LESSON 9.—MAY 31.—THE LAW OF GOD IN THE ARK AND IN THE HEART.
NOTE.—This series of lessons is entitled, “Studies on the Gospel Message.” For introduction and excellent suggestions as to their study, we refer the student to the Lesson Quarterly.
The tabernacle, as a mere building for the indwelling glory (Ex. 25:8; 29:43), was a constant prophecy of the divine-human temple in which His glory was to be manifested (John 1:14). The services of the tabernacle were an actual provision for present salvation, which was also a promise of the ministry of Christ in and through His taking the flesh. Heb. 9:6–12. The tabernacle was the home of the ark (2 Sam. 7:2), which was the receptacle for the law of God, the ten commandments (Deut. 10:3–5). All the services of the tabernacle had reference to man’s relationship to that law (Heb. 5:1; 1 John 3:4) and the mediatorial work of Christ, through which the law would be put into the mind and heart of man (Heb. 8:6, 10). This was accomplished by His coming in the flesh to live the law in and for humanity. Ps. 40:7, 8. Thus the power of the endless life was provided in the place of merely fleshly effort (Heb. 7:16), and the dead letter was changed into the living promise (John 12:50; Rom. 8:2). God made choice of Abraham as the head of a people to whom He committed in a special manner the keeping of the truths of the Gospel (Rom. 9:4), that through them He might teach His law to the world as the blessing of His indwelling life to save from sin, through the mediation of His Son in the flesh (Acts 3:25, 26). Their whole experience thereafter was a preparation for, and a fact-prophecy of, the coming Messiah, the incarnation of the Son of God. Not only did “all the prophets” teach this fundamental truth (Acts 3:24), but it was brought out in their history. Just in proportion as they made the teaching of the sanctuary and its services a reality in their lives, the power of this truth was shown in national prosperity. Deut. 28:13. If they refused to make this revelation of the truth through the obedience of faith, then came national adversity. Verses 58, 59, 62. And even in the men whom God raised up to deliver His people when they turned to Him, He was testifying to them and to the world of the salvation through the great Deliverer, who was to reveal Himself in humanity. Read Psalms 105 and 106, and note especially Ps. 105:42–45 and Ps. 106:39–45.
QUESTIONS.
What was declared to be the purpose for which the tabernacle was made?
What was to be revealed in it?
Of what was this a prophecy?
Show from the Scripture the lesson which was taught concerning the work of the coming Saviour by the services of the sanctuary.
What useful purpose did the tabernacle serve as a building?
What was deposited in the ark?
To what did all the services of the tabernacle have either direct or indirect reference?
What was the result really sought?
What made such a result as this possible?
What experience was thus provided?
In thus providing this experience, what change was made?
What did God entrust to the keeping of His people?
For what purpose were such gifts bestowed upon them?
What was their whole experience thus intended to be?
How was the truth of the coming of Christ in the flesh taught?
What was the result when they accepted the truths of the sanctuary as a living experience?
What was the result when they failed to do this?
In what way did God use even their experiences of adversity as a means of revealing the great truth of the Gospel?
43 “Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 “And the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered 45 together to hear the Word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves 47 unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldst be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth. 48 And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the Word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal 49 life believed. And the Word of the Lord was spread abroad 50 throughout all the region. But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast 51 them out of their borders. But they shook off the dust of 52 their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.”
Golden Text.—“Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) After Paul’s first discourse at Antioch in Pisidia, what did some in the audience do? Verse 43. Note 1. (2) How was the influence of the apostle’s work manifested the next Sabbath? Verse 44. Note 2. (3) What was the effect upon the leading Jews? Verse 45. Note 3. (4) What was the attitude of Paul and Barnabas in the face of this opposition? What had been necessary in their work? Verse 46. Note 4. (5) How did they assert their apostleship? Verse 47. (6) How did the Gentiles receive this announcement? What was the result? Verse 48. (7) What impetus was given to the Gospel through this experience? Verse 49. (8) Whom did the Jews influence against the apostles? What was the effect of their persecution? Verse 50. Note 5. (9) What did the apostles do in departing? Verse 51. Note 6. (10) How was the whole body of disciples sustained under the fire of persecution? Verse 52. Note 7.
Besides the notes, read the article of the same title as the lesson, in the fore part of paper.
NOTES.
1. LAST week’s lesson left Paul and Barnabas at Paphos, on Cyprus Island. They then passed over to the mainland of Asia Minor, making a brief stop at Perga, from which place Mark returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas went on to Antioch in Pisidia. The region of Pisidia was a barbarian country; the roads were rough, and infested with bandits, until the main highway was reached, which traversed Asia Minor from east to west north of the Taurus range. On this highway Antioch was situated. On this journey from the sea to Antioch were, no doubt, experienced some of the perils and dangers to which Paul refers in 2 Cor. 11:23-27. According to their custom, the apostles went to the synagogue at Antioch, and on invitation spoke to the people. The last clause of verse 45 is, by Randall, made to refer to the people urging the apostles to continue to preach to them. In connection with the next verse, this idea seems reasonable.
2. The intervening week would suffice to spread abroad the appointment for the next Sabbath. The favor with which the Gospel preaching was received on that first Sabbath, together with the house-to-house work of the missionaries through the week, served to arouse an intense interest.
3. Jealousy.—The Jews were enterprising and ambitious in a business way, and therefore were very tenacious of their influence. Besides, there was the treasonable feature of the new religion; it was not recognized by the Roman Government, and therefore was illegal. The men who were introducing it were Jews, and in case of trouble with the government, the Jews as a whole would be held responsible for it. So the leaders were anxious to put themselves on the safe side politically.
4. The first opportunity of the Gospel had been given to the Jews. John the Baptist came to the Jews; Christ came specially to the Jews; the first preaching of the apostles was to the Jews. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom. 1:16. The reason that God’s message to this world always comes to His people first, is that they are expected to pass it on. They are in this world to be “laborers together with God.” When they themselves reject the message, they judge themselves unworthy to be the messengers. So the Lord often has been obliged to raise up instruments from other sources.
5. The influence of the aristocracy was sought in order to make the following of the apostles appear as of the lower classes, and therefore unworthy of notice. Thus they sought to identify themselves with the honorable class.
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