Our Bible Band by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 20, 1909

Our Bible Band

By Editor

Schedule for Week Ending January 27.

Day	Date	Morning	Evening
Th.	Jan. 21	Ex. 1, 2, 3	Matt. 14: 1-21
Fr.	" 22	" 4, 5, 6	" 14:22-36
Sa.	" 23	" 7, 8	" 15: 1-20
Su.	" 24	" 9, 10, 11	" 15:21-39
Mo.	" 25	" 12, 13	" 16
Tu.	" 26	" 14, 15	" 17
We.	" 27	" 16, 17, 18	" 18: 1-20

Suggestive Notes.

The word “Exodus” means “a going out,” and the book records the going out of the children of Israel from Egypt on their journeys to the promised land. The first two chapters give an account of the oppression of the children of Israel in Egypt, of their prosperity despite the oppression, and the birth and rearing of Moses. Chapters 3 and 4 record the call of Moses, and his mission to go down to Egypt to deliver the Lord’s people. Chapter 5 records again the cruel tasks required of the Israelites. The fifth verse of that chapter would seem to indicate that they worked every day, while Moses and Aaron would bring them back to the keeping of the Sabbath. Pharaoh’s complaint to these men was that ye make the people “rest,” or literally, sabbatize, from their burdens.

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Chapters six to twelve inclusive, give us an account of the ten plagues upon Egypt, and God’s merciful deliverance to His children. Note also His mercy to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, how reasonable the request that He asks of them. “Let My people go that they may serve Me.” He would have left them in Egypt if they had had the privilege of serving Him, but Pharaoh would not grant that. Read also the word “Lord” when found in capital letters as “Jehovah.” Pharaoh did not ask, “Who is the Lord?” but “Who is Jehovah?” “I know not Jehovah, neither will I let the people go.” Mark also that the Lord did not bring any of these plagues at first against human beings, but against the gods which the Egyptians worshiped. Almost every plague is connected with their worship in some way to show them that their gods were utterly unworthy of being trusted. Also note that in the commission to Moses, the Lord predicted that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, but this hardening does not come until Pharaoh utterly rejects every appeal which God makes to him, and then the Lord does the only thing that He can do—withdraws His Spirit, and Pharaoh’s heart “remains hardened,” as given in the Revised Version. During all these times that God was pleading with him, Pharaoh made hard and stubborn his heart, till finally the Lord leaves him when there is no hope whatever of saving him. One other point which is worthy of note, and that is the word “borrow.” The word would better be rendered “ask.” The children of Israel did not borrow jewels of gold and silver of the Egyptians, but they asked them as their perfect right for their long service and labor, and the Egyptians were anxious to give.

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Chapters 13 to 18 record the journeys of the children of Israel from Egypt to Mount Sinai, with the instruction of the Lord, the incidents by the way, and the Lord’s marvelous working, including the passage of the Red Sea and the fall of the manna. Chapter 16 forever shows us that it was not an indefinite seventh portion of time which God chose for His Sabbath, but a clearly definite day; namely, the seventh day, which had been hallowed by His resting, and appointment. God pointed out this definite day for forty years by the falling of the manna. There could be no mistake on Israel’s part as to the right day. Read the prophecy concerning Amalek in the 17th chapter, and Moses’ wisdom in the portioning of the burdens of the people in chapter 18. Mark the character of the men that he chose. It is a lesson for all.

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In our evening readings we begin at Matthew 14 and conclude with the 20th verse of Matthew 18. The topics covered are of great variety and interest. Note them: John the Baptist beheaded; five thousand fed; Jesus walking on the water; ceremonial defilement and real sin; the Canaanitish woman; the four thousand fed; how the Pharisees and Sadducees sought after a sign; Jesus foretelling His coming passion and resurrection; the transfiguration, with its wonderful lessons; the healing of the epileptic boy; the power of faith; the question of rank among His disciples, and of stumbling blocks; the parable of the lost sheep; closing with the wonderful lesson of how we should treat our brethren, and of God’s assurance that He hears the united prayers of His children. How full and rich and blessed are all these scriptures! It surely ought to be to the reader a week of instruction and triumph even as God’s children triumphed of old.

Bible Band Readers.

WE ARE gratified to find so many of the old Bible Band who are renewing their allegiance to it this year. Some have been saying that they started out with fear and trembling, hardly thinking they could go through the year and keep up the reading, but they have done so.

One of our readers writes that when he made it a part of his daily work the same as he did every other duty, he had no trouble at all. He finished the year on time and received great benefit, and his interest was the result of awakening the interest of others.

A very busy man, the manager of our largest publishing-house, sent us last year quite a large number of names with his own, as readers of the Bible Band. This year he writes again and tells us how much benefit and blessing he received from the readings, and again sends in a larger list of names. And so the word comes to us from all over the field. We hope that this year’s reading will be abundantly blessed.