Your ShelfYour Projects

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

6%

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 12, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 46.

Read the full edition

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

LESSON 8.—NOVEMBER 23.—WORLD'S TEMPERANCE LESSON.

Lesson Scripture, Isa. 28: 1-7, A.S.R.V.
(1) “WOE to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine! (2) Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one; as a tempest of hail, a destroying storm, as a tempest of mighty waters overflowing, will be cast down to the earth with the hand. (3) The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot; (4) and the fading flower of His glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. (5) In that day will Jehovah of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people; (6) and a spirit of justice to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate. (7) And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.”
Golden Text.—“They also have erred through wine.” Verse 7.
Special Helps.—“Patriarchs and Prophets,” Ch. 54, p. 562.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Against whom is a woe pronounced in this prophecy? Who were being warned by the prophecy? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) By what means would the woe come? To what was the woe likened? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What expression indicates the completeness of the overthrow? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What illustration is used to show the rapacity of the enemy? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) What would the Lord be in that day? To whom? Verse 5. Note 5. (6) What else would the Lord be to His faithful ones? Verse 6. (7) But of what had even these been guilty? Verse 7. Note 6.

NOTES.

1. This prophecy was spoken shortly before the fall of Samaria and the kingdom of Israel. It was spoken to Judah and Jerusalem as a warning, in view of the approaching downfall of the northern kingdom and the captivity of the people. The “crown of pride” and the “fading flower” are figures of Samaria, which was a beautiful city, crowning the hills and overlooking the fertile valleys and prolific vineyards. The “drunkards of Ephraim” were the leading men of the kingdom—Ephraim standing for all Israel, being the leading tribe, and Samaria being in the land of Ephraim. The prime cause of the lamentable downfall just about to be accomplished, was excessive luxury and drunkenness—“overcome with wine.” The “woe” here pronounced was not the arbitrary fiat of God, but the consequence of pride and debauchery. See Amos 6.
2. The “mighty and strong one” here referred to is the king of Assyria, whose devastating armies were even then threatening Israel.
3. The complete overthrow of Samaria is indicated by the expression “trodden under foot.”
4. The greediness with which a lover of figs will devour the first ripe one of the season is used as a figure of the rapacity of the enemies of Israel when they beheld the luxurious spoil within their reach.
5. “In that day”—when the “drunkards of Ephraim” perished, the Lord was for a “crown of glory” to those who would obey Him. And just as Israel was going down Hezekiah came to the throne of Judah. He began his reign with a political and religious reformation. He threw off the yoke of the Assyrians, to which his father had submitted, and when they pressed the battle to the gates of Jerusalem, the Lord overthrew them by His angel, because of the humiliation and prayers of Hezekiah and His people. See 2 Chronicles 32.
6. “But these also have erred.” That is, Judah also had erred through the excessive use of wine. Hence the warning concerning the doom of Ephraim. “They err in vision”—can not see things in their true light. “They stumble at judgment”—can not judge correctly. Notwithstanding the reformations under Hezekiah, and in the latter part of Manasseh’s reign, and again under Josiah, Judah at last ignored the experience of Israel, and went down in the same manner. But in no age of the world have the people stood in greater need of the warning given in this lesson to Judah, than in our own day and generation.