March 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
142
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTL I NE P a : R< Rl RDON Isa. 40:2 ' OMISE Isa, 40.5 ROVISION Isa. 40:11 I cried—thou hast heeded.—Psa. 30:2 but rather with the events of His second coming in glory and power. John the Bap tist in a way was a fulfillment of these predictions, but he was not the fulfill ment. Elijah the prophet is this herald. It is quite likely that he is one of the two witnesses mentioned in Rev. 11:1-13. The burden of the preaching of this herald is to prepare the way for the ap pearance of God upon the earth. The question at this time arises, Is the lan guage of vs. 3 and 4 literal or figurative? It seems from the context that it is fig urative because those to whom the preach ing is done cannot level the mountains and fill the valleys; therefore it would ap pear that he is speaking about spiritual preparation of the nation in terms of physical changes of the topography of the land. The context likewise shows clearly that the prophet is not speaking of the time when Messiah, who is Christ, comes in humiliation to the chosen people, but rather of the time when He shall come and the glory of God shall be revealed to all the people at one time. It seems clear that Jesus was speaking of the same time in Matt. 24:27, “For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the com ing of the Son of man.” III. Oracle Proclaiming Unchangeable Character of God’s Word. Vs. 6-8. The prophet likewise by the prophetic insight sees another messenger of God as he proclaims the unchangeable nature of the Word of God. One messenger, ac cording to v. 6, speaks to another saying, “Cry.” The one addressed replies by say ing, “What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth. the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the peo ple is grass.” The second speaker, who utters the words just quoted, proclaims the transitory nature of man and com pares him to the flowers and grass of the field. James declared the same thing con cerning man in 4:14, when he said that map’s life is but a vapor. Man is in one respect like the grass and flowers. His life is very uncertain. All things con nected with man are uncertain and changeable. In contrast with the weakness of man and the uncertainty of things connected with him is the sure, infallible Word of the Living God which stands fast for ever. . “For ever, 0 Jehovah, Thy word is settled in heaven” (Psa. 119:89). “For no word from God shall be void of power” '(Lk. 1 :37). “Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished” (Matt. 5:18). The Word of God here referred to con sists of the messages which God gives by His Holy Spirit through men of God who were “moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).
April 21, 1929 Comfort For God’s People
iIV. The Feast Kept with Certain Ir regularities. Vs. 13-22. At the appointed time a great company of people assembled at Jerusalem “to keep the feast of unleavened bread." Though the reforms of Hezekiah had cleansed the temple and prepared the people for the observance of the Passover, there were still many altars for the purpose of burn ing incense throughout Jerusalem. Be fore the festivities began, these altars were removed. Before one can come to God in true worship, everything that is contrary to the will of God should be re moved in order that one may have free access to the throne of God. Many of the priests on this occasion were put to shame because they had not properly sanctified themselves. Therefore many of the Le- vites had to perform functions which or dinarily only the priests should perform. Likewise there were many people from the Northern Kingdom who had not cleansed themselves, according to the Law, yet they did eat the Passover “other wise than it is written." For the Levites to slay the sacrifices and permit unclean persons to partake of the Passover, were indeed gross violations and irregularities of the Mosaic Law. Their worship, how ever, was acceptable to God by reason of the prayer of Hezekiah, who implored the Lord to accept everyone who had set his heart to seek after God. The Lord is always merciful and gracious, taking all of the circumstances into consideration. He knew better than anyone else all of the circumstances and conditions in volved. The ceremonial must give way, under certain conditions, to the spiritual. The fact that God accepted their service and passed over the irregularities on this occasion, is no reason for one’s assuming that He will accept any and all service, irrespective of whether it be in accordance with His revealed will. To presume that He will -accept irregularities under all conditions, is a dangerous position to take. David, in his first attempt to bring the ark up to Jerusalem, sought not the Lord according to the ordinance, and Uzzah was slain by the Lord because of the pre sumptuousness of David and his cowork ers. One is treading upon dangerous ground to presume that he can ignore or set aside any thing or ordinance which the Lord has established, feeling that it will be all right with God since He is merci ful, gracious, and forgiving. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46). On the other hand let no one become a slave to legalism and forget that the Lord said, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matt. 12:7). God accepted the services rendered. It was with great joy that all participated, and their joy expressed itself in songs of praise. “So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacri fices of peace-offerings, and making con fession to Jehovah, the God of their Fathers.” V. The Feast Prolonged. Vs. 23-27. Their overbounding joy caused them to desire to remain yet other seven days in the presence of God, which thing they did. “So there was great joy in Jerusa lem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem . . . and their voice was heard, and their 'prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven.”
Golden Text: "As one whom his another comforteth, so will I comfort you” (Isa. 66:13). Lesson Text: Isa. 40:1-11. L esson in O utline I. Israel’s Final Suffering and Deliv- ance. Vs. 1, 2. II. Oracle Proclaiming Messiah’s Ad vent. Vs. 3-5. III. Oracle Proclaiming Unchangeable Character of God’s Word. Vs. 6-8. IV. Oracle Proclaiming Good Tidings to Zion. Vs. 9-11. I. Israel’s Final Suffering and Deliv erance. Vs. 1, 2. I"',OD does not afflict His people willingly. Whenever He does afflict them one can =— o — is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Moses declared that Israel was a stiff necked people. The entire history of the race proves the correctness of that state ment. The nation has gone farther and farther from God. She today continues to go deeper into unbelief and to cast off her. ancient faith. The Lord will bring the judgments of the Great Tribulation upon her, together with the impenitent world, in order to bring her back to Himself. “In their affliction they [Israel] will seek me ear nestly” (Hos. 5:15). Isaiah, looking into the future, saw the time when the Tribu lation is over and Jerusalem’s warfare is accomplished. During the time of trouble, Israel, because of her great opportunities, will be punished doubly for her sins. In creased light brings increased responsibil ity. •When her warfare is accomplished her iniquity will be pardoned and she shall be received into blessed fellowship with God. God deals with His children today upon the same principle. When they sin and depart from Him, He chastises them in order to bring them back to Him. II. Oracle Proclaiming Messiah’s Ad vent. Vs. 3-5. In vs. 3-5 the prophet by divine inspira tion is carried forward to the days just preceding Messiah’s glorious advent, and he hears the herald announcing the fact that Messiah’s approach is near. It is clear from the context that the messenger is announcing the fact that God is about to make His personal ap pearance here upon earth. Malachi like wise made the same prediction (Mai. 3: 1) and told who the forerunner or herald will be, namely, Elijah (Mai. 4:5, 6). Mark, in 1 :l-3, combines the predictions of Isaiah and Malachi and applies them to John, the forerunner of Jesus when He came the first time, but the original con text of each passage shows most clearly that the events of which the prophets were speaking are not j those connected with Messiah’s first coming in humiliation be certain that the Lord was forced to act as He did. According to the Scriptures, the Lord in love and mercy will punish Israel, the chosen people, in the time which
Made with FlippingBook Online document