p. 9 | Our Bible Band

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 27, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 22.

Our Bible Band.

Schedule for Week Ending June 6, 1908.

Sunday May 31 1 Chron. 4, 5 Psalm 148 Monday June 1 “ 6, 7 “ 149 Tuesday “ 2 “ 8, 9 “ 150 Wednesday “ 3 “ 10, 11 Proverbs 1 Thursday “ 4 “ 12, 13 “ 2 Friday “ 5 “ 14, 15 “ 3 Sabbath “ 6 “ 16-19 “ 4

Suggestive Notes.

Our lessons in Chronicles extending from chapter four to nineteen are usually considered dry and uninteresting, having to do largely with chronology; yet every now and then some beautiful gem crops out illuminating the long, tedious record of names. There is this thought, the preservation of the records of God's children and the integrity of the tribes. Note especially how carefully the genealogy of the tribe of Judah is preserved. Thru that Christ came.

One of these nuggets of gold is found in the fourth chapter regarding Jabez who was 'more honorable than his brethren,' whose prayer is recorded: 'O that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that Thy hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow.' And the declaration is: 'And God granted him that which he requested.'

In chapter five it is stated that the birthright became Joseph's. This refers to one particular phase of the birthright, the double portion. Joseph's two sons were counted as tribes in Israel. The rulership went to Judah, the priesthood to Levi. Another helpful thought comes in the twentieth verse where the children of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh cry 'to God in the battle and He was entreated of them, because they put their trust in Him.' Note also in chapter nine the division of work among the priests and those who had charge of the service of the temple.

From chapters ten to nineteen we have the same ground covered, with more or less omitted or added, which we have already passed over in 2 Samuel, concerning the reign of David. In chapter 10:13, 14 we have the reason of Saul's utter rejection; because he asked counsel of 'one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of Jehovah.' This certainly is sufficient to show that Saul did not converse with the dead Samuel, but with a lying spirit who pretended to be Samuel.

A beautiful psalm we have in chapter sixteen, a wonderful Gospel psalm, in which God's people in that day were called upon to show forth His salvation from day to day, 'Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples,' which certainly shows that it wasn't the teaching of the Old Testament that Israel should be saved alone, but that Israel should be in God's hands the means of saving others.

Psalms 148 to 150 are songs of praise and exaltation to God. With June 3 we begin the book of Proverbs, a collection of wise sayings, gathered out largely from the writings of Solomon. The object of the book is stated in the first six verses of the first chapter. One of the great dangers in reading Proverbs is in passing over it too hastily. Each of its sententious sayings will bear thought and meditation.