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the east and up towards Damascus (Gen. 15; 18), with the tribes of Israel arranged in straight, parallel bands across the face of the country (Ezek. 48); all the people righteous and then* children’s children as well (Isa. 59: 20, 21), and the land held in perpetuity (Ezek. 37:24, 25), intimate a grand and certain prospect for saved and happy Israel. Then the earth at large shall yield its increase* (Ps. 67:6; 66v4; 72: 16; Amos 9:13).— Scott. v. 7. They shall rejoice in their por tion. They shall have their own land, the Holy Land, Immanuel’s land, and therefore they shall rejoice in it, hav ing so lately known what it was to be strangers in strange lands. The bless ing of God upon it and the comfort they shall have in it will make an abundant reparation for all the dam ages they have received.—Henry. In their land. Marking the reference to literal Israel, not to the church in this age.-—Maurer. v. 8. I the Lord love judgment. Literally, justice, which requires that He should restore His people to the land and give them double in compen sation for their sufferings.—Horsley. v. 9. All shall acknowledge them. The prophecies of restored Israel seem to many as incredible as predictions of the present triumphs of electricity and steam would have appeared to our an cestors a century ago. The position which the Jews have held for eighteen centuries is a phenomenon which itself disposes of every seeming presumption against the fulfillment of these prophe cies. Christianity as a system assumes the fact that in a former age the Jews enjoyed a peculiar place in blessing. They lost this vantage ground through sin and they now stand upon the com mon level of ruined humanity. Christ has broken down the middle wall which separated them from the Gentiles. But Israel’s promise clearly implied that blessing will again reach the Jew as a Jew, not only recognizing his national position but confirming him therein.— Anderson.
has been interpreted to mean the church. The time in which the bless ings are to be realized was made to mean the present age instead of the age which is to come. The declarations of the Lord about this age and its end ing, like the days of Lot and Noah, have been completely ignored. Nearly the whole of Christendom attends to Israel’s earthly calling, and in attempt ing to do a work which God never means to have done in this age, fails most shamefully in it. As one has said, “ The spiritualizing of Israel’s promises has been the carnalizing of the church.” —Gaebelein. Our lesson committee are evidently laboring under the same delu sion, holding that the renovated earth and society here prophesied is to be brought about by the human reform movements of which prohibition is one. —B. Beauty for ashes. There is a play on the Hebrew word for orna mental headdress worn in times of joy. In time of mourning, ashes were some times cast upon the head (2 Sam. 13: 19).— J. F. & B. The oil of joy. Per fumed ointment was poured on the guests at joyous feasts (Ps. 23:5; 45:7,8; Amos 6:6.) On occasions of grief its use was laid aside.—Brown. Trees of righteousness. Symbolical of men strong in righteousness, instead of being, as heretofore, bowed down as a reed with sin and calamity (Isa. 1:29, 30; 42:3; Ps. 1:3; 92:12-14; Jer. 17: 8).— Jamieson. v. 4. Shall build the old wastes. In days yet future the ruined cities of Palestine shall be restored. In a spirit ual sense we may also appropriate this promise. When we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit we also witness the res toration of the wastes which our sins have caused in our lives and the lives of others.-fWVIeyer. Raise up the for mer desolations. Wonderful times these when the Lord Himself, attended with all His saints and angels, treads once more the Mount, of Olives, the last spot of earth touched by His blessed feet. Then war shall cease, for the Prince of Peace has come and the weapons of war are broken (Hos. 2:18) or burned (Ezek. 39:9). Happy times when the long continued feuds of the East are buried and the kingdoms of Egypt, As syria and Israel take rank and preced ence in the millennial earth (Is. 19:24, 25). An enlarged Palestine, 300,- 000 square miles, stretching from the Nile on the west to the Euphrates on
How Four Boys Became Healthy and Happy. Dan. 1:3-20. Memory Verse.— “We will drink no wine.” Jer. 35:6. HELP PREPARE MEN AND WOMEN FOR CHRISTIAN WORK
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