T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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FRIDAY, May 19. 2 Chiron. 34:29-83. The Word Obeyed. Josiah gathered all the people to gether and read to them the words of the law. He was not content with find- ing the long forgotten book. He must publish to the nation the great truths that it contained. His sincerity and de votion are seen in his desire to make a covenant before the Lord and obey the Word with all his heart. The people were stirred to enthusiasm by.his ex ample and jmve their glad and eager en dorsement or the royal proposal. They seem to have expressed their concur rence by a loud and unanimous Amen. Judah was once more, at least in out ward appearance, the covenant people of Jehovah. It is not enough to give the truth of the Word the assent of the intellect. This must be supplemented by the cordial consent of the heart. The saving and sanctifying power of the Word can only be experienced by obed ience to its every demand. SATURDAY, May 20. 2 Tim. 2:1-15. Teaching the Word. The Scriptures are invested with Di vine authority. This authority is . not conferred by anything external to itself. No court or council made it so by de cision or decree. No pope made it so by anathematizing those who denied it. The canon of Scripture took care of it self. The early church councils simply recognized the authority of the Book. The sixty-six books of the Divine library came together in a vital and organic unity since it was all created by the will and power of God. The inspiration of the Bible gives it authority and suffi ciency. The following rules have been suggested for its helpful, study. 1 . Study it. 2. Pray it in. 3. Put it down. 4. Work it out. 5. Pass it on. In other words, master it, assimi late it, analyze it, apply it and commun- ciate it. SUNDAY, May 21. Psalm 19:7-14. The Priceless Word of God. All Bible study should be Christ-cen tric. An artist once wrote the Consti tution of the United States in such a manner as to set forth the face of Wash ington. It could be discovered only at a certain angle and from a certain dis tance. The critic might find fault with the penmanship and object to the shad ing of the letters but when he sees the object of the writer and takes the proper point of view, his objections pass away.
So it is with tfie Bible. ‘‘They testify of me.” The Bible bridges the space of 1900 years and places the life of Jesus before our eyes. It makes us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus and teaches us how to become completely furnished unto every good work. MONDAY, May 22. Jer. 26:1-9. Speaking for God. Jeremiaji was a priest by birth and lived in the priestly town- of Anathoth. His call to the prophetic office was as distinct as that of Isaiah. He was chosen of God before he was born, ch. 1:5. No need or crisis in the life of an individual or nation finds God unpre pared. Jeremiah’s qualifications came directly from God, ch. 1:5-10. Like Isaiah he was distinguished for his mod esty and humility. Genius is always childlike and unaffected. Some one has said that the highest attainment of Christianity is a glorified childhood. How ingenuous is Jeremiah’s answer to the Divine, call! “ Ah! Lord God! Behold, I can not speak, for I am a child.” This is not disqualification but the first condition of becoming a mouth piece for God. He has been called the prophet of “ the bleeding heart and the iron will.” He was jealous for and obedient to God and there is no hint that God had any occasion to find fault- with him at any time. TUESDAY, May 23. Jer. 26:10-19. The Prophet Threatened. Jeremiah’s life was spent among the contending factions of the nations. Per haps he seldom or never saw a day of untroubled quiet or peace. At any time he might be called upon to seal his testimony with his blood. He never faltered in duty when his enemies clam ored for his life. He never failed to announce the judgments of God against the apostate people. His ministry was necessarily one of admonition and an tagonism, ch. 1:17, 18. He had to stand alone ' against kings, princes, priests, prophets and people. As a con sequence he was hated and feared by all. It was a ministry calling for cour age, faith and strength that no weakling or coward could fulfil. He stands out among his contemporaries a grand mom umental figure undismayed by opposi tion and undeterred by threats. He may well be regarded as one of the world’s great men.
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