OUR BIBLE BAND

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 24, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 12.

Schedule for Week Ending April 3, 1909.

		Morning	Evening
Su.	March 28	Judges 4, 5, 6	Luke 4:31-44
Mo.	“ 29	“ 7, 8	“ 5:1-16
Tu.	“ 30	“ 9, 10	“ 5:17-39
We.	“ 31	“ 11, 12	“ 6:1-26
Th.	April 1	“ 13, 14, 15	“ 6:27-49
Fr.	“ 2	“ 16, 17, 18	“ 7:1-30
Sa.	“ 3	“ 19, 20, 21	“ 7:31-50

Suggestive Notes.

The Old Testament readings for the week finish the book of Judges, beginning with chapter four, ending with the last chapter of the book. Very interesting indeed are some of these accounts of this fearfully checkered time in the history of Israel. Wonderful triumphs God wrought for His people during a part of this time, as in the victory of Barak and Deborah over the oppressors of Israel, and also in the victory of Gideon, showing how mightily God can work with few, as against the many. It is also of interest to note how the family of Gideon degenerated because they got to trusting in the things which are seen instead of in the power that is unseen. Of interest, too, is the wonderful victory which Jephthah won over the Ammonites; and it is worthy to note again that the conception which seems to have obtained on the part of so many that Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, is without question untrue; for it was contrary to the law to sacrifice human beings. A redemption was provided, but where one was devoted to God in this way, he was in some way held to His service. Jephthah’s daughter was the only hope of perpetuating his house in Israel, and his sacrifice lay in the devoting of his daughter to perpetual virginity and the utter wiping out of Jephthah’s house in Israel. Note what is said in the last verse, that the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament with the daughter of Jephthah four days in the year.

Another interesting item of history is that of the judgeship of Samson, a man of very weak character. We wonder sometimes how the Lord could have used him, but it is ever true that God uses the very best material He can find, and He did not use Samson because of his selfishness or carnality, or sins, but in spite of them, in order to save His people. There were times when the children of God were departed from Him a long way, and God in His great pity made use of the very best instruments that He could, despite all their failures, in order to save them. The last chapters of Judges are indicative of the low state into which Israel had fallen before the call of Samuel the prophet.

Our New Testament lessons continue the reading in the book of Luke from the 31st verse of the 4th chapter to the close of chapter 7. These lessons ought not to be less precious because we have covered some of them in Matthew and Mark. The miracles of our Lord recorded in the fourth chapter, the teaching of the fifth chapter, a condensation of the Sermon on the Mount in the sixth chapter,—bringing out some additional thoughts to that of Matthew 5,—the healing of the centurion’s son, and the raising from the dead the young man of Nain, the only son of his mother, the lesson drawn from the teaching of John the Baptist, and the anointing of Jesus, are all wonderfully interesting, touching, uplifting, and pathetic, which will give us material for meditation and spiritual growth every day. What a mighty contrast they present to the history of Israel’s low condition in the time of the judges! But how they all speak of the goodness and mercy of God.