p. 8 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 24. (6/21/1910)

Signs of the Times

Jun 21, 1910

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 21, 1910

The Things Prepared of God

By Helen Chauncey

"Eye hath not seen the things prepared of God." No plants that spring from this terrestrial sod, Nor trees that wave upon the summer air, Nor azure skies, nor forms of beauty rare, Can symbolize the treasures laid away Within the regions of celestial day.

"Ear hath not heard." The voice of melody Floating across the solemn midnight sea, The tender tones of love, the organ peal That fills the minster as the people kneel, The carols of the birds, the sighing breeze — God has prepared far better things than these.

"Neither has entered into the heart of man" The faintest shadow of the wondrous plan, The rainbow's tinted hopes that lure the soul, Yet still, with baffled pinions, miss their goal — All lovely dreams, all visions of delight, Are to the things prepared as dark to light.

Of that fair city where the ransomed dwell No pen can write, no mortal tongue can tell; But those who find an entrance shall abide Forevermore, completely satisfied. No dread of loss shall cause disturbing fears, And God's own hand shall wipe away all tears. — Helen Chauncey.

Schedule for Week Ending July 2, 1856

Sunday, June 26 1 Chronicles 4-6 Monday, “ 27 “ 7-9 Tuesday, “ 28 “ 10-12 Wednesday, “ 29 “ 13-16 Thursday, “ 30 “ 17-20 Friday, July 1 “ 21-23 Sabbath, “ 2 “ 24-26

Our lessons begin with the fourth chapter of 1 Chronicles, end with the 26th chapter of the same book. It would be well, if we have time, to compare these chapters with the chapters in Samuel which give us somewhat of the same record with the exception of genealogies. Note for instance chapter 4:9, 10. Think of the reason of the men who were truly mighty. Chapter 5:20. We will find more of interest in dwelling upon the work of David, the division of his armies, the work that he did, his virtues and his mistakes, and God’s mercy and guidance.

3163.—"Wash Their Robes;" "Do His Commandments"

By Editor

Please harmonize the King James and A.R.V. of Rev. 22:14. Why does one say "do His commandments," and the other "wash their robes"? Which is correct?

This we do not know. The difference is the difference between Greek copies. Some of the very earliest Greek copies have "wash their robes." The difference in the original is between poiountes tas entolas autou, and plunontes tas stolas auton. The first quoted is "do His commandments;" the last, "wash their robes." Our questioner can see that one might be quite easily mistaken for the other. Evidently in the early copying sometime, somewhere, a change was made, and that mistake was perpetuated.

There can be no fault found with the truth of either, for we have only to turn back to the seventh chapter and find the great redeemed company characterized as among those who "come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God: and they serve Him day and night in His temple." Once again John refers to that same company: "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the authority over the Tree of Life, and may enter in by the gates into the city." But those whose robes are washed from sin, do not commit sin. "Sin is the transgression of the law;" therefore those who do not commit sin, keep the commandments of God; and so on the other hand we have the remnant church characterized by the expression, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. The correct reading is probably "wash their robes;" but the meaning of both when carried to the ultimate is the same.

3160.—Personality of the Holy Spirit

By Editor

Please explain in the Question Corner John 16:7, 13. Is the Holy Spirit a personality? Are the words "him" and "he" masculine pronouns? Please explain what the meaning of the Holy Ghost is in 2 Peter 1:21. W. E. H.

The pronouns in the above question are, of course, in the English, masculine pronouns, but they do not have the same distinction in the Greek. For instance the term "he" in verse 13, is in the original ekeinos, which is not a pronoun, but a pro-nominal adjective, properly translated "that." It is used in Matt. 17:27 referring to the Roman coin which was used to pay temple taxes. That which really has no gender at all, but which is noted as being strong and big, is spoken of as masculine; while things of a softer, gentler nature are spoken of as feminine. That same distinction is to quite an extent observed in the English language also. We speak of a battle-ship as a "man-of-war;" we speak of an ordinary ship as "she."

No argument could be based on the gender of the pronouns used of the Holy Spirit. To the mind of the writer, the Holy Spirit is a personality in the sense that it makes present the personality of both Father and Son. We can not explain it, because we can not comprehend it. It is that which is represented as proceeding forth from both Father and Son, and common to both Father and Son; that which makes Father and Son one, and that life which connects Jesus with all His true disciples wherever they may be. It is not a personality in the sense in which Jesus was a personality when here upon earth; because if that had been the case it would not have been expedient for Him to go away (John 16:7), because He in His personality could be in only one place at a time, but the Spirit could be everywhere, as implied in Psalm 139, "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" But there is this power with the Spirit of making Christ, or the Father, present everywhere at all times in response to faith. We have a very weak illustration of this in the telephone and in later inventions, by which a manager in his office, for instance—that office covering a half mile of territory, which could be enlarged to an almost unlimited extent—can call every foreman in every department to any number, and talk with them all at the same time, just as though he were present with each one. That invention has the power to make that manager personally present in each department. That in a limited way shows how it is that the Holy Spirit can make Christ present in all parts of His great dominion at the same time,—just as truly present as though He were in His own personality present.

The expression in 1 Peter 1:21 would be better rendered "Holy Spirit," and so all through the New Testament. The common rendering has led some to believe that Holy Ghost was different from Holy Spirit, but the original word is the same. Its use in the text simply shows the operation of the power of God upon men that wrought for Him; men who yielded themselves to God, and God used them in giving His Word. The same thing is expressed in different language in 1 Peter 1:11: "The Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified." And in 2 Sam. 23:2: "The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue."

It is a blessed, comforting thought that God can by His Spirit be present with His children; and this is what Jesus declares in John: "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He [the Father] may abide with you forever." "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We [Father and Son] will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:16, 23. How do they come and make Their abode with a believer? —They do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3161.—The Seven Years of Eze. 39:9

By J. B.

Is this past or future? Are these seven years spoken of literal years? What Israel is referred to? If past, when was it fulfilled? To whom does "Gog" refer?

J. B.

Chapters 36 to 48 of Ezekiel are composed of prophecies which would have been fulfilled to Israel in the restoration from Babylon if Israel had met the conditions which the Lord imposed; if they had forsaken their sins and returned to the Lord with all their hearts, God would have restored Israel. The temple built by Zerubbabel would have been far greater and grander; God's children would have been the joy of the whole earth, and marvelous things would have been wrought in the Holy Land for them. The enemies that would have swept down upon them from the North, would have met the fate indicated in Ezekiel 38, 39, and Israel would have conquered. Those enemies of course would have come against them with wooden munitions of war, arrows and bows and shields and bucklers which could have been burned and would have been as the prophet indicated; but when Israel failed, of course the prophecy was fulfilled only in a very small part. The wonderful temple and sanctuary described by Ezekiel dwindled to the smaller one erected by Zerubbabel, and the wonderful glory of the prophet had but the faintest shadow in the prosperity which came to Israel after the restoration from Babylon.—But there is coming a time when it will be fulfilled in the greater glory of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and events connected therewith. But there will not be the local conditions which existed in the prophet's day. There will be no burning of weapons; there will be no cleansing of the land by human hands; the fires of the last day will consume the sin out of the world and melt the earth with fervent heat. Looking upon these prophecies in this way all is clear and plain. Otherwise we meet with continual difficulties and inconsistencies.

Gog and Magog represent great Northern powers, ambitious powers whose spirit is that of Satan, and whose ambition it is to rule in the place of all others.

3162.—Soul and Life

By Editor

Is it true, as some say, that the words "soul" and "life" in Matt. 10:28, 39 are from the same Greek word? If so, why was it rendered by two words instead of one in both places? A. L. M.

Both words are from the same Greek word psuche. We can not tell why it was not rendered "life" in both cases, for that is what it means. Evidently it was thought the expression sounded better in the 28th verse to render "soul," in contradistinction to "body." The idea, however, is the animal or soulical life.

3164.—The Plague of Zech. 14:12

Will you kindly explain Zech. 14:12 and on? When will this take place, before or after the thousand years? C. C.

Zechariah is largely a double prophecy. God would have done wonderful things for His people if they had only fully returned to Him when they came back from Babylon. If they had come spiritually out of Babylon as well as physically, marvelous things would have been wrought for Jerusalem and against her enemies; but all the greatness of God's promises had to be postponed to a later day, and the destruction of sin and sinners to the time when Christ our Lord should take to Himself His great power and reign. According to verses 3 and 4 the time of the fourteenth chapter is after the thousand years. At the beginning of the thousand years Jesus does not touch this earth. His people are caught up to meet Him in the air. At the end of the thousand years He comes to the earth. Verses 12-15 would simply mean a continuation of the plagues which were poured out at the beginning of the thousand years. The same conditions will exist in the earth at the end of the thousand years that were at the beginning. Men died; but the same sin-poisoned atmosphere exists all the way through the thousand years, and when they come up again at the end of that time the same virulent plagues, representative of sin against God, will be upon them even as when they went down. This explanation of Zechariah will be brought out more fully in the articles by Professor Reed, "From Babylon to Zion."

"IF YE WILL INQUIRE, INQUIRE YE."

By Editor

This Inquirers' Department is conducted for the purpose of helping those who are studying the Bible. The answers are oftentimes only suggestive. They are never to be considered infallible, only as they agree with the infallible Word. The writer who may answer them does not consider that his opinion is infallible. He will simply give the best that he has, and plead with the inquirer to search the Word. Such questions only will be answered as, to the editors, seem to minister to the good of the readers and to the mission of the paper. We can not answer repeatedly in the same volume questions upon the same scripture. The name and address must accompany question, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith, and that answer may be made by letter if deemed advisable. No letters are answered which do not contain the name of the writer. It is well always to enclose stamp for reply.

The Holy Spirit

By John Orr Corliss

IX. The Church Complete in Every Gift

THE church is an assembly of people "called out," or separated from the world, to be governed from heaven, instead of from earth. It is therefore designated as the "church of the living God." 1 Tim. 3:15. It would seem the greatest folly, to assume that an organization with this pure and lofty title, should rest on so frail a foundation as a mere man. Strange indeed, that one sunken so low in sin as to become alienated from God and His government, needing the infinite power of Christ to heal the breach, should become the groundwork of so holy an institution as the "church of God." Matt. 16:18. Stranger still would it seem, that Christ should come forth from God (John 8:42) for the purpose of establishing His church, bearing the name of God, and then place the honor of its foundation upon a puny, unstable man, thus robbing God of the glory which was His own.

There was a good reason why the church of Christ needed a more substantial foundation than mortal man could provide. God’s earthly assembly was to be a stately column, towering high above sin’s desolation,—a "polished shaft" toward which might ever hopefully be turned the eye of inquiry for basic truth. 1 Tim. 3:15. This pillar and foundation of stable fact, became such through its adoption as the "body of Christ," who is the "Amen," the "faithful and true Witness" of Jehovah Himself. Eph. 1:23; Rev. 3:14.

Not only has Christ transferred His earthly presence from the single fleshly body of nineteen centuries ago, to His adopted church of to-day, made up from many members; but He constitutes Himself its head, or guiding energy, the preeminent chief over all things pertaining to His work. Col. 1:18. No human force was delegated to lead God’s sacred assembly; not even the angels of heaven were to be entrusted with a work so high and holy. Too much was involved in the plan. The blood of God’s Only-Begotten must be cast into the balance. The highest angels were commissioned to assist in the work; but the sacrificial One was anointed to stand above them all. Heb. 1:6-9. He alone was to bring "man sons unto glory," as the "Captain of their salvation." Heb. 2:10.

A Fully Endowed Church

For this reason, the Sanctifier and the sanctified became blended in one body as brethren (verse 11), Christ as the Head of the church, and all its members as subjects of His impulse. Eph. 5:24. This indwelling of Christ with His people is the great mystery of the ages; yet, great as the enigma, this is the only hope of glory for man, or the composite church. Col. 1:26, 27. But even more glorious things have been spoken of the body of Christ. It is the chosen medium through which the infinite wisdom of God’s eternal purpose in Christ, is to be laid bare before the highest powers of heaven. Eph. 3:10, 11. Only through the uplift of men from the lowest strata of degradation, to the high plane of equality with the angels, can the infinite love and mercy of God be fully known. Then will the church appear glorious, without a single stain of sin, having been washed white in the "blood of the Lamb." Eph. 5:27.

The church being made the agency for such an indescribable work, it would seem necessary for it to be especially endowed for its allotted employment. This was not forgotten by the Master of the earthly household, when ascending to the place whence He came. Accordingly various positions were made ready for those best adapted to fill them. These included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the building up of Christ’s body,—the church,—to the full stature of its divine Head. Eph. 4:11-13.

In order to the proper occupation of these places, God bestowed qualifying gifts to meet every emergency. To one was given special wisdom for counsel; another received superior knowledge for instruction; persevering steadfastness characterized a third person for initiative. Of others, some wrought miracles; some prophesied; others were for discerning motives; additional ones had the gift of tongues, while some interpreted the meaning of the tongues. Besides these, were gifts of healing, supporting, and directing. 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28. These were all necessary in the church, because Christ Himself possessed them all. In Him are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2:3. "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Verse 9. The perfect church, being Christ’s body, must be clothed with all these attributes; otherwise it could not well stand in His place on earth, to speak and act for Him. His mind being the directing agency of the church as its head, He would speak through and operate

in the church, as He did in His fleshly body of nineteen hundred years ago. Since His bodily presence has been transferred to heaven, the church is His fleshly body, to operate among men. Therefore all the gifts of Christ are necessary in the church to the perfect working of His will among men. No one has all these gifts, but they have been distributed in "diversities of operations," to every man severally as God wills. 1 Cor. 12:6, 11.

These many gifts were as members set in the church, to give it form and efficiency, as the members of the human body give the body comeliness and strength. As parts of the human body are under control of the head, and in action express the will of the directing power, so each agency in the church has been established through which to express the governing wish of its infinite Head.

A Fulness of Gifts

No human form can do certain acts required, if the member is missing which was specially set in the body to do that work. For instance, destroy the organ of sight, and no other member of the body can take its work; it is the same regarding the organ of hearing; remove the feet, and the body is permanently crippled. So with the church; let a single gift of the Spirit be set aside, and the church has lost its fulness of power to enter the many avenues of efficiency assigned to it.

The reason for this is quite evident. Every good gift is from God, and is meant for the uplift of those to whom it is sent. James 1:17. To ignore but one of these gifts, is to offer insult to the One bestowing it, and begets a disregard for the promptings of other gifts which are from the same source. Every gift of the Spirit is offered as a means by which God would witness with His church in its work among men. Heb. 2:4. It matters not through which gift God would testify to men in His earthly assembly; to neglect that gift, is to set aside, and make a thing of naught, God’s effort to bear witness of Himself in behalf of man’s salvation.

True, large portions of the professed church have long since lost sight of these particular gifts which make a perfect organization. But in the near future, when Christ comes to claim His own, there will be found a waiting church, the members of which will be like their Master, because of having received His Spirit in its fulness. 1 John 3:2. These will have been enriched "in all utterance, and in all knowledge," through the complete "testimony of Christ" having been "confirmed" in them. Being thus made blameless through receiving every gift of the Spirit, it may be well said of them, Truly they are "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:5-8. Happy people indeed, who are thus found when Christ appears in the clouds of heaven.

Higher Criticism

By Earle Albert Rowell

VII. Higher Criticism and Archeology

"And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke Thy disciples. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19: 39, 40.

Coincident with the rapid rise of Higher Criticism have been the important discoveries of archeology. As Sayce put it, every turn of the spade has furnished corroborative evidence of the minute truthfulness of Scripture history. Higher Critics have no sooner established a theory discrediting the Bible history and proving to their satisfaction its impossibility, than some silent worker in far-off Egypt or Palestine or Chaldea unearths some engraved facts which confound their theories and disprove their conclusions.

The Art of Writing

Once it was the fashion to argue that the art of writing was not practised anywhere before 1000 B.C. at the earliest, and hence it was impossible for the finished productions of the early part of the Bible and the psalms to be the work of Moses and David. The composition of the books of Moses was conveniently brought down to a few hundred years before Christ. That the art of writing was unknown in the time of Moses was so boldly asserted that few ventured to dispute it. Higher Critics were rejoicing over their victory, when the spade of the excavator unearthed vast libraries of the time of Hammurabi, a whole half thousand years before the time of Moses! A whole code of the laws of Hammurabi was discovered in 1903, proving that the art of writing was old in the time of Moses. The effect of these marvelous discoveries has been marked on some Higher Critics, who have yielded to the evidence. Hommel, Halevy, and Sayce, to mention only the most prominent, have abandoned their former Higher Critical views.

In Isa. 20: 1 we read that Sargon, king of Assyria, sent his tartan (or commander-in-chief) to besiege Ashod. But who was this Biblical Sargon? This was the only place not only in the Bible but in all literature, ancient or modern, the world over, where his name was mentioned. So of course infidels and Higher Critics did not hesitate to deny his existence, and actually used it as an evidence of the unreliability of the Bible history! Yet one of the very first important discoveries in Assyrian research was the palace of this selfsame king, containing his portrait and name, sculptures and numerous inscriptions giving an account of this very siege of Ashod. From an unknown king relegated to the limbo of oblivion by Higher Critics, he has become one of the best-known kings of all antiquity.

Babylon the Ancient

Not many years ago Gen. 10: 8-12 was held in derision. It affirms (1) that Babel and other cities named existed before Nineveh; (2) that Assyria was colonized from Babylonia; (3) and that the founder of Babylonian civilization was not a Semite, but a Cushite. All these facts were held in contempt by the Critics till the Assyrian excavations; but the monuments confirm the Bible on all these points.

In Gen. 10: 22 Elam is mentioned as the oldest son of Shem. Now this was long denied by Higher Critics, but recent discoveries have proved it. Nothing shows the futile makeshifts of Higher Critics when cornered, better than the statement of Dr. Driver on this very point in his "Genesis," page 128: "It is true inscriptions recently discovered seem to have shown that in very early times Elam was peopled by Semites, . . . but the fact is not one that the writer of this verse is likely to have known!" Not likely to have known! And yet he did know it. Could criticism be more inept than this? And yet this is the kind of reasoning they use to establish most of their baseless theories. And they call it "the sure results of scientific criticism"!

Besides this have been found accounts of not only the Flood, but some tablets of Assur-bani-pal's palace contain an account of the creation resembling that of Genesis in a remarkable degree.

The Sabbath Day

The Sabbath day, so far from being a late Jewish institution, as the Higher Critics would have us believe, is found to have existed in both Babylonia and Assyria centuries before the existence of the Jews, and was called Sabbatu, and was defined as "a day of rest for the heart." On it ordinary work was prohibited to at least the king and the state officials. So it was a state institution, but proves the early existence of the Sabbath and is evidence of its origin in Eden.

On the monuments the Garden of Eden is repeatedly mentioned, and there is a seal with a man and a woman seated on either side of a tree, and reaching out their hands to pluck the fruit, while behind the woman a serpent rears itself, and is whispering in the woman's ear!

There is also a detailed account of the Deluge, that reads in places exactly like the Biblical account. Even the words, "Enter into thy ship, and close thy door," are present.

The inscriptions even give a translation of a man to heaven, but instead of Enoch it is the hero of the Flood story.

The Demonstrated Chedorlaomer

The names of Abraham and Jacob, tho considered myths by the Critics, are found on the monuments as historical personages.

One of the most wonderful discoveries is the confirmation of Genesis 14, which was so long scouted as impossible and absurd, and Chedorlaomer as a myth. But this story, substantially as told in the Bible, has been found on the monuments, with even the name of Chedorlaomer himself, so that even so radical a Higher Critic as Gunkel is compelled to accept Melchizedek as a historical person. And yet in "Genesis," page 172, Dr. Driver gravely assures us, in the teeth of this proof, that "monumental evidence that the narrative is historical is at present entirely lacking!" Everything in the Bible is viewed with the eye of suspicion by Higher Critics, and put under the microscope of doubt. It is held to be a liar till it is proved true; and even positive evidence of its truthfulness, as shown above, is completely ignored in order that a pet theory may stand.

The facts in the history of Joseph in Egypt that were most confidently denied, are the very ones that have received the strongest and weightiest evidence from the monuments. On the authority of Herodotus it was denied that the vine was cultivated in Egypt, that flesh was a food of the higher classes, that the manners of women were so unrestricted as shown in Genesis; and was declared that the elevation of a young Hebrew to prime minister was romance, and that Pharaoh never gave Abraham sheep and oxen, because they were objects of hatred in Egypt. But all of these things have been confirmed, and in fact the making of wine in all its stages is pictured, and flesh is shown to be the principal diet of the upper classes. And most surprising of all are illustrations of sheep and oxen but not of horses, for inscriptions now reveal the fact that horses were first introduced in Joseph's time. Even the story of Joseph's temptation and exaltation appear in their literature; and this year has seen the discovery of an account of the seven years' famine, and it is placed in the same year as that of the Bible record, 1700 B.C.

Israel in Egypt

In 1896 Professor Petrie found the name of Israel on Egyptian monuments saying, "The Israelites are brought so low that they have no seed," which may be fairly interpreted to mean that since they have vanished into the desert there are none left in Egypt. There is even a picture of brickmaking in which masters are standing in threatening manner over the slaves, and in the masters' mouths are put the words, "Be not idle," reminding one of Ex. 5: 8, 17: "And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are

idle;" and "Ye are idle, ye are idle." In the face of this, H. P. Smith in his "Old Testament History," page 54, says: "The Egyptologists as yet have discovered on the monuments no evidence of a Joseph or an Israel in Egypt, as they have discovered none of the oppression or the Exodus. We are therefore obliged to look narrowly at the evidence of the Hebrew sources"! This illustrates how blind Higher Critics are to all evidence that contravenes their theories.

The Hittites

In Joshua and Kings are many references that imply the existence of a very powerful Hittite empire north of Palestine. Since nowhere in the world outside of the Bible was there a single reference to this nation, that was represented as equal in power to Egypt, the Higher Critics sneered at the Bible account, and laughed at those who were simple-minded enough to believe such an empire existed, simply on the unsupported statements of the Bible. But now from both Egyptian and Assyrian inscriptions we learn that the Hittites for a thousand years were a great power in Syria and Western Asia, and were as extensive and as powerful as either Egypt or Assyria, and the history of the Hittite empire now fills volumes. It seems impossible to human reasoning that so extensive and so powerful a nation could exist for ten centuries and escape completely all profane record, yet we now know such to be the case. Verily, the stones are crying out.

Scores of other instances might easily be given showing the utter baselessness of the Higher Critical theories; but the purpose of this article is only to call attention to the fact that the hand of God hovers over every historic page and His handwriting is on every ancient monument; that He never leaves His truth at the mercy of His enemies; that for thousands of years His hand has hidden these marvelous confirmations of His Word, and in these latter days, when they are most needed, He has brought them forth, and has actually made the stones to cry out when His professed disciples ceased to uphold the truthfulness of the Bible. Indeed "the Word of our God shall stand forever." Isa. 40: 8.

John or Judas?

By Elizabeth Rosser

By Elizabeth Rosser

THE voice that called the gentle John To leave his finny spoil, Called Judas with the same clear tone To quit his daily toil, And walk beside the Son of God, As He the path of sorrow trod.

They saw Him heal the sick, the lame, Give sight to blinded eyes, Cleanse weary hearts from sin and shame, And bid the dead arise. Side by side with Christ they walked, Daily with the Saviour talked.

John's heart drank in the Saviour's word, Expanding like a flower; Judas the same sweet pleading heard, Resisting all its power, John purer, whiter grew alway; Judas, more hardened day by day.

So Judas farther from Him strayed; John closer pressed beside. Judas his Lord to death betrayed; John for his Master died. John to heaven's heights shall soar; Judas, perish evermore.

O, solemn thought! that life and death In the same Word are borne,— Life to those who hear in faith, Death to those who scorn. Lord, let me well this question con: Am I a Judas, or a John?

Soldiers of Affliction

By Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.—C. H. Spurgeon.

The Creation Week

Needless to say we accept the Record. In the first place, it is simpler than the assumed hypotheses of science. In the second place, it is more reasonable to the believer in an infinite personal God. In the third place, it is just what we could expect a Creator to do who is not bound by certain laws and rules and hypotheses guessed at by creatures of a passing breath. In the fourth place, the soul can find in the various steps of God's remolding power mighty encouragement to holy living, of which more hereafter.

For the first day God spoke into the seemingly black abyss, and said, "Let there be light," and LIGHT WAS. The dark mass was illumined, and the earth entered upon her normal career. The revolving earth, in that canopy of light and darkness, brought night and day,—the first day of that first week of time. The second brought an expanse, a breaking of the great cloud mass which enswathed the earth; the upper part forming clouds, the lower part covering the earth with water. The third day, by the fiat of God, witnessed the waters roll off from a portion of the land, leaving it dry, and forming seas and gulfs and lakes, and the earth brought forth vegetation. On the fourth day appeared the glorious panorama of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars. Then the feathered tribes of air and the finny tribes of the sea were created on the fifth day. On the sixth day were created all animal life upon the earth, of which man was the crowning work. Thus God, by His word-creative, formed, shaped, created the earth and its dwellers of beast and man.

The crowning day of that cycle, its completion, the day toward which all the other days tended, was the seventh, on which God ceased His work, took delight in its cosmic beauty, placed within it a blessing for man, and set it apart for man forevermore.

The reason is obvious if we will stop to think. First, man was made a worshiping being, and he will worship something, from the great invisible God to the rabbit foot he carries in his pocket or the beetle which crawls at his feet; and among his gods in general is SELF. Secondly, it is reasonable that man should devote some time to the worship of his Creator; and what could be more reasonable than that his Creator should state the proportion of time? Thirdly, man is normally a social being; he loves companionship; he herds together. Fourthly, being a worshiping being and a social being, it follows that he would worship with his fellows. This would demand not alone a proportion of time, but a definite period of time in the week. It is clear to all that God could not leave this to the choice of finite men, and must appoint the definite day; for He is not the god of confusion. Fifthly, this the Creator did. The proportion of time was one seventh; the definite day was the seventh, the day around which clustered and within which focused the great evidences of His creative Godhead. So much at this time for the origin of the week and the origin of the Sabbath.

Knowledge

1. Knowledge is taught of God.

"He that chastiseth the nations, shall not He correct, even He that TEACHETH MAN KNOWLEDGE?" Ps. 94: 10, R.V.

2. He teaches through His Word.

"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.

In CHRIST "are hid all the TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE." Col. 2: 3.

3. Knowledge is of great value.

"WISE MEN LAY UP KNOWLEDGE; but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." Prov. 10: 14.

"Receive My instruction, and not silver; and KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN CHOICE GOLD." Prov. 8: 10.

"I count all things but loss for the EXCELLENCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, . . . that I may KNOW HIM, and the power of His resurrection." Phil. 3: 8-10.

4. Knowledge brings eternal life.

"This is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17: 3.

"My people are DESTROYED for LACK of KNOWLEDGE: because thou hast REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I will also REJECT thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hosea 4: 6.

5. There is no excuse for lack of knowledge.

"A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but KNOWLEDGE IS EASY unto him that understandeth." Prov. 14: 6.

"A GOOD UNDERSTANDING have all they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS." Ps. 111: 10.

6. Knowledge is good for the weak.

"A wise man is strong; yea, a MAN OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASETH STRENGTH." Prov. 24: 5.

Therefore "as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2: 2); "GROW in grace, and in the KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST" (2 Peter 3: 18).

7. An encouraging promise is near to fulfilment:

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for THE EARTH shall be full of the KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. 11: 9; Hab. 2: 14.

Benefit of the Bible

A Roman Catholic priest in Belgium rebuked a young woman and her brother for reading the Bible. She replied: "A little while ago my brother was an idler, a gambler, a drunkard, and made such a noise in the house that no one could stay in it. Since he began to read the Bible, he works with industry, goes no longer to the tavern, no longer touches cards, brings home money to his poor old mother, and our life at home is quiet and delightful. How comes it that a bad book produces such good fruits?"

Lesson of Creation

By Cawdray

As, when men behold any curious work of a skilful craftsman, straightway they will leave the work, and inquire after him that made it, that they may praise his skill; so it is the duty of Christians, when they behold everywhere in all the creatures the admirable and unspeakable wisdom, goodness, and power of God, to make haste from the creature, and go forward to the Creator to praise and glorify Him.—Cawdray.

Continue reading: Creation and Redemption