Our Bible Band

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 6, 1909

We begin the year with Genesis—“In the beginning.” One familiar with the book will learn to pass over some passages rapidly, but even in the “dry” places one finds beautiful oases. We can not say to our Band as one “Christian” paper says:

“Certain portions of the Bible relate to things forever gone. These are genealogies, accounts of bloody battles, and all the paraphernalia of Jewish ceremony and the various censuses of the ancient tribes. One going to California by rail the first time, to observe everything, should keep his eyes open by day, and if possible arrange so that when he returns he may see by day what on his outward tour was passed in the night. Then he will know that he has seen all that can be seen. But after this, knowing as he does that there are many miles of desert in which prairie dogs and sage-brush are all that greet the eyes, he will not find it remunerative to concentrate his gaze for a second time upon that which can not add valuable knowledge to his repertoire.”

The genealogies are instructive in showing how God preserved a “seed,” and how the seed came as He predicted. Then, too, in the genealogies sometimes are wonderful inspirations; and in the Jewish ceremonies are striking lessons of God’s abhorrence of sin and regard for order and righteousness. Some of the bloody battles have their awful and useful lessons. The outlook through a car window on a journey to California is a weak and poor illustration of a year spent in the treasure-house of God’s word. True it is that many things are in the past, but it is well to remember what the apostle says, “Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4. Once through the Bible, or ten times, will not reveal all there is to be learned.

Schedule for Week Ending January 13.

	Morning	Evening
January 7	Gen. 18, 19	Matt. 6: 1-18
“ 8	“ 20, 21, 22	“ 6:19-34
“ 9	“ 23, 24	“ 7
“ 10	“ 25, 26	“ 8: 1-17
“ 11	“ 27, 28	“ 8:18-34
“ 12	“ 29, 30	“ 9: 1-17
“ 13	“ 31, 32	“ 9:18-38

Suggestive Notes.

Our reading last week brought us through the creation and fall of man, the promise of the Seed, the awful apostasy of the race, the Deluge, the preservation of Noah, the repeopling of the earth, the call of Abraham, and some of God’s dealings with the man of faith.

This week we continue the story of Abraham and his family, his gradual development of faith; Isaac and his two sons, their defects, and finally Jacob’s victory, which made him “Israel,” “prevailer with God.”

Our New Testament reading last week began with Matthew, covered the genealogy of Jesus, told the story of His birth, the visit of the wise men, of His temptations, a little of His ministry, and a part of the great Sermon on the Mount. We begin the sixth chapter and read to the close of the ninth. How rich in teaching and miracle and good works it is. Yet that Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.