Suggestive Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 28, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 17.

		Morning.		Evening.
Su.	May 2	1 Kings	12, 13	Luke	22:	1-20
Mo.	" 3	"	14, 15	"	22:	21-46
Tu.	" 4	"	16, 17, 18	"	22:	47-71
We.	" 5	"	19, 20	"	23:	1-25
Th.	" 6	"	21, 22	"	23:	26-56
Fr.	" 7	2 Kings	1, 2, 3,	"	24:	1-35
Sa.	" 8	"	4, 5, 6	"	24:	36-53

Suggestive Notes

Our Old Testament lessons begin with 1 Kings 12 and close with 2 Kings 6. Strikingly interesting indeed are the times covered; great object-lessons of the fruits of righteousness and of backsliding and sin; the unsteady, unsettled reign of the weak Rehoboam; the division of the kingdom between Judah and Israel; the idolatry of Jeroboam in reigning over the ten tribes; the rebuke of God against him, carry us to chapter 15. The remainder of the readings cover the reigns in Judah of kings Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat; and in Israel of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram. The majority of Judah's kings were good men, but in Israel there was one constant downward course to the awful reign of Ahab, the wickedest of all Israel's kings, because his wife Jezebel was his counselor to do evil. Among the striking figures in this history are those of the great prophet Elijah, standing for God against all the idolatry and wickedness of the age, and his successor Elisha.

The closing chapters of Luke are in general respects like those of Matthew and Mark, giving some details not given by either of the others, fuller in some respects, and sometimes omitting some of the things given by the other two. A little fuller particulars are given concerning Peter. The taking of Jesus to Herod, an account of our Lord with the disciples on the way to Emmaus, together with the discourse of our Saviour to the unbelieving and amazed disciples to whom He appeared the evening of that first day, are not given by the other evangelists. What striking lessons are given us in these three Gospels! And how, as we read of the life of the Master, ought longings to come into our own heart that the One who thus walked the earth and blessed humanity might come into our own lives and make us blessings.