January 1, 1970

The Use of the Bow    “And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)”— 2 Samuel i. 17, 18.   THE translators have acted very properly in inserting the words, “the …

2 Samuel:1:17-18

January 1, 1970

The Orphan's Father   “For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.”— Hosea xiv. 3.   THE Lord God of Israel, the one only living and true God, has this for a special mark of his character, that in him the fatherless findeth mercy. “A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows, is God in his holy …

Hosea:14:3

January 1, 1970

The Bird Escaped from the Snare   “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.”— Psalm cxxiv. 7.     THIS text describes a soul-matter. The Psalmist is not speaking of a temporal deliverance, although even in that sense an escape from death would be a …

Psalms:124:7

January 1, 1970

The Word of a King   “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” — Ecclesiastes viii. 4.   KINGS in Solomon’s day had a vast amount of power, for their word was absolute. They did according to their own will, and none could check them; for, as Solomon said, “the king’s wrath is as the roaring …

Ecclesiastes:8:4

January 1, 1970

THE CAST-OFF GIRDLE.   “Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I got a girdle, according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins. And the word of the Lord came unto me the …

Jeremiah:13:1-11

January 1, 1970

THE MARVELLOUS MAGNET.   “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”— John xii. 32, 33.   JESUS is the spokesman here. He tells of his own death by crucifixion, and of the result which will follow. It appears, then, that our Lord’s …

John:12:32-33

January 1, 1970

CERTAIN SINGULAR SUBJECTS.   “And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.” — Joshua xxiv. 4.   THIS passage, though audibly uttered by the mouth of Joshua, is to be regarded as the immediate voice of God. Joshua said unto …

Joshua:24:4

January 1, 1970

On Humbling Ourelves Before God   “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” — 1 Peter v. 6.   PRIDE is so natural to fallen man that it springs up in his heart like weeds in a watered garden, or rushes by a flowing brook. It is an all-pervading …

1 Peter:5:6

January 1, 1970

THE LUTHER SERMON AT EXETER-HALL. “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” — Galatians v. 6. PAUL makes a clean sweep of that trust in the externals of religion which is the common temptation of all time. Circumcision was a great thing with the Jew, and oftentimes he …

January 1, 1970

Renewing Strength   “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”— Isaiah xl. 31.   HUMAN strength is of many kinds, but in any form it will spend itself in due time. God can lend to men immense physical force; but though a man had the strength of a lion and an ox combined, he would one …

Isaiah:40:31