30
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
In te rn a t io n a l S e r ie s of Sunday School L essons EXPOSITION OF THE LESSON, , - Frederic W. Farr DEVOTIONAL COMMENT, - - John A. Hubbard COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES, H. G. Dean ELEMENTARY, - - - - - Mabel L. Merrill
OCTOBER 14, 1923 ISRAEL, A MISSIONARY NATION
Golden Text: “Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation .” Ex. 19:6 LESSON TEXT Ex. 19:1-6; Isa. 43:9-11; 45:20-22; (Read Isa. 41: 8-14; 45:14-17; Romans 9: l-5> Devotional Reading—■* Psa. 100. In tro d u c tio n : Election is a means to an end. Because of th e re fusal of man to co-operate w ith him , God was obliged to select a man, and by means of him to build up a family; and through the fam ily to prepare a nation, in o rder th a t by means of the nation, all the world LESSON m ight come to the knowledge of Him- EXPOSITIOiN self. The man was Abraham ; th e na- Dr. F . W. F a r r tion was Israel. THE NATION CHARACTERIZED, Ex. 19:1-6. The priestly order was set ap a rt from th e common mul titude. The Israelites compared w ith other nations, were to sustain the same relation to God. The name Jehovah has been paraphrased as “th e covenant-making and coven ant-keeping God.” Here God enters into a covenant w ith His people and summarizes th e ir experience since th eir de liverance from Egyptian bondage. G ratitude for Divine protection would prompt them to loyalty and obedience.' It was fitting th a t they should be ruled by the one who had saved them . In th e ir acceptance of His au tho rity they would ju stify th e name applied to them , “ a holy nation .” • If there is the sp irit of obedience, th e le tte r of th e law will not be burdensome. THE NATION WITNESSING, Isaiah 43:9-11. A m issionary is first of all a w itness. Israel has been a witness to monotheism among the idolatrous nations of the earth , to th e blessedness of worshiping and serving the living God and to the promised Messiah. Salvation is of the Jews. The nation did not recognize th e duty of w it nessing and did not respond to th e Divine purpose. The prophet Jonah resigned his office ra th e r th a n become a m issionary to Nineveh. He was a typical Jew bu t God always has His way. The rep en tan t and restored nation shall yet become a center of ligh t and source of blessing to the Gentiles. The Divine promise to Abraham shall be realized “ In thee shall all th e fam ilies of the ea rth be blessed.” Jehovah is not the trib a l god of Israel. He is King of nations and Lord of all the earth. THE NATION AS THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH, Isaiah 45:20-22. Isaiah mentions th ree servants of God, David, the Nation and the Messiah. The prophet has much to say of th e last two, and pictures the servant Christ a t work to restore the servant nation. In chs. 40-53 th e term “ servan t” is found nineteen times. Then the word “ serv an ts” occurs ten times. The servants carry on the testim ony of th e Servant.
They reproduce His ch aracter and fulfill His mission because they are His seed and the fru it of th e trav ail of His soul. Because Israel is the servant of Jehovah her captivity some day m ust end. She can no t fulfil h er destiny un til she regains her national independence and h er ancient home. It has been pointed out th a t th e servant passages in Isaiah are pyram idal in form. The base is th e nation of Israel. The m iddle section is th e faith fu l rem nant. The top itself a m in iatu re pyram id; is th e Messiah, who arises out of the m idst of Israel. The picture of C h rist as the lowly Servant does not appeal to th e im agination so strongly as th a t of th e trium p h an t W arrio r or th e glor ious King. There is however a peculiar charm in this a ttitu d e of self-effacing m inistry th a t is especially dear to the h ea rt of God and attractiv e to th e Spirit-filled believer. His unvarying submission, His perfect obedience, H is glad eagerness to do His F a th e r’s will, arouse adoring wonder in th e contemplating heart. I Exodus 19:1-6. V. 1. The th ird month.—F ifty days from Rameses.— Com panion Bible. Hence the feast of Pentecost, i. e. the fif tieth day was th e in auguration of the Old Testam ent church and divine wisdom is apparent in the selection of th e same and the “desert of Sinai” is th a t wild and desolate region which occupies the very center of the peninsula comprising the lofty range to which the mount of God belongs. J. F. and B. V. 3. W ent up un to God— Moses’ first ascent. God— Elohim. The Lord called— Jehovah called— the only occur- ance of th is expression in Exodus.— Companion Bible. The House of Jacob— The Hebrews, descendants of Jacob; th e twelve tribes. Occurs nowhere else in the Pen- tateuch.-ii-Peloubets Notes. V. 4. Ye have seen w hat I did to th e Egyptians— God’s deliverance of His people from th e ir slavery in Egypt, so plainly m iraculous, was an earnest of what they m ight expect from Him in the fu tu re if they obeyed Him.—Amos R. Wells. And b rough t you un to Myself— th is m anifestation of th e love of God to Israel formed only th e prelude, however, to th a t gracious union which Jehovah was now about to establish between th e Israelites and Himself.— Keil and Delitsch. Y. 5. Obey My Voice— Keep my covenant. The people are rem inded of th e grace in which Jehovah had h itherto dealt w ith them ; and they are also assured of w hat they yet would be, provided they continued to heark en to mercy’s heavenly “ voice” -and to abide in the “ covenant” of free and absolute grace.-—C. H. Mackintosh. A peculiar tre a su re—-A trea su re acquired for a pos session— a trea su rer reserved for one’s self.— Companion Bible. COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES H. G. Dean season for the in stitu tion of th e New T estam ent church (John 1 :1 ; Acts 2 :1 ). J. F. and B. V. 2. The desert of Sinai—The des e rt has its provinces or divisions, distinguished by a variety of names
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker