Our Bible Band by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 27, 1909

Our Bible Band

By Editor

Schedule for Ten Days Ending February 6.

		Morning	Evening
Th.	Jan. 28	Ex. 19, 20	Matt. 18:21-35
Fr.	" 29	" 21, 22	" 19
Sa.	" 30	" 23, 24	" 20:1-16
Su.	" 31	" 25, 26	" 20:17-34
Mo.	Feb. 1	" 27, 28	" 21:1-22
Tu.	" 2	" 29, 30	" 21:23-46
We.	" 3	" 31, 32, 33	" 22:1-22
Th.	" 4	" 34, 35	" 22:23-46
Fr.	" 5	" 36, 37, 38	" 23:1-22
Sa.	" 6	" 39, 40	" 23:23-39

Suggestive Notes.

We are giving ten days’ schedule of reading in this issue in order to make it fall with the even week, as there are many who desire it this way rather than have the break come on the day of publication of the paper in the mid-week. Then, too, the paper may not reach some subscribers exactly on time and that would inconvenience them.

Our readings in the Old Testament extend from Exodus 19 to Leviticus 10 inclusive. It will be impossible in our brief space to give anything like extended notes on the chapters covered. The best that we can do is to group them. Exodus 19 to 24 is a description of the children of Israel before Sinai; the record of God speaking His holy law and the other laws which He gave through Moses at that time. It was in love that He gave His law, not to drive the people from Him, but in order to write it upon their heart. He wished to do for them as He did for Moses—bring them all into godly, fatherly nearness to Himself.

Exodus 25 to 31 inclusive is a description of the sanctuary that God would have them build, with explicit directions regarding every part, the center of which was the holy of holies where was placed the ark of the covenant, containing God’s holy law, written on tables of stone. In order that the building might be properly erected, and the work properly done, God placed His Spirit upon the builders, Bezalel and Oholiab, together with other devoted men and women. A special lesson to us that God is just as willing to bless the workers in material things, who are consecrated to Him, as He is the workers in spiritual things.

Chapters 32 to 34 give an account of Israel’s awful idolatry within forty days after God had spoken to them from Mount Sinai, and right in the very sight of the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night,—a great object-lesson for the ages that it is not by fear nor by compulsion that men serve God, but by love. Had they received the Law of God upon the heart as well as upon the tables of stone, there would have been no turning back to Egypt; no worship of the golden calf. These are wonderful chapters, too, of the revelation of God and of Moses’ character.

Chapters 35 to 40 contain the record of the carrying out of the instructions of chapters 25 to 31. They tell us how the ark was builded with all its furniture and equipments, just as God directed, and the wonderful blessing and glory which came down upon the congregation and the building when it was completed.

Our New Testament lessons are all in Matthew, from chapter 18:21 to the close of chapter 23. They contain wonderful lessons on forgiveness; the necessity of obedience; God’s mercy in calling all classes; His reproof for the self-seeking; the triumphant entry into Jerusalem; the second cleansing of the temple; the cursing of the fig-tree,—a warning against fruitless profession; parables of the two sons; the wicked husbandman; the marriage feast; the wonderfully wise answers of our Lord to those who sought to entrap Him; and the woes against those who were leading God’s children astray. Each and all may be studied with great profit.