To those who have not learned to persevere, especially to the young, the following of this Bible course day by day, week by week, thruout the year, will be of great value apart from the Bible knowledge gained. No one can persevere in a good course day after day, despite hindrances, no one can bring himself to a useful task and do it each day as the days go by, and not be greatly benefited. It will strengthen purpose, it will strengthen will, it will make moral fiber. It may cost self-denial; but settle this, it will more than repay all labor and effort in the discipline of the mind and the regulation of the life. If possible, have a stated time for reading, the greater part of it in the morning. The reading will give you good thoughts for the entire day.
The first four days of this week finish the last chapters of Genesis, the "Book of Beginnings." It records the rest of the interesting, helpful story of Joseph and his brethren, full of lessons which lie on the surface, as well as deeper ones. Judah's plea for Benjamin (chapter 44:18-34) is pronounced to be one of the most eloquent passages in the English language. Chapters 46 to 50 are an account of Israel's journey to Egypt, their reception by Joseph and Pharaoh, Jacob's prophetic blessing upon Joseph's sons and his own, and Jacob's death and burial. Note in it all God's care for the preservation of the progenitors of the Seed.
January 23 brings us to the "Book of Going Out," or the Departure from Egypt, for such is the meaning of Exodus. It covers much more than this; but this is the great feature of the historical part of the book. It is called the second book of Moses and was doubtless written by him. It is replete with records of God's marvelous, miraculous doings.
The first and second chapters of Exodus are an account of Satan's effort to destroy "the seed" by oppression and the destruction of the male children, and how God overruled for their preservation. The early life of Moses, educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, is related, and his human plan for delivering Israel is hinted at. It became necessary for God to give him a postgraduate course in keeping sheep in Midian, in order that Moses might be fitted to lead God's flock out into Canaan. Chapters 3 and 4 are God's call to Moses, who feels self-sufficient no longer. Chapters 5 to 8 are an account of their first appearance before Pharaoh, resulting in severer oppression of the children of Israel, God's repetition of His promises, and the plagues of the waters turned to blood, the frogs, the lice, the flies. All these were worshiped or connected with the worship of Egypt. God would show Pharaoh and the people that their gods were vanity, and that the God of Israel was the true God. Note in the American Revised Version that it is "Pharaoh's heart was hardened," or Pharaoh "hardened his heart."
God wished to convert Pharaoh from his idolatry to the worship of the true God, and so get glory to His name. Pharaoh would then herald it thru all the earth. There was the mercy of God in sending the plagues, that Pharaoh might see the baselessness of his hopes. If Pharaoh would not yield to do the right, God would still get glory to His name in the necessary humiliation of the haughty oppressor.
Note the name of God—Jehovah—the self-existent God, the great I AM, whose covenant name is a pledge in blank for faith to fill out according to promise and need.
Wherever the word "Lord" is printed in small capitals, thus, "LORD," it comes from the Hebrew "Jehovah," or as transliterated by some scholars, "Yaweh," God's covenant name. There are gods many and lords many. Moses' demand to Pharaoh was, "Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let My people go." But "Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah? . . . I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go." The American Standard Revised Version helps much in its clearer, more uniform rendering.
Psalms 19 to 25 sing for themselves. Why not learn the nineteenth, the twenty-third, and the twenty-fourth? They are always helpful. The fulness of the nineteenth is marvelous. And the "Shepherd Psalm" ought to be known by all.