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T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
September 1930
Lord. He was to be the herald o f Christ, preparing the way before Him. This had beeen foretold centuries before (Mai. 3:1 : Isa. 40:3). V. 77. Give knowledge of salvation. Is rael dreamed o f deliverance from political foes but had largely forgotten the true meaning o f salvation. They needed to be taught again the nature of sin, the need o f repentance and God’s mercy in grant ing remission o f sins. Remission means literally “sending away.” Through His grace, sins are removed an infinite dis tance from the repentant sinner (cf. Psa. 103:12). V. 78. Tender mercy o f our God. For giveness from God always springs out of His mercy and does not depend upon our good works. Dayspring from on high. “Dayspring” literally means “the rising.” It refers to the appearance of a heavenly body. Christ is the dayspring, fulfilling such prophecies as Isa. 60:1 and Mai. 4 :2. He is called “the day star” by Peter (2 Pet. 1:10). John speaks of Him as ‘the bright and morning star” (Rev. 22: 16). John’s preaching as the herald of Jesus is likened to the dawn which heralds the brighter light o f the day. Jesus Christ was the Light. John, after all, was but a lamp (cf. John 5:35 R. V .). V. 79. Darkness and the shadow of death. A very fitting description o f the condition o f mankind through sin. Such darkness Christ dispels. Death is con quered, too, by His dying for sinners. Guide our feet. The sinner has willfully gone his own way (Isa. 53:6). The only true peace is that which he finds through the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who offers to guide his feet into the way of peace. V. 80. The child grew. He grew phys ically. He needed a very strong body for the heavy labor he was later to under take. He grew also in spirit. He was con stantly taught by his godly, parents. The Word of God was his daily food. Was in the deserts. In the thinly inhabited parts of Judea. There he lived the life o f a Nazirite as had been predicted o f him. His showing unto Israel. God had sent him away for a time for his training. At the appointed season he came forth to his ministry. * * * L esson Q uestions V. 5. Who was Herod? What was his position? His character? Who was Zach- arias? What were his duties? V. 6. In what sense were Zacharias and Elisabeth righteous ? Before whom were they righteous? In what ways did they show their righteousness ? Vs. 57, 58. What promise had the angel Gabriel given to Zacharias? Was the promise literally fulfilled? Does God ever fail to keep a promise? What was the feeling o f Elisabeth’s neighbors and rela tives concerning the birth of this child? V. 59. O f what was circumcision the sign and seal (cf. Gen. 17:11; Rom. 4: 11)? What name did the neighbors wish to give the boy? Why? Vs. 60, 61. What name did the mother desire? Why did she choose this name? What objection did the friends raise? Vs. 62, 63. By what means did they ask his father’s desire? How did he commu nicate his wish? Does this indicate that he was deaf as well as dumb? How did this
fear; redemption that brings peace, rest, service.. No greater theme has ever been discovered. 11. Zacharias seems to mentally picture a pilgrim caravan in a dangerous desert, overtaken by night and surrounded by dangers that threaten death. Suddenly a bright star arises which lights their path way to a place of safety and peace. The star is a beautiful emblem of Christ the Light o f the world. * * * G olden T ext I llustration A lady and her little daughter were in a service in which the preacher spoke about how obedience toward God is re vealed in the manner in which one attends to the small duties o f everyday life. He described how many parents neglect their spiritual duties in the home; how they re tire night after night without praying for God’s watchcare, and how in the-morning they fail to thank Him for rest, protec tion and the new blessings of the new day. The little,girl listened attentively. Then, turning to her mother, she whispered: “Mamma, is the minister talking about you?” The simple question pierced the mother’s heart. She said nothing, but that night she kneeled before her bed, con fessed her sin and asked God to help her be true to her duty in this respect.
BLACKBOARD LESSON
( OBEYED GOD'S NANCES v
D 0TH B lameless J eeog ( e god
// The Prophet o f
I!
The Highest"
I.Q.H. O cts
affliction come upon him (cf. v. 20) ? What name did he give? Why? V. 64. What miracle occurred sud denly? To what use did Zacharias put his restored power of speech? Vs. 65, 66. What was the effect o f all these strange happenings upon the neigh bors? How far did the knowledge of these events go? What was the effect upon the people? Did they have great expecta tions concerning the child? Why? V. 76. What office was John to have? What would be his duty “before the face of the Lord” ? V. 77. Had many people of Israel lost the true idea of salvation? Had they in their minds limited the work o f Messiah to a political deliverance? Did Zacharias expect more ? What is meant by remis sion of sins? V. 78. Does God give anything to sin ners except on the ground o f “tender mercy” ? What is the meaning o f the word “dayspring” ? To whom does it refer? V. 79. What was the effect of Christ’s coming to earth? Can any one find “the way of peace” without -Him? V. 80. In what ways did John grow? Where did he live? Why was he sent out into such a place? What is meant by “his showing unto Israel” ? * * * P ractical P oints 1. A few pious people had escaped the influences that had made the religion of Israel cold, formal, lifeless. God always has a remnant to whom He can tell His secrets and through whom He can do-His wondrous works. 2. About 400 years had passed since God through Malachi (3:1) had an nounced the coming o f the forerunner of Messiah. God had not forgotten. His movements are always on schedule time. 3. God gives rare grace and privilege only to rare people. 4. Great prophets o f the Lord often come from humble homes o f pious, pray ing Christians. 5. No higher honor can be bestowed upon mortals than to be declared right eous and blameless before God. Every be liever in Christ is thus honored. 6. God’s promises are always fulfilled to the letter (Cf. Luke 1:35; 2:6, 7; Gen. 21:2, 3; Num. 23:19). 7. God knows how to punish unbelief. Quaint Thomas Fuller wrote: “Five words cost Zacharias forty weeks silence.” 8. Many a doubting Christian has lost his testimony for a time. But God is ready to forgive and loose the tongue that it may praise Him. - 9. How firmly Zacharias said: “ His name is John.” God had said so; that left no room for argument. Do not trifle with God’s word. 10. The great theme of Zacharias was redemption—from sin, from foes, from
Zacharias and Elisabeth Luke 1:5; 6,57-66; 76-80.
Memory Verse.-LA And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances o f the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). Approach .—God answers prayer, though sometimes He keeps us waiting for the answer. It pays to serve Him, wait for Him, trust Him. Lesson S to ry^T h t prophet Malachi
told of the coming of a forerunner of the long-looked-for Messiah. Four hun dred years later, the news was received that this promised herald was soon to come. D a v i d had di vided the priesthood i n t o twenty-four courses, each serv
ing a week at a time, twice during the year. Zacharias was a devout priest of the course o f Abijah, a descendant of Aaron. Elisabeth, his wife, was also de scended from Aaron. This godly couple served God sincerely, but the great sor row of their lives was that they had no children. But on the great occasion when Zacharias performed the sacred duty of burning incense, the angel Gabriel ap peared to him. The angel told him that he should become the father of a son whose name was to be John. This boy was to be a Nazirite, trained in obedience to the law given long before (Num. 6:1-5). He was to be separated unto God for his mission of preparing the way for the coming Mes siah. He might not become great in the sight o f men, but he was to be great “in the sight o f the Lord.” Because o f him, many would rejoice. Zacharias had doubtless been praying for a son. Alone with God in the Holy
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