                       V O L U M E   X X I V   -                             March 1,  1948.  +- Grand Rapids, Michigan                                               NUMRER  1 1
                ._.
                                                                              ,'                                         Q ja, we zullen  moeten  ,hooren, en zien. Tot. de
                                                                                           .:
                             Me-&  D'I  T'.A  T  .I.  O:`N'.  ; goddeloozen toe, die met'het Evangelie in aanraking
                                                                                                                       komen,  zal God vragen : Wat dunkt U van den `Chris-
     1:                                                                                                                tus?  -En men moet zijn antwoord geven  ,aangaande
                                                                                                                       dien' Man, die van Zichzelf gezegd had, .datHij een
                                       Misplaatst-                                  Weenen                             wurm was en geen man.
                                                                                                                          De HEERE Heere zorgde er voor en zal er voor
                                 . "En eene groote menigte van volk en van vrouwen                                     blijven zorgen, dat Zijn beeld onder ons bleef. Is het
                                 volgde Hem, welke  oak weenden` en Heam'beklaagden.                                   geen wonder dat die drie duizend manuscripten onder
                                 En Jezus Zich tot haar keerende,  zeide: Gij dochters                                 ons bleven ?     .
                                 van  Jeruzalem,   iveent  niet over Mij, maar weent over                                Ze vertellen ens alles van Jezus; van Jezus!
                                                                                                                                              3;  <,
                                 uzelve en over .uwe kinderen; want zie, daar konien
                                 dagen in welke men zeggen  zal:` Zalig zijn de.  on-                                                         :le  * `* :1:
                                                                                                                                   I
                                 vruchtbaren,  en de buiken die n&t gebaard hebben,
                                 en de `borsten  die niet gezoogd hebben.' -AIsdan  zul-                                 We zijn op weg naar Hoofschedelplaats.
                                 len  ,zij'  beginhen   .te zeggen tot  (de  bergen:   Valt op                          Ge,zult er  goed  aan  doen om dien  heuvel in het oog
                                 ens; en tot de  heuveleq:  Bedekt ons!  want`indien                                   te houden. .Het zal ons  gegeven*.worden  om tot in
                                 zij  `dit  doen  aan het  .groene hout, wat zal  aan  bet                             eeuwigheid  naar dien heuvel te staren, dat wil ,zeggen;'
                                 `dorre  geschieden ?            "                  Luc&  23 327-31'. `.               de eeuwige editie ervan.                       . .  .:. .
                                 I  ;                                                                 :           -       Op weg naar `Hoofdschedelplaats. De plek bp aarde, 
                           Wij. `zijn, op weg naar Hoofdschedelplaats, waar waar Gods gerechtigheid de vreeselijkste eischen stelde
                bet Lam <Gods ten finale geslacht zal worden,  waar Hij aan het Lam. En waar Hij die eischen inwilligde aan
      `:               de' zonde`der wereld tot, het uiterste zal.wegnemen;                                            den Vader1 `t Was alles zoo schobn, zoo heerlijk: dat
     ,                     Het past ons om sober te .zijn -bier. Voorzichtig.                                          recht, die gerechtigheid, die billijkheid Gods.` Doch
                       Er `zijn diefiten  hier die niet gepeild  kunnen worden;-                                       het kostte  Hem lijden,  tranen, bleed, onuitsprekelijke
                       en.afstanden  die niet'te'meten zijn: Het neemt jaren                                           s m a r t e n .   :                i:
                       van.geheiligde aandabht om iets. te zien van het .drama                                             Zooeven  kwamen we door de poort heen, `den land-
                       der eeuwen, enook dan'stamelt~  een iegelijk me&&.
                \                                                                                                      weg op, naar Golgotha.                  -:I
                           En .toch nioeten we het trachten in te denken  hoe                                           Ik weet niet waarom de Romeinsche soldaten die
     I'                en hoeveel Jezus Christus, onze Heere, geleden'heeft.
:                                                                                                                      Simon van Cyrene gedwongen hebben om Jezus' kruis
                     Anders had Zijn Vader er' niet- voor gezorgd, dat ons                                             achter Hem  aan te  dragen.. Het werd ons `niet  ver-
                       ,`het'  .Woord'  hageiaten  werd.  &ndkrs  w&en  er niet klaard. We kunnen, en hebben ,er wel' naar gegist.,
                       de vele getuigel<gewekst,.  De. H&e zorgt ervoor,  dat Sommige gissingen klinken mooi.
,                      .bij elk stadium van Zijn lijden, verzoekingen, `smarten                                        , Dit weten we voor zeker : het heeft diepe, beteeke-
.: ,, en angsten;  de getuigen gereed staan, soms wakker nis:  bet k&s  achter Jezus  Christus aandragen. We
                gemaakt  worden,   om  .,goed  te  zien, te onthouden, en                                              zullen het  moeten verbinden  aan  Ide vereischten  .tot
                       straks te schrijven.  ,Gij zult Mijne getuigen zijn!                                            disci~elschap: Zeide Jezus nieti`dat we Hem moesten
           En aanstonds zal men  zoeken.  naar  .mannen die  ge- volgen met het kruis op onze schouders?                                                                            `.    '
                .: ' tuigen zijn geweest van Jezus" omwandeling, lijden,                                                  In elk geval, ik ben op. dit oogenblik niet geroepen,
                sterven en  .verrijzenis. Nog'weer later zal Lucas alle om over Simon's kruisdragen te sehrijven. lk noemde
                       getuigen het verhoor .afnemen, om dan tropwelijk te het slechts omdat die gebeurtenis voorafging &an. de
                       schrijven  voor  U en voor mij.                               :           .          ..         soorden die we kozen' voor onze huidige. meditatie.

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     ,+J42\.`
                          .                   `-r'HE  `STAND+RD  B                                     E     A    R    E               R

            Jezus raakte voor een kleine' tijd Zijn `kruis kwijt                                   eenigste mensch .die peggen  ken : Wie Uwer -overtuigt
      aan  S i m o n .                                                                             Mij van zonde? En bhet was in den afgeloopen nacht
            Daar stompelt Hij verder bp,jden  weg.                                                .bewezen.geworden,  want men'kwam met elkander over-
        / Naar de pl&s waar Hij den beker' van den toorn                                          een om vcdsche getuigen te summeeren. 1.;;
      Gods tot.op den heffe zal drinken.                          :                                   0 ja, er was `reden  te over om `hier te weenen, te
                          .*  :              $J$                                                  $lagen.
                               *      :1:
         C' ,                                                                                      ' `Het was heel natuuriijk voorde dochters van Jeru-
        `. Doch `wat doet Jezus plotseling het moede ;en be- z a l e m .                                                    -                      .
      dloede hoofd `omwenden? Waarom staat er oniust en                                              1 Die arme,`arme man !
     berisping  opZijn aangezicht te lezen?                                                    I  `: Die arme  Jezus! .
           Hij heeft een snikken en een`klagen van ,vele vrou- '                                                                 .,
      wen gehoord.                                                                                                               :i: :I:  *  :k              .
                                                           : :
         Er staat in het Evingelie, dat veel volks en ook v'ele                                       Maar bet was een vreeselijk lijden voor Jezus!
v+ouwe& Hem  volgden.  Die Hem ook beklaagden en                                                    Het was een  engel van Satan.
      weenden.                                                                                   ,.  _' Het `was een verioeking. voor Jezus om die warme
           Wat moeten we van Idat snikken, weenen, klagen sympathie  te aanvaarden,  dankbaar aan te nemen.
over Jezus  denken?                                                                                . 0; het is zoo zoet, als men medelijden  ontvangt
           Eerst dit : het was e&t menschelijk voor die vrou- vcl.11 zijn medemensch  ! Als we de tranen zien vloeien
      wen.om  medelijdend te klagen en te weenen over Jezus. bij het zien van. al ons verdriet ; als we, de bewbgen
      Het zou ons bevreemd hebben indien zij het niet gedaan                                      stem hooren, die bevend ons toefluisterd: Ik heb zoo
      hadden.  .Vooral daar in dat Oostersche land. `Zelfs  .met je te  doen! Het schijnt  we1 of  -bet waar is,  qat
      de manlien daar.weenden  gemakkelijk. Het Gosters&  men ZOO vaak zeide : (Gedeelde  smart is halve smart.!
karakter   tder menschen is veel beweeglijker, veel  gel                                             .Miar voor Jezus is het een vreeselijke verzoeking.
      voeliger, veel meer geneigd om de gedachten des har-                                            Laat ons eens zien: Hij' leed wel, maar het was
      ten te openbaren op het aangezicht, in het lachen, uit-. niet  `voor  Zichzelf, het was  voor Zijn volk, dat Hij
: bundiglijk, of te tranen in groote smart. Een Westersch leed: ,
      mensch zou nooit met. David zeggen, dat hij zijn bed..                                          Hij leed ,wel, maar Zijn leed was een rechtvaardig
deed zwemmen -van tranen.                                                                         lijden. De beker die aan Zijn mond gezet was kwam
           En dan vrouwen!                                                                        tot Hem van Vader, van den Almachtige, van den
           De `vrouw. is van de twee.de meest bewogene, het                                       Rechter des hemels en der aarde, van den  Rechter
      gemakkelijkst tot tranen te brengen, en het eerst ge-                                       66k van Jezus. Daar mocht niet Benen  druppel zweets
      n&gd  om in  groote   &andoening   van het  gemoed,  te                                     af `van al Zijn last en lijden. Jezus mocht Zich niet
      k l a g e n ,   l u i d k e e l s   t e   w e e n e n .   `.  :                           * overgeven aan die zoete, bedwijmelende synipathie'der
'         Er .waren vrouwen in Israel (die er een broodwin- vrouwen.
      ning van maakten om te weenen en .te klagen. Ze had:                                           Hij leed wel, maarhet was.een  gewillig lijden. Hij
      den vers&znd van.klagen.                      `,                      I            `.       had immers gezegd: Niemand neemt Mijn `leven van
           En was er bier. niet reden te over om grootelijks                                      Mij. Ik heb macht Mijn leven af te leggen,  en om het
      te weenen?                                                                                  weder op te nemen ? .A1 het bloed, al .het zweet, al `de
      ' Deze vrouwen uit de' stad hadden veel van Jems `. strieven meet ge zien; niet vanuit .het oogpunt van het
      gehoord. Het was nog maar .eenige dagen geleden, dat " IQdend tiooryqq, maar uit het oogpunt ,van het onde+
      al het volk uitgegoten was bm Hem met eere en met werp! Jezus' en Godes taalkunde is hooger dan de onze.
     jubelen *de stad binnen te halen.                                             .., . Daarom: laat Mij Mijn smart en .Mijn. tranen en
          Ze hadden veel gehoord van Zijn wonderdaden, hat .Mijn groote lijden, gij dochters van  Jeruzalem: Het
      Hij het geheele ,land doorging' .om goed te doen. Ze mng  niet  veraaxht  worden. Ik ben alles. aan. het ac-
      wisten van  .dat groote wonder, bij de  ,grafkuil van                                       centueeren hier op weg. naar  ginschen, heuvel. Het
      Lazarus; ze wisten,wat daar gebeurd was. Z e   hadden is Mij rechtvaardiglijk toegemeten van Mijn Vader.
      h.et gehoord hoe Hij slechts  Ben woord sprak en de                                         Houdt daarom op met de poging om de  dingen  te
     blinden konden wederom zien, de  lammen  sprongen.  ,  verdoezelen. Ik wil Mijn God blijven zien, Die al Zijn
      op van vreugde, de dooven  "hoorden en de stommen                                           baren en.golven over Mijn Hoofd doet gaan.
      spraken `weer. Ze zullen odk we1 gehoord hebben, dat
     Hij cde schare zoo wonderlijk gespijzigd had met slechts                                                                    * 1  *  $
      eenige brooden  en visschen.                                                                                                                                _.
                                                                                                     Weent niet over Mij !
          In elk geval, al .het gerycht dat tot de ooren van                                        Wat zullen  `die vrouwen  zich  aan Hem  ge6rgerd
Jeruzalem's dochters doorgedrongen was' had getuigd hebben !                                                                                i,
      van Zijn  groote goedheid. Er was, geen kwaad  ge-                                             Ik moet niet denken aan de woarden die sommigen
rucht,' want Jezus deed niet dan  goed.                                           Hij is de van hen gesljroken  moeten hebben.                          x
                                                                       .
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                                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                 243.
                                                                                     .-
     Wat een- naar mensch t&h ! En we meenden het                                 En ja, dan zal men zeggen: een kinderlooze vrouw
  loch zoo goed. We hebben er ook nog een soort genot in. lijdt en blaast den adem uit. Dat is jammer ; dat is
     Zijn er geen honderdduizende'vrouwen in `Amerika                        aandoenlijk om het te zien, maar "het is oorlog  !",
 hier, die zoo gaarne naar de `Lmatinee's" gaan om ge-                       wat zal men er verder van `zeggen. Maar ziet nu op
 zelligheid te zamen te schreien vanwege de tragiek der                      de  hartverscheurende  groep  aan den anderen kant
  stukken' die opgevoerd  worden? Ik heb gelezen, dat van de straat in Jeruzalem ! Daar staat een moeder te
 met die'neiging der vrouwen gerekend wordt te Holly-                         schreeuwen, te  gillen; te brullen, vanwege. al haar leed.
 wood.                                                                       Ze heeft drie, vier uitgeteerde kindertjes bij zich. Ze
     Er kwam niet veel  terecht van "that good cry" ziet naar de stervende st,eriele  overbuur, en noemt haar
 hctwelk zij zich voorgesteld hadden op den stoffigen zalig.                                                    e
 lendweg naar gindschen heuvel.                                                   Jezus' woorden komen altijd uit.
     O neen! Indien ge naar Golgotha reist, moet ge                               Er komen dagen.
  die aandoeningen van Uw "medelijdend hart" thuis                                                    ii:  *     *          :g
 laten. Weent niet over Jezus!
    `De theologie van Jezus leerde Hem, dat Hij de                                Alsdan zal men nog meer ieggen, en dan denk. ik,
 schande verachtte, vanwege de' heerlijkheid van het dat Jezus over Jeruzalem heenziende, het einde van de
                                                                                                                         .`.  -
:. loon, dat Hem voorgesteld was. Jezus werkt, en, dat                       wereld gezien heeft.
 is bloed en tranen en lijden, om loon. Dat mocht bij                             Hij ziet nog meer dagen, en in die dagen .zal men
 Hem, want Zijn werk was volmaak!t. Zal men weenen nog meer onnatuurlijke dingen zeggen.
 om een volmaakt werk, dat ook nog we1 de eeuwige                                 Men zal dan bidden tot  bergen  en heuvelen. En
 heerlijkheid  inluiden zal? Droogt Uw  -tranen die ge                       de inhoud van het-gebed zal zijn,: Komt, gij bergen;
 om.Mij schreit. Ze zijn  misplaatst!                                        na.dert  toe, gij heuvelen, en bedekt ons,  verplettert
                                                                             ons ! We hebben dat veel liever. dan .te .&en naar dien
                         g      :1:    4:    ,  4:                           toornige,. daar, da&r, op Zijn troon, en  bet toornige
     We&t niet over Mij !                                                    oog van dat Lam] Een afschuwelijk bidden van godde-
   . Uw weenen en klagen is dom, vreeselijk,' obk in Iooze+                                                     ;_.i-
 verband met Uw eigen ontzettende toestand.'                                      Dochters van  Jeruzalem.!  Weent over die dagen,
                                                        .
     Weent over Uzelve en over Uwe kmderen!                                  over die vrouwen, over die kindertjes van U, van  "
     Uw toestand is hachelijk, 266 hachelijk, dat Ik U                       Jeruzalem, dat de profeten van God gesteenigd.heeft.
 onnatuurli jke dingen zal laten zeggen.                                          Want, Ik, Jezus, zal Mijn motie motivieren.
     Ik zie dagen komen in de verten der tijden, dagen                            Hier is het : Ge ziet +wat men gedaan heeft aan.Mij,
 die zoo vreeselijk zijn voor U en voor Uwe kinderen,                        het Groene Hout; aan Mij, het Deugdenbeeld van God,
 dat men in die dagen een onnatuurlijk spreekwoord zal want ziet, Ik ben gro,en. Ik ben de Boom des Levens.
 opheffen en zeggen: Zalig zijn de onvruchtbaren, en                              Maar ik moet sterven den eeuwigen dood.
 de buiken die* niet gebaard .hebben, en de borsten die                           En gij?.
 met gezoogd hebben !                                                             Gij zijt het dorre, gij zijt dochters  van een gruwe-
     Dat  `zijn vreeselijke  dingen! Stelt het U voor:                       lijke verbintenis. Uwe vaderen  zijqgehuwd met Satan,
 .men zal zalig spreken de vrouwen die nooit de moeder-                       en met de he1 hebben zij een voorzichtig verbond ge-
 weelde kenden ! Als het zoo moet, dan staan de dingen .maakt.
 op hun kop. Dit is natuurlijk:. de moeder is zalig!                              Het' redultaat ?                                 -: _
 Ee  vrouw die kinderkens op haar schoot troetelt en                              Gij en Uwe  kinderen  zijt `dor hout gelijk.  : Uw
 lachend op haar kroost neerziet ! De  v&w is zalig brand zal oplaaien. tot in alle eeuwigheid.
 die zichzelf ziet vermenigvuldigd in haar kinderen,                              Maar' Ik ben het groene bout. Ik brand ook. Wat
 niet andersom tech?           Wie spreekt een vrouw zalig hitte. doet Mij branden?. Maar,  `0 Wonder! Mijn
 die nooit de zalige klank van MlOEDER ! M:OE,DER!                           branden  is in de neusgaten van {God een lieflijke reuke !
 hoorde?                                                                     &Zen zal elkander er over toeroepen in groote  blijd,
     Past op! Het is Jezus die hier spreekt!                                 schap in een ander Jeruzalem, het Jeruzalem.dat  boven
     Jezus is een kenner van historie. Zelfs vooraleer IS : de moeder van Mijn duur gekochte  kerk.
 ze historie wordt.                                                               Wij  denken   aan  Noach:  en0 God rook die lieflijke
     Hij  sprak tot die vrouwen van zekere dagen die                         rcuke,          `-
 aan `t komen zijn. Het  waren  :de dagen van de  ver-                            En ook  aan  Paulus : Gode tot een  welaangename   _
 woesting  van Jeruzalem. En Josephus. heeft ons ver- r e u k e !
 haald van die dagen. Toen ik het las heb ik gegruwd,                             Het is met groote'beving dat wij het zeggen, maar
 en ook aan Jezus gedacht; Ik  de& dat vele dochters het is waar: het brandende groene hout heeft groote
 van Jeruzalem hetzelfde gedaan hebben.                           .     '    -1idflijkheid  !.
     Jezus sprak van dagen der wrake Gods.                                                                                                 G .   V o s .


                                                       *
 244                           _-                                                                                                 T H E   `S T A N D A R D .   BEARE .                                                                                                     ,... 

                                       The Standard Bearer                                                                                                                                                                . .
                  Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July  +d  AAug;st                                                                                                                                     -:-                  . EDITORIALS
                                                            P  ab 1 i s h e d B y  -. ,                                                                                                                   .I.
                              The Reformed  `Free Publishing Association                                                                                                                                                    :  The  Covenant  Controversy
                                                       1 4 6 3   A r d m o r e   St;;  S .   E .   -  I

                                            EDITOR : - Rev.  e. Hoeksema.  "
                                                                                                               `,`,                                                                                                                                (4)
 Contribu&g  Editors : - Rev.  G..M. Ophoff, Rev. G.. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                                              !.: THE  COVE.NANT  GOD --continued,  `:
`R. Veldman, Rev.' H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev.  B..K,qk,
 Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  Pletter,   *Rev.  C. Hanko,  Rev.  L.                                                                                                                                                        That the Triune God iS the Covenant .God. in Him-
 Vezmeer,  Rev. G. Lubbers, `Rev.  M!  Gritteys,, Rev.  ,J.  A: Heys,                                                                                                                                                  self,. apart from any relation to His creature, is ialso
 R e v .   W .   Bofman.                                                                                                           *.                           -.                       -/-                           evident from the fact that we. repeatedly read in
      Communications relatiye to contents should be addressed td                                                                                                                                                        Scripture that He establishes l3s lCovena& with men.
 REV. GERRIT VOB, Edgerton, Minnesota.                                                                                                                                                                                 .Note that He says :. "And I will establish MZJ. covenant
      dommunic&ions  relative to  subsdription  should  be' addressed                                                                                                                                                  between Me and thee,  etc!" Gen.  17:7.
`to  MR:   GERRI'l?  PIPE:`1463   Ardm&e St,; S.  E.,`.Grand  Rapids,                                                                                                                                                      If God : condescends to establish covenant.. relation
 Mich. Announcements and Obituaries must  .be mailed  tp the
 above address and will ,be published at a.fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                                                                       with us, we are drawn into the family life of the
notice.                                                         ,,3."                                                                                                                                     :  2
                                                                                                                                                                                                      ;.  i             Tiinity. To use figurative language, if God takes
                                        (Subscription. Price $2.50 per.  year)                                                                                                                                         us  up  into His  :covenant,  He draws the roof of  -His
 Entezd  as Second Class Mail  Jat  .' Grand- Rapids,. Michigan. ,own dweliing  over `our heads, so that we may live in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        His house forever. Such. is the meaning, of the term
                                                                                              .                            :                                ._                                                         MY COVENANT!
                                                                                                                                                           t                                                               That this is so, becomes &ill"&arer  when we listen
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       to Isaiah 54 :lO. There we read : "For the mounta&
                                                                                                                                                                       ,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       shall depart, and the hills be removed ; but My kind-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the cove-
                                                                           -  CONTEMTS  --'                                                                                                                           \ nant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord who `bath
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ,mercy  on thee.`!
 MEDITATION :-                                                                                          `                  ,                                                                                               Attend that `the former expression  M.Y  COW&
 MXSPLAATST WEl$NEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241                                                                     NANT is here further circumscribed as the Covenant
            Ret. G. Vos.                                                                                                  '                                                        .
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1             of MY `PEACE ! That is the glory of the everlasting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       :Gospel:   -we shall be partakers of the peace. of God
EDITORIALS  j.                                                                                                         _'                                                                                             p such  as it is lived and experienced by God in the
 THE COVENANT I~ONTROVERS? .: : . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :...244
                                                                                                                                                                     ,_ .                                               Divine Family of Father,  Son and Hdly Ghost.  _ Of
            Rev. G.  Vos.                                                                                                                                                                                               course, we realize that. we. shall taste this peace of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        God's own life as creatmes a&l in a meaturely  m.ai
 & J R                               DO,CTRINE
                                                       . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246     ner. But tie must see that Gbd's own life is .the cove-
            Rev.  H.' Veldman.                                                                                                                                                                                          nant life, and all we receive is the reflection of ~ihat
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       `eternally perfeet  Divine Covenant life.
 GOD SEEING  ITtiE' BLOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1.250                                                                             Furthermore, that the covenant which is estab-
 THE D;AY OF S,HADOW,S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252.                                                                     lished witli us is God's own covenant life is `evident
            Rev. G. M. Ophoff.                                                                                    .                                             j                                                      from ali. those texts that speak of the covenant as an
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        everlasting  covenant.    Inasmuch  .as we receive the
 S I O N ' S   ZANGE.N
                                                       . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255            same fellowship and communion sf love and friendship
             @ev.  G. Vos.                                                                                                                                                                                              as it is lived by God in His awn covenant life in ever-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      .' lastiiig perfection, so .does  the Holy Ghost describe this
 Ii+ HIS FEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258                                     boon as an everlasting ,blessing.
             Rev. J. A. Heys                                                                                                                                                                                               Moreover, this fundamental thought found its sym-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        bolic manifestation in. the tabernacle and the temple.
 FROM .cOLY  WRIT                                                                                                                         _
                                                               . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .; ._.. .
                                                                                                                                                                                                       260              It iS an undeniable- fa& that the tabernacle.-and the
             kev C. Hanko.                                       `k...                                                                                                                                                  temple taught that God dwelled there between the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        cherubim.- It was the house of God. God is a.dwelling
 PERI.SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..~..................................... : . . . . ,...........262                                                                                `God. That is exactly the point which I have  tried
             Rev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                         ,.                 .'                              to  make clear.. That is -also the very cove&& ides.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The idea of. the house, the home, is sociability,. loving


                                       T H E   S T A N D A R D .   BEARER .                                        2 4 5

  communions  and intimate fellowship : here are  em-         in this -series.
  btidied the very elements of  the covenant.  God-  is            Fourth, that a place is being prepared, for the
  everlastingly' at' HOME.tiith Himself,- since He is One     Church in order to.cltiell  in Go&s Home!
  alld al@ Three. God is His own Friend  &nd  .He is               Fifth, that this  Bcripture  finds its  f&filment  in
  very Love in Himself.' And that is portrayed to us in       ihe final vision of John, the Divine, as recorded in
  the. revelation of  ,tabernacle   and temple. It is the R,ev. 21:3, where we read : `fAnd .I. heard a great voice
  place  where God`dwells. That is the first and principal out of heaven saying, Behold, the .tab.eynucZe  of God.
i d e a . And the Gospel is this that He calls from out of is with men, and He will dwell with. them, and they
  that EIOME OF GOD until all. His childreli come in          shall be His people, atid God Himself shall be with
  through the veil and may dwell with Him everlastingly them, and be their (God." At this juncture I am not
  as His friends and His lqvers. (Only when we view the pointing to the blessedness of dwelling with God in
  covenant from.this  point of view. can we in. a measure     ~+dndrous  covenant  communion.  We will discuss that
  sbe the great beauty of a text as we .fiad in I Cor. .15 :28 later. I quote this text to direct your hallowed atten-
  "that G6d may be all and -in all". ,                        tion to the oentral idea of the- covenant : the tabernacle
     This view of the covenant is also found in John          of God. God is a dwelling God. He lives in a House
  17:23 where we read: `<I in them and Thou  in Me which is His. Home!
  that they may be made  perfect in  orie. . .  ." God             God is the Covenant God.
  dwelling in  ,Jesus  Christ and this Christ with  the            It is my `c`onviction,  based on `God's  Word, that this
  living God in Himself, living in the hearts and minds       doctrine is so fundamental that in .its hallowed con-
  of His disciples,. so that God and man may be uniteId       templation we will ,spend eternity. c The TPi-une: God
  in' covenant love and friendship for ever and ever.         who is most blessed' in Himself! For you to gaze at,
     IGod is the Covenant God !                               .to adore; to praise and glorify for evermore.
     If that fupdamental thought of Holy Writ illumines         I s,ay it `with all  rev'erence,  but I believe that the
  our minds and  heares in the study of all the other very Durp&e of all things, the present universe, the
  phases of the covenant, it will keep .us from making creation, the fall, the redemption and unifying of all
 . all kinds of errors and mistakes, such as are also made things in Christ Jesus, all of t?is and rinore is t6 phce
  by our Liberated brethren in the Netherlands.               the aclorable Godhead, Father, Son ancl HoJy Ghost on
     I% that which in my humble dpinisv clipches the          czhi%tiok!
  matter, I  find recorded in John  14:?; 3. There we' Allow me to explain:
  read : +In- My Father's house. are  m&y mansions :' I It certainly is. not original with me when I hold
  if it were not so; I would have.told you. I gb to pre-. that al&and' I use &is terninow in its most exhaustive
  pare a place fo$ you. And if I go and prepare a place       and `cotipr'ehensive sense, that all things are so that
  for you, I will cqme again, and receive you unto, 1/Iy- :God might reveal, manifest,. show Himself in all the
  self; that-where I am, there you may be also."              beauty of, the Godhead.        The only reason for the
     We note the following here:                              creation `and recreation of the Universe is ~ theological.
     First, that we  ha+, the same  ideas here as the         You. all admit this.. I will (quote just ,one Scripture :
  speech of tabernticle  and temple. Jesus speaks of His `Rev. 4 :ll : ."Thou art worthy,  10 Lord, to receive glory
  Father's -House. It is, the place where.God dwells and      and honor and power: for Thoti hast cre&te'd all things,
  whek"e He liv&His eternal life of wondrous harmony,         and for Thy` pleasure they.are 2nd were created." I
  ptiace  and  everble&ed  covenant co-union.                 might .&o call ..your' attention to the same truth as we -
  S e c o n d , "Father" here is indeed the Triune .God,      firid it i< Isaiah 48 :lO, 11; where we find this truth
  the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", as we have it        also, btit now applied to the recreation of the Uiniverse,
in other  Places. Jesus is here talking about His God         the centre of which work is the redemption  df His  i
  and Father, in other words, He is speaking here *as         people : "Behoid,   -1 -have refined thee, but not with
  the Mediator  alid Redeemer, as is `plain from the          silver ;`I `haire chosen thee in the-furnace of affliction.
whole  chapt@r, testifying of the Gospel truth that He        For Mine' Own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I
  is the Way to the Father's heart.                           clo it  :' for how should `My Name be  pollut8cd? and I  1
     Third, that .Jesus 2;s iri that Home of .God.    Note    will riot give My glory. unto a,nother.,,
  that He, speaks the coniforting words to $$is Church :          Now teen; I have `tried-to show th& all- the Scrip-
  `fThat *heye I am+ thel'e you may be also." In Ijassing,    tures which speak of the establishing-of His- coven&t
  tie would note -here that Jesus, the  MediatoP,  the with Christ, or %ith men, be.-they the elect, as some
 Redeemer of His Ch&ch, has an abiding place in God's have -it; or the .children  of believers, as others will,
  coVenAnt communion; And  th& not  fu;om the point           emphasize that this .blessed , Gospel- work' of God is a
  of  view of His `Godhead; but as' is plain from the         manifestation ~of the -family-life of God. Triune Him-
  whole of Johfi 14; as the human ,Christ:  We will'have      s e l f .                    _..             ;
  occasioii to refer t6 this again in another. connection         Yes; and even' the appearance of Jesus Christ 
                         ,-,                                                                                           our


        246;                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D       B E A R E R
                     u
       Lord, in -His Person, suffering, death,. resurrection
       and glorification, as  the Head  of redeemed mankind,                   OUR             DOCTRI.NE                      `,
       must serve to show how- wonderful is the God of His
     0w)z Covenant!
           The two elements of the covenant are -love and
       friendship. Note  then how the love of God is con-                          Our  Covenant  God
       tinuously emphasized where the Lord Jesus  apbears.
_      Paul calls our hallowed attention to the glorious truth          Gocl's Cov.enant, Unilateral .ancl ~nconditionul.
       that nothing, and then he enumerates an exhaustive               In our previous article we emphasized the unilateral
       list of things,' that nothing "shall separate us from character  of the establishm.ent  or origin of God's cove-
       the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our .Lord."         nant with His people. We noted that this monopleuric,
           And as for the manifestation of the Great Friend,         unilateral character of the origin of God's covenant
       we find also that in the Mediator, for He has told His has been advocated by Reformed theologians in thk
       Church through John, the Divine, that "N.o man hath past. We also quoted freely from the  &riptures in
       seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which           support of the contention that God's, cover,ant is of the
       is in the bosom of the Father, He hath cZ&a,red Him.,, Lord alone. We now purpose to continue where we
       The Friendship of God's own covenant life  .consists          left off.      :
       Sn this that the heart is revealed to the ~ovenan; com-         Gocl's Covenant with Man unilateral Throughout
      ~hi.iOll,  or companions.      To open the heart to another
     is  tlue friendship? And that is exactly what Jesus                God's covenant with His people is not only uni-
       does  .!o the church of `God. He -reveals the Father's        lateral in its establishment or origin, but it is  m-ii.-
       heart..                                                       lateral  thkoughout. Although Reformed theologians
           Our fathers gave expression to this fundamental have .usually maintained the establishment or origin
       thought when they made us sing the versification  of          of the covenant to be unilateral, they have also usually
       Psalm 23:                                                     declared its operation and manifestation to be ilateral,
                  "0 Merciful  Father  !                             two-sided. Upon this quedtion Prof. H. Bavinck, in
                  Affluent' Fountain of blessing6 !        ~         his "Gereformeerde Dogmatiek", writes as follows
                  Eternally open Thy friendly heart unto uB !"       (III, 225). : "Actually, in the covenant of grace, that is,
           And that isexactly what Jesus has done for us. In in the gospel, w*hich is the proclamation of the cove-
       it  1.e found the very purpose  for His  coming and nant of grace, there are no d'emands and no conditions.
       c:,;ffering  and death.  His death is the breaking of For God gives what He demands ; Christ has finished
       the veil that hid the Father from us. But at His death all and has merited regeneration, faith and conversion
       the veil  w%s  `rent, and henceforth we will see God,         for us; and the Holy  Spi,rit  applies. them. But the
       we will see that He .is the ever faithful Covenalit Je- covenant of grace does assume the form of a demand
       hovah in Himself.                                             and a condition, to .acknowledge  .man in his rational
           Did not Jesus say that utter blessedness consisted and moral nature, also to deal with him,  althougll
       in ,this that we would see God?                               fallen, as created after God's image, in order that also.
           Dr. Bavinck was right.                                    upon .I%& highest plane, .,' . . . , he -may be rendered
           In the Godhead, in the relationship between the responsible and inexcusable and enable him, conscious-
      . Three Persons, the Covenant has its full reality.            ly and freely, to enter into the  coben&nt and break
           But the confessing and the living of this funda- with sin. The covenant of grace is; therefore, surely
       mental thought of Holy Scripture will set certain defi-       unilateral, it proceeds from God ; He has, planned and
     nite limits to our further study, even as the same              established it. He maintains and  r,ealiz&  it; it is a
      , Scriptures show: And therefore' it will not make work of God Triune and completed, finished among
       the confessor of it very popular. For it militates the three Persons mutually. But it is designed to:
       against the natural tendencies of the heart of man,           be&me bilateral, to be assumed and kept by man, con-
      a tendency which John characterizes as "the pride of sciously, and freewil!ingly, in the power of God. This
       life".                                                        is the will of God, which is revealed so clearly and
           You see, this view of the covenant which strikes          beautifully in the covenant, that the work of grace may
       at the. heart and the root of a true, Scriptural Cove-        reflect itself in the hum&n consciousness, and stimulate
       nant conception, excludes many anthropological or the will of man unto greater  actiirity.  The covenant
       Christological covenant conceptions ; it correctly keeps of grace does not slay man, and'it does not deal. with
       particular what others would make. common ; it' hum- him as a stock and block; but it-lifts him up in' his
       bles man to his proper stature; but it @so .exalts God        entirety, with all his faculties and powers, accordin@
       and glorifies Him to the highest heavens.                     .to soul and body; for time and eternity ; it completely
                                                       G. vos.
                                                  I                  encircl& him, does not  destrqy  his strength but  de-


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           247 

prives him `of his impotence, does not destroy his will       God. Finally, the covenant is not conditional in the
but liberates it from sin ; does not deaden his conscious-    $ense that the reception of every separate blessing of
ness but delivers it from the darkness ; it recreates the     the covenant is dependent on- ? condition. We may
entjre man and causes him, renewed by grace, to love          say that'faith  is the "conditio' sine qua non" of justifi-
God and dedicate himself unto Him, freely and inde- cation, but the reception of faith itself in regeneration
pendently `(zelfstandiglijk) , with all his soul and spirit is not dependent on any condition, but only on the oper-
and body. `The covenant of grace declares that God's          ation .of the grace of God in -Christ." However, if all
honour ,and praise is realized not at the cost of but         this be true, why and how can one speak of the con-
unto the benefit of man, and that  IGdd's glory cele-         ditional.  aspect of the  covenants? The professor de-
brates its triumph in the recreation of the entire,man,       clares in this paragraph, first of all, that nothing of
in his enlightened consciousness and restored free- man is meritorious. Never does man merit anything.
d o m . "                                                     Secondly, We are told that man can nevefr  perform any-
   This is beautiful language, indeed! If this be the thing in his own strength. Hence, of himself man can-
implication of the "bilateral" aspect of the covenant,        not merit and he cannot perform anything. Thirdly,
who can object? But, why then should we speak of we are told that "in a sense it may be said that God
the "unilateral" and the "bilateral" aspects of the Himself fulfills the condition in the elect." ,And, final-
covenant, when it is ,God Who not only establishes the ly, to make the cycle' complete, the professor declares
covenant but also maintains it, unconditionally ? It is that- the reception of not'a single blessing is dependent
evident that Prof. Bavinck identifies the bilateral char- on a condition. Does it not, therefore, become rather
acter of <God's covenant with man with man's moral-           difficult  tb understand how such a covenant relation-
rational calling in the covenant and this calling of man      ship between the ,Lor'd and His own can also be con-
is due to the nature of the operation of the grace of ditional?
God.                *1-                                               `On the other hand, however, Prof. Berkhof would
                                                              also maintain that the covenant is conditional1 We
   <Also Prof. Berkhof, in his "Reformed Dogmatics",          read: "On the other hand the covenant may be called
although maintaining the unilateral character of the conditional. There is a sense in which the covenant
covenant as far as its establishment is concerned, would is conditional. If we consider the basis of the cove-
maintain its bilateral; dipleuric charactef and asserts       nant, it is clearly con'ditional on the suretyship of Jesus
that a monopleuric covenant  in the absolute sense of         Christ. ,In order to introduce the covenant of grace,
the word is really a contradiction (and this, I presume,      ,Christ had to, and actually did, meet the conditions -
is correct if we proceed from the idea that the covenant originally laid dotin in the covenant of works, by His
is essentially an  agieement,  between two or `more active and passive obedience. Again, it may be said
parties).  ~                                                  that the covenant is conditional as far as the first en-
   Nevertheless, we would rather maintain that God's trance into the covenant as a real. communion of life
covenant is unilateral throughout and therefore wholly is-concerned. This entrance is-contingent on faith, a
unconditional. Professor- Berkhof declares the cove- faith,. however, which is itself a gift of God.  Wh&
nant to be both, conditional and. unconditional, (pages       we speak of faith as a condition here, we naturally
280-281 of his  "Refo?med  Dogmatics").  !On the one          refer to faith as a spiritual activity of the mind.  I$
hand, he maintains its unconditional character. We is `only through faith that we can obtain a conscious
read on page 280: `{On the one hand the covenant is           enjoyment of the blessings of the covenant.           T>ur
unconditional. There is in the covenant of  grace no          experimental knowledge of the covenant life is entirely
condition that can be conside'red  as meritorious. The dependerit  -on the exercise of faith., He who does not
sinner is exhorted to repent and believe, but his. faith live a life of faith is, as far as his consciousness is
and repentance do not in any way merit the blessings concerned, practically outside of the covenant. J[f in
of the covenant. This must be maintained in opposi- our. purview we include not only the beginning, but
tion to both the Roman Catholic and the Arminisn posi- also the gradual unfolding and completion of the cove-
tion. Neither is it conditional in the sense that man is nant life, we may regard sanctification as a condition
expected to perform in his own strength what the cove-        in addition to faith. Both are conditions, however,
napt requires of him. In placing him before the demand within the covenant". This none Can dispute. It is
of the covenant, -we must' always remind him of the surely  tru.e that the suretyship of Jesus Christ' is
fact that he'can obtain the necessary  .strength  for the basis for  IGod's fellowship with us, that the justice
performance .of his duty only from God. In a. sense of the Lord must be satisfied before we can again be
it may he said that God Himself fulfills the condition received into  Divine favour (Lord's Day 5). And it
in the ,klect. That which may be regarded as. .a con- is actuaily tu'ue that to enjoy experimentally, experiea-
dition in the covenant, is for those who' are chosen unto tially, consciously, the blessings of the covena-nt .we
eveflasting life also a promise, `and therefore a gift of must c&sciously enter into the covenant of faith. But
                                                              %  0


248                                  THE       STAND&RD   BEAREIi

does this give us the right to speak of the ,covenant in     destroy but saves us; causes us to will and-to do .in be-
a conditional sense? .Faith itself iS a gift of God. And half of His good pleasure.-Phil. 2 :12-13.          .
we surely agree with the `.laSt sentence of the above            .God Establishes His Covenant and .Maintains
quotation : "Both are cdnditions, however, within the          . It  Only Upon the Basis  of  Christ's  MeFits  `.
covenant". How can something, which belongs to the               and i Th?*ough the Grace of the Holy Spirit..
covenant, and constitutes. essentially a part of ,that
covenant, be a condition of that covenant? It must be         That the covenant' of God. with. man is unilateral
plain, alsd from this paragraph, that .lGod's. cbvenant      throughout receives further emphasis when we view the
with:-m&n is not conditional. Man cannot merit apy-          development of the covenant  in the `liiht of Christ's
thing. ;Man cannot do anything. Faith itself is a gift merits and the work of the, Holy Spirit. We may now
of  God: -Where, then, is. the condition  gf  the. cove- ask ourselves the question: What is Christ's position
nant ? '                                                     in the covenant? This is an interesting question. Is
    We would therefore maintain the unilateral and Christ the Mediator or Surety or Head of the cove-
unconditional character of the covenant throughout. 1 nant ? The words `"Mediator" and "Head" occur fre-
We can sure19  subscribe to what Prof. Berkhof writes        quently in Holy Writ. The word "l$tediator" occurs in
in the first-paragraph on page 281: "R,efdrmed Church- .the following passages : `.Wherefore then serveth the
es have often objected to the- use of the w&d "con- law? It was added because of transgressions, till the
ditib;n" in connection with the covenant of grace. -This     seed should come to whom the promise was made: and
was largely due to a reaction against  Arqinianism,          it was ordained'by  angels in the `hand of a mediator.
which employed the word "condition" in an un;Scrip-          Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is
tural sense, and therefore to a failure to discr'iminate     one."-Gal. 3 :19-20 ; "For there is- one God, and one
properly."     The undersigned frankly declares that mediator between. God and man, the man  Christ
he, too, .is afraid of the.word "condition" and wonders      Jesus;".-1 Tim. 2 : 5 ; "But now :hath he obtained .a
whetlier Prof. Berkhof discriminates properly inasmuch more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the
ai he also believes in the Arminian "Three Points" mediatop of a better covenant, which was estabKshed
,of 1924 which teach `us, e.g., that the gospel of salva-    upon better pro&ises."-+Heb.  8 :,6 ; "And fox this cause
tion is offered to all the hearers of. the`gospel, that the. he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means
"`goodness of God would lead all'men to repentance". of death; for the redemption  of the trafisgressions  that
It is well that we speak,clearly. Terms, and the use of were under the first testament, they which are ,called
`theni, ai% very important. Wrong terms and ambigu- might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."-
ous  t&rns are exceedingly dangerous. We will have Heb, 9:15; "And to Jesus the. mediator of the new
opportunity to call attention to this in a subsequent covenant, and to the `blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
article.    To be sure, we may speak of .the covenant better things than that of -Abel."-Heb. 12  :14. knd
promises and of covenant obligations. These obliga- the word "Head" occurs in passages as the following:.
tions, however, must `not be understood in the sense         "And hath put all things under ;His feet, and gave Him
that we must fulfil them before we can enter into the        to' be the Head over `all things to the church,. Which
covenant relationship with the living God, but as the is His body, the'fulness of Him that fill&h &ll in all.`.'
fruit of the' grace of  God in our  hea&s. Indeed, we -Eph.  1:22-23 ; "For the husband is the head of the
must love the Lord our God with all our heart, with wife, &ven as Christ is the Head of the Church ; and
all our mind, with all our strength, and with all our He is the saviour of the body."-Eph. 5 :23 ; "And not
`soul. We must believe in and on the Lord Jesus Christ holding the Head, from which all the body by joints
unto salvation. We must hope unto the end. We must and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit
fight the gdod fight of faith that no man take our together, increaseth' with the increase of ,God."-C&l.
crown. `Such `is also the language of our Baptism 2:19... .
F&m : "Thirdly. Whereas in all covenants there are              "The word YSurety" occurs  but once in Holy Writ, 
contained two parts: therefore are we by God through in Heb. 7 :22 : "By so much was Jesus made a surety
baptism, admonished  of, and` obliged unto' new iibed-       of a better testament."The idea of the word "Surety"
ienoe, namely, that we cleave to` this one God, Father,      (`Borg' in the Holland)' is plain. Christ-is our Surety
SOIT, and Holy Ghost ; that. we trust in Him, and love because He assumes our responsibilities to `the law, is
Hiin with--all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our guarantee before the Lord that our guilt is paid
our mind, and `with all our strength ; that `we `forsake and that.`we are entitled to life everlasting. We need
the `world, crucify our old nature, -and walk in a new not at this time dis&Ss the question whether, Jesus
and holy life." That such is our calling is .not' because is our Surety conditionally or unconditionally. This
our entrance into the covenant is -dependant  .tipon our question, too, has been discussed'in the past. If-Christ
action, but on1.y because God, ma&es `us His- qovenant be our'Stirety in'the conditional sense, the ide$.would
`people, saves  us. as moral-rational beings,  doe&  fidt be that. He tificleitakes  to qay our guilt but the- burd'en


                                     - T H E   `STAND.ARD   B.EARER                                                  249

of our guilt remains upon us until it have been paid.         Head He is, fir& of all, in the organic sense of the
If' Christ be our Surety in the unconditional sense of Word. He is our .life and we live only in and through
the word, t&e burden of our guilt is removed from' us         Him.  1'  "Aild are  huil,t upon' the foundation. of the
regardless. whether or  not He- pays our debt, We apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
understand; of course,, that Jestis-is  our Surety in the chief eorrier  stone: (the idea of `corner .stone' ,here is
"unconditional sense of, the word; Although the .word         surely the  s&me  .a$ `Head'-H.V.) ; In Whom all the
Y%rety9' occurs but once in Holy Writ,. its idea ap- building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
pears frequently i-n th&Scriptures.  That Christ alone temple iti the Lord ; In Whom ye also a?e builded to-
is our guarantee beftife God and that He &lone consti- gether for an habitation of God through the, Spirit."
tutes the basis of our assurance to draw nigh unto -E,ph.  2:29-22.. "Which is  IYiiS body, the fulness of
t!le throne 6f. IGod's : grace is:taught everywhere in Him that filleth all in all."-Eph.  1:23. --"And He is
the Bible, as .in Heb.. 10 :14-22 : `"For by one offering the Head of the.body, the church: W.hq, is the begin-
He. hath perfected for :ex+r them that are. sanctified. ning, the"firstbd& from the' de%d;  that `in all things
Wh&efore::the  Holy Ghost also is a witness  to us :          He might have the preeminence. For it pleased. the
for after'that  He-had said befoYe;`This  is the covenant Father that in Him should all  fulness  dwell."-Cal.
that I.will make..with%e@ .after those days, saith the 1. :17-l&  `But Jesus is also `our Head in the judicial,
E;dr.d, I. will put iMv laws int6;their-  hearts, atid in their representative  sense of the w-ard. Christ dies because
&inds' w?ll I wixte them ; And. tKeik &ins. and iniquities    .He must suffer  ahd die.      In. Isaiah  .53 :4-6, lb `the
itill :I r'eme'mber,  :no more., N6w `where remission of thought .is emphasized that Go(;E , bruised and crushed
hhese--is, there is no more  offerin&?or sin. Having, Him because  OZLT sins  tiere  upoli  -Hiti. This was a
therefore, brethren, boldness, to ,entei-`into  the holiest punitive. act of God. And in Luke 12:5Q we hear Him
by the`blood of Jesus, by a ne\v;and.living  way, which exclaim:: "But IThave a  baptism:to be. baptized with;
He. hath+onsecrated for us, through the.v`eil, that iti to    sind how, am I straightened till 5t be accomplished !"
say, His flesh  ; And  .having an high priest over the And  in-Ithe baptism of Jesus by the Baptist in the
house df God ; L&t us dr'aw near.. with a true heart in .river Jordan, Christ assumes the cross and sets His
full  a&urarice of faith,  hgvi.@  qur hearts  spririkred     face  toxard Jerusalem. The modernist proclaims a
from  a& evil cdnscience, and oyr  ,bodies  washed with Christ who.lives and is dead ; the Scriptures proclaim '
pure. wa$er.?           --::'                                 a Christ who  dies:..and  lives  foyevermore.     Fact is, 
    We understand, of course; thgt those who .speak of Jesus is :appointed  the Headr,of the Covenant by t&e
the ,covenant `as an agretimeiit  o1i: .a contract, emphasize Triune God. And because of this Headship He assumes
the use o5`the  words"`Mediator!`, and "Surety" and do our guilt,, our relation to the law, is therefore guilty
-not favor the use of the word "Head". According- to Himself,. must suffer and die;.. For Him the way into
their view the covenant is an dgreement or a contract life and.glory`lay only through death and hell.
between th& Lopd and .His people.' Christ, thein, stands         ThiYdly, Christ is also our Mediator. *This, we
outside of the covenant. He is-the Mediator of the understand, does not mean that He appeases an aveng-
covenant, represents His people, intervenes between ing God. That..Christ  is our Mediator, cannot mean
them and the Lord. Or; He. is their Surety, the guar- that He stands between God and us, th& He changes .
antee or basis of their  assurafice `to  .dY'aw nigh unto     a ,God of hate into a God-of love, and that in that sense
tKe'Lord. But Jesus is not the- H&ad of the-`covenant. He brings God and man tdgether. LChrist, we muit re-
To be the Head of the covenant'wduld imply that He member, is the living `God Himself. In Christ the living
Himself belonged $0. that covenant, that He, therefbr,e,      %od is our Mediatar. Besidesv  in Christ God so lovecl
Hitiself would be in need of salv&tion. Hence; ,with          the  world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
Christ the. covenant is not established. Surely, He did whosoever belceveth  on Hini might not perish but have
or does riot need salvatio-n.                  _              everlasting life.-John 3 : 1.6.     Christ, therefore, did
    Rowe+er;  in  the  first place, Christ  is:sureiy our not tihaizge a God df hate into a, God of love, but, to the
Surety.' This is abundant& evident through&t Holy contrary,' in Christ the unchangeable- Jehbvah reveals
W?it. He`alone constitutes the b&i& of o!tir assurance His eternal love to His  people.  Everi so, and under-
td  draw' nigh unto the` throne of God's  :grace.   Ytt is    stood iii-that sense-of the ,wor$ Christ is our Mediator.
only because of Hiti that there `is no condemnation? fdr He surely represents us before the Lord. He is -the
those whq are in Christ Jesus: Apart' from Him we eterlial  --High Priest, Who .enters  for us into the -H&y
are yet- in. our sins. .B,ecailse.  of Him; and' of Him of holi&+, prays and tiakes cdntinuous intercession for
alone, oOur sins a_re forgiven, our guilt is pa<d, aiid we    Us..  And we  apprbach  unto God through Him, have
h&ve "the- right to everlaktin'g  life. To quote the Word fellowship with the alone bles%ed Lord only through
of' God in. support of this ti-uth is surely not' n&&- our Lord Jesus Christ, Who of ,God is made wisdom
sriry.                  ,-               ".                   fop us; righteousness  ,`and sanctification and redemp-
 ,.' Secondly, Jesus Christ is surely.. ou.r Head. Otir iion;  :  `:           .3      :         L      :
                   ,


  2 5 0                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEARER

         Hence, our covenant fellowship with God is estab- the very life of Christ which He laid- down for His
  lished by Christ and in Christ. It- is possible only          sheep. Accordingly, in the ninth chapter df the epistle
  through Christ:  And. it therefore lies in the very           to the Hebrews one may read, "The $Ioly Ghost this
  nature of the case that also for this reason  God's           signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not
covenant with His people must be regarded. ati mono-            yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was
  pleuric, unilateral. To this we will call attention, the yet standing, which was a figure-mark you, which"
  Lord willing, in our following article.                       was a figure-for the time then present, in which were
    1                                        ,H. Veldman.
                  c                                             offered boih gifts and sacrifice`s that could not make
                         --                                     him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the
                                                                Conscience." Here it is literally stated that the first
                                                                tabernacle of Moses-was.  $ figure, and that there-
              God.  Seeing  The  Blood                          fore also the  sac?ifices offered therein-including the
                                                                sacrifices by blood-were figures, pictures, prophetic
         We now turn to the 12th chapter of the Bodk'of types. Prophetic types of what? The answer is the
  Exodus and therebf  the 13th verse and read, "And the         llth'and 12th verses of the chapter from which I just
, blood shall be unto' you- for -a token upcm the houses        quoted. These- verses read, "But Christ being come
  where ye are ; and when I see the blood,. I will pass ali high priest .6f godd things to come, by a greater
  over you, ,and the plague shal,l not be upon you, to de-      and more perfect tabernacle, not made with liands,
  stroy you, when I smite the l?t?d of Egypt." `The ninth that is to say, not of this building ; neither by the blood
  plague of the three days, darkness has come and gone.         of goats and calves, but b$ his own blood he entered
 But, so it is again stated in chapter 11:27, "the Lord         once into thd holy place,. having obtained -eternal re-
  hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them demption for us." Here then it is taught that those
  go." Then the word of the Lord came again to Pharaoh animal sacrifices, or, speaking *tiore. definitely, that
  saying, "Yet will I bring one plague more upon Phar- those lambs that we're slain on the evening of. Israel%
  aoh, and upon Egypt ; afterwards he will let, you go departure from Egypt prefigured in their totality,
.a hence; . . . ; . . The Lord then reveals to Moses that       Christ Jesus, the true lamb of God, who by l$s shed
  :this night he will- smite all the firstborn in theI land of blood cleanses His people from all their sins. Where-
  Eiypt. Moses in turn communicates this revelation fore also the apostle Peter, writing to the strangers
  to `Pharaoh and his.servants. But Pharaoh's heart is sca&er& abroad, sayeth, "For as much as ye know
  hard, and he will not let the, people go. Moses knew that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as
  beforehand that such  a&ain would be Pharaoh's re- silver  _ and gold, from your vain conversations, re-
  action  ; for the Lord has told him in these words,           ceived by tradition from your fathers ; but by the
  "Pharaoh sh&%not hearken unto you ;' that my wonders precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot
 may be multiplied in the land of  Egypt." Then the or blemish.' ' And Paul, in his first epistle to the
  word of the`Lord again @omes to Moses and Aaron say-          Corinthians admonishes the church in Corinth in this
  ing, "Speak ye  mite all the  congr&gation of Israel,         wise, "Purge out therefore the old leaven that we may
  saying, in the tenth day of this month they shall take        be a new lump, as ye are unledvened. For even Christ
  to them every man a lamb.  : . . a lamb for  eac$             our  passover  is slain for us."
  house. . . . And ye shall keep it, that is, `the lamb,           Now just wliat is definitely the reality set forth-in
  up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and odr text? It is this : .Seeing the resurrected and glori-
  the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall        fied Christ, the lamb, as he has been slain, God, the
  kill it in the evening. rAnd they shall tike of the blood,    God and `Father of  6ur Lord  Jesus Christ,  wil:l not
. and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper          destroy His people, covered with Christ's blood,-*ill
  door post of the houses, wherein they slitill eat it. . . . not destroy His people with the viricked, when He comes
  For `I will pass through the land of Egypt this night,        in judgment over the world-He wiil not destroy them,
  afid will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt, but seeing the  bloqd, the shed blood of' Christ, will
  both man and beast; and against all the princes of pass over them, deliver them from all their enemies,
  figypt I will e?eCute judghent : I `am the Lord'?. And and bring them' into the promised land of their abode,
  th.is is followed by the words of my text. We realize,        the hieaienly Canaan, the new earth, where the taber-
  to be sure, that we have to do here with a symbol, type,      nacle of ,Gocl. is with men.
  with a picture, if you will. The blood on the side pogts         But there is this question. Just why doe; God, see-
  and on the upper door posts of each and every Israel-         ing  the blood, pass over His  peopJe,  refrain from
  itish dwelling, struck there  by the occupants of these sweeping them into everlasting desolation with the
  dwellings, in obedience to the Lord's command, be- wicked when He comes in judgment over the world?
  tokens the blood of Christ, that He Shed for the sins         If it is a question of the sovereign reason  6f God's
 . of His people : it signifies, does the blood on those posts, `deciding to spare His people, the answer is not, the


                                          TH%  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             251,

       Lamb's blood upon -His people. What would it mean Christ would still be the Christ of man were it true if
     were this true? It would mean that Christ is not the           God's will according to which he hardens thee Pharaohs
       Christ of God but the ,Christ of man. It would mean,         of all. time, is determined by their unbelief-an I un-
       further, that man of himself can will to believe, and belief that God foresaw but could not determinedly
       that the faith by which he lays hold on -the Christ,         foreknow', so that {God has no other choice but to de-
       that His .blood may be upon .him, is original with man       stroy them. Christ would still-be the Christ of man,
       and is. thus not {God's gift in him. But we know that man's servant over: which  .man exercises a sovereign
       the Christ is the.Christ of God, God's very own pro- `control, if God's will according to which He saves His
       vision. The very surroundings of my text brings this people were determined by His people's willingness
       clearly out. The lamb whose shed blood God wanted to believe-a willingness that God foresaw but could
       to see on the door posts of those Israelitish dwellings      not determinedly foreknow-thus- a willingness that
       is God's Lamb, His very own creature. The commands originated not in God's will and grace but in the hearts
       that it be slain ; that the families in Israel strike its    of His  .people.    But Christ is the Christ of God.
      shed blood on the door posts of their dwellings ; that        Through Him; the Christ, God hardens whom He will,
       they eat its flesh roasted with .fire, eat it with their and hath mercy on whom He will have mercy. It
       loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staff     cannot be otherwise. For God's believing people as
       in their hands ; and eat it in haste, were all commands      well as the Esaus and the Pharaohs are by nature dead
       that originated with God, not' with His people, and in sin. But <God, the God and -Father of Christ's God,
       efficaciously spoken by Him in their hearts and on this who hath mercy on whom He will have- mercy, saves
       account also obeyed and only on this account obeyed.         them unto Himself. Christ is the Christ of God. This
       Thus the entire institution with which we .here- deal,       being true, it cannot be that the `lamb's, blood upon
       is in all its details and as to each and every. rite con-    His people determines aGod's decision to pass them. over.
       nected with it, sole1.y God's conception and creation.       This cannot be; For according to the Scriptures, God
      And thus it also speaks of things that eye hath not hath  mercy upon His people because He will have
       seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart mercy upon them; and was eternally decided to have
       of man, the things which `God bath prepared for them mercy upon them in Christ. And for the realization
,      ,that love Him.                                              of this divine decree Christ is the means. This sug-
           Christ is the'christ  of IGod. Verily He is. He was gests the connection between the blood upon God's
       ordained, appointed, sent of God the Father, not of people and. His passing them over. That blood upon
       man. He was qualified for His office by the  .Holy           them is the shed- blood of a lamb-%od's,lamb-with-
       Ghost. The virgin of whom He was born as to His              out blemish.
       human nature was overshadowed by the Holy, Spirit.           -    It is the blood that Christ shed in `payment of the
      ' He was as .the tender plant and-as a root out of a dry      guilt, the moral debt, of all .His people's transgressions
       ground. The Spirit of tiiLe `Lord rested upon him, the of God's' law in word, deed and thought of yesterday,
       ,Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  .the spirit of today and tomorrow. That shed blood upon them fully
       counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the and generously covers all their moral debt, covers their
       fear of the Lord .and made him of quick understand- guilt in the sense not of concealing it before God ,but
       ing in the fear of the Lord. He is .the only man who of canceiling it, so that it no longer exists and `is thus
       hath seenGod at any time ; the only begotten Son which as. truly and actually cancelled as a poor man's debt in
       is in the bosom of the Father. He was delivered by           dollars and cents, is actually and truly covered and thus
       the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.            ca.ncelled by the generous check of a friend ordering
       And in Him, God was, reconciling the world-God's             the bank to pay money equivalent to that debt. So then
       world, not man's world--to Himself, not imputing their is the shed blood of Christ; the Christ Himself, as He
       trespasses unto them. And God' raised him up to -sit has been slain, the payment of the guilt, the moral debt,
       on His throne, gave Him all power in heaven and on of His people, thus their satisfaction, righteousness,
       earth,"and  set him a great highpriest over the `house sanctification, and redemption. And, therefore, be-
       of God ; `and having received of the Father the .promise     holding the blood upon` His people, the Christ as He
       of the Holy Spirit, He .hath shed forth this. on the has been slain,. God sees no sin in His people. Their
       Church. And when all things shall be subdued unto sins are covered, so that in Christ they are without
       him, then He also himself shall be subject unto Him blame and holy before God. For it pleased God to
       that put all things under His feet, that God may be all bruise Him and to put Him to .grief for our iniqui-
     in all. Verily, Christ is the Christ of  .God.                 ties and, to make His soul an offering for sin. But
           But Christ woulxd still be the Christ of man were it there is now further this question: How could God lay
     ~ true that man of himself can want to be saved `and the transgression of Bis people upon Christ -and im-
       that the faith by which he appropriates the Christ is pute Christ's righteousness unto His people. Christ
       original, with man and is not a gift of God in him, and His people are one, He being.their head and they


   252                                  T H E     S T A N D A R D   `B E A R E R

   His body, both judicially and organiCally,  He, the Son people therefore in whom God can ,behold no sin. How
   of God incarnate. To this truth and fact the Scrip- could God, Christ's God not save such a people without
  tures give expression by saying that with Him, their           denying Himself.
   Christ, His people were crucified, buried, raised from           And let us in fine emphasize the .fact and truth that
   the dead `and set in heaven and blessed with `all spirit-     God's people `are clothed with the satisfaction and
   ual blessings. But this does not yet fully answer the righteousness of Christ. Hence, not alone that their
   questions how IGod could afflict and punish a man by          sins are no more, being. cancelled .by Christ's blood
 . himself innocent for the sins of men by themselves upon them, but in -addition God's people are also im-
   guilty. Christ is `not a mere man; He is man and God, mensely rich in Christ. .For Christ's righteousness
   two natures; human and divine, united in one person,          merited with God. It called for a reward, the reward
   the person of the Son of God. This being .true,  it was .of life everlasting. IAnd therefore as vested with the
   very God .Himself-God  the Son, atoning the Sins of imputed righteousness of Christ, this reward is theirs,
   His `people in His human nature.                              ,too, in Christ. With Christ they heir a life .of heavenly
          God's passing over His people-its an amazing do- glory in  !God,s heavenly house.. Thus God not only
   ing on the part of God. How can He pass that people passes His people over, refrains from destroying them
   over? It is` a  lquestion that will not be quelled. For       with the wicked, but He also delivers them from their
   by themselves that people are worthy of being de-             spiritual bondage and makes them to inherit the earth
   stroyed with the wicked. For by themselves they are -the new earth, where His tabernacle is: :with them.
   just as dead in their sins as the others, just as guilty,     So.are God's people a redeemed people, a people bought
   just as hateful of God, ,just as contrary, perverse and       with a price, bought from the bondage of sin and the
   rebellious. `And God is righteous and holy God, with devil,. thus redeemed from God's own `wrath, curse.
   eyes too pure to behold sin. And yet He passes them For` what is the spiritual bondage, and all the name-
   over ! The only solution is Christ, the Lamb, as He           less sorrows that are the portion of  .men, but the
   hath been slain. His blood covers their sins: Thus, operation .of the curse. of God .in them?                            v
   in passing over His people, God passes over a people                                        I -1     G .   M.  Ophoff:
   blameless .and holy, not in themselves but in Christ.
   In loving His people, IGod loves a people blameless and                             ---
   holy not in themselves but in their Christ. In deliver-
   ing His people from the bondage of sin and the power
   of Satan, He. delivers a -people blameless and holy not             THE  DAY-OF  SmtiWS
   in themselves but in (Christ. Its the only kind: of people                                                 .        .
   He can love, pass over,. deliver and. save unto Himself,
   namely, a people blameless and holy before Him not in                     David  Flees  To  Nob'
   themselves but in Christ; Hence, He chose'them before
   the foundation of the world in Christ. Were there no             David in co-operation with Jonathan has put Saul
   Christ in His counsel, He could not have chosen them to a final test; and it has once more become evident
   at all. For He cannot possess His people otherwise that the king is truly determined to kill David, and
   th.an in Christ. So don't say that God loves sinners          that therefore His past attempts on the life of the
   and put a period here ; but say that God loves His            son of Jesse, cannot be attributed to the attacks of
   people, by nature undone and lost sinners to be sure,         madness by which the king is periodically being visited.
   but blameless and holy in. Christ. And being `holy and        Having been fully informed by Jonathan of Saul's
   righteous God, it is the only people whom He can love reactions, David takes ,his. journey and comes to Nob
   and bless and save, namely; that people `whom He chose        to Amelech the priest.     Here at this time was the
   in Christ and upon, whom He put Christ's blood ; and tabernacle. -The position. of Nob was near Jerusalem.
   it is the only people that He may -love, and wants to         Ahimelech is the same person with Ahiah (14 :3) ; he
   love and save, and can love and save, that people that was the son of Ahitub (22 :9,20)#,  the son of Phinehas,
   He eternally.-willed to possess in Christ. His very own,, the son of Eli, therefore  greatlgrandson of Eli. The
   righteousness and holiness forbids Him to save or de-         designation priest here is hi.ghpGest, as in 14:3.
   sire or will  `to save anybody` not belonging to this            David betakes himself to Nob not to find shelter
   people.     This precisely is the message of my text,         and concealment .with the priests, `not even to inquire
"When I see the blood, I will pass  .-over you."                 `God's will concerning his further way, but to provide
          But my text contains still another thought. `Since himself- with, arms and food for his continued flight
   God has, chosen His people in `Christ and put upon them to the Philistines, definitely to Achish, the 2 king of
   Christ's blood, He also must save them. His own right- IGath, as appears from the sequel. David is not alone;
   eousness demands it. For it is a people covered by the .accompanying  him are some faithful followers, which
   blood, thus a people blameless and holy in `Christ, a         he now appoints "to .such and such a place";;"that  is,


                                       T H E ' S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        253

  leaves near by in order' to speak privately with the        takes recourse  to an atrocious lie to  .bring relief to
  highpriest. :`,It is true that. there is  no mention of `himself in. a difficult situation. As has already been
  servants:,during and.after  David's interviewwith Jona- made plain, he is not standing in his faith at this time.
  than;: nor afterwards in .his flight to Gath. But in Without pausing to hear what `Ahimelech might have
  Mark 11:25;. :26, it is stated that there were men with     to say in reply, David states his request; for he has
  David.     YIave ye never read," said Christ to the haste and `is eager. "Now what  isunder  thine hand?
  Pharisees, "what David did, when he had need, and give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what
 * was an hungered, he, and they that were with him?          there is present."
  Hotv he went into the house of God. . . . and did eat          The priest's fears have been quieted. It seems not  _
  the shewbread. . . . and gave also to them that were to occur to him that David may be lying. If the son
  with him??' These servants may have joined them- of Jesse ,goes about the king's business, the .priest  `is
  selves to David later on. This need not be considered only too willing and eager to grant the request. It so
  strange. There must have been many others besides happens, however, that there is no common bread under                   `.
  Jonathan to whom David had endeared himself by his          his. hand; the only bread he. has is holy. It ,is bread
  slaying of. the. Philistine Goliath and by his other that is laid up in the tabernacle, as the offering of the
ventures of faith as captain in Saul's army.. In view twelve tribes to the Lord, before His face `and thence
  of this; it is not' anything to be surprised at that        called "Bread of presence shew-bread" (Exodus 25 :
  David appears at Nob with some attendants. These            30 ; 35 :13 ; 39 :36 ; 40 :23). `They had just been taken
  faithful followers remained with him to the Philistine away to be replaced by fresh ones. This bread could
  border.                                                     be ,eaten only by the priests in the holy `place (Lev.
     It is only a desperate need of food and arms that        29 23). There is then this `difficulty. But to Ahime-
  can explain-the action that David now takes. Arriv- lech it is not insurmo.untable.  For he wants David to
  ing at Nob, he appoints his men some `place at which have this bread. For the king has commanded him a
 to `meet him, and goes alone to the highpriest. Seeing business. He must-be helped. So, if the young men
  him,  .Ahimelech  was afraid.  `Why art thou alone, have kept themselves at least from women, the bread
  and no `man with thee," says he to David. The priest is David's Ahimelech  correctly perceives that thereby
  evidently knows of Saul's hatred to David. His being the law of Levitical purity is satisfied, in as much as
  .alone doesn't look well to Ahimelech. Something dread- the circumstances justify the departure from the law'
  ful must have happened . -Just what, he has no idea. concerning the eating of the `shewbread. The eating
  But he fears the worst. But just why is the priest of the holy bread was not absolutely forbidden to the
  afraid? Does he love David on account of the latter's       laity in case of urgent necessity. Christ Himself justi-
  achievements of faith? Has he,  to.o+`+hosen David's        fies this divergence from the letter of the law on the
  side? Does he pity him in his distress? If the oppor-       ground that its observance would violate the inner
  tunity presents itself, will he help David to place him-    spirit of the .law, which is love to God and the neigh-
  self beyond the reach of Saul's wrath? If so, the bour. But such divergence is allowable only- with
  priest's fear proceeds from his  ,;oncern  for David.       respect to Israel's ceremonial precepts of the law.
  But Ahimelech is not afraid for David's sake. He            For they ;were destined to wax old and vanish away.
  thinks only of himself. He is conoerned  solely about But the ethical law of God-the law of the ten  com-
  his own well-being. He surmises th%t'David flees from mandments-abideth forever. To this law there can
the wrath of Saul  ; and it has him  w:orried.      David be no exceptions ev.er.
  has come to Nob; and as a result. the city of priests is       David asserts that he and his men are pure in
  now under a. cloud. At-the moment he wishes that            this regard: "Of a truth women have been kept from
  David were any place but ,in Nob.                           us about these three days, since I came out, and the
     That the priest is afraid for himself; that conse-` vessels of the young men are holy. . . ." In the words
  quently he is capable of sending David on his way           "yesterday and the day before" David must refer to
 .empty-handed, if his surmisingc  turn out to be correct,    his three days' hiding in the field. By the vessels of
  is plainly also David's conviction. He not only with- the  zJou.ng  me% `are doubtless to' be understood the
  holds from the priest the truth about himself, but in       Clothing with reference to Lev.  15:18, a text that
  order to get :Ahimelech  to give him the needed food        bears on the defilement of garments by seminal dis-
  and arms, he thinks it necessary to quiet his appre-        charge.    The garments of David's men were clean.
  liension by a double lie. Says he to Ahimelech, "The        Or the word &essel may also refer to packs and sacks
  king hath commanded me a business, and hath said            for the journey. Such articles as well as persons might
  unto me, Let no man know anything of the business           become, unclean, according to  Lev.  11:32. As holy
  whereabout I send. thee, and what I have commanded          bread could be carried only in -vessels that"were levitic-
 thee: and I have appointed my servants-David's own           ally clean, David says that the sacks of the men were
  attendants-to `such and such a place? David again holy in starting, in order to assure the priest that


254                                  THE            GTANDA'RQ.                   BEARE`R

there is no legal objection to their taking the bread.        carried Goliath's  armour to his tent  (11:54). After-
David concludes with saying, "And the way is un-              ward the sword `was deposited in the sanctuary for
holy, yea, but it will be sanctified this day by the safe-keeping: To protect it  .against dust, moisture,
vessel." This is a difficult statement. The thought a.nd rust, it was `wrapped in a cloth, and kept in the.
conveyed probably is, "Though it is an unholy way             holy place. It being deposited here was a work of
that we go, namely, in performing. the king's com- faith-bearing witness toTthe fact that David's victory
mission, it is today sanctified- by the vesels." The over the Philistine was the  Lord's. The priest tells
priest gives David the hallowed bread.                        David that he may have the sword, if he wants it.  *
       There is still the question why David appointed "There is none like that; give it me." David placed
his men to a certain place and goes alone, to Nob.            great value on this sword for him. His saying, "there
The reason he gives to the priest is fictitious. -For         is none like it," undoubtedly has reference also to his
he has no commandment of the king. It may be that deed of faith by which he had overcome an adversary
he is afraid,that his appearing in Nob as accompanied         from the point of view of nature invincible.. The
by his men would attract  .to himself too much at- weapon therefore -is `holy. It promises new victories
t e n t i o n .                                               to David in the way of implicit trust in the L.ord. As
       Mention is now made of a servant of Saul, Doeg such David receives it.
the Edomite. The  ~purpose  is to reveal the divine              Provided with arms and bread, David flees to Gath;
providence by which the lie, intended to conceal the          to the` Philistine king Achish. It is stated that he arose
position and flight of David, rather leads to the de- and fled that duzj. What it shows is that he stayed in
struction of Nob and its inhabitants. A certain man           Nob only long enough, not to consult the oracle-such
of the servants of Saul is there that very day. This          is the meaning that some interpreters find in this
is. stated first in order to show that though David           notice-but. only to procure arms and food. David
wants tom keep his way hidden from Saul, the latter           seeks safety with the heathen not as commanded by the
receives information of his visit to this very' place.        Lord but as following the dictates of his unbelief.
David's lie must be exposed, and the sentence pro-            "And David fled that day for fear of Saul. . .  ."
nounced over Eli's house by Samuel executed in the            meaning that in leaving Nob he was still a fugitive,
destruction of Nob and the priests that dwell there.          fleeing from the wrath of the king. ,David wants the
`The text states that this servant of Saul was detained       Philistines to think that he has abandoned his sub-
before the Lord. He is housed in the holy place for           jection to Saul as his king and lord and has deserted
some religious or ceremonial purpose, and as com- to king Achish and into a foreign country.
mitted to the custody of the priests,who ministered in           The servants of Achish recognize the fugitive. It
the sanctuary. He ,rnay. be a proselyte who just *at          could be expected, for the time that had elapsed since
this time is being received by circumcision into the his victorious combat with Goliath was too short,
commonwealth of Israel; or he may be fulfilling` a They seeing who he is, his appearance in their midst
vow. as a proselyte of some years.        There are still     a.s a fugitive and deserter, astonishes them.         For
other possible explanations for his presence in. the they remember what he has done for his  ,country
priestly city at this time. He-may have been received by that venture of faith. They introduce David into,
for `a purification offering or for suspected leprosy.        the presence of their master, and they say to him,
His- name was Doeg, an Edomite. He had probably "Is not this David the, king of the land? Did they
joined himself to Saul in his war with Edom. He was not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saui
`"chiefest of the herdmen  that belonged to Saul," thus hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thou-
ruler of Saul's  herdmen. Such is his social position,        sands.?" `David's exploit had made on ..them a great
which must have been a prominent one. For at that             impression in their idea concerning his position in
time the possession of herds was important as a               his nation and country. They call him king of the
f a m i l y - p o w e r .   .                                 land. David had appeared as  sutih in taking up the
'      As to David, besides food, he needed arms.' He challenge of Goliath. Afterwards as captain in SauI)s
had fled without arms. "For I have neither brought army he had dealt them' one telling blow after an-
.my'sword nor my weapons with me", he says to the             other.    These exploits had  *thrown Saul entirely in
priest. The reason he gives is that the king's business the shade. This impression was deepened by their
required  h.aste,  literally  press,ed.  He carries out to    recollection of the song of triumph in which David
the end his  pretence  `of the royal commission.. "Is had been honored above Saul. But are they afraid
-there not here under thine hand spear or sword?" he because they think that David came to them with.
a.sks. The priest answers, "The-sword of Goliath the          evil intent, or are they overjoyed in their imagining
Philistine, whom. thou slewest in the valley `of .Elah,       that such a one as he has deserted to their country?
behold it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod;"       The latter is the case, it would  s_eem. For they
How it : came hither is nowhere stated. David had lead David into the  - presence of Achish, meaning


                                      THE         STAN?,ARD                       ,BEARER         :            .'          255

 pleasantly to surprise him with their find, it seems.         that he seeks the life of a just  man. But  Saul re-
    But David, lays up the words of the servants in            fuses to be convinced.
 his heart, and is sore afraid of Achish the  ,kitig of                                                 G. M. Ophoff.
 G&h. Whether he has reasons to be afraid, the text
 does not  state. But his fear can be explained. He                                           A--

                                                                        :
 pursues a wrong course. Instead of making the'lord
 his expectation, he poses as a desert& to his `people
 and country in order to gain the protection of the
 Philistine Achish against Saul. But he ponders the                     iimws  ZANGEN  -.  _
 words of the servants ;' and he concludes that he has
 evesy reason to be afraid `of Achish, without the king
 having said one wokd. But if he is .afraid, why does               Eeuwige  Goedeftierenheid
 he `not leave  G&h? Is he not free to go? Are they
 holding him captive                                                               (Psalm 103 ; Derde Deel)
                        ? The text does not bring this out.
 It must be supposed, however, that he is free to return          Tweeinaal hebben  `we  getracht  om  aan te tdonen
 to his country, if he so chooses. But he dare not. He hoe groot, hoe wonderlijk de goedertierenhei'd  Gods is,
 i$ a captive not of the Philistines but of his own fear. die in dezen psalm bezongen wordt. Het is `een van de
 Doubtless  he is afraid that, should he depart from kla.ssieke.  psqlmen uit den bundel .der liederen Sions.
their midst, they would not fail to conclude that he           Gods volk mag hem gaarne zingen.
 had` come to them ab a spy and not as a fugitive and a           .I@ het vers ,waarmee we nu beginnen moeten be-
`,deserter.  So what will he do? The way he sees it schrijft de geweldigheid  van die schodne deugd Gods.
 now, whether he remains or leaves, in ,either  case he        Goedtrtierenheid  Gods is die  detigd van het lieflijke
 will be killed. What *he should do is to depart a? be-        Wezen, waarin Hij Zichzelven  dringt  -om Zijn volk
 1i"eving  that .no harm will befall him. He cannot be goed te doen; goed te zijn, zoodat Hij uiteindelijk,dan _
 killed. For  the, Lord has sworn truth unto him. In cok Zichzelven geven ial aan het object: ,God zal zijn
 his unbelief `it occurs to, him that; should he fain him-     alles en in allen ! Dat is h&t hart van Zijn goedertieren-
 self mad in  t&&r hands, the king will surely drive           heid, en ook is het "de hemel. Daarin iS de staat der
 him from his presence, thinking him to be a harmless          algeheele,b&vredigipg.   Dan wordt  h&t eeuwiglijk  stil;
 ididt. So he  chaliges his behavior before them. He vredig, hemelsch rustig.
 scrabbles on the doors of the gate,' and lets his spittle        "Want zoo hoog  de  hemel  is. boven de aarde, is
 fall down upon his `beard.  IObserving  him, Achish Zijne goedertierenheid geweldig ovey.degenen  die Hem *
 tictually  does conc'iude that the man is mad. "Lo," be vreezen."
 says to his servants, "ye see the man is niad ; where-           Die Hem-  vreezen !
fore then have ye ,brought  him to me? Have I need                Daaraan kunt ge het kind Gods onderkennen.  Eigen-
of mad nien, that ye have brought this fellow to .play         lijk is dat niet geheel correct: in absolute kennen we
the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come             elkander niet. Ik had moeten zeggen :, .daaran kunnen
 into my house?" `rhe king may think $hat the mad- we onszelven kennen. Want dat is zoo. 0 ja, ik weet
ness of the  man explains his deserting into their wel, dat men in `zekere kringen &et gaarne spreekt
 count&y. Be this as it may, David now thinks it safe ,van "kenmerken". Doch als men hen aandachtig leest,
for him to- depart., He does so, and escapes to the clan kunnen zij het ook niet stellen zonder die "ken-
cave Adullam, perhaps about sixteen miles south-west merken". : Ook zou ik willen vrag& in alle besoheiden-
.of Jerusalem, and twelve miles south-east of Gath. heid: als we niet mogen onderzoeken  naar kenmerken,
    Here his brethren and all his' father's house come waarom zei Jezus dan tot Zijne discipelen:, Zalig zijn
down thither to him. They go to hiti in his retreat at         die hongeren en dorsten naar de  gerechtighcid; die
:Adullam. They have reason.  tq believe that Saul seeks treuren,. die rein van hart zijn, enz. ? Of ook, waarom
also their lives. Saul looked upon. the& as sharers in zegt  Jocannes,  door den Heiligen Geest:  "Wij  weten  _
David's presumed conspiracy against  him., Along dat wij  overgegaan  zijn uit den dood in het leven,
with his family. an in&easing number of other per- dewijl wij de breeders  liefhebbe'n"? We zouden. kun-
sons gathered about  D&vid. "Every  ,one that  was in nen voortgaan: het materiaal is rijk en vol van vari-
distress, and every one that was -discontented, arid atie.                   :          /-                           I_
every one that was in debt, gathered themselves unto              Die Hem vreezen!
him". The number wasabout four hundred, but after-                Ge weet wat dit beduidt. Het is hiet .de slaafsche
wards rose to six hundred. He became  captain over vrecs die in haar wezen niet anders is dan haat tegen-
them, He has now an army with him. Hoilr easy he               over het voorwerp. Neen, de ware vreeze, de vreeze
,now. can niake insurrection against Saul. .But he, `is        Gods, is rein; ze opent een fontein ,van heil, dat nooit
far from this. `It is that much more evidence to Saul vergaat. Haar dierbare leer- verspreidt een straal van


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                                   /
 2           5    6                             T H E   S T A N D A R D          B E A R E R   :

billijkheid  ; daar  z' alle  onwAarheid  haat.  lOok is .ze            Z266 groot  ei hoog en  geweldig is Gods  goeder-
 meerder  waard,  clan `t fijnste  gout op aard'. Niets              iierenheid  over die Hem vreezen, dat Uw zonde nooit
 kan  haar glans verdooven ! Ze  streeft in heilzaam rneer gezien zal worden.
 zoi?t, tot streeling van `t gemoed, den. honig ver  te
                                 . .                                    Is dat niet een onbeschcijflijk goed?
 bo veil.                                                               Let er tech op,, dat als Uw zonde U bijblijft,  ge om
      Ije Vreeze Gods!                                               dier zonde wil weggeworpen zult  worden  tot in de
   Ze is  it&  beginsel der wijsheid. Ze  leert ons  den             diepten der hel. .God zeide eens: De .ziel- die zondigt,
 rechtcll weg  .te kiezen naar `t Hart van God. Want                 zij zal  stervenJ Welnu, dat  Tireeselijk  oopdeel wordt
 wijsheid is het  bewand-elen van de  rechte wegen tot               niet uitgevoerd over U als ge Hem vreest. Dat vreezen
 het verkrijgen van `t hoogste doel, en dat is ,God.  .te- van God.is een bewijs, dat Jezus voor U gestorven is.
 vindcn met prijs en lof in `t di,epe hart.,                         Let er op, dat ik niet zig, dat de vrees Gods de grand
   Vx-eest  g e   G o d ?                                            is van Uw zaligheid. Neen, maar zij bewijst, dat ge
      Da,n is Zijne goedertierenheid geweldig  over U.               door Hem aangeraakt zijt met een genadige aanraking
      Hoe  geyeldig?`                                                tot  Uw eeuwig heil, want die Gdd  kenmaal  266  aan-'
      Zoo hoog de hemel  is boven`de aarde !                         raakt moet  naar den  hemel.  Die kan nooit  .verldrti
  `- Dat sign. ontzettende afstanden. Hier moet ge bij               gaan. Dat is zuiver Evangelie.                    ,.                " _
 Einstem   tk rade gaan. Maar `t hoeft niet. Zelfs met                   Ga nu maar verder, en ge zult nog meer wonderen
 bet naakte oog, in  diepen  nacht,  kunt~ ge de  verten             lxooren.
 zicl:, otarende naar de fonkelende  starreti,  die al maar          : Weer gaat het over &en groot goed van die goeder;
  schitteyen In `t donker-blauwe zwerk. De afstanden tierenheid. En ?ok weer voor "die Hem vreezen". i
 zijn vreeselijk, als we luisteren naar astroloog en                    Die Hem vreezen!,                                     ._
  pizysicist.                                                           Hkt zijn de wedergeborenen, wier levem %an boven,
      Ik denk, dai de. zanger door den Heiligen Geisi ge-            van den  hemel,   doorgedrongen  is. tot in  Ih-et  bewuste
 leerd,  .die ontzettende afsttindeh van bet heelal .benut,          l&en, en die daar in..het diepe hart vrieed gey@den
  cilidat ei niets .grooter  en hooger en breeder  i's :.d& `t       zijn  van God, hun  Tieven  Vader.   Voorhtien  waren ze
  luchtruim.           En. ook dan nog  kunt, moogt ge  .er bij      vreemdelingen   <oar  .God  ein: hun eigen  .hart.  Doch
 zeyg2.n  : en Zijne goedertierenheid' is nog veel. groo'ker         toen " `1~ door ,God'.s YGeest aan mijzelf. we+d ontdekt,
  en. hooger dan de ontelbare 1ichtja;ren vari het Jucht- toen werd  in mijn iiele die -v.+eexe  gewekt !`."                        -
  ruim. Want zij is eeuwig en altoos. Dat staat  66k                    Nu dan, dat ydlk, die gelukkige m&m&en  die in hun
 in den Bijbel.                                                      hart en leveri de vreeze-  Gods `omdragen, zijn in groote
      Denkt er even  aan:  (God zal tot. in  eeuwigheid  U           ellende, en dat  vantiege hun  "G&vreeaend   lbven!"
  goed zijn, U het goede werken, en in die goedighgid                Dat zit zoo : zoo spoedig  ge openbaart  naar buiten, .d&
  Gods, Zichzelven  aan U blijven schenken.                          ge den Hee$e liefhebt, en daarom Zijn-Naam uitdraagt
      .Hier is een voorbeeld : "Zoo ver het Oosten is van in. VW leven en wandeling, zoo spokdig komen de God-
  bet  West&i, ,266 ver doet Hij onze overtredihgen  van haters om U.te benauwen. Alsdaar zijn : de Satan en
  @llS.".                                                      _     zij& duivelen ; de -wereEd. en haar machten  en geweld-
      `Och arme! Wat  ?a1 ik  daar van zeggen? Ik heb,               hebbers ; en' al de machten en krachten der.zonde. Die
  .tiiet lang geleden,  iets gelezen over die afstanden die          a!len b&auwen  Godi volk, om Gods wil. Luistert naar
  C?U zijn  tusschen "het Oosten en het  Westen",  en ik             dat volk : ze zullen het U vertellen; Eerst door David
 meet  belijden, dat mijn verstand duizelt bij het hooren            en dan door Paulus, die Davids klacht gehoord  heeft.
 .van die lichtjaren, die ontzaglijke afstandex                      "Om Uweetwil worden wij den ganschen dag gedood;
      `En wat`is de bedoeling dan van deze vergelijkilig?            wij zijn geacht als  slaqhtschapen." Psalm  44.  en
  Wel, ik denk: dat de Heere met opzet, de grootste af- Ron?. 8.                                                  .
  standen als een voorbeeld gebruikt, om ons te verieke-                 Maar Go& goedertierenheid is geweldig `over hen ,
  reri;:dat de zonden en overtredingen die ons zoo be-               in die ellendige en benauwende  toestanden.                    Want :
  nauwen, nooit  meer zullen terugkomen. Ge n&et maar                "Gelijk  zich een  Vader ontfermt over de kinderen,
  eens lezen hoeveel lichtjaren het neer)lt voor het !icht ohtferit  Zich de HEERE over degenen die Hem
                                                                                                             '                 ,
  va.n zekere  ster om de aarde te bereiken, en dan voor             vreezen."
  de aandacht  ho&en, dat  achter die zekere ster nog                    Ge we&-toch,,dat  dntfermen altijd.in`verband geiet
  meer diepten van' ruimte zijn. Daarom  .bexi ik  ver- &ordt  in Gods Woord niet ellende en smart?: `;
  zekerd, dat de Heere hiermee bedoelt te zeggen, hat de                 Gij ailen die dit leest  kent aen berijmden .vorm van
  ,overtredingen  nooit meer terugkomen.                En dat is    deze  `ged&&te,   en  `ik zou  -U  willen  `veizo&ken  oin  o&e
  goede Bijbelsche leer.                De overtredingen `zijn weg, v;id$r&i die den psaim op rijm gez& hebben niet-hard
  uitgedelgd, weggedragen, in het eeuwig vergeetboek.                to vall& iY&ne&  ge opinerkt, `dat zij verder gegaan
  Wees Johannes de Dooper niet op het  Lam,  `dat de                 zijn'd&bet-lktterlijke  woord hie?. cod.zegt in dezeh
  xlide `der wereld wegnebmk?                                        psalm, dat,  -I&j-  Zich  ontfermt`.   o$er U, `zoo als  een


                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   `B E A R E R                                            257

 Vader zich ontfermt over de kinderen. Maaa de  be- er! dat ge er van moogt xingen?
 rijmers van den psalm zeggen: Geen Vader slokg met                Wie van Gods .volk heeft niet met innerlijke ont-
 grooter mededoogen op `t teeder kroost ooit zijn ont- roei-ing,  gezongen : "Hij weet wat van Zijn  maaksel zij
 fermende oogen, dan Israel's Heer ..op ieder die Hem           ie wachten, hoe zwak van moed, hoe klein wij zijn van
 v r e e s t !                                                  krachten, en qat wij stof, van jongsaf,.zijn  geweest!"
      Ik zeg': val hen niet hard, .want ik geloof, -dat hij        iullen`.wij  onszelven  nu  verontgdhuldigen,  en ons
 deze vrijheid hebben om het zoo te veranderen. Dat is achter dezen  tekst  verbergen,   om-  gieriglijk  allerl&i
 een  goede   verandering:      Of, eigenlijk is het geen zonden te bedrijven? Ik denk, dat als ge deze .slang-
 verandering. Het is de juiste gbdachte die verscholen achtige vraag, zoudt doen aan Paulus, hij zeggen zou :
 ligt in den psalm. Alle ontferming van  vaderen  op Me  g&noito! Dat zij verre! Gelijk een adder, werpt
 garde is slechts  eeti  flauye  schaduw  iran Gods  ont-
                                                       I        hij deze en dergelijke gedachten van zich.
y ferming.                                                         Neen, .maar wij worden getroost door de bemoedig-
    De ontferming Gods !                                        ende woorden Gods. De Heere weet, het, dat wij de
      Het is Zijn eeuwige liefde die in Hem bewogen             zonde, die nog tegen oxizen wil in ons overgebleven is,
wordt als Hij U ziet in bloed en  trtinen  en in lijden.        hatch met een vreeselijke haat. Daarom zijn er eigen-
 .Ik.  heb  opzettelijk  die volgorde en die woorden  ge-       lijk geen zoogenaamde  boexeinxonden.  Het is  vreese-
 kozen. Het is een andere psalm  die ze opgaf. Hun              lijk om het te zegge+ Boezemzonden wil zeggen, dat
 bloed, hun tranen, en bun lijden, zijn dierbaar in Zijn gij somniige zonden liefhebt, en dat is niet waar. Door
 oog. 0 ngen, Hij zal het nooit vergeten  hoe ge klaag-         de genade die in onze  harten woont heeft  .de Heere
 det in UW lijden ifi diepen nacht. God ontfermt'zich           ons geleerd om aEZe zonden te haten, en ill denk, dat we
 over U.                                                        de zoogenaamde boezemzonden nbg meer haten dan de *
      Ik had nog  &n element in die omschrijving van anderen.
 Gods' .ontferming   moeten opnemen.  @Yet is dit :  Het.          Ma&r'Hij gedenkt er aan, dat wij stof zijn, zwak
 is die liefde Gods over Zijn volk waarin Hij bewogen           btin moed en klein van  krachten'., En dat troost en
 wdrdt over' Uw lijden, .met het vaste voornemen om U           bemoedigt het kind van Goti.
 u;it al  .Uw  lijden te  aerlosseni  Juist' deze toevoeging       H,et  is  eigenaardlg,   maar" alhoewel we  elken  dag,-
 is zoo troostelijk, als we in smart ter neder zitten. God wat zeg ,ik-elk oogenblik zondigen, en terwijl we
 zal uitkomst geven.                                            weten, dat we he't zulien blijven doen tot den laatsten :
      En wat is dan die groote ellende waarin we ver-           snik op aarde, tech blijven we pl;obeeren om volmaakt
 keereti?  _                                                    te leven.' Zwak van moed? 0 ja. K.l@in van krachten?
     Ik kan niet alles opnoemen, en daarom zal ik het Zekerlijk, we stemmen het direkt tpe. Maar we strij-
 hart van $1 onze ell,ende schetsen.                            .den om Hem  welbehaaglijk te zijn. Er zit een reih
  Vporal in den  dag  toen' dit lied uitgedacht  werd           beginsel in ons ; zooeven  hebben we- er over geschreven :
 cn op muziek gezet is, is hij zoo froostrijk voor het het is de vreeze Gods ; en dat kleine beginsel  is 266
 ware Israel geweest. Hun grootste smart was de zonde-          sterk, dat het ons  geheele.  leven  beinvloedt:  Het wil
 schuld. Ge mookt ze afzonderlijk indenken, Zonde               volmaakt vdor God leven, alhoewel we het bier .nooit
 doet  tins schuldig zijn. En schuld roept om straf. En "`zullen benaderen.                                *         a
 als Gods volk zijn ionde ziet, dan is hij n+iet alleen in         .En. God weet het. En Hij zal, in Zijn. eeuwige
 smart over die zonde die hem schuldig doet zijn, doch -goedertierenheid,  die. honger eenmaal  bevredigen.
 hij beseft,  `dat hij tegen den Liefhebber van zijn ziel .Strtiks ontvangen we' de vleugelen van vrije beweging
 zondigde. Dit; dit  .is het meest schrijnende van de voor Zijn troon.
 ellen$ie  van Gds volk. Zij will&  volmaakt  zijn, en             Daarnaar  haakt en verlangt ons hart!
 zij kunnen niet.                                                  Het is heerliik Zijn deugden te ervdren.
  ' Dat ziet en hoort IGod. -En clan ontfermt .Hij Zich            (Geweldige,   eetiwig& goedertierenheid !              .`.
 over U.                                                                                                         G .   V o s .
     En het is dit: Hij heemt al Uw smart weg. Voor-
 werpelijk in de gave van den Christus. Onderwerpe- .                                 -     -      -
 lijk door' de gave van  (Christus'  Geest die U omzet, `gpz;-  ~`?(,  :l.
 rcinigt, en' uiteindelijk opwekt ten laatsten dage, om
 U als een  r&ne maagd  aan Uw Bruidegom  vogr te                                SPECIAL  NlOTICE
 ste!len.                                      .                   Classis West will meet, the Lord willing on the
     Wonderlijke ontferming!                                    3rd of March, 1948. Not in  Edgertoti,  ag previously
     Eeuwige, geweldige goede.rt%renheid  Gods !                announced, but due to circumstances,' in Hull, Iowa.
     `Want Hij weet wat maaksel dat wij zijn, gedachtig Delegates who desire lodging are kindly requested to                      .
 zijnde  d&t wij stof zijn."                                    contact Rev. A. Cammen&a, Hull, Iowa. 1
     Zijt ge niet blijde, dat dit vers in den Bijbel staat,                                 --    Rev.`C. Hanko, rS. C;


       258                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA.RER

                                                                         idea, the wrong teaching and the wrong way of life.
                      INHISFEAR.                                    L       If we walk in the fear of the Lord; we must never
                                                         :               say that we got`~there  by follqwing a false doctrine.
                                                                         A'fid if we are not walking  in His fear, we may not
              False  Doctrine  and  The  Fear                            say that this is due to the fact that we have a purer
                                                                         doctrine than those whose way to outward appearances
                       Of       The        Lord                          is more in conformity with God's Word. That those
                                                                         with a purer manifestation' `of the truth walk in  a.
 I     Xutmlly Exclusive.                                                more  evil way .than those who confess the lie is not
              One is sometimes astounded by the outward walk due to that purer manifestation of the truth but rather
       of those who hold to false doctrines. It is Inot at all to the failure of that person to live according to his
       a rare thing to find those who hold to Arminian doc- confession. The Pharisees  in Jesus' time outwardly"
       trines to all appearances literally bubbling over with performed what men called good works. They were
       spiritual enthusiasm and denying themselves severelby even esteemed f6r their piety. Yet it was only hypo-
       the things of the world. Those who peddle the heresy cricy and not at all the fkar of the Lord. Now we do
       of the Russelites show & peculiar boldness` to confess not mean to say that all those who hold any' shade of
       and testify before all others their belief. They dare to          the error are being hypocritical when they pray, wor-
       meet you in your own home and there to try to sell ydu            ship and contribute to God's kingdom. We may not so.
       their literature and doctrine. They show a far greater judge. But we do say this, that if those  yho hold to
       interest in a thorough training,in Scripturk memoriza-            any shade of the lie, who believe in any departure from
       lion than those who hold to the Reformed truth. Those th.e truth, no matter what the degree, perform truly
       with the free will doctrine of salvation for all who hea?         good works' which are pleasing in God's sight, then
       I;he gospel and of a Jesus who pleads and begs because            it must be the truth which they still possess which.has
       iTe wants to save 811 men head for head are willing led them in that way.
       to undergo severe hardshiPs and deprivations to bring                Yet this does not fully answer our original question.
       their message to. foreign mission- fields. Those who How is it that in Arminian circles, for  exainple, you
       deny that God ,elected  ,a definite number of persons,            find more zeal and enthusiasm, at least to all outward
       choosing the very individual by.name,  from before the            appearances, than in those circles which hold to the
      foundation of the world and who deny the `doctrine                 truth of sovereign election and limited atonement?
       of total depravity are far more- ready to, part `with             In the first place we wish to deny that this is true.
       their money for foreign mission. activity or radio We grant the fact that those who hold to Arminianism
       broadcasting than those who hold. to the Scriptural are very, very active .in their church affairs  -and are
       tr& that before they were born or had done good or                ready to stand on the street corner and plead and
       cv .il; God loved Jacob and hated Esau and that Christ beg with sinners. We grant that you can almost al-
       knows His sheep and that He lays down His life only               ways find them ready to speak of spiritual things and
       for ZIis sheep.                                                   speak in glowing terms of their love for their saviour.
              What shall we say of all this? Shall +e say that We are not afraid either to grant that they are full of
       this !e the fear of the Lord?. Shall we say that false            ltiissionary-zeal  fdr the unchurched. Their very  doc-
      doctrilles  tend much more to the fear of the Lord ,trine instills them with that zeal and even brings it
       than  does the truth?  We dare not take that  '3tan.d.            to fever pitch: As far as the things of emotionalism
       Shall we then say that because of the fruit produce&              are concerned, they are  all there. For Arminianism
       we must not concider  these to be false doctrines? By is a doctrine which ,plays upbn the emotions. It pic-
       t1lei.r fruit, ye shall know them, Jesus once said., Does tures a Jesus who weepingly pleads and begs and must
       this fruit mean that the tree ,is good? Is it rea'!!y- gdod go away disappointed if you do not let Him come in.
       fruit  ?; could also be asked.                                    In that respect Jesus Himself was a very cold, phleg-
              There should `be no doubt left in our minds that matic preacher, for He states, "No man ctin come unto
       false doctrines cannot produce the fear. of the .Lord.            Me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him",
       The lie can never point otit to us the right Way. It is John 6 :44. Ther.e  is no play upon the emotions there.
      the lie just exactly because it points in the, wrong One might almost accuse Jesus of thrbwing cold water
       direction. A highway marker which has been twisted upoq the enthusiasm of those who listened to Him.
       to point in the wrong direction can only lead you away            And, of coprse,  ,that text in Rev. 3 :20 where Jesus is
       from the -destination you are seeking and for which pictured as standing at the door and kriockifig,  if you
       goal you observed that marker. It is a false director have read it in its cohtent and not simply lifted it out
       just exactly because it points away from rather than of its place, you know th.at Jesus is standing at..the
       unto your goal. So false doctrines are false just exact- door qf the corrupt church at Laodicea which is not
       ly bee&use- they give us the wrong picture, the wrong             pleasing to  I$rn anymore. It does  -not refresh  -Him
                                                                                                               B
I.


                                    T    H    E      -STANDARD  BEARER                                            259
                                                                                          s
 for it  is neither cool nor hot but lukewarm. He is         ism, though not the product of emotionaiism and' the
 about $0 spew it out of His mouth, so loathsome is it       false doctrine of Arminianism, is due simply to spirit-
 to Him. But before He does so, He calls to His elect,       ual laziness and the f&t `chat such a person does not
regenerated people in His grace and calls them to open really believe the Scriptural doctrine of election. False
 the door of the church in order to come out of it, and      doctrine doesnot work in one the spiritual enthusiasm
 then ,Christ will come in and sup with him. Into that and zeal ivhich pleases God, but the doctrines of Scrip-
 church He cannot come to. sup with them.  `iSurely ture do, and if we really believe these cloctrines,  we
 nowhere in the text.itself is there any play of emotion-    will grow in the fear of the Lord so that we are very
 alism by Christ to plead for man, to open the door. Be diligent about our calling to preach the gospel every-
 that all as it may, it is not strange that the Arminian     where and to `witness of the truth in all that we do.
 doctrine appeals to those who are emotionally inclined. John the Ba.ptist was a man filled with zeal for the
 It was cone&ted just exactly to catch the fancy of kingd6m  of heaven, the like of which cannot be found
 .such people. We must sharply distinguish between in the person of any krminian preacher past or .pre-
 emotional enthusiasm pure and simple and the spiritual      sent, yet the Scriptures nowhere picture him as an
 elithusiasm and joy which the truth works in God's          emotionalistic pleading' Arminian playing upon the
 people. But let us consider this `question:  where in       emotions of his hearers. `IIe did not plead with them
 Arminian circles is there that enthusiasm for Chris- ,to come before it is too late. He rebuked. He de-.
 tian School instruction for their own covenant youth?       manded repentance. He did not beg for it. "0 genera-
 `They .will undergo much to bring their messages to         tion of vipers, who hat11 warned you to flee from the
 the foreign mission field; but they  lack enthusiasm wrath to come. Bring forth fruits therefore meet for
 for their own children's spiritual educatidn and well       repentance", is how he addressed to Scribes and Phari-
 being. Where do you find among  IArminian  circles          sees. He had zeal for God's kingdom. He had the
 the  catechetica.1  training by the church to the youth     truth, and he believed in election.' His belief in elec-
 in these doctrines? These things take  Bpiritual en-        tion did not dampen his zeal or cause him to be fatal-
 thusiasm ! And look at the worldly amusements and           istic and lax. And if we are lax in  miss$nary zeal
 practices they are willing to condone and practice !        11 is not because with &he mouth we confess the truth
 They are not strict  ,in their walk of life in spite of     of election. It is because it is not deeply rooted in our
 their apparent enthusiasm to save the whole world for hearts.
 Jesus.    They condone the lodge, worldly unions, the          But that f4se"doctrine can never lead us into the
 theatre, to mention  la few things. And in as far as        fear of the Lord ought to be plain from all the pages
 any chnrch :has Arminian tendencies and doctrines, it       of  *Holy Writ as one follows the historical line laid
 will continue in  .that way.    Any enthusiasm which &wn therein. When did the fear of the Lord Lease?
 abides in one's soul by way of false doctrine cannot        What brought about its termination? False doctrine.
 lead him in the way of retil spiritual zeal fdr (God's      Th.e devil brought  .the lie. And embracing that lie,
 cause and precepts.                                         man said `in his heart that he was through with the
     Nor is it difficult,- to limit ourselves momentarily Lord. H'e lost his respect, his awe and reverence for
 to Arminianism as we have. begun to do, `to under-          God and dared to disobey- His command. And it was
 stand this enthusiasm which Arminianism instills. `If the  Woi-d of God, the Truth that brought him back
 we believe that it is all. up to' man and that he can       again. God spoke to fallen man and showed him the
 be persuaded to accept Christ by our work and we            way. By `His Word and Spirit God restored in prin- _
 thereby receive another star in our crown and have          ciple in failen man the fear of the Lord.
 made  GQd's church larger and have added to the                Read the book of Judges. When Israel- comes in
 number of the elect thereby, then we can be filled with     contact with the false doctrines of the image worship
 zeal and enthusiasm to strive to persuade everyone          of the false gods of the heathen round about them,
 who comes ous way. A doctrine which makes man               they no longer live in the fear of the Lord.  They
 something-and attributes a little good to him so that forsake God. That same thing is true of the New
 he can at least will to be saved tickles man's fancy and    Dispensation church. When it accepts false doctrines
 pride, and it makes him feel like doing &mething.           it accepts a way which leads away from the worship
     Naturally we are not advocating or defending the        and service of IGod. When it preaches false dpctrine,
 position that we must not ha?e spiritual enthusiasm         it tells its members to walk.in `i way which is not the
 and must not be eager to preach the gospel far and          fear of the Lord. Look at the Roman Catholic Church
 wide and put forth all our efforts in that direction.       with its image and  `X saint worship !  ' What is there  -
 We are not advocating the fatali$tic  philosophy that that is strict about the walk demanded of the members
 since God elected definite persons by name and a defi- of this church. Divorce is strongly condemned and
 nite number of these, we need not be so concerned, f& forbidden, but not for the sake of the fear of the Lord.
God will see to it that these are all saved. Such fatal-     It is. forbidden for the sake of the fear lest the-Roman


         260                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

         Catholic Church in the future be broken' up aild be of                  tion, is likewise true of the church of the new dispensa-
         smaller membership. But I can go to Mass Sunday tion. God is also their God, for He spoke in prophecy
         morning and play golf or go -to the movie in the after-                 ,through Jeremiah, saying,
         noon, when I accept the false doctrines of that church.                      "But this shall be .the covenant that I will make
         %slse doctrines NEVER lead any one or even encour;                           with the house qf Israel ; after those days, saith
         age anyone in the fear of the Lord.                                          the Lord, I will p,ut My lath in their inward parts,
                There is another side tfre wopld  like to consid'er  next             and write it in their hearts. And I will be their
         time. The,fear of the Lord never promotes false doc-                         IGod, and they shall be My people". Jer. 31:33.
         trine either. More of .this later.
                                                        j. IA. Heys.                If there should be any doubt that this refers to the
                                                                                 church of the new dispensation, this doubt is  im-
                                                                                m.ediately  removed as, soon -as we note that this pro-
                                                                                 phecy is quoted in Heb. 10 :16 as referring to the New
                                                                                 Testament church.
                                                                                    In  th.at sense God is also called "the God and Father
                          FROM  HOLY  WR;IT                              ; of,Jesus Christ," for Christ is the Head of His people
                                                                                .in God's covenant, since God has chosen them in Him
                                                                                 from eternity. Prophetically Psalm 89 states of Him,
                           A  Gad  Wnto  Thee                                         "He-shall cry unto Me, `Thou art My Father, My
                                                                                      God, and the Rock of My salvation. Also I will
           One of the most unique and significant' expressions                        make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings
         111 Scripture is the repeated statement, "I will be a God                 of the earth. My mercy will I keep for Him for
        , unto thee".                                                                 evermore,  and My covenant shall stand fast with
          : Lest  -tie imagine that this simply, refers  to,.the                     .Him". Psalm 89:26-28.
         fatit that Gad is the sovereign L,ord  over all the earth,                  No wonder that Ephesians ,1:3, 4 ,declares,
         Who governs all things by the Word of His power `and                         "Blessed be tine God and ,Father of .our Lord Jesus
         jccording  to the purpose of His will,, we do well to note                   Christ, Who has blessed us with all spiritual bless-
         at once, that this is a divine promise. It is the assur-                   ings.in heavenly places in Christ, according as He
         ance that God gives to His covenant" people in Christ,                       hath chosen us in Him befol;e the, foundation of
         bestowing upon them `all the blessings of salvation                          the world, that' we should ,be holy and -blameless
         which  .He has prepared for them in Christ.' All the                       b e f o r e   H i m ".
         blessedness of  #God's covenant  is expressed in the                                                  ..
         simple words, "I will be a God unto thee".                                  Only' in Christ is God's covenant promise realized, '
                                                                                 sd that God says to His people chosen and redeemed in
         A Covekant God.                                                         Christ, "I  .will be a God unto thee".             .
                When God established His covenant with Abraham,                  A  D,elizlerer.
         He says,                                                                    A God must-be able to deliver. He must be mighty
                 "And I will establish My  cbvenant between Me Lo  `save.  #Our  `God must deliver  us'from the dominion
                 and .thee  and thy seed after' thee in their gen,era-           of sin and death, and take us unto Himself in His cove-
                 tions for an `everlasting covenant,  t,o be  B God nant, if He is `actually to be a ,God unto us. This idea
                 unto thee, and to thy seed after thee". Gen. 17  :7.            is expressed repeatedly in Scripture. As, for example,
        ' And when Moses is sent to deliver Israel from the when Jacob fled to Laban in order to preserve God's
         bondage of Egypt to bring them to the land that God                     covenant from the destruction threatened by Esau,
          had promised to Abraham, the Lord says to Israel :             ' :          "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be
                 "And I will take you to &`e for a people, -and I will                wjth me, and will keep me in' the- way that I go,
                 be to you a God. And ye shall know that 1 am the                     and will' giy& n& bread to e$ -and raiment  to pbt
                 Lou'd your God, which bringeth you out from under                     onj :so th$t I come  again to my father's house in
                 the burdens of the Egyptians". Ex. 6 5.                              peace; Ithen sliall the Lord be' my God". G&i 88 :
                           ,                                                        20,  21.  .' .  /*  -
                Therefore God is repeatedly called the God of &bra-                                     _
        hame; and of Isaac, .a@ of Jacob. 1 Often. He is -call,ed.                   *lien  Go&  gives His, law  to Israei at Sinai, `He
          the God of their fathers, or the God of Israel, (espec-                 r e m i n d s   t h e m ,   _
         . ially in the prophecy of Jeremiah) ; or He declares, `!I                    "I am the Lord-thy God, which- have brought thee
          am'thy God, and ye are My people".                 .                      ' out of the land of  -Egypt, out of  the house..  df
            What is true of spiritual Israel in the old dispensa-                  -.  b o n d a g e " . .           .`.                       -,
                                                                                                                                         `.
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11~                 .-                                                                                                                               4


                                            T H E   "STAN.DARD  BEARER                                                                           261

        When  Isaiah speaks  with holy irony  about the . as a bride adorned for her husband. And he hears a
  foolishness of Israel's worship, he says,                          great voice out of heaven saying,
           "He burneth part thereof in the fire. With part                               "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and
           thereof he eateth flesh ; he rossteth roast, and is                           He iyill dwell with them, and they shall be His
           satisfied. Yea, he warmeth himself and saith,                   pe'ople, and God Himself shall bi? with  thim, and
           Aha, I am  waym,  I$aye  ,seen the fire. And the                        ' (`.
                                                                                         be their God." R,ev.  21:s.
           residue thereof he .@k$h a god,, even his. griyen
           image ; he f$l$h down unto it, and virorihippeth                        The fulness of eternal salvation is expressed  in the
           it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, .Deliver  me, for     glorious promise.  -  ; ,
                                                                     ,                                                             2.
           thou  a& my god".               .          .'                                 "He'that overcbmeth  shall jnherit all things ; i&d
          This sin is the more-abominable, because Israel seeks                          I wil!. be his God, and he shall by my son." Rev.
   deliverance from a vain idol. before the face of the                                  21:7.                                           :
   living God, Who alone is able to deliver. God main-                             That, according to Hebrews  11:16 is God's self-
  tains,                                                             vindication overagainst His people in  this present
           "I, even I, &m the Lord; and beside Me there is no world  of. sin  aqd misery. There we meet the  atiaiirig
         , saviour. I have declared, and have saved,' and. I statemcnty
           have  shewed,  wheti `there was no strange  (God.                             "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be &led the&
           among you ; ther.efore ye are My witnesses, saith                             ,God; for He has.prepared  for them a city."
           the Lord, that I am God". Isaiah 43:11, 12.                             This can only mean, that otherwise God might have
          The  cpvenant' God delivers His  pepple  from sin good reason to be ashamed teat He ever roused the.
and destruction, to take  the& unto Himself as His hopes of His people with the promise that He Gould
   people forever.            -.-     s                              be their God. -For what does He do for His people, as
           "Neither shall they defile themselves any more far as their earthly advantage,  is concerned? They
           with their idols, nor with their detestable things, are stratiger$  upon the earth and- aliens in the w&d.
           ntir with any of their transgressions. But I will IOften they go about us paupers, ,even though ,they are
         ,~, save .them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein called princes. They fight.a long and ofttimes  wear+
  : ; tliey have sinned, and will cleanse them. So shall_ some battle against the powers of wickedness  that
           they be My people, and I will be their God." Ezek.        beset them-on  every Side. `They are despised and mis-
           37 :23.                                                  treated. And they also must walk in the midst of suf-
                                                 I                   fering and death in this present time. Wicked men
L+ Covenant Fellowship.                                              do -not seem to suffer as they do. Yet, in spite of all
                                                                     that, God is not ashamed to be called their C&d.. For
          "I will be a God unto. thee," expresses also a rela-' the simple reason that He has prepared for them a
   tibn of covenant fellowship between God and His  scity                                                               !
       people.    God is a God to them by  $w&ling  among                          `.
   them. This is literally expressed in Ex. 29 :45,                                That city ,is heavenly, spiritual, eternal. It is the
                                                                     living fellowship with ,God and all the saints about the
           "And I will dwell among the children of `Israel,          throne. All the suffering of. this ,present  iime`.cannot
           atid will be their <God."                                 weigh up against that glory that awaits them..  Tk;ey
          Atid also in Psalm 46 :5 ,7,                        0      are absolutely sure that they will receive this: bles$ed
         "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be               fellowship frbm their `God, for He has prepared ii for
           moved. God shall help her, and that right early.          them: He never fails to accomplish all that He `has set
                                                                     out to do. And His promises are sure ; they never
         . . . . The Lord of hosts is with us ; the God of I(  fail                                     i                                        . .
           Jacob is our refuge.  S~$l%h". .                                        Nd wonder thaf God is iot ashamed-to be call&
  -       .The  -prop&t   Zephaniah  tells  US  t&it.  God dwells  the  God  of His  .people                    The heavenly city  I  He,  ,h&
       among Hi's people-because He  loyes them, rejoices in prepared  for thein.                                                                     :.
   them with. joy and-with singing, Zeph. 3 :17. Which                    . . .
       must mean, that it is joy and blessedness for  His A Galling to Holiriess.                                 .                      :'.a
       people to experience that fellowship of God. They
       stand before His face, draw near to Him in worship,                 . `It naturally f&ows that this pl-omise  carries with
       delight in His presence, rejoice in His blessedness and       it;' a calling to holiness, obedience and fear.
       extol His prai$es  in wonder and adoration. It is good                            "Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our aGod is. one. Lord.
   for them to draw near to God.                                                         And thou shalt love the Lord-thy .God with .a11
          .-John on Patmos sees the holy city, the new Jeru-                             thine heart, and with all tliy soul', and with ill
       salem, `coming down from God out of heaven, prepared.                  ( thy-knight." Deut.  6:4, 5.                                      *


       262                                       THE,:...STAND.ARD  B E A R E R

               .!`For I am the Lord that bringeth you out of the
                land of Egypt, to be your God. Ye shall thkrefore                                  PERISCOPE
                be holy, for I. am-holy.,, Lev. 11:45.                                -'
                "He hath shewed  thee, $0 man, what is good; and                                                                           --%
                what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do                     .The  Rev. Geo.  LubB& . . . .
                justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly                        A few issues ago we informed our readers that
                with thy God?" Micah 6 :8.                                        the Rev. G. Lubbers @f Randolph, Wise., was suffering
               From these various passages it becomes evident,                   from undulant fever and was unable to perform his
       th& the calling,!0 holiness follows .upon God's work of labors. We are now happy to be able td report that
        grace in the heart, whereby God be&me's our God. It                       there is gradual improvement in- the brother's condi-
            is only possible to hear and to obey that calling through             tion.     In a letter which we received recently, Rev.
            that wbrk of -grace in .our hearts. It is the fruit of Lllbbers sLated that he had been able to enjoy attend-
       -the establishment of God's' coveriant  w.ith us.                          ing some of the services again and was beginning to
       It is also a covenant obligation.  `God is the holy                        take up some of his pastoral work. If the Lord con-
            God; Who can have no fellowship with sin. He, abhors tinues to lead him in the way of recovery,. he hopes to
       "sin and holds Himself afar from sinneys.  "Thy testi- be able to  resulie preaching for his congregation in
       monies, Lord, in faithfulness excel ; and holy must Thy                    ihe near. future. Though his recovery is a slow pro-
            servants be who in Thy temple dwell." Psalm 93.                       cess, Rev. Lubbers is able to rest in the grace which
               And finally the most grievous sins. are those com-                 God has revealed to him. May we remember our
            mitted in the sphere. of God's covenant.           It `took a brother and all the Lord's afflicted children in their
            Judas to betray the,Christ.  -It was a Peter who denied               distress.        1.
            Him. Israel's sin is always spiritual adultery. .                                      HOME  MISSPO?$: NEWS
            "Thou Art My God."                                                    Byron Center, Michigan . . . .
               Finally, God's assurance, "I will be thy God," finds                   The latest news from. Byron Center stated that
            an etiho in the heart of the believer, whereby he con-                tile work there seemed to be progressing towards
            fesses : "Thou art my God.                                            organization.          This had been postponed for a time
               The psalmist declares,                                             due to difficulties encountered in finding a suitable
                                                                                  meeting place for services. A possible  splution ap-
               "0 God, Thou.art my God, early will I seek Thee,                   peared when it was learned that the property of -the
              -`-.: My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth. for Reformed Church. in Byron Center might be purchased.
             ." .Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water' is ;             The Reformed ,Church there desires larger. quarters to
                 to see `Thy power and  Thy'glory,  so as I have meet its needs and had appointed a committee, to con-
                 seen Thee in the syanctuary." Ps; 63 :l.                       o .tact our people `in Byron, to discuss the sale of their
                This same experience caused Christ to suffer "in- present Church and parsonage to our people. Hence,
            expr,essible  anguish, pains, terrors and hellish agonies" all+hose who were known to.be  interested in the organ-
            on  @.e  iross, for He was forsaken of God, banished                  ization of a Protestant Reformed Church in  .Byron
            `from befdre  his face as an outcast from His covenant,               Center were contacted by some of our men there, and
            cut  off.  from the  land of the living, until He cried,              a,price was decided upon which was to be made as an
       "My God, My Gdd, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"                               offer to the Reformed people. The amount offered,
                For our sins He suffered on the cross, to bring us                however, was declined and the counter proposal of the
            to .God,. in order that this God may be our God forever Reformed group, was considered to be too high and
       and ever. God proves Himself to be our God bJT de-. beyond the means of our people. Hence, these negotia-
            livering.us  from all our woes, taking us into His, fellow- tions were discontinued.,
            ship, and giving grace to live in covenant friendship                     Naturally, this was somewhat disheartgning since
            with Him. With the psalmist we learn to say,                          no other suitable meeting place seemed available. Some
                 "Thou. art my God, I will exalt Thee.  ,O give, suggested that organization be postponed indefinitely,
                 thanks unto the Lord,  for, His mercy  &ndureth until  prop&ty   was more available. In view of the
                 fore&r.,,  qsalrn  118:28.                                       situation a meeting was held on -February  5 to discuss
                                                                                  future  prdceedure.         After the chairman, the Rev. 8.
s      -        We have touched on just a few of the almost `in- Knott, had presented various possibilities, a vote was
            numerable  .passages  that run al;1 through Scripture.                 taken'and the group expressed that the great majority
            ilay ii' help us :io. realize that "`blessed is that people            still favored organization in the near future if a meet-
            `whqse' G.od is: Jehoyah."
                 -. _:_  :                                                         ing place cotild tie found;'`It was al@ decided to hold
                                                    C     .          Htinko.      .another  genekal  meetinff after a few weeks,  during


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BE,ARER                                                  26%

which various possible places could be investigated and preceding, -thereis%a  deadly apathy almost ,everywhere:
information be procured as to their availability and Practically no one is interested anymore ,in making the
suitability. In the meantime the Rev. Knott has con-                 fine and necessary distinctions as our fathers of Dordt
tinued to labor in ByTon Center and conducts preach-                 instruct us. People are easily satisfied and consider
ing services there each Sunday afternoon:          0                 that if one is only a member of some Church and reads
                                                              \      his Bible hi's  copfession of principle is of niinor  im-
Lynden, Washington . . . `.                                          portance and non-essential. It stands to r`eason, there-
   After spending the- past four weeks in Lynden and fore, that many cannot understand why  we  shouid
vicinity we are able to mak& a few obs,ervations; Dur- , desire to labor here and what it can avail. The .great
n-@ this time we have contacted several people here,                 majority are perfectly satisfied with .the status quoj
either at their homes or in public meetings. In this while many fear any agitation or disruption  .of the
way we have met both those who are friendly to our                   "peace". `Generally, too, the opinion is expressed that
cause as well as those who are unfriendly or definitely there is no interest in our mo$ement  here and not much
tipposed.   ,Generally,  however,. those whom we have likelihoqd of the possibility of, positive fruit.. As one
met have been willing to listen or express themselves man `said : "I don't think there will ever be a Protest-
in respect to our Churches and their history.                        ant Reformed Church here and I ,hope not". &other
   Except among those who have. previously come into                 politely informed us that  we were :Yasting odr timi
contact with our Churches, there is ,almost complete                 and money here.
ignorance as to who we are and what is our origin and                   tAgain in connection, with the preceding, there is a
.position.  The name Protestant Reformed Churches is marked supeifici&y.  There is no apparent desire to
usually met with questioning remarks or blank looks.                 study and investigate. Let everyone go his own wa3
In fact, so general is this situation that we deemed and leave each to determine the wayqhe desires to go
it well to attempt to- inform the general public of who,             without disturbance, and -as long as one is. ,relatively
what, and why we are a separate group of Churches.                   religious it makes not a great. deal of difference wh,&
On Sunday, February 8, we delivered a message en-                    our confession is; such seems quite a.general attitude.
titled: The Protestant Reformed Churches, over radio                 If our meinory  serves. correctly, it `was a consistorg
station KVOS in Bellingham, which covers this area member of  one of the Churches here  ~that stated it
very well. The time was provided by the  keforme'cl                  didn't make a great deal of difference. to him if one
Witness Hour which broadcasts regularly here. The                    was a Methodist or Baptist or whatever else, just;so
program had been widely advertized and according to. we go to Church and read the Bible. And why don't
indications -a large audience heard the message. The we go-to the heathen,- we could do so much more gook
following week we again used the radio to deliver a amongst them?
message entitled: The ~Goodn&s  of God, which was a                     It should be-evident that there is a field here. `In
brief `exposition of Nahum 1:7, 8.                                   fact, it becomes increasingly clear that almost  any-
   However, the most striking thing is not that there                ivhe?e one can find a field fbr the heritage of the
is ignor&nce  concerning us, but rather that there is so P\.eformed  truth; it is  practictilly gone and forgotten
little knowledge of the very fundamentals of the Re- in our day. The question that undoubtedly remains
formed faith and confessions. Time and again we in you? mind, however, has also been asked time and
have met p&ople and` attempted to speak of the differ- again : do you. expect to organize- a congregatidn  here.
ences which separate us, only to discover that many                  The reply can only be that that is not, in our -hands.
no longer understand or know `the Reformed truth.                    Christ Himself gathers His own Church, .through His
The essential doctrines of predestination, tot&l deprav-             Spirit and Word. Our calling, therefore, is to preach
ity, irresistible grace, etc.; are unknown or even dis-              the Word testifying of its truth.. And so  doin'&  to
credited. We recall, for example, the amazing state- reniember the words of Paul : "Finally, brethren;.p.rtiy
ment of one individual. While discussing God's sover-                for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free cotirse;
eign `decree of .predestination  we quoted the Word of               and be glorified, even as it is with you."
God from Romans 9 :13 : "As it is written, Jacob have                   Positively our stay here ha,$qnce  again taught.us
I loved, but Esau have -1 hated", and heard the almost to appreciate with gratitude our precious heritage
unbelievable r&ply : "I .don't -see how' a text like that of Reformed truth,  yhikh God in His grace  has  en;
cari be in the Bible" . It certainly grieves one to find trusted to our care. Tl$ Word a.lone  can. strengthen
such, among nominally -Reformed people. It certainly andlnourish us ; but ab8ut this we may write another
points out the difficulties. one will encounter in .the ti.m&  `ye  plan to  lea3:.  Lynden soon and will have
proclamation of these Truths. Undoubtedly, the great;i-'the, opportunity .to ++p in Manhattan and at Classis
est obstacle will be this. lack -of knowledge of what 1st West on dur return<,East. ,The .Lord willing, we plan
Reforined and Scriptural.      .                                   .r ic! bring a message$rom the Word to our cdngregation
   In the second- place, and closely connected with tl& at Manhattan, Montana, on Sunday, February  .29.
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I                                  ,                                                                                                                                                                  I
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     -tF     l,- .      -                                                              $dHE  STANDA,RD  B E A R E R , :   -
               2     "'adz-                                                                                                        .                                                        : . .
               Whether we will return to-Lynden to- labor more ex-                                                    gebied in Amerika  haar- oprechte bewondering uit te
               tensively will be determined by the Mission Committee spreken. .                                                                                       :                    :                       *
               in conjunction with the consistory. of Fuller Ave: after                                                            De. Generale Synode wil dit antwoord op Uw ver-
               we deliver `a complete report. upon our return.                                                        zoek niet besluiten zohder de bede, dat, naar haar op.-
                                                                                                                      dracht, de gehoorzaamheid aan de Heilige Sehrift en
               Iniake  Ewherstd.  . . .Ds. A. C. Van Raalte. . `. .                                                   he& staan op `de bodem der belijdenisgeschriften de
                Hooggeachte Redactie :                                                                                richtingsgevende  kracht   .moge  zijn,' waardoor  allen
                : : 1ndertij.d hebt .u in uw -orgaan opgenomen het ver-                                               elkander mogen vinden die Goowe binnen als buiten
               zoek,, inzake "posthume. rehabilitatie inzake Ds. A. C. --de, Hervormde Kerk bet -goede voor Christus' Kerk
               Van Raalte"j dat door Ds. P. Prins en .ondergeteekende zoeken.'
               werd gerichtaan:de.Gen.  Synode van de N. H. Kerk.                                                /                                               Namens het Moderamen van de
                 Het antwoord, dat wij ontvingen, gaat in afschrift                                                                . .  :-.  ,,  ,.  :                                                            )  (Generale Synode:                           ._
               hierbij. . Wilt-u dat ookin uw orgaan' opnemen?~  -Bij                                                        $.                                                         : w. g.  .W. A.  Zeidner,  Praeses
               voorbaat hartelijk dank ! - ' .                                                                                                                                           _  vii. g. Landsman, Scriba.
                     :,                                               w. g. Ds. F. Dresselhuis.                                                               _  _                                         I_                   ..-  ,:-
                                                                                                                                                                       , .:                                                         - 1.     W. Hofman..
                                                                                                                                                                                  :/                                    .,
              bnder.werp  :  Posthu.me,&&abilitat,ie                                                   .                                                         :                                                                   . .
                                                                                                                                                                                                           ::.  L .I.
                Ds. A. C. Van Raalte,,  "  .I  [_.  ::;
                                   :     -              .,                  De Weleerwaarde He&                                                                       ?.                5qth,                                 ANN$.VERSA-RY-
                                                                            Ds. F. Dresselhuis,                              On Fe&u& 16, 1948,' &r,..~&&r~  parents
                                                                                                            ,
                                                                 Gereformeerd predikant                                                                                           M R .   F R E D   WIN.DE,MULLEIR
               ~*                                                           te-Oldeb.oorn`                                                                      I,                                         AND                               '
                                                                                                  .                                                                    M R S .   A N N A   W I N D E M U L L E R
                     De Generale ,Synode der Nederlandsche' Hervormde                                                 commemorated their- 50th Wedding Anniversary.
                Keikheeft  Uw verzoek d.d. 31 Mei. jl. betreffende post-                                                                We, their grateful children,  th&nk our Covenant God that
                hume `rehabilitatie van Ds. A. `C. Van `Raalte met be-- it has been His -will to spare'them for each other and us these
                langstelling  overwogen.                                                                              r sny years. Our prayer is that in iheir reclining years God's
                       Uwe motieven waarderende, meent' zij de weg tot grace may, richIy dweli, in .them, and that they may have the
                posthume rehabilitatie van  personen  niet te  moeten                                                 Peace of  God~.&hich   passeth all  tinderstanding.
              inslaan, omdat het `aldus beoordeelen van individueele                                                                                                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Herman Windemuller
              ' gevallen te kort doet aan de groote beteekenis van het                                                                                                                      Mr, and Mrs. Jake Kooienga                                                 -'
                f&it, dat de Ned.. Hervormde Kerk .onder  de Werkorde                                                                              .                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Everett Windemuller
                van  1945. haar gezeg, dat een  Iouter  bestuurlijke                                                                                                                                 Mr. and Mrs. Marlow  ,Windemuller
                l\`a.rakter droeg, heeft doorbroken en `een beter leidend . .                                                                                                                    _ Mr. and Mrs." James WindemuRer  .
              beginsel in alle kerkelijk.  handelen .gekozen.  heeft, n.1. `.                                                                '                                                       Mr. and Mrs. Henry WindemuRer
              de gehoorzaamheid aan de Heilige Schrift en het dstaan .-                                                                                                     .                        -Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Windemuller
               -op.  .de,  bodem  der belijdenisgeschriften. Deze her-                                                                       .                                                              2 8   G r a n d c h i l d r e n
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         _.
                zitining in haar kerksregeering,  hoe aanvankelijk ook,                                               Holland, Michigan.                                                                         2   G r e a t - g r a n d c h i l d r e n .
                houdt tech in zich de krachtige rehabilitatie voor allen,                                                                                                                                                            m
                                                                                                                                                                                                     ~-                                     _'
                voorzoover zij.,,door het formeele bestuurlijk `gezag der
             Hervormde Kerk gedurende de  jaren 1816-1945 zijn                                                                                                        -.                 35th  ANNIVERSARY
                te  kort gedaan bij  bun' strijd voor  .het  herstel der                                                                     On Mar& 6, 1948, the' Lord willing, our beloved parents,
                K e r k .                                                                                                                                     MR; `and MRS. GERARD  KOSTER                                                                                  /
                       Wat'Ds: Van Raalte betreft: het komt de Generale                                               l>ope .t,o cf&&ate  their 35th Wedding An&yer&ry.
                Synode  voor,  dat het  Provinciaal Kerkbestyur van                                                                          We are indeed thankful to our Covenant God for sparing
                Zuid-Holland in 1835-1837 moeilijk een ondertekening                                                   them  these  many  years  GOT  ,,ea&  other  and*  us;  a&  it  ,is  our
               ~met reserves kon aanvaarden. Zij fs echter tegenlijk                                                                    .
                                                                                                                       sincere prayer that the  Lord may  continue  to  bIess them in
                van; oordgel,  dat random-  de zaak van Dst Van Raalte,                                                                                                                                                                                9 .I-           -
                                                                                                                       His great love and mercy.                                                                                                                 I  ~
             . evenals helaas bij  zoovele'andere   -gevallen,. door de                                                                                                                                          Mr: and  Mrs.. Peter Blanker  .l.
                Overheid en ook door de, kerkelijke.  instanties wegen                                                                                   -                                           .'  M r .   `a n d   Mrs;  Peter`Koster .
                zi jn  ,gevolgd,.  die velen  &et  $eiten   voor het' herstel  r ,                                                                                                                   '
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Mr. and  Mrs.  Henry  Koster   -  D
      . .       onzer Kerk zeer hebben' bemoeilijkt. a. Al btreur$  de,                                                                                                                     Mr;  and  Mrs.  $Ohn  I(dster                                              -
                Generale  Synode, de weg$ die:Ds. Van Raalte me&de-`...  .: B *                                                                                                                                  Mr. and, Mrs. William Koster . .
                                                                                                                                                                       .  -  ' .  Andrew
              I te moeten gaan, tech .acht zij zq gelukkig `naar aal!; -y,<, -,                                                                         .-  '  :  ..  - H~~~~c~~..-.  -_  ./._  _  .,
             `,__I  leiding van  ,U,w  verzoek..in  de  ge!egeriheid te  zijn' in  )                                                         -           `-                             ,I . Eleanore
                 dit gedachtenisjaar teii.aanzien v,an Ds. Van Raalte~ `\ I -                                                                                                                              . Gerard Jr.  '                        -                              1
             baanb&efi~..   we&  op  ke&&jlr   en  maatschappelijk   !  Grand  R a p i d s ,   `M i c h i g a n :   9  GrandchildTen.'
                                                                                                                                   #.
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