407
November, 1934
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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doctrinal point is involved. The well- known angel of the Old Testament, called " the angel o f the Lord,” was none other than our Lord Jesus Christ in His prein carnate state. That heavenly messenger who appeared to announce the birth of Christ was only one o f many angels, a mere creature. “ The angel of the Lord” was “lying in a manger” at the time, a newly born Babe, no longer to appear in angelic form, as in the Old Testament, but rather as a Man. Therefore, the ex pression, “the angel of the Lord,” does not appear at all in the New Testament, ex cept where wrongly introduced by a mis translation. (Matthew 1 :24 refers back to “an angel” of verse 20, R.V.) 2. In the Authorized Version, the mes sage o f the angels reads : “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” In the American Revision, it reads: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.” In the Greek manu scripts, one little letter at the end of a word makes this difference in the transla tions. Some manuscripts have eudokia; but the best have eudokias, and therefore the Revised Version rendering is prefer able. Here again there is an important doctrinal point involved. The Authorized Version makes the message o f peace “on earth” unconditional and universal, while the other version limits the message of peace to a certain kind of men, those “in whom he is well pleased.” The latter cer tainly fits better the present age. Some day, when our Lord comes a second time, the message will be “on earth peace.” But today there is peace only for those who are chosen o f God, “ in whom he is well pleased.” Golden Text Illustration On a house near Durham there is a Latin inscription to the effect that it was built “in the year 1697 of the peace o f the gospel, and in the first year o f the peace of Ryswick.” The latter is almost forgotten now, but, as Macaulay points out, it was considered most vital and permanent at the time; trade revived, the army was to be disbanded, and a happier age was to be in augurated. It was all in vain. The treaty proved ere long an idle basis o f peace. For only the peace of the gospel abides. —Sunday at Home. Memory Verse: “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Approach: Tuesday will be Christmas Day, and I’m sure that every child in this The First Christmas L uke 2 :l-20
tilth leitefc. adJbu&Aal to YOU?
# For over 80 years we have been sending these welcome letters to holders o f Annuity Agreements o f the American Bible Society. Never . . . in good times or bad . . . has any annuitant failed to receive his check. These Annuity Agreements are safe. They are backed by the re sources and conservative business management o f a trust-worthy institution whose work, the distribution o f the Scriptures, is indis pensable to the Christian enterprise. Would you like to know how you can receive a specified sum at • ^ o f definite times every year as long as you live? . . . how a relative or friend may be included? Mail the coupon below and you will receive an interest ing booklet which may help solve some o f the puzzling problems o f your future income. M A I L T H I S C O U P O N T O D A Y A N D A S H IG H A S 8 ? i f American Bible Society Bible House, Astor Place, New Y ork Please send me, without obligation, your booklet KB38 entitled "A Gift That Lives.” Name. ............................... : ..... ........ Denomination Address .............. _................ ;...______ •’ .?*.^ - \ÿ y : • • .. : City .................__________ : A * -- r State w m 4
room knows that we set apart that day, that we may think especially of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our lesson today is about that wonderful time long ago when C h r i s t was born. L e s s o n S to r y : Many, m a n y years before Christ came
to earth, God promised that the Saviour should come. Before Adam and Eve, the first people in the world, died, God gave them this promise. You see, Adam and Eve sinned—they did something that God had told them not to do, so they were no longer holy before God, and they needed O/Visvo*
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