              .
           iOLUM~  X X I V .   _,                      Noven&r' 15, 1947 - :Grand..Rapids,  Michigan o                                        NUi'/IBEIL 4

                                                                                            I say: e great outward show of good an.d `loving
            :.,  li;~~DIT~A1`  IQN~ works, and well j might,' for the structure pf human
                                                                                      D philanthropy is stupendous.
                                                                                           But Paul will take the very acme. of. this endeavour :-
                                                                                        he will portray to you a humanist of the most eminent
                         Th  Eoveless  SL35fice                                         stature: a man, namely, who will distribute all he has
                                                                                        fbr  then sake of h.is fellow  men-!. He will give  all  his
                             "And though  .I bestow  .a11 my goods to feed the          goods `to feed the poop; and he will give his body to be
                           poor, and though I give my body .to be burned,.and           Sur&cZ. Surely, tie- can ,do no more than that ! And
                          have not charity, 8 profiteth  ,me nothing.                  -boastfully man  twill ask: is not that praiseworthy?
                                                               -1 Cor. 13:3.            ?Vill such a man not be blessed forever?
                   -There was schism at Cori;?th  through' the foolish-                    And the answer is: it will profit you nothing! ~
      >                                                                                                  -
            n&s tliat was &ill In them.                                                                          $: :k          :g     :j:
                                                                                                                                       \
             It is not foolish to make schism in one body?                                 But let us see.  - .            *
                   :%ollow the- argument of Paul that leads to this hymn                   Yes, there is huinail tie&y for man;                        j
            in  praise  of  `l&e; and you will  see how he  ihows  u-$                     Thefe have @en found many who Vvould at the.very -
            the schism in Corinth to be utter-foolishness.                              least give of some of their goods to f.eed the poor. We
              Oh yes, there is  .great  di&sity of gifts and of will admit that every  age complains  of.  "`mati's  in-
            ta.lents, but there is only one God, and &e Spirit, and. humanity to man", but `such is lidt the rule. There is
            one Christ. All the `tiemb&s in the church are .bap- a pr'ofound.love` for the neighbour. There is wonderful
            tized'into one body. . Oh yes, there  are Pauls, and Apol- philanthro-p;ri   iri  the. world. We would point "with
            loses, and Cephases,  but there is only-one ,Christ,  wh.6 pride" to our systems-  of social welfare, hospitals, the
           has sent His-Holy Spirit into the church so that they R@d Cross, drives to combat  all  ma&2r of diseases
            niay be one in love.                                                -.      among men, etc. Think in this connection of0 the pre-
                    Wk admit that there ia great diversity of gifts and sent attenipt `td feed starving Europe !                                .'
            of  ~t&len&.      There  are those that shine in wisdom,                       No, the .beggars are not sent away from our doors
           "others in $+ophec$,  still others in the word of `consola-                  with empty htinds. Man will give much to man.
            tion. But heuie-is &he point +hich .Paul wants to.make                        And although Paul will cite the extreme; they CD%
            clear to tile church -at Corinth : behin'd every one of found among men who indeed h,ave given all they hag
           those gifts {s tbe'one virtue of love. Therefore  ,he says for their neighbour.
 ~- at the conclusion.  df the  twelfth'.chapter:   But covet                              But. there is m&e.
           earnestly the best gifts: .&l I shew unto you a more                            `Paul cites. the case where a man will sacrifice not
            excellent way. And that more excellent way is the way only his goods, btit his very body in the cause-of philan-
--          of the love of God iTik;i& should tiotivate my particular thropy.  And also here history will tell  .us that  ,such
            gift, whatever it may be. The main thing in  :our                           extreme `cases existed, exitit, and tie &&sure that they
            Christian'lives' is ndf. jvhich gift f posses, or *hat place will continue to exist.
           I fill  iii the- church, but  whethizr the  tioY;king out of                    Indeed, we knoiv that man is capable of sacrificing
           that particular gift is motivated  by the anifying prin- himself on the altar of the love of man.
            ciple of tl-& love of God ! - Theye lies- all the difference:                                      :I: :i:  8 *
                    Oh y&s, there may be a great outward ihow of lov-                      But is- there profit `in such -endeavour ?                 `,
            ing .works-!                                                                   That is l&e questjoii  here.                          :  `.,;


       74                      .:          1    ~-HE  --STANDARD   -BE.AREG
                          .
         , And  wit& profit, Paul undoubtedly  means  -profit. God. God's Word -tells us -that the ,earth is tl% Lord%
       that is abiding, profit before the Face  of, a,  just  God,.  and the fulness thereof. So if we give any of the
       who in righteousness rewards  th.e good. and virtuous.  Lord's possessionk  to the poor, we must, first, give in
       Does God bok down tith $ppr&al  upon such deeds the consciousness that we ari3,`givitig  away not our own
       of self-sac$ifice?  Are -these good deeds good in the absolute possessions, but `God's,  and, second, we inust
       sight of God?                                   .   .          .make  clear to him that receives our benefits  that both
               We know the answer of niere man.                       he and we ourselves, ought to thank God fo? this trans-
.              It is: YES! Oh, yes, those deeds of self-sacrifice action: he, in the receiving,. and I in the giving.
       are good through and--through. Attend the funerals                 Second, this -hypothetical man is devoid of charity,
       of the wicked; by the wicked, and list& to the euldgies        and therefore, he cannot.fulfill the second requirement
       that a& uttered by wicked niin&%r~,  .and you will h&r in profitabie giving, namely, to give as an outward
       that affkmative answer time and again: man is very proof of inward love. Real mercy, .worthy, pf -the. term,
       good to man ! And the statutes are erected; if_ not in is inanifestation of the love of ,God, I must recognize
       deed, then surely in  glotiing words of  -praise  and  the poor as creatures of  .God who are  placed,upon  my
       adulation.                                                     pathway by my Father in heaven so that I may exhibit
          We know the affirmative answer of "wicked man, to them and to God that  -1 am a  worth;;  chgld of my
       who lives without God in the world, and who judgesF a t h e r .
       in darkness. And we can ,bear with it for that same 0              Third, that hypothetical man has no charity, and
       reason : they are dark; in darkness, and therefore* th&r       does not knoti that those who have charity, received .it
       judgment is dark, that is, of the lie.                         as a gift of God. If my giving  &all be  prti`fitable,  I
               But -we hear the bame affirmative answer in the. must realize-that the pity apd Ahe mercy and the love
       Church of Jesus Christ. When reading my text, I of God for the poor which I experience in my heart` is
       thought at once of many things, among which, particu- -nothing else but `God's own love. I arri .the riverbed
       larly, of the `Third Point of Kalamazoo, arid of a little D through which God's mercy flows out to those that are
       book, entitled : "The Good That Sinners `Do !"              - in misery  aroulld me. In other'words, even my active
               And th6 more. we study the annals, of the (church df mercy is God's gift to me, and makes  me the more  His
       the-past, the more we note that this affirmative answer debtor.
       has been given by some in that church. And  th;ir                  I would -ask you: `does tlie wou'ld` ever -give like
       number is increasing. Today, the great. majority of that? .                      .'
       the Church of Jesus Christ, will give that affirmative             Remember, $hat eten the child of God has but a
      answer. Practicaily the whole church-of Christ today little principle of such giving. And if this is so;where
       believe that the self-sacrifice of the wicked is good in will .the wicked and the `sinner appear ?
       the sight of'God.                                                  Of cotirse,  `Paul is right. The Bible is always right.
               For Paul is speaking of wicked man. For he adds blessed be God's name.                           _.
       to the recital of this extreme self-sacrifice: "and have                               1:  :i:  :i: Q
     not charity". That can mean no one else but the wick-                But let us iook at .the text from another point -of
       ed. It is either-or. Either- you have fliat charity, and view.
       YOU are d child of God, or you have not that charity,              &cl I am persuaded that if we see this other,
       and you,are  a wicked-man.                                     this exalted point of view, we shall-also see the -excell-
        - Charity here is the love of God. It should have ing way of which Paul spoke.
       been translated love.                                             You see, our giving to the poor, and our self-sacrifice
               Well, we will also give our answer. No, the answer for the brother, even unto death, is but a poor shadow
       is given by our text. And I am convinced that the of -a ,Giving which shall be the joy of angels forever,
       Church of Christ in 1924 should- have listened to .Paul and which shall make heaven musical u&o all eternity :
       as he speaks in this text. Hearing that text they would there the souls made perfect shall sing the hallels of
       not have decided so  .foolishly as they did. The text  con?$ete redemption.
       precludes an? such fallacy as profitable self-sacrifice            You see, God gave to-the poor and (God sacrificed-
       by the,wicked  who certainly afe d&oid of charity.             -Himself for those poor.
               Al! that the world can have is a mere  show  of            And  .He did so because of His charity,! that is,  --~
       mercy. The Bible tells us that the very mercies of the love.                                                    I
       wicked are eru`el.             3                                   That is the-Gospel, the glad tidings to the poor.
               .Let `us look at this hypothetical man who gave all        Ear, indeed, we were very -poor.
       his goods to feed the poor, but  tiho was devoid of               ,Our poverty, beloved reader, is the poverty of
       cliarity.                                                      `eternal shame and-death, and the curse, because of our
               First, they are not his goods at .all.. Yet, he. acts sin- and guilt.                  /
       as though they are: Tha't makes him culpable before                In ,eternity  God saw all this poverty of His own.
                    ._


                                               THE  STAN.D.ARD.  B E A R E R   - -                                                    75

           And from:iverlasting to everlasting He is moved triune, ,God in human nature stood in our stead before
       with pity for His children in all their poverty.                 the judgment. seat of God, He was burned. He gave
           Then and there He determined to give all His goods Himself to be burned:
       to .feed-those  poor.                                                 Did you ever read.  that  God- is a  CON;SUMING
          .A11 His goods.                                             . . FIRE. Ask it of Jesus. In the Holland language we
        W h a t   ai@  they-?.                             :.           often sing the  versification' of Psalm 22: Wat hitte
          They are the &ches of His eternal- covenant love. doet Mij  branden? Mijn hart is week, en smelt in
       and friendship. All the goqds of His- house are given d'itigewanden,   ali was voor `t  vuur ! That is: What
       to `those poor in His eternal counsel. D He saw `them heat does burn. Me ? My heart -is` as wax which melt-
       at home arid safe -in-His bosom, and He-rejoiced.Him-            eth before the fire ! And' this fire is the experience of
       self in the prospect of man, bles$ed forever.                    the wrath of God'which niyst burn away all our guilt
           In  .history,  for 4000 years,  -He. looked upon His bGf!fdre His wondrous justice!                             _I
       sheep, and was moved with pity. `Their poverty was                    Such is the giving of God.             ~
       terrible to behold.' They were so dreadfully poor that                Having charity! 0 wondrous love of God!
       they were devoid gf all goodness and virtue, and.w&e                  All giving must. be charity,- the evidence, the proof
       lying down in their shame and their blood. (Ezekiel) .           of indwelling love of God.
           He was merciful to them and all through those 4000.                                     * Q *  :p
       years He gave them of the-goods of .His house. First,                 Now return to Paul and listen once more to him.
       He gave  them the Word. of His promise.  And with                     And let us cast his text in positive form.
       that promise He -gave them a picture of His he$venly                  If I give all my  .goqds  to feed the poor because
       home. It is the tabernacle,  and later  the- temple of the love of God dwells in my heart, it shall profit me
       Solomon.                                                         much, for at such time I am a worthy. child of my
           But He continued `to `give unto .them' of the goods heavenly Father.
       of His house. His love,  l&s tender. love, was given                  If I give my body to be burned as a sweet manifesi-
       to the children-from age to- age. He sent His ambassa- ation of the love of God that burns within me for the
       dors in prophet and priest and king, in  land apd people sake of the brother, then it shall profit me greatly, for
       and city, in offering and sacrifice and symbol. .AndN' there is a reward of grace.
       ever clearer `came the word of promise: I will give you               The Lord is very pleased to see His love reflected
       My goods and My heart. Wait, wait, I say, -for the- in our lives.
       L o r d !                         .a                                  But He is wroth with all those that have a mere
          10h yes, the Lord has g&en us an example of giving. show of love, but are-enemies of the love bf IGod which
           Thotigh I give all the goods of Imy house to feed the, ,#e has shown to them in Jesus Christ His Son.
       poor?                                                                 Yes, they will build their hospitals and give their
           That is what God has done from eternity and goods to feed the poor,  but, they and their poor will
       proven it in history.                                            curse the Lord Jesus.
           Blessed Be His name !                                             They will indeed give their body to be- burned, but
                                  x *  8 $                              when they stand before the Cross of Jesus and see the
           But there is-more in the text.                               burning away of this Sacrifice of Love, then they shout
          And though I give miy body to be burned!               '      Come down from the cross if Thou art the Son of God!
          Do you s&e' it? Do you see the ORIGINAL? '                         The world is full of mercy, but they will give to
          :Oh yes, God .gaie His .body- to be burned. And that God's people "cruel mockings and  scourgings, yea,
       is Jesus the Lord.                       .                       moreover. of bonds and imprisonments : they will stone
 -_       Never was a body burned even as the body of Jesus. them, saw them asunder, tempt them, slay. them with
       Atid,not  only His-body, but His soul alsq.                      the sWord, cause them to wander about in sheepskins
          And-why?                                                      and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, tormented  !" 0, the
          Bec`quse God could not give unto us the bounties of mercies of the wicked are cruel.
       Hi6 ,&ernal House, except in the way of this burning                  But. Church of Corinth, we are  perstiaded  better
-, of Jesus.                                                            things of thee!
          #God is just; and righteous, and holy, and true.                   -And; 0 Church of our God, practice mercy.
          And His sheep were culpable before Him. He could                   But let .it be mercy ivhich flows from the merciful
       have no covenant communion with them as they were heart of God.                                       .                      . .
                                                                                              1
       ifi, themselves. Their sin ,and guilt would have to be           .    The name-is charity, that is, love.
       annihilated first.                                                    You see the example on the one hand in the beckon-
                                                      I
          And so .He gave Himself in the Person of His Son :            `ing Temple of God; And on the `other, in the Lamb of
       ,God revealed in the flesh.                                      God that is.slain from the foundation of tee world.
 .-. i-. And when Jesus Christ, the manifestation of the                     . .                      . .                  G. V.


                   76                                                                                                                    THE  S T A N D A R D   -BEAREa

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                                                                EDITOR:   -  Rev.   H.  Hoeksema.   '                                                                                             0.                   Under  the  above `title, the Rev. Ring Star. of  the
                    Contributin,g   Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos,  ReG.                                                                                                                                Christian Reformed  Chmch at Bemis, South Dakota,
                    R.  Veldqan, Rev.  k. Veldman,  Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev, B.  Kok,                                                                                                                                  writes an article  iri the Calvin Forum of Aug.  -and
                    Rev..  J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  P&tec,  Rev.  C, Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                                  Sept., 1947.       '  .,  _ ,
                 Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,
                    Rev. W.  H:ofman.                                                                                                                                                                                  I do not know the meaning of the word Forum in
                         Communications relative to contents shouid be addressed to                                                                                                                                 Calvin Forum. It may have reference to the use of
                   REV. GERRIT VOB, Edgerton, Minnesota.  L                                                                                                                           .                            that word in Roman Antiquity. In Rome it meant a
                          Communications relative $0 subscription should be addressed                                                                                                                               public place or square-where popular assemblies were
                    to MR.- GErCRIT  PIPE, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids,.                                                                                                                                  held and justice was  a,mitiistered,  such as at- the
                    Michigan.                        All Announcements, and: Obituaries must be sent                                                                                                                celebrated-  Forum  Rompurn.
                    to the above address and will not be placed unlelss  the regular                                                                                                                                  . Coupling this Roman word with the name of Calvin,
                   fee of $1.00  aocompanies  the notice.                                                                                                                                                           we' are perhaps justified in `explaining the title of this
                                                           (Subscri'ption.  Price $2.50. per year)                                                                                                                  paper to tilean that it wili stand for the -tenets and
                    Entiered  as Second  class Mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                     fundamental doctrines of Calvin, will discuss  those
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    tenets and wield 3 lance in their defense.        I
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   However, when reading the article of the Rev. Star,
                                                                                          -.-                                                                                                                       I was very much disappointed. knd I expect' that
                                              ..                                                                                                                                                                    many voices shall be raised against his stand on the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    prayers of the unregenerate. And if no one of his
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    co-edi?rs' .or -correspondents will challenge his.stand,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   we will have to come to the conclusion that this per-
                                                                                             -  CONTENTS'  -                                                                                                        iodical sails under a false flag.
                    MEDITATION  :-                                                                                                                                                                                     For it is very evident- that Calvin, were he living
                   THE LOVELESS SACRIFItiF 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :7.3 today, would certainly  raise'his voice in protest agajnst
                               Rev. G. Vos.                                                                                                                                                                        the conclusions of Brother Star.                        :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       We will let Calvin speak against the writer in the
                    EDITORIALS:-                                                                                                                                                                                    Calvin Forum. Since this article appears in a--paper
                    THE PRAYER OF THE UNREGENERATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  76 that triumphantly writes the name of `the great re-
                               Rev. G. Vos. .                                                                                                                                                                       former in its banner, it is entirely just %hat-we  -hear
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Calvili first of all against. the, stand of this writer.
                  `ouR~Do.CTRI~>~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78                     We will $irst give you the stand of the writer on
                       Rev. H. Veldman.                                                                                                                                                                            the prayers of the unregenerate.'
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Fir&; the unregenerate are  ndt  a&e&J wicked.
                 THE MIRACLE OF THE  R,OD ..: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 And the Rev. Star explains this from  .the prayer of
                   THE DAY OF  S'HA,DOWS . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 `Jesus on the. Cross : Father, forgive- them  for they
                               Rev. G. M.  Qphoff.
                              -                                                                                                                                                                                    know. not what they do. -This prayer was answered
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    by God: "by exercising a gracious influence upon-his
                   SION'S ZANGEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I..............  88 heart, and preserving those fmictjons in. him: which
                               Rev.  G,Vos.                                                                                                                                                                         would promote his further existence in the world."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    And this "gracious influence'! bears fruit in that Lhere
                   `IN HIS-FEAR . . . . . . . . . . . ..I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ~ . . . . . . . . . ..I...........  9;are two elements. in the heart and li<e of .the unregeri-
                                Rev. M.                                                                     Gritter.s.                                          _                                                   erate : "regard for a fellow-sufferer and .a bowing to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    the sovereign' greatness  .and power of  -an almighty
                    FR.OM  HOLY. WRIT  '
                                                                                    . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*...*...................... _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 91      God."                            _                          ;  p
                                Rev: G. C. Lubbers.                                                                                                                                                                    These two elements. in the heart and life of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                _'
                         ___'                                                                                                                                                                                       wicked explain, according to the Rev. Star, why the
      '             PERISCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  98
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  . wicked are "s~l~ceptible  to the Gospel".  Listefi td an
                                Rev. W. Hofman..                                                                                                                                                                   -astounding conclu8ion, and I quote him : .."dnd.`tho&
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  - are just the things (namely, the two' elements g&n--,--

                                                                                                       _                                                                                                                               .


                                                 T H E      STANDAR6  BEARER                                  . .     77
      -.
  tioned above, G.V.) which still leaves the Christless tiay of access by which we are permitted' to approach
  susceptible to the Gospel..  Destroy his regard for God IGod, to them who deviate from -this road) and desert
  `and his regard  for' his feilow beihgs 2nd man is dead this entrance, there remains-no other way of access to
  to the Gospel. This does not mean that when these               God, nor anything on His throne but wrath, judgment
  tivo conditions are there that the unregenerate will a n d   ierror."                                       _.
  always accept Christ when they Bear of Him; but it                 And : "Being made also in the name of Christ, what
  does mean that without these conditions the Gospel is are they biit a declaration, ,that no `nian `can -be- b&e-
  futile-their absence  spells a  @ondition- of  unredeemt        fited by any prayers -at all, independently of Chyist's    '  _
a b l e   g.odl&sness."                                           intercession  ?,'
      Second, it is for that reason that the prayers of the          `(All these $uota%ions  are taken from C&in's Insti-
  unregenerate are "regarded by God" and "God hears &es, Book II&Chapter 20, and from'the pages 83, 84,
  their prayers".          The Rev.. Star admits `that these 85, 83, 99, 100, `101, and in-the same order.)
  prayers are Christless and only are sent .up in ."the               The Rev. Star might object and  Iqdote  Calvin in
  moment .of desperation", b$t since they are the result brder to prove that the-great reformer also speaks of
  of the gracious influence of God  ipon  ihem, which the prayers of the unregenerate sometimes being "not
  influence is the answer of  IGod to Jesus' prayer `on ineffectual" (page' 95, Book III, chapter  20)) com-
  the Cross, they are for that reason acceptable to Him.          menting up?n. psalm 107. Btit listen to Calvin when
     .But. let us first 3isten to Calvin, who certainly has       coming to a conclusion anent this matter: "Does He
  a right to be heard see&g.  that this article .is found by such condescensian  testify that they (that is, ,-the
in the CALVIN  FORUn/r.                                           prayers of. the unregenerate, G;V.) are acceptable to.
      Says Calvin : "Le&timat&  prayer, therefore, re- H i m ?   N o . "
  quires repentance. Whence it is`frequently said iii the            I think that Calvin has repudiated this article
  Scriptur@s,- that God hears not the wicked, and that entirely.
  their prayers are an -abomination . . . . When it fol-             But there is more.
  lows, that none pray aright, and that no others are                That the-Rev. Star is at variance with Cal& is not
`-heard, but the &ncere worshippers of God."                 .    so important. But he-contradicts his own confession.
      And: "For neither is there any hope that &yen the Read -Question and Answer 117 of the Heid. Catech.,
  holiest of men can 0btai.n any blessing bf God till he which follows : "What are the requisites of that prayer,
  be freely reconciled to him, nor is it possible -for God which -is acceptable to God; and which He will hear?
  to be propitious to any, but those whom He pardons." Answer: First, that we  frtim  tie heart pray to the
      And : "When he elsewhere calls a legitimate prayer one true God only, who hath manifested Himself in His
  "the prayer  of faith". Besides, when Gdd so f&&e&-             Word, for* all things, He hath commanded us to ask
  ly affirms;that  He will give to every-nian'according to of Him ; secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly knbw
  his faith, He implies that we can obtain riothing with- .our need and misery,  that so we may deeply humble
  out faith. Finally, it  is faith that obtains whatever ourselves in the presence of His divine majesty ; third-
  is- granted in answer to prayer. This is the meaning ly, .that  we be fully- per.suaded that He; no&ithstand:
  of that famotis passage of Paul, tu which injudicous ing that we are unworthy of iti, will, for the sake of
  men pa-y little attention : `How shall they call On Him', Chkist our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, as He has
  etc. Rom. 10 :!4, 1'7. For b$ a regdlar deduction' of promised us -in His Word.,`)
  prayer originally from faith, he evidently  co&ends,               Attend also to this that iri question' 116 we note q
  that ,God cannot be sincerely invoked by any, but those that prayer is ihe chief part of thankfuln:ss to God,
., to whom His' clemency and gentleness have b&en re- which -certainly implies that it is the work of the .re-
  vealed and familiarly discovered by the preaching of g e n e r a t e   on&.  '
  the Gospel."                                                       That he cpntradicts  his own confession is also pos-
      And : "And as there is a rule given for calling upon sible, althdugh'in such case he ought. to appear at the
  God, tis well as a promise.that  they shall be heard who consistory, classis`and synod with his  gravamen  against
  call upori Him, so we-are particularly enjoined' to in- the pertinent quotations above.
  voke Him in the name  ~of Christ . . . . Hence it is            -. But the worst of the matter is that he cofitradicts
  plain beyond  all controversy, that they who call upon the plain teaching of Scriptuuye. And for that there is
  God in-any other name than t&at of Christ, are guilty no excuse.
  of a. contutiacious Lneglect of His precepts, and a total          Says God's Word: "The sacrifice of the &ked is
  disregapcl  df His will; and thit they have no promise an abomination to the L&d, but the prayer of thk up-
  of any success .  : . . It is certain'-that from the be- ricrht is His delight.". ZAnd : "He that turneth .away his
  gintiipg no prayers had been heard but for -the sake ear from hearing the law, even his prayer  ,shail be
  bf  the:Mediator."            -     ;     i                     adomination.,, Prov. 15 :8 ; 28 :9.
   -. And  :  "NToreover, since  He  (Chris"t) is  the only          The .ReS. Star makes nidch of the prayers of the
                                                                                                 .


 78                                          T H E- S T A N D A R D       B E A R E R

unregenerate which are uttered "in the  mlom&t  pf
desperation".           Well,  ,God's Word has, something on             OUR DOCTRINE  .-
that score also. Attend to this : "Because I have called,-
and ye refuged ; I have stretched out My hand, and no
man regarded ; but ye have set at nought all' My coun-                              -God Is One +
sel,. and would have none of My reproof: I also' will
I&gh at  youif calamity; I will mock  wh&l your fear                 We bblieve  that there is one God and that that God
coineth ; when your fear cometh as desolation, and is one. This is a `truth of tremendous practical signifi- '
3; our destruction cometh as a Whirlwind ; when distress          ctince. Do we believe this? That this truth is of tre-
and  .anguish cometh upon you. Then  zhall they call'mendous significance is apparent, first of all, from the
upo% Me, .but I Will not answer ; they shall seek Me              fact that it constitutes the first article of our Con-
early, buf they shall not find Me: for that they hated fession of Faith. We quote:  "We all believe with the
know-ledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:              heart, and confess with the mouth, that there is one
they .would have none of Ny counsel: they despised                only simple and spiritual Being, which we call God ;
all My reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit and that He is eternai,  incomprehensible, invisible, im-
of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." mutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly'wise,  just, good,
Erov. 1:24-31.                                                    and the overflowing fountain of all good." It should
            But the worst is yet to come.                        be borne in mind that this is an article of faith. Hence,
            What do you think of his conclusion anent ,the heart we must believe this with the heart, and confess it with
of the wicked and the efficacy of the Gospel?                     the mouth. The truth th@ God is one should. therefore
Above- I called it astounding. It is God-provoking not become for us a dead dogma, a profound abstrac-
too..                                                             tion,  `somettiing   whicli for some reason: or  ahother
            Imagine: SGBd has judged the heart of natural man. constitute an article bf our belief but, for the rest,
It is dead. Period. Ephesians 2 :I. And God tails the is a matter of little practical significance: The truth
dead to ftfe eternal. R&n. 4 :17.                                 that God is one con&&tes the fir& article of `our Con-
            And Ephesians 1:19, 20 teaches us that the wonder- fession of Faith and must therefore b; believed with
working power of God by which we believe is as to its the heart and  -confessed  with the  motith. Another
kir;h the same power that raised Jesus from -the dead. reason why t&s truth is of tremendous. importance
HoTir` theti can the- Rev. Star hold that there must be is the fact that it constitutes the first and great -corn-
thd two "famous" elements present in the heart of the mandment.  In Deut. 6  :4 we read: "Hear, 0  Isrgel:
unregenerate in order to make the Gospel efficacious? The Lord our God is one Lord." Please notice  that
He says: without those elements the Gospel is futile. Moses  ' exhorts the people of God here to  hear this
If cod can raise Jesus out .of the @ngs and the bonds. t?uth. And  ihe same thought is expressed in Mark
of ..eternal  death, how. can, the Gospel ever ble of non . 12:29-30: "And Jesus answered him, The first-of all
effect?                                                          the  commandtients  is, Hear, `0 Israel  ; The Lord our
       411 such talk robs the Gospel of its power to, raise- God is one Lord.: And thou shalt love the Lord thy
the dead.                                                         God with all thy heart, arid with all thy soul, and with
 ' But I did note that the writ&g of the Rev. Star is all thy mind, and with all thy strength, this is the first
the natural `outcome of the teaching of the Tlhree In- commandnient." Jestis` therefore refers to this expres-
`famous qoints. He is a worthy exponent of them;                 sion from the book of `Deuteronomy as the first com-
            God is gracious to the reprobate..         _         mandment. We mu&  haar this, receive it into our
            Through this gracious influence they are susceptible heart and mind, conform our life in all its phases to
to the Gospel. The line of demarcation b&ween  com- the one]overwhelming fact that the Lord our God is
mon and. p&,icular grace became very thin indeed. one Lord and that there is no other god beside Him.
But it is logical. .If there is an offer, there must also            To believe that `God is one implies in the first place
be stisceptibility  to the content of that offer.                .that we believe that there is only one God.. The Scrip-
            &lv& Forum? The flag does_ not cover the content
                              ._                                 turks surely emphasize this truth. We read in Deut..
of the ship!                                        -,G.     V. 6 :4 : "Hear, 0 Israel., the Lord our God is one Lord.`"
                                                                 This passage could probably be better translated:
                              ---                                "Hear, -0 Israel: the Lord our God is an only Lord." '
       .                                                         This text does not emphasize the numerical unity of
 ;:



                               NOTICE! .                         Jehovah, but rather the fact that otir God is the. only
 If, `cons&tories will furnibh the name an5 address L<ord entitled to the name, Jehovah. Even so, however,
of llewly married  `couples, the R. F. P. A. Board will. these words of Moses surely teach us that the Lord is
mail the& &-year's subscription to the Standard Bearer t,he only God. f`But to us there is but one `God, the
free of charge.                                                  Father, of Whom are all things, and we in Him ; and


                             .   T H E   S T A N D A R D   ;BEARER.                                                 79 ,

.one Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom  are all things, -and In fact, it is the Ldrd Who works these- prayers in the _
we by Him"+ Cor. 8 :6. "For there is one ,God, and lives of the unregenerate. The natural man regards
.one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ tile Lord,  or, his god, as a doctor whom he calls to his ~
Jesus"-I- Tim.  265. And in Exodus 15  :ll we read bedside only in times of need. And he calls upon his
the exalted p&sage : `"Who is like- unto thee, 0 Lord, god, not for the purpose of glorifying his god but .only
among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, because he seeks himself. He does not exist for his
fearful in praises, doing wonders?"             -  _        god  but- his god exists for him.  tid such prayers,
   The truth that there is only one God is denied by mind you, ,are declared to be the fruit of the operation
the po!ytheists,  "many gods". Polytheism is the belief of the living God. Is it  surpr!sing if  afiyone should
in many gods, first of all in the sense that each nation    question the ethical character--of  such. an operation
worships its own god. The  (Old Testament, for ex- of the Holy Spirit? Can anyone imagine the Holy
am&, speaks of Bel, Baal, Chemosh, Astaroth, Moloch,        Spirit to be "guilty" of such abominable prayers?.. And
etc. However, the belief in "many gods" also implies does this presentation of the prayers of the wicked not
that each nation is characterized by its own  s_et of remind us of the word of ihe prophet, Isaiah, when he
gods. The religion of the American Indian is a strik- declares,in  chap$er  1, verse 15: "And when ye spread
ing illustratibn of this. He worshipped  a god of peace forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea,
and of war, of rain and of harvest, in times of sickness    when ye make .many prayers, I will not hear :. your,
and of health. Many gods characterize the heathen, hands ire full. of blood." - It is not surprising, is. it,
each suited ana adapted to whatever condition or cir- that nations who love themselv&  and hate the-neigh-                           ~
cumstance-may prevail. The belief in the one God is bar, should worship their own god and that over against
known as Monotheism. Hence, we are monotheists, the gods of other peoples. Neither should it amaze  -I
believing with the heart and c&fessing with the mouth us that the natural man himself is hopelessly divided                     -
that there is-one  only simple and spiritual Being; Mrhieh within himself. People seek themselves and their gods
we call God, Who alone rules over all things from ever- must serve them. Hence, in times of war he prays for
lasting to everlasting.                                     victory ; in times of sickness he prays for health ; in
   To believe in the one God is of the greatest practical times of drought he prays for rain ; in days of intense
significance. Polytheism is hopeles and comfortless. heat he: prays for cooling breezes ; and when it his bitter-
It. involves mankind in a hopeless dualism. It is dual- ly cold : he asks f.or wartier temperatures. Ma;., con-
istic because it sets $he god of one `nation over against stantly seeks himself and he regards his idol as a doe+
the god of another nation. Hence, the words of Isaiah tar whom he addresses in times of peed. He therefore
in chapter 46 :lO, "Declaring the end from the begin- changes his god according to his needs and-seeks that
ning, and from ancient times the things that are not idol who can serve him the best.                         ,-
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do        And, forsooth,, how could it be  Iotherwise!   The
all My pleasure", .applicable  only to the living God, natural man is surely in dire straits! If  ,God be for
cannot  .apply to -these heathen gods. They are at us nothing can be against us. However, if God be not
enmity. with one another, do not declare from the for us nothing can be for us but -all things must be
beginning the end and from ancient times the things against us. And all things are certainly against the
that are ,not yet done. They keep their counsel and natural man. For the wrath of Gbd is revealed down
plans to themselves, lest the enemy god should receive from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous-
word of them and frustrate them. Moreover, Poly- ness of man, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
theism also creates a. hopeles dualism within the life .Death  is constantly attacking him in all the phases of
of the individual, as, e.g., in the life of the American his existence. -But he has forsaken the living Gqd.
Indian.  ,His life was hopelessly divided. He prayed And hopelessly the natural man would create .his .own
to one god in times of peace and to another in days of barrier  %gainst all this evil. He is desperate.  :pe
war. He acknowledged a-certain-idol in times of sick- creates a god after his, own imagination. And he. is
ness and recognized another while enjoying health., He very careful to hide the war counsels of his `own god
had a god of the rain and also of sunshine. His life from the gods of the opposing nations. And in-his own
was hopelessly dualistic.                                   life he does not hesitate to east .&side the one god and .-
   That Polytheism should be hopelessly dualistic need set up another, to change from the one to the other,,l&ll
not surprise 9s. Man, hatring.forsaken  the living God, depending upon: his particular circumstances. : For,`
makes his own god. He does not serve his god but his having forsaken the one and only Gqd, he has fornze,d
god serves him, for man seeks himself. He prays to a god  after  his  own  imagincition.   He does not  ~crve
his god, not to $Torifjr  his go$ but in order that his his god : his god serves him. But it  is all- in  ~vain.           _
god may serve and help him. And these prayers of The wrath of God continues to.be revealed down fsom
the unregenerate, ,a&ording  to the Calvin Fdrum of heaven upon the workers of unrighteotisness &nd pur-
.August-September,  page 11, are approved by the Lord.      sues the evil world relentlessly to the grave.


         - 8 0            -  _                 T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   '
                                                                 -.     -_..       ;_
          I     On the other hand,. Moriotheisti  unifies the people witnesses, saith the Lord, and My~servant  whom I have
          of' God. This is generally true. The belief in the-one        chosen : that' ye mtiy know and believe me, and under-
          God,,is not  concertied  .%th and  troubi,ed  ,by barriers stand that I am He:  before Me there  was'no" God
          of iace and geographical boundaries. Everywhere the formed, neither shall tllcre be after-m&  I, even I'%m
         same God is tidrshipped. If one has be& delivered by the Lord; and .beside  Me there is no saviour. I have
        " the blood- of the Lamb, whether he be American br             declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when
          Chinese, Hindu or Hottentot, he will- worship, not a there `was no strange god among you : therefore ye are
         god. of wood &- stone, btit the one and only true God My  witnesses,.  saith the  kord,,that I am God.  Ye&,
         -through Jesus Christ, ,-the Lord. And, he will serve before the day-was I am He; and there is none that can
         ,God, no.t the Lord hi%. .Moreover,  Monotheism, also .deliver  out `of My- hand : I- will w&k, and who shall
       unifies the life of the `individual child of God. The let it?"-1sa.O.43 :10-13. "Declaring `the. end from the
         one. God stands at the helm of all things. ,All- things b&ginning, and from. ancient times the things that are
         are controlled -by  Him.:.  WhateGer  may be our lot           not- yet done, saying, Xy ,counsel shall stand, and I
         in this -life,.whether  it b.e prbsperity or adversity, rain will do all My pleasure." Isa. 46 : 10. "Known unto
         or drought, fruitful or barren seasons,. health or sick-       God.are all Hi5 works from the beginning of-the world"
         ness, life or death, w&r or peace, .heat or cold', the one -Acts 15  :18. "For I  ati the Lord,  1. `change not  ;
        Lord is at the  helm, we pray to the one  God, and  a$1 therefore  ye sons of- Jacob are not consumed"-Mal.  -
         things work :together  for .good to them who love God          3 :6. "For who hath- known the mind of. the Lord?
D        .and are the called according to His purpose. * Then OJ! who hath been His counsellor?                Or  &ho hath first
         ndthitig is against us but all things are for us.              given to Him, and it shall be .Tecompensed  unto him
               Secondly; to believe, that God is one Lord also ii-      again?  For of Him;  aqd through Him,  .ahd to Him,
         plies that we believe that this only ,Gbd also Iimxelf are all things : to Whom be glory for ever. Amen." I%om.
         is one. rliis truth is taughi; throughout the Scripture+       11:34;36.. "Every good gift and every  p&feet  gift is
        "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, b,ut Gocl is from `above, and  cometh.  down from the Father of
         ,Lne"--Gal. .3 :20, "For there are three that bear rc-. `lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow
         cgrd in heaven, the Father, the .Word, .and the 1Iol.y         of  tdrnin&."-James  1:1'7.
         Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three em : These various pass%ges'speak  a very clear language.
         `iiat bear witness ir- earth, the Spirit, and th.e ;.ater,     Known unto God are all.His works from the beginning
         and I;l!e blood: and these three agree in on.:"-, I John `of the world. Hence, all His works are eternal and
         .5 ;7-8. Fn Deut. 6 :`4-5 we read: "Hear, 0 &ran!. . The therefore  alwayS finished and complete. Also, His
         L&d our God is one Lord : And thou shalt love the Lord -work is  pefect  and  therefpre  He is the Rock, Who,
         thy God with all thine heart, and with sli th:: soul, and .beiag infinitely perfect, beside Me there is no Saviour;
         -0 ith all thy might." In this latter. pa.s:;age  `we read, `I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed,
         f&t of al!, that God is one Lord,  or iilerally,  an ~n!y when there was no strange god among you: therefore
       Lord or Jehovah, Who alone is.  eDtitle to  the name ye are `My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am .Gocl.
         oi Jehovah. Notice, God is -an only Jehovah, He alone Yea, before the day was I am He, etc.
         is'entitled to this unique' and wonderful name. The                     God is one. This does not merely mean that there
I -      name, Jehovah, means the,"1 Am". All.creatures  ,extit, is but one God. But it also impli& that that only God
         owe their exist&n&not to themselves but to the Lord,           Himself is one. He is one within- Himself, as the
         and  are. constantly subject to change. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Hd is never in
         "I Am" because He, is the Independent One, the Self-           conflict with himself. There is in God no division,
         Sufficient One, therefore the -Unchangeable, the R&k.          no discord, for He is the Rock, the Perfect one, the Un-
         He is &erlastingly the same, never characterized by changeable, the I ;Am, Jehovah. And, even as He'Him-
         chahge or divisionj one God Therefore we r<ad in the. self is one, so also his will and cpunsel -are: eternally
                                                                                                  _.-
         fifth verse,of Deut. 6 that we must love that Lord our one. That counsel is one because it has but one supreme
         Gdd with 411~ our heart, with all our soul, and with all, and ultimate objective, the living IGod Himself and the
         our might. God is'one and we, therefore, must also glory of His Name, for "of .Him and through Him and
         b$ one. He is undivided ; we, too, must be unclivided  in unto Him are all things." One plan, one purpose, one.
         our  s&vice  of-Him;   .Hepce, we must love and serve objective' characterizes the counsel of the Lord, even
         Him with $11 our &art and mind and sbul and strength.          as we may read it in Eph. i :8-10 : "WKerein  He hath
         Atid this same truth we hear in ever recurring refrain &bounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence ; hav-
         throug@out  the Holy Scriptures. "He is the Rock, His ing .made known unto us t&e mystery of-His will, ac-'
         work is perfect : for all His ways are judgment : a `God co&ng to His good pleasure which-He hath purposed
         of $r.uth- and without  iniquity, just and right iS He." in Himself: That. in the  dispensati'on  of the fulness
         Deut. 32 :4. "For Who is God save the Lord? o-r ,who, of times He might gather together in one all things in
         -is a rock save our God?"-Ps.  18:31.;- "Ye are My Christ Jesus, both which are in heaven, and which arg?


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   - B E A R - - E R                                 81        '

  on earth; even in Him." Moreover, this counsel, of the would  maint-ain things as they originally were and
  Lord is unchangeable and irresistible, according. to frustrate- the attempt  of. the devil to destroy this
  Rom. 9 :18, 19 : "Therefore  bath He mercy-on  wliom original creation idea ;, by His special grace, on the
  He will have mercy, an&whom He will He hardeneth. other hand, the, Lord would realize the heavenly re-
Thou  wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find newal  ' of all things. The result of this teaching is
  fault? For who hath resisted His will?" The Lord, surely that we lose the oneness of the counsel of God,
  therefore, is one in Himself,and consequently ail His as set forth in verses 8-11 of the'fir@ chapter of the
 `counsel and attributes also are one,                        apostle's epistle to the Ephesians, in which passage tlzev
     The truth that God is one is denied, on the one hand, appstle  clearly teaches us that it was the eternal coun-
  by  the- Arminians. They speak, for example, not of sel and wisdom of the Lord to gather-into one all things
  one decree of the Lord, but of various decrees of elec- in heaven and on earth, and to do so according to the
  tion. Of this we may read in the Canons of Dordrecht,` sovereign counsel of His own will.
  I, A, 8 and I, `B, 2. According to the Arminians. the         How gloriously comforting, on the one band, is the
  one counsel. of God is general and indefinite, the other blessed truth that the Lord our God is one. Also wit)-
  particular and definite; and the latter in turn is either in Himself. Then all things are controlled by God,
  incomplete, revocable; non-decisive and conditional, or even from the very beginning. Then the sin and fall
  complete, irrevocable, decisive .afid absolute. They of man in Paradise was no accident, but the Lord, also
  speak of a decree  of God to save through the law and then, was realizing the counsel of His sovereign will.
  a decree of the Lord to save without the law, of a de- Then we need not fear that any creature can ever re-
  cree of God to save by wbrks and of another decree of sist His. will or frustrate His'counsel. Even Satan and !,
  the Lord to save by'faith. The Arminians therefore all the powers of sin and darkness are mea&s  in the
  present a God Who is at variance with Himself. This hands of our God whereby He is establishing His eter-
  "God'-' is controlled by man. God would save a!1 men nal covenant. Then'the position of the Church in the
  but cbnnot. He is determined by the will and choice of midst of the world is ever secure and nothing  c&n
  man, is forced therefore to change His purpose and separate us from the love- of God which there is in
  desire with respect to men.. Desirous to save all He        Christ Jesus, our Lord. Then we know that all things
  is compelled to plunge many into eternal condemnation, work together for good to them that love God and are
 is prevented from carrying out His original counsel of the called according to His purpose. Then-,the- Lord
  universal redemption, and must content ,Himself  with reigneth, He alone; from everlasting to everlasting.
  the salvation of but a handful. This is the "God" of And He is the Rock of our strength and of our salva-
  the Arminians.                                              tion, now and forever.
 . Also in the Christian Reformed Churches, our                                                              H .   V .
  Mother Church, the oneness of God is being denied.
  Inasmuch as the "Three Points" are Arminian (they
  are a mixture of  Alminianism and common grace)
  they repudiate this blessed truth. To-maintain on the
  one hand that God is sovereign in His election and
  reprobation, that Christ died only .for those whbm the                 -The Miracle Of -The Rod
I Father has given Him, and that the work of stilvation
  is of the Lord from the beginning to the end, and to
  teach on the other hand that the gospel is an offer of         Turning once more -to the Book of Exodus, the
  salvation to all, that the Lord manifests grace to all in fourth chapter, and thereof the verses two through
-.e. His preaching of the gospel, is surely fundamentally lour, we read, "And the- Lord~said unto him-that is,
  a denial of the truth that the ILord our God is one.        unto Moses--What is in thine hand? And `he said, a
  God then, loves all and He does not love all ; He would rod. And the Lord said, `"Cast it on the ground, and
  save till and H,e would not,.save all: Christ died only it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it;
  for the elect and also desires the salvation of all men.    And the Lord said unto him, Put forth thirie hand tind
  Jehovah is.no longer one in His counsel and will. And take it by the-tail. And Moses put forth his hand, and
  inasmuch as the "Three Points" contain the teachings caught it, and it became a rod in his haid:".
  of `%ommon grace" they also reject the tFuth that ,God         The `rod of Moses becoriiing a serpent `and then be,
  is one. "Common grace" would %reate  two spheres of coming a rod again in Moses' -hand is- a meaningful
  life, the -natural .and the spi$tual, and these must be sign. What may be the idea, the truth, the message or
  understood as independent of each other. Two Divine gospel that this  sigil declares., preaches? That we
  purposes are presented : the maintaining of  the original have to do here in the speech of this sign with-Gospel--
creation idea,`, and the realization of the heavenly re:      the gospel of Christ-is' certain ; and if ,with Gospel, -
  newal of ail things. By His "common grace" the .Lord        then the speech of this sign vitally concerns us,. too,
            -                                                                                                \
                                                                    :
                                1-


0           82            -0.y                    THE..  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   -

            peo.ple of  God of this day and age.' Moses'.-rod, on as the "rod in my hand" has a significance that we
            account of' the wonderful changes that it undergoes, must not allow to.esizape us-this sign@ance, namely,
            takes on a significance of the first magnitude. This that it plainly shows that Moses' or Aaron's hand with
            can be proved. Moses, in obedience to ,the Lord's com- the rod is the symbol of' God's power, strength,-the
            maTId, shall get him unto Pharaoh in the morning, power by which he visited the land of:Egypt with his
            when he goes unto the-' river Nile ; and M&es shall judgments.
            stand by the river's brink as Pharaoh approaches it ;          In the light of these observations, we can also dis-
            and, so the Lo+ continues, "the rod which was turriecl      cern the meaning of the-miracle of Moses' rod. That
            into CG serj?ent.  shall be in thine hand.`? Moses smites rod becomes a serpent, mark you a serpent.' And in
            with -the rod that is in his hand upon the waters which Moses' hand the serpent again becomes the rod-the
            are in the river, and the river is changed into a stream rod-in Moses' hand. There is then this question: Just
            of death and polutiop. An&all the remaining plagues why is Moses' rod momentarily changed into a serpent.
            are successively sent by Aaron's stretching forth his There is reason. That serpent, too, as well as the rocl
          hand with this same rod.                                      is symbol. . ,Of what is that serpent then the symbol?
                   This .rod then has meaning, significance. What is It is the  symbdl  .of that entire vile  consort  of evil
            its meaning? `Wherein does its significance lie? Now powers of which Satan is the prince and the Egy$ of
            the significance of the rod, or rather of Aaron's hand the Book of Exodus the type, the picture; if you will.
            with the rod, the two.are one, does not, of course, lie. This Egypt is :Satan's domain. Here in Egypt Satan
            l&rein that it serves as a sign that the plagues are sent has established His throne.. Par here in Egypt, in the . .
            and made to riot by a-power, a strength, that the Lord land of Goshen, dwells, the whole church, the seed- of
            increated and sustains in Moses and Aaroti. ,God Fade d4,braham, with Christ in its loins;  i Here in Egypt,
            some men very strong, so that they can lift objects of then, Satan liias fixed himself down; established his              .
            great weight. But there never yet' lived .a man strong head-quarters. And this is also very evident. Td begin
            enough to perform a miracle ; -strong enough to change with, this Egypt of the oppression is steeped in idol-.
            a&es into lice, and send hail mingled with fire. -It  iS atry It  a&ally says to  fourfo?$ed beasts and to
           by the Lord's own personal power that all fhese plagues creeping things-to crocodiles and serpents, -to goats
            are sent. This the sacred narrative declares over and sheep, arid .oxen, to dogs; apes, cats.,. wolves and lidns',
            over.. %ys the Lord to Moses, "Now shalt thou see to beetles and other insects,-to each and every one of
           what I .will do to Pharaoh." "I will send swarms of these, Egypt says, "Thou art my God." Offerings are
           flies upon thee and upon $hy servants, and upon thy presented to these creatures ; a priesthood is maintained
            people," said. the Lord to Pharaoh. And again, "I will in their honour ; magnificent temples built' for their
            smite thy borders with frogs. And, fou; this .very pur- receptioii  ; grand festivals h&d `in their praise ; pilblic '
            pose have I raised thee up that I may -show -thee my lament&ions made at their death. Tb kill a crocodile
            power, mine own personal power and mine wrath, that or a snake or a beetle, br' oile o$ any other of these
            thou mayest know that there is none like nie in all the creatures was a crime pdnishable by' death.-' Hence,
            earth." This being true, it c&n& ,be otherwise but it was vekiy -&ually true that- the Egyptians ~woulcl                  -
           that the signifiCance  of Moses' harid with t&e Eoi lies have stoned the Hebrews, should, they, have sacrificed
           herein that it is the symbol, the token, of the I&d's       in Egypt's borders. Egypt at the time of `Moses, tier-
            own p-ersonal  power, might, strength-the strength by- ships the hosts of heaven--the sun, moon; and the
           tihich He sends upon Egypt His plagues. This is as stirs; and all the powers iti nature. To the Egyptians
            good as literally stated in the sacred narrative. Moses the river Nile  w.5s in the  strict sense regarded as
            is commanded to, say to P&raoh, "The Lord God of divine, as appears from the foliowing. lines of a hymn
            the Hebrews sent me unto thee saying, in. this shalt as old as the days df Moses and still preserved; These
           thou know that I am the Lord, 1 Will smite with the rod     lines read, "0  Nile,  hidden God! Bringer of  &odd,
           that is in mine hand upon `the waters which are in the      Creator of all things good, Lord 6f all things -choice
           river, and they shall be tu-med to blood.". Let us take and  delightfti!, if there be offerings, it is thanks to
           @tice of `the pronoun I in the statement, "I will smite thee." As to the Pharaohs of Egypt, they &asted  of
           with the rod that isdn mine hand." It refers, does this descent. from the gods and.were worshipped~`as  gods; :
           pronoun I, not.to Moses and ilot to Aaron but to Gdd Further, the Egyptians in the age here under consider-
     '      Himself, to His very pepson, so that what the statement ation, were  especitilly  impure. They gave the reigns
           asserts is that the Lord himself will smite the waters      to the baser passions.. Unnatural vices prevailed on.
           of the giver Nile with the ,rod that is in His very own every side. Universal and ,tipen impurity marked `their -
           hand. It is plain, then, that the expression  "rod in great yearly festivals. The- race that honoured  beast-.
           mine hand" has reference .to -the Lord's very own per- gods was sunk into  degra`dation. And with all this,
           spnal power, might, strength, by whicll-He  sends tipon     Egypt now, more than  e`ver,  had `become  t%e  center
           Egypt His plagues. But His speaking of His power 6f civilization and  Cr-zlture,  ,Schools under  the p&ests


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                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D           BE-ARE'k                                          83..

 were famous, and inti?lleetual life in every form abound- in Moses veTi `hand, that is, gives Moses the right to
   ed. Sculpttire and painting reached a high- perfection, smite this Egypt with God% plagues and accordingly
  and books- on all subjects were numerous. .Temples,            and for this very` purpose the ,Lord.puts.all His' plagues
  `pyramids, and tombs werk eirtended in number. This in Moses' hands. The'sacred text literally asserts this
   all agrees  with the  scr$ure statement that Moses in chapter 4 :21, where we read, "And the Ldzd -said
  .was trained in all the learning of the Egyptians which unto Moses, When thou goest to .return_to  Egypt, see
 was great. Now it is this Egypt-the  Egypt steeped that thou.  doest  all  thoie wonders before Pharaoh,
  in .idolatry,  the. Egypt prostrated before .the shrines of which I have put in thy hand." And in obedience to
  ,devil-gods,  this immoral Egypt, this civilized, cultured the Lord's command, Moses does ~11 the wonders be-
  and refined Egypt, it is this Egypt that, as inspired by fore Pharaoh that the Lprd .has placed in his hand-
   Satan, clai& and, possesses :God's people bbdy and does all these wonders not certainly by his own .power,
 soul;  elisltives God's people, the holy `seed, lays upon for he is but a inere man-but ddes these wonders by
   God's people heavy burdens,,orders the infant sons of the power of the Lord operative in Moses' behalflin
  Gdd's people cast into the Nile- and strangled at birth, the way of his living faith in God and His word. And
  all for the purpose of destroying God's people and with the working and token of that.faith-Moses' faithGis
  it the Christ that was in this people's loins.                 His stretehe'd out hand with. the rod. In respolise `to
      Now of this devil-worshipping, ,God-defying, civil, Moses' faith, ,God's  owri gift in him; the Lord sends
  iz6d; Cultured, alid. holy-seed persecuting Egypt, the upon Pharaoh -and his- Egypt His plagues j and finally
  serpent  `tif `Moses' rod is verily the synibol, thus at once destroys Pharaoh and his host by th& waters of the se&
  the  stibol of  that entire vile consort of  e?il  pqwers      So does Moses bvercome-overcome the serpent, Egypt,
  of which Satan is th& prince and Egypt the type ; a the world. And his victory is his faith.                          .
  symbol therefore of S&ail's kingdoms, of the, world                    But there is more to say. As was just expltiined,
 that lieth in darkness; and of till that is of this world- Egypt says to the creatures, to the four-fdoted b.easts
  `man's world-the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the and creeping things, to the river Nile, -to the hosts of
 - eyes, and the pride of life. Mark you well, not Moses' heaven,  ,and to  tlie powers in nature-to  these  crea-
  hand with the rod is the symbol of that Egypt. Moses' tures, to. each. `and every one of them, Egypt says,
  `hancl with the rod is the symbol of the `power of God. "Thou art my God." Thus in converting the Nile into
  The serpent `of, Moses' rod is the symbol of the-Egypt         a stream of `death and pollution by ch+ngipg its waters
- that was `just described.        '                   I-        into blood; in sending the `frogs upon Egypt; in turn-
      But no+ there is this question. What may be the ing the ashes of-Pharaoh's furntices into lice ; iri coy-
  truth set forth by Moses' rod becoming a serpent and rupting Pharaoh's land by the locusts and the swarms
  this serpent &gain becoming B rod in Moses' hand? If of flies and the hail mingled with fire ; and by all the
  we bear in mind- that Moses' hand with the rod is the rest of the plagues,-the Lord turns against Egypt its
  symbol of  God'&'  tiower,   might, strength, it is easily own gods, and'thus smites and destroys the serpe$by
  seen'that the truth set forth is this : That devil-woaship-    the-s&pent. But Pharaoh is without excuse. For the
 ping, God-defying, ,eivilized, cultured, refined `and holy- L&d told him before hand, by the miracle of Moses'
  -s&e& persecuting `Egypt of the Book of Exodus, lives rod performed before his very eye, and especially by
  and moves and hi? its being in God and exists solely the miracle of the serpent of, Moses' `rod  .devour-
  by His  pdwer.          This Egypt is clay and  `God is the    in& the serpents  6f the  *rods of Pharaoh's magi-
  potter. Th& in the relation that it. obtains to God, it cians. This latter miracle was' also a sigri-th6 sign
  is a nothingness- in itself. .God raises it  up and  &sts of the Lord's spoiling; corrupting and finally' destpoy-
  it in .the dust befdre  him as He wills and p&s it to- ing Pharaoh an& his people and his land b$ l-iii very
  whatever use he chooses. - It is very plain that this is o w n   dieties.                                                  _.
  the tY'uth  set forth by the miracle with which we now                 We perceive at once that in all this we have to do
  -deal. Not that serpent-but  the ?od is the first and the      with prophecy. Looking intb the" scriptures we see one
  last,' the beginning and the end, the alpha and the greater -than Moses. Looking irito the' scriptures we`
  otiega. From the rod the serpent seems to come forth see by faith Christ.Jesus, the true Mediatbr of God and
  and to the rod it returns so that in the -rdd it. seems man. Of Him -Moses was the type. In His liands,`the
  it-0 have its being;                                           hands of Christ, `God did-verily put all things; So the
     -But let us now take r&ice, of this : Moses is com-         Scriptures' teatih.     Thus  we read at  .John.  13, "Now
  ,tianded  to. grasp the vile thing by its tail. He does so, before the feast of th&. pabsov&,  when' Jesus knew that
  and lo, the thing agail; becomes the rod in Moses' hand. his hour was come that he should `depart out of itiis
  What is the truth her6 set forth? Precikely this: that wbrld.untd the Father. . . . and supper being ended . . .
  the Lord God puts this God-defying, holylseed  persecut-  ~ Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things in
  ing Eg$pt with its beast-gods, and devil-worship, 6th. his handshall things, thus. also Judas who betr.aJied
  its civilization and culttire  and all the fruits thereof, him, the Father put ii1 his hands, and also tlie devil


 84                                    T    H    E
                                                 STAN DAR-D           B E A R E R

 who'inspired that betrayal, and the wo$d that crucified fied Christ for the last time will stretch out his hand
 him and that persecuteth his people, thus the w&d, with the rod ; and the heavens shall pass away' with
 with its beast-gods and devil-worship, and its  cul- a `great noise, and the elements shall melt with a `fer-
 ture, science-and the fruits thereof,-all things the vent heat and the earth alFo and all the ti,orks that
 Fathe_ put into his hands so that he, the Christ, hath are therein-all the fruit of science and invention,
-power  over it, to use'it for the advancement of the ends    all man's  works-shali be burned up.         But those
 of his kingdom ,and to smite it, this Egypt, `Satan's who-put their trust in God through Clzrist will haveno
 kingdom, with the' plagues of God. which the F&her fear ; for only with their eyes shall they behold and see
 also put into,his h_ands to destroy. this Egypt when he the reward of' the wicked. Because they make, the
 hath done with it. And as knowing that the Father&Lord, who is their refuge, even the Most High, their
                                                                                      -
 had given all things into His hand, ?Ie humb,led  Him- habitation. Because according to his promise, they
 self, and became obedient unto death, even unto the look for new heavens alld a new earth, wherein d&l-
 death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted eth righteousness. And ,their hop& shall not be put to
 him, setticg him at His own right hand in the highest shame,          They shall inherit the earth.' For  -God is
 heavens. And His hand with the rod of  SGod is now faithful.                                         G. M. 0.
 stretched out. Verily He smiteth Egypt, Satan's king-
 dom, the world that lieth-in darkness with the plagues
that God piIt into His hands. The wrath of God is re-
vealed from heaven ovei all the unrighteousness of                  THE DAY-OF SH-IADOWS
men, because Christ's hand with the rod is stretched
 out. Thus the curse of God stalks the earth, because
 Christ's hand with the rod is stretched out. There is                       David  Anointe.d
war, famine, death ; the pestilence walks in. the night ;
destruction wasteth at noon day; floods devastate; the           Saul has disobeyed the voice of the Lord in the
tornado twists its way, over the, ea>th,  leavhg  death matter of the Lord's war with Amalek. In punishment
and destruction in its wake,`because  Christ's .hand with *of his sin  the Lord rejects him  from  .being king of
the rod is stretched' out. .It is all Christ's work ; for     His people ; and accordingly will rend the kingdoni
the plagues of God are in his hands. And he hath from Saul to give. it to .a neighbor that is better than
received a commandment of His Father, "see that thou he. The Lord's having rejected Saul from .being king _
doest.  all these wonders before Pharaoh, which I have `me&ns that He deprives Saul of the'right to reign, so
 put in thy  hand  !Such is the father's will; for it is that his sta&us is now ihat of a.king deposed bf God.
only through these wonders as done that his kingdom Accordingly,  the Lord has no new tasks for Saul to
.can come and his people be delivered' from the clutch perform ; and Samuel comes no more to see him. For
of. Pharaoh. Such is the Father's will-His will that as the Lord has no new word for Samuel to communi-  ' .
His power and wrath be revealed in order that now,            cate to Saul, it would be pointless for the seer to bay
too, the world-man's world, the  wou'ld for which him new visits. The Lord also ceases to qualify Saul
Christ does not pray and which he does not will to for the duties of his office by -taking. from him H-is
save, thus the reprobated world of men-may  khow              Spirit, not the Spirit of sanjification and fear of the
that there is none like Christ's God in all the earth ; - Lord-this Spirit Saul has not receivkd-but the Spirit
and in order that His name may be declared through- whereby the Lord awakened and sustained the powers
out all the earth. And now, tdo, as always, and how of mind and will that lay dormant in Saul's soul.
could it  bb otherwise, the men of the world-of the -            Saul has heard the Lord say to him by the mouth
reprobated world-serve the creature more' than the of Samuel, "I have rejected thee. . .  ."  Saul should
Creator; they trust, do these men, in the arm of flesh,       now humble himself under the hand of God by confess-
in their inventions, in science and the fruits thereof; ipg his sin in tears "of true  contritipn  of heart and
in fleets and armies of overwhelming destructive further by voluntarily abdicating his throne.  But  ~~
capacities ; so that now, too, in smiting Satan's king-       Saul, being destitute of grace, is not $hg man for that:
dom with God's plagues, Christ is still turning against Instead of stepping down from his  throne  to make
the wofld its own gods, its own sciences, its own in-         room for that "`neighbor'! who is better than he, Saul `-
ventions, thus destroying the serpent by the serpeklt;        remains unbelieving;' and in his unbelief he hardens
If you are inclined to be skeptical, contemplate the his heart by' resolving, contrary to the revealed-will
`&ate of things in the world on the earth today, and ask      of God, to maintaiq himself in his position if Israel's
how come?. ,Only remember that all these things come king over against that' "neighbor" whoever he may
to ,pass, because Christ's arm with the .rod is stretched ~ turn  out to be. Saul will  be  dn the alert for that
out.                                                          "neighbor" to destrby him the nibment he makes his
       And at the end of time, at his appearing, theglori-    appesrance.                     -


                                     T H E   +,TANbARD B E A R E R   -                                               85

    It all means that Saul's heart is now harder than seeing I have rejected `him from reigning over Isra4 "
 ever ; that his disobedience and rebellion, his defiance The.Lord continues, "Fill thine horn with oily-and go,
 and hatred of God, hgve reached their peak. More I will send thee to J,esse  the Bethleherriite: for I have
 t$an ever. before is Saul's heart a play-ground for the pqovided  me a king among his sons."
 devil ; and his capacity for being influenced by voices      But Samuel sees a difficulty. "HOW can I go?"
 from the abyss has increased a hundred fold. .Accord- says he to the Lord, "If Saul hear he will kill me."
 ingly, the narrative also states that "iin evil spirit from Samuel is not concerned- about his life, as if he thinks
 the Lord .terrified him." By its whisperings it teryi- of his. being- killed as the worst c&amity  that could
 fies Saul's soul ; and drives him to deeds of madness. befall him. - What the seer in all likelihood means to
 At any time that "neighbor" may come forward and,            tell the Lord is that Saul, should he hesr of the inatter,
 as sustained by the will of the people, claim the throne.    will kill him even before he has opportunity to anoint
 The thought maddens Saul. For he wants to be king.           Jesse's son. Samuel is tin excellent saint. He has
 Brooding over his plight, he is seized by a gloomy grown old in the service of his IGod. He has but a few
melancholy ; and his soul writhes in a torturing anguish.     more years to live;, That his quick retort should have
 Such is now the state of Saul's mind and heart. And been.inspired  by a fear of death is therefore not likely.
 it comes on him from the  Ldrd. For he refuses to            Perhaps -he merely wishes to call attention to the dire
yield to God's righteous judgment, and to bow beneath         consequences of his journey for all concerned, should
 His hand. And therefore God now .gives him wholly :Saul hear of its purpose. The Lord allows him to con-
 over to a reprobate m&d through the vile ambitions of        ceal the purpose of his going. by taking with him a
his heart to do things not fitting. As time wears on _h&fer,  and by saying to the elders of Bethel, that he
he more and more behaves like Oman gone'mad, being comes to sacrifice to the Lord." He is to invite Jesse
filled with erivy, suspicion, murder, and malignity.          to .the sacrificial meal' and await direction from the
Yet, though he thus receives in himself the recompence        Lord. "I will tell thee what thou shalt do. And thou
 of ,his per&i&ant ?ebellion, he continues to his dying shalt anoint unto me whom I will name unto thee."
 day  williligly ignorant of  his rejection by the Lord.         Samuel does as the Lord commarids. -He does not
He denies the truth of the sentence< of rejectioil pro- allow the. troubled condition of his soul to deter him
nounced over him by Samuel ; denies that the sentence from strictly obeying the Lord's will. The elders of
 originated tiith God. Though his heart tells him dif- Bethlehem come tremblingly to meet him with the
ferenily, he-itisists  that he still is `Israel's rightful king question,  "Comest  thou  ili peace?" Samuel's sudden
and that God is- for him, though men, so .he imagines,        and unexpected. appearance prbduces ,fear. It indicates.
be plotting his ruin. Hence, he is also filled with deep a firm belief. on the part of the elders that Samuel
pity for self. All these things Will become plain as we speaks -God's word, so that whomsoever he blesses or
proceed with the narrative. .                _                curses is blessed or cursed of God. And being sinful
    All the same, having been rejected  of the Lord, Saul men, they are  afraici. Yet their question does not               .-
is now a king-by usurpation. Yet the Lord does not at express  fear of punishment for some gross sin or
this time slay Saul or give command to some offcial in special misdoing. For Samuel comes peticably,  comes
 Israel that-he be'slain. Hence, no one, not even David, to sacrifice unto the Lord in their behalf and to invite
. may l&y his hand on Saul. It is not the Lord's will.. them to take part in the sacrificial meal that their
-And there is reason. According to his purpose, the fellowship  niay be with God through Christ. So the
Lord still has use for Saul for a time. For one thing,        seer instructs them to sanctify themselves, consecrate
the .Lord needs Saul to persecute David, the son of their persons to the service -of ,God by washing their
Jesse, chosen of the Lord to succeed Saul in  the throne. bodies and putting on clean garments as `symbol of
In that crucible `of affliction; David's faith will be to the  cIeansing of the soul for communion with God,
the honor and glory of God ; and the church will be en- -who. is holy. While directing the elders to take part
riched by one more type of the Christ in His sufferings. in the offering, Samuel gives special invitation to Jesse
Besides, David is not yet ready for rule ; for he is but and his sons (by the same direction to sanctify them-
an inexperienced `youth.      -                               selves) to partake of the sacrificial meal with him:
    As to Samuel, for re&dns `that have already been There must have been a special meeting with Jesse
stated, he continues to hold on to .Saul in his mind and      and his sons, but it is not so stated in the text. Noth-
heart even after the latter's rejection by the Lord, The ing more is said of the sacrifice, the narrative going
narrative states, "And Samuel came no more to `see            on to the main occurance, Jesse's sons come. Samuel
Saul until the day of his death ; nevertheless ;Samuei        says that Jesse's son, Eliab, is surely the Lord's anoint-
mourned for Saul : but. the Fiord repented %at he had ed. But the voice of God inwardly teaches Samuel
made Saul king oper Is`rael." The seer's refusd  to 1::t      different. It  t.eaches  him two things: 1) In respect
Saul go is sinful; and merits rebuke. !Accordingly.  the of Eliab's person, he is not to infer from his counten-
Lord says-to him, "How long wilt t`hou mourn for Saul,        ante and from his  imposillg stature that he is  rthe


            `86                                  - T    H    E    S T A N D A R D   .BEARER

                  chosen of the Lord. 2) Secondiy  h& is taught a general plaining the  chafacter of the  ano!nting.  Whether
                  truth respecting the differenck  betweell  divine and Samuel informed David. of the meaning of the act is
            `human modes of judgment. "For not  ,as man sees, &t revealed. Probably  Davip was not  inform`ed. It
                  sees the Lord." The ground of the truth that human is certain -that it remained concealed to his `brethren
                  judgment and divine judgment are not the same but        and ,the. people. It was the course of events that- led
                  different is now stated-"For man looks on the eyesj      the people to look on David as the successor of Saul.
             but the Lord looks on the heart," that is, man judges            Samuel welit to Rama. It is quite certain from the
             according to the. outward appearance as it  concent?ates      following history that David was in constant; communi-
                  itself in the eyes,. in contra& with the heart or the    cation with Samuel, and that in. this intercourse with
      .- center of man's inner ethical life, whence springs man's          the prophet he learlied the meaning  6f Samuel's act.
             will  ,and his whole spiritual frame. Not according              The beginnings  of David's life, as they are revealed
             to the agreeable appearance  which commends itself to         in his election and calling to be king of Israel are rooted
             the eyes, but according to the ethical worth hidden in. in the hallowed ground of a .family iri Judah,. knotin.
             the heart that pleases him does the Lord judge, who in history.for godliness. The family from which Jesse
             proveth the heart and the reins. The ,same  decision is sprang was from of old one of the'most prominent in
                  announced with respect to. the second son, Abinadab. the tribe of  Judhh. One of its ancestor&  Nahshon,
            `And so as to the third, Shammah. Thus Jesse makes             headed the  whole tribe in the march through the
            seven of his sons pass before  $amuel. But Samuel's wilderness. Jesse,  .the son of `Obed, was` the grandson
                  decision,. according to the voice of ,God within him, is of the God-fearing Boaz of  thihis tribe, He seems to
             always negative. "And Samuel said to Jesse, The L&d have been intimate with Samuel, tind David was the
             hath  not chosen these." But Samuel does not tell Jesse man acco;ding to IGod's heart. His posture of heart,
             that the Lord has provid&d Him a king among his sons. which was. wellrpleasing  to God, the instruction and
            .David's father-and brothers know nothing of David's examples`bf his father's house was `God's  means of
             high calling. In the absence of express intimation developing.' After his anointi-ng he rip&ed mofe and
             of its nature, -the anointing of David might refer to         more under the  guidarice of God's  -Spirit to' a  clear
            the prophetic office. Samuel's word was by reason of knowledge of .his calling and from.the+ourse  bf events
             its indefiniteness a riddle, whose solution' Jesse was to others, as Jonathati,  ailed finally the whble natibn, con-
             &t&in only from the following development of -the cluded that -he wtis, called to be king of ,G&Ys people.
             history of his youngest  .son.                                His shepherd-life continued for a' `while  af$er his
*      -             To Samuel's  quest&n whether these  are all his anointing, in which he was immersed iti the contenipla-
             sons, Jesse answers that the youngest y+remains,  "and tion of God's revelation in nature atid in -His word, btit
             behold, he keepeth the sheep." Samuel is not satisfied also ready at any mo'ment  to ineet the greatest dangers
             with the presentation of the seven sons; he bids the and exhibit courage and protiess; Thus w&e-the two
             father send for the youngest, before they sit around, sides-of his nature `developed pn this double &round by
       I namely, the table. It can also .be rendered, <`We will.. the Spirit of God, le`ading his heart intb the'depths of
             not turn about but will remain here waiting till he God's r&elation'of His power, grac6, wisdom in nature,
             come. So' Jesse. brings David in. His appearance is word, and prophecy; but also  .into thb depth .of the
             ruddy (referring to the  c&or of his hair-red hair)
            i!                                                             sinfuliiess of the human heart. His energy-  and cour-
             and at the same time beautiful of eyes and good (SO           age were developed in the life of .conflict, which he had'
             reads the original text) that is, pleasing in appearance. to 3ead as one Persecuted by Saul. -In the-hiddenness
             In Da'vid is united the beauty of Eliab and that what         of his calling fro& the people,`iti  the gradud deSelc$-
       : "the -Lord looks on" a heart and mind after the will ment `of his' ihner `life, and in his 16wly beg&ing he
             and'good-pleasure of the Lord. So the  Lord says to shotis a likeness td Christ. '                        -
             S$muel,  "Arise, anoint  .him, for this is he." Sure of          As to Saul, "th&`Spirit of the Lord departed frdti
            `his course, S&iuel performs the ceremony of anoint-           hini, and an evilspirit of the Lord troubled hiti," His
            .ing D.&id from among his brethren `(not, in the midst sekvants  speak of the cause of his, mental condition,
             of). The interpretation ace&ding to `which tb.e breih- and counsel hiti to let them. find a harpist, .th& he.
             r& were not present, explains their ignorance. The msy be healed by.`the  strains of music of his suffer-
             anointing was a symbol of divine appointm&t  and the ings. This' was agreeable-  to Saul,  and  on& of the
       impartation of - the :Spirit. Hence, "the Spirit- of the young men  of. the court  mentions  -the son of  J&se,
             Zord  came upon  David  from.that  day forward." The whom he himself knows. He describes him at length,
             impartation of the Spirit was the special endowment not only as a harpist but -also "a valiant! `man, a man
             with gifts and powers for the duties of the office'of of war, a prudent m&n, a. goodly person, with whom
      -, king; to which-David was. chosen and consecr?tkd  by the Lord  us." All these cliaracteristics  -appear in
             this anointing according to God's will.                       D a v i d ' s   .history.             -          '     "
                   Nothing is  here said  of any word of Samuel ex-  '        There is now a message to Jesse 6 .send his son

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                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAkER                                            s7

 td court. Jesse is ready. -He sends his son with pre- court -of Saul, but went .back` and +forth. This he could
 sents that bespeak a herdsman and countryman. Th_e do because Saul was not always ill. . This coming-and
 presents are a. sign of obedience and subjection. So going must have fall& in a time before this war. Al-
 David comes to Saul and stands before him; thak is, thbugh David is Saul's armor-bearer, he is not yet with
 he serves him. Saul beconies fond of him, aild retains him in the field at the' time of this war. He is still
 him, and places him among his armor-bearers, and ignorant of war, an unauthorized spectator of  it: It
 thus entrusts him with military service, and *informs       was while the  qhilistine champion above-mentioned
 Jesse that his'son will remain with him David's play- was daily offering his challenge (repeated for forty
 ing has the effect of freeing Saul.from his suffering;      days) that Jesse sent David to his brethren. He is to
 and  he  becomes well again. Hearing the music, the tak.e  for his brethren tin ephah of parched corn, arid -
 evil spirit departed from him.                              ten loaves and run to the camp of his brethren. He                      .
     Thti Israelites  an< the Philistines being  ready to    iS also supplied With `ten cheeses for the captain of
 battle, and Goliath's appearance.                           their thousands ;`but espe`cially  is' he to look how his'
     The power of the Philistines wasnot broken. They brethren fare, and to take their token, that Jesse may
 make another attempt-to rkduce  Israel to subjection. know that they are well and that his son has been with
 The Philistine army. is assembled at Soco& The army th.em. Rising up early in the morning, and. leaving his
 of Israel is encamped in the` Terebinth  valley. Goliath sheep with~a keeper, David goes as Jesse `commanded
 now' comes-forward. He `is  called  "the man of the him, and arrives at' the scene' of the con$lift, as the
 mid&", because h_e advances between the two armies to host was going forth to fight, and was giving the battle
 decide  the matter by a single cqmbat.  It seems that cry. Leaving  hi$  stipplies  in the care of a keeper, he
 neither of the armies dares to attack. Saul and Israel &&ens into the army, and.asks his brethrren of peace,
 are afraid of the Philistines instead of attacking the that is, salutes them. As he talks with them, Goliath
 enemy in the name of the Lord and as relying on @is         comes forth and repeats his challenge. )And the Israel-
 help. They have no faith. Though. naturally a b#?ave ites flee when they see the mati, and are sore afraid.
 man, Saul, too, is afrsiid now: He thinks it prudent           Some of the refugees come to the place where David
 to act merely on the `defensive. IGoliath's height ,is 9    converses with his brethr,en. He hears them say what
 feet 1' inch. _ His helmet is of brass; and he is armed Saul will do by'the man who kills the giant: he will
 with a coat of mail, the weight of which is five thousand -enrich that man with great riches, give the man his
 shekels  of. brass.  `On his legs are  greav& of brass ; daughter for wife, and make his father's house fre! in
 and  a'target of brass is between his shoulders.  tie Israel. It indicates that. Saul `has already issued a
 cakries  a staff like a weavers beam; and the head of proclamation, nrging the combat with the giant; David
 his spear weighs six hundred shekels of iron: and one speaks to-the men and has them repeat  Saul's promises
 beaki@ a shield goes before him. And he stands and of reward. David's in .;uiry indicates his amazement
 cries to the armies of Israel: Why  are ye in  battie       at the lack of faith on the iart of Saul and the Israel-
 array? .Behold, I represent. !he whole Philistine people, .ites in general; and not interest in the promised re-
 arid yk are servants of :Saul. Send one of you to fight wards.' For he replies, ""Who is `this uncircumcised
 with me, and let him come down to me." The giant is Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living
standing in the valley beneath the Israelites,. who are God !" These words .do not in the first instance ex-
 encamped in the valley. Goliath proposes  that the press David's desire to fight the giant, but they set                  -
 question of subjection be decided by a single combat, forth the ground for` the thought, that the insult of-
 !vhich, in his opinion, will result in favor of the Philis- fered Israel and Israel's God by the Philistines must be
 tines. The$e is `no one to accept the challenge ; and -wiped out. This ground is that the Philistinei aie an
 Goliath scorns .atid co&empts  Israel the mbre. Israel uncircumcised &ace of men that has no felldwship  with
 with Saul at the. head fears and trembles. fiow the - the living `God and stands outside of God's covenant
 narrator gives a full account of the .person  and family with Israel. How should this insult Ibe permitted to
 of David. All he tells us we already know from chapter cl,eave- to the people of' Israel, who ari! a people holy
 3.6. `David is the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem      unto the living God? This  ,God is emphasized over
 `Judah, whose liame is Jesse. He; has eight sons; and .ag&nst the dead idols of the Philistines. The Philis-
 the man himself, Jesse, is old, that is; .he goes .for an tines' reviling of the people of ;Gqd is scorn sind deri-
 old- man among fnen in. the days- cif Saul. The three sion direct&d against  the living God Hiniself; and-he
 eldest sons follow, Saul td the battle. Their nanies are    who ventures to take  away `this  ?eproach  will  .have
 given. David is the youngest. -The.st$tenient  of Jesse's God on his side slnd overcome with God's h&lp, wliose
 age gives  th& reason  tihy he  doe&  not himself go to is the victo?y. Such-is tlie faith in which David-stands               _
 battle. David, according to this narrative, was going immovable. For he is now the anointed of the Lord;
 and retwning  from' Saul to feed his fpther's she,ep in Israel's real  kirig, appointed and qualified  by God's
 Bethlehem  ; that is, he did'not remain constantly at the Spirit to war the virarfdre of Jehovah. G. M. 0.
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88                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

                                                                  die benauwdheid komt tot ons door veel en yelerlei.
             SION'S ZANGEN                                        Het ergste is als God ons benauwt.
                                                                        Dit laatste is het geval hier. Want nad& de zanger
                                                                  zijn smart heeft uitgemeten en uitgezongen, dan zegt
        Het Gebed Ems Veidmkten                                   hi3 : "vanwege Uwe verstoordheid en Uwen grooten
                                                                  toorn; watit Gij hebt mij verheven en mij weder neder- ..
      De man. die Psalm 102 gedicht en gezongen heeft geworpen." (vers 11)                                          :
iS .zeer wijs geweest.             Dat blijkt uit den geheelen          0 ja, het kan' stoFmen in:  bet. diepe hart van het
psalm, doch het meest bij den aanhef. Zijn wijsheid volk van God. Het is niet al zonneschijn op den weg
blijkt uit  !let feit, dat  wanneer  hij  zich "verdrukt" naar den hemel. Er zijnszwarte wolken en de donder
weet, en daaroin "overstelpt" is, hij zich tot God wendt,         Gods die ons doen schrikken, & ons doen krommen in
om daar zijn "klacht" voor het Aangezicht uit te stor-            angst en smart.. De geh-eele Bijbtil getuigt &van.
t       e     n         .                                               Ik weet, dat di-t door sommigen  geloochend  wordt.
      En hij Bent dien God als zijn HEERE.                        Er zijn mellschen die zich Christenen noemen, en die -
                                                                  belijden, dat llet enkel zonneschijn is op hun weg. Ze
      Altemaal  wij&eid.                                          hebben geloofd, en daarom zingen zij, al hun lieye leven
      Tweedens,  jetten  w:e  er op, dat  het er zeer slecht lang. Ze geloofden, en zijn gerechtvaardigd van alle
bijstond met  dezen  profeet,  want  profeet is hij  ge- .hunn& zonde en  schuld. De  hemel is verder  liefjijk
weest. Dat blijkt uit de inhoud van den psalm.                    ,blauw. Er zijn geen s'tormen voor hen en er is geen
      Het stond er zeer slecht bij. Hij is veidrukt, zijn dander des HEEREN  die komt om 01;s te beangstigen.
ziel is overstelpt, en hij moet zijn klacht "uitstort,en"; Zij kandelen op effen wegen.
Altemaal uitdrukkingen,~  die ons toonen hoe erg het               Ik geloof er niets van.
was.                                                                    Ik geloof,  dat juist de Christen kan, spreken van
      Derdells, zien we, dat de nood die hij bezingt in zijn angst en smart, meer dan eenig  ande? mensch. `De
klacht, meer is dan persqonlijk.           Hij is het mondstuk weg van den Christen is zwaar.
va.n Sian, dat in `igruis" ligt. (vers 15)                              Dat zit 266: bet is juist de Christen, en de Christen
      Vierdens, is deze psalm, (zooals velen die van het- a&%n, die het'beste weet wat zonde is. En wat de be-
zelfde gehalte zijnj in den Bijbel opgenomen, om ons - zondiging der zonde is. Als wij zondigen, dan komt
te leeren  hoe we te handelen hebben, wanneer de wate-            God en vertelt ons in diepe hart, wat Hij van ons en
ren tot aan de lippen komen.                                      onze zonde denkt. Dan neemt Hij ons beet in het diepe
      Dit aangaande de psalm in het algemeen, en aan- hart en werpt ons neder. Dan wordt hit benauwd in
gaande het begin in het bizonder.                                 het binnenste. Dan gevoelt men zich eenhaam en ver-
      "0 HEERE!  hoor mij gebed, en laat mij geroep laten. Ik h+b we1 eens oude vromen hooren .zeggen:
tot U komen.  Verberg Uw  aangezicht  nietvoor  mij,,             Gods volk zondigt duur. En dat is correct. ,O ja, we
neig Uw oor tot mij ten dage mijner benauwdheid; lion gerechtvaarcligd in het bloed des kruises en door
ten dage als ik roep verhoor mij haastiglijk.".                   het geloof. Daar gaat niets.af. Maar dit wil niet zeg-
      Een  schoon' begin als we te  midden van  groote            dat we nu maar 1;aak kunnen zondigen, en dat er niet
smarten verkeeren.                                                de wrange vruchten van geplukt zullen worden  door
      Hoe onuitsprekelijk arm is hij. die zonde? God in ons die zondigen. 0 neen ! We zondigen duur ! .,
dc, wereld is. Die kan niet 266 bidden. Die heeft niets                 Dat heeft deze  -zanger  ervar&.  En- dgt ervoer
om op te leugen; die moet zijn last alleen! zelf dragen.          Eion toen het naar Babel-ging.
      Hierboven merkte ik op, dat de smart groot moet                   Gaat met mij naar Jesaja, en hij zal het U vertel-
zijn geweest. .Dat komt ook uit in zijn begin. Het is len : "Zie, d4 hand des HEEREN is niet verkort, dat zij
een bidden, dat  overgirig  iri  roepen.   `Oak spreekt hij       niet zoude kunnen srerlossen;  en Zijn oor is niet zwaar
van "benawdheid" ; en wil  "haastiglijk"  veflost  wor- gewor-den, dat Hij niet zoude kunnen hooren; maar
den. De nood is groot  geweest.                                   uwe ongerechtigheden maken eene scheiding tusschen
      In het algemeen kunnen we opmerken, dat- deze ulieden en tusschen uwen God, en uwe zonden verbek-
zanger in een plaats gekoy.en  was die voor hem te eng gen het  aapgezicht  van  u&den, dat Hij niet  hoort."
was.     Hij kon  zich niet uitbreiden en wandelen in Jes. 59 :l, 2.                -
aangenaamheid des  harten. Er  was  geeI! plaats  ge-                   Een flauti beeld bemerkt ge' en leieft -ge ielf met
noeg voor hem, want dat is de beteekenis van benauwd- Uwe kindereh. Als-Uy kind t&en- U, geiondigd heeft,
heid.  ,God heeft ons geschapen om te  wandelen, om la&t  ge,  dat kind dan  z6i  `maar  to&  &lsof er niets
ons -te uiten in nieer dan BQn zin. Webehoeven  ruimte gebeurd is? `Neentdch;. Maar dan frdnst ge de wenk-
voo? ons lichaam, voor ons verstand, en  vo&  onzen               brauwen, en--dan verandert `ge Uw stem, en daq kan
geest. Doch na onzen val in de zonde is er. een vreese-           het 266 maar zien eti'hooreq,  dat ge otitstemd  zijt van-
lijke verandering gekomen. Er is benauwdheid.  i3n wege het'wangedrag. We'lndl ioo is het ook met "God

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                                             _     THE            ~sTANDA~DJ~EA-R~ER                        -,                                 89
                         *


  .en  U.  De  HEERE  doet het  U  ondervitiden in  Uti zi$n  maag niet  goed werkte? 0 neen. Maar zijn
  hart en leven wat I-j[ij van U en Uw zondigen denkt. "hart" was  geslagen. Hij vergat te  eten:   Tn  ztilk  .e&
  En zoo konit men in toestanden Szooals  die hier be-                 toestar cl tieet men zelfs nlet meer dat men_ een m&h&
 . zongen worden.  *                 __.,                              heeft.
      Epn rechtgeaa?d  kind ial dan: vadei en moeder om                    Ma& die dat hart sloeg was God.                      .`.     .,      -
  v@rg&ing vragen. En een Yechtgbaard Christen' doet                       In  ,de geheele geschiedenis ligt  ii3ts  schoons..  De
  hetzelfde bij <God.                                      i -         adel van bet kind Gods blinkt hier. Laat ons.eens zien.
      En nu hebben we in dezen psalm de terugkeer  sian Als. ge tegen den.. goddelooze  zegt : *God haat U! dafi
  het kind Gods, tot zijn God, qet het smeek& om tech zal hij er geen  boterhafil minder  -d-m  eten;  Doch als
  terhoord te  worden,   opdtit de  toestand van  eenzaam-             bet volk van God merkt dat de HEERE vervuld `is met
  lleid en verlatini op moge houden, en plaats .maken                  ongenoegen,  vantiege onze zonden, dan kwijnt hij.,
  voor de nabijheid des -HEEREN.                                       Het bewijst, dat  God alles  <is voor  Christ~en.'  Elders
      `Letten we nu op de beschrijving van zulk eels ver- zegt de Heilige Geest hiervan: Wien heb ik neirens U
  Ititene.                                                             in den  hemel?    Nyvens U lust mij ook niets op de
      En dan zullen tire teiens zien, dat dit alles vel?vuld aarde.
  `is toen Jezus tot God geklaagd heeft. Want er -is een                   Past dit  echter toe op Christus. Het hoort  meer
  Lijd (?) gekgmen, dat Messias geklaagd heeft en niets bij Hem da.ti bij onzed zanger van Psalm 102.
  hoorde  van verlossing.          Er zijn eenzaamheden  ge-             "Cl&isti& hart is door God geilagen. Eeuwig pys-
 wee&, waarvan we slechts kunnen stamelen. We~weten terie ! Maar waar.  I
  niet wie .dit lied gedicht heeft, doch we weten wel, dat                 Christus' hart is door IGod geslagen, en toen isaij
  het  nie'c zoo erg geweest is, als met  ,Mes$as.  Hij gelijk geworden aan gras dat verdorde, dat verzengde
  klaagde;  doch hoorde voor, o zoo lang, niets dan de onder de-.stralen van deri toorn Gods.
  echo vati Zijn schreiende stem. Er zitten eeuwigheden                    Christus' hart is door God geslagen en toen heeft
  in de woorden  iah Heb.. 5 3'. Ik denk; dat Jezus vaak , Hij nooit meer gedacht  aaK het  eten: In de  he1 eet
. gedacht h&eft aan dezen psah-n.                                      men niet. En daai drinkt nien niet. Hoe zou het ook?
      Welnu, God moet "haastiglijk" komen, "want mijne Het eten en drinken op aarde zijli symbool der waar-
  dagen zijn vergaan als rook, en mijn gebeente is .uit- heid, dat ,God in Christus het Brood en het Water  des.
  gebrand als.een haard."-                                             Ievens  is.  `:`I  `.           -
      Dit is Oostersche taal, vol van beeldspraak en hyper-                "hFi,$l gebeente kleeft  aan mijn  vleesch.  vaa.;rege
  bo!i&h spreken. OOk juist daarom, is het betrekkelijk de stem mijns `iutihiens."
  getiakkelijk om de gedachte van den zanger te vatten.                    SAch, wie is er onder het volk des HEEREN die
      God verliet hem (voor zijn bewusizijn) en nu heb- hier niet van weet mee te praten?. *Het zucht& is ons
  ben zijn dagen bijna geen beteekenis meer. Zijn dagen gegeven om uiting te geven aan de schrijende pijn de's
  zijn zoo ijdel als de rook die even gezien wordt en*dan harten. Het zuchten wordt  me&t gedaan  ip de  een-
  verdwijnt. En als, Gods toorn ervaren wordt, dan is iaamheid;   - Moet ook. Wascht uw aangezicht als ge
  er geen be&and meer in ons lichaam. Dan zijn we de menschen tegemoet  treed!.  .-Zalft U en ziet vroolijk.
  gelijk  aafi een uitgebrande haard.  D&n is er geeri Mismaakt Uw aangeaicht niet om van de mep&en.eer
f:risch!ieir'  zloch kracht.                                           te ontvangen, vanwege Uw zixhten en vasten voor h&t"
      Ik  sprak daar van "hyperbolisch" spreken. Laat Aatigezicht  !
  ons voorzichtig zijn om dik 66.k toe te passen op Mes-               Maar zuchten doet  ge..
  $ias; Jezus  is vergaan. Jezus is den eeuwigen dood                   En zuchten is een zwaar  werk. Daar  kleeft-   l&t
  gest'orven. 0 ja, Hij kon het zeggen: Mijn dagen zijn gebeente aan h.et vleesch. De ervaring van de orilus$.
  gelijk de rook die verdwijnt, en mijn gebeente voelt des  Alma,chtigen heeft  ask physische  result&e&  De
  Mij aan als eeti uitgebratide haard.                                 psalm  sprak er reeds van. Zoo ook  bier. Als  men
      Let er op : bij bns is bet nooit 266 er.g. Bij Jezus is treurig .te moede is, dan. bemerkt men zijn lichaam.
  .het altijd tee1 erger;  dan wij kunnen bevatten.                    Een  dotter   zeide  .eeris tegen`mij : "To feel fine is ndt
      "Mijn hart is geslagen en`verdord als gras, zoodat t o   feel.`yourself   atall'!" `Correct.  _
 ik vergeten  hbb mijn bjrood te eten."                                   Maar -als het ban-g .tio?dt,  dan bemerkt menu zichzelf
      Wat heeft nu mijn hart te  maken met  b?obd ?                    en lijdt men van zichzelf:  -Hoe zou het lichaam -van
  Vr$agt ge dat?  ik  ZOU  willefi  antwoordkn:  alles. Als Jezus' er aan toe zijn-geweest, even Goordat  Hij riep:
  ons hart geslagen is, `hebben we in `t geheel  geen lust In Uwe  handen beveel Ik -Mijnen  Geest`? We  weten
  om tk eten. `Dan -vergeten  tie ielfs dat het we& tijd bet':- in. psalm 22 kla$gd& Hij : Mijn been&&n kan ik
  .werd .om te -ontbijten. Het stomme -dier zal bet U tellen,  BBn vodr 66% ! En Jesaja sprak ervan : "zoo ver-
  leeren: We.tie`ten  niet veel van h'et -"hart" d&r dieren.           dorven was Zijn gelaat, meer dan van iemand, en Zijne
  Maar er z{jn .vborbeelden,  waar`een hond van.honger                 gedaante, meer dan. van andere menschenkinderen:"
  en `dorst stierf op het graf van zijn, meester.  Omdat               3ek. 52 :14..                                          . . _
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          `.                                -
                 9.0                                                 TtiE               $,TA?$I=3.&RR                  BEARER                  0     :

                             "Ik  hen  een roerdomp  de; woestijn gelijk  gewor- the. fact that many people in the Netherlands were im-
                 den, ik hen geworden als een st6enuil  ddkr l&de&is- prisoned  or sought because they prayed for the Queen
          s@l."                                                         .                                  and- the Dutch Government. The  conscientio& con-
                        "11~ waak en ben geworden als eene eenzame  musch tinued such praying in spite of the threats that filled :
                 op het dak."                                                                              the  eccl,&iasti&l  air. Certainly it was a matter of
                  WZe zullen  niets zeggen van de dieren die  opge-                                        deep conviction on their' part. No doubt, these prayers
                 noemd worLden  :de roerdomp, de steenhuil,  en de mu&.%.                                  were. sometimes motivated by political and econo&cal
                 Om de eensoudige  reden,  dat  ye niet precies  weten considerations and were sometimes more national,than
                 wat mo.or vogelc;n' dat geweest zijn. Alleen dit: het spir?tual,  but `I like to "believe. that the pious prayed
                 moeten  vogelen  geweest  zijn die  vawege hun  ,aard thus beeause they considered the Cause of God to be
                all&  verkeeren;  en daarom denk ik niet dat de  Hol- at stake.
                 landsche  vertaling : musch, corr&t  is. Een-musch is                                         But  kings (and queens) and governments are in
                 naar  haar  aard juist het  tegen&ergestelde van  een:                                    every part of the world. If it holds for- the  chtirch
                 zaam;                                                                                     in Holland, it must hold also for us in this Country,
                        .ce gedachte is duidelijk. Hier wordt de smart since the church is one. If they were to-pray for them
                 bestihreven  van den- eenzame. En de eenzame in de that are in authority, we are to do it too, -since we all
                 wildernis.                                                                                have the sage Word of ~God.
                        En dat is bang. - Dat gaat tegen onze scheppine -in.                                                  What Dqes It Mean?
          . . De men&h  is erop aangelegd om metgezellen te heb-
                 ben. Opdat men vroolijk zij inaangename omgeving.                                             Perhaps by means of a couple of key sefitences we
                 Dat behoort bij ons.                                                                      can arrive at-what we think Paul is telling us in this
                        Als`de HEERE one echter opzoekt om ons te kastij- p a s s a g e :
                 den, en te d.oen gevoelen,  .dat wij gezondigd hebben;                                       Paul is instructing Timothy, who in turn is -to ad-
     .           dan komt de ervaring van &enzaamhei,d.  En dan w&dt monish his congreg$Lion,' how they ape to behave them-
                 tevens dike wildernis .ges&apen  voor ons. Dan is men selves in  the. house of God. Then he  h&s something
                 .a& `t ware in een woestijn, al is het oak,, dat &kn te- for the deacons, the bishops, servants, masters, but also
                 midden van vriend ,en metgezel verkeert, men gevoelt for women and for men. Women ought to  learn in
                 aisof men alleen is, en-iti een wildernis. Men heeft silence. MEN. . . . `I WANT %OU TO PRAY. _
                 nergens  meer  &not in: Hoe zou het ook? Als men                                              Hence MEN are to pray. The acceptable prayer is
                 Gods lieflijke gemeenschap  moet ,derven, wat baat dan to "pray for all men" because the plainly revealed will
                 sriend of  metgezel?   '  Zij zijn ons tot  `een last. De                                 of  God is that He would have all men to be saved.
                 vsiend en lieflijke omgeving wordt-eerst dan ten volle Hence tliere is foundation for such ,a prayer, it .roots
                 getiaarieerd,  als men hen mag genieten met God!                                          in the will of God. God would have all men to be saved.
                        Vcoeg des morgens  ging Jezus naar de woestijn, Not ,only from among the Jews but frbm' all over God
                 om ;te bidden, te bidden!                                    G          .              V. will  galher into Christ His  Church. Christ  Himself
-                                                A         -    -                                          had said that He had other sheep, not of this (Jewish)
>                                                                                                          &ld, them also He will gather, they shall hear His voice
                                     IN HIS FEAR -                                                         and follow Him.
                                                                                                               Include in $our prayers for all -men also kings and
                                                                                                           those in high places. They  .are MEN (not angels or
                                                                                                           animals) and they belong to t'he class called MEN.
                        ,           Praying For Them In Authority..                           1            Paul could have singled out bdkers and shoemakers,
                  --  Z"I never  hear  .our  dominee pray for  ouI  g.ov& but for good reasons he singles out peksons  who are in
                 merit",  some person is likely to say now and then. $Or authority. Hence, they are to `be prayed for on the
                 one `might come directly to the minister and say to basis ,of the fact that they are men;
                 hiti, ."Paul tells us to pray for them that are in author-                                    .The prayer on their behalf is'that they may come
                 ity, but .I never-hear you pray that".                            :                       to know ,God (there is but (ONE (God says Paul) and
                             The minister .could  perhaps- retaliate and say: Do come to know the ONE WAY unto God, liamely Jesus -
                 y6u  .ev.er  do it?                                                                        Christ.    The prayer does not concern  itself about
                             But that's neither here nor there. The fact is that things of government or state but about -their coming
                 Paul ,in.I Ti&. 2 :B etc., not only says that we ought to to know God and Christ.
                 pray for kings etc.., but emphasizes it by putting it -in                                     Since ,God gathers His Church' OUt bf all ranks and
                 the class ,of the "first of all" things.                                                   stations of' qen (consider Chuza,  Herod's steward  -
                                       `- An Impo&atit Matter.                                              and them of Caesar's  houtiehold, Cornelius etc.) the
                                                                                                            Church `in all countries must Pray for the,authoritie&
                             How important this matter is can be judged from in all countries. Especially valid at that "time  since
                                                      2                                 _-


                                                                                   .-             ,
                                  `-  THE  STANDARD  B,EA-RliR                                                          91

the great  .program  of salvation  was just  .beginning        warfare -against some national enemies.
to unfold and God was gathering His people sometimes               Paul would. say (I Tim. 1:13) `: I myself was once
from the most unexpected corners. God can gather like these govertiors. I was a blasphemer, a persecutor
His Church without your prayers,  ind&d,  but God and injurious. I was an enemy. But the Word of
wants to gather the Church by means of the Church. God transformed me.
Therefore : PRAY.                                                  If the Gospel Power- can transform me, it can trans-
                     Whzj  FOY Kingi?                          form those who are `what I used to be,'
                                                                   Pray then that Gdd may call forth friends: out of
    But. you aie all this while saying to yourseif : "Yes,     enemies, make living out of the dead and a church out
but why must, we pray especially for kings`.etc.?              of the darkness of sin.
   Some people would answer : because .God wants us                Until the innumerable host is gathered in, pray
to respect them in their high office, and they need our. for the progress of the (Z.odpel, pray unto the ingather-
prayers, seeing how great responsibility they carry ing.  aGod  <oes not FIND friends,  -He  MAKEiS them;
and how much wisdom they need to govern the nation He does not FIND believers He MAKES them ; He does
weli.                                                          not FIND living ones, He. MAKES `them. . And He
    But there is notlling of this in the text ilor in the niakes them out of ALL MEN. For the praise of the
c&text. Paul speaks about this in Rom..l3.                     glory of His grace.                                       .
    Someone else might say: the reason we must pray
for the authorities is: if God's blessing is upon our                                         Conclusion
governm&.t  we can,lead a prosperous, quiet a<d peace-           . Then tie ought to engage in this holy work of pray-
able life etc.                                                 er. The Gospel has covered the greater `part of .the
    This could easily be a very carnal'and selfish pray- world, indeed (but `there are still. who may hear it)
er. Su?e!y there's nothing of this to be derived from but even the< reformatorical work remains ne_cessary
t h e   t e x t .                                              until the Great Reformer gloiifies His Church.
    Why then does Paul single out kings and those in               Thus we shall pray for the progr&s  of' the-Gospel
authority?                                                     and if we.pray  we shall put forth effort to bring it to
    The Church and believers in general must not for- all men. If He who said-: go ye out into all the world,
get that kings etc, belong $0 the class of MEN. Chris- should come back today could we say: Lord,  we have
tians a% that time and later must sometimes have been been into all the world and were busy with it when we I
almost forc>d  to the conclusion that kings and aLith&i- saw Thee coming upon, the clouds?
ties belonged to the class : devils or demons. . . , seeing        In yiew of this we shall not forget to pray for the
how violently and relentlessly they often persecuted progress and spread  of the truth by means of the
the church,  For  5nstance: before the year' 300  .A..D.. effort of our two decently ordained missionary breth-
had arrived  there were no less than seven major perse-        ren%: W. Hofman and E. Knott. They, too, will be-con-
cutipns.                                                       front&d wi&h those who are in authority (also in church-
   Let me mention just a few author& under whdm es where heirarchy reins) and be confronted. with such
the church received violent treatment : `rrajan, Marcus as do what kings and authorities used to do. . . . re-
Aurelius, Sevel;us, Maximinus, Decius, Valerian, Dio- sist the Work of the *Gospel.- And may we lead a quiet -
cletian. We could add other names to this list but this        a n d   p e a c e a b l e   l i f e .   _    ' M. G.      -
will suffice. It  waS as difficult. to conceive of these
authorities as men as it was difficult for the oppressed
people to` conceive of Hitler as a M!AN. Sooner the
Ch?istians would think of these  as devils, demons or
whatever.                                                                     FRQM  HOLY  FvFtIT                              _
   Paul insists we think of these authorities ati ME-N.
   Now Jesus taught us to pray: bless them that curse
Go?, pray for them that despitefully use you.,          .          Signs In The  Gospel Of  Johi
   There was no class of men, as a whole, who' l"evealed
themselves as blasphemers and injurious, quite as .much            In our  last article we underscored that John in
as these governors. They were in a position also to            recording to us the "signs" of' Jesus very evidently  1
bring great influence against the Church, and -history made a selection. We also stated that there is a very
tells us that they did.                                        evident design in this selection. The- writer so mar-
 . Don't curse  them. . .  :don't contrive  revenge.  If shals his tiat&ial that he brings the ,Christ into boldest
you live that way, how would you be qui'et and peace- relief ai the Son of God in the flesh, who suffers and
sble  in godliness and honesty? The Church is not a dies and rises' again the third day, being powerfully
clique or  ti sect, nor a group fighting some private          revealed to be the Bon of God.


                                   c
 92:                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   BE,ARER
                                            _
        About this ,element  of selection by the apostle and some three months later, shortly before the  final ascent
 his purpose. in so doing we would still make a `few into the city of U erusalem to die. This is the last and:
 remarks of an introductory nature'in .this article.           greatest miracle of Jesus. This dne is evidently the
  First of all it is a most remarkable fact that John climax of Chyist's signs. With this sign recorded John
 does not relate to us a group of miracles that Jesus has traced the tianifest+tio.n  of the Son of God in the
 performed on a-certain day and in a given locality. He flesh.
 does not limit himself to certain "signs which Jesus             Surely only a few si&&:quite widely scattered in
 performed oli the first of the feastdays mentioned, nor. time and also in different localities. This is ylection
 to any that Jesus on a given dajr did, (according to the on the part of the sacred narrator.
 record of the other gospels), perform in Galilee. John           What ddes this teach us?
 chooses seven miracles over a r&ther long period. In             To this we  tiust  fukher call attention in this
 fact, those which John gives a&e over the entire three &say.
 and one half year period of Jesus' public ministiy.              To understand these signs in their selection by the
        A hasty peeusual  of the general contents of. this author of this, Gospel we must give heed .to the Word
Gospel will shbw that John chooses miracles which of God which these "Signs" are intended to bring to
 Christ pepformed  at wholly different places and at all our attention. We intentionally write that these signs
 together dcfferent  times.                                    call attention to God's Word. If they did not do this,
        Let us briefly attend to the following :               then we would be left on our own to understand them.
        The first sign performed by Jesus and recorded in Surely we would then not come to see the ChriSt as
 John was that of the changing of the water into wine.         we.`now know Him in.His self-attestation.      '
 This ,Sign Jesus performed in Cana in Galilee before             For it is a remarkable` fact that the Gospel of John
 He went to .the feast in Jerusalem as recorded in John with nearly &very',Sign that it records gives us a great
- 2 :13ff. The next sign is, it is true, again performed deal of interpretation with them. Sometimes the say-
 by Jesus in Galilee, to wit; the healing of the Moble-        ings of Jesus precede the miracle, and then again'the
 man's son, byt this was at least a half year later than       Word of Christ follows them. But in either case the
 `the sign of the changing of water into wine:  Many           "Sign" is the verification  of the Word. This is not the
 signs had been  performea by Jesus in the interim. case -with. all the-miracles mentioned in the Synoptic
 Compare John 2:23; 3 :2; 4:45. The sign of the heal- go_spels.  There, it is true, the miracles are `placed in
 ing of the impotetit man at the pool of Bethesda is. the Scriptural 1ight;but not in the marked degree and
' again performed at a feast in Jerusalem. Quite likely with such clear design as here.
-this was the second feast of the passdver,  and, there-'         Here we have long discourses of Jesus in which He
 fore, a year after. the cleansing of the temple. This Underscores the trpth of the signs wrought by `him.
 recorded sign <as performed about. a half year after Think. for' example, of the sign of Jesus'. healing the
. the healing of the nobleman's son. Compare  J$hn impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. Th&t Jesus
 5:lff. with John  4:45ff.                                     intentionally performed this miracle to call attention:
  With  the.  sign of the multiplication of the loaves to `Himself- is quite obvious. The Pharisees must be
 or bread the scene is again shifted to the grassy slopes      brought face to face with Him as -t]he Son of the Father,
- besiqe the Sea of Galilee. The notice that "the @ass-. the Son of Man in whose ,hand the Father hath given
 ovep of the Jews  iYas nigh", (John 6  :4) shows that all things. True, there was in this Si@ itself a mighty
 this sign is one performed by Christ at the time of tlie Self-attestation of Christ. But when Jesus begins His
third passover  feast, two years after the time when He discourse all is brought as with a flash of lightning
 cleansed the temple, or one year before the last pass- before the minds of the Jews. .They  must either believe
 over.feast in which He was to die on the cross because in Hi& and be obedient, or they mi& ,+je&. Him and
 %he time  call&d: -"His hour" would  then have come. be condemned. But -in either case the majesty of the
John passes over an  elitire year of  ,Galilean ministry,      Christ is confirmed.                            _
 a year packed with activity and legion of miracles, in           This, Word of ,Christ in' connection with His Signs
 singling out this miracle of the feeding of the five we could trace in detail; and that, too, with profit.`.
 thousand Vr;ith the multipIied bread. -                       But we will not do such here. This must wait till we'
        With the next sign recorded by John the scene is in    come to the' separate treatment of the'signs themselves.
. Jerusalem once more. This  ,was quite likely at  th,e -What .we-%ave  said so far is sufficient to show that we
 occasion of the feast of Tabernacles referred to in mean `with the Word of Christ in connection with the
 John 7 :2. This was about seven months later than the miracles and John's recordings of  the  saine,
 time referred.to in John 6. where- the mu-ltipli8cation of    To this,  how&Ver,   we  tiilst still  add that in this
 the bread is spoken of: Here in Jerusalem Jesus heals re'cording  of the :Signs and the Word of Christ spoken
 th.e man that is born blind.  -                               either directly in.connection with them, or whether ifi
        The raising of Lazarus. from the dead is poss'bly bebate with the Jews, there is an apparent ~&@Zccc-


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                                                     T H E       ST-P;N-D.ARD   m--  i3E.ARER                                                         .`93

 tion of the testimony of Christ, ,both in the Word. of too, in ah increasing measure, because He. is the Son
 Christ Himself and. in His Signs, as well as in the of God.                                                         ,  -,
 evident twofold fruit of faith and unbelief. The ne#arer                             Already at the. first feast (2 :13-22) the Jews op-
 the hour of Christ approacl?es,  the nearer Christ brings. pose H+n, demand a "sign"-of  Him to have Him- prove
 His work of the Father to completion, the more He His assumed role. of Temple-Authority. He is  chnl-
 comes to stand before us as the Son df. God,0 in whom Zengecl as the Son of God, and this unbelief. is stubborn-
_ beljeving  we have life', through His &me. And the ly increased to the v&y end.- A `year liter th&e?+ery
 attitlide of  botll:believers and of unbelievers comes Jews have not yet forgotten it. Jesus. then` plainly chal-
 also into. the clear light of day. No. one can remain lenges them, heals a man on the sabbath. Ahd they
 hid. All must give a~clear  2nd unambiguous-answer  to ill. turn are from this moment seeking to destroy Him.
 the question!. What think ye of the Christ? Whose .Again we read-in 7 : 1 that Jesus does not -walk in Jew-
 Son is                               He?-                '                  ry, because they were seeking to kill  Rim. On. the
    The thoughts of many hearts are revealed.  Be feast of: Tabernacles they tried to take J&us, but to no
 indeed becomes the one sent of ,God; and that too, in l&s                   avail; Not only do these men not will to efiter.into  the
-Signs as the fall and rising of many in Israel, and as Kingdom themselves, but they also refuse to, allow to
 the Contradicted Sign: A sword must pierce the Soul enter who. will. They decide to cast all out of  -the.
 of Mary ! Thus he is the light of the nations and the Synagogue who believe in _Jesus. And the greater the
 .&oY;y  of "my people Israel!?.!. . . .                                     testimony,. the-more the hatred becomes- manifest; It
 .   A   twofold.fruit!-                                                     all b&comes  dead earnestness when Jesus performs the
     On the one hand .John shows us -the positive fruit Sign of the raising of Lazarus. Then a- special meeting
 in Israel. A very clear case  we have in  Nicodemus.                        is held. Something must be done.. And in their fury
 This one in the very `beginning of Jesus' ministry came and hatred they*decide  to kill Jesus. _
 to Jesus. by night. He is very f;imid about the tihole                               Btit, even so, the Son of #God becomes manifest to be
 matter.. But even so he had ,detected-  in Jesus a pro- the Son: The majesty of the ,God of the Scriptures is
 phet,, with whom God .is, for says he : No one &an do manifest?in:Him. For even thdugh -He perfortie'd so
 these signs that thou doest. except God be' with Him. m&n? signs in their midst, they did-not believe in Him
 Jesus had explained to this  %eacher  of Israel" the .as the fulfillment of the ..Scriptures.  -i He +ho sits -oh
 fundamental principle .$nd the thing that was necessary the throlie shall laugh. He will h&$&hem in, derision.
 to enter the Kingdom. The Signs had spoken to the .He will declare of the decree; EveiT-the wrath of man
 heart of Nicddemus, but the word must follo$v. <And                         shall prafse. our God ! For in His .lif e tifid Hti death He
 does .it bea?.  fruit? Twice later in this &%sptil 0; 3iohn is the Christ, Son. of God. :Believing  `in Him we -have
 we are given to s&e this man of faith;                                      life abundant !
     In Johli 7 : 50 Nicddemus baldly asks the question                                                 ~To be continued)                     ,G. Ii
concerning th$la% of God ?n' the defense of Christ who                       :`I.          :.-:
                                                                             .`.ys. i .I :_*A; , _ I
 is  be.ing  ~onde.mneh   Lihheard.                                                                                           -                ._
                                                     Nicddemus here takes                                                                             _
                                                                                                                                    ._  ,-
 up the Cross-ofXXirisi  by:faith tind follows Hini. Later                                                . ).                .
 vire see this Nicodemu$ asisting -Joseph. of Arimathea
 in burjrifig' the,- body -of 1 "J&us;- : Compare John i9 :                                   .`,,PERIS-CO:BE`  ..
 38-42.           ..               `.j  :A,  ,-,  ., .
                              *
   There is not only this Nicode&us. There w&e also
 many others tvho b6iieve.d;  All .that the Father gave,
 Christ  canie td Him, Bnd those-  that came are iri no                       73.16 Day Of !I%& Lord In ~Scripture
                                                                                          " .
wise  cast out. Not only WaS tl&`:the case with. the                                                                                                 e:..
 "people" but even many of `th&`Pharisees  belie&i in                                                      (Continu'ed)                                       '
 Him,  although- they did  lioi  openly   c&fess Him for                             It is dbubtful whether H%g&ai niakes'specific refer-
 fea2 of the Jews;tind because fhey~lov6d yet,the praise ence to. the day although he does- refer- t6 it getierally;
 6f  lnen  more  thari the praise of God-.  .-                               On the diher hand both Zechariah atid Malachi are pY;o:.
 *There  @as indeed. positive fruit.  Atid  this'posit&e fuse in theirs d-iscotirses  concerning the conceljt. Thru
- ffuit is increagingly  in eiridence by' the greater works the -means of s&v&al visioqs iti the early portions of
 that. Christ performs throughout the land.                                  Zechariah the.Lord reveals through him the salvation
    .But theye was -also the other side.- Christ -W$s also that will &omeein that day'. These are developed through .
 rejected. This also  id  irery  inuch in  evide&e;   -Espec- the bbok to the closing chgpte?s.' Especially thhe las%
 ially is'this`tfue in a marked degree here, in.the`,Gospel                  three discourseg; contained .in chapters 12, 13, and 14                               .
 o! .Johri: Aptirt fr6m what we r.ead in th? "Prologu?,                      elfiphasize  the purging ju'dgment Unto complete holi-
 that "His `own received Him: not;" there are also &her ness that shall be accomplished in the' "day. of. the
 vafious.references  ,in which He is rejected. And that, Lorcl". Two notable passages are  fourid in-the last  ._ ___
                        .-


 9_4                                         T:H.E  .ST:A N  D.;hR,D.  . B E  ARE:R'

 chapter, vs... 1.: "Behold, the. day of:. the Lord, cometh     ed ;.for I know I have believed, and am persuaded that-
 and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of, thee",         he.  is..able- to. keep that -which I. have committed. unto
 and vs. 20 :. "In.that .day shall there be upon the bells him-against that-day.", II Tim. .1:12, .and."Henceforth
 of .the. horses, holiness- unto._the Lord; and the. p.ots there is laidup for me a crown of:righteousness,  .which
I in the Lord's house he. shall be. like-the bowls .before the the Lord, the righteous~ judge, shall give me at that
 altar."                                                        day.;. and- not. tor me\ only but. unto. all them also that
  1 Malachi  :expresses  the majesty of the  appearance-        love his appearing?.. II. Tim. 4.~8.
 of i the Lord in His. day when he proclaims : "But. who             Hebrewscontains a warning to stand-fast as-we see
 may abide the day of his coming.?.and  who shall stand. "the. day approaching" while. Jude.adds-  that "And the
 when he.appeareth,?.for  he is. 1ike:a:refiner's  .fire, and angels which. kept.not`.their  first estate, .but left. their
 Iike full&s. sope ; and. he shall sit as a, refiner and own habitation, he. hath reserved in. everlasting chains
 purifier of. silver:;.and heshall purify the sons of Levi,     under darkness unto the judgment of the great day".
 and purge. them as gold and silver, that they may offer Jude 6.
 unto: the .Lord an. offering in righteousness", chapter             Peter. in his. second.. epistle includes a magnificent
 3.2.3.  But also.His gracious sparing of His `own with and terrible-picture of the day. of. the Lord when he
 the following, graceful figure "And they shall be mine, writes : "But. the day of. the Lord `will come `as. a thief
 sail& theL0r.d: of hosts, in,that day when I make up in the-night; in. the. which:the-.heavens shall pass .away
 my jew.els; and. I. will.spare  them as a man spareth with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with.
 his osvn. son that serveth him". He closes his prophecy fervent heat, the earth also and -the works that are
 with. the:eleme.nts  of. judgment and salvation and the therein&all be.burned  up... Seeing then that. all these
 great ..promise  "Behold, I. will send. you Elijah. the things shall be. dissolved, what manner- of persons.
 prophet before the coming of. the great and-dreadful ought ye .to.:be `in all holy conversation and godliness,
 day: of _ the Lord'!. Chap.: 4-5.                              Looking. for: and hasting unto.`the coming. of the day of
        This ,concept..which. so, abounds : in the Old Testa- *God, wherein the heavens being on-fire shall .melt.with.
 mentis taken :up again in. the New.. The. idea. is -in- fervent `heat? nevertheless. we, according to his--promise
 cluded inthe .gosp.els.and  several :of the epistles. Christ, look for new heavens anda new.earth, whereindwelleth
 especially i'n .His farewell- discourses,.. spoke, of "that. righteousness.!' II. Peter 3 : 10-13..
 day". He.. referred to. it most often as the judgment               The closing r.ef erences are in the book. of- Revela-
 day and., the. followin.g.characteristics..  are to be -noted : tions;.where.  especially two passages are of note. The
`Its exact time..is. unknown; it shall be su.dden.  in ap- first is. in.Rev..G :7 "For the. great .day of his wrath is
 pearance ;.. it. shall be. a day of,revelation of judgment come;.,and  who shall be. able to stand 2" an&finally. in.
 and deliverance. In the Gospel .according>  to. John we Rev. 16 ; 14 "For they~are the. spirits of: devils, .working
 find. this very unique reference: John 8  :56 "Your miracles, which. go..forth  unto. the Kings. of. the earth
 father ;Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw and. of,`the whole: world- to gather them to the battle of
 it, and was glad."                   --.                       that great day of: God' Almighty':, where the whole
        The prophecy of Joel concerning "the great and concept is concluded with. the majestic declaration..
 notable day- of- the- Lord" is quoted' by Peter in his         :    The. `prominent f eature- of all the passages quoted,
 sermon on the,day ofm.Pentecost  and found in the book and p~erhaps  of theconcept itself, .is that. of judgment
 of Acts. Besides that the following reference is reveal- and deliverance. This idea is universally stressed
 ing "because~he  hath appointed a day; in-the which he throughout the passages referring to the idea. For
 will judge the- world in righteousness by that man that reason many writers believe this. to be the central.
 whom he hath ordained ; .whereof, he bath given assur-         significance of-the-  term. It is true. that judgment and
ante unto all men in that he hath raised him from the salvation are important elements of the concept.. In
 dead". Acts 17i31.             .                               general it can .be noted that judgment is emphasized
        In- several.-of his: epistles Paul uses. the term in a in the .sOld Testament descriptions while the features
 somewhat distinct and,different sense from heretofore. of nearness I and salvation are on the foreground in
 The first passage is: found in I Cor. 19 : "ViTho -shall the <New. The reason for this is undoubtedly the fact
 also confirm you unto the end,*,that  ye may be blame- that centrally all judgment was -executed.  and completed`
 less in the day; of our Lord Jesus Christ". The, same in the cross of Christ. Following` this.. great crisis.
 sense is repeated .in I: Car'.. 5 :5 ; II Cdr. 1 :I4 ; Phil. I:6 there is nothing moreto. look- forward to. or expect, but
 and:lO.;- 2.~16.. In.1 Thess:.. 5:2 he speaks of the corn? the z historical revelation and consummation of that
- ing; of..`the  "day of, the_Lord" as a: thief in the night". judgment in the return of Christ.
 In the second epistle.of Timothy he expresses his .con-         fin the  pre-.exilic  prophets the days of the Lord is
 fidence in the reward,-he shall receive in that day in the judgment primarily- upon' Israel, though it also em-
 following-wellknown passages.: "For the which cause.1 braces the nations. It is. Israel's national ,dissolution,
 also suffer these things ; nevertheless .I am not asham= though the dissolution isbnly in order to effect a new


                                      -T-HE     ST AcN:D.ATR:D  `: `@ A"R'E.R                                        xi
 reconstruction.      The sinners among Israel shall  ,be but which simply forms one. side of the revelation of
 destroyed and a poor and humble people shall be left. the glory of God."
 With the exile the judgment on Israel seemed to have              This is also substantiated by the term itself for
 been fulfilled, and during the exile and at the period it. is originally and primarily "the Day. of the Lord"
 of restoration the judgment of the. day.of the Lord is while the various aspects are such as have been pointed.
 represented as falling on the -heathen world, and its out by the qualifying descriptive words used with it.
 issue is Israel's redemption. After the restoration, The meaning i's, therefore,Yirst  of all that it is a day
 when. Israel was once again a people and the old appointed by Jehovah from all eternity in ,which .He
 internal antagonisms and wrongs  once.more  manifested shall reveal Himself in His glory and sovereignty.
 themselves, prophets have to threaten it anew with a. Delitzsch in commenting on Isa.. 2 :I2 clarifies this
 refiner's fire of the Day.of the Lord. Still, though in thought as follows: "Jehovah hath a day", lit. there is
 the post exilic prophecy the judgment is.also  a sifting to Jehovah a. day, which already exists as a finished
 of .Israel, it is mainly regarded as falling on the heathen divine thought in lthat wisdom by which the course ,of
 world, again withthe deliverance of Israel. The-same history is guided, the secret of which He revealed to
is true of the presentation in the New Testament.               .the prophets, who from the time of-Obadiah and Joel
     It is evident that there .is connection between the downwards proclaimed that  ,day. -with one uniform
 judgments eon the -covenant people -and the Ijudgments         watchword.    But when the time  apfiointed for that
 on .the ,heathen .world. The relation -of ,the two judg- day. should' arrive, it would pass out of the secret of
 ments to each other is, that the judgment of Israel in eternity into the history of time&a day of world-wide
-point of time precedes that of the nations of  .the judgment, which would pass, through the omnipotence
 world.  follows the deliverance of the .covenant people with which Jehovah rules over the .higher as swell as
 being effected ~by means of the latter.  .Judgment  is lower spheres of the whole creation, upon all worldly
 not an-end in itself, for the people, of God,-and ,behind glory, and it would be brought low."
 the storm- of judgment, arises- the clear day of salvation.       From the many scripture passages- quoted, it is
 Judgment must first -begin at the .house. of God, which clear that it is the Day of the Lord, i.e., the Day is
 was forgotten by- those who-desired the coming of the filled. by the Lord. In that day it becomes evidence
 .Day of the Lord.                  `.     _                    that He is God alone and rules and -always ,has ruled.
  : This aspect of judgment and salvation is considered This is literally and emphatically stated by Isaiah in
 by many to be the primary idea in the concept. A.. Bi chapter 2 :I7 : "And the loftiness of man shall be bowed
 -Davidson expresses this in the article referred to be- down, and. the haughtiness of men shall. be made low,
 fore, when he writes: "The first aspect of the Day of and the Lord alone shall be exalted.in that day"...
 the Lord is always a day of judgment".                            It is also emphasized, throughout scripture, that
    Bavinsk also. believes this to-be the-primary mean- the day of the Lord is always-near. The coming of the
 ing. He writes "Alle profeten verkondigen aan Israel "day" itself was a settled belief, but of its time knew
 in Juda een dag des gerichts en der- straf. -De_ Yom no man ; as Christ Himself said : "But of that day and
 &hov&dat is, de tijd, waarin de Heere'zich over zijn that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which
 volk antiermen en  zich  aan  -zijne vijanden wreken are in heaven, neither the Son,. but the Father" -Mark
 zal. . . . .".Oehler.in  his discussi'on  of the-concept leaves 13 :32. As the prophets look about at- the iniquity and
 the same impression that judgment and salvation are. resulting calamities in `Israel it appears that `God is
 the heart of -the term.                                        so visibly operating in the convulsions of the nations
    From our study, how.eker, it.`would appear that the that His full manifestation of Himself seems at hand.
 main import of the term lies in -the fact that it is :a The' New Testament Church is always said to' be living
 day in which the Lord shall be, revealed in all His sover- in the last hour and for that reason, besidesthat noth-
 eignty and majesty and that. corsequently it is a .day ing else remains but that the final complete revelation
 of judgment and salvation. .With the coming of the of ,-God, its nearness is emphasized by, the New Testa-
 Lord in His day, whenever that may .be, He brings ment Scriptures of `God.                  '
., judgment. and deliverance. so that the central signifi-        The  .glory of His appearance, in that "`day" the  -
*`cance of the term;lies in the fact that it .is revelation mighty and terrible judgments and the beautiful salva-
 of God, first of all.. This. is admirably .and clearly ex- tion have been so clearly. pictured in the passages
 ,pressed by Kill when he. writes : "The primary. mean- rquoted'that  it is not necessary to repeat-them again..
. ing is not the day of judgment, but the day on which             From  the fact that "`the day of  `the'Lord" is al-
 Jehovah reveals His majesty and  .omnipotence  in a waysmoclaimed to be near the individual and personal
 glorious manner, to overthrow all godly-.powers and to element of its fulfillment is seen. The ,Lord always
 complete His kingdom. It  was.`.this which gave rise reveals Himself in righteous .wrath and indignation
 to the idea of the day of judgment and retribution against sin and,iniquity. "He is angry with the wicked
which predominates in the prophetic announcements,              every day". His .judgments are &ntinually  upon the
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,earth in the course of all, history. Th,e -same' is true ' passages clearly point to this fulfillment and in the
in respect to His people ; He is always purging and                                     Gospels. it ,.is often spoken of in one breath .-with the
trying. them as by fire that-they in salvation may be                                   lrophecy of the destruction  of, Jerusalem. cf. `Luke
pure gold. :Throughout  all time.the Lord reveals him;                                  21 :Sff.                                                  i  ;
                                                                                                           -                      .'
self in-;judgment, and salvation.                           -          -                 "get de verschijning  van.  Christus op den  tiolken
 .L T.he primary fulfillment -of the `Old Testament .pro-                               begint .de Yo.?~?J Yehovah",  writes Bavinck. Len& the'*
phecies concerning the day of the Lord is found in- the                                 Lutheran commentator, saysof  it : "`It shall- indeed ,be
capti&y.iand  restoration. -From this it is clear that                                  g&at. There is no other day like it, when time `shall
the d&is, as Bavinck says, not "ti.jdruimte  .van twaalf                                merge into eternity, when the whole human race shall
of vierentwintig u&-i"; and. f urther ",Onder het oude                                  simultaneously appear before the Lord; and when all
testament was de dag des Heeren die tijd-, waarin God                                   the countless .millions  -of men shall each' individually
op  won,derbaar heerlijke- wijze als Koning tot- zijn                                   receive judgment from. the  Lor'd. The human mind
volk zou komen, om het van al zijne vijanden te `ver-                                   cannot grasp that "day'!. In the same vein, Kiel says
lossen en het bij zich in Jerazalem in `vrede en veiligi                                most magnificently : "Yom  .$ehGvah  is the great day
heid te doen wanen".                              `_  r:                                of judgment upon all `ungodly powers, -when God, as
      This certainly `was accomplished, according to. the                               the `al-mighty ruler of the world, brings down and
promise, primarily in the restoration.                                                  destroys everything- that has exalted `itself against
      It is plain, however;.that  this does not exhaust-the                             Bim ; thus making the history of the world, through
fulfillment of the prophecies. All of this was far .from                                His rule over all creatures in heaven and earth, into a
the perfect and beautiful pictures given in many of                                     continuous judgment, which will inclucle at the end. of
the references. Some of the prophecies went much                                        this course of the: world with `a- great and universal
beyond the restoration in their prediction and are                                      act of judgnient, through which everything that has
not satisfied by that fulfillment of the.  -day  -of the been' `brought to eternity by the stream of time un-
Lord.                  1'          :                                                    judged and unadjusted, -will `be judged `and adjusted
      The next .coming  of .that day is in the incar-nation.                            once for all'to bring to an end the-whole development
This is undoubtedly the meaning of the words. of                                        of the world in accordance with its divine appointment,
Chr.ist in John 8  :56, which we quoted previously.                                     and perfect the kingdom-of IGod by ,the annihilation of
Christ here speaking as the Second Person. of the                                       al-l its foes":
Trinity, the Son of God expresses that to Abraham                                            This then is `Ithe day of the Lord" the great. day
in glory the Lord's Incarnation is revealed'. and is a                                  of' God almighty. The final day of God's wrath and
dav of rejoicing. Keil refers `to  this%lfillment of                                    judgment for it is the-eternal revelation of God.' That
the day as follows : _ "The day of the Lord. . .  : com-                                this final. manifestation is surely coming is guaranteed
menced with the appearance on earth of Christ the                                       :bv the omninotknce of God and emphasized by its pre-
incarnate Logos, and Christ -Himself deciared that He                                   vious fulfil.lments : nothing can"thwart  the purpose of
had come into the world to bring judgment.:'                                     ,..    God.. In the- midst of this world it. is always necesl
      The Lord was next reveale,d:.in a special sense- at                               sary to watch, to live in the"consciousness  of. its mean-
the outpouring of the Spirit. Thus had been predicted                                   ing and the nearness of its' coming. In Rev. 16 follow-
by' Joel, whose words are repeated by Peter on that                                     ing the exnression  "that great day of God almighty" a
occasion. -' It was also .referred to often b,v~Cl$st;  not- word of -warning -and `blessing is proclaimed to the
ably in John 14;`.where Christ promises the comforter                                   church. "Behold, I come as, a thief. Blessed is he
and. proclaims in the 20th verse "`at that-day he shall                                 that -watcheth:  and keepeth  his garments, lest he walk
know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in                                     naked and they see his shame."  _  _                ._
y o u " .                                    .         -                                 - In that day %ill'be  heard the cry. of the. nations :
      The consummation of .it all shall .be at the second                               "Alas, alas, that great city BabyIon, that mighty city; _
coming of YChrist for which.we wait. That day, above                                    for. in one hour is thy judgment come'.' and. above all
all, shall be the Day  `of- the Lord. It has been ap-                                   unto all eternity the great voice-out of heaven .saying:-
pointed by Him `from all -eternity ; all of time and                                    "Behold. the tabernacle-of God is with men, and he will
history. work unto it, His glory and majesty' shall                                     dwell with -them, and they shall. be Bis people, and God
fill it; all that is proud shall then' be  .brought low,                                himself shall `be -&ith -them, .and be their God.. And
for,  ,God, who is  .God, shall be revealed as such be-                                 God shall. wipe: away -all tears from -their eyes; and
fore the eyes of all men in that great  -day of the                                     :h.ere shall be no. more death, neither sorrow, nor cry-.
Lord. It&all be the dawn of the eternal day which                                       ing. neither .&all there be- any. more."-pain ; .for the
shall _ be filled. to.. all eternity tiith the. glory- of the                           former things have. passed -away. . . . i Behold -1. `&ill
Lord,  :and the descent of clouds and darkness and                                      make.all things new," in the Day .of the-Lord.-           -`-  -.
everlasting night for the wicked. ' The New Testament
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