p. 2 | OUR BIBLE BAND

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 2, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 22.

OUR BIBLE BAND

Schedule for Week Ending June 12, 1909.

Day	Date	Morning.	Evening.
Su.	June 6	2 Chron. 25, 26, 27	John 16
Mo.	" 7	" 28, 29	" 17
Tu.	" 8	" 30, 31	" 18: 1-18
We.	" 9	" 32, 33	" 18:19-40
Th.	" 10	" 34, 35, 36	" 19: 1-22
Fri.	" 11	Ezra 1, 2	" 19:23-42
Sa.	" 12	" 3, 4, 5	" 20

Suggestive Notes.

Our Old Testament lessons include 2 Chronicles, chapter 25 to Ezra 5. This ground has previously been covered by the record in Kings, altho there are interesting items given in Chronicles which are not given in the parallel books. This is more especially true regarding the fuller history of the kings of Judah. Both histories record the exceeding wickedness of Manasseh. Chronicles gives us the glad information that in his captivity he humbled himself. God heard him and restored him to his kingdom, and effort was put forth on his part to reform it. The good reign of Josiah is told with much detail; yet the kingdom goes on growing worse and worse until at last the Lord removed it with no remedy.

Ezra begins with the proclamation of Cyrus for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple, together with the list of those who went with him; the laying of the foundation of the temple; the stopping of the work by various adversaries under the decree of the king Artaxerxes. The Lord then sends messages by Haggai and Zechariah, instructing the Jews that they should go on. This under the reign of the following king Darius. Chapter 5 includes a letter sent by the governor of Syria to king Darius, asking him that search be made to see if the Jews were telling the truth when it was stated that a Persian decree had been given for the rebuilding of the temple. The one named Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:7 is held to be the pseudo-Smerdis, one who obtained the kingdom for a little while by fraud. He was slain that same year, 522 B.C., and Darius the son of Hystaspes succeeded in 521 B.C.

Our New Testament readings begin with John 16 and close with John 20, passing over the solemn and important time of our Lord’s passion. John alone gives us the discourse which concludes with the sixteenth chapter; the wonderful prayer for unity found in the seventeenth chapter, and many interesting incidents connected with the Crucifixion itself. Chapter 20 is a story of that first day after the Resurrection.