October 1929
492
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Introduction: Historical Setting. T SAIAH spoke his predictions during the time when the Assyrians were making aggressions into the west land. Dark were the days. The country was o v e r r u n . T h e
God.” God has ordained these civil gov -1 ernments to keep order and to administer proper and just punishment to the evil doers. They are the ones to avenge the wrong-doer. Should one person wrong another in any way it is the God-given prerogative of- the civil government to take up the matter, to investigate the same, and to punish the guilty one. Per sonal vengeance was prohibited by the law and is still prohibited by the teaching of the New Testament. Christians are commanded to obey the laws which are enacted by the govern ment. It is never proper for a Christian to sit in judgment of the laws and refuse to obey them. It is quite possible that some laws which are made may render a hardship to some individuals or classes, but in the majority of instances the law makers endeavor to do the proper thing which will bring the greatest good to the realm. Should a law be passed which does not give a person justice, if he is a Christian he should submit to the injus tice. He could, in the Spirit of Christ, appeal for a hearing of his case, but never can he as a Christian resort to force or arms. In view of the fact that the govern ments are ordained of God for adminis tering justice to all, Paul urges that trib ute, taxes, and custom be paid. The proper honor and respect likewise should be given to those who are in authority. 2. Love a Lasting Obligation. Vs. 8 - 10 . The Christian is commanded to owe no man anything, i.e., to assume no obliga tion which he cannot pay. The one debt he owes always is that of love. In fact love is the fulfillment of the law. If one has the love of the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, he is lifted above all law and will be able to obey the letter of the law in the spirit of the same. *3. Purity of Life Exhorted. Vs. 11-14. The apostles held up before their con verts the imminence of the coming of the Lord as an incentive to purity of life. In verse 12 Paul asserts that the night is far spent and that the day is at hand. God is the light of the world. The period in which He has withdrawn from active fellowship and association with man, is referred to as the night. When He in the person of Christ shall return and be per sonally here upon the earth the Great Day will come. The night time was far spent in Paul’s day. With 2,000 years since then added, the morning certainly is at hand. The signs of the time indicate the same. In view of these facts Paul urges purity of life. In concluding his remarks on this subject (verse 14) he commanded the Christians not to make any provision for the flesh but to take advantage of the strength which God supplies. III. Good Citizenship Accordirig to Peter. 1 Pet. 2:13-17. The Christians to whom Peter wrote were in the throes of great distress and persecution by the civil powers. There was a tendency on their part to rebel and to ignore their responsibility and obliga tion to the civil government; hence he, in the same strain as Paul, urged them to be in subjection to the civil authorities and to render all dues and honor to them.
A Missionary in Africa Ex* presses H im self ‘‘It [T he K ing ’ s B usiness ] has been coming to me for the past four years and we feel here that we cannot do without it. It is indeed a w e l c o m e visitor. I wish to express ap preciation to friends of the mag azine who m a k e its coming possible.”
prophet looked be- y o n d the present dismal outlook into the f u t u r e a n d spoke of Israel’s golden age. H is ministry was con fined largely to Je
rusalem (740-700 B.G). The quotation from Paul, found in Acts 17, was his Mars Hill speech which he delivered on his second missionary journey and first visit to Athens about 55 A.D. The his torical setting of Jno. 4:20-26 is laid in Samaria just after the early Judean min istry and is in the midst of the first full year of the public ministry of our Lord. Beginning the Lesson. To get the attention of the children the teacher may with profit ask them to relate experiences concerning difficulties which they have had and how their little problems have been solved most success fully. For the older classes the teacher may with profit, J likewise, call attention to some difficulties in a given community or to a controversy between two nations and discuss how the troubles were settled. Such discussions will assist materially in focusing the attention upon the lesson of the day. I. Universal Peace According to Isaiah. 2:2-4; 11:6-10; 19:23-25. 1. Universal Peace Among Men. 2: 2-4. According to 2:1 the Lord granted to Isaiah a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Judah and Jerusalem are to be understood literally, since nothing in the context indicates otherwise. The disaster spreading abroad through out the land, and the dark war clouds serving as a background, Isaiah looked into the future and saw the time of uni versal peace in the latter days. The expression, “the latter days,” is the technical term for the days of the Mes siah as is interpreted by the Talmudical scholars. Its use by isaiah, Joel, and other Old Testament prophets is to be distinguished from its use in the New Testament, where it usually refers to the last days of the Christian dispensation when perilous times shall come. “The mountain of Jehovah’s house” re fers to Mount Moriah on which the tem ple stood, and Jehovah’s house was the regular technical expression referring to the temple. According to verse 2 there will be topo graphical changes at Jerusalem and its environs, as is also seen in other pas sages of Scripture (cf. Zech. 14:10, 11). “And all nations shall flow unto it.” Jerusalem shall be the capital of the world, to which worshipers will con stantly, as a stream, flow to Jerusalem. Returning to their homes they will say to their friends and associates, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he urill teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the 'word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.” Jehovah will be there in person in Jerusalem and will teach the pilgrims
P ith and P oint Hypocrisy is at once a spiritual and an intellectual vice. The idea of the power and right of the people to establish government presup poses the duty of every individual to obey the established government.— George Washington. Any government is preferable to an archy. Imbue the young with the idea of liv ing according to the law of love. Jesus never taught contempt for the established government; He always taught respect for law. The home and school must train the future citizen in law observances. : —o—1 November 10, 1929 World Peace Through Mutual Understanding -Scripture References: Isa. 2:2-4; 11: 6-10; 19:23-25; Acts 17:22-31; Eph. 4: 4-6, 13-19; Jno. .4:20-26. Devotional Reading: Psa. 98:1-9. Golden Text: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). L esson in O utline Introduction: Historical Setting. Beginning the Lesson. I. Universal Peace According to Isa iah. 2:2-4; 11:6-10; 19:23-25. 1. Universal Peace among Men. 2 :2-4. 2. Universal Peace among Animals. 11 : 6 - 10 . 3. Understanding between Nations. 19:23-25. II. Universal Peace According to Paul. Acts 17:22-31; Eph. 4 :4-6, 13-19. 1. The One God to be Worshiped. Vs. 22-25. 2. The Unity of the Race. Vs. 26-29. 3. The One Judge to Administer Justice. Vs. 30, 31. 4. The Unity of the Body of Christ. Eph. 4:4-6, 13-19. III. Universal Worship According to Jesus. Jno. 4:20-26.
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