VOLUME XXIV-                                September 1, 1948 - Grand Rapids, Mich.                                         NUMBER 21

                                                                          De e&&en zulleli "tioneti' in de he1 ; en dat is ont-
       M.E.DI.T'&T I-ON                                               zettend. (vers 1'7, laatste wqord) . Iri dien dag der wrake
                                                                      zullen hmlne beken veranderd worden  in pek en hun
                                                                      stof in zwavel, en hunne aarde zai tot brandend  pek
                                                                      worden. Noch des daags, noch d& nachts zal het uit-
D  W*ederkbering  M e t   Gejuich
                                     .                                gebluscht wor,den, tot in eeuwigheid. zal zijn rook op-
                                                                      gaan, "van geslacht tot geslacht zal het woest zijn, tot
             "En de  vrijgekochten  des Heeren  Mullen   weder-       in qeuwigheid der, eeuwigheden zal niemand dear door-
           keeren en tot Sian,  komen met gejuich, en eeuwige         gaan?" -In 6&i woord : vtirschrikkelijk  !
           blijdschap zal op hun lioofd  wezen; vroolijkheid en           .Dat is een symbolische, figuurlijke beschrijving
           blijdschap  zullen zij verkrijgen,  maar  dioefenis  en    van de he1 en die daar "wonen" zullen. Evenwel, lee&
           zuchting zullen  wegvlieden."                              bet,.  gehetile   h o o f d s t u k .                         _.
                                                  Jesaja 35 :lO.                                   :g    *     :I:     *
  ~ Het is moeilijk-om te spreken over de eeuwigheicl.
   Ik heb we1 eens gezegd: Jesaja 34 is een beschrij-                     En  c;an~ komt het vijf-en-dertigste hoofdstuk. .En
ving van den eersten dig in de hel, en Jesaja 35 &en                  dat is alles lieflijk en schoon.
beschrijving van d&n eersten dag in den hemei.                            Het begin wordt moeilijk lezen voix het Jeruzalem
    Gij J;-ect  het, en ik stem U volmondig toe, dat men T-in vandaag. Er  staat maar liefst, dat de kerk van
zoo niet spreken kan over de eeuwige, rampzaligheid,                  Christus  z&h verblijden zal om de verdoemenis der
en de eeuwige gelukzaligheid. Er zijn daar geen dagen goddeloozen.  Dat staat er in figuurlijke taal. Letterlijk :
die e,erst  zijn, om dan gevolgd te worden door andere,               "De woestijn, en  .de dorre plaatsen zullen hierover  vroo-
veydere dagen. De eeuwigheid is  zpo geheel  anders lijk zijn, en de wildern-is zal zich verheugen en zal bloei-,
dan de tijd.                                                          en als eene roes,"
   En .toch,`. iklweet  niet hoe ik.mij anders uitdrukken                 Ziet ge', ten tijde der benauwdheid, in de bedeeling
zal over de waarheden die ons in die twe.;  hoofdstukken der zonde, is de naam der kerk: woestijn en dorre
vermeld worden.. Het gaat daar $och o<er  het afsluiten plaatsen, en wildernis.  Paulus beschrijft het ietwat
van de geschiedenis en het begin in de tiieuwe  wereld? anders. Die zegt, dat wij gelijk zijn aan "uitvaagsels
Bovendien, de Heere schijnt ons.er  .in.voor  te gaan, om der wereld en-aller afschrapsel tot nu toe.", En David
over die eeuwige  ciingen  -te  s$reken als "de  dag der zegt van de kerk,  dat zij schreit, doch straks zal juichen
wraak des Heeren, een juu~ der vergeldingen oti Sions brengende de schoven.
twistzaak." (34 : 8)            *                                         Het dorre, wdeste en Wilde in deze beschrijving ziet
   l&at mij het dan zc%.mogen  zeggen, dat wanneer ik op al den j'ammer die het deel is van `de kerk hier op
spreek van een eersten dag in de he1 of de eerste dag aarde. Wij worden  gehaa$, en in dien zin gedood, den
in deli- hemel,  ik die tijdsaanduiding gebruik in oneige-            ganschen dag.  Wij zijn Koningskinderen,  doch  wor-
lijken zin (en omdat ik' niet. weet hoe mij anders en den gevonden in lompen gehuld' en in groot gebrek.
juister  uit te  drtikken).                                             , Doch als de jongste dag aangebroken en beBind&d
   -In. elk .geval, er korn$ een ti.jdstip,  dat het laatste is, en de. eeuwige dingen.rkomen,  dan zal. de kerk zich
tijdstip genaamd zal worden.  :Gods  volk spreekt vaak verblijden over het rechtvaardige oordeel van God
van  den jongsten  dab. En vat er dan komt wordt `ens over hen die de kerk benauwd hebben. Denkt hier aan.
in deze twee hoofdstukken verhaald, j.n het 34ste .hoofd- ' het lied van Moz&  en het volk bij den oever de% Roode.
stuk ten overstaan der goddeloozen, en in het 35ste Zee. En Mirjam anttioordde  de mannen met de vrou-
hoof.dstuk  ten overstaan van Gods volk.                 '            wen in het telkens  wederkeerende refrein: De Heere


        482                                            ,r'He  S T A N D A R D   ..BEARE;Z
         ,

        heeft bet' paard en zijn ruiter  in de zee geworpen!                    &!k Israels, des zaads Abraham#ijns kneel&.
         ) En'tegelijkertijd zal een groote  schoQnh&id  en lief-                   .Ziet, ze keeren w.e,der met gr$$ gejuich!                                 .
        lijkheid gegeven,  worden   aan de kerk. En zij zal  zicb                   En van het tinn@:des  Tempel$Gods weerklinkt het
        ieer verblijden.            .-                               .         ,eeuwig   welkdin!  :            :  -.  %,~  +  F
         :  Luistert  : "`zij zal lust@ bloeien en &oh verheugen,.                                                           : ;`-$>
                                                                                                       :  `*  *  d:  :I:.      ~ ";;$
                                                                                                                                    $`.
      jp met  verheuging,.,*"en  juichen: de  heerlijkheid: van .                    . . .                                      .
                                                                                                                             ;$p
        &iba'non :is haar :gegeven,  bet' sieraard v&n Kaimel en                    Wederkeer &et verhepging, en &jdschap!                                          .
       '  Stiron  ;  z$  zulleli  zien  ,,de heerlijkheid  Id&  Heeren,  bet        Ge kunt de jubel van zulk ge$k `helqisteren in hun
        iieraad o&e+ Gdds."                                               -
         r,                                                                     Naam: ze zijn de vrijgekochten des Hee&n!
         2.,-AHet is al' juichen, met blijdschap en verheuging !                    Vrijgekocht:.wat  wil dat zeggen ?  L.
         ! :::.Een  tel;ugkeer tot God `en Zijn Gezalf de !.                        Letterlijk wil het zeggen, dat men los&%neden  werd,
         .#a..                            *  * *  *                             en, overdraqhtelijk,  dat -q een' prijs voor ons betaald
                                                                                1s waardoor wij vrij kwamen van een vorig gevang.
         '  E$  komt:   een  wederkeer-  met  geiuich !                             Histori;s&  ziet .dit zeker op het feit, dat door toe-
                   Hier. gaan mijn gedachten boven het eerste Para-             doen van Jehobah h&t historisch Israel vrij kwam van
        <iis (it: .En tech denk'is' aan den hof van Eden. Eerst de ballingschap  in Babel. Er kwam dan tech een tijd,
       qac$t  ik  aan Eden's `Hof en  toen ging  bet, hooger, al                dat de lanie en bange ,zeventig  jaren van ballingschap
        hoog&.                                                                  ten einde  geloopen  waren. En daar kwam de heilsmalre :
               Ziet, & :' het is tech een wederkeeren tot-God  !
`\                                                                              Zegt tot- de St-eden van Jbda : Hier is Uw God !
                  .`I+  Bijbe!.,spreekt  van  `%eTzoening." De verlatene            Neen, geheel Israel is niet teruggegaan naar Juda D
        *ouw sveyd weer opgezocht,  hare hoererij en, overspel en Jeruzalem:.  Er ware? honderdduizenden  die liever
        werd   yeygeven, uitgetiischt; en zij werd met sieraad in het vreeaelijke  Babel achterbleven. Dat w.arkn  de
        &&laden. De as&h verdween. en sieraad kwam.in  haar ontrouwe Sionieten. Ze. hadden het goud van Babel
      p!@,                                                                      liever clan de schatten van Gods trouwverbond.
        ".,' Doch, d wonder ! het sieraad is veel schooner. dan                     Maar er was een overblijfsel i ter nauwernood een
        dik  van Eden's Hof. ,  '                                               vijftigduizend die onder leiding van Zerubbabel, Nehe-
         _ Ge kmlt er van op aan, dat Adam en Eva `gelukkig miah Ezrah en Jozua &h met popelende harten' naar
        waren in  bet eerste Paradijs. Zij hebben daar ook Juda spoedden. En reikhalzend keken zij uit naar het
        gejubelcl  <en. van groote blijdschap ixi den H6ere  .ge- vergezicht  van de heuvelen van het heilige land. d
        zongen.                                                                     En' God had het gedaan.  Dat was zeer duidelijk.
         ,  Fvenwel,  wat we nu hebben in. Jezus  Christus is geworden. Nehemiah bad vbor @et aangezicht van dien
        oneitidig grooter,  &hooner,  liefiijker, en schitterender man, dien konirig vaq het wreede  land. En God hoorde.
        c&m  Eden  .qoit kon geven.                                             En Hij wrocht in het hart van goddeidoze menschen die
          De wederkeer van het  volk van  Jesaja 35 is een hen lieten trekken  niet zilver' en met gbtid belaan naar
        opgang iri de hoogte !                                                  het  oude  vaderland.        En de pl&&nen w&en gereed :
               . &let .volk, dat de kon&lijke  profeet zig,, wotidt  op- we gaan Jeruzalem weer  bouwen..  En : ,dd tempel zal
        &omen uit .de diepte, en gezet op d'e. hoogten van den herrijzen !                                                                 Y..  :  '
        berg van .Gods  heiligheid.                      _                      -. Ze  waren  ,de  ,y.rijgekoc@en   de;  Heeren.             "
         " +& op den .weg naar, de hoogten  van den berg Gods                       Doch dit .all@ was type van een grootere  e?, meer
        <&+ezeb .zij alles' wat hen herinner,de  .aan de diepte.                l i e f l i j k e   vrijkoopirig; ,                                I           9
        flldaar, zal geen smart of ellende qeer zijn. Voor het                      Israel-Jeruzalem, hei bverbQfs61  in de ,dag& y$h
        s!appe en struikelende komt versterkjng en vastheid,                    Nehemiah, is type van h&t Israel God!, .@ler  e$$&&.
        Q?,  onbedachtzamen van  h"art  wordt  tioegeroepq om Hun naam is Gods vblk.                                                                     _'
      s&k te  zijn en niet te vreezen. Der  blinden oogen                           En dat  geesteljjke  Israel  wordt  &gesneden van
        w,?Td,en opengemaakt en met hunne oqren zullen de ' l&t vl&eschelijke  Israel, &o yerder,  ian &lam's wo;tel.
        @@en hooren. De kreupele springt als- een .he@ en de en woordt Gode gekocht voor een grooten @rij,s. We zul-
        s;tommen juicheti. In plaats van het dorre en. het droge ien' we1 doen om naar Petrus te luistere`n `die `ens" toe-
        eiz het  dorstige   koqen `de.  w+teren en de  beken  die
         .                                                                      roepi,   d&  .kij gekocht  zijn,, duur  gekocht,,   voor'  &en
      ultbarsteti  tot laving en  verfrisschirlg.  Op dien  wcg. prijs  I dii niet  bestaat in goud  of zilver, maar  &`h&.
        zuu&en  zelfs de dwazen niet dwalen.                  .,                hartebloeh van Jezqs Christus, den Heer&
         ;;' .Een opgan&in dehoogtennaar Siop`! En zij zullen                     .yrijgekochten   des  Heeren!   '                                 ::
        al!e verschiikkingen aqhter z'ich*laten, want de leeuw                     ,Eerst, er iijn er die niet  sitiijgekocht  zijn.  ,yelen
        6~1,.  +l!e. verscheurend  -gedierte  zal op dien weg niet $jn g&oep&, niaat, weinigen uitverkoren. Ziet,~&e  dit,
        @ndelen.-  .qe duivelen en de goddeloozen hebben geen t en sjddert  ge bij het zjefi. van de ontelbare mas& `&`e
        plaats in  :Gods Huis.                                                  &et vrijgegocht  werden,  dan,zegt  God tegen,,U ;,Juich$,,
         , `1 Oneindig groot en glorieus ,zijn'de  triumf&  van bet. vromen;  om Uw lot ! ,Ver&jdt U steeds  ip. Go&!, ,we!
                                                                                                      _          ._'                          :                     ._


                                                         .TH:E'.  `$3TANDA,RD   i3EARE.R                                                                                     :483
zullen van  zulke  verblijding  x6g  "meer.  ho&en.                                                                                 -
                                                                               Ma&  i k   ho&  zitigen,  iixiien. , .-.
     Tweed&s,,   dat. zij  vrijg&ocht'  w@d& vanuit een                        Ze komen aan, ze-kom&x <an, ze ,kee&n  weder tot
 vreeselijke` s`ltiverizl"j, d6 $ia&&j der ZO+%e.                           Sion. Het is een Volk, dat  vroeger-9n ' de$"h&f van
     Derde&  .vrijgekocht  `&&it   -Zen-  .vree%lijke `toe- Eden woonde,  d&h  riil  oneindig' hooger opgetrokken
komst : z&`&ooteri dood, de eeuwige-verdoemenis.                            wordt- n&ar een piaats .die d6or"deii He&$& Geest ge-.
    -Vierdens:`- dat -God besluit tiie vrijgeliocht worden,                 rio@md wordt : Het Paradijs. `Gods !' En weer eens :
  en wie niet. Let er  tech op, dat er bijstaat:  vrijge- dal;  is  C&on.                         `.                  L           .:'                  .,
 ko&ten des HeeFen!                                                         - Wi& zou dan niet zingen, lieen, juichen: .Men:.i&cht
     Vijfdens,  ,dat zij zelfs  niei met.`al  .betaalden  toti als het  zing,en   vantiege blijdschap  `ni&  rn&er$+&~g
 hunne vrijmaking. ,God alleen bet&t den prijs. Jezus ,is om te uiten al de blijdschalj.  +an"liet  $a& : .I$$
  Christus is de prijs tot Uwe vrijmaking, iolk van God! verheffen zich te stemmen,  daar wordt.,h~~.,ai.i~~~ii~k-r
  Gij doet  daar.  niets toe.                                               m tempo en klankgeslacht. Daar komen~ groot.e,,vari-
     `Zesdens. dat wij  voorts  schuldenaaks Gods en aties in `1; zingen. En de Engelen Gods luisteren. :Die
  schuldenaars van Christus zijn, Wat zal ik met #Gods "weten  tian geen wederkeer tot Sion. `.  "  is:'  :  j
  gunsten overlaan,  diep  trouwen  Heer voor Zijn  gena                       En eeuwige blijdschap op hun hoofd.                                           '  "  i-r
                                                                                                                                                                           .1 -, i ,!."
  vergelden? En de Heere  `zal U het. `antwoord geven:                                             0,     *     *           *             :           ,.             2  -:  >.,:I;#:>
  Ik zal ,den beker der verlossingen; opnemen  .eri. den                                                                                                                W.,&~,.i
  Naam des Heiren aanroepen  ! Ja, en,&e  komt er nooit                        Wederkeer   m e t   g e j u i c h !
  mee klaar. Tot in alle .eeuwen,  der eeuwigheden  zult ge                    Vxoolijkheid. en blijdschap. zullen zij verkrij.geti,
  blijv& roepen  en, jubelen van dank .y,oor. dien losprijs. maar droefenis en zuchting zullen wegvlieden !
  De irlhoud` van den beker de? verlossingen is e'euwig.                       Droefenis en zuchting  doet denken  aan de woestijn,
  Hoe diep is de Liefde van .God in `het Aangezicht van . de verscheurende leeuwen die hen omringden, het  stom-
  Jezus, _ Uw Hee? ?                                                        me, het kreupele, slappe en matt'e  van weleer."
   Eindelijk, dat ge dan ook oneindig gelukkig  zijt in                        DKoefenis,  dieper  nog, is re&ltaat van., b;esef? $.qt.
  die  v&rlossingen  en  vrijkopping..  Ze  worden   -nooit wij gezondigd .hebben tegen den God tran Sion, en da&-
  moede of `mat van het groote roepen  voor Gods aange-                     om schuldig zijn, diepschuldig, -266 schuldig, dat- wij
  zicht.                                                                    weggetiorpen moesten worden met een  eeuw.ige,  ver-
     Z&t het : ze keeyeti wed;;  niet gejuich !                             werpiqg. ,Dat zeggen ze tegen God geduriglijk : 0 Gdd,
                                                                            wees mij arme zondaar genadig !                  .'                 :            .,_,
                          :I;     :i:     :i:     :i:
                                                                               Eq zuchting is de uitipg van groat verlangen. Als
     Wederkeering met  gejuich !                                            men verlangt en hunkect dafi zucht men:- ' B&t ,5&s'4i&t
      De tekst zegt : en tot Sion komen met `gejuich, en reikhalzend uitzien naar de verhdoging,  naar de bergen
  eeuwige blijdschap zal op hun hoofd wezen.                                van Gods heiligheid.  -
     @ion is letterlijk  e&n berg.. .                                        Zulk zuchten wordt soms vertolkt. in: de,, psalmen :
      En op dien berg staat.de Tempel en het Koningshtiis                   God des levens, ach, wamie&, zal ik naderen voor Uw
  van David.                                                                oogen? In Uw huis Uw naam verhoogetib                                                    4  I  .a._
      En geestelijk beteekent Sion dan ook twee&iei : Het                      Nu dan, die droefenis en die zuchting zuilen weg-
 .Koningshuis zegt ons dat God als Koning woont,  temid-                    vlieden..  Wonder,  waaPom   bier"  ,gesppoken   &ordt  van
  den van Zijn volk die Hem in liefde gehoorzamen;.  en wegvlieden. Dat doet men als er geyqar. ;in ,:a&&$
  de Tempel z&gt ons, dat God en .Zijh volk' tezamen is. Als de vijand ons op de hielen zit.. ..Welnu, zoo is '
  wonen onder 66n. dak. De Heere heeft het dak `van, Zijn bet. God is de vijand van onze smarteti.,! Leest Openb.
  Huis over. onze hoofden  getrokken, en daaroti zijn we                    20 en let er op, dat God net maar ziet naar de oude din-
  voor%s veilig en zalig. Ik.  hoor de refreinen van het gen, & zij vlieden heen, en er is -gee<  $laats VGoU: `&-
  volk van alle .eeuwen  : "Daar zal ons `t goede +an Uw zelve gevonden.
i woning, verzaden reis op reis !"                                             En dan komt daarvoor in de pliatk': vro'blijkheid en
      Wi1.t ge h&t nog nauwer nem&, dan zegt ge: Sion bli jdschap !                                                                                            . . .
                                                                                                                                                                         .,.  .:'
  is de plaats waar ,Jezus  Christus Zijn hartebloed gaf,                    Vroolijkheid en blijdschap!`
 dus Golgotha, de kruispaal. Want het is door den prijs                     Dat zijn  tyee woorden die Uw  hemel,  daarboven  1
 van dat Bloed, dat `we met God samen  kunnen. wonen. bij God, vertolken.
  Yan verre zag' Israel's zinger dat Sion, en profeteerde  :                   De eerste  is uiting van de laatste. Als Uy h&t &
De  ge&echtigheid  en de  vrede zuller `elkaar kussen ! wezen blijde is,  clan  &t  ge'het  in groote  Groolijkheid.
  Permitteer me om heb nog wat anders te zeggen : :                            En zei Jesaja niet, dat God zulk volk gaaqF> P"t-
 Sion is het plekje der aarde waar  hemel  en aarde poet ?
  elkatider  raakten..  Doch neem Uwe schoenen van Uwe                       Als ge in. den hemel aankomt, dan staat God klaar
  voeten, -want ge staat op heilig land : waar dat plekje om U te begroeten, te begroeten. 0, die groet #Gods
Bedrqkt  tiordt vloeit het heilig dbloed van Jezus.                    :                                                                              G.  Vos.,.


P 484                                                                                                               T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAREZ
 -                 ,
                               The Stand&-d  Bearer                                                                                                                                                               EDITORIA.LS
            Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August
                                                  P u b l i s h e d   B y
               The Reformed Free Publishing Association                                                                                                                                                           E. A. P. R,. Y. P: C.                    .
                                              1463  Arkore St., S. E.
                                    EDITOR: - Rev. H. Hoeksema.                                                                                                                                          The Eighth Annual -Protestant Reformed Young
 &mtributin.g Editors:  - .Rev.  G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                                      People's Convention was held at Holland, Michigan on
 R.  Veldman,  Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H.  De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,                                                                                                                                        August 18 -and 19.
 Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A.  Pletter,  Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.
 Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A.  Heys,                                                                                                                                           I will not give a factual report of all that transpired
 Rev. W.  H:ofman.                                                                                                                                                                                    at this convention: the regular reporter or reporters
      Communication& relative to contents should be -addressed to' will take care of that and bring their findings to you
REV. GERRIT VOS, Hudsonville, Michigan.                                                                                                                                                               in the Young People's periodical, B'eacon Lights.
      Corinmunications  relative to subscription should be addressed                                                                                                                                     I would just muse a bit on what I saw and heard.
 to MR. GERRIT PIPE, 1463 Ardmore St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                                                            _ First of all, I would congratulate the Holland
 Mich.  Annotincements  and Obituaries must be mailed to the
 above. address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                                                      Young People's Society in general, and t'heir energetic
 notice.                                                                                                                                                                                              lead&,  the Rey. ,Bernard  Kok in very particular, for
                               (Subscription Price i $2.50 per year i                                                                                                                                 the splendid way in which they took care of the things
 Entied  as  Second  Class  Mq,il at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                                          of this Convention !    Everything ran smoothly and
                                                                                                                                                                                                      pleasantly .so that no disc&d of any kind marred the
                                                                                                                                                                                                      program from beginning to end.
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Holland and its environments lends itself for a
                                                    -                                                                                                                                                 convention of this kind. That was noticeable especially
                                                                                                                                                                                                      at night when the Rev. H. Hoeksema delivered his
                                                                                                                                                                                                      lecture on  OUT  CaUing  To Be Specific. We wer'e gath-
                                                     C O N T E N T S                                                                                                                                  ered in the open air in Kollen's Park ori th`e beautiful
 MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                                                                          shore of Black Lake. The weather was just right for
         Wederkeering  Met  Gejtiich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .481                                                           an open  .air meeting  of this kind, neither too hot nor
                 Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                          too cold. And under the deep blue canopy of heaven,
                                                                                                                                                                                                      in the-midst of the luxurious growth of ,mGod's  green
 E D I T O R I A L S -   .                                                                                                                                                                            vegetation of tree and herb and grass, we heard the
         E. A. P. R. $. ti. C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .`,.........  484 Word of our Covenant. `God. The audience was com-
         Rededication . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                  `-
                                                                 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
         Four More Calvin Commentaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  486s posed of young and old, from the Pacific coast to Michi-
                 Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                          gan, ministers and their people, all of `them grouped
                                                                                                                                                                                                      around the  speak&s stand.        Nights such as these
,  THE  TRIPLE  KNOWLEDGE-                                                                                                                                                                            lea.ve an unforgettable imprint upon one's heart and`
         An Exposition Of The Heidelberg Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486                                                                                                            mind. This night reminded me. of the first field day
                 Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                           .                                                                                                         which we organized as Protestant Reformed Churches.
 OUR DOCTRINE-                                                                                                                                                                                        But one of the differences between it and this night is
            God's .Covenant And The Promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491                                                                           that then there were at least three times as .many
                 Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                                                                      people present. Everybody came that day and even-
                                                                                                                                                                                                      ing.  Btit 25 years have gone by. And with it has
THEI   GAY  O F   SHADOWS-                                                                                                                                                                            come the sad'truth  that the love of many has grown
         David Chastened . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .494                               cold.  '                          .
                 Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                                                       I `cannot say much about the business sessions of
 STO.N'S  ZANGEN-                                                                                                                                                                                     the young people since I have not attended all their
         Israeljs Liefdevolle Heiland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I...............,........ ,.498                                                                                         sessions. But wliat I have seep  of it witnesses of their
                 Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                                          industry and zeal for the cause of the Prot. Ref. Young
                                                                                                                                                                                                      People, which cause is the same `as yours and mine.
 I N   H I S   F E A R -
            Correspondence with Rev. L. Doezema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500                                                                                            More pow'er to you, young people!
              1 Rev. M.  Grittem                                                                                                                                                                         After lunch on the second and last day of the con-
                                                                                                                                                                                                      vention, it was my privilege and pleasure to speak to
 FROM  HOL;I   WRIT-                                                                                                                                                                                  the young people at Tunnel park where this part of the
            The- Eyes ,Of The Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  `; . . . . . . $02 activities was held. I will confess that I dreaded to
                        Rev. C. Hanko                                                                                                                                                                 speak on that occasion. I thought that the several
                                                                                                                                                                                                      hours of play would not mix with the testimony such


                                         THE  STANDARD  BEARER                                                         485 .
           -
  as I had prepared for them. But I &as in for a sur-           i-nary schools. In. the N'etherlands  we had three weeks
prise., The young people would not .hear of the elimina- of vacation, and that &as all. Therefore they crowded
  tion of this speech. .And I know that you would have in six years what they teach.here- in eight years. Be-
  been thrilled, even as I was, if you could have seen the      sides, the results of 6 years  qf intensive study in
  serijus attention which characterized their listening.        Europe is more than equivalent to'the 8 years of study
  : In  t&e  evelling of the second day we met  in  .the        here. The vacations are too long. It takes the pupil
  Christian High Schoo! of Holland for the annual ban-          clnd the teacher  too long to  come back  into the shape
  quet. :At`this occasion ihere were 290 young people he must be in for proper giving or proper receiving.
  present. And the Rev. Hanko gave us a speech on                  Well, our long vacation will be over by the time you
  THE FAITH  \OF THE FATHERS: A Mighty Chal- read this.
  lenge, which was listened to with interest by all.               Hence, we must rededicate ourselves again to the
      One word of advice to the Federation Board &hen           la!ks that lie at hand.
  they will meet again for the planning of the ninth Con-          Not as though we are able* OY ourselves to dedicate
  vention. Ancl it is this: try to have some worthwhile         or rededicate ourselves to the living God. We know
  number on the program for the afternoon of the second that "The Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us,
  day, say, a round table discussion or something like          and not we ourselves; we are His people,,and'the  sheep
  that. There was too much time for play, and I am              of His pasture." We know and believe and teach that
  sure that the young people would enjoy a number like          He must. work in us first if we are to move at all.
  that.                                                            But the Holy.`Scriptu-res  also teach that the Gospel
     In closing I would say that I am deeply grateful to is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
 my covenant God that through His  @race He has belieyeth. Oh, yes, God works in us the power to will
~ wrought all this which I might see and hear. It is and to do, but He calls us to "work out your qwn salva-
  a marvel that in this day of rioting and pleasure seek-       tion !"
  ing, our youth loves to have their. society meetings aid         And- therefore, we must rededicate ourse!ves,  and
. annual conventions. How literally God fulfills His that alo?g the whole line of Christian endeavour.
wondrous word: "and they shall not depart ,&om the                 We must rededicate ourselves-most bf all.to Chris-
  mouth of thy seed, nor from the mouth of thy seed's           t& Instruction. Catechism and Christian' day-school
  .s&ed. . .  1"                               G. Vos,
                    `                                           should have the love of all our heart. We should re-
                                                                dedicate ourselves to have the children attend cate-
                                                                chism .class aZwc~ys.- And they should know their les-
                         Rededication                           ,son and song aZwazjs.  Father and mother must take
                                                                care of this: We must rededicate ourselves to Chris-
                                                                tian Education. We must attend  the meetings that are
      We must rededicate durselves  !                           called by the School Board. .We must pay the bills at-
      I hear' you say: we have dedicated ourselves to our tending that instruction,. and do so promptly. * If it is
. Covenant G&l .and to His service ! Why theli should a question of choice, we must forego all things rather
  we' rededicate ourselves?                                     than to let the bills for Christian Instruction stand on
      The' answer is easy : we haye taken a vacation.           the books of the treasurer. The old faithful mothers
      Now the' taking of a vacation is good ; it is even ' in the Netherlands would actually count their pennies
  necessary. The man that is always in the harness is           and put them one by one in the little ,box so that on
  begging fbr.tibtible. There is a Holland proverb which        Monday morning Johnny  `co&d  take the Christian
  says : "De boog kati niet altijd gespannen zijn", which School money to teacher..
  means in our language: The bow cannot always be in               WQ must rededicate ourselves to society life. It is
  tension. And so, man cannot always be in tension.             good that-father goes to Men's rsociety  every week, and
  There must be relaxation after a period of hard labour. `that mother "goes to Ladies' Society every week or every
  And so we have our vacations.                                 other week. There they learn how to ask  questiqns
   But I am persuaded. that our vacations  are alto- about' the Holy Word of God and how- to answer. them;
  gether ioo long.                                              there they are s@engthened  iti the principles of true
      Take the case of our catechism classes. In some of Protestant  l@formed religion ; there they grow by
  our churches. there are no more thati six months of giving and receiving. Eph. 4 :16.
  catechetical instruction. And it is difficult to bring the       We must rededicate ourselves to good reading ma-
 `child's mind under the censure of obedience and close terial. Buy` good  bodks,  and read them. The long
  attention and application after so long a time of leisure.    evenings will soon be with us. Spend some time read-
   \ .Now  I do not think that my writing on this matter .ing good lit`erature,.  and -you will grow in knowledge
  will shorten vacations. America is -used to `long vaca- and understanding. There is to'o much gadding about
 ,ti,dns; `Note the Ithree. tipnths of vacation of our pri- in our superficial age. Let our Protestant Reformed


     486                               j  T H E   S T A N D A R D ,   B E A R E R
                                                      ,.                . .
people be the happy exception.' It is your`heritage and
calling.
.       Let us rededicate_ ourselves to our Covepant ,God.        `THE IkPLE KNOWLEDGE
It is His calling who says : Wherefore lift up the hands
which hang down, and the feeble knees ; and make
straight paths-for your feet, lest that which is lame            An- Exp&ition Of The Heidelberg
be turned out .of the way ; but let it rather be healed."
Heb.  12:12  ,13.  )                               G., Vos.                         Catechism .
                                                                                      PART TWO
        Four More Calvin Commentaries                                               LORD'S DAY 24
        The reader will remember that some time agh I                                       1.
annomlced the mammoth task ufidertaken by the local
book publisher Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., $55                    The Repudiation Of All Good Works. (cont.)
     Jefferson Ave., S. E., Grand Rapids,  Mich. At that            Just let us conslcler; for example, the question of
     occasion I announced that ,four volumes .were ready prayer. It is supposed to be the very best of our works,
     at that  iime. They are the Epistle to the Romans, the highest, expression of our thankfulness to God.
     to the Hebrews, and` the first two volu,mes  of the pro- 1.n it we ard supposed to seek the glory of <God above
     phet  Isaiah. Well, at this time it is my pleasure to       all. In our prayers we should seek the kingdom' of
     announce that fou% more volumes have come off the -God first, trusting that all' things will be added unto
     press. `They are : the other two, volumes pf Isaiah, and    us. By prayer we express the desire that the will of
     I and `II Corinthia,ns. All four volumes are $3.50 each.    God be performed on earth as it is in heaven, that all
.The commentary  on the epistle to the Romans is priced          t.hings, even we ourselves, ,be made subservient to that
     at  $4.5?, because of `its larger size. All the others will of God. In our prayers we are supposed to seek '
:are  $ 3 . 5 0 .                                                not the `things of this- world, not things carnal, but
        Now that our various societies will resume their things spiritual, and to be satisfied with mere bread
.labor for the coming winter season, an annou&ement for this day. By prayer we express that yve `are heart-
     like this has added significance. I have noted time and ily sorry for our sins, and that we seek forgiveness in
`again that our people employ the wrong kind of com- the blood bf Christ, at the same time avowing that we
     mentaries. When I said' as much, they would ask:            forgive one another even as God in. Christ forgives us
V?ell, do you kndw  of  a better comment&y than the              our-trespasses. And in our prayers tie express that
.one I have at home? And I would say: Yes, but it is             we earnestly desire to be delivered from evil, that we
     out of print. You should have a set of Calvin's_ Com- look for perfect sanctification, and that God will not
i&ntaries.                                                       lead us into temptation. All this is expressed in the
      : - But the situation is already different today. Today perfect prayer which the  .L&d taught us. But who
%here `are. eight books. for sale of this splendid corn-., would dare to maintain that this best of our works
.menttiry. And they are written on some of the most 1s .not `defiled with sin?, -How often are our desires
`iliportant  books of Holy Writ: Romans, Hebrews,
                                       .                         carnal instead of spiritual? How often `do we seek
`Corinthians and Is&ah.                                          t?.ings entirely different frdm the glory  03 God, the
        I would very strongly advise every one of our so- kingdom of God, and the performance of the will of
     cieties to buy a set of these books as sdon as they will    God? How often, in my prayers, must I fight back
,meet  again this fall.                                          the' desire to commit the very sin for which I bow my
        And all of my readers who `are able to afford the knees to seek forgiveness? And how often. do I seek
     purchase price of the commentary odght to do so.            .the temptation at the very time that I pray for strength
        `They owe this to themselves and to their children, to resist it?
FAtid  ' kiren  theii children's children.      My set is one       0, indeed, it is the very experience of every ,Chris-
     hundred years old, and I am persuaded that the present
     n&v set is  of better quality as  fa? as binding and tian, of every true child of God, that when he would
     paper is concerned than `the other set:                     do good, evil is always present with him.
        A young -man of my acquaintance read my first               How, then, can anything but the righteousness of
&announcement.   l&s household budget did not  allow             Christ, imputed to me, and receieed  by faith, be my
     ihe montlily expense of a Calvin book. Hence, he gave, righteousness before God?  :.                 .
     up kmoki&j ;' saved in this. `way about $3.50 ; and now        Only that righteousness is always perfect and al-
     pas-eight new Calvin books in his library.                  ways the $ame.
                                                   G. Vos.          O&y in that righteodsness  I have'peice with (God.


                                     T H E   -  STAN-DARD..:-BEARE&                                             487.

                             2.                            eth are one: and every man shall receive his own re-
                 The Reward Of  `Grace.          '         ward according to his .own labour." And in II Corin-
                                                           thians 5 :lO we read the well-known words : "For we
     The next question of our Heidelberg Catechism must all appear before the judgmeqt seat of o Christ;
 concerns the reward which God will give to, those that that every one may receive the things done in his
 are faithful to the end. The question is evidently put body, according' to that he hath done, whether it be
 in the form of an implied objection : "*hat ! do not good or bad." In Revelation 11, verses 1'7 and 18, we
 our good works merit, which yet God will reward in hear the Church, by the mouth of the twenty-four
 this and in a-future life?" This objection is raised by elders, -praising God in the following words : "We give
 Rotian Catholics. In the preceding question and ans- thee thanks, 0 Lord ;God Almighty, `which, art, and
 wer the Catechism had strongly.repudiated the notion wast, and art to come ; because thou hast taken to
 lhat our gbod works can. be either part or the whole `thee  %hy great power, and hast reigned. And the
 of our righteousness before  God.,  We are righteous nations were angry, and thy-wrath is come, `and the
 by faith only, without. works ; this evidently implies time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that
 that our good works do not and cannot merit anything thou shouldeit  give reward unto thy servants the .pro-
 at' all. For if they merited anything we would be phets, and to the saints, and'them that fear thy name,
 pighteous  by them, at least in part. And the Roman small and great; and shouldest destroy them which de-
 Catholic Church must have nothing of this repudiation stroy the earth." And again, in Rev. 20  :12, John
 01 the real merit of our work. It argues that our good beholds a vision of the great judgment, and he "saw
`works are certainly rewarded by God. All Scripture the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the
 emphasizes this. It follows from this, according to books were opened: and another book was opened,
 the Roman Catholics, that they must. be meritorious. which `is the book of life: and the dead were judged
 God rewards us according to our works. The-Heidel-        dut of those things which were written in the books,
 berg Catechism nevertheless denies this: it does so,      according to their works." And to quote no more, the
 not by contradicting. the truth that God- rewards the Lord declares in Revelation  22:12: "And, behold, I
 righteous, for it admits that this evidently is plainly come quickly ; and my yeward is with. me, to give every
 taught by Holy Writ. But it states that this reward is man according as his work shall be."
 of grace only, and not of merit.                          This is also evident from the glorious promises
     The question is, however, tyhai is'meant by this. " .ihat'are given to the faithful servants that overcome
   If we consult Scripture,' we will discover that it in the struggle' for righteousness' sake in the midst
 frequently  mentiolis the `fact that God rewards His of the world in Rev: 2 and 3. "To him that overcometh
-faithful servants. :In general, the Bible emphasizes will I give to eat of the. tree of life, which is in the
  the truth that God will reward every man according midst of theparadise of God." R&v. 2 :7. To the church
 to his works; and specifically, it frequently speaks of in tribulation .in Smyrna, the Lord promises: "Fear
 a great reward for those that suffer with Christ, as all none of those things which thou shalt- suffer : behoJd,
 the faithful people of God must suffer for righteous-     the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that we
 .ness' sakd in the midst of a hostile world.              may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days:
     As to the first, that in the day of the Son of Man    be. thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
  every man shall be rewarded according as his work of life. He that hath an ear, let' him hear what the
  shall be, this is plainly taught by Chiist Himself in Spirit saith unto  `the churches ; he that overcometli
  Matthew 16, verse 27 : "For the Son- of man shall come shall not be hurt of the second death." Rev. 2:10, 11.
  in the glory of his Father with his angels ; and then    And the church in Pergamos, which was evidently lax
 he shall reward every man according to his works." in discipline and suffered them which held the doctrine
 In Romans 2 :6-U we read,: "Who will render to' every of the Nicolaitanes' which the Lord -hated, the Lord
 man according to his deeds: To them who by patient encourag& by the following promise: "To him that
 contil~uance  in well-doing seek fo? ilory and honour oveY'coineth  will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and
  and immortality, eternal life:' But unto them that are will give: hiin a white stone, and in the stone a new
 contentious, and do not obey the iruth, but obey un- name written,' which no man &now&h  saving he that
 righteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and .receiveth  it." Rev. 2 :1'7. .`*To the faithful in Thyatira
 anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the the Lord promiser; : "And he that overcometh, and keep-
 Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour,    eth my words unto the end, to him will I give power
 and peace, to' every man that worketh good, to t?he over the nations: And-he shall rule them with a rod
 Jew first, and also to `the Gentile : Fo?. theri! is -no of iron ; as the Ve&els of .a potter shali they be broken
 -respect of, persons with- God." In I Corinthians 3 :8 `to shivers: even as I  rekeived  of my Father. And I
 the apostle writes about those that labor' in -the- vine- will give him the  morniligstar." Rev;  2:26-28. The
 yard of God : "Now he that planteth and he that water- church in Stirdis, which. the Lord, -together with its


                                                      /                                      E


  4 8 8                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEA-R%IE

  minister, characterizes by the words, "I `know thy openly." Matt: 6 : l-6. In  .-Rom. 8 :1'7 suffering with ,
  works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art Christ is evidently presented as an indispensable con-
  dead," nevertheless contains  .a few names of them dition to glory and to the reward which shall be given
  which h.ave not.defiled their garments, and to them the to the faithful saints: "And if children, then heirs ;
' Lord promises  :o "They shall walk. with me in white: heirs of God, ,and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
  for they are worthy." And to. all that overcome in we suffer  with him, that we may also be glorified
  Sardis the Lord promises: "The same shall be clothed together." The eternal inheritance itself is presented
  in white raiment; and I.will not blot out his name out as a reward for the faithful service of Christ in Col.
  of the book of life, but I will confess his name before 323, 24: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as
  my Father, and before his angels." Rev. 3 :4, 5. And to the Lord, and not unto. inen ; Knowing that of the
  the small but faithful church in Philadelphia receives Lord ye shall receive. the reward of the inheritance :
  the promise : "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar for ye serve the Lord Christ." And the apostle Paul
  in the temple of my ,God, and he shall go no'more out :     `puts' his trust in the righteous Judge of heaven and
  and I will write upon him the name of my God, and .Farth for the reward which He shall give him in the
  the name of the city of  ,my  aGod, which is the new clay' of Christ, as he writes : "I have fought a good
  Jerusalem, which  cometh down out of heaven from fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith :
  .my God : and I will write upon him my new name." Henceforth there is laid ulj .for me a crown of right-
  Rev.' 3 :12. And .tb those in the church of Laodicea eousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall
  who hear Jesus' voice and will open the door to Him,        give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all
  he promises : "I. will come in to him, and I $11 sup        them-also that love his appearing." II Tim.  4:7, 8.
  with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh An,d to quote no more, we.read that Moses had respect
  will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also    unto the recompence -of the reward when he refused
  overcame, and ,am set down with my Father ,in his to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter: "By faith
  throne." Rev. 3 :20-21.                                     Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called
     Everywhere Scripture comforts and encourages the son of Pharaoh's daughter'; Choosing rather to
  `those that must suffer for righteousness' sake by hold- -suffer affliction with the people of God,,than  to enjoy
  ing before them the glorious eternal reward. Thus the pleasures of sin for a season ; Esteeming the re-
  the Lord Jesus Himself, in the Sermon on the Mount, proach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
4 declares : "Blessed are they which are persecuted for Egypt: for' he had respect unto the recompence of the
  righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of hea- reward.", Heb.  11:24-26.
  ven. Blessed are `ye, when men shall revile you, and           From these passages we learn the following: first,
  persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against tllat in the day of the Lord God will reward every
  you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding man according to his works, and that, too, by a right-
  glad : for.great  is' your reward in heaven : for so perse- eous- judgment over the good and the evil both. Second-
  cuted they the prophets which were before you." ly, we learn that this reward, for the righteous, is
  Matt.  5:10-12.  He-admonishes His disciples that they pri,ncipally eternal life, nothing less than the eternal
  shall not do `their good works before men, but before glorious inheritance. Thirdly, we learn that there will
  their Father which is in heaven, in the following be gradations in the reward of glory; not all the saints
  words  : "Take heed that ye do `not your alms before in glory will be alike ; they shall not all occupy the
  men, to be seen' of them : otherwise ye have no reward      same place.. There will, no doubt, be a tremendous
  of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when difference between the ,apostle  Paul's position in glory
  thou doest thine alms, ,do not sound a trumpet before and that of the murderer on the cross. These differ-
  thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in ences and gradations will be according to each man's
  the streets, that they may have giory of men. Verily capacity for glory and the enjoyment of it. All the
  .I say unto' you; They have their reward: .But when saints will no doubt be completely filled with blessing,
  thou doest `alms,. let not thy left hand know what thy but one has a greater capacity for blessing and glory
  right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret:         than another. And besides, these gradations in glory
  and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall re- will- be according to each man's work and suffering
  ward thee openly. .And &hen thou prayest, thou shalt for Christ's sake in the world. And finally, we. learn
 not be as  ihe hypocrites  ar.e:, for they love` to pray that the hope of the reward may, indeed, encourage us
  standing in the synagogues and fin the corners of the and spur us, on to greater faithfulness, especially as
  streets, that they may be seen of -men. `Verily `I say w"e must, suffer for righteousness' sake in' the midst of
  unto you, They have their reward. But' thou, when a hostile world.
 `thou prayest, enter into'thy closet, and when thou hast        But `again, the question arises : how must we under-
  shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;       stand all: this?
  and thy Father +hich se&h in secret shall rewar,d thee         Is not, after all, the Roman Catholic view as to the


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           489
                                                                         .
 meritoriousness of our good works strongly supported             However, we cannot agree with this attempted  solu-
 by Scripture?                                                 tion of the -problem.
     Are we after all saved by our own righteousness,             Fi.rst of, all, because-it evidently would explain the
 at least in part?                                             reward of grace apart from the death and obedience
     Doctor A. Kuyper,  E  Voto,  Vol. II, pp. 377 ff., of `Christ. And this is impossible. All that we have
 .offers a peculiar explanation of'the reward of grace.        and ever will have in eternal glory certainly flows
     First of all, he emphasizes that the reward of grace from the sacrifice of Christ as its meritorious cause;
 does not,include the`blessing of eternal life itself. He apart from the death of Christ we have nothing. For
argues that eternal life, the glorious eternal inherit- it is only inand through that death that our sins are
 ,ance, is merited by Christ's atoning death, by His forgiven and that, therefore, we are righteous before
 active and passive obedience, that it is given to all the     God. And only upon those that are righteous in Christ,
 .elect, and that principally. it is for all the same. I `whose righteousness is imputed to them, and who re-
 quote and translate: "In this connection we must, from ceive this righteousness by a true faith, will God bestow
 the' start, postulate a difference between eternal. life all the gifts of grace, not only eternal <life, but also
: itself and a particular honor or enjoyment  ,in this         the glory which Kuyper considers to be an extra gift of
 eternal life. Without this distinction we cannot ad- grace to some of the elect.
 Vance one step in the right direction here. For if it            Secondly; he postulates a mechanical and' entirely
 is established that Christ gained eternal life for all His arbitrary division and separation between life as such',
 redeemed, and that not certain redeemed receive a  cer- and the different degrees of glory, which, according to
 tain reward-of `grace in addition to this, then it is clear Kuyper, some'of the saints enjoy. We realize that this
 .that this reward of -grace cannot be the same as eternal is an erroneous conception. These  .different  degrees
 life. For this eternal life is received by all ; this re- of glory are not something extra, outside and apart  _
 ward of grace, however, is only for those that have a from eternal life, something that,  is added to it; but
`claim to it. Eternal life is essentially the, same for all, they constitute simply the full `measure. of glory of
 but the reward of grace is for each one, personally,. which each individual saint is capable. For the same
-different. Eternal life also a child that is taken away reason we cannot agree that the reward of .grace is
 in infancy` receives, when it is elect; but the reward something that is bestowed only upon some particular
 of grace a child like that never receives."                   elect, .while -the great multitude of the. saints in glory
     Secondly, according to Kuyper, the reward, there- do not enjoy it but simply `have eternal life; )Scripture
 fore, refers only to the different degrees of glory. makes no such distinction,; nor ,does the Heidelberg
 All have eternal life, all enter into glory, -but not all Catechism speak of such a' distinction` in the present
 have the same capacity for the enjoyment of glory, nor question and :answer.. All the saints, `without-distinc-
 do they all occupy the same place in the eternal king- tion f-rom the .least to the greatest, undoubtedly per-
dom. And it is, according to Kuyper, this difference -form. a certain. measure of good works ;' and all will
 that is the reward of grace. This reward is therefore receive the reward of grace according. to their works.
 not for all the saints, but only for certain particular         ' `Thirdly, this theory does not explain those passages
* redeemed children of God.                                   .of Scripture that tell us that the reward will be accord-
     Thirdly, this extra reward of glory that some of the ing as each man's work shall- be, is entirely general.
 saints receive is freely bestowed upon them by God.           It includes all men. It cannot refer to some that; accord-
It `must be evident, `on the basis of Kuyper's theory, ing to `Kuyper, receive an extra' gift, an extra enjoy-
 that it is not based upon the merits of Christ, on His ment `of glory, `while it does not -refer to.the  multitude          *
 atoning. death. Christ merited eternal life, and He of saints that only have eternal life and nothing more.
 merited' that for all the elect without distinction. But        And finally, it plainly `contradicts those passages
 this-.extra glory `and enjoyment of eternal life that is of Holy Writ that plainly teach that eternal' life itself
the privilege of some is not included in this : God is a reward of  grace.~ Thus,' the Lord .said in' answer
`bestows it freely upon those whom Be appointed for to a question- of Peter what the disciples should receive
 this extra gift of grace. He uses the illustration of a who have forsaken- all: "Verily I say unto  YOU, That
 parent who, of course, expects obedience. and willing ye which have followed, me, in the regeneration `when
 service of all his children from -love, but who some- `the- Son of man `shall, sit- in the throne of his glory, ye.
 times promises them a reward to encourage them or also shall' sit :upon twelve thrones, judging the `twelve
 to honor their love and their devotion. So God prom- tribes of. Israel. And every one-that hath forsaken
 ises an extra reward of grace to those that serve Him houses, 0: brethren, or' sisters,' or father; or mother,
 faithfully in the world, and- especially to those that' or wife, or. children, -or lands; for my name's sake,
 must suffer for righteousness' sake.                          shall receive an hundredfold; and shall- inherit ever-
     This, then, is Kuyper's explanation of the reward lasting `life." Matt. 19 :28; 29. `And to- the church of
 of grace.                                                    Smyrna` the  Lord.  promises  :` "Be thou faithful unto

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

 death ,and I will give thee a crown of life." Rev. 2 : IO.       death." By His Spirit Christ Himself dwells in us,
       And the meaning is evidently that they shall receive He regenerates us and gives us new life. He calls us
 "eternal  life as a crown of victory. And many more pas- by His Spirit into the  .fellowship of His everlasting
 : sages might be quoted to prove that eternal life itself,       covenant. And even as He justifies us, so He also,
       the eternal inheritance of glory, is a reward of grace.    sanctifies us, causes us to hate all sin and to flee from
 ::  " For  ali these reasons we cannot agree with the it, and to have, a principal clelight in all good works.
 : theory which Dr. Kuyper proposes of the reward of Thus Paul, writes in II Cor. 5 :1'7 : "Therefore. if any
 `&ace.  ."                                                       man. be in' Christ; he' is a new creature : old things; are
 .a~... We shall, therefore, have to look for a solution. in `passed away ; behold,`all  things are become new." And
 * another direction.                                             again;, in` Eph. 2 :4-6: "`But IGod, who is rich in mercy,
              And then we wish to proceed from the evident truth for his great. love wherewith'he'loved  us, Even'when
       of -Scripture that all that ever shall be given to' us of we were dead `in sins, hath quickened us' together with
 i  ,eternal  iife  and"glory is merited for us by Christ's Christ;- (by grace ye are' saved ; j And hath raised us up
death  &lid obedience.            He alone merited glory and together; -and made us sit together in' heavenly places
       eternal iife. ,For as the Son of `God in human flesh he in Christ Jesus." Even as by the `grace of Christ for
       humbled Himself deeply. In `the form of God He never us `we are justified a&made perfectly righteous by
 ' thought. of the` robbery to be equal with God ; on the .IIis imputed righteousness, so by the grace of Christ in
_ `-contrary,-  He made Himself bf no reputation, and took us we are delivered from sin and its dominion and in
 i upon-"Him the form of a servant, and was made in the           principle perfectly sanctified. And so we have nothing
 :  lii;;e'ness of men: And being found in fashion as a to boast; there is nothing meritorious in all this on `our
  man,`He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto part. It is all grace from beginning `to end. "`For by
 i death; even the death of the cross. cdnd by this humili- grace are ye saved through faith i and that not of your-
  ' &on and sacrifice on the cross, by this complete empty-       selves :` itis the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
 ;ing'of Himself, He alone merited the reward of glory. man should boast.!" Eph. 2 /8,' 9:
       :For so `we read in Phil.. 2 $11: "Wherefore `God also       It should be plain, then, that all our good works are
 I hath `highly exalted him, and given him a name which fruits which Christ bears in us and through Us: With-
 is above every name i That at the `name of- Jesus every out Him `we are'nothing &nd can do nothing. As He
 `: knee should bow; of things in heaven? and things in Himself declares in John 15 :4, 5 z. "Abide in-me, and I
 earth, `and `things under the earth ; And that. every in you; As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, ex-
 : : tongue should confess-that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the cept it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye
 "glory of .God then Father." And this glory He merited abide in me. I am the vine;` ye are the branches : he
r n&only for Himseif,  but for all whom the Father hath that abideth in me; and'I in him; the same bringeth
       given Him. .'                                              forth much fruit: for without me ye can do notliing."
        -. He merited for us perfect righteousness, even the Besides,. our `good works are gifts of ,God to us, that
       forgiveness of sins. This grace is fundamental, as we in the deepest sense flow from God's eternal predkstina-
       have explained before. Without the imputed righteous-      tion and good pleasure. For so we' read in Eph. 2 :lO :
       `lie& `of Christ we have no right to anything at tall. "For we ,are his workmanship, created in `Christ Jesus
  `Without it we have' no right to be delivered from the unto good works, which God hath before ordained that
 *dominion of sin, no right to dwell as free sons in we should walk in them," _                       i
       Father's house, nd.right to the delight of serving Him        Thus, then, we .wouid explain the answer of the
 `and `to walk in' all good works. `For without righteous- Heidelberg Catechism that the reward is not of merit,
`ness, even without the righteousness of Christ imputed but of grace. And yet, also in `the case of the redeemed
 to. us, we are nothing but legai slaves of sin and of saints it is' perfectly `true that each one shall receive
 `t&hk' devil. But in the perfect obedience of Christ we `according ,as `his works shall be. But it should be
 `~`liave the ri`ght- to be ,delivered  from this awful slavery remembered that all the sins of the saints are perfectly
 T and to enjoy the `freedom with which Christ liberates blotted out by the death and perfect obedience of Christ
 `..'~1s. All this is grace, the free grace of God in Jesus Jesus our `Lord, and that they can never more be `im-
       `Christ our Lord.                                          puted unto them: I And secondly, the works of the saints
 `.      But there .is more: Fbr'even `as Christ, on the basis are the fruits of Christ dwelling in `them, which ,God
       of His atoning death and" obedience, has' the right- to ordained for them before the foundation `of the world,
 ` :deliv& us,' so He also actually delivers us, liberates us, and in which they are privileged to walk.
  ~frbm the'.dominion  of sin and death and trpanslates us           In the `way of -good works and of suffering with
 Z&o the state and `condition of free sons of God, who            Christ we must enter into glory. -But it is all throu.gh
 -`principally'delight   in'doing   His will.  So.`we read in grace, and never  of works.  m:.  :  ;.  :
 `;Rom. 8 :2 : "For the law' of the Spirit of life in Christ         He that glorieth, let him. glorylinthe  Lord !
 `-IJesus h&i `made me _ free' from the law `of sin and                                                     H .   Hoeksema..


                                          T H E           STANDAR.D  B.EAR,ER                                            491.

                                                                    forbid : for if there .had been a law given which could.
                 O U R   DOC~~RIIE  "  :have given life, verily righteousness should have been :
                                                                    by the law.    But the Scripture hath concluded all..
                                                                    under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ.
                                                                    might be given to them'that believe. But before faith.
         God's Covenant and The Prornisti                           came, we were kept-under the law, shut up unto the
                                                                    faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Where&
0'                          (Galatians 3) ..                        fore the law was our schoolmaster to bring-us unto:
       ; `3Ve must bear in mind the line of the.apostle's  rea- Christ, that we might be justified by faith.,, _           I.
      soning in this third chapter of the epistle to the <Gala-            The Promise Made To Christ, .The Seed
tians. He contends that we must be justified either                                Of  Abraham.  - verse 16.  *
      out of the law. or through faith. Both are impossible.
      The Galatiansdhad  begun with the Spirit., They now             ..Verse 16 reads: "Now -to .Abraham and his seed
      attempted to be made perfect through the works of were. the .promises made. He saith not, And to seeds;.
      the law. False teachers had bewitched these Galatians as-.of. many ; but as of one, And `to thy seed, which, is
      and had-seduced them so that they once more were in           Christ." We. must, of course, maintain the--literal.
      bondage to the law .as in the `Old Dispensation.              interpretation of this text. Many accuse the apostle
          In the first, half of this chapter, to which we called    of rabbinical hairsplitting here, because he would. base,
      attention in our previous article on this portion of the his argument upon a single letter; the singular `seed'
      Word of :God, the -apostle had clearly demonstrated to instead of the plural `seeds'. `This, however, issurely
      the Galatians the fallacy of etheir position. Abraham, conceit. #Paul speaks in this text by inspiration,#and  it
      whose children the Jews boasted to be, was justified, is none other than the Spirit of the Living God;.Who:
      .not by the law, but by faith. In Abraham not the. inspires him to iTYrite as he does. We must, therefore;,
      natural Jews but. the believers would be counted for maintain this particular word of Scripture that the
      the seed and be blessed., -As many as are under the. promise was given to Abraham and to his seed, and
      law are under the curse-hence, to fulfill the iaw is, this seed is Christ;
      therefore, a hopeless task. Neither is this fulfilment           There is fundamentally no difference between the.
      of the law necessary because Christ has redeemed us promise  .of verse -16. and the blessing of Abraham else-
      from the law, having become a curse for  as.  And where mentioned in this chapter. God's promise to
      Christ redeemed us in order that the blessing of Abra- Abraham had been that He would bestow upon Abra-.
      ham  inight come on the Gentiles `through Jesus Christ, ham and his seed His blessing, the inheritance (verse.
      and that we might receive the promise of the Spirit           18)) the assurance of justification and everlasting life.;
      through  f&h:                                                 Stated briefly, ,the L.ord  had promised unto Abraham.
          In the verses 15-24 the apostle. continues along this and his seed .the promise of His heavenly and eternal
      line of reasoning and sets forth the certainty and un- fellowship and communion. And this promise, we read,
      conditional character of the promises'of God. Sure was, given centrally to Christ: He, to be sure, is the
      and unconditional is the promise `of the Zord because         Heir. of everlasting life-"And if children, then .heirs ;
      it is not depende- : upon or in any way affected by the heirs of God, and joint-heirs. with Christ ; if so be that
      law. These verses, 15-24, read as follows: "Brethren, we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified to;
 I speak after the manner of men ; Though -it be but a gether",-Romans 8  :li. Christ, of course, merits all
      man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed,. no man dis- the blessings and promises of the God of our eternal
      annulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham `and sal.vation.  ,And because Christ is the Heir, we are
      his seed were the promises made. He s&h not, And heirs, according to the promise, only if we be Christ's,
      to seeds, as of many ; but as of one, And' to thy seed,, through faith in Him. That we receive the promise
      which is Christ. And this-`-I- say; that the covenant,        of the Spirit and of everlasting life through .faith is
      that was confirmed `before' of God in- Christ, the law, not, we.understand, because our faith is in any sense
      which was four hundred `and thirty years after, cannot of the word meritorious or conditional. This is  irn:
      disannul, that it, should make `the promise of none possible. Christ is the Heir exclusively. To Him the
      effect. For if the inheritance `be of' the law,. it `is no promise. of eternal life `has been given. He,. and He
      more `of promise :. but God gave it . to Abraham by alone, blots b'ut all-our sins, ..satisfies all the justice. of,
      promise. Wherefore  ,then serveth the' law? It was God, merits for us the blessedness. and glory of' ever-
added because `of: transgressions, till the seed should lasting life. ' We receive the promise- through faith,.
       come to whom' then promise was' made ; and it was and are'joint:heirs  .with .Christ through faith, only be-
       `ordained by angels in the hand of .a'mediator.` `Now cause all salvation is in Christ Jesus and the  Lord,
       a mediator' is not a mediator' of` one, but God is one. imparts that salvation unto us through faith in Christ.
       Is the law then  ,against the `promises of God? God The Heir of the promise, therefore, He in Whom and:

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

with Whom God's covenant of friendship land fellow- might have a strong consolation, who have fled for
ship is established, is, of course, Christ Jesus-He refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Notice
merits it ; to Him the Lord promises and bestows sal- also; according to verse 17, that this covenant or prom-
vation; from Him, and Him alone, we receive it through ise of God was "confirmed before of God in Christ".
faith, the faith of God's sovereign mercy and-grace. We would read this particular expression, according to
Paul postulates this truth because he `would refute,. tlne original text as follows : "was confirmed: before of
with ail the power ,at his command, the error that'our God  for  or  with  a view  to  Christ". We have already . .
work is in any sense necessary toward our salvation.        called attention to the,fact that Christ is the Heir, the
All the promises of ,God are Yea in Christ Jesus.
                                     /                      Object of the promise.of God. Now we read that God
         God's  Promise,  Sure And Inviolable.              before confirmed the covenant with a view to Christ.
                                                            God, therefore, ratified His promise to Abraham and
   The promise. of the Lord is sure and inviolable.         Christ was the primary object of that pzomise. With
Even a man's covenant, writes the apostle in verse i5, a view to Christ, because of the work of Christ, be-
is sure and. inviolable.. We read in that text : "Breth- cause of His own work in our- flesh and blood, God,
ren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be before time, at the time of Abraham, gave the father
but. a man's .covenant,  yet if it be confirmed, no man     of believers His promise and ratified it with an oath,
disannulleth, or'addeth thereto." Hence, even a cove- swearing by Himself, even as He, all by Himself, would
nant among men, once confirmed, is not disannulled or ultimately fulfill His own promise in Christ Jesus, His
changed. If  a- covenant among men, once confirmed, Son and-our  Lord.
is not annulled or changed, such is the reasoning of the       Now we also understand why the law, which came
apostle, this `surely applies to the covenant of the four hundred and thirty years after the promise, could
eternal and unchangeable~God. Notice how the apostle not disannul that covenant or promise of ,God. Such
proceeds to establish the sure and unchangeable and was indeed the opinion of the false Jewish teachers.
irrevocable character of the promise of God. He speaks      They advocated. the theory that the law, which came
of. blessing, promise, covenant, and inheritance in this a??ter the promise, had disannulled that promise, made
third chapter, and it .is clear that these four words it .of none effect, had taken its place. They would im-
&re synonymous. They all refer to the- same thing. pose the burden of the law upon the Galatians as the
The idea of the word `covenant' in verse- 17 is clear. way unto salvation. This teaching of these false teach-
In that verse the apostle declares: "And this I say;. ers, however, was surely impossible. Even men do not
that. the covenant, that was confirmed before of God disannul or change a covenant once confirmed. And
in .Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty the Lord surely would not do such a thing. And the
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the reason which the apostle advances in support of this
promise of none effect." The word `covenant' here is contention- that the law, which came four hundred and
clearly synonymous with promise of this text and'.in- thirty years after the promise, could not disannul that
heritance  of the following verse. It refers to the Old promise, is exactly that the covenant was b.efore con-
Testament incident when  ,God revealed Himself to firmecl of God in dr with a #view to Christ. Hence, if
Abraham, talked with him, as a Friend with His friend, the promise was confirmed by' God with a view to
and assured him that He would establish with him and Christ, the promise would surely be in effect until the
with his seed His everlasting and heavenly covenant coming of that Christ. The period of the promise,
kingdom. The Lord promised to bless Abraham and therefore, did not exclude the law but it included the
bestow upon him the eternal inheritance.                    law. And inasmuch as the promise was given- primar-
   ,This covenant or promise was confirmed, ratified ily to Christ and for Christ's sake, the law, which
by' God. It was confir.med by the symbolism of Genesis came long before the Christ, could never disannul the
15, when the Lord alone passed between the halves of promise which was given with a view to Christ and
the sacrificial animals which had been divided in the would be fulfilled in Christ.
midst. Abraham was asleep and;Jehovah  alone passed            Besides,. the apostle continues in verse 18 : "For if
between these pieces, in confirmation of the fact that the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise c
He, a.nd He alone, would establish His covenant and but God gave it to (Abraham by promise." If the
fulfill His  .promise.  To this incident of Gen. 15 we inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise.
have already- called attention in a previous article. The meaning or implication of these words speaks for
Besides, the Lord had also' confirmed His promise to itself. If the inheritance, eternal life, be of the law,
Abraham with an oath, even as we read in Heb. 6-:17- we must earn and procure it-then it is not a matter
IS: "Wherein God, willing more  ab,undantly to  shew of ,God's promise but of our meriting it. However, if
unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His coun- the inheritance be of the law and, therefore; not of
sel, confirmed it by an. oath : That by two immutable the-promise, the word of `God to Abraham is no longer
things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we in effect. ' Fact is, God gave it to  ,\Abraham,  not as

             I


                                    T H E         STAND'AR'D  BEABER                                           4 9 3

 something which he must earn, but as an inheritance no other explanation than that the sojourn of the
which the Lord promised to bestow upon him. A children of Israel in the land of -Egypt was approxi-
 Divine decision to impose upon' His people the works mately .210 to 215 years, and' that the entire period
 of the law as the means or way of salvation would not from the giving of the promise to Abraham to the
 merely imply a change in policy on the part of .the giving of the law at Sinai was four hundred and thirty
 Most High. It would imply a failure on the part of years. This also ,explains why the Egyptian monarch
 the .Lord to fulfill His word or promise, an annulling was so sorely alarmed because of Israel's growth-it                   I
 of H,is solemn-pledge. The law and the promise stand was the Lord Who caused the children of Israel to wax
 over against `each other. The first implies that man mighty in the house of bondage.
 `shall earn or procure by his own works his salvation.
 And the promise implied that the Lord would bestow                 Why The Promise Is Inviolable.  - Verse 20.
                                                                   .;
 the inheritance of eternal life upon His people. For 1  -We read in verse 20: "Now the mediator is not a
 the Lord to change from the promise to `the law would        mediator of one, but God is .one." Some 400 interpre-.
 imply, therefore, a fai1ur.e on the Lord's part to do as tations have been given of this particular passage. To
 He had promised to do. It is in this light that the understand this word of ,God we must bear in mind
 words of Paul in verse 18 must be understood: "But that?: the apostle would emphasize the -temporary char-
 God gave it to Abraham by promise." Jehovah solemn- a&r of the law and its powerlessness to bring right-
 ly declared to the father of believers that He would eousness.  Fact is, we read that a mediator is not of
 give it to him ; He certainly would not bred that prom- "one. A mediator is one who stands between, pre-
 ise and now insist that man must merit it himself.           supposes two parties, `God and man. The law, we .read
 Incidentally, verse 17 establishes beyond every in verse 19, was given into the hand of a mediator,
 doubt that the period of the promise to Abraham until `Moses, by angels. Whereas the law was given of God
 the giving of the law at Sinai was a period of four to man through Moses, this also presupposes that man
 hundred and thirty years. I believe I may say without must keep this law of God, must live up to the agree-
 fear of contradiction that it is generally supposed that ment.  A.nd this; we understand, is impossible. If now
 Israel was in the land of Egypt 430 years. To enter the promise, too, were a matter between the Lord and
 into a detailed discussion of this part of verse 17 is       man, given by God but contingent, dependent upon           .
 unnecessary at this time. The theory that Israel so- man for its fulfillment, it would fail. But such is not
 journed in Egypt. 430 years' is supported by texts. such the case. God, we read, is one. The Lord appeared
 as: Gen. 15  :13, Ex. 12  :40, Acts  7:6. Also Numbers directly to Abraham, without a mediator. God is one;
 26 :29 and 1 Chron. 7 :2O are quoted in support of this      He does all the work; He is the only factor. He is the
 view. It is contended that 1 LChron. 7 :20 refers us to one and only ,Party. This also implies that the Lord is
 nine or ten generations from Joseph to Joshua, and unchangeable, determined b'y nothing outside of Him-
 that this would be impossible if Israel sojourned in the     self. It is, therefore, impossible that He would first
 iand of Egypt only 210 to 215 years. The supporters give the promise to Abraham and later change His'
 of this view, however, are somewhat embarrassed by policy as at the time of Moses. The Lord never
 the word of Paul in Gal. 3 :17. ~They "solve" the diffi- changes ; He, and He' alone, establishes His covenant,
 culty, however, by asserting that the apostle is quoting fulfills His promise, and realizes the fellowship of
 in this text a translation of the Septuagint (the.Hebrew     fri,endship with the people of His everlasting love;
 Old `Testament was translated into Greek by seventy             This surely emphasizes the unconditional `and there-
 Jewish Bible translators at Alexandria). This trans- fore inviolable character of the promise of the Lord.
 lation of the Septuagint, they say, is in error, but the That promise is never conditional, dependent upon
 apostle Paul quotes their version because he is not man ; it is as sure of fulfillment as is'the prophecy of
 interested in the time element. It is no concern of the the Lord which the Lkord also alone fulfills. The prom-
 apostle whether the.children  of Israel sojourned in the ises of Jehovah are as unchangeable as the Lord God
 land of Egypt 430 or 215 years. However, I do not see Himself.
 but that it is imperative for us to accept the apostle's
 presentation in Gal. 3 :17. Inthe first. place, the texts                  The  Purpos,e Of The Law.
 quoted in the Old' Testament in support of the conten-          The purpose, of the law, which was given of the
* tion that Israel was 430 *years  in Egypt can be inter- Lord by Moses unto the children of Israel from Mt.
 preted in such  Z& way that this sojourn of Israel is Sinai, .is surely not to annul, abrogate the promise of
 limited to 215 years. Secondly, it is strange, is it not,    God. The apostle Paul has expressed `himself very
 that the apostle :.Paul, guided infallibly by the Holy clearly on this point.- Besides, to teach that the law
 Spirit, should quote an erroneous translation of the annulled the promise and constituted a change in the
 septuagint. We; must, therefore, conclude that the policy of Jehovah also "smacks" of Arminianism. The
word of God in this third chapter. of Galatians permit arminians also spoke-  of various decrees of the Lord,
               i"`. i _..
                      .F-
                     .  .
                     ~.i :
                       `%.


-494:. .                              T         H         E         STAND.ARD   BE.ARER   .'

of various methods pursued by Jehovah in  His dealings              Christ `Jesus, our Lord. But we are saved and justified
with the children of men. Our fathers, at the Synod through faith, because faith is. God's gift to us, and,
of Dordrecht, repudiated this conception and empha- through our believing, we experience the fulness of the.
sized the truth that God is one and therefore also .His             salvation of the Lord exactly because, believing, we, by
de.cree,  of salvation is `one. ,God cannot deny Himself the grace of the living God, look away from ourselves
or be in conflict with himself-hence,. it could not be and unto Christ as the `revelation of God as the God of
the purpose of the law to annul the promise.                        our salvation. The promise of the Lord is uncondition-
    The purpose of, the.law,  according to the presenta- ally fulfilled by Jehovah and bestowed upon us by $im
tion of the apostle in `Galatians -3,. is two-fold. In the through faith, according to Galatians 3.
first place, the law was added because of the trans-                                  (to be continued)
gression. Thus we~read in verse 19 : "Wherefore then                                                       H. Veldman.
serveth the law?. It was wadded because. of transgres-
sions, till the seed should come to whom the promise
 was made; and. it was ordained by. angels in the hand
of a mediator.,' The law, we read, was added because
 of  transyyessions.   It must serve the transgressions,                  `lJHl3  D A Y   bF  SHATK)WS
was given for the sake of transgressions, in order that
the transgressions might occur. That the transgres-                                                         i
sions were the result of the lawgiving is.an undeniable
facl. Israel erected their golden calf soon after the                          David Chastened
Lord had thundered the law of the ten commandments
into their ears from the top of the mountain.. And this                It was fully explained what we are to think' of
 is always the result of the law. Man is like unto. a David's removal to the land. of the Philistines, of -his
 snake ; that snake will reveal its true Znature. as. soon attaching himself, to. the royal heathen, Achish of Gath.
ds one holds out a stick unto it ; man, too, will always It was .a doing that proceeded from unbelief. As we
re:Jeal his true nature when he stands before the holy saw, with Achish's. permission David removed from
 and good law of the Lord. However, these .transgres-               Gath .and settled in- Ziklag, an `uninhabited Philistine,
sioas, always the result of the law, are also the purpose city that Achish appointed him. The problem of the'
 of the law. The law was add.ed, we read, because of support of himself and his retinue. David solved by
t;*am@.essions  ; God, therefore, added the law for the plundering Amalekites and other heathen tribes that
 sake of transgressions in order that they might abound. dwelt in the district that bordered on the south, country
 And this is also literally taught in Romans  .5  :20:              of Judah. But in reporting his movements David was
 `.Xoreover  the law entered,  that  the  offence might purposely' ambiguous, and the result was that Achish
 abound."                                  I
                         `
                          -                                         took him to mean that `he plundered Israelites and
    Seccndly,  the-law. also served as a schoolmaster to Kenites. Yet, Achish-must have surmised that David
 bring us unto Christ,.: This we read in verse 24. On was. spoiling some other tribes, what tribes he didn't
the c.ne hand, .the.law  serves the transgressions, pur- know and cared less, so long as -David refrained from
poses to reveal our sin, corruption, and hopelessness. molesting .Philistines .and shared the booty with him.
 The law must reveal that salvation can impossibly be For Achish was ,a greedy. heathen. The original text.
 of man. Forthe'law must' be a schoolmaster to bring makes this-plain. After every- incursion David went
 us unto Christ, in order that we might be justified,.not           to  `Gath `with a, goodly share of the spoil (verse. 9).
 by the works of the law, but by faith.              \              And .Achish invariably asked not, as the English ver-
    We may therefore conclude. that the law was not sion has it, :"Whither have ,ye' made a road today," or
 given to .annul the promise of the Lord.. But it was as some translate,  "Against whom  have ye made an
 given that' it might ser.ve that promise,, establish the incursion this'time," but, `Did .you not make a road
 fact that our hope lies-only in that] promise, that salva- today?" It was the rich booty in which Achish princi-.
 tion can come alone from the living God. In His prom- pally was -interested. And the thrust of his question.
 ise the Lord declares. that He, and He alone, will save was, `Where is' it? Lead me to ,it. David would do so.
 unto the uttermost. And He adds His law in order that In addition, by the .ambiguous language of his reports
 it may become perfectly plain that He alone can save he would make it easily possible for Achish to con-  :
 and that He alone therefore must save. And it is also elude that he was plundering his -own people to enrich
for this- reason that salvation is bestowed only upon this royal pagan; To Achish the thought was too.glad-
 those who believe. For faith, let us understand,. is not eiiing. so that he' could not resist the temptation of'
 our work, does not represent what we must do in the understanding  ,David to mean just that, namely, that
 work of' salvation; God is one, the Lord is the only               he'was spoiling his own people. Thus he would abide
 Party, and. He alone is- the Worker -of. our salvation in with Achish forever unceasingly to enrich- him with- .


                                                                                            \
                                       THE   S T - A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       495

 the. spoils of `Israelites. What a servant he had ac- Israel. So he went to leaning on his own understand-
 quired in this Hebrew. 80 -Achish wanted to believe. ing. Following its dictates, he removed  himself to the
 The thought was too pleasant for him to relinguish. land of ,the dead, and assumed dependence on a heathen
 He refused to perceive the extreme  .unlikeliness of king, posing as his friend. An,d to ingratiate himself.
 David's abandoning his people and attaching himself with that'royal pagan the more, he did an abominable
 to Philistines  just because he couldn't -get along with thing. By ambiguous speech he led him to believe that
 Saul. He  had. his misgivings. But' to prove them he was enriching him with booty `that he was taking
groundless he wanted to take David with him in the .by force `from his own brethren, and thus pretended
 pending ,war with Israel. IAS could `be expected, the that he cast off his people forever.               ,
 other Philistine.  `p.rinces strenuously, objected, and            .And what now has his unbelief, his attempt at self-
 David was ordered to return to Ziklag. As was said, help, his reliance on the arm of flesh to save him from
 doubtless David had wanted to help his brethren in              the /wrath of .Saul gotten him but loss, unspeakable
 that war. But the Lord had determined otherwise. grief, anguish of spirit, shame and-. peril from the
 He had a task for his servant to perform there in the hand of God ! From the hand of God indeed.' ' In His
 south country.- `But- first David must repent' of his love the Lord chastens His servant. And being a son,
 sin. And his sin was that he -feigned love of the world despite all his folly, he endures the chastening' of the
 and hatred of God's people. in order that he might be Lord.. Quoting the text, "the soul -of the; people -was
 allowed to dwell in Ziklag beyond the reach .of Saul's bitter", hard, cruel, carnally angry. It can be explain-
,. wrath of .which in his unbelief he was afraid, saying ed, They do not say, `God did this to us. _ IAnd we de-
in his heart, ."I shall now perish one, day by the hand serve this stroke'. But they end with their misfortune
 of Saul". To bring him to repentance the L.ord  smites in David. Hence,. the urge to ;kill him is strong in
 His servant; and' the stroke is catastrophic as to its them. But David is differently disposed. Of him the D
character.                                 -                     text states, "But David strengthened himself in the
     Let' us consider `what now happens. The measures Lord." There is this in the statement. `David sees
 that David has adopted to prevent his incursions into God's hand in it all, and he is `humble and penitent.
 Amzdekite  territory fr,om' coming to'the knowledge .of         Seeking God's presence; he acknowledges his sins, in
 men failed as they were bound to'fail. Of the heathen tears of true contrition-it is the only  way- in which
 commtinities  -raided he had saved neither man nor a sinner can strengthen himself `in  ,God-implores
 woman alive,~`lest they' should bring tidings to Gath. God's forgiveness and salvation`in Christ. Thus cast-'
 But the `Amalekites are a `numerous people ; and the ing himself upon the Lord's mercy,' he is confident that
 communities not affected -by the raids naturally `.learn God will pardon his abominations and deliver him.out
 what went on. `As stirred up by `God, they wreak ter- of the troubles that beset him in this dreadful hour
 rible, vengeance. David and his, men came to Ziklag for His name's sake. And in that confidence he  en-
 after an absence of only three days. And, behold, the quires of the Lord (by the ephod at his request brought
 walls of their city are broken down and all `the dwell- . . thither to him by the priest Abiathar) saying, "Shall
 ings are in .ashes. But they find no dead bodies among ,I pursue after this troop? Shall   I  &&ake  them,   and
 the ruins.`, -Evidently. the wives, `sons and daughters without fail recover?,, The Lord returns answer,
" have been carried &way captive to be sold into slavery "Pursue ; for thou shalt surely overtake, and without
 by the invaders.`;'                                        fail- recover.`,
     David and his men are `wildly moved. They -weep                It is about this same time that Saul, too, enquires
 until they have $0 more power to .weep. The sacred of the Lord; For the Philistines,make  war against him'
 writer ~makes special mention .of David's two wives; and his heart greatly trembles. But the Lord answers
 Ahinoam the -Jezreelitess,  and Abigail the former `wife him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim,  no+ by-the
 of Nabal the Carmelite. They, too, are included among prophets.            Why this difference. in treatment? God
 the captives. hBut a speci?l  great peril threatens David. loves David yvho in himself is just as ill-deserving as
 In their bitterness of soul caused `by the loss of sons Saul, and gives him grace to repent of his `sins f' and
 and daugliters;the people blame David.f or the calamity, in his' penitent heart God speaks His answer effica-
I  5iid `there  ,is even talk of stoning him. In all  likeli-    ciously, the command, "pursue";and the promise, "thou
 hood the people strongly had advised against obeying shalt overtake and recover," so that David goes, he and
 Achish's suminons that these Hebrews report to him his six hundred `men in the full confidence that the
 for martial -duty `in the `pending Philistine war with Lord will work for him. $30 does the Lord strengthen
the people of. Israel.           .-                              his penitent and contrite servant for <God's warfare.
  ". David's plight is  .desperate.   ' God is smiting him. As to Saul, he too, goes but as impenitent and hard
 IIe was no longer willing to exercise'the faith that the of heart and accordingly without the answer. Hence,
 Lord"was able `and willing to protect him `against the he goes to his doom to which he was appointed and in
 wrath of Saul there  .in God's' country, the land of  p~ep&ati&  of.  T;rhi&  God  was  hardening him. For


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     496                                  T H E   .iSTANDARD   B E A R E R

.the Lord hath mercy upon whom He will have mercy,                 mood. Scattered over the ground, they eat and drink
     and whom He will -He harden&h.              1    . :-         and dance in riotous celebration of their successful
            David and his band of six hundred men come to          foray. Thus abadoned to  jol!ity, their defense is  de-
     the brook Besor, a rivulet that doubtless begins iri the Farted  `from them. David surprises the disorganiied
     hill-country of Judah and flows in a south-westerly company  ,doubtless by a night march. No resistance is
     direction toward the sea. In the ground of the valley made. The whole enemy troop, seized by panic, turns
     of this brook there seems to be an insurmountable diffi- to flight as is indicated by the statement, "And there
'  culty. For here  the baggage is left as  pr'otected  by escaped not a m&n of them, save four hundred young
     two hundred men too exhausted to follow` David any men, which rode upon camels and fled." The state-
     further. David's band now liumbers but four hundred ment also reveals that David and his band is outnum-
     men. But he is unafraid. For his heart again is right bered,.  perhaps greatly, so that what we again here
     vriith God and the Lord `promised victory. But where witness is. a .wonder of God worked by Him in behalf
     is David to locate -the invade%? All he knows is that of his penitent servant according to the promise that
they retreat iri a southerly .direction. And the country "keeping my commandments, ye- shall chase your ene-
     is large and the going difficult. It is doubtful whether m&s, .and they shall fall before you by-the sword; and
     lie can even be certain that they were Amalekites . The five of ;YOLI shall chase an hundred, and a hundred of
     Lord comes to his help. From the proximity of Egypt you shall put ten thousand td flight: and your enemies
     the Amalekit'es  have Egyptians as slaves' (camp. ver. shall fall before  you by the sword. For I will have
     13),. One of these slaves, "a young mari of Egypt," respect unto you;"' Lev, 26 :8, 9. But David keeps ,not
     taken along on this Amalekite expedition against Zik- the commandments of' his God perfectly. Apart from
     lag, fell sick arid was abandoned by his master wh6 left Christ he is a sinner lost and undone. True, by the
     him without bread and water to die in the wilderness.         mercy of God his .delight is in the law of the Lord.
     After three days the men find. him nearly perished But as yet he only begins !o. approximate its ethical
from hunger, and' they  `bririg `him `to  .David.' `They           ideal. We have ju$ taken notice`of his abominations.
     place before him bread and water; -`some figs and But David strengthens himself in- the Lord as discern-
     Yaisins. When he has eaten; his spirit comes a&in. to ing that all.his. righteousness and goodness are of God.
     liim.     On being  qu&tibned,  he tells David all about And in that convltition  he. overcomes the world includ-
     himself; to whdm he belongs and `whence he doties             ing his own sinful flesh as represented by that Amale-
     and the treatinent afforded- him by his master, when kite troop. And his victory is his f,aith.                '
he fell sick. What is more important, he also reveals                 There is also a threat of which notice must be fak&,
     that it ,was Alilalekites who had smitten and burned "But if ye shall despis.e  my statutes, or' if your soul
Ziklag arid carried away captive the defenseless Heb- abhor my judgments. . . . I will set my face against
     rew populace. And from his description of: the scope you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies." This
     of the expedition, David learns that the south of the threat, too, goes into fulfilltient this very hour. There
     Cherethites, and the cdast of Judah, and the south of in Mount Gilboa the` Philistines and Israel, the latter
     Caleb also had been invaded. The Cherethites are a led in battle by Saul, are involved in gory combat, the
     Philistine tribe dwelling in the south arid on the sea. one with the other. And the <men of Israel flee before
.. (In Ezek. 25  :16; Zeph.  11:6 the name is used as the face of the Philistines and fall down slain. And
     synonymous with that of the Philistines) . Caleb was Saul,' too, dies. For he does' not strengthen' himself
_, one of the twelve faithful spies. To'him  2nd  his pos- in  the L,or;d but abhors  -His judgme&.
terity `and as a reward `for his  faithfuhiess,  Hebron               How complete `David's triumph -over %he adversary !
. and its environs was given as a .lasting possession. `He recovers all that the Amalekites have carried away
     Though the allotment belonged to `the tpibe-territory including his two wives. `"There is nothing lacking to
     of Judah, the district of ,Caleb was `a distinct region. them, neither' small nor great, neither sons nor dau_gh-
     It formed the eastern part of the Negeb. ati far as the teks, neither spqil, nor `anything that they had taken to
: Dead Se%. Thus the $malekite plundering expedition them: David recovers all."                          .'
     extended over the whole sodthlcountly from sea to sea.           There is the question.of  the duration of the carnage.
111; was a mighty invasion including both Philistine and And David smote them from twilight even ufito the
     Israelitish territory and not intended for`Ziklag  alone.     evening of the next day, "reads- the text *in translation.
     David asks thi Egyptian whether lie `can lead `hini to But th& statement is not clear. From twilight to even-
     `the  cor>pany. He is willing, But David must pr'omise        ing may  m&n from  morn&g  twilight to evening, or
     him under-oath that he will neither kill him, nor deliver from evening twilight .to evening, the Hebrew -word
     him into the hands'of -his master.                            twili&t being` used in both senses. And the subceeding
            The Lord continues to woik for His servant. The Hebrew `expression translated of the next dqj may. be
     A,malekite  troop, flushed  .with `victory and  ,de!irious    rendered, too; until the next day.. Perhaps it is best to
with joy because of all the great spoil, are iir a caretess        translate, from  morning twilight  to evening,  that  `is,


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                                   8    T H E   S T A N . D A R D   B E A 'R E R   -                                 497

  to the next day, as beaY;ing in mind that according to of upon God's gracious dispensation. And the lie from
  Hebrew reckoning the day begins with evening. Ac- which their imaginirig stems is that they fought. that
  cqrding  to this translation, David surprised the ad- w&r in a strength original with them and that their
versary in the morning, and the carnage continued -to         own arm begot .-them victory. To this lie David op-
 the evening and was thus of a day's duration. Accord- poses the truth that the Lord  preserved them and de-
  ing to the other rendering, the carnage began in the livered the cdmpany into their hand, and that on this
  evening and continued through the night to the even-, : account the spoils belong exclusively to Him for Him
  ing of the following day. But the night was dark. to divide amongst His pe6ple as He chooses without
  Hbw would David and his men be able to distinguish. any man having the right to raise his voice in protest
 friend and foe?,                                             at his choosing to give all, a share in the spoil. Shame
     The spoils with which the aA.milekites  had arrived on such a protestant. Let. him consider that by himself
  ai Ziklag is set apart from and driven before the re- he is a vile and ill-deserving sinner whose only right
  covered flocks and herds that the adversary had taken is to be `datined. David made. his ruling a permanent
 away from. David and his people. The former David statute and ordinance for Israel.
  desires  ahd appropriates for himself intending, as               It was remarked that the spoil  with  which the
  appears' from the sequel, to put it to special use. The Amalekites came to Ziklag David took to himself as
 people cheerfulljr honor his desire with the cry, "This purposing to put it to-a sp'&ial .use. Coming to Ziklag,
 iS David's spoil."'                                          "he.carried  out this purpose. He sends presents to  such
     David and his company. come' to the two hundred among the elders of Judah who had befriended him
 tien whom physical exhaustion resulting from previous while he tarried among them as a. fugitive from the
  exertion compelled to remain behind in the valley of wrath of Saul. The names of these elders, friends of
  Lhe brook  Beso?. In friendly spirit they go forth to David, are not revealed, nor their number. Only some
 ineet their Icomrades  and .David effectionately inquires    of the names of the places where they reside are
  after their welfare. But a murmuring rarises among given. The list contains seven names. Many cities
 Z;ne covetous aiid unpiiricipled  men" in David's band. favored David such as those of the Jerahmeelites and
  The text calls them "wicked nian and men of Belial of of the Kcnites. The passage closes with the remark,
  those thtit went with David." Because the two hundred       "And to all the places where Dapid himself and his
 took  no part in `that expedition they object to them inen `were wont to haunt, did he send of the spoil."
 sharing in the spdil. All that they would &low to every -The conclusion is warranted that the majority of elders
`. man. is his wife and  chiidren. They  may lead them of Judah if not nearly all of them were friendly to
 away and depart. ~ But David, fearing God and thus           David. Accordingly soon after the death of Saul David
  imbued with  * a different spirit-the spirit `of true by divine direction, takes up his residence in Hebron,
  CXristian compassion and magnanimity-remonstrates whereupon the men of Judah con%and anoint him king
 with these lustful men, doing so in a spirit of meek- over the  ho&e,  of Judah. They recognized  ii David a
 ness. For his purljose is not to offend but to restore. man sent of God to rule over His people in Saul's stead.
  "Brethren", says he to them, "`Ye shall not' do so with           David's point of view in sending these gifts is de:
 `that which the Lord hath  given.  &a;,' including, he clared  in- his accompanying word, "Behold  51 gift of
 means, the physicaily  disqualified two hundred. Their blessing for` you of the spoil of the enemies of' the
  right  to- the booty, accruing as it did from its being Lord." This is a direct reference to the Amalekites
  given them `of God, is $s well estiblished as `that of who had invaded southern Judah.  _ In making in-
  the others: Hence, `they may not `be excluded. David cursions into Judah, they had revealed themselves as
  knows whereof he speaks as he allows himself to be enemies of Jehovah as Israel was God's people. Ac-
  iqstructe'd by the law, which requires (Lev.  X:27)         eordingly,  David. wants his presents to the eldefs to
 that the prey be divided into two parts; between them be regarded as blessings of the Lord. Snd rightly so,
  that took the tiar upon iheti, who went out to battle, as God had given victory..                  .
 .Bnd b&ween  all the congregation. David's ruling mere-            Formerly David wad enriching Achish with the
 -1% is a'special application of ihis divine statute. Hence, bo.oty.  That was sinful of him. The s6oils of t;vay be-
  he puts to these murmurers thk qu&ion, "For who will longed to- the L&d, the victory being His. And His
 hearken unto you in this matter? what man of $56 will was that the `spoils be divided amongst his people
  ciple, who  fears  `Go'd and  trenibles before His word? and not be given to the -heathen. And David, again
  "For as his part is that goeth d6wh to battle, so shall     in spiritual,  clisckrned.  the Lord's will. He sends of
  his part be ?$at tarrieth by the stuff." `Such is plainly ihe S'poil to his friends; his brethren in the L&d, and
  the will of God'.                                           in  :`o d&g, typified  Him`the Christ-who, when He
     It is plain how  tliese  murmurers reason. They had adccnded  on high and led captivity captive, gave                  *
"vainly `imagine that -their claim to the booty deposes       gifts i&o men.                                    -
 -upon their having taken the war upon `them instead          d Also to be taken notice of is that David is  tiot
                                                              `i
                                                                                         .'


498.                               -  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R   `1

afraid that Achish  will learn of his doing. For he In  +gen kracht kuht ge Mij niet loven: Alleen als Ik
sends out the spoil from Ziklag whither he -has re- U bekrachtig door Mijn Geest en Woord zult ge kun-
ttirfied.  He wants Achish and all the Philistines to nen  doen wat  Ik U beveel en  zingend toeroep in de
. know that his heart is with the Hebrewi only. Achish eerste  dri.e verzen van dezen Mijnen psalm !" Ik vraag
may now see that he was sorely mistaken in David. U:. werpt dat U niet neer in groote nederigheid en
However vexed Achish may be, however' digappointed          ootmoed ? .        .
in David, he does him no mischief. For the Lord cares           Zoo moet ge het verband  zien tusschen dit gedeelte
for His servant.            '                               en het gedeelte, dat wij de laatste  maal behandelden.
                                       G. M. Oph-off.          Vraagt! Zoekt ! Dat zijn twee werkwoorden. In
                                                            de Engelsche vertaling van dit vers lezen we maar 66n
                      ~--.              .;                  werkwoord : Zoekt ! Tech is dat niet juist gedaan door
                                                            de Engelsche vertalers van den Bijbel. De  Heilige
        ~10~43  ZANGEN-  `. G`eest gebruikte twee werkwoorden in het Hebreeuwsch
                                                            en daarom moesten zij ook twee werkwoorden gebruikt
                                                            hebben, juist zooals de Vader&  gedaan hebben in de
                                                            Nederlandsche vertaling. Dat moesten zij te  meer
        Israel's' kief d&de He&ml                           doen, omdat er opgang zit in de actie waartoe Gods
                                                           0 volk opgeroepen wordt. Het  eer&e werkwoord is
                                                            vsnagt! Welnu, dat werkwoord beteekent dat men
               (Psalm 105 ; Tweede D-eel)                   onophoudelijk een pad bew.andelt, dat men geduriglijk
    De vorige  maal hebben we onze  reden gegeven t en herhaaldelijk zijn voeten zet op een zeker pad. En
waarom  we dit opsqhrift  koz'en  voor den 105den psalm : .zoo kwam men ertoe om dit` te vertalen' door wra.gen.
hij getuigt iran den liefde-volle `Heiland, Die in liefde De  idce is, dat  men onophoudelijk  zich tot iemand
zwijgt van de zonde van Zijn volk, Die hen toeroept wendde met een zeker doel.
met lieflijke stem om Hem  te loven en  .met  psalm-         `- Hettweede werkwoord beteekent letterlijk, dat men
gezang te prijzen. De eerste drie vqrzen spreken daar- met de vihgers naar iets tast; opdat men het vinden
over. Israel moet den Heere loyen.                          mocht. Ge bemerkt den opgang. Men wendt zich tot
   Dit brengt de gedachte  fiaar voren of we dat  we1       iemand met uitgestoken handen, opdat mefi zoo iemand
doen kunnen. En dan is het $teeds  wederkeerende ant- <inden mocht en het begeerde iets ontvangen.
woord, dat wij dat zekerlijk niet bij  -machte zijn te          Past dit nu toe, en ge krijgt het volgende. De
doen. Wij loven veel liever onszelf, den mensch of het XIeere weet, dat wij zonder H,em niets -vermogen. En
ondermaansche.     Maar den Heere loven? 0  neen,. zdo zegt Hij' tot ons: Komt nu geduriglijk op het door
Dat is geheel en al onmogelijk voor Jakob-Israel-Jeru-      Mij U voorgestelde pad naar Mij toe en vraagt dan
zalem, zooals hij is  van nature.                           om Mijn kracht en sterkte. En doe dat geduriglijk,
    Ik denk, dat om die reden de volgende verien hem al tastende en voelende, opdat gij Mij vindet.
toeroepen om tech geduriglijk naar den Heere toe te            -In dit vekband spreekt de Heere van Zijn Atinge-
gaan om kr&cht tot dieh arbeid.                             zicht. Ik heb daar eerder over geschreven,  doch zal
    "Vraagt  `naar den Heere en Zijne sterkte, zoekt het nu herhalen. Dat Aangezicht is uiteindelijk Jezus
Zijn aangezidht geduriglijk."                                Cliristus de Heere. Niemand heeft ooit God gezien,
    Ziet, geliefde-lezer, dat brengt U waar  Be  zijn moet. doch de Zoon die iti den schoot des Vaders is heeft Hem
Dat brengt U tot groote nederigheid. Stelt het  u ons verklaard. En Paulus spreekt van het kennen der
voor:  ,Ge wordt opgeroepen van Godswege om Hem te heerlijkheid ,Gods in het aangezicht van Christus. ,001~
loven, Zijn naam .aan te roepen, Zijn daden bekend te is er verband  tusschen de sterkte van het eerste lid van
maken onder de heidenen. Ge nioet van Hem zingen             dit. vers ; en het Aangexicht van het tweede lid. We
 en psahnzingen en .aandachtelijk  spreken van Zijne moeten vragen naar de sterkte, en zoeken  het Aange-
wondei-en.    Ge wordt bevolen orn. tq roemen in `den zicht van het tweede- lid. Welnu, de man die  ver-
 N&am  van Gods heiligheid, en om dat te doen met een zadigd wordt met het  staren op het  Aangezibht  is
blij harti ! Ziet daar Uwe opdracht van  ,Godswege.          ook de man die gesterkt wordt door God. De sterke
 Maar. . . . . de Heere beseft,  dat ge dat niet doen kunt ,rechterhand  des Heeren die door haar kracht Gods volk
 in eigen kracht. En dan zegt Hij tot U in  neder-           in stand houdt is ook ;Tezus Christus de Heere. Er is
 buigende  goedheid : "Nu dan, Mijn kind, Ik tieet  wat een schoon verband  hier.
 van Mijn maakeel  zij te wa;chten, ho! zwak van nood,         `En dan zal `t gaan.
 hoe klein gij zi jt van krachten, en dat gij stof, van         Ja, dan zal `t gaai. Dan zullen tie lfiisteren naar
?jongsaf,'            1
           zijt geweest . `En -daarom ga Ik voort om U, dankens- en lovensstof. En dat is het wat we nu gaan
 te onderwijzen ii! den waren godsdienst : Vraagt `naar beltiisteren.   -Het vijfde  vers is de inleiding. Het zaI ,
:Mij -en l)aar Mijne sterkte!: En doet dat geduriglijk! nu gaan over .de heerlijkheid van des Heeren goedguns-


                                     T H E   S T A N D A - R D   B E A R E R                                        499.

 tigheid over Zijn volk. En als ge dat goed opgenomen          zingen bij het zien van de duizende lijken die dobber-
 hebt in hart en verstand en ziel eri gemped,  dan zult den op de Roode Zee. Maar het moet. En hier is het
ge dodr Gods sterkte in staat gesteld worden  om uit kunnen:  als ge het doet om Godswil. Om Zijner  ge-
 te breken in loven, prijzen en psalmzingen, opgedragen rechtigheid wil. Dan kan het en mag het. Maar dan                          -'
 in de verzen 1 tot 3.                                         muet het ook.
     "Gedenkt Zijne  wonderen  die Hij  ,gedaan heeft,            Nu dan, derpsalm  roept het U zingende toe om aan
 Zijne wonderteekenen en de oordeelen Zijns monds".            di: wonderen  Gods, mitsgaders Zijne oordeelen, te ge-
     Gedenkt Zijne  wonderen  !                                dehkcn.
     Daar zullen we heel wat van te schrijven hebben ter          Ik herinner  mij, dat oude menschen in Sqsenheim
 gelegener tijd. Loopt  maar een beetjk vooruit en leest sonis spraken van heilzaam. Dit of d&t is heilzaam.
 de verzen 28-41 en ge zult wonder  op wonder zien -die Welnu;,  te gedenken aan de wonder"en vari God is heil-
 de Heere gedaan heeft in het land van Cham.                   zaam. Dat will zeggen, dat zulk doen heil werkt voor
     Zijne wonderen  !                                         U. En heil is volheid. En als ge v^ol zijt v&n het aan-
     Alle di6 wonderen  ten tijde van Israel's uittocht uit schduwen, gedehken en overdenken van Gods wonderen
 Egyp!e, de wonderen  die geschied zijn daar voor, alswel en oordeelen, dan komt ge als vanzelf in de gegischte
 de wonderen  die later, veel later geschied zijn, hebben gestalte van de eerste drie verzen: dan gaat ge aan `t
 hun middelpunt  in een groot wonder: d& vleeschwoor-          ssaln Lingen !                                                -*
 cling van God, met alles wat daarmede in verband  staat,        . Indien we Nieuw TestamentisCh  spreken -over dezen
 vooral de opstanding van Jezus Christus uit de dooden. psalm, dan lezen  we hem zoo: Gedenkt  aan Jezus
 Dat is het centrale wonder van alIe.- wonderen. Alle Chl-istus den Heere! Ziet sterk op den Zoon  `Gods!
 wonderen  die Egypte zag, zitten vast aan dat centrale        Bestudeer al -wat l&j gedaan heeft in de volheid des
 wonder. En zoo is het met alle wonderen  Gods.                tijds. En als ge dat doet, &lt ge doen gelijk de ouder-
     Wat is een wonder?, Of, beter gevrzagd : Wat .is lingen. in. het gezicht van Patmos : ge zult in aanbid-
 Izet wonder ?                                                 cling nedervallen voor God en al maar roepen: Gij zijt
     Het Wonder. van alle wonderen  is, dat God U achier- waardig te ontvangen alle lof, aanbidding en dankbaar-                    1
aan komt op Uw pad naar `de he1 henen, b beetneemt, heid tot in alle eeuwigheid. En weer zullen de dorpe-
 en wascht van alle Uwe ongerechtigheden, en U schoon len der deuren zich bewegen en het Huis vervuld wor-
 geqaakt hebbende gelijk',een schoone Engel, U binnen-         den met rook, vanwege den &em des roependen ! ,O,
 brengt in, de zalen van het nieuwe Jeruzalem, om U te het is zalig God. te dienen !               '
 doen  zingen en  jubelen  van  eeuw,ige gelukzaligheid.          En wie zal dit nu doen?,
 Dat is .het centrale wonder..                                    Dat is een zeer belangrijke vraag, een vraag die
     Vergunt bet mij oti hetzelfde ietwat anders uit te geleerde  menschen en ongeleerde stakkerds heeft bezig
 drukken. Het centrale wonder is, dat de DrieEenige gehouden in alle eeuwen en in a!1 landen.
 God de duisternis van onze zonde,  schuld,  vloek en             Ik zal de vraag in Bijbelsche taal neerschrijven:
doem  verbreekt do& het  Licht dat van Zijn Aan'zicht ;`\rie klimt den berg des Heeren op ? Er is ge& vraag
 straalt, en dat Hij in het Aangezicht van Jezus Chris-        die belangrijker is uit het oogpunt van den ellendigefi
 tus den Heere voor ons komt tk staan, om U dan voorts zondaar die van nature op weg is naar de.hel,  en die
 tot Zich te lokken  met lieflijke Stein, met de stem. tran    dat ook  weet.
 Zijn -eeuwig  Evangelie. Dat is het wonder `der won-             Onze psalm geeft het antwoord: "Gij zaad Pibra-
 deren.                                                        hams Zijns  knechts,  gij  kinderen  Jakobs, Zijne  uit-
     Nu moet ik daar nog BBq ding bij zeggen.' En dat verkorenen                 !"
 ::63e. ding is het negatieve  ding der verwerping. Let           Van den beginne heeft men getracht om het ant-
 er op, dat ge niet alleen gedenken moet aan Zijn won- woord op die eerder  genoemde,. belangrijke vraag alge-
 .deren,  doch ook  aan de  oordeelefi Zijns monds! En meen  te niaken. Er is groote variatie in het antwoor-
 dat is  vreeselijk.  We  moeten ook gedenken  aan de          den, doch al zulk pogen kwam hier op neer, dat men
 vreeselijke oordeeleil die Hij uitspreekt over Egypte, het Bijbelsche antwoord niet Wilde. Al moest het dan
 en allen die gelijk zijn aan dat hoovaardige en wreede cok toegestemd  worden,  dat alle .menschen zeker niet
 volg. Deze psalm zal  $ot in bijzonderheden spreken den berg des Heeren zouden beklimmen, er zou dan
 van die verschrikkelijke ding&n der oordeelen Zijns           tech een kans voor velen, zoo niet allen, zijn. Of ook,
 monds. Ja, zelfs is ons het haar te berg gerezen, als de Heere God zou we1 willen, dat allen kwamen ; Hij
 we gestaard hebben op Zijn oordeelen! Zoo zingt tech          doet iclfs Zijn best om tech allen die door Zijn Woord
de zanger ,Israels op een andere plaats? Maar .ge moei         bereikt  worden   te  trekken,  te lokken tot Zijn  Godde-
 GI aan denken.  Later, veel later, is ons geopenbaard, lijk Hart. Dujzende boeken zijn geschreven om tech
 dat een volk zal staan bij de kristallijne zee, met vuur maar algemeen te maken wat Go?l particulier maakte.
 g~~zc~~gd. En dan zullen zij het lied. van  Mazes en Ook daar is van toepassing:  IJdelheid der ijdelheden:
het Lam zingen. -Ik beken  het.: bet is vreeselijk om te h.et iB al ijdelheid!


     500~                                  ,THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

        Want Gods Woord weet niet met al van dat geknoei Dat kan nooit missen. Hij zal ze allen tot Zich trekken.
     der goddelooze menschen. Want  gotdeloos is.,.&!  zulk De Waarheid  heeft dat geiegd.
     pogen. Het mag niet.                                                En hun  getal is  bij  <God  bekend. Nog nooit is er
      Gods- Woord zegt  overal, dat  alleeti de  gekefiden           6611  verworpene  levend  g&aakt  ; en nog nooit is er
     zal.ig zullen  worden.  En dat hkt ook zoo is naar de           &n uitverkorene in den dood gebleven.
     intentie Gods. aGod wil alleen Zijn yo1.k zalig maken.              Zouden. we dan niet zingen, neen, psalmzingen?
     En de naam van dat volk is dan ook de uitverko~ene?a.                .n                                          G. Vos.
     Dat staat oak in onzen tekst hier. Het is Abrahim's
zaad, de  kinderen Jakobs, Gods uitverkorenen. Wat                                           --
                                                                                                                      I.

     zullen wij tot deze  dingen  zeggen? Eerder sprak it
     van de.wonderen Gods, en ook van h&t central@ Won-
     dek: Jezus Christus den `Heere. Welnu, aanschouwt
     dat wondel; ook hi&: Gij Zaad Abrahanas! Wje denkt
     bier niet aan het Goddelijke wonder van Izak'? Abra-
     ham en,Sara waren beiden dood ten overstaan van de              Dear Editor:
     vraag of zij zaad zouden hebben. De eene was honderd                After reading the articles .of  Rev. Gritters, "About
     jaren bud en de andere tiegentig jaren. -Van.hen heeft          Catechism, Etc.", and "`Catechism Around the Con-
     de Heilige Geest getdigd in Romeinen 4, dat het lichaam Xessibns",  I was `prompted to write a word in apprecia-
     van Abraham en de baarmoeder van  Sara verstorven               tion but also in criticism.
     waren. En in het 17de vers van dat hoofdstuk, -doe-               . The emphasis Rev. Gritters placed upon the need
     lende op dat wonder van de.geboorte  van Izak, zegt de to have instruction in our creeds is worthy of all of
     Heilige  Ge&t :  ". . . . namelijk  Good die de  dooden         our support.  I.  b.elieve  we should so instruct in the
     fcvend  baakt, en `roept de  dingeti  die niet zijn alsof creeds, of ou"r fathers -that they:are again appreciated
     ze waren."                                                      as statements and standards to be used in our fight
        -De  uitverkorenen   !                                       ag&t `f&ehood.
:       Er gaat ken .sidderitig door dnze leden  als we dit              My  crit`icism comes,  h&+ev&,  when he makes it
     geweldige woord neerschrijven. Uitverkoren uit de, .@a& in his  Second article that  he proposes to limit
     millioenen van menschen. Van voor de grondlegging instruction in the history of the Bible to the ages seven
     der wereld. Vooraleer  de Heere deli hemel.  en de aarde to nine and give courses `in doctrine and the confessions
     gemaakt had, heeft Hij Zijn-volk verkoren.' En Hij -fdr .tk;e ages ten to ttienty. In h`is ideal to have. the
     heeft de  andereq-verwbrpen.   Wie zou niet  sidderen?          members of the church make a thorough study of the
:Tiooral  als. we bedenken,  dat er. geen reden iS waarom confessions &and to &@plete such 3 course before they
     de uitverkorenen zalig  .zouden  worden,   &w.z.,  geen a&e twenty ye-ark of age and before. they make confes-
     Yedes   in dat  ~Vdlk  zelfl  `wij  zijli  oak, juist  .zooals de sion of their  fa?th, Rev.  .Gritters   falls into a serious
     anderen, kinderen  des toorns;  vanwege  onze zonde en error of .not reckbning  with the practical situation of
     schuld.                                                         the pupil. I believe, too, that the method of impalting
       En het is Gods intentie om &%n die uitverkorenen doctrine as, he -proposes it is not in harmony with the
     zalig te maketi. Dat bfijkt overvloediglijk uit de won- purpose ,of d&trine ang history.
     der& Gods. `Dat-blijkt uit het feit, dat Hij de dooden              Alloti tie td submit some of my objections a$ ran-
     l&end `maakt. Er is niem&l die _ zalig kan worden dom without entering too much into a detailed dibcus-
     uit zichzelf of door eenige.  macht of kracht van aide- sion of the educational principles involved.'
     pen. :A.lle men&h& zijn dood, &bek&aa,m  en onwillig                1. such 3 system makes us vulnerable to the charge
:om te lev'en vobr `Gdds- .a&gezicht.         En uit dat groote      that we are more interested in our creeds than in the
-$erkhof roept. .God Zijn vblk wakker. Hij roept Zijn Bible. The text-books of his proposal are for the great-
     uitverkorenen toe in all6 e&wen : * Ontwaakt _ gij die          er part of the catetihetical  trai`ning the copfessions' and
     slaapt, .en staat op uit de dooden eri Christus zal over        not the Bible.                            _
     U'lichten ! En zij zijn-bpgeqtaan  en zijn a?ti `t waGde-           2. Such a detailed analysis of all of our confessions
     !eti  geEaan. En ze  .zijn-naar  d&n  hemel  gewandeld.         in the pre-c&fessi?n period  does not.attain  to o& tilain
        De eer&e Uitverkorene  is' Jezus.                            bbjective to  impart  doctrine to our youth. It rather
             Jezcn is u'itverkoren door Goh oin.de doorgang door     gives them to know the language of the conf&sions.
     onq gra-P te openen. Hij' lag terneder & dnzen dood en              `The essential truths are treated in till the creeds,
     verdo&meni& Maar God riep!,,d&  is, God die de dooden but the-essential doctrines  and the individual emphasis
     levend maakt. En  dehelfde   m&fit en kracht die in of each one of the creeds can easily ,be incorporated in
     Jeius ,Tirrocht,' toen "Hij `Hem uit de dooden opwekte,         a study of jilst o'ri& of the creeds `fqr purposes of in-
     werkt in  alle  &?ver$renen,  &oegeri?f  later.. En  op- strdcting' du? `j&&h if we are .$rim&ily interested in
     gewekt zijnde, gaan zij aan `t wandelen na$r `Godiheen. imparting doctrink and .se&ndd$ly `in .an acquainting

                                                                                                 .     .


                                         T H E .   S T A N D A - R D   B.EAAER                                         ,501

  with the confessions ds such. Furthermore, the Heidel- revelations as God's covenant with Noah, Abraham's
  berg Catechism is the best adapted to the use of a text; praying for the righteous are often so interpreted ai to
  book to instruct our covenant youth because of its substantiate false doctrine.
  fol"mulation into questions and answers and its point              For consideration of the ideas I wish to present, I
  of view. Our fathers decided that the Heidelberg  Gate- refer you to a series of historical outlines with notes
  chism should be used .as a guide for instruction of;the         on doctrines which  arc concerned with the history
 .youth and they did not use the &her confessions.                treated. This does not mean that I approve of this
      3. Upon the basis of experience and psychology we' series as to content and form, but merely for considera-
  must `consider ihat much of the truths of the Confes- tion of the educational principli3s involved. The series
  sions c&not be assimilated before the age of twenty. is called "Geschiedenis der, Gods Openbaring", .now
  Wd must select and present the essentials in `succinct be.ing published in the Netherlands.
  and clear language for them to commit to memory.                   1,believe  we should have living doctrine and to have
  I rather think that one handbook (not a workbook)               that we should have more of history and interpretation
  could serve the purfiose for the instruction and further of history in our catechism classes.
  study of doctrine for old and young of all ages. I do             Rev. Gritters' methodology. is doctrine with history
  not favor the multiplication of catechism books. After          added.    This always makes the historical. material
  we have memorized .various,definitions  about one doc- barely an appendage in our catechism .classes of one
  triqe.we  remember nothing. Zf, however, we have one hour per week. My point is that it should be just th'e
  clear and expressive definition about a truth we retain reverse. We should teach- doctrine through history.
  it and can always refer to it.                                  That is, history is the main course, the basic part, that
      For the mature study of the confessions it is wiser T;vhich will receive dttention. In such a way I believe
  to wait until the pupils are more able to make a de-            we also remember more of doctrine, because it becomes
  tailed $udy ;of them. Such is done in societies and in more vivid.  '
  classes for young people.                                                            s                Rev. L. Doezema. .
      4; The ideal ,of indoctrinating `our youth as it is                                   *`
                                                                                             *  *  e
  proposed  in the system of .Rev. Gritters commits the
  error. of abstracting doctrine from .history. It fails finswer :-
 to understand that God reveals Himself in history, that
  the greater part of the Bible and the proofs for our               Brother Doezema and'1 have corr&ponded concern-
7.. doctrine  is history.                                         ing these matters, and we both thought it `was well to
                                                                  bring these important matte_rs to the attention of the
      Ti, concentrate on abstract doctrine for the major reading public.
  pdrtion of our catechetical instruction takes us away              We do not have the. space to give + detailed answer
 from life, and kills the doctrines..                             to this communication. Just this:             . .
      5. *Such  a system also goes contrary to the prin-             Brother doezema states that my catechism system
  ciples laid down in the Bible. The Scriptures teach is "doctrine with' history added", whereas it `is his
 us to instruct according to the nature of God's people. contention that we must teach "doctrine through his-
  The beginners must be fed with `milk. The doctrines tory". It is best perhaps to keep thig -main point of
 and the truths of the New Testament are taked from alleged difference in mind, and then let- the readers
 the history and patt&ns from the Old Testament. Jesus            think the Tatters  over for themselves. In the system
 .showed  us that truth is best instilled by way of par- which we outlined we stated that our youth become
 ables, comparisons and through example. `The apostles acquairited  with history through the early catechism,
 make repeated reference to history to impart doctrine. the home, the chrisiian school, private reading, and the
 Deuteronomy teaches us that God shows that we must Sunday School where they exist, and our aim is to
 teach His statutes, judgments and testimonies' by way use this knowledge of history, meanwhile teaching doc-
 of reference to history. The son asks the' father about trine. That, it seems"to  me, is the only way we can
 the meaning of all the Word of *God and the father is            ever get system., In how far anyone teaches doctrine
 so advised to explain the  questio& in reference to with history added or teaches doctrine thrdugh history
 history. The children of Israel were given tangible depends on the ins@%ctor and the methods he uses. If
 evidence of .God's dealings with them. They were to we give instruction in the Heidelberg `Catechism we are
 teach their children concerning  th& transactions of teaching doctrine, and; if @e instructor will make his
 God with them by `pointing to the silent testimony of teaching effective and personal he will frequently use
 history made real and sup'plemented  by the living pile history. But this depends upon the instructor.
 of stones near the -Jordan.                                 .       Let the readers read for themselves, both what the
      6. .The history that is given in our day schools often brother writes and what we wrote before, and with
is not interpreted correctly. Such important. historical the catechism season coming on let every consistory see


                                                         _
        502                                         .T H.E : S.T A-N .J.J A-R D `: J3.E A.R~&`y~

        to -it that we be satisfied with .nothing less thai the                a. This expresses, first :-of all,.. that God's eye. re-
.       b e s t .                                                           gards His whole creation. All things lie  open` and
               We'll come back to the let&r of Brother .Doezema exposed..befose  Hisssight at.,any and at all times. This,
        in  a'latey issue, D. V. And thanks for helping us to idea is substantiated. by. numerous other passages of
        bring these things to the attention of our readers.                 Scripture, such as Heb. :4:13, "`Neither is there any
                      .                                 M. Gritters;        creature that is. not manifest in His :sight : but all
                                                                            things are: .naked.  and opened unto :the eyes of Him
                                              .
                                       --T                                  with Whom, we haye .to:do."                                m
                                                                                                                    ~
                                                                               b.  But:  God  ,gxamines, tries.  all  ",ihings under His
                                                                            searching   gaze. "The. eyes of the Lord are in `every
                   , FROM-HOLY WRIT  2                                      p!ace, ,beholding t&e evil a!n.d the.good.". Prov.,  15 :3.
                                                                             ' c. And God .passes  .judgment  upon all that He sees..
                                                                            God always sees7+ll  things in:relation to Himself, His
                     The Eyes Of The Lord                                   holiness and righteousness, His  plans and His pur-
                                                                            poses. God saw His whole creation as it had come
          S.tiripture  speaks of  ;God's  face, His eyes, His ear&,         forth  froa,His hand  in.virgin  sp&ndor, and  He  laid
        His .mouth,. His hands and His feet. In e&h case we His divine approval -upon it, ..for, it was without fault
        realize that ke are dealing-with  an anthropomoyphism.              or blemish, perfect to `serye-  the purpbse for which it
        That is, God has. given an earthly reflection of His own            was made. :
        invisible Being in man, His image bearer, in order                                              .__..
        `that we may know Him as He is, may be able to ad-                      "His eyelids , try . . .  .",            :  ,:
        dress'Him and speak of Him in our earthly language.                    `This leads us to a. s&otid p&sage found in, Psalm
        A short time ago we examined the,passages  of `Scrip- 11:4, "The Lord is in His' holy temple, the Lord's
        ture that speak of. God's face `(Vol. 24, page 452) ; throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, His eyeljds try
        this time we wish to investigate. the Scriptural signifi- t h e   c h i l d r e n   o f   m e n . "                            .
        cance of the expression "the eyes of the Lord".                         a. Even as Gqd sees `all things, so He also searches
               As may be readily surmised because of the syrni out the>life of each rational, moral creature, as it is
        bolical nature of the Old Testament Scriptures, this lived before His  face. Job  34:21, "For His eyes are  I
        .expression  is much more common there than in the upon the wsiys of man, and He seeth all His goings."
     s  ,Ney.   `T'estament.  Yet that does not mean that the               The  consciousne%  of living our  lives in the sight of
        New Testament does ndt speak of God's eyes, God's                   Gbd linust fill the heart of every  believer with fear and
        .seeing, beholding, or searching. Especialiy  in the New trembling. Paul bppeals to this to seal his oath, when
        Testamen{  we meet the expression  `in the sight of he says in Gai. 1:20, "Behold, befor&.(-in the sight bf)
     : God', even'though .in our translation it is simply trans-            *God, I lie n&."                                      n
        lated as `before God'. Thus we read in Luke  12:6,                      b. Tl$ Lord's eyes try every ma; according to the
        "Are not' five sparrows. sold for two. farthings, and .perfect standard of His holy law. Hab;  1:13,. "Thou
        not. one of. them is forgotten before (in the sight of)             art .of purer eyes than to, behold .evil, : and -canst not
        God?"              .:                                               look on iniquity." The idea-of `beholding' and `looking'
               A mere glance.at  a few of these passages that refer here is to continue to look upon a thing with approval.
        to the eyes of the Lord readily convinces tis that this             The- Lord hides His face,. turns His eyes away in dis-
        expression is far richer in significance than we often approval from- those who transgress His command-
        realize, for God is the Lord, and everything about Him ments. "He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within
        is  @tog&her gloriously  .divine  ; eternal, immutable,
I                                                                           My house : ,he that telleth lies shall not tarry in My
        all-sufficient.          God, sees the things. as `only God can.    sight." Ps.  101:7. That. is. God's curse that rests
        His penetrating gaze searches out, examines them,                   dpon the  .wicked eternally. Therefore, on the other
        .tries them as  sovkreign Judge of all the earth. His hand, God assurei Israel that this,curse will not come
        -ey& is as a consuming fire upon the wicked, but is filled upon them, "when thou `shalt hearken to the voice of
        with  love and blessing upon that people which has .th& Lord thy God to keep all His commandments which
        found Face in His sight.                                            I comand thee this day, to .do that which is right in
                                                                            the ezj& of the L&-d tti$ ,God."" Deut; 13 ~18.
        b  (`And  Go,d saw everything .  :.  -;"                                c. Tiie Lord draws His eyelids to&ether, as it were,
               The first passage for our consideration is found to  Clo$ely scrutinize the life of every individual, to
        in the first chapter of Scripture, Gen..l:3,1,  "And God judge him accordingly. Even though the wicked may
        `saw everything that He had made; and, behold, it was seem to prosper in their wick&dness, and boast in their
        v&y.good."                                            s.            vanity; they are always living their lives. in the sight


                            0

                                        THE.-STANbARD  BEARER                                                                   503

of Him Who judges righteously. Therefore God says in  famine."`- In fact,  G&l governs all things by His
to them, Psalm 50`:21, "These things hast thou clone, ' almighty providence to the end that His people may
and I kept silence ;- thou thoughtest  that I was alto- be blessed. In 2 Chron. 16, King. Asa is reprimanded
gether such an one as'thyself : but I will reprove thee,             by  the prophet  Hanani, because he put his trust in
and set them in order before thine eyes.`?                .          the &significant,  king of Syria .rather  than in the al-
    d. The result is, that -there is no escape for the mighty power of the Lord, his *God. "For the eyes of
wicked.     The  Lord's eye, as we read repeatedly in the L&d run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
Scripture,  ,is upon them for evil, and not for good. to shew Himself strong in behalf of them whose heart
He curses' their thoughts, their plans .and purposes, is perfect toward Him." (verse 9).
their' words and `deeds, their `walk and conversation,                  c. -Therefore the eye of the Lord upon His people -
their home and family. He turns all things to their expresses His nearness, His faithfulness ,His readiness
<estruction. As `the Lord says of `wicked Israel in to hear and. to bless" them. Wheti.  His eye is hid from
Amos 9 :4; "And $hO&h they go into captivity before them their prayers remain unanswered. This iS the
their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and complaint of the psalmist in Ps. 31:22, "Ftir I said in                            '
it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them my baste, I am cut off from beforit Thine eyes." Yet
`for evil, and not for good.!' `They shall certainly perish. the psalmist was mistaken, he h&d spoken hastily, as
Job 34 :20-22, "In a monient shall they die, and the he adds, `!Nevertheless,  Thou heardest the voice of my
people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: 6 supplication when I cried unto Thee." Even in `the
and the mighty shall be taken away: without `hand.. prayer of Solomon at the time' of the dedication of the
For. His. eyes are upop the ways of man, and He seeth temple in Jerusalem, the hearing of prayer is associ-
all His goings. There is no dar'kness, nor shadow of ated with God's eye being focused on His people. Solo-
`death, wherk  the workers of iniquity may hide ;them- mon prays, (I Kings 8  :29), "That Thine eyes may
selves."               .                                             be open toward this house night and day, even toward
                                                                     the place of which Thou hast said, My Name shall be
    "To  ,deliver their soul  from, death  -. . .  ;"'               there: that  TQou mayest hearken unto the prayer
    We Gho$d consider in this connection the passage which Thy servant shall make toward this  pldce."
in Psalm, 33 :18, 19, "Behold, the ejre of- the,. lord is And the Lord answers this prayer of His servant by '
upon them that fear Him, upon them that hopk in His                  assuring him, (I Kings 9 :3), "I have heard thy prayer
mercy; to d&er  their soul from hea+, and to keep and thy supplication, that thou hast m&de before Me:
them alive in famine."                                               I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to
            ,.                                                       put My Name there for ever; and Mine `eyes and Mine
    a:.The  Lord looks in favor upon His people only heart shall be there perpetually." `Not only God's
because they are holy and blameless before Him in                    eyes, but also His heart will be in that House, to be-
Christ. This is the idea of .Gen. 6 :5, 8, VAnd God saw              stow His love and His grace upbn His people.
that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that  every imagination of the thoughts of his heart                    d. Thus the almighty eye of the Lord is able to de-`
were only evil  .continually . . . . But Noah found                  liver His people from cleath  and to bless them with
gi-ace in the eyesbf the Lord." This is also the plain His salvation eternally. He watches over them with
teaching of `Eph: 1.~4, "Aticording as He hath chosen loving care; He remembers them always in mercy.
us `in Him (Chtist): befoY;e the.foundation  of the' world,
that we shoul'd'lbe holy and `witl-@& blabe before Him                  ConcFusion.                                      i..
 (irl His sight) ?`. Note that this briligs-us back to the           c,;.rl,.;Q?m  ,a11 these passages we may draw,- some. very
eternal, sovere$ti &i&ion  in Christ. God' has chosen definite conclusions:                                   *
His people in Him  with.$h&  pul"po&  ihat  thei  -may                  First of all, that God's eye is divine. He has given
appear in His sight'as~ ho&,&d without blame. There- +fa':eaktbl3i  reflection of His divine sight to-man. Psalm
fore Christ paid the r&som for their sins by His death               94 :9, "He that platiteth' `the ear, shall He not hear:
on th'e cross. Col. 11':21j 22; "And you, that were some- &zthat  fortieth the eye, shall He' not see?" Yet it
time `alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked may never escape us that we fiossess  only aq eatitfily,
works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His creaturely   .r@fl&iion of God's  seeing; Let us beware'
.Plesh through death, to present you holy and unblame- always, lest we'ascribe anythingthuman  to that which
able and unreproveable in Bis sight."                          ".    is entirely divine. God always sees as God. His eye
  > b;, The ,passage  ,in .;Psalm:-33 `, further,, shows that penetrates to the very essefitie bf things, so that He
God's eye:is upon H?s.,people  ,in .lo,ving,  care. He al-. knows .them. perfectly, exactly as `they are. -He sees
ways. remember8  them;. .never +o Iforget- them;.., ,He al: eternally, so that He- does  not discover new things
ways regards them, never' to: `lose sight of the&              He    upon, investigation, but  He  bearches  out the things
"delivers -their soul from .death and keeps them alive               Fe .has &t&nally ,willed, .and brought into being. God


                     8                                                                                                        CI


 5q4                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   .BEARER

 examines all things, in their Pelation to. Himself, His                                                I N   M E M O R I A M
 righteousness Andy holiness, so that He always judges
 righteously.             _                                                    The Ladies Society  ,~f` the Protestant Reformed  Chulkh  of
    Secondly, that the eye of the Lord reveals His in-                  South  llolland,   Ill.  espresces  its sincere sympathy to  Mrs.  L.,
`most soul; It is said th&t can's eye is the mirror of                  G:.uinsma  and Mrs. R. iiuge and their families in the  bereave-
 his soul. This is certainly true of  dad. All God's                    mcnt  o f   thei  fat.her,
 attributes, His sovereignty, His eternity, omniscience,                  _.                             MR.   FETE,R  IIUGE
 omnipresence,, righ.teousne&s;  `holiness, His grace `-and                                       #
 power shine forth from `His eyes. Even God's thoughts,                         May it please  ours  Covenant God to sustain them in their
 plans and purposes  are revealed through His eyes,                     corrow that they may continue to believe that He has done
 which, are always upon the creature. *God's eyes move all  &ings  well:,
 .to and fro `upon the earth, to govern- all things unto                                                                    Rev. M.  Schipper, Pres. .
 the salvation of His people, even through the judg-                                                                        Mrs. W.  Bruisma,   Sec'y.
 ment of the wicked.                                                                                                                                                1
    Thirclly,  God's  eye reveals His attitude both  `to-,                                                   -                 -
 ward the wicked and the righteous. It burns as a
 consuming fire upon the wicked, so that they can never                                                OPENING OF SCHO,OL
 hide' from before `His penetrating gaze, even before                          Th& ,Theological School &ill open, D.. V., Sept. 14.
 their own consciousness, and cannot escape His just All students aie expected to be present at 9 :00 A.M.
 judgments, neither now nor unto all eternity. But                                                                         H. Hoeksema, Rector.
 the Lord regards His people -as chosen and redeemed
 in Christ, saved by the power of His grace to fear and                              _ .
                                                                                  ,  "-;                                     -
 trust in Him.  ,He has cast all their sins behind his'
`back; to remember them no more. He looks upon them`
 as holy saints, in  whom  .His. soul delights.  .' He re-                             39                _- NOTICE  -_
 members the& as a fatheF having coinpassion upon                              The  24th  s&mual Meeting of the Reformed Free
 his children. .He watches ovek them as an eagle guards                 Publishing-Associ+ion  will be held on Thursday even-
 its young. He searches their hearts to try- them and ing, September 23, 1948, at the First Protestant Re-
 purge them from every iniquity. He se&s them before formed. Church, Grand Rapids,, Michigan. Rev. C.
 His face, that His eye. may shine upon them in favor",                 Hanko will. speak. on the theme, "Prospering in the
 `and they may rejoice with gladness in His sight.                      Lord". The public is cordially.invited to attend.
        Finally, it behooves us to remember that we always                _                                                              -The Board.
 live our lives in the sight of Him Whose penetrating
 eye searches our inmost hearts and thoughts. `On the
 one handi it is an incentive to work out our salvation
 before Him in -fear and trembling. As Paul reminds                                                               NOTICE ! !
 us .in II Timothy 4 :I; "I charge thee therefore in the
 sight of God and the  Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall                            We now have an adequate supply' of "The Htitoq
 judge the quick and the dead at His appearance and of  the  Prote&nt   Reformed  Churches in  Ame&a."
 His kingdom." On the other hand, we know that by A11 orders hay&`: been filled and a number of copies re-
 grace we have found favor in His sight. Thus we are main ready%0 be distrjbuted. Price per single copy is
infinitely blessed, "For the eyes of the Lord are-over $2.00. We' would `urge our, consistories to take' ad-
 the righteous, and His ear is open u&o' their pray-                    vantage. of the reduced price of $1.65 per  cdpy in
                                         -
 ers."                                                                  quantity lots; `ISend orders to:
        We concludti .therefore with the words of" Jtide-24,                                                      The Mission Qmmittee
 25, "s\Tow unto Him that is able to k&e@`ytiu from fall-                                                         1210 Logan St.;S. E.
 irig, and'to prtisent  you faultless before the presence                                                         Grand Rapids 6, Michigan:
  (eyes) of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only                                                        -        -             -
 wise God'our Saviour, be glory, and tiajesty, dominion                                                                                                        !
 and  powek;, both  now  and`etier. Amen." -                                                 i            CLASSIS  W E S T   *  -                         ;
                                                   c:  Hi&.
                          ****%-                                        pf the Protestant Reformed Churches will tieet,`D.-.V.,
        No sin can be little, b&ause it is committed against on Wednesday, Se&.  1, 1948 at. 9 :00 at yella, Iowa'
 the great ,God of h&av& and  ijarth. To commit little                  Deleg'ates desiring lodging should contact Rev. L. V&r-'
 sins' the sinner must first fitid out a little `God. '                 meer, 609~ Peace `St., Pella, Iowa.
              .                Lfrom   thbe  Banrikr   o f   T+zith.                                               J. Blankespoor,  St&ted ,Clerk.  .'


