FOR the first six days our readings are in the Psalms, beginning with the 18th and closing with the 41st, thus also closing the first book of the Psalms. It is impossible to give an analysis of these wonderful songs. What is needed more than all else is to let faith bring them into our own experiences. What courage is given in the 18th, for instance! what a revelation of God's glory in the 19th, the first part of the psalm giving the very primary lessons in His school, to which all have access; and the latter part, the higher, deeper things in His holy law. What an assurance is the 20th Psalm! Psalm 22 expresses the experience in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, as shown by the 1st, 8th, 16th, and 18th verses. Of course it was in a measure David's experience, but it was typical of the experience of David's greater Son, our Lord. It will give us a grand idea of what He passed through for us when the sins of the world were laid upon Him.
The latter part of Psalm 24 is prophetic of the ascension of our Lord and His reception at the gates of heaven after His resurrection. Again in the 40th Psalm, especially verses 6 to 10, we have clear prophecy of the work of our Lord. In fact all these songs of Israel are wonderful songs of human experience, and ought to sing themselves into the experiences of God's children as they meet the daily tasks and trials. How good it is to memorize such ones as 10, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 32, and still others.
THE last day of our week begins the book of Joshua, written doubtless in large part by the successor of Moses; the one who led the children of Israel into the promised land. The name Joshua means "Jehovah is salvation;" the kindred term in Greek is "Jesus," and so Joshua was a type of Jesus. As Joshua led the children of Israel through the Jordan from their wilderness wanderings into the typical promised land, so our Lord saves His children from the wanderings in the wilderness of sin, and brings them through the judgment into the heavenly Canaan.
THE book of Joshua was written about 1,427 years before Christ. It is a record of his work among the people of Israel. He leads the people over Jordan, conquers a considerable part of Palestine, divides the country among the tribes, and dies at the age of one hundred and ten. The book takes up the history of the Jewish people where Deuteronomy leaves it, and so much resembles the books of Moses that some scholars count it as one with the Pentateuch, and call the first six books the Hexateuch. The conclusion of the book is a solemn admonition by Joshua to the assembled people.
OUR lesson in Joshua for this week is God's strong charge to His servant, sending out of the two spies, the directions for crossing the Jordan, and the staying of the waters of that river before the ark of God while the people crossed on dry ground.
