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tered the world, and all people are sinners because Adam and Eve sinned. The world in which we live is now sinful. Boys and girls do not realize the far- reaching effects o f rejecting the Bible. Notice what happens when I put Bill and Bob in the sinful world. .Bob floats for a short time, but soon the sinful world finds an easy entrance into his heart, which has not received God’s Word, and he sinks. No matter how often you lift Bob to the sur-
face and drain out the water, he soon sinks again. Bill is different. You cannot make him sink, no matter how hard you try. Many boys and girls have been kept from sinking in the sinful world because they have ac cepted Christ as Saviour, and have hidden the Word o f God in their hearts. When the temptation to sin presented itself, they re membered that the Word o f God had said that they should not yield to temptation.
preserved, and that Hezekiah, as well as the nation, was blessed. Lessen 12. “ Isaiah Contrasts False and True Worship” (Isa. 1 :10-20). True wor ship is directed toward God by hearts that are yielded to Him in truth and sincerity. Lesson 13. “ Isaiah Counsels Rulers” (Isa. 31 :l-9 ; 37:36, 37). In this lesson are teachings for rulers, princes, officials, and every citizen. Nations and individuals need today to hearken to and obey this word of the prophet. Points and Problems The title o f this review lesson is “ God in Hebrew History.” It is true that God ap pears in Hebrew history in a special way, but we should not forget that God is in all history. “ The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomso ever he will, and setteth up over it the basest o f men” (Dan. 4:17). This present control o f God over the nations is exercised providentially, for the most part through second causes. In the coming age, it will be exercised directly. Furthermore, the rule of God in all ages is exercised through the Son, our Lord and Saviour. He is the God of history. 1. Christ is the source o f history. Through Him God “made the worlds” (Heb. 1 :2). The Greek word means liter ally “ages.” Or, more exactly, the refer ence is to the world from the standpoint of the “ages” o f its history. Christ is the Maker o f the ages. 2. Christ is the controlling power in history. The picture o f our Lord in Reve lation 5 and 6 shows Him breaking the seals of the book, and the breaking of each seal ushers in a new movement in human history. While these seals belong to a period which is yet future, the action of our Lord is typical o f His work through out all time. It is He who breaks the seals which usher in the major movements and periods o f human history. There is a very beautiful reference to His work in history in Matthew 23:37: “How often would I have gathered thy children to gether, even as a hen gathereth her chick ens under her wings, and ye would not.” Christ was the God of Hebrew, history. 3. Christ is the Consummator and Goal o f history. Read the great prophecies of the New Testament, and you will find that Christ holds the central place in the events o f the end. He is the coming Bridegroom, the Raiser o f the dead, the Judge of human destiny, the King of kings. “ To sum up all things in Christ” is the final purpose o f history. Golden Text Illustration When Queen Victoria had just ascended her throne, she went, as is the custom o f royalty, to hear The Messiah rendered. She had been instructed as to her conduct by those who knew, and was told that she must not rise when the others stood at the singing o f the “ Hallelujah Chorus.” When that magnificent chorus was being sung, and the singers were shouting, “ Hallelu jah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah 1 for the Lord God omnipotent reignethl” the queen sat with great difficulty. It seemed that she would rise in spite of the customs of kings
SEPTEMBER 30, 1934 GOD IN HEBREW H ISTORY (Review ) P salm 46
Golden Text: “ Thy kingdom is an ever lasting kingdom” (Psa. 145:13). Lesson 1. “ Ahijah and the Divided King dom” (1 Ki. 11:29-39). The division of Israel into two kingdoms was accomplished as the judgment o f the Lord, because the people had forsaken Him and had turned to idols (1 Ki. 11:33). Ahijah the prophet was instructed to tell Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s officers, that the Lord intended to wrest part o f the kingdom out of the hands of fhe house o f David and give it to Jeroboam. Jeroboam was promised that he should have the kingdom as long as his house followed the Lord; but it was not long afterwards that he, like Solomon, went astray. Lesson 2. “Asa Relies on God” (2 Chron. 15:1-12). Asa, king o f Judah, was in structed by the prophet Azariah to put away the idolatry from the nation and to seek the Lord God. He was told that if he would do this, God would be with him, and against his enemies. Asa immediately set about fulfilling the compiands, and such was his thoroughness, that all o f Judah and a large portion of Israel were turned back to the Lord. Lesson 3. “God Cares for Elijah” (1 Ki. 17:l-7 ; 19:1-8). Elijah the prophet was guarded from the wrath o f King Ahaz and miraculously fed by ravens. Afterwards, in a fit of despondency brought about by phys ical and mental strain, Elijah fell a victim to a spirit o f fear and dread. He fled from the face of Jezebel and besought the Lord to allow him to die. But God graciously cared for him as a nurse cares for a child, and brought him out of his trouble into a higher place than he had occupied at the first. Lesson 4. “ Elijah Hears God’s Voice” (1 Ki. 19:9-18). There were four words from God to Elijah. The first was a word o f rebuke,, as God asked, “What doest thou here?” Elijah, the man who could stand unafraid before the king, had no right to be where he was at this time—out of his place and complaining about the prov idences o f the Lord. The second was a word of revival, which came as a result of the manifestation of God’s overruling power as seen in the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, and in the realization o f en couragement through ihe “still small voice.” The third was a word o f restoration, by means of which Elijah was brought back into a condition of fellowship with and obedience to the Lord, whose purpose re mained unchanged. The last was a word of revelation, by which Elijah was permitted to know what was in the mind of God re garding the future. Lesson 5. “Micaiah Speaks the Truth” (1 Ki. 22:1-14). In this lesson was re vealed the heroism o f a man who was yielded to God and who was willing to stand against the whole nation. The king disliked him, the people distrusted him, and other prophets hated him. Yet he with stood them all, and spoke only what God
gave him to say. Micaiah is the type of man needed today—the man who will have no other message than “thus saith the Lord.” Lesson 6. “ Elisha Helps the Needy” (2 Ki. 4:1-7, 42-44). True blessing results from simply doing what the Lord com mands, and leaving the outcome in His hands. Before the Lord could bless His people, there needed to be obedience to the prophet’s instructions—both in the case of the widow woman and the pot o f oil, and in the servitor’s distribution o f the few loaves to the hundred men. Lesson 7. “Amos Pleads for Justice” (Amos 5:1, 10-15, 21-24). Amos the prophet told that there would be a collapse o f Israel because of the nation’s persistent disobedience to the Lord. He set forth the causes o f the ultimate dispersion o f Israel, but he also proclaimed that the dispersion would be neither complete nor final. Lesson 8. “Amos Denounces Self-Indul gence” (Amos 6 :l-7 ,11-14). Amos clearly showed the causes and results of intemper ance o f all kinds. His message is a warn ing against self-indulgence in any degree. Intemperance leads to slavery and ruin. The intemperate man is the dangerous man —dangerous to himself, to his family, and to his nation. Lesson 9. “ Hosea Preaches God’s Love” (Hosea 11 :l-4, 8, 9; 14:4-9). God’s love is a changeless and constantly burning fire which nothing can quench or destroy. Whatever may be the state o f the objects o f that love, the love o f God never changes. But to enjoy it, one must be in accord with God’s great purposes. God is love, but He is righteous also,, and He cannot give the joy of His love to those who are out of step with His righteous purposes. Lesson 10. “Micah Champions the Op pressed” (Micah 6 :1-12). The prophet re vealed that God will not allow oppression of the weak to pass unpunished. This truth should be printed in large letters and placed in the sight o f all men, especially the rich and powerful, lest they forget! Lesson 11. “Hezekiah Leads His People Back to God” (2 Chron. 30:1-9,13). Judah was on the brink o f disaster because o f the nation’s forsaking o f the Lord. But Heze kiah listened to the voice o f the prophet and endeavored to bring the people back to God. The result was that the kingdom was BLACKBOARD LESSON
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