396
T h e
K i n g ’ s
August 1929
B u s i n e s s
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTL INE | P B WORD I rejoice in thy word.—Psa. 119:162 and women, who could “hear with under standing,” was called together. To it Ezra read God’s Word “from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women." The position is being taken in modern times, especially among the self-styled intellectuals and scientists, that religion appeals only to the emotional nature of men and that it has no appeal for the intellect. This “in tellectual aristocracy” by self-appoint ment seeks to discredit the religion of the Bible and to taboo it as being unable to satisfy the demands of the “modern mind.” The facts, however, show that the religion of the Bible appeals to the en tire man: intellect, will, and emotions. It stimulates thought, improves living con ditions, and raises the highest standard of ethics wherever it goes. Those in this as sembly were able to understand; hence facts were presented to them. Frequent ly the suggestion is made that the Se mitic world was full of superstition and teeming with gods galore, which state ment is largely true, but is not true with reference to Israel as it was of other na tions. Within Israel, culture, refinement, and intellectuality thrived. 2. A Season of Worship. Vs. S, 6. Ezra stood upon a pulpit; at his right stood six comrades; at his left, seven. When he opened the book the congrega tion stood, .then Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God; and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.” Unfortunately, real wor ship of God is becoming antiquated. Wor ship in the Biblical sense is spiritual com munion and fellowship with God and calls into play man’s entire spiritual being. This service was introduced by Ezra’s pronouncing blessings upon God’s holy name, in response to which the prayer of the people was “Amen” —May it thus be. The attitude of the hearts and souls of the worshipers involuntarily caused them to prostrate themselves upon the ground. Throughout the entire Scrip tures it appears that the earnest wor- shiners prostrated themselves before God. In the early church the brethren met together for worship, mutual edification, prayer, and praise. As time passed, the sermon began to take the place of the seasons of worship, until today real wor ship is relegated to the background and orations and lectures on topics of interest occupy the prominent place. Pray for a return of the worship of the New Testa ment days. 3. Exposition of the Word. Vs. 7, 8. Thirteen assistants, together with the Levites, “read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly,” i.e., with the interpreta tion and explanation. The text which was read was the Hebrew. The people un derstood the Aramaic; hence the neces sity arose for an exposition of the Scrip tures. Of the three types of preaching,
namely, topical, textual, and expository, the last mentioned is without doubt the most profitable and edifying. The saints can grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth only by a clear understanding of the teaching of the pure Word of God. II. The Effects of the Preaching. Vs. 9-12. 1. Brief Exhortations. Vs. 9-11. Both Nehemiah, the governor, and Ezra, the priest and scribe, together with the Levites who had been teaching the people, said unto the audience, “This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep." The audience was thor oughly convinced that they had listened to the reading and exposition of the Word of the Living God. For them it was the “very Word o f God.” The Spirit of God had used the message in bringing convic tion to their hearts. Thus, being brought face to face with God in real contrition, they mourned and wept. There is also doubtless the probability that many in the audience were right with God and that their weeping was that of joy. Real con viction most frequently produces weeping and mourning; it leads to genuine re pentance, which is “to change the thoughts and purposes of the mind or heart.” Such repentance leads to a refor mation in life. The day was holy since it was one of the regular feast days prescribed by the Lord in the Law. Israel was a holy people unto the Lord; hence she was commanded to be holy. Seeing the condition of the people, Ezra commanded them to return home, to take their food, and to show their ap preciation of God’s goodness by sending portions of food to those who had noth ing. In a fatherly manner he comforted their hearts, urging them not to be grieved, “for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.” With such words of comfort the Levites stilled the people and assured their hearts. 2. Dismissal of the Audience. V. 12. Having allayed the fears of the people and having comforted them, the leaders dismissed the multitudes and they went to their places with mirth, “because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." III. Obedience to the Law. Vs. 13-18. 1 V isa g e of Law Concerning Feast of Tabernacles. Vs. 13-15. On the second day the heads of the fa thers’ houses were gathered together, with the priests and Levites, to hear more of the words of the Law from Ezra the scribe. Then was shown them the law concerning the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month. Specific instructions were read therefrom in minute detail concerning the obser vance of this feast. 2. The People Keep the Feast. Vs. 16, 17. Realizing that it was God’s will that they should keep the feast exactly as it was prescribed in the Law, the people im mediately went forth and made them booths upon the roofs of their houses, in their courts, in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad nlaces of the water gate and the gate of Ephraim. This feast had not been celebrated on such a scale and in such a spirit since the days of Joshua.
3. Worship and Study During the Feast. V. 18. During the seven days of the feast, Ezra constantly read out of the book of the law of God. On the eighth day a sol emn holy meeting, according to the or dinance, was held. Whenever the Word of God is taught to an earnest, honest, inquiring soul it always responds heartily and renders lov ing obedience with thanksgiving and praise.
September 22, 1929 Malachi Foretells a New Day Mai. 3:1-4:6.
Golden Text: “Behold, I send my mes senger, and he shall prepare the way be fore me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts” (Mai. 3:1). , L e sso n i n O u t l in e Introduction: Historical Setting. I. Malachi Rebukes W r o n g d o e r s . Chaps. 1, 2. 1. God’s love for Israel. 1:l-5. 2. Impious Priests Rebuked. 1:6-2:17. a. Profaning the Altar and Worship of God. 1:6-2:9. b. Marital.Unfaithfulness. 2:10-17. II. The Lord’s Coming in Judgment Foretold. 3 :l-6. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant V. 1. 2. The Lord the Refiner. Vs. 2-4. 3. The Lord the Judge. Vs. 5, 6. III. Preparation for His Coming. 3:7- 4:6. 1. Rebuke- Concerning Tithes. 3 :7-12. 2. Distinction Between Righteous and Wicked. 3:13-4:3. 3. Elijah the Forerunner of Messiah". 4 :4-6. Introduction: Historical Setting. A S to the period in which the ministry of Malachi falls, there is much dis pute. Some hold the position that it fell in the period after Nehemiah’s re — o —
turn. f r o m Persia, and date it between 432 and 400 B. C. The present writer is, u p o n grounds w h i c h he j udges sufficient, of th e s t r o n g conviction t h a t his ministry
came earlier, coming immediately after the governorship of Nehemiah, about 488 B. C. I. Malachi Rebukes W r o n g d o e r s . Chaps. 1, 2. The word “Malachi” means “my mes senger.” The burden of his message has
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