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T H E K l N S ' S B U S I N E S S
August, 1937
the minor chord gives place to the major chord. Read it in the Revised Version. Just after saying, “ Save me from the lion’s mouth,” He cries in triumph, “Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast an swered me.” And straight through to the end of the Psalm there is only joyous ac claim and triumphant shouting. Why this sudden change ? The answer is that at that point in the Psalm He yields up His spirit and passes out from the suf ferings of the cross, and in His freedom [ Continued on page 327]
By water and the Word: From heaven He came and sought her T o be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.” M essiah ’ s S ong of T riumph A startling change takes place in the midst of verse 21. Down to that point the Psalm is filled with suffering and sorrow and agony. Only the minor chord is heard from the beginning of the Psalm until we come to the middle of verse 21; and then
verses 11 to 13 cries unto Him out of the turmoil surrounding Him on the cross. And then in verses 14 and 15 He gives expres sion to His physical sufferings. All this, as Dr. Scofield points out, “ is a graphic pic ture of death by crucifixion. The bones (of the hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis) out of joint (v. 14) ; the profuse perspira tion caused by intense suffering (v. 14) ; the action of the heart affected (v. 14) ; strength exhausted, and extreme thirst (v. 15); the hands and feet pierced (v. 16); partial nudity with the hurt to modesty (v. 17), are all incidental to that mode of death. The accompanying circumstances are. precisely those fulfilled in the cruci fixion of Christ. The desolate cry of verse 1 (Matt. 27:46); the periods of light and darkness of verse 2 (Matt. 27:45) ; the con tumely of verses 6-8, 12, 13 (Matt. 27:39- 43 ); the casting lots of verse 18 (Matt. 27:35), all were literally fulfilled. When it is remembered that crucifixion was a Roman, not Jewish, form of execution, the proof of inspiration is irresistible” (Scofield Reference Bible). In verse 16 we hear Him saying: “They pierced my hands and my feet.” O f course David could not have known that his Root and Offspring, the Christ of God, would be put to death by crucifixion; and even if he had known it, he could not have predicted the method of that crucifixion. Crucifixion was not always done the same way. Some times only the hands were pierced, leaving the feet to be tied to the cross, and some times neither hands nor feet were pierced, and the victim was tied to the cross by his hands and his feet, and left to die of ex haustion. But in this case the real writer of the Psalm, the Holy Spirit of Truth, put it down minutely and circumstantially. So it was prophesied and so it was ful filled! Another striking fulfillment illustrating the minute accuracy of the Scriptures is found in the words of verse 18: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Now listen to the testi mony of an eyewitness, as recorded in John 19:23, 24: “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now.the coat was without seam, woven from the top through out. They said therefore among them selves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.” There were at least twenty-five just such accurate fulfillments of Scripture in those last twenty-four hours preceding the death of the Lord Jesus, including the hours of the crucifixion. It is an irrefutable proof that the Scriptures are indeed the Word of God. In verse 20 the Sufferer prays for one He calls His “ darling.” This, we cannot doubt, is a reference to the church which is His bride, for it was in her behalf that He was suffering there. “The church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation
Biola's World-Wide Prayer Circle
BUILDING THE WALL By A ugustus B. P richard
rise continually in behalf of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. People who love God everywhere! Hear this call today! Come to our help as God gives you power! Let us build about this important enterprise for the evangelizing of the world and for the stabilizing of the whole church, a wall of vital, constant, and believing prayer. If you will devote one hour each week to this prayer ministry, please send the accompanying coupon to the Secretary of the prayer circle, Miss Christina J. Braskamp, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif. | BIOLA’S WORLD-WIDE PRAYER CIRCLE Explanation: Friends who desire mem- | bership in Biola*s W orld-W ide Prayer | Circle are invited to select one hour in ■ the week (day or evening) when they ■ will pray for the Bible Institute of Los [ Angeles. When the hour has been chosen, I and the Institute has been informed of this fact, a gold star will be placed on | the official prayer chart, and a number | will be assigned to the new member. All ■ names will be kept in absolute confidence. ■ Application: 1 hereby volunteer to pray | one hour each week for the work of Biola ■ and the supply of its. financial needs for the coming school year. | Name .................................. ................................... J A d d r e s s ................................................................. ■ ........................................................................ A. M. J Hour selected.............................o ’clock . P. M. | Each I (Day of the week)
“ Come, and let us build up the ‘wall of Jerusalem, that
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