The Bible Year

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Aug 17, 1916

Assignment for August 20 to 26

August 20: Ezekiel 20 to 22. August 21: Ezekiel 23 to 25. August 22: Ezekiel 26 to 28. August 23: Ezekiel 29 to 31. August 24: Ezekiel 32 to 34. August 25: Ezekiel 35 to 37. August 26: Ezekiel 38 to 40.

To Think about as You Read

August 20: Sin must be forgiven, or it will be consumed. August 21: Only the pure in heart shall see God.

August 22: The perils of pride. August 23: Vanity of human achievement. August 24: Am I faithfully doing my part to give the warning message for this time? August 25: The hope of the resurrection. August 26: God's love for his house.

The Book of Ezekiel

This, the fourth of the major prophetical books, is by some divided into three parts, thus: (1) Chapters 1 to 24, prophetic warnings uttered before the destruction of Jerusalem; (2) chapters 25 to 32, a group of prophecies against seven foreign nations; (3) chapters 33 to 48, prophecies of the restoration. Or it may be divided into two parts: the first (chapters 1 to 32) occupied with correction, denunciation, reproof; while the remaining chapters (33 to 48) deal chiefly with consolation and promise.

The prophecy abounds in sublime images and lofty ideas. As we read, the mind is caught away from the low things of earth to the open heavens and the throne of God, circled with “the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain.”

“One of the most important topics of the book is the subject of the Sabbath. The combined testimony of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, constitutes a very strong evidence for the importance and enduring nature of this institution.” Isaiah testifies concerning the blessedness of the Sabbath; Jeremiah sets forth the consequences of observing it, and also of disregarding it; and Ezekiel mentions its sanctifying influence, and shows the distinction between the Sabbath and the other days of the week.

The Book Talks

When for the first time an African village was shown a book, and heard the missionary reading the Scriptures in their own tongue, they cried out, “The book talks! the white man has a book that talks!” And indeed the Bible is a book that talks. It is the “living word,” not as the books of men.

“We know the word you teach is good,” said heathen chiefs who came to one of our missions in German East Africa to plead for a school.

The late John G. Paton, the apostle of the New Hebrides, in the South Pacific, said that an old Aniwan chief had helped him to translate the first little Scripture portion. At last the book was printed. Dr. Paton said:—

“Namakei came to me, morning after morning, saying, ‘Missi, is it done? Can it speak?’”

“At last I was able to answer, ‘Yes!’”

“The old chief eagerly responded, ‘Does it speak my words?’”

“I said, ‘It does.’”

“With rising interest, Namakei exclaimed, ‘Make it speak to me, missi! Let me hear it speak.’”

“I read to him a part of the book, and the old man fairly shouted in an ecstasy of joy, ‘It does speak! It speaks my own language, too! O, give it to me!’”

“He grasped it hurriedly, turned it all round every way, pressed it to his bosom, and then, closing it with a look of great disappointment, handed it back to me, saying: ‘Missi, I cannot make it speak. It will never speak to me.’”

“‘No,’ said I; ‘you don’t know how to read it yet, how to make it speak to you; but I will teach you how to read, and then it will speak to you as it does to me.’”

“‘O missi, dear missi, show me how to make it speak!’”