November 20, 1949 . Isa. 55:1-11
November 20, 1949 . Isa. 55:1-11 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. 5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6. Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: if shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Lesson Interpretation
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Who can expect to find Truth? Everyone who thirsts for it, since desire is the surest avenue of approach. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat." Thirst,' not money, is the requirement for supply. How do we buy without money? With our labor or effort. W e can "buy" Truth (the waters), the stimulus or enthusiasm of Spirit (wine), or Spirit substance (milk), by directing our thoughts and actions toward it. W e thus labor for true satisfaction in life.
What is the first step in the quest of spiritual consciousness? Heeding the divine law. "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live." W e are to give close attention to the manifestation of the divine in life. What are some other steps? Seeking God in all our ways and practicing prayer. "Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near." How does the Christ Spirit remove wickedness and unrighteousness? It removes them by substituting the way of the Christ in their stead. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah." How are the personal consciousness and the Christ consciousness compared in the text? In the words "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." The two consciousnesses are of entirely different orders. In the realm of spiritual consciousness does the creative word operate according to law just as it does in the material realm? \ Yes; the creative word is life-giving,; as rain and snow are life-giving in the natural world. Rain and snow make the earth productive and result in harvests that supply food for the harvester and seed for his future use. So the creative word stimulates ideas that call forth good thoughts, and these lead to deeds that express the Christ Spirit. "It shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." What do these words
signify? They signify that there is a law of increase in the realm of spiritual consciousness. The progress that is being made in the building up of a civilization in which children are well cared for and educated, youth insured advantages, men and women encouraged by opportunities to do their best work, and those no longer young safeguarded against want is the result of the thoughts and actions that the creative word has inspired.
_ ^ntn Interpret the command "Hearken dtl.day o , 1 9 4 0 . m(0 me„ in the second verse Isa. 55:1-11 Jf today's lesson. 1. Ho, every one that th.rsteth, come ye / . case w a s the prophet to the waters, and he that hath nc.money The m e • * „h . of fi ™™ w hnv and eat • vea, come, buy wine Isaiah, whose name Mgnu r a T c S ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ P ^ J A . ' " and represents spiritual under2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that . ^ J j n g . One hearkens diligently by which is not bread? and your labor for that • o n e s e l f heart and soul into the which satisfied! not? hearken d.hgent 1,- unto P b derstandi me, and eat ye that which is good, and let quest to 6 your soul delight itself in fatness. What are toe 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; ryavld"? hear and your soul shall live: and I will D a v J d r e s e n t s love, and the sure make an everlasting covenant with you, even ^ . ^ ^ r ^ ^ ^ b l e s s i n g s that ^ T S ^ l t ^ L ^ ^ ^ ^ s c o ^ to those who develop the love , , consciousness, to the peoples, a leader and commander to ^ ^ ^ ^ Go(t_given \eader and ^ 5 P 7 n o i d thou shalt call a nation that commander to the peoples? thou knowest not; and a nation that knew T h e Christ, of whom David was a not thee shall run unto thee, because of Je^ f o r e runner, is the leader and hovah thy God, and for the Holy One of 7 j £ n m a n d e r r e £ e r r e d to. Israel; for he hath glorified thee n Tnd nearer to man at one time 6. Seek ye Jehovah while he may be If God nearer to found- call ye upon him while he is near: than at another? 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and G o d i s omnipresent, but man is near the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let H i m QJ. f a r QQ acC ording as he is conhim return unto Jehovah, and he will have ^conscious of His indwelling mercy upon him; and to our God, for he scioua m ^ will abundantly pardon. presence. , 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, JJOW sure is the creative word oj ej neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. j e c t m g the desired manifestation? 9. For as the heavens are higher than the „ Q£ ^ c r e a tive word is as earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, ine ^ ^ ^ ^
: I i [ j I > I I » | 1 I t | f
I | I | § t f | | | | f I 1 I | I | | • | ,| § § I I
^ a t t a t t S » - d
, '
the £
of ^ o X e on ve^tation.and as
snow' from heaven, and returneth not thither, Q t h e r s o < a l l e d "natural laws in their but watereth the earth, and maketh it bnng ^ o f l Q n SUDS tance. The creative word forehand bud, and giveth seed to the sower ^ ^ e and bread to the eater; U So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing , whereto I sent it. w oat does water signify as used in the invitation "Come ye to the waters"? It signifies the inspiration of Spirit, also life. What is meant by the urgent call oj Isaiah to "buy wine and milk without money and without price"? The rich substance of Truth is worn only by those who seek it with all their heart. It cannot be bought with moneyor any other medium of material value. It is bought with devotion and effort. In other words it must be earned. What is the supreme gift oj God to man? The Christ consciousness is man's greatest gift, since it includes all others., v What labor jails to satisfy man? j i. Labor for material ends gives man? ruy, enduring satisfaction, for i t leaves
September 2 8 , 1924 I a a . 55:1-15
' \ Thii#T to Its spiritual character,rispreseritsthe spuFst; p;*f • l. ;*HbTevery one that thirstetto come ye to the ws*ekv d§nf* for die codling, satisfying essence of Spirit, c&lfeef; ;aad he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea. die water of Sfe. Hunger, to Spirit, is the destoeVfbrpome buy wine and milk without money and without price. die vitalizing substance! \ W e hunger and thirst after; if.' 2, Wherefore do ye spend money, for that which is not •Bread? and your labor for that which sa'tisfieth not? hearken righteousness, or the right application of spiritual law, diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let that the soul may be satisfied. -your soul delight itself in fatness. . . . . WTio extends this cordial invitation to man ? if{',' 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and1 Isaiah, the prophet, was the writer. He was toyour soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant spired by Jehovah, the creative spiritual Mind, called !with you, even the sure mercies of David. %: 4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peo- Christ to the New Testament ples, a leader and commander to the peoples. Interpret verse 3: "Incline your ear, and come unto :'f;- L5. Behold, thou shall call a nation that thou knowest me; hear, and yaw soul'shall live; and-l Wall make STl not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, everlasting covenant with you, even the swe mercies because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of of David." ' "Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Spiritually interpreted, to incline one's ear means to u-- • 6. Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye give obedient attention to Spirit within. The everlasting upon him while he is near:§'• 7. . Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous covenant is the agreement on the part of the individual :rhan his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he to observe divine law to the very best of his ability. Ijvill have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will What is the meaning of: "Behold, thou shalt call abundantly pardon. :•• 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee"? .your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. ;3>> 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,, so are Nations represent segregated states of consciousness rjaay ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than to both soul and body, states with which we are not to (§tSur thoughts. €$•;• 10. For as the rain cometh down and the snow fromconscious communication. - Under the quickening ar\ iBeaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and! Spirit we make contact with them; they run to us and Imaketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower we run to them. land bread to the eater; Explain: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the p | 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my; unrighteous man his thoughts." Ifriouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accom-i Forsaking one's wicked ways follows identification jplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing; with the Christ Mind. Metaphysicians adoprsr regular hereto I sent it * 12; For ye shall go out with joy. and he led forth system of thought discipline; they deny error thoughts Sjrtth peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth be- and affirm true thoughts until an, entirely new consciousffore you into singing; and all die trees of the field shall clap; ness is established. When conscious unity with Jehovah Nheir hands. p*.. 13- Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; has been built up sufficiently, the effect of sin disappears find instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it and the body becomes strong and healthy. !*hallbe to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that To whom is Jehovah speaking when he says: "So :-jfaall not be cut off. _ shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it ^^^ffo,;: everyone'TKal thirsieihT come ye la the shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish, mpater*' Should this invitation which is extended so that which I please, and it shall prosper in (he thing freely to every one be taken literally, or should it be whereto I sent it" ? fmterpreied spiritually? Jehovah is speaking to spiritual man, his image and I- This invitation, like all Scripture, should be inter- likeness, through and by whom all things to the earth loreted spiritually. ". . . the letter killeth, but the spirit are accomplished. When we enter into the understandIgnveth life." ing of the Absolute we discern between the relative thoughts of the natural man and the absolute ideas of the spiritual man. Absolute ideas are called the Word of God, and the Word once realized accomplishes all that is put into it. When man makes contact with Jehovah Mind and his word and the word of Jehovah are made one, what stale of consciousness follows? "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the field" shall clap their hands." .
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5
Who can expect to find Truth? Everyone who thirsts for it, since desire is the surest avenue of approach. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat." Thirst,' not money, is the requirement for supply. How do we buy without money? With our labor or effort. W e can "buy" Truth (the waters), the stimulus or enthusiasm of Spirit (wine), or Spirit substance (milk), by directing our thoughts and actions toward it. W e thus labor for true satisfaction in life.
What is the first step in the quest of spiritual consciousness? Heeding the divine law. "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live." W e are to give close attention to the manifestation of the divine in life. What are some other steps? Seeking God in all our ways and practicing prayer. "Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near." How does the Christ Spirit remove wickedness and unrighteousness? It removes them by substituting the way of the Christ in their stead. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah." How are the personal consciousness and the Christ consciousness compared in the text? In the words "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." The two consciousnesses are of entirely different orders. In the realm of spiritual consciousness does the creative word operate according to law just as it does in the material realm? \ Yes; the creative word is life-giving,; as rain and snow are life-giving in the natural world. Rain and snow make the earth productive and result in harvests that supply food for the harvester and seed for his future use. So the creative word stimulates ideas that call forth good thoughts, and these lead to deeds that express the Christ Spirit. "It shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." What do these words
signify? They signify that there is a law of increase in the realm of spiritual consciousness. The progress that is being made in the building up of a civilization in which children are well cared for and educated, youth insured advantages, men and women encouraged by opportunities to do their best work, and those no longer young safeguarded against want is the result of the thoughts and actions that the creative word has inspired.
_ ^ntn Interpret the command "Hearken dtl.day o , 1 9 4 0 . m(0 me„ in the second verse Isa. 55:1-11 Jf today's lesson. 1. Ho, every one that th.rsteth, come ye / . case w a s the prophet to the waters, and he that hath nc.money The m e • * „h . of fi ™™ w hnv and eat • vea, come, buy wine Isaiah, whose name Mgnu r a T c S ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ P ^ J A . ' " and represents spiritual under2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that . ^ J j n g . One hearkens diligently by which is not bread? and your labor for that • o n e s e l f heart and soul into the which satisfied! not? hearken d.hgent 1,- unto P b derstandi me, and eat ye that which is good, and let quest to 6 your soul delight itself in fatness. What are toe 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; ryavld"? hear and your soul shall live: and I will D a v J d r e s e n t s love, and the sure make an everlasting covenant with you, even ^ . ^ ^ r ^ ^ ^ b l e s s i n g s that ^ T S ^ l t ^ L ^ ^ ^ ^ s c o ^ to those who develop the love , , consciousness, to the peoples, a leader and commander to ^ ^ ^ ^ Go(t_given \eader and ^ 5 P 7 n o i d thou shalt call a nation that commander to the peoples? thou knowest not; and a nation that knew T h e Christ, of whom David was a not thee shall run unto thee, because of Je^ f o r e runner, is the leader and hovah thy God, and for the Holy One of 7 j £ n m a n d e r r e £ e r r e d to. Israel; for he hath glorified thee n Tnd nearer to man at one time 6. Seek ye Jehovah while he may be If God nearer to found- call ye upon him while he is near: than at another? 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and G o d i s omnipresent, but man is near the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let H i m QJ. f a r QQ acC ording as he is conhim return unto Jehovah, and he will have ^conscious of His indwelling mercy upon him; and to our God, for he scioua m ^ will abundantly pardon. presence. , 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, JJOW sure is the creative word oj ej neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. j e c t m g the desired manifestation? 9. For as the heavens are higher than the „ Q£ ^ c r e a tive word is as earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, ine ^ ^ ^ ^
: I i [ j I > I I » | 1 I t | f
I | I | § t f | | | | f I 1 I | I | | • | ,| § § I I
^ a t t a t t S » - d
, '
the £
of ^ o X e on ve^tation.and as
snow' from heaven, and returneth not thither, Q t h e r s o < a l l e d "natural laws in their but watereth the earth, and maketh it bnng ^ o f l Q n SUDS tance. The creative word forehand bud, and giveth seed to the sower ^ ^ e and bread to the eater; U So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing , whereto I sent it. w oat does water signify as used in the invitation "Come ye to the waters"? It signifies the inspiration of Spirit, also life. What is meant by the urgent call oj Isaiah to "buy wine and milk without money and without price"? The rich substance of Truth is worn only by those who seek it with all their heart. It cannot be bought with moneyor any other medium of material value. It is bought with devotion and effort. In other words it must be earned. What is the supreme gift oj God to man? The Christ consciousness is man's greatest gift, since it includes all others., v What labor jails to satisfy man? j i. Labor for material ends gives man? ruy, enduring satisfaction, for i t leaves
September 2 8 , 1924 I a a . 55:1-15
' \ Thii#T to Its spiritual character,rispreseritsthe spuFst; p;*f • l. ;*HbTevery one that thirstetto come ye to the ws*ekv d§nf* for die codling, satisfying essence of Spirit, c&lfeef; ;aad he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea. die water of Sfe. Hunger, to Spirit, is the destoeVfbrpome buy wine and milk without money and without price. die vitalizing substance! \ W e hunger and thirst after; if.' 2, Wherefore do ye spend money, for that which is not •Bread? and your labor for that which sa'tisfieth not? hearken righteousness, or the right application of spiritual law, diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let that the soul may be satisfied. -your soul delight itself in fatness. . . . . WTio extends this cordial invitation to man ? if{',' 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and1 Isaiah, the prophet, was the writer. He was toyour soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant spired by Jehovah, the creative spiritual Mind, called !with you, even the sure mercies of David. %: 4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peo- Christ to the New Testament ples, a leader and commander to the peoples. Interpret verse 3: "Incline your ear, and come unto :'f;- L5. Behold, thou shall call a nation that thou knowest me; hear, and yaw soul'shall live; and-l Wall make STl not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, everlasting covenant with you, even the swe mercies because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of of David." ' "Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Spiritually interpreted, to incline one's ear means to u-- • 6. Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye give obedient attention to Spirit within. The everlasting upon him while he is near:§'• 7. . Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous covenant is the agreement on the part of the individual :rhan his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he to observe divine law to the very best of his ability. Ijvill have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will What is the meaning of: "Behold, thou shalt call abundantly pardon. :•• 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee"? .your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. ;3>> 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,, so are Nations represent segregated states of consciousness rjaay ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than to both soul and body, states with which we are not to (§tSur thoughts. €$•;• 10. For as the rain cometh down and the snow fromconscious communication. - Under the quickening ar\ iBeaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and! Spirit we make contact with them; they run to us and Imaketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower we run to them. land bread to the eater; Explain: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the p | 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my; unrighteous man his thoughts." Ifriouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accom-i Forsaking one's wicked ways follows identification jplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing; with the Christ Mind. Metaphysicians adoprsr regular hereto I sent it * 12; For ye shall go out with joy. and he led forth system of thought discipline; they deny error thoughts Sjrtth peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth be- and affirm true thoughts until an, entirely new consciousffore you into singing; and all die trees of the field shall clap; ness is established. When conscious unity with Jehovah Nheir hands. p*.. 13- Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; has been built up sufficiently, the effect of sin disappears find instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it and the body becomes strong and healthy. !*hallbe to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that To whom is Jehovah speaking when he says: "So :-jfaall not be cut off. _ shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it ^^^ffo,;: everyone'TKal thirsieihT come ye la the shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish, mpater*' Should this invitation which is extended so that which I please, and it shall prosper in (he thing freely to every one be taken literally, or should it be whereto I sent it" ? fmterpreied spiritually? Jehovah is speaking to spiritual man, his image and I- This invitation, like all Scripture, should be inter- likeness, through and by whom all things to the earth loreted spiritually. ". . . the letter killeth, but the spirit are accomplished. When we enter into the understandIgnveth life." ing of the Absolute we discern between the relative thoughts of the natural man and the absolute ideas of the spiritual man. Absolute ideas are called the Word of God, and the Word once realized accomplishes all that is put into it. When man makes contact with Jehovah Mind and his word and the word of Jehovah are made one, what stale of consciousness follows? "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the field" shall clap their hands." .
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