might be the one whom God would allow to become the mother of His Son. How thrilled, and yet, how fearful was Mary when she heard the angel’s message! Her lips burst forth into a song of praise that is sung by soloists and choirs today. She sang of God’s good ness and power and thanked Him for keeping His promise to His people. As you look forward through this week to Christmas Sunday, pray that your heart will be filled with praise for your Redeemer. If you have not yet re ceived God’s Son as your Saviour, make your decision to do so today. Then, you may look forward to the most joyful Christmas season that you have ever known. The purpose of the passages selected for this week’s lesson is to present Is rael’s only hope, the coming Messiah. The times were very dark due to the approaching Assyrian invasion. But Judah is assured that this invasion will not mean the end of their national exist ence. They are given to see that there will be better days in the future. All hope rested in the coming Child and Son, who would bring a far greater deliver ance than that from the Assyrian in the days of Hezekiah. Light in the Midst of Shadows 9:2-7 It was often true of the prophet Isaiah that, when dealing with conditions in Judah in his day, he looked forward to greater things in the future when the Messiah should come. As he con sidered God’s deliverance of Judah from the Assyrian in the times of Heze kiah, he peered into the future to the time of the greater deliverance that would be experienced at Christ’s coming. So it is in the passage before us. The prophet is dealing with the times in which he lived, but the deliverance of that time caused him to speak of the Great Deliverer. In verses 2 and 3 is set forth the light and joy of the coming deliverance. Doubtless there is a pri mary application to the time of Isaiah, but a consideration of Matthew 4:15,16 makes it clear that there is a Messianic content in the passage. Verses 4 and 5 present the manner of the deliverance. The primary reference again is to the overthrow of the Assyrian as decrjbed more fully in chapter 37:33-38. A larger fulfillment will be realized when Messiah comes to put down all His enemies. Com pare Revelation 19:15,16. Verse 6 re veals the coming of the Messiah. None but He can fulfill the meaning of these words. He is seen in both His humanity and His deity. In the words “ a child is born,” His humanity is presented; in the words “a son is given,” His deity is suggested. Then His work and titles follow in the verse. Verse 7 is a proph ecy of the eternal duration of Messiah’s righteous rule. N O V E M B E R , 1 9 4 9 Dec. 25, 1949 GOD'S MESSIAH Isa. 9:2-7; 11:1-5 Pointers on the Lesson
mmiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii S tories of i|pmnsi Wt Hobe By Cecilia M argaret Rudin, M. A. Best known, and richest treasury of hymn stories—NEW, ENLARGED. You will thrill to the heart warming stories behind such all time favorites as “ America The Beautiful,” “ Silent Night,” “ Lead On, O King Eternal.” A church leader writes, “ The book, ‘ Stories o f Hymns W e Love* received and I am so delighted with it that I am enclosing $5.00 for 4 more. I know o f nothing
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He Is Able To Save Unto The Uttermost
This young man is one of thousands reached by YOUTH FOR CHRIST in 55 countries of the world. PRAISE GOD for this VICTORYI Nearly 100 clear decisions for Christ were witnessed at four simultaneous nightly rallies during the YFCI congress at Cannes, France. Over 200 attending delegates rep- resented 18 countries. Communists, athe ists, free thinkers, agnostics, all found that Christ saves to the uttermost. OUR TASK today— the Gospel of Christ for the youth of the world-— at home— and abroad. YOUR THANKSGIVING gift of praise will encourage our faith. WRITE TODAY and say you are praying. Your prayers are our most urgent need. For more informa tion about this spiritual challenge, or for help in starting a rally in your own com munity, write to:
“ I am 18 years old. Until recently I gave my energies and talents to a search for pleasure and reality through the worldly philosophy called existentialism— really moral anarchy, with DO AS TOU PLEASE its only creed. “ August 28, in Cannes, France, at a YOUTH FOR CHRIST RALLY, I received Christ as my Saviour. When He came in, I knew my search had ended. I gave this silken cord—the badge of our cult—to Bob Evans and said, 'Tell young people wherever you go that only Jesus satisfies.' "
YOUTH FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL ROBERT A. COOK, President 130 N. Wells Street Chicago 6, Illinois Dept. 34
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