced from correct morals and right living (see Psa. 50:7-15)v The psalmist (Psa. 15 :1) asked the same question, and answered it in the remaining part of the psalm. Today this question is asked and the answer is found, in Jn. 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no one cometh unto the Father but by Me." “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of m y' body for the sin of my soul?” This question demands a negative answer and is di rected against the idolatrous worship of the god Moloch, to which children were burned in order to appease his. wrath. King Ahaz of Judah did this very thing on one occasion; likewise the same prac tice continued in the valley of the son of Hinnom at the southeast corner of Jerusalem. There" is but one sacrifice that one can bring to God as an atone ment for his'soul, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. 53:10). V. 8. “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?” The upright, conscientious, humble walk of life in the presence of God, with love toward our fellow man, is the life which pleases the Lord (cf. Matt. ,23:23). V. 9. “The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city (Jerusalem), and the man of wisdom will see thy name; hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it." God spoke through the prophet to Jerusalem. The man of wisdom, whose heart pants after God, would recognize that the mes sage is from God (cf. Jno. 7:17). The rod here referred to is the Assyrian in vasion of Judah (cf. Isa. 10:5). V. 10. “Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a scant measure that is abominable?" “Treasures of wickedness” are the ma terial goods which have been wrongfully obtained. V. 11. "Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?” The answer demanded is “No.” God wants men To•have one true standard and just measure in all of their dealings (Lk. 6:37-38). V. 12, “For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants there of have spoken lies.” It is a most difficult matter for an honest man to accumulate very much wealth in this world. The exceptions to this rule are few. V. 13. "Therefore I also have written thee with a grievous wound; I have made thee desolate because of thy sins.” Sin must be punished by a just God at the proper time. —o—
L e a v e o f f ^ in n in g e a r n o v e god S e r v ic e With my whole heart have I sought thee.^—Psa. 119:10. filled with sin. God told Micah that the bringing of their offerings, and praising Him with their lips grieved God, because they did not praise Him from the heart. If they had been prasing God from their hearts, they would have obeyed Him, and after they had done wrong, they would have been sorry and repented when the prophets warned them. The words the prophet Micah spoke are so wonderful, I want you to be very quiet and listen while I repeat them very slowly. These words are for us, too. “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” ' Now, Micah faithfully warned Israel of their awful sin, and told them of the punishment that would surely come upon them if they did not repent. When people forget God they are sure to get into sin. If a pilot forgets to watch his compass^ the great ship will drift into danger. God has given us a wonderful compass| the Bible, and if we will obey the precious words given there, we will never drift into sin or wrong of any kind. We will then be able to live beautiful lives and do just the things that are right and pleasing in the sight of the Lord Jesus. Micah also tells the people that some daygjthe Lord would come and bring peace and joy, but that only those who had believed could hate everlasting life and live in joy and happiness in heaven. Prayer; S u b m is s io n Isaiah and his work seemed a failure, and his words as though traced in the sand, wise men now realize that his words possess a deathless power, and form, at least in part, the basis of the theology of Christendom. The purpose of this first chapter of the book is to show the connection be tween the sins and sufferings of Israel, as well as the necessity of further judg ments as a means of purging, if the people did not speedily repent. Verses 2-9 show that the national cor ruption was due to alienation from God. Verses 10-20 point out that all these de plorable conditions existed alongside of punctilious. exactness in religious duties. The chapter is peculiarly fitting to the day in which we live. God would impress upon the people the enormity of their conduct by using the figure of a father’s grief at the unworthi ness of a son. “I have nourished and brought up children," He says, “and they have rebelled against me" (v. 2). It might all have been said of our own beloved America.
or mother asked you to do something for t hem, a n d y o u promised you would do it ? H a v e you kept your promise? We, who have taken the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, prom ised to l o v e H i m a n d o b e y H i s
Word. Are we doing so? Prayer. Lesson Story; Our last stories have taught us that God must punish sin, but they also taught us of the wonderful love of God for his people. He warned them faithfully, and tried to get them to repent of their wrong doing •and come back to Him. The people living in those days did not have all the help we have today. We have our precious Bibleto tell us of Jesus and His love for each one of us, and how He died to save us from our sins. Then, when we take Jesus as our Saviour, His Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts, to help us to love and obey Jesus. Now, our heavenly Father wishes to give to every person in the world everlasting life, but before we can have this life that will never end, we must believe in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. God loved His people Israel and wished them to' be saved. In our story today, He asked another one of his prophets, named Micah, to talk to Israel. Even though Israel had disobeyed God by many wicked deeds, yet they: were bringing their offerings, and saying with their lips that they loved Him. All true love must come from the heart, and God knew their hearts were
N o v e m b e r 27, 1927 Isaiah Teaches True Worship Lesson Text—Isa. 1 :l-20
TSAIAH is, by general consent, the J‘ greatest of Hebrew writers. Very little is known of his personal history, but his writings are his great memorial'.’. He has
been called the Evan gelical Prophet, be cause he so fully de scribes the person and offices of the Mes- siah. .: The early church fathers w e r e n o t astray w h e n t h e y
termed Isaiah the evangelist of the Old Testament. No book of the Old Testa ment is so replete with Gospel truth. Where in all pre-Christian revelation could we find so clear an elucidation of the work of redemption as we have in Isaiah 40-66, especially the 53rd chap ter, which is the climax and corner- stone of the whole Old Testament? For sixty years, this noble prophet, who, after David, fills the foremost place in the story of the chosen people, discharged the office of seer, statesman and writer. Though to human eyes,
What God Wants Us To Do Micah 6:6-8. Matt. 19:16-22.
(The story of the rich young ruler may be used to supplement the Old Testament lesson in the youngest classes.)
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