,transcriber's ,notes3 ,bold text is surrounded by equal signs and italic text is surrounded by underscores4 ,this first part of this text has sections of text to be copied in cursive4 ,these sections are wrapped in brackets and preceded by the word cursive4 ,these sections also have small illustrations to aid in easy reading these illustrations are signified by 99 in the text4 ,illustration3 ,lovingly ,presented to by ,with kindest wishes for a life of usefulness4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,good ,,shepherd ,best ,stories from the ,best ,book ,,an ,,illustrated ,bible ,companion for the ,home ,,by ,,james ,,edson ,,white ,with an ,introductory ,department of ,easy ,lessons for ,children ,,by ,,ella ,,king ,,sanders ,over #hge ,thousand ,sold ,,southern ,,publishing ,,association ,fort ,worth1 ,texas ,nashville1 ,tennessee ,atlanta1 ,georgia ,printed in the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,,copyright #aijj1 ,,by ,j4 ,e4 ,,white ,,preface ,,this little book is divided into two parts4 ,the ,first ,department is the children's very own4 ,it is for them to study under the guidance of teacher1 mother1 brother1 or sister4 ,it has been prepared with great care by one who has had many years' experience as a teacher of children4 ,the ,second ,department is for the entertainment of children both young and old4 ,its lessons are taken from ,god's ,word4 ,while the children are learning to read from the ,easy ,lesson department1 let the parents and older brothers and sisters read to them the ,bible stories which follow1 showing and explaining to them the beautiful pictures which accompany them4 ,lessons taught in this manner will never be forgotten4 ,,to ,,teachers ,,and ,,parents4 ,god speaks to us through ,his ,word1 by ,his ,spirit1 and through nature4 ,by interesting children in nature1 which is all about them1 it is hoped they will find pleasure in studying ,god's open book1 and thus be led to love and study ,his written ,word4 ,,blackboard ,,teaching4--,the crayon and the blackboard are very essential in the work with children4 ,let the first lessons be given in script from the blackboard4 ,the simple sentences may be drawn from the child by questioning4 ,then tell the child that you will write what he has said4 ,then ask1 ,now can you read it8 ,the lesson should be about some thing which the child can see1 and in which he is interested4 ,for a review lesson1 if the idiom1 ,i see1 has been learned1 many sentences may be made by drawing the objects1 as ,i see a 99 7here draw a leaf or some other object74 ,use the idioms1 ,i have1 ,this is1 etc41 in the same way4 ,the earlier lessons in this book should be largely supplemented from the blackboard in this way1 or by variation of the different sentences4 ,from the first let the children write on the board1 where there can be free movement of the arm4 ,original work should be aimed at from the start4 ,the child soon learns to write the idiom1 ,i see2 then he is prepared to do original work on the board or on paper4 ,the blackboard work on page #cc is suggestive of what may be done in original work4 ,,sentence ,,reading4--,the words of a sentence should not be read separately4 ,at first the sentences are short1 and the words are soon easily known at sight4 ,until the thought is known1 the sentence should not be read aloud4 ,hence silent reading should always precede oral reading with children4 ,read as you talk1 is a good rule4 ,,writing4--,the script capitals and small letters on page #f are for reference4 ,the letters are not to be written separately1 but to be used in words4 ,for practice in writing1 use the simple sentences found in the lessons4 ,if written many times1 the words will be memorized1 and can be used in original work4 ,,drawing4--,allow free hand drawing4 ,use outline drawings of objects1 as on pages #ac and #di4 ,lay sticks1 then draw them4 ,provide children with sticks of different lengths4 ,the kindergarten colored sticks are best4 ,they are inexpensive1 and can be used in many ways4 ,encourage picture illustrations of simple stories4 ,also the illustration of ,bible lessons4 ,many or all of them may be crude1 but thoughts are expressed1 and the lesson more deeply impressed4 ,,reviews4--,observe the suggestion about silent reading first4 ,if the thought is not easily gotten1 the words are not familiar--not well learned4 ,the child should use the words many times4 ,as reiteration is the only way in which words are learned through the ear1 so it is the only way they are learned through the eye4 ,the use of the blackboard is an invaluable help in making impressions through the eye4 ,illustration ,a ,b ,c ,d ,e ,f ,g ,h ,i ,j ,k ,l ,m ,n ,o ,p ,q ,r ,s ,t ,u ,v ,w ,x ,y ,z a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z cursive3 ,a ,b ,c ,d ,e ,f ,g ,h ,i ,j ,k ,l ,m ,n ,o ,p ,q ,r ,s ,t ,u ,v ,w ,x ,y ,z cursive3 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ,,easy ,,lessons4 ,,lesson ,,one4 ,i see a bird4 ,cursive3 ,i see a bird4 ,illustration ,i see an apple4 ,cursive3 ,i see an apple4 ,illustration ,i see a tree4 ,cursive3 ,i see a tree4 ,illustration ,is it an apple tree8 ,cursive3 ,is it an apple tree8 ,,lesson ,,two ,the 99 ,the 99 birds4 apples4 ,the 99 ,god made 99 apple tree4 the birds4 ,god made 99 the trees4 ,,lesson ,,three4 ,see the 99 ,see the 99 bee4 butterfly4 ,the butterfly has ,the bee has 99 99 wings4 wings4 ,god made them all4 ,,lesson ,,four4 ,god made the birds4 ,god made the apples4 ,god made the apple tree4 ,god loves the birds4 ,i love the birds4 ,cursive3 ,god made the birds and trees4 ,,lesson ,,five4 ,i have 99 ,cursive3 ,i have a box4 ,i have 99 ,cursive3 ,i have a tree4 ,john made the box4 ,god made the tree4 ,,lesson ,,six4 ,i have a 99 cursive3 ,i have a rose4 ,this is a 99 cursive3 ,this is a leaf4 ,god made the rose and the leaf4 rose leaf box tree ,,lesson ,,seven4 ,see the little 99 cursive3 ,see the little bees4 ,the bees love the rose4 cursive3 ,the bees love the rose4 ,the bees are on the rose4 cursive3 ,the bees are on the rose4 99 bees little on are ,,lesson ,,eight4 ,illustration ,see the beautiful rose4 ,it is red4 ,i love the beautiful rose4 ,god made it beautiful4 ,illustration ,this leaf is red4 cursive3 ,this leaf is red4 ,illustration ,this leaf is green4 cursive3 ,this leaf is green4 ,,lesson ,,nine4 ,this is a butterfly4 cursive3 ,this is a butterfly1 ,he has two wings4 cursive3 ,he has two wings4 ,the bird has two wings4 cursive3 ,the bird has two wings4 ,the bird can fly4 cursive3 ,the bird can fly4 ,the butterfly can fly4 cursive3 ,the butterfly can fly4 ,i love to see the butterfly4 cursive3 ,i love to see the butterfly4 ,the butterfly loves the rose4 cursive3 ,the butterfly loves the rose4 ,he has can butterfly fly wings ,,lesson ,,ten4 cursive3 ,the butterfly has two wings4 ,god made the butterfly4 ,i love the butterfly4 ,the butterfly loves the rose4 ,the bees love the rose4 ,the bees are on the rose4 ,the bee has wings4 ,the bird has wings4 ,the butterfly has beautiful wings4 ,the red rose is beautiful4 ,the grape vine has green leaves4 ,illustration3 ,drawing ,lesson4 ,,lesson ,,eleven4 ,illustration ,see this vine4 cursive3 ,see this vine4 ,it is a grape vine4 cursive3 ,it is a grape vine4 ,i see the grapes4 cursive3 ,i see the grapes4 ,the grapes grow on the vine4 cursive3 ,the grapes grow on the vine4 ,jesus said1 ,i am the true ,vine4 ,,lesson ,,twelve4 cursive3 kitties ,do you cursive3 them kind cursive3 ,they care ,illustration ,do you know me8 cursive3 ,do you know me8 ,i love the kitties4 cursive3 ,i love the kitties4 ,i take care of them4 cursive3 ,i take care of them4 ,i am kind to them4 cursive3 ,i am kind to them4 ,,lesson ,,thirteen4 ,i see the bird4 ,i love the beautiful birds4 ,god loves the beautiful birds4 ,jesus loves the birds4 ,the rose is beautiful4 ,i see three apples4 ,the apples are on the tree4 ,i see two birds4 ,i see the box4 ,john made it4 ,god made the birds and the trees4 ,god made the grape vine4 ,jesus is the true vine4 ,the roses and birds are beautiful4 ,,lesson ,,fourteen4 ,holy ,bible4 ,the ,bible is ,god's holy ,book4 ,who wrote the ,bible8 ,holy men wrote the ,bible4 ,god told them what to write4 ,i love ,god's holy ,book4 ,illustration ,do you love the ,bible8 ,can you read the ,bible8 ,holy ,book4 ,cursive3 ,god's holy ,book4 wrote write ,cursive3 wrote write ,cursive3 ,can you read8 ,do you see8 ,cursive3 ,what do you see8 ,,lesson ,,fifteen4 ,illustration ,happy little kitties6 ,cursive3 ,happy little kitties6 ,who takes care of them8 ,cursive3 ,who takes care of them8 ,what do they see8 ,cursive3 ,what do they see8 ,look at their eyes4 ,cursive3 ,look at their eyes4 ,are they like yours8 ,cursive3 ,are they like yours8 ,,lesson ,,sixteen4 ,the ,bees4 ,illustration ,mary1 see the little bees4 ,see the bee on the flower4 ,what is he doing8 ,he is getting honey4 ,he is a busy little bee4 ,watch him fly to his home4 ,do you know where his home is8 ,i can hear the bee buzz4 ,,lesson ,,seventeen4 ,bible ,verses4 ,the ,lord is good to all4 ,praise ye the ,lord4 ,praise ye ,him1 sun and moon4 ,praise ,him1 all ye stars of light4 ,let them praise the name of the ,lord4 ,o give thanks unto the ,lord1 for ,he is good4 ,sing praise upon the unto our ,god4 ,i will praise the ,lord with my whole heart4 ,illustration ,,lesson ,,eighteen4 ,this is a family of ,illustration ,they are little black ants4 ,the ants work4 ,they live in the ground4 ,watch the ants make a house4 ,the house is made in the ground4 ,they make rooms in the house4 ,watch the ant carry food4 ,the ,bible says1 ,watch the ant and be wise4 ,,lesson ,,nineteen4 ,see this 99 ,illustration ,how do you do1 pretty butterfly8 ,i see your beautiful wings4 ,you love the rose4 ,can you get your dinner in the rose8 ,i love to watch you4 ,do you remember when you were a 998 ,you are pretty now4 cursive3 ,pretty butterfly4 ,beautiful wings4 ,,lesson ,,twenty4 geese ,illustration legs walk boat swim back body dinner ,watch the geese walk4 ,they can swim better than they can walk4 ,their body is the shape of a boat4 ,their legs are set far back on the body4 ,do you know why8 cursive3 ,watch the geese get their dinner in the water4 ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,one4 ,here is a spider4 ,illustration ,this spider made a web4 ,illustration ,the web is his home4 ,do you see his home8 ,illustration ,do you see the spider8 ,the spider loves to work4 ,watch a spider make a web4 ,do all spiders make webs8 to work webs home his ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,two4 ,number ,story4 ,illustration ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,three4 ,illustration ,here is a beautiful vine4 ,it came from a tiny black seed4 ,it is a morning glory vine4 ,do you see the pretty buds8 ,can you find a morning glory flower in the evening8 ,who gives the morning glory life8 cursive3 ,morning glory4 a tiny black seed4 evening4 ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,four4 ,the ,flood4 ,one time ,god let it rain for many days4 ,the water was very deep4 ,it covered all the earth4 ,all the trees were covered with water4 ,all the mountains were covered4 ,in one place the people were safe4 ,yes1 in the ark4 ,illustration ,god had told ,noah to make the ark4 ,noah loved ,god4 ,he believed what ,god told him4 ,the people did not love ,god4 ,they did not believe what ,god told ,noah4 ,they did not believe that ,god would send a flood4 ,but the flood came4 ,noah and his family were safe in the ark4 ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,five4 ,the ,bean's ,story4 ,i4 ,illustration ,here ,i am in my warm bed4 ,john made the box4 ,he put the dirt into the box4 ,mary put me in my bed4 ,then she covered me with dirt4 ,the sun made the bed warm4 ,the children wanted me to wake up4 ,they gave me some water4 ,they said1 ,this will wake her up4 ,i love the warm sun and the water4 ,the children knew this4 children knew wanted water covered warm wake gave ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,six4 ,the ,bean's ,story4 ,,ii4 ,illustration ,good morning1 children4 ,you see ,i am awake now4 ,i am getting out of my white coat4 ,i put my feet out first4 ,you call my feet roots4 ,my roots help me to stand4 ,did you know that ,i have mouths in my roots8 ,i cannot run about to get my food4 ,i get food out of the ground4 good morning awake mouths white coat help stand roots feet ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,seven4 ,the ,bean's ,story4 ,,iii4 ,illustration ,i am glad the children like to watch me4 ,this morning they can see my tiny leaves4 ,shall ,i tell the children about the mouths in my leaves8 ,i get food out of the air4 ,my leaves have work to do4 ,in this1 they are like your hands4 ,i shall have many hands by and by4 shall hands leaves about air like glad by and by ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,eight4 ,the ,bean's ,story4 ,,iv4 ,illustration ,do you see my long stem8 ,i can stand up now4 ,i shall reach up toward the sun4 ,can you draw my pretty leaves8 ,see the bud at the end of my stem4 ,watch for the leaves that are in that bud4 ,it will open soon4 ,can you make it open8 stem reach toward that up end bud open ,,lesson ,,twenty-,,nine4 ,the ,bean's ,story4 ,v4 ,what do you think of me now8 ,i have grown big and tall4 ,here are two little bean pods4 ,you see the tiny beans in the pod4 ,here are some white flowers4 ,they will soon fall off4 ,watch for more bean pods4 ,by and by the tiny beans will grow big4 ,what will they look like8 ,my work will soon be done4 ,illustration ,think what ,i have done for you4 ,you may thank ,him who gave me life4 ,,lesson ,,thirty4 ,illustration3 ,cursive3 ,we planted a bean4 ,it looked like 99 ,one day it looked 99 like this4 ,by and by it had leaves4 ,then it looked 99 like this4 ,mary4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,one4 ,the ,lily4 ,illustration ,look at this pure white lily4 ,jesus wants us to think how the lilies grow4 ,he said1 ,consider the lilies of the field1 how they grow4 ,who made the beautiful white dress for this lily8 ,if ,god cares for the lily1 will ,he not care for us8 ,he wants us to obey ,him as the lily does4 ,then ,he will clothe us as ,he does the lily4 ,he will make our lives pure and beautiful4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,two4 ,illustration ,here are grapes1 an apple1 and bananas4 ,which do you like best8 ,can you tell where bananas grow8 ,do not be afraid to eat plenty of good1 ripe fruit4 ,all who obey ,god shall eat fruit from the tree of life in the earth made new4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,three4 ,a ,friend of ,ours4 ,yes1 the sheep is a friend4 ,your warm dress was made from her coat4 ,she gives it away in the spring4 ,in the fall you are glad to put it on4 ,the sheep are timid4 ,illustration ,they need some one to care for them4 ,the man who cares for the sheep is the shepherd4 ,the little sheep are lambs4 ,jesus calls us ,his lambs4 ,so you can say1 ,the ,lord is my shepherd1 ,i shall not want4 ,a good shepherd would give his life for his sheep4 ,jesus gave ,his life for us4 ,king ,david was a shepherd4 ,one time a lion was going to kill one of his lambs4 ,david killed the lion4 ,some day the lion and the lamb shall live together4 ,yes1 and a little child shall lead them4 ,illustration ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,four4 ,illustration ,see how that girl carries the milk4 ,look at the girl who is milking4 ,i never saw any one milk from that side of the cow4 ,i do not think those girls live in this country4 ,this must be a milking scene in some country far across the water4 ,they have some strange ways of doing things in those countries4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,five4 ,illustration ,i need not tell you our name4 ,the children say we look like faces4 ,did you ever see any of us look cross8 ,we are always smiling and happy4 ,give us the right kind of food and our size will please you4 cursive3 ,think of our smiling faces when things do not please you4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,six4 ,the ,lion4 ,here is the lion4 ,is he not fine looking8 ,other beasts are afraid of him4 ,illustration ,he is called the king of beasts4 ,a lamb is not safe with him now4 ,by and by ,,god will make all things new4 ,then the lion will eat straw like the ox4 ,the ,bible says that the wolf and the lamb1 the lion and the calf1 shall lie down together4 ,then other beasts will not be afraid of the lion4 ,then you can pet the lion as you do your cat now4 ,do you want to live in that home8 ,only the pure in heart shall live in the earth when it is made new4 ,illustration3 ,here are some cousins of the lion4 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,seven4 ,illustration ,these little bunnies are having a fine time4 ,they know good food when they find it4 ,do you know what kind of food bunnies like best8 ,look at their eyes4 ,are they like kitty's eyes8 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,eight4 ,illustration ,i think this must be the home of our bunnies4 ,does it look like the country homes you have seen8 ,look at the road and the trees4 ,are the trees alike8 ,do you think it would have been nice if ,god had made all trees alike8 ,,lesson ,,thirty-,,nine4 ,wheat and ,tares4 ,do you know what is made from wheat8 ,if you do not1 ask some one to tell you4 ,when ,jesus was on earth1 ,he talked about wheat4 ,at the same time ,he talked about some bad plants1 called tares4 ,illustration3 ,,wheat4 ,he said that a man sowed some good seed in a field4 ,then some one came and sowed tares in the same field4 ,the good seed was wheat4 ,so the wheat and tares were growing in the same field4 ,the servant wanted to root up the tares4 ,the man said1 ,no2 let them grow together until the harvest4 ,why did ,jesus tell this story8 ,see what ,he says about it3-- ,the field is the world4 ,the good seed are the children of the kingdom4 ,but the tares are the children of the wicked one4 ,the harvest is the end of the world4 ,the reapers are the angels4 ,the harvest is very near4 ,that is when ,jesus comes in the clouds of heaven4 ,illustration3 ,,tares4 ,the reapers will take the children of the kingdom home to heaven4 ,the children of the wicked one will be destroyed4 ,are we wheat or tares8 ,,lesson ,,forty4 ,illustration ,here is a shepherd with his flock4 ,i think he must be a kind shepherd4 ,see how tenderly he carries the little lamb4 ,jesus is our ,shepherd4 ,isaiah says of ,him1 ,he shall gather the lambs with ,his arms4 ,so ,he will tenderly care for all ,his lambs now4 ,soon ,he will come to take them to the home ,he is preparing4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,one4 ,illustration ,will they reach the shore8 ,i wonder what they think8 ,once ,jesus was with ,his disciples on the lake4 ,there came a great storm4 ,jesus was asleep4 ,the disciples worked like these men are working4 ,at last they called to ,jesus4 ,when ,he awoke ,he spoke to the wind1 and there was a calm4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,two4 ,washing ,dishes4 ,illustration ,good morning1 ,mary6 ,how can you sing while washing dishes8 ,i always feel cross1 for ,i do not like to wash dishes4 ,well1 said ,mary1 ,i must tell you my secret4 ,i used to feel cross1 too4 ,now ,i think about the lesson ,i am to learn while washing dishes4 ,jesus said that we should make the inside of the cup clean as well as the outside4 ,oh1 yes1 mama tells me to wash the dishes clean1 but ,i get so tired of them4 ,but1 ,nellie1 you do not see the lesson we are to learn4 ,you know we try to look very pretty when people see us4 ,we want them to think that we are pure and clean4 ,when ,i am washing dishes1 ,i think how ,jesus makes my heart pure and clean4 ,he says1 ,though your sins be red1 ,i will make them white as snow4 ,nellie went home happy4 ,do you think she can sing now while washing dishes8 ,illustration3 ,drawing ,lesson4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,three4 ,creation4 ,i4 ,in the beginning ,god made the heaven and the earth4 ,the earth did not look as it does now4 ,every thing was very beautiful4 ,green grass covered all the valleys1 hills1 and mountains4 ,there were lovely lakes and rivers4 ,the air and water were clear and pure4 ,there were no swamps nor deserts1 and there were no weeds4 ,the most beautiful flowers were seen in every place4 ,we cannot think how lovely every thing was at that time4 ,the earth was full of the love of ,god4 ,and ,god saw every thing that ,he had made1 and it was very good4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,four4 ,creation4 ,,ii4 ,god did not make the earth as man makes things4 ,he spake1 and it was done4 ,he was six days in making the heaven and the earth4 ,and ,god said1 ,let there be light1 and there was light4 ,this was on the first day4 ,the second day ,he made the air4 ,at this time water covered all the earth4 ,the third day ,he made the dry land appear4 ,he called the dry land earth4 ,then the rivers1 lakes and seas were made4 ,he spake1 and all the earth was covered with green grass4 ,then came the herbs and trees4 ,the herbs were bearing seed4 ,the trees were bearing fruit4 ,the seed and fruit were to be food for man4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,five4 ,creation4 ,,iii4 ,on the fourth day ,he said1 ,let there be lights in the heaven4 ,the sun1 moon1 and stars were to give light upon the earth4 ,he made the sun to rule the day4 ,he made the moon to rule the night4 ,now there was light2 there was air1 there was water4 ,but there were no birds in the air4 ,there were no fishes in the water4 ,on the fifth day ,he made all the birds and fishes4 ,now there were animals in the air4 ,there were animals in the water4 ,but there were no animals on the land4 ,on the sixth day ,god made all the land animals4 ,the same day ,he said1 ,let us make man in our image4 ,he gave them the seed of the herbs and the fruit of the trees for food4 ,and ,god saw every thing that ,he had made1 and it was very good4 ,thus the heavens and the earth were made4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,six4 ,creation4 ,,iv4 ,on the seventh day ,god rested from all ,his work4 ,he blessed it and made it holy4 ,he calls the ,sabbath ,his holy day4 ,on the seventh day ,he looked at the things ,he had made and called them very good4 ,on the ,sabbath we should stop our work and our play4 ,god wants us to be happy on that day4 ,it makes us happy to look at the lovely things ,he has made for us4 ,he wants us to remember ,him and thank ,him for ,his love4 ,he told us to remember the ,sabbath day to keep it holy4 ,,lesson ,,forty-,,seven4 ,creation4 ,v4 ,god loved ,adam and ,eve4 ,he wanted them to be very happy4 ,so ,he gave them every thing that was good for them4 ,he planted a garden in ,eden4 ,that was their home4 ,we have never seen such a lovely home as that was4 ,but if we live in the earth made new1 we shall see the ,garden of ,eden4 ,in that garden was every tree that was good for food1 and pretty to look at4 ,all the fruit was perfect4 ,then there was the river to water the garden4 ,by the river was the tree of life4 ,the ,lord put ,adam into the garden to care for it4 ,so there was a happy family in a lovely home4 ,illustration3 ,thus the heavens and the earth were finished1 and all the host of them4 ,genesis #b3a4 ,illustration3 ,covering ,cherubim on the ,ark in the ,earthly ,sanctuary4 ,lucifer1 ,son of the ,morning4 ,,satan was once a beautiful1 powerful angel in ,heaven4 ,his name then was ,lucifer1 which means1 ,son of the ,morning1 or1 ,shining ,one1 ,son of the ,dawn4 ,his position in ,heaven1 his beauty1 power1 and final end1 are well described in ,ezekiel #bh3ab-ai4 ,lucifer1 or ,satan1 is1 next to ,god and ,christ1 the wisest being in the universe1 for ,god said1 ,thou sealest up the sum1 full of wisdom4 ,verse #ab4 ,he was a very beautiful being1 for the text says he was perfect in beauty4 ,verse #ab4 ,he has been in the ,eden home of ,adam and ,eve4 ,thou hast been in the garden of ,god4 ,verse #ac4 ,he was a great musician1 and doubtless led the music and singing of the hosts of angels in their morning and evening songs of praise to ,god4 ,verse #ac says1 ,the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created4 ,the above text shows that he was created by the power of ,god4 ,all the angels were created full grown1 and not born as children4 ,hence this text is describing some heavenly being4 ,thou art the anointed cherub that covereth2 and ,i have set thee so4 ,verse #ad4 ,lucifer's position was by the throne of ,god1 with his wings outstretched above it4 ,the ark built by ,moses was a type of heavenly things4 ,on the top of this ark were two cherubim with their wings covering the ark where the glory of ,god rested4 ,see ,exodus #be3bj4 ,this represents ,lucifer's position as covering cherub1 close to the throne of ,god in heaven4 ,lucifer was the anointed cherub4 ,anciently the prophets of the ,lord anointed the kings to show that they were appointed of ,god to govern and command4 ,lucifer was1 next to the ,son of ,god1 the anointed commander of the hosts of heavenly angels4 ,illustration3 ,lucifer after the ,fall4 ,prince of the power of the air4 ,all his wisdom1 beauty1 power1 and position were given him by ,god who had created him4 ,the ,creator fitted him for the work ,he wished him to do1 and the place ,he desired him to occupy4 ,lucifer owed everything which he possessed to his ,lord4 ,but1 like some people who have riches and power1 he become proud of his glory4 ,he forgot that it was all the gift of ,god4 ,the text says1 ,thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty4 ,eze4 #bh3ag4 ,the ,son of ,god was above him1 and equal with ,his ,father4 ,lucifer was second to ,christ2 but1 considering his beauty and power1 he decided that he ought to be equal with ,god4 ,the prophet ,isaiah says of him1 ,thou hast said in thine heart1 ,i will exalt my throne above the stars of ,god3 ,i will be like the ,most ,high4 ,chapter #ad3ac1 #ad4 ,but ,jehovah could not permit this4 ,the very thought of it by ,lucifer was sin1 for it was pride and the exaltation of self4 ,only the ,son of ,god could be equal with the ,father4 ,then rebellion came into the heart of ,lucifer4 ,he went among the angels and told his story4 ,they loved him as their leader1 and many took sides with him4 ,the loyalty of all the angels was tested4 ,nearly one-half their number took sides with ,lucifer4 ,then there was open rebellion in ,heaven4 ,lucifer had a vast army at his command1 and he felt strong enough to defy ,god4 ,but rebellion could not be allowed in ,heaven4 ,the rebel host must be disposed of in some way4 ,god could destroy them at once1 for if ,he could create them ,he could also destroy them4 ,but ,lucifer had charged ,god with being partial and severe1 and claimed that the laws of ,jehovah were not needed in ,heaven4 ,so ,god allowed the rebellion to develop and do its work1 that all the universe might see the awful results of sin1 and the final fate of sinners4 ,this will be an object lesson through all eternity4 ,note4--,the twenty-eighth chapter of ,ezekiel tells of the overthrow of the prince of ,tyrus1 or the city of ,tyre1 which was a very strong1 wealthy1 proud1 and wicked city on the ,mediterranean ,sea1 near ,palestine4 ,but by reading verses #ab-ae1 it will be seen that this chapter has a double application1 and that these verses refer more especially to some being standing at one time in a high position in heaven4 ,it shows him to have been very wise1 beautiful1 and powerful1 and near the presence of the ,almighty ,god4 ,such a description can apply only to ,lucifer1 now known as the devil1 and ,satan1 described in the accompanying lesson4 ,the ,bible is full of object lessons2 and kingdoms1 men1 and events are often taken to teach important lessons4 ,christ did much of ,his teaching by parables4 ,he took things as ,he found them in the world to illustrate and make forcible great ,gospel truths4 ,in this chapter the power and beauty1 the pride and wickedness1 and the final overthrow of ,tyre were taken to represent the high position of ,lucifer in heaven1 his sin of pride and rebellion1 and his final fall4 ,illustration3 ,i beheld ,satan as lightning fall from ,heaven4 ,illustration3 ,satan ,marshaling ,his ,host4 ,satan1 ,prince of ,darkness4 ,,lucifer and his angels had become ,god's enemies1 or rebels against ,his government4 ,they could not be allowed to remain in ,heaven4 ,the ,son was appointed by the ,father to take command of the true angels1 and drive out the rebel host4 ,lucifer took command of the angels who had rebelled with him1 and was determined to hold his place in ,heaven4 ,then there was war in heaven3 ,michael ,christ and ,his angels fought against the dragon2 and the dragon fought and his angels4 ,revelation #ab3g4 ,when ,lucifer sinned and fell1 his character and work were so changed that the beautiful name he had in ,heaven was also changed4 ,in ,revelation #ab3i1 he is called the dragon1 that old serpent1 the devil1 and ,satan4 ,of course ,satan could not win in such a warfare4 ,he was cast out into the earth1 and his angels were cast out with him4 ,revelation #ab3i4 ,in ,isaiah #ad3ab1 we read1 ,how art thou fallen from ,heaven1 ,o ,lucifer1 ,son of the ,morning6 how art thou cut down to the ground4 ,christ refers to this when ,he said to ,his disciples1 ,i beheld ,satan as lightning fall from ,heaven4 ,luke #aj3ah4 ,when ,satan knew that he had lost ,heaven forever1 his heart was filled with anger and hatred for all that was good4 ,his history since then shows that from that time his motto was1 ,evil1 be thou my good4 ,revenge filled his heart in which the love of ,god once abode1 and all his wonderful powers were turned against ,god and ,his work4 ,every artful device of evil angels has been used since then to lead men to follow them in sin and rebellion against ,god4 ,it is well for man to know the strength of the foe he has to meet4 ,satan and his angels have on earth the same wisdom which they had in ,heaven before their fall4 ,to this is added six thousand years of experience in their awful work4 ,in ,heaven ,satan's influence was so great that he was able to deceive and lead into rebellion nearly half the angels4 ,his power to deceive man is very great4 ,illustration3 ,how art thou fallen1 ,o ,lucifer1 ,son of the ,morning4 ,with such power and influence at his command1 we can never overcome the devil in our own strength4 ,when we let go our hold upon ,god we go onto the enemy's ground1 and are taken captive by him at his will4 #b ,timothy #b3bf4 ,but ,christ has twice conquered this foe1--once in the great battle in heaven when ,satan was cast out1 and again as a man on earth when ,he met all his temptations and came off victorious4 ,hence ,satan is to ,christ a conquered foe4 ,if we trust our ,lord fully ,he will give us strength in every hour of need1 and thus we may become more than conquerors through ,him that loved us4 ,romans #h3cg4 ,paul calls ,satan ,the prince of the power of the air4 ,ephesians #b3b4 ,he it is who causes the terrible cyclones1 the tidal waves1 and other awful disasters4 ,only the restraining hand of ,god prevents him from bringing destruction to the world more awful than it has yet known4 ,in ,hebrews #b3ad1 we learn that the devil has the power of death4 ,this is so because sin brought death1 and ,satan is the author of sin4 ,he claims all who die as his4 ,only the power of ,god can bring them from the land of the enemy at the resurrection4 ,but some glad day sin and death and ,satan will be destroyed4 ,paul declared that ,christ1 by ,his death1 opened the way by which ,he might destroy him that had the power of death1 that is1 the devil4 ,hebrews #b3ad4 ,the ,lord says through the prophet ,ezekiel1 ,i will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee1 it shall devour thee1 and ,i will bring thee to ashes4444 ,thou shalt be a terror1 and never shalt thou be any more4 ,ezekiel #bh3ah1 #ai4 ,then1 with the stain of sin entirely removed1 ,god will have a clean universe1 as free from sin as it was before rebellion entered heaven4 ,illustration3 ,the ,dominion of ,all ,created ,things ,was ,given to ,man4 ,illustration ,the ,first ,dominion4 ,,in six days the ,creator formed the earth and fitted it up as the home of mankind4 ,when finished it was very beautiful with trees1 flowers1 and fruits4 ,before man was created1 ,god also made the birds1 fishes1 and all the dumb animals and creeping things4 ,the world was then ready for its master1--man4 ,and ,god said1 ,let us make man in ,our image1 after ,our likeness4444 ,so ,god created man in ,his own image4 ,genesis #a3bf1 #bg4 ,man was the last and most perfect work of the great creation week4 ,he was in the image of ,god4 ,he looked like his ,creator4 ,some1 at least1 of the wisdom of ,god was given to him4 ,he could talk1 and think1 and reason4 ,as we study ,god's ,word1 and learn about ,him1 ,he helps us and teaches us4 ,thus we grow more like ,him1 and ,he gives us more of ,his wisdom4 ,after creating man1 ,god made for him a beautiful garden which was to be the home of ,adam and ,eve4 ,this was a sample of what their children were to make of the rest of the world4 ,this home was called the ,garden of ,eden4 ,it was very beautiful1 for out of the ground made the ,lord ,god to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight1 and good for food4 ,genesis #b3i4 ,god said1 ,behold1 ,i have given you every herb bearing seed1 which is upon the face of all the earth1 and every tree1 in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed4 ,this shows what is the best kind of food for man to eat4 ,and to every beast of the earth1 and to every fowl of the air1 and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth1 wherein there is life1 ,i have given every green herb for meat4 ,genesis #a3bi1 #cj4 ,this was a perfect diet4 ,the ,lord did not intend that ,his creatures should be killed and eaten for food4 ,a beautiful river went out of ,eden to water the garden4 ,the tree of life was also there4 ,this tree had wonderful power4 ,it would preserve life1 and so long as one should eat of it he would never die4 ,illustration3 ,heavenly visitors taught them about ,god4 ,and the ,lord ,god took the man1 and put him into the garden of ,eden to dress it and to keep it4 ,genesis #b3 #ae4 ,man was not to live in idleness1 but must care for the beautiful home which ,god had prepared for him4 ,after all was completed the ,lord gave to man the earth and all that was in it4 ,david said1 ,the earth hath ,he given to the children of men4 ,psalms #aae3af4 ,man was also to be ruler of all that was on the earth4 ,for the ,lord said1 ,be fruitful1 and multiply1 and replenish the earth1 and subdue it2 and have dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth4 ,genesis #a3bh4 ,even the beasts loved man and delighted to obey him4 ,there was no fear in that wonderful home4 ,all was love1 and happiness1 and peace4 ,christ and the beautiful angels from ,heaven often visited the happy pair in ,eden4 ,these heavenly visitors taught them about ,god and ,his love1 and gave them such instruction as would help them to take proper care of their earthly home4 ,before ,satan could reach them with his temptations1 angels were sent from ,heaven to warn them of his fall1 and of his desire to bring ruin upon then1 as he had already done upon the angels who sinned with him4 ,in this the loving1 tender care of ,god for ,his creatures was manifested4 ,illustration3 ,satan ,entering ,eden4 ,god is love4 ,he did not wish sin to enter the world2 yet ,he made man free so that he could choose wrong doing if he preferred it to ,god's way1 after knowing of the dreadful results of sin4 ,illustration ,the ,dominion ,lost4 ,,the love and obedience of every intelligent being must be tested4 ,tests make character4 ,if we obey ,god's laws and walk in ,his ways1 we become in character like ,god and sinless angels4 ,we must have a good character before we are fit to enjoy the beautiful home ,christ is preparing for those who are faithful4 ,god will give us a good character1 and help us to obey1 if we ask ,him4 ,if we refuse to let ,god help us do right1 we are out of harmony1 or at war with ,him and ,heaven4 ,we then come into harmony1 or union1 with ,satan and his angels1 and when sin is destroyed we must perish with it4 ,sin makes people unhappy1 and ,god hates it because ,he loves everybody4 ,happiness can be found only in obedience1 or doing right4 ,before sin reached ,eden1 ,adam and ,eve knew nothing of evil4 ,so their only test was in regard to one special tree planted in the garden4 ,it was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil4 ,god said of the fruit of this tree1 ,ye shall not eat of it1 neither shall ye touch it1 lest ye die4 ,genesis #c3c4 ,if they kept away from this tree they would never know evil4 ,at that tree was the only place where ,satan could meet them to tempt them4 ,one day the curiosity of ,eve led her to come near the forbidden tree4 ,by so doing she placed herself where ,satan could tempt her1 and he was there to meet her as he always meets us when we go in the way of temptation4 ,satan did not come in his own form1 but in the shape of a beautiful ,serpent4 ,eve would have known him in his real person1 for angels had told the first pair about the rebellion of ,satan and his angels4 ,satan never comes to us as he really is4 ,he comes as a deceiver1 just as he came to ,eve in the garden4 ,the serpent told ,eve that the forbidden fruit was good1 and began to eat some of it4 ,probably he told her that it gave him power to talk4 ,eve looked at it and thought about it4 ,the more she looked at it the more she wanted some of it4 ,but she told the serpent that the ,lord had forbidden them to eat of it1 for if they did they should surely die4 ,illustration3 ,angels sent to tell the first pair about the rebellion of ,satan and his angels4 ,but the serpent said1 ,ye shall not surely die4 ,see1 ,i am eating of it and it does me no harm4 ,in fact1 ,i feel better all the time ,i am eating of this fruit4 ,for ,god doth know that in the day ye eat thereof1 then your eyes shall be opened1 and ye shall be as gods1 knowing good and evil4 ,genesis #c3e4 ,the devil's statement was partly true and partly a lie4 ,and in all his work he will mix enough truth with his lies to deceive those who do not know him and his ways well enough to see the difference4 ,it is true that the fruit of that tree would make those wise who ate of it4 ,it would make them wise in the knowledge of evil1 and the ,lord did not want them to know anything of evil4 ,such knowledge brings death4 ,but ,satan lied when he said1 ,ye shall not surely die1 and he knew it4 ,he has been telling this lie ever since4 ,the ,lord has said1 ,the soul that sinneth it shall die4 ,eve believed the devil instead of ,god4 ,she ate of the fruit and gave to ,adam1 and he ate of it4 ,the first result of their sin was shame4 ,they saw that they were naked4 ,then they made themselves aprons of fig leaves1 and hid themselves so that none should see them4 ,sin always brings shame4 ,but they could not hide from ,god4 ,he called them and asked what they had been doing4 ,illustration3 ,hiding from ,god4 ,then they began to make excuses and to blame others1 just as we often do when it is found out that we have done wrong2 but they could not deceive their ,creator4 ,he told them they should have a life of toil and trouble1 and would finally die4 ,then they were driven from their beautiful garden home4 ,after that the earth was to be the battle ground between good and evil1 between ,satan and the ,gospel4 ,the ,garden of ,eden contained so many of the beautiful things of ,god that it was too sacred to become such a battle ground4 ,sin must not mar it4 ,so man was driven from it to build for himself1 as best he could1 a new home which he must keep in order by hard work4 ,the earth was cursed with weeds and thistles2 but this was not a real evil to fallen man2 for while sin is in the world even hard work is a blessing because it helps to keep people out of mischief4 ,it has been truly said that ,satan always finds work for idle hands to do4 ,by disobeying ,god and obeying ,satan man became the servant of sin and ,satan4 ,paul says1 ,know ye not1 that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey1 his servants ye are to whom ye obey8 ,romans #f3af4 ,illustration3 ,driven from ,eden4 ,by obeying ,satan man lost his dominion of the earth1 and it passed into the hands of ,satan4 ,thus he became the god of this world4 ,illustration3 ,to them1 bowed low with grief for sin1 the shining ones made known the way to heaven4 ,illustration ,the ,promised ,redeemer4 ,,when one person is owned by another person1 and has to work for him1 he is called a slave1 or a bond-servant1 because he is in bondage1 and not free to do what would be best for himself4 ,so it is with one who lets himself be controlled by the evil instead of by the good4 ,the word devil is like the word evil1 and means the same4 ,to do evil is to do as the devil wishes us to do4 ,put d before evil1 and you will see where evil comes from4 ,a slave can not get free from a cruel master4 ,he has no money to buy his own freedom1 and no power to get away4 ,if he tries to escape1 he is followed and caught1 and brought back again to work for his hateful owner4 ,adam and ,eve really sold themselves to ,satan--the evil1 the devil--by doing as he wanted them to do4 ,they traded their happiness for the knowledge of wrong which he promised them1 and which he gave them4 ,thus he became their owner1 or master1 instead of ,god who had made them1 and to whom they really belonged4 ,now they could not get free1 and as the wages1 or end of sin1 is death1 they must serve ,satan all their lives and then die1 without any hope of another life beyond this one4 ,god and ,christ and the angels all pitied man in this sad condition1 and ,christ offered to leave ,heaven and come to this earth and give ,his life for man's life4 ,only in this way could ,he buy back1 or redeem man 7meaning everybody71 so that all who want to be free from the service of ,satan and sin can escape death1 which is the wages of sin4 ,sometimes a rich man buys a slave from his cruel master1 so that the poor man can be free and happy4 ,so ,jesus did for us4 ,we get free from ,satan by thanking ,god for this plan to save us1 and asking ,him1 for ,christ's sake1 to forgive our sins and help us to live a good life1 away from our old master1 the evil4 ,this is what the word ,redemption means4 ,it is buying back something that has been sold into bondage4 ,jesus bought us back after we had sold ourselves to ,satan4 ,ye are not your own1 for ye are bought with a price1 the precious blood the life of ,christ4 #a ,corinthians #f3ai1 #bj2 #a ,peter #a3ah1 #ai4 ,this good news1 or ,gospel of ,salvation1 was told to ,adam and ,eve as well as to the shepherds on the plains of ,bethlehem hundreds of years afterward1 so that all could have a chance to obey ,god by being made free from the power of ,satan4 ,illustration3 ,they traded their happiness for the knowledge of wrong4 ,illustration ,the ,first ,brothers4 ,,cain and ,abel were the first brothers who ever lived on the earth4 ,cain1 the elder brother1 was a farmer4 ,abel was a shepherd1 and cared for his father's sheep4 ,the ,bible does not tell us about them when they were boys1 but when they were grown it says they both brought offerings to the ,lord4 ,abel brought a lamb as his offering1 but ,cain brought the fruits of the ground4 ,the ,lord had told them to bring a lamb for an offering1 because it would cause them to think of ,christ1 for ,he was the ,lamb of ,god who was to die for the sins of the world4 ,before ,jesus came to die1 men showed their faith in ,him by bringing a lamb for their sins4 ,god accepted the offerings of all who were sorry for their sins1 and forgave them4 ,this was the ,gospel in the ,old ,testament4 ,christ was the ,lamb slain from the beginning of the world1 because1 before the world began the plan was laid that ,he should die for man if he sinned4 ,abel had faith in ,god4 ,his heart was filled with love because a way had been made by which sinners could return to ,god1 receive pardon1 and finally be taken to a new ,eden home4 ,abel brought a lamb from his flock1 and offered it to ,god for his sins4 ,looking at the lamb of his sacrifice he saw ,christ1 the dying ,lamb1 on the mountain of ,calvary4 ,his faith was counted to him for righteousness1 meaning that ,god called him good4 ,his sins were forgiven4 ,god was pleased with the offering brought by ,abel1 and so ,he sent down fire from heaven and burned up the sacrifice2 but not so with ,cain's fruit4 ,then the heart of ,cain was like the heart of ,satan1--filled with hatred and rebellion against ,god4 ,he could see the beautiful ,garden of ,eden which had been the home of his parents1 but he could not enter it4 ,an angel with a flaming sword guarded the gateway4 ,in his heart he charged ,god with cruelty in shutting them out of the garden1 and dooming mankind to a life of labor and sorrow4 ,he did not accept with gratitude the wonderful sacrifice made by the ,son of ,god to redeem the world4 ,illustration3 ,the ,offerings of ,cain and ,abel4 ,he preferred to talk of what he called the cruelty of the ,creator in punishing the race4 ,instead of offering in sacrifice a lamb1 which only could represent the sacrifice of ,christ1 he brought the fruits of the ground4 ,he thought as sometimes people do now1 that what we have to offer is good enough1 even if it is not just what the ,lord calls for4 ,illustration3 ,the next act was to kill his brother4 ,in ,cain's offering there was nothing to point to the offering of ,christ4 ,there was no blood showing that death follows sin1 and that ,christ was to bear it for us4 ,it was in every way contrary to ,god's plan1 and so it showed no faith4 ,there was therefore no ,gospel in it1 and no salvation4 ,the ,lord did not accept ,cain's offering1 and there was no answering fire4 ,as ,cain saw the difference1 he charged ,god with partiality1 and then began to hate his brother1 as all wicked people hate the good4 ,the next act was to kill his brother1 which was the result of his hatred4 ,then the ,lord spoke to ,cain and asked him1 ,where is thy brother ,abel8 ,cain tried to cover up his sin by lying about it1 as some people try to get out of trouble now4 ,he said1 ,i know not2 ,am ,i my brother's keeper8 ,but the ,lord knew all about it1 for ,cain could not hide his sin from the ,lord any more than we can hide ours4 ,the ,lord sent him forth as a wanderer in the earth1 and a hateful look marked his face as long as he lived4 ,faces show character4 ,illustration3 ,outside the ,ark4 ,illustration ,destroyed by a ,flood4 ,,before the flood men lived to be nearly a thousand years old4 ,they were much larger and stronger than they are now4 ,living so long they became very wise and very rich4 ,for many years there were those who believed in ,god and obeyed ,him4 ,but in time most of the people forgot ,him and became very wicked4 ,and ,god saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth1 and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually4444 ,and the earth was filled with violence4 ,genesis #f3e1 #aa4 ,so the ,lord said ,he would bring a flood of waters on the earth to drown all the wicked people4 ,but ,noah and his family were faithful to ,god4 ,so ,he told ,noah to build a great boat1 called the ark4 ,it was so large that it would hold all his family1 and some of all kinds of animals and birds4 ,it also had room to hold food for them for many days4 ,the world was warned in regard to the flood1 for ,noah was one hundred and twenty years building the ark4 ,part of this time he preached1 telling the people of the coming flood1 and part of the time he worked on the ark4 ,illustration3 ,entering the ,ark4 ,but the people were too busy and too wicked to heed the preaching of ,noah4 ,they only laughed at him for wasting his time and money building such a great boat so far from water deep enough to float it4 ,when the ark was finished1 the ,lord caused the animals from the forest1 and the birds of the air1 to come to it4 ,they came two and two1 and went to their places in perfect order4 ,the angels of the ,lord were leading them1 although none could see them4 ,it must have been a wonderful sight4 ,when all were in the ark1 the ,lord shut the heavy door4 ,then the rain came down and the thunder rolled4 ,the crust of the earth was broken up1 and the water under the surface was thrown up in great water-spouts4 ,the water rose higher and higher4 ,it rained forty days and forty nights4 ,men and animals climbed to the tops of the highest mountains4 ,but finally these were all covered4 ,then all the human beings1 the birds1 and the animals on the whole earth were drowned4 ,but all that were in the ark rode safely on the waters4 ,the power of ,god protected the ark through all this terrible time4 ,then the ,lord caused a wind to blow1 which dried up the water4 ,after floating one hundred and fifty days1 the ark rested upon the top of ,mount ,ararat4 ,after this ,noah waited forty days1 and then he opened the window in the top of the ark and sent out a raven and a dove4 ,but they found no place to rest1 and so returned to the ark4 ,seven days after1 he sent out another dove1 and in the evening it returned with an olive leaf in its mouth4 ,after another seven days1 he again sent out a dove1 but it did not return4 ,finally the water was fully dried up1 and ,god told ,noah that he and all the birds and animals could leave the ark4 ,they must have been very glad to be on the land once more1 for they had been in the ark a year and seventeen days4 ,noah was very thankful to ,god for saving their lives4 ,and ,noah builded an altar unto the ,lord1 and took of every clean beast1 and of every clean fowl1 and offered burnt offerings on the altar4 ,genesis #h3bj4 ,illustration3 ,noah's ,sacrifice4 ,the ,lord was pleased with this offering1 for it showed that ,noah was still true to ,god1 and had faith in ,jesus ,christ1 the great ,sacrifice for the sins of the world4 ,then the ,lord said that ,he would not again destroy the earth with a flood4 ,and as a covenant1 or pledge in regard to this promise1 ,he set the beautiful rainbow in the clouds4 ,as all the wicked were destroyed from the earth1 the ,lord made a new start with the family of faithful ,noah1 to raise up a people that would obey ,him and be finally redeemed1 or brought back to the first dominion4 ,jesus said1 ,as the days of ,noah were1 so shall also the coming of the ,son of man be4 ,for as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking1 marrying and giving in marriage1 until the day that ,noah entered into the ark1 and knew not until the flood came and took them all away2 so shall also the coming of the ,son of man be4 ,matthew #bd3cg-ci4 ,illustration ,the ,tower of ,babel4 ,,not long after the flood1 some of the descendants of ,noah forgot ,god who had saved their fathers in the ark4 ,they began to worship idols as the people did before the flood4 ,then ,nimrod gathered these wicked people together and went with them to the plain of ,shinar4 ,nimrod was a grandson of ,ham1 and a great grandson of ,noah4 ,he was a mighty hunter1 and became famous in the earth4 ,the ,lord wanted the people to move in small companies into different places all over the earth4 ,in this way it could be best settled and subdued1 or cultivated4 ,nimrod wanted to build large cities and keep the people together4 ,in this way he wished to establish a government that would finally rule the world4 ,the beginning of his kingdom was ,babel4 ,in this city they decided to build a great tower that would be the wonder of the world4 ,they thought they would make the tower so high that they could go to the top of it and be safe if ever there came another flood4 ,god had promised that ,he would never again destroy the world by a flood1 but these people did not believe ,god4 ,they forgot that if ,god could bring a flood on the earth ,he could also destroy any city and tower that man could build4 ,for a long time the work of building this great tower went forward rapidly4 ,it was finished inside into many rooms1 some of which were used as temples for idol worship4 ,how long they were at work on this tower we do not know1 but it reached to a great height4 ,the builders were much pleased with their work1 and praised the gods of silver and gold4 ,they believed that these idols were giving them success4 ,illustration3 ,then the people were scattered abroad in the earth4 ,then the ,lord interfered with their work4 ,he would teach the people that ,he was the true and all-powerful ,god4 ,he would show to the world that their idols could not help them nor give them any real success4 ,it is always best to trust and obey the true ,god4 ,he alone can give true happiness and success4 ,some people now trust in their riches4 ,some trust in their strength4 ,some trust in their education4 ,but almost every day we hear of some rich man who has lost his wealth1 some strong man who loses his strength by sickness1 some educated man who has failed in his work4 ,but the man who obeys ,god and walks in ,his ways in this world1 is sure of success4 ,he may not be rich1 nor strong1 nor have great learning1 but he will have true happiness and a reward by and by greater than all the world can give4 ,before building the tower of ,babel the whole world spoke one language1 and the people could understand one another easily4 ,but when their work seemed most successful1 the ,lord made them speak different languages4 ,none could understand what the others were saying4 ,soon all was confusion4 ,if the workmen ordered brick sent to them1 they got mortar4 ,if they ordered stone1 perhaps they got wood4 ,this made the workman very angry1 and their work ended in disappointment and strife4 ,then the people were scattered abroad in the earth as ,god intended they should be4 ,the tower was then called the tower of ,babel1 which means tower of confusion4 ,many years afterward the city of ,babylon was built around this tower1 and the tower was used as a temple of their god ,belus4 ,the tower was then named the ,temple of ,belus4 ,illustration3 ,and he went out1 not knowing whither he went4 ,illustration ,the ,call of ,abraham4 ,,after the people were scattered from ,babel1 they became more wicked than before4 ,nearly all turned from the true ,god1 and worshiped idols4 ,abraham remained true to ,god2 but even his father's household were beginning to worship false gods4 ,the world then was about as wicked as before the flood4 ,then ,god chose ,abraham to represent ,him in the earth4 ,he would call him the father of the faithful1 which means those who have faith1 or who believe ,god4 ,he would give ,his truth a new start1 as ,he did when ,he chose ,noah before the flood4 ,god would not destroy the sinners1 as ,he did at the flood1 but would call ,abraham out from among them4 ,then through ,abraham ,he would give to the world the knowledge of the only true ,god4 ,but the ,lord must separate ,abraham from his own kindred and friends1 and teach him1 and fit him to be the father of a nation that should serve ,him4 ,hence ,abraham must leave his home1 and go where the wicked lives of his friends and relatives would not lead him away from ,god4 ,and ,god said1 ,get thee out of thy country1 and from thy kindred1 and from thy father's house1 unto a land that ,i will show thee4 ,genesis #ab3a4 ,abraham obeyed at once4 ,and he went out1 not knowing whither he went4 ,he loved his home1 but he loved to obey ,god more than he loved his home or friends4 ,he did not even know where he was going4 ,he simply trusted ,god4 ,the ,lord led him to the land of ,canaan1 or ,palestine4 ,lot1 who was his nephew1 was the only one of his relatives who went with him4 ,abraham was very rich4 ,he had vast flocks and herds and a large number of servants to care for them4 ,lot had also large flocks and many servants4 ,when ,abraham finally pitched his tents in ,canaan1 he was distressed to find the country filled with idolatry4 ,idols were worshiped in the temples and groves1 and human beings were sacrificed upon the hills4 ,but the ,lord appeared to him in the night and said1 ,unto thy seed will ,i give this land1 and1 ,i will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven4 ,this gave him hope and courage1 ,and there builded he an altar unto the ,lord who appeared unto him4 ,genesis #ab3g4 ,he did the same as ,abel and ,noah4 ,he offered a lamb4 ,this shows that he believed in ,jesus who was to die for the sins of the world4 ,the ,lord prospered ,abraham in ,canaan1 and his wealth1 his flocks and herds1 increased wonderfully4 ,by the example of his life the ,canaanites learned of the true ,god4 ,wherever he pitched his tent he built an altar to the true ,god1 and morning and evening called his large family together to sacrifice and prayer4 ,thus the ,canaanites learned of the ,god of ,abraham4 ,they saw that the ,lord was with him4 ,but idol worship had so strong a hold upon them that few turned to the true ,god4 ,by and by there came a great drought in ,canaan4 ,the rain ceased to fall1 the streams were dried1 and the grass withered4 ,it seemed that his whole encampment must perish4 ,then ,abraham journeyed to ,egypt where he remained until the rains again filled the streams and caused the grass to grow in ,canaan4 ,by this visit to ,egypt the people there learned of the true ,god4 ,thus1 in ,his own way the knowledge of a promised ,saviour was taken by ,abraham to the great countries of ,canaan and ,egypt4 ,it was ,god's plan that through ,abraham and his descendants the whole world should learn of the good news of salvation from sin and death1 through ,christ who was to suffer for men1 and thus buy them back to ,god and happiness4 ,illustration3 ,the ,departure of ,hagar4 ,but ,abraham had no children1 and ,sarah1 his wife1 did not believe that ,god would give her a son4 ,so she got ,abraham to marry her ,egyptian maid1 ,hagar4 ,but the ,lord said that ,his promise was not to be fulfilled through ,ishmael1 the son of this woman1 but through a son whom ,he would give ,sarah4 ,so after ,isaac was born1 ,hagar and ,ishmael were sent away2 for the ,lord had said1 ,in ,isaac shall thy seed be called4 ,illustration3 ,the ,flight from ,sodom4 ,illustration ,the ,destruction of ,sodom4 ,,abraham returned from ,egypt very rich in cattle1 in silver1 and in gold4 ,lot was still with him1 and their flocks and herds became so great that they could not find pasture for them all together4 ,so ,abraham said to ,lot1 ,is not the whole land before thee8 ,separate thyself1 ,i pray thee1 from me4 ,if thou wilt take the left hand1 then ,i will go to the right2 or if thou depart to the right hand1 then ,i will go to the left4 ,abraham was the elder1 and the choice should have been his4 ,but he was not selfish1 and so gave the choice to the younger man1 his nephew4 ,lot selfishly chose the plain of ,jordan4 ,this was the most beautiful and productive portion of all the land of ,canaan4 ,and he pitched his tent toward ,sodom4 ,but ,lot did not stop to consider that ,sodom and the other cities of the plain were very wicked4 ,he thought only of his own interests1 and was soon living in the city of ,sodom itself4 ,his daughters married wicked men of ,sodom1 and so forgot ,god4 ,lot could now see the evil of choosing his home among wicked people4 ,at last ,sodom and some of the other cities near it became so wicked that ,god would not suffer them to remain4 ,he must destroy them from off the earth4 ,but first the ,lord would tell ,abraham what ,he was about to do4 ,one day when it was very warm1 ,abraham sat in the door of his tent4 ,soon he saw three strangers coming toward him4 ,he ran to them and asked them to come and sit under a tree and rest while he prepared some food for them to eat4 ,after they had eaten1 two of the men went toward ,sodom1 but the third1 who was the ,lord1 or ,christ1 remained to tell ,abraham that ,he was about to destroy ,sodom4 ,then ,abraham began to plead for ,sodom4 ,he made many requests of the ,lord1 and finally gained the promise that if ten righteous people could be found in ,sodom the city would be saved4 ,in his child-like faith ,abraham felt safe when this promise was made4 ,in the household of ,lot alone he thought there must be at least ten who were true to ,god4 ,but the evil surroundings of ,sodom had corrupted even the family of ,lot4 ,illustration3 ,and the ,lord appeared unto ,abraham in the plains of ,mamre3 and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day2 and he lift up his eyes1 and looked1 and1 lo1 three men stood by him2 and when he saw them1 he ran to meet them from the tent door1 and bowed himself toward the ground4 ,genesis #ah3a1 #b4 ,the ,three ,angels4 ,the two angels who left ,abraham came to ,lot and told him to take his sons and daughters1 and flee from the city4 ,but these young persons1 who were married to the people of ,sodom1 would not heed the warning4 ,early the next morning the angels told ,lot to take his wife and the two daughters who were with him1 and hasten out of the city4 ,but ,lot lingered1 for he was sorry to know that some of his children1 his friends1 the beautiful city1 and all his wealth must be destroyed4 ,so the angels took hold of them and hastened them out of ,sodom4 ,then the angel said to them1 ,escape for thy life2 look not behind thee1 neither stay thou in all the plain2 escape to the mountain1 lest thou be consumed4 ,and then the angel adds1 ,for ,i can not do anything till thou be come thither4 ,the angel had said1 ,look not behind thee4 ,but the treasure of ,lot's wife was in ,sodom4 ,she did not heed the warning of the angel4 ,she loved her beautiful home and the riches of ,sodom more than she loved ,god4 ,she proved unworthy of the deliverance that the angels of ,god had brought to them1 and she turned and looked back to see if ,god really meant what he said4 ,that very moment she became a pillar of salt1 dead and white like a marble statue4 ,when ,lot and his daughters were far away1 the ,lord rained a horrible tempest of fire and brimstone upon the cities of the plain1 and they were utterly destroyed4 ,the very ground where they stood is now covered by the ,dead ,sea4 ,thus ,god showed ,his hatred of their awful wickedness4 ,they loved sin1 and were not thankful that ,god had paid the great price of the life of ,his only ,son in order to save them from doing wrong1 if they would only ask ,him for help to do right4 ,holding on to sin they perished with it1 as many will perish in the last great lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels4 ,that fire is not being prepared for man2 heaven is being fitted up for him4 ,oh that all would accept it6 ,jesus said1 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions2 ,i go to prepare a place for you4 ,which place are we preparing ourselves for8 ,we are to make the choice4 ,illustration ,abraham and ,isaac4 ,,god had promised ,abraham that he should be the father of a great nation1 and that the land of ,canaan should be their home4 ,this was not to come through ,ishmael1 but through another son4 ,god had also promised that in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed4 ,genesis #bb3ah4 ,paul says1 in ,galatians #c3af1 that the seed here mentioned is ,christ2 so ,genesis #bb3ah is a promise that ,christ shall come through the family of ,abraham4 ,in ,christ all nations of the earth are blessed1 although not all of them accept the blessing4 ,abraham was called ,the friend of ,god1 because he loved and served the ,lord so faithfully4 ,he had a son named ,isaac1 whom he loved very much4 ,god had told ,abraham that ,isaac should be his heir1 or have all that was ,abraham's when he died4 ,all the blessings promised to ,abraham were to come to his son ,isaac4 ,but a great trial was to come to ,abraham to test his faith in ,god4 ,the ,lord said to him1 ,take now thy son1 thine only son ,isaac1 whom thou lovest1 and get thee into the land of ,moriah2 and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which ,i will tell thee of4 ,genesis #bb3b4 ,what a terrible test this was6 ,how could ,god's promise be fulfilled if ,isaac should die8 ,but ,abraham did not distrust ,god nor question ,his command4 ,he believed that if ,isaac should die ,god would raise him up1 even from the dead4 ,hebrews #aa3ai4 ,early the next morning ,abraham took ,isaac and two of his servants and prepared for the long journey4 ,they cut the wood and bound it to the back of his beast1 and started for the place of sacrifice4 ,none but ,abraham knew of the awful command of ,god4 ,his heart was very sad as they journeyed three days in silence4 ,illustration3 ,ascent of ,mount ,moriah4 ,on the third day they came in sight of the mountain ,god had appointed as the place of sacrifice4 ,and ,abraham said unto his young men1 ,abide ye here with the ass2 and ,i and the lad will go yonder and worship4 ,and ,abraham took the wood of the burnt offering1 and laid it upon ,isaac his son2 and he took the fire in his hand1 and a knife2 and they went both of them together4 ,genesis #bb3e1 #f4 ,as the two walked on in silence1 ,isaac finally asked1 ,my father1 behold the fire and the wood2 but where is the lamb for a burnt offering8 ,this was the first time this question had been asked on the journey4 ,what pain it must have brought to the heart of the loving father6 ,he could not tell him yet1 so he said1 ,god will prepare himself a lamb for a burnt offering4 ,illustration3 ,lay not thine hands upon the lad4 ,at last they came to the appointed place4 ,they built an altar and placed upon it the wood4 ,abraham must now tell his son the command that ,god had given4 ,he could keep it no longer4 ,isaac heard the message of his fate in sorrow1 but he did not resist4 ,abraham was a hundred and twenty years old1 and weak from grief4 ,isaac was twenty years old1 and strong and vigorous4 ,he could have escaped if he had desired to do so1 but he1 too1 had faith in ,god1 and was obedient to his parents4 ,isaac let his aged father bind him down to the wood upon the altar1 just as ,jesus was to let ,himself be nailed to a cross of wood4 ,the last good-bye had been said1 and the last tender words spoken4 ,then ,abraham raised the knife to slay his son4 ,but before the stroke could fall1 an angel calls to him from ,heaven1 ,abraham1 ,abraham6 ,and the patriarch answers1 ,here am ,i4 ,then the angel said1 ,lay not thine hand upon the lad1 neither do thou anything unto him2 for now ,i know that thou fearest ,god1 seeing thou hast not withheld thy son1 thine only son from me4 ,genesis #bb3ab4 ,what a joyful command6 ,how easy it was to obey it6 ,then ,abraham saw a ram caught in the bushes4 ,this he took and offered upon the altar in the place of his son4 ,then they journeyed back to their home with joyful hearts4 ,the ,lord blessed ,abraham still more because he had obeyed ,him4 ,illustration3 ,the ,lord ,directs ,abraham's ,servant ,in ,selecting a ,wife for ,isaac4 ,genesis #bd4 ,abraham was willing that ,isaac should die1 believing it to be best1 just as ,god was willing that ,jesus should die for us1 knowing it to be best4 ,isaac was willing to lay down his own life1 just as ,jesus was willing to lay down ,his life for us4 ,abraham was spared the awful sorrow of seeing his son die4 ,another victim was found4 ,but no one could take the place of ,jesus4 ,his ,father and all the angels in ,heaven had to see ,his dreadful death2 and it was all for us4 ,illustration3 ,jacob ,deceiving ,his ,father4 ,illustration ,jacob and ,esau4 ,,isaac had two sons1 named ,jacob and ,esau4 ,esau was a little older than ,jacob1 and was a hunter of wild animals4 ,jacob was a shepherd1 and cared for his father's sheep4 ,esau1 the daring hunter1 was very dear to his father2 but ,rebekah loved ,jacob most because he was so kind and careful4 ,god had said to ,rebekah that the elder shall serve the younger4 ,so she knew that the ,lord would especially bless ,jacob1 and finally give him the birthright1 which meant that he was to have a double portion of his father's wealth1 and also become the head of the family when his father died4 ,the birthright usually went to the eldest son1 but the birthright in the family of ,isaac must go to the son who would obey ,god4 ,he was to be the father of ,god's people1--the children of ,israel4 ,jacob loved ,god1 and was willing to obey ,him4 ,he greatly desired the blessing which the birthright would bring to him4 ,but ,esau did not love ,god nor care to serve ,him4 ,he would rather live the wild1 free life of a hunter1 and do as he chose1 than have the birthright4 ,jacob did not trust ,god as he should1 for he feared that ,esau would have the birthright because he was the eldest son of ,isaac4 ,so he studied all the time to find some plan to get it away from ,esau4 ,illustration3 ,jacob's ,dream4 ,one day ,esau had been in the fields hunting1 but had found nothing4 ,on the way home he became very hungry4 ,coming to the tent of his brother he found him preparing his dinner of pottage4 ,and ,esau said to ,jacob1 ,feed me ,i pray thee1 with that same red pottage2 for ,i am faint4 ,jacob forgot that he ought to be kind to his brother4 ,he only thought that this was the chance he had been looking for4 ,and ,jacob said1 ,sell me this day thy birthright4 ,and ,esau said1 ,behold1 ,i am at the point to die2 and what profit shall this birthright do to me8 ,so he sold his birthright to his brother for a good dinner4 ,you see ,jacob took a mean advantage of his brother when he was faint and hungry4 ,this made it easier for him afterward to do another great wrong1 and deceive his father4 ,one wrong act always makes it easier to do another4 ,when ,isaac was very old he became blind4 ,he was still determined to give the birthright to ,esau4 ,so one day he told him to go into the field and kill a deer and make some savory meat1 and then he would bless him4 ,but ,rebekah heard it1 and she was afraid the ,lord would let ,esau have the birthright4 ,she thought she must do something to help the ,lord keep ,his promise that ,jacob should be head of the family4 ,so she told ,jacob to kill two young goats1 and she made savory meat1 such as ,esau made from venison4 ,then she dressed ,jacob in ,esau's clothes1 and sent him in to deceive his blind father4 ,this was very wicked1 for ,jacob told lies to his father to make him think that he was ,esau4 ,so through falsehood ,jacob got the blessing which made him head of the family4 ,when ,esau returned and learned what ,jacob had done1 he was very angry4 ,fearing that his brother would kill him1 ,jacob fled from his father's house1 and went to ,mesopotamia1 where his mother's family lived4 ,he felt very sorrowful on his journey4 ,he was afraid that his sin was too great to be forgiven4 ,but one night he confessed it all to ,god1 and then laid his head on a stone for a pillow1 and went to sleep4 ,in the night the ,lord gave him a beautiful dream4 ,in it he saw a ladder which reached from earth to heaven4 ,on this ladder there were angels ascending and descending4 ,at the top of the ladder ,jacob saw his ,saviour1 who told him that ,he was the ,god of ,abraham and ,isaac1 and that ,he would be his ,god1 and make him the father of a great nation4 ,this was because ,jacob was sorry for his sins4 ,the ,lord promised to go with him on his journey1 and finally bring him back again1 and that his children should have the land of ,canaan for their home4 ,from this place ,jacob journeyed until he came to the home of ,laban1 his mother's brother4 ,here he worked hard twenty years4 ,one night the ,lord came to him in a dream1 and said1 ,arise1 get thee out of this land1 and return unto the land of thy kindred4 ,then ,jacob prepared immediately to return to ,canaan4 ,illustration3 ,jacob and ,rachel4 ,illustration ,jacob ,returns to ,canaan4 ,,jacob had become very rich in sheep and cattle1 and had many servants to care for them4 ,his journey back to ,canaan was slow4 ,he was very sad because of his sin in deceiving his father4 ,as he neared his old home he learned that ,esau was coming against him with four hundred armed soldiers4 ,jacob had no soldiers1 and was much afraid4 ,then ,jacob divided his band into two companies1 thinking that at least one might escape4 ,he then sent servants with splendid presents to ,esau1 hoping thus to touch the heart of his brother4 ,jacob had now done all that he could do4 ,then he went by himself to spend the night in prayer4 ,he knew that ,god could touch the heart of his brother1 and this was his only hope4 ,while praying he suddenly felt a hand laid upon him4 ,he thought it was an enemy seeking his life4 ,he put forth all his strength to escape1 but could not4 ,jacob struggled and wrestled until near morning4 ,then the stranger touched him on the hollow of his thigh1 and his thigh was put out of joint4 ,then ,jacob knew that he had been struggling with an angel1 and not with a man4 ,it was the ,lord1 his ,saviour4 ,illustration3 ,the ,meeting of ,jacob and ,esau4 ,jacob ceased to struggle1 and clung to the ,angel4 ,he knew he must have divine help or perish4 ,unless ,god should work for him1 his brother ,esau would overcome and destroy him4 ,but ,jacob's faith must be fully tested4 ,the ,angel said1 ,let me go1 for the day breaketh4 ,with the realizing sense of his sins and of his deep need1 he clung to his ,lord the closer1 and cried1 ,i will not let ,thee go1 except ,thou bless me4 ,and he had power over the ,angel1 and prevailed2 he wept and made supplication unto ,him2 he found ,him in ,bethel4 ,and the ,angel said unto him1 ,what is thy name8 ,and he said1 ,jacob4 ,and ,he said1 ,thy name shall be called no more ,jacob1 but ,israel ,a prince of ,god2 for as a prince hast thou power with ,god and with men1 and hast prevailed4 ,if we come to ,god as ,jacob did1 with confession1 with tears1 and a perseverance that will not be denied1 we can prevail with ,him also4 ,the ,lord sent an angel to soften the heart of ,esau4 ,at sight of ,jacob ,esau ran to meet him1 and fell on his neck1 and kissed him2 and they wept4 ,jacob journeyed to the ,jordan1 which he crossed1 and came in peace to the city of ,shechem1 which is in the land of ,canaan4 ,here he erected an altar which he named ,el-elohe-,israel1 which means1 ,god1 the ,god of ,israel4 ,illustration3 ,jacob and the ,angel4 ,illustration3 ,the ,two ,dreams of ,joseph4 ,illustration ,joseph in ,bondage4 ,,jacob had twelve sons4 ,the ten elder sons were shepherds4 ,they often went far from home to find grass and water for their father's flocks4 ,joseph and ,benjamin1 the two younger sons1 remained at home with their father4 ,the elder sons were quarrelsome1 and gave their father much trouble4 ,but ,joseph was gentle1 kind1 and truthful4 ,and ,jacob loved ,joseph more than all his children4 ,to show his love1 ,jacob made him a beautiful coat of many colors4 ,these things made his brothers jealous1 and they hated him4 ,but the ,lord was pleased with ,joseph because he loved to do right and obey his father4 ,god had a great work for ,joseph to do4 ,so ,he gave him two dreams which came true many years afterward4 ,in his first dream ,joseph saw himself and his eleven brothers in the field binding grain into bundles1 or sheaves4 ,and his bundle arose and stood upright1 and his brothers' bundles bowed down to his bundle4 ,probably ,joseph did not know what his dream meant4 ,had he known1 he would not have told it to his brothers4 ,when he did tell it to them they hated him more than ever1 and said1 ,shalt thou indeed rule over us8 ,some time after this ,joseph dreamed another dream4 ,in this dream he saw the sun1 moon1 and eleven stars4 ,and they all bowed down to him4 ,he told this dream to his father and to his brethren4 ,and his father said to him1 ,shall ,i and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth8 ,but years after1 when the famine came1 the father1 brothers1 and their families had to depend on ,joseph for even the food which they ate4 ,one day ,jacob sent ,joseph to find his brethren1 for he wanted to know if they were well4 ,they were many miles away caring for the sheep4 ,when they saw ,joseph coming1 these wicked brothers said one to another1 ,behold1 this dreamer cometh4 ,let us slay him1 and cast him into some pit1 and we will say1 ,some evil beast hath devoured him2 and we shall see what will become of his dreams4 ,illustration3 ,sold to the ,ishmaelites4 ,but ,reuben would not consent to have ,joseph killed1 so they took off his beautiful coat1 and cast him alive into a pit4 ,soon a company of ,ishmaelites came along on their way to ,egypt4 ,then the brothers drew him out of the pit and sold him to be a slave4 ,after ,joseph was gone1 the brothers began to think of their father1 and what they should tell him4 ,then to hide their sin they did another wicked thing4 ,they killed a young goat and put its blood all over ,joseph's coat1 so it would look as though some wild beast had slain him4 ,some of the brothers then took the coat to their father1 and told him they had found it4 ,they said they had brought it to him to see if it was ,joseph's coat4 ,and ,jacob said1 ,it is ,joseph's coat2 some evil beast hath devoured him4 ,and ,jacob rent his clothes and mourned for his son many days4 ,the wicked brothers deceived their father then1 but many years afterward the truth came out1 and they had to confess their sin4 ,illustration3 ,and ,pharaoh said unto ,joseph1 ,forasmuch as ,god hath shewed thee all this1 there is none so discreet and wise as thou art4 ,joseph was sold to a rich man in ,egypt1 by the name of ,potiphar4 ,the ,lord blessed ,joseph1 and ,potiphar saw that whatever he did prospered4 ,so he made him steward of all that he had4 ,but ,god had a higher place for ,joseph1 and he must reach it through affliction4 ,in all his troubles it was the ,lord who was giving ,joseph just the training he needed to fit him for the great work before him4 ,through a wicked and false charge of ,potiphar's wife1 ,joseph was cast into prison4 ,but by his honesty he gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison1 and was given charge of the prisoners4 ,one morning he met the chief butler and the chief baker of the king4 ,they had been cast into prison for some offense1 and were looking very sad4 ,he kindly asked the cause1 and each said that he had dreamed a strange dream1 and could not tell what it meant4 ,joseph then said1 ,do not interpretations belong to ,god8 tell me them1 ,i pray thee4 ,then they told their dreams1 and the ,lord told ,joseph their meaning4 ,in three days the butler was to go back to his place with the king1 but the baker would be put to death4 ,then ,joseph told the story of his wrong treatment to the butler1 and asked him to tell the king1 and try to get him out of prison4 ,but the butler was like many other people who soon forget those who were their friends in trouble4 ,when he got out of prison he forgot all about ,joseph and his request4 ,but ,god was working all the time in ,his own way4 ,the king had two dreams in one night1 which seemed to mean the same thing4 ,he wanted to understand them1 so he called in the wise men of his kingdom1 but they could not tell what the dreams meant4 ,now get your ,bible and read the forty-first and forty-second chapters of the book of ,genesis1 and see what these dreams were1 and how the ,lord got ,joseph out of prison and made him ruler of ,egypt4 ,when the dreadful famine came1 he had corn saved up to keep the ,egyptians from starving4 ,thus the ,lord often uses good people to provide for the needs of those who are evil4 ,but ,god had another reason for delivering ,joseph from prison4 ,what do you think it was8 ,illustration ,joseph and ,his ,brethren4 ,,when food began to be scarce with ,jacob's family1 he sent his ten sons to ,egypt to buy corn4 ,joseph knew his brethren when he saw them1 but they did not know him4 ,he did not look like the boy whom they had sold4 ,as they bowed before him1 the ruler of ,egypt1 he remembered his dreams of many years before4 ,he saw them fulfilled completely4 ,as the sheaves had bowed to his sheaf1 so his brethren were now bowing to him4 ,his heart went out in love for them1 but before he should tell them who he was1 he wanted to know if they were still wicked1 or if their hearts had been changed since he had been separated from them4 ,joseph accused them of being spies4 ,but they denied the charge1 and said that they were true men1 and a family of twelve brethren4 ,ten were in ,egypt1 the youngest was with their father1 and one was dead4 ,they had never heard of ,joseph since they had sold him1 and supposed he was dead4 ,but ,joseph still accused them of being spies1 and shut them all up in prison for three days4 ,these days in prison were days of sorrow4 ,they felt that they were being punished for their cruel treatment of ,joseph4 ,finally ,joseph called them from prison4 ,he told them that all but one could return to their father4 ,he would keep ,simeon in prison until they should come back to ,egypt1 but they must bring their youngest brother when they came1 or ,joseph would not even see them4 ,joseph chose ,simeon to remain because he had been the chief actor in their cruelty to him in the past4 ,they returned to their home with heavy hearts4 ,when the food brought from ,egypt was nearly gone1 ,jacob said to his sons1 ,go again1 buy us a little food4 ,but they dared not go unless ,benjamin should go with them4 ,to this the father at last consented1 and they again went to ,egypt1 taking with them presents for the great governor4 ,as they started1 the sorrowful father raised his hands to heaven and prayed1 ,god ,almighty give you mercy before the man1 that he may send away your elder brother1 and ,benjamin4 ,if ,i am bereaved of my children1 ,i am bereaved4 ,when they reached ,egypt1 their brother ,simeon was released1 and all were brought to dine at the house of the governor4 ,according to the customs of ,egypt1 ,joseph must eat at a table by himself1 and the eleven brothers at a table by themselves4 ,they had been jealous of ,joseph in his home1 and he wanted to know if they had become better men4 ,so he sent five times as much food to ,benjamin4 ,they showed no jealousy now4 ,but ,joseph desired to test them once more4 ,so when the sacks were filled with corn he had his silver drinking cup put secretly into ,benjamin's sack4 ,the eleven brothers departed joyfully1 and felt that they had escaped all the perils which they feared4 ,but they had hardly left the city when they were overtaken by the governor's steward4 ,he said to them1 ,wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good8 ,he then accused them of stealing the cup4 ,they all denied taking it1 and felt so sure that they said if it was found with one of them he should die1 and all the rest would become servants of the governor4 ,but the steward would not agree to this4 ,he said1 ,he with whom it is found shall be my servant2 and ye shall be blameless4 ,so all the sacks were opened1 and the cup was found in ,benjamin's sack4 ,what will the brothers do now8 ,if still selfish1 they will leave their brother to his fate1 and go back home4 ,but no1 they were changed men4 ,they would now face any peril to save their brother4 ,they rent their clothes to show their grief1 and all went back with him to the city1 and met the governor4 ,then ,judah offered to become a slave in the place of ,benjamin4 ,this test was enough4 ,joseph now knew that his brothers were changed4 ,illustration3 ,i am ,joseph1 your brother4 ,did he make slaves of them because they had sold him into bondage when he was a boy8 ,find the forty-fifth chapter of ,genesis and read what he did1 and how the king felt about it when he heard the news1 and what became of ,joseph's brothers and their father's family4 ,illustration3 ,building the ,pyramids ,illustration ,moses4 ,,after the death of ,joseph there arose up a new king over ,egypt1 which knew not ,joseph4 ,this king did not wish to remember the good that ,joseph had done4 ,the children of ,israel had increased in numbers2 and the land was filled with them4 ,the ,egyptians feared that if there was a war the ,israelites would join their enemies and fight against them4 ,so the king made them slaves1 and set taskmasters over them to make them work4 ,and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage1 in mortar1 and in brick1 and in all manner of service in the field4 ,they thought that by their cruelty and the hard work in the fields1 they would stop the ,israelites from increasing in the land4 ,but the more they afflicted them1 the more they multiplied and grew4 ,then the cruel king commanded that all the boys should be killed at their birth4 ,but even this plan did not succeed4 ,the ,israelites still increased in the land4 ,it was at this time that ,moses was born4 ,for three months he was carefully hidden at home and cared for by his mother4 ,but she dared not keep him there any longer4 ,so she made an ark of bulrushes1 and laying the babe in it1 hid it among the flags by the river4 ,his sister ,miriam anxiously watched the little ark while the mother prayed earnestly that her child might not be destroyed4 ,god heard the mother's prayer1 for the babe in the little ark was to be used by the ,lord to deliver ,israel from bondage4 ,one day the daughter of the king came to the river to bathe4 ,she saw the ark1 and sent one of her maids to bring it4 ,when she opened it and saw the beautiful child1 she knew why it was there1 and said1 ,this is one of the ,hebrews' children4 ,and the child wept1 and ,pharaoh's daughter pitied it4 ,then ,miriam came near and said to ,pharaoh's daughter1 ,shall ,i go and call to thee a nurse of the ,hebrew women1 that she may nurse the child for thee8 ,and ,pharaoh's daughter said to her1 ,go4 ,and the maid went and called the child's mother4 ,and ,pharaoh's daughter said unto her1 ,take this child away1 and nurse it for me1 and ,i will give thee thy wages4 ,how glad the mother was to again have the care of her own child4 ,he was now safe1 for he was the adopted son of ,pharaoh's daughter4 ,and better still1 he was in the home of his own parents4 ,the mother had the care of her boy until he was about twelve years old4 ,during these years she taught him carefully about the true ,god4 ,these lessons he never forgot4 ,they kept him pure and free from the wickedness and idolatry which surrounded him in after years4 ,from his humble home he was taken to the royal palace1 and became the son of ,pharaoh's daughter4 ,and she called his name ,moses1 which means1 drawn out4 ,for1 she said1 ,i drew him out of the water4 ,in his royal home he was trained in all the learning of the ,egyptians4 ,this training fitted him for the highest position in all ,egypt4 ,he was the leader in ,pharaoh's army1 and became a great general4 ,pharaoh determined that when he died1 his daughter's adopted son should be king4 ,but all the plans of man were overruled by ,god for the training and education of the future leader of ,his people4 ,moses was not to shine as king of ,egypt4 ,one day1 when ,moses was forty years old1 he saw an ,egyptian smiting an ,israelite4 ,he thought the time had come for him to help his people1 so he slew the ,egyptian and buried him4 ,here ,moses made a mistake4 ,he took into his own hands the work which ,god had promised to do4 ,he supposed his people were to be delivered by warfare1 and that he1 a skillful general1 was to be the leader of the ,hebrew armies4 ,but ,god had a different plan4 ,by ,his own hand ,he would bring ,his people out of bondage4 ,in the delivering of ,israel1 ,he would teach the ,egyptians the knowledge of the true ,god by such wonders and plagues as they could never forget4 ,illustration3 ,pharaoh's ,daughter finds ,moses in the ,ark of ,bulrushes4 ,when ,king ,pharaoh learned that ,moses had killed the ,egyptian1 he commanded that he should be slain4 ,but ,moses fled toward ,arabia1 and the ,lord led him to ,jethro the prince of ,midian1 whose flocks he cared for during the forty years in which ,god was preparing him to lead the ,israelites out of bondage4 ,illustration3 ,moses and ,aaron ,before ,pharaoh ,illustration ,the ,plagues of ,egypt4 ,,one day as ,moses was leading ,jethro's flocks near ,mount ,horeb1 he saw a strange sight4 ,a bush was on fire1 but it did not burn up4 ,so he went to see what it should mean4 ,as he came near1 a voice from the bush said to him1 ,put off thy shoes from off thy feet1 for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground4 ,then ,moses knew that it was the ,lord who was talking to him from the bush4 ,the ,lord told ,moses that the time had come for the ,israelites to go free from their bondage in ,egypt4 ,he told ,moses to start for ,egypt1 and that his brother ,aaron would meet him on the way and go with him4 ,they were then to go to ,pharaoh and tell him that the ,god of ,israel had sent them to him1 and that he must let ,his people go4 ,and he gave ,moses wonderful signs to show to ,pharaoh1 so that he would know that ,god had sent them4 ,when ,moses and ,aaron came before ,pharaoh and told him what the ,lord had said1 he answered1 ,who is the ,lord that ,i should let ,israel go8 ,the ,hebrew slaves were very valuable to the ,egyptians1 and they wanted to keep them1 and make them do their hard work4 ,pharaoh asked them to show a miracle to prove that their ,god had sent them4 ,then they performed one of the wonders that the ,lord had given to ,moses4 ,aaron cast down his rod1 and it became a serpent4 ,then ,pharaoh called in his sorcerers1 who were wicked men claiming to have power to do wonderful things4 ,he showed them what ,aaron had done with his rod1 and asked them if they could turn their rods into serpents4 ,then the sorcerers cast down their rods1 and they appeared to become serpents also4 ,but while they were looking at them1 ,aaron's serpent swallowed the serpents of the sorcerers4 ,but the work of the sorcerers was only a deception of their master1 the devil4 ,god only could really give life to the staff of ,aaron4 ,neither the devil nor his servants can give life to anything4 ,but the sorcerers had deceived the people and made their work look like ,god's work4 ,by thus deceiving ,pharaoh they destroyed the effect of ,god's miracle1 and so the king's heart was hardened against letting ,israel go4 ,satan is ever counterfeiting1 or imitating1 the work of ,god4 ,he often makes his lies appear like ,god's truth4 ,in this way he leads many away from ,god4 ,then ,god sent ten terrible plagues upon the land of ,egypt4 ,each one was more awful than the one before it4 ,they were sent to teach the ,egyptians that the ,god of ,israel was the only true ,god1 and to punish them for refusing to obey ,him4 ,the ,first ,plague4--,the ,river ,nile1 which they worshiped1 was turned to blood4 ,second ,plague4--,an army of frogs1 which the ,egyptians considered sacred1 came up from the river4 ,they went into all the houses1 and even into the ovens and the troughs where they made their bread4 ,third ,plague4--,the very dust of ,egypt became lice on both man and beast4 ,fourth ,plague4--,swarms of flies came up until the land was corrupted because of them4 ,fifth ,plague4--,a grievous murrain came upon the cattle1 so that a great many of them died4 ,sixth ,plague4--,moses sprinkled dust into the air1 and it became boils on man and beast4 ,seventh ,plague4--,an awful hail1 mingled with fire1 smote the land1 and killed all men and beasts that were not under shelter4 ,eighth ,plague4--,clouds of locusts came up and ate every green thing4 ,ninth ,plague4--,darkness which might be felt covered the land for three days4 ,it was so dark that the people did not dare to go out of their houses4 ,through nine plagues ,pharaoh's heart had remained hard and rebellious against ,god4 ,egypt was a ruined country because of this4 ,now the ,lord told ,moses that ,he would send one more plague1 more terrible than all the others1 and then they would be glad to let ,his people go4 ,but before it came1 the ,hebrews were to borrow from the ,egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold4 ,for many years they had toiled without wages4 ,what they received at this time was only a partial payment for their long years of service4 ,this silver and gold would be needed when they should build the tabernacle in the wilderness4 ,tenth ,plague4--,at midnight the angel of the ,lord was to pass through ,egypt and slay the first-born in every house1 and the first-born of beasts4 ,none of the other plagues had come near to the land of ,goshen where the children of ,israel dwelt4 ,but now they had a part to act or they would suffer with the ,egyptians when the destroying angel should pass through the land4 ,in order to escape1 the ,israelites must separate from the ,egyptians1 and come into their own houses4 ,they were to kill a lamb1 and1 with a bunch of hyssop1 strike some of its blood upon the door-posts of their houses4 ,wherever this was done the destroying angel would pass over the house1 and all within it were safe4 ,they were also to roast the lamb whole1 and eat it at midnight1 while the destroying angel was doing his awful work among the ,egyptians4 ,they were to eat it standing1 their shoes on their feet1 their staff in hand1 ready for flight4 ,this most solemn ceremony was called the passover1 because the destroying angel passed over the houses of those who had faith in ,god's commands and had put the blood upon the door-posts of their houses4 ,the children of ,israel were commanded to keep the passover each year as a memorial of their preservation in ,egypt4 ,illustration3 ,death of the ,first-born4 ,the passover was also a type of ,christ1 the ,lamb of ,god4 ,as the blood of the passover lamb upon the door-posts saved those in the house from death1 so all will be saved now who confess their sins1 believing that the blood of ,jesus was shed to save sinners just as surely as the blood of the passover lamb saved those who trusted in it4 ,illustration ,out of ,bondage4 ,,and it came to pass1 that at midnight the ,lord smote all the first-born in the land of ,egypt2 444 and there was a great cry in ,egypt2 for there was not a house where there was not one dead4 ,and ,pharaoh called for ,moses and ,aaron by night1 and said1 ,rise up1 and get you forth from among my people4 ,and he hurried them out of the land of ,egypt with their flocks and herds and all they possessed4 ,when ,jacob went into ,egypt his whole company numbered only seventy4 ,when ,israel left ,egypt there were six hundred thousand men1 beside women and children4 ,the whole number must have been nearly three millions4 ,the ,lord went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night4 ,and the children of ,israel went forward and camped by the ,red ,sea4 ,after ,israel had left ,egypt1 ,pharaoh became angry because he had let them go4 ,so he took a very large army and pursued after them1 and overtook them as they were camped by the ,red ,sea4 ,there seemed to be no way of escape for the ,israelites4 ,they were hedged in between the mountain and the ,red ,sea1 and behind was the army of ,pharaoh4 ,but the ,lord had brought them there to test their faith1 and show once more how ,he would deliver them from their enemies4 ,illustration3 ,the ,egyptians ,overthrown ,in the ,red ,sea4 ,moses was commanded to stretch forth his rod1 and as he did so the sea parted and left a dry road through which the ,israelites passed over and were safe4 ,and so blind and foolish was ,pharaoh that he and his army followed after4 ,when ,israel was safe on the other side1 ,moses again stretched forth his rod1 and the sea came back and drowned ,pharaoh and all his army4 ,the ,lord cared for his people wonderfully on their journey4 ,at ,marah the water was bitter1 and they could not drink it4 ,the ,lord showed ,moses a tree1 and told him to cast it into the water2 and when he did so it was made sweet and good4 ,by and by the food which they had brought from ,egypt began to fail4 ,the ,lord wanted them to learn to trust ,him1 and so ,he was willing they should have difficulties to test them4 ,but they did not trust the ,lord4 ,they began to complain and find fault with ,moses4 ,god had promised to care for them1 and if they had only believed ,him they would have learned precious lessons and received great blessings4 ,then the ,lord said to ,moses1 ,i will rain bread from ,heaven for you4 ,in the morning they found it on the ground1 and called it ,manna4 ,each one gathered just enough to last through the day4 ,this manna would keep fresh and sweet only one day4 ,so they all had to depend on the ,lord every day for the food they ate4 ,in ,egypt the people had forgotten the ,sabbath4 ,now the ,lord would have them remember it4 ,so on the seventh day no manna was given4 ,but on the sixth day the people gathered enough for two days4 ,and the ,lord kept it sweet for them over the ,sabbath4 ,this was a ,sabbath lesson for them every week4 ,the ,sabbath was made for man1 and given to him at creation as a memorial of ,god's great work of making the world in six days4 ,but ,israel had forgotten4 ,god wants ,his ,sabbath kept holy now as well as in the time of ,israel in the wilderness4 ,illustration3 ,water from the ,rock4 ,when they came to ,rephidim there was no water1 and the people complained again to ,moses4 ,and the ,lord told ,moses to go to ,mount ,horeb and smite the rock with his staff4 ,when he did so1 water burst from the rock1 enough for the whole camp4 ,it was ,moses who smote the rock1 but the ,lord made the waters to flow4 ,whenever the camp was pitched after this they found good water flowing from the rock for them4 ,this rock was to make them and us think of ,christ1 and the water flowing from it represents the living water of the ,word of ,god which ,he gives to all who want it4 ,soon a new danger arose4 ,the ,amalekites came out to attack them4 ,joshua led the armies of ,israel against them4 ,while the battle was going on1 ,moses stood on a hill and raised his hands to ,god and prayed for the success of ,israel4 ,when he became weary and lowered his hands1 the ,amalekites were successful4 ,then ,aaron and ,hur held up the hands of ,moses until the sun went down1 and ,israel gained the victory4 ,this was to teach ,israel that the victory came from ,god1 and that he would hear and answer prayer4 ,it also taught them that they should help their leader1 ,moses1 in the great work he had to do4 ,illustration3 ,the ,camp and ,tabernacle in the ,wilderness4 ,illustration ,mount ,sinai4 ,,from ,rephidim ,israel journeyed to ,mount ,sinai4 ,here ,god would give ,his law to the people1 and here they were to build the tabernacle for ,his holy service4 ,before this time these people had no books to read4 ,god's ,word and ,his law had been told from father to son1 and so remembered4 ,but during the slavery in ,egypt this instruction had been forgotten by many1 until they had become like the heathen around them4 ,during their journey ,god had spoken to ,israel only through ,moses4 ,but at this time all the people were called together1 and ,god spoke ,his law to them with ,his own voice4 ,the scene which the people saw was terribly grand4 ,there was a thick cloud on the mount1 and amidst it were thunderings and lightnings4 ,the whole mountain was shaken with an earthquake4 ,there was a loud blast of a trumpet from the mount1 so that all the people that was in the camp trembled4 ,then ,god spake ,his law to the people1--the ten commandments recorded in ,exodus #bj3c-ag4 ,the children of ,israel were always to remember this scene4 ,it was to impress upon their minds the greatness and power of ,god1 the importance of ,his law1 and the necessity of obeying it4 ,moses was called up into the very presence of ,god1 on the top of the mountain4 ,here ,god gave him two tables of stone on which ,he had written with ,his finger the same ten commandments that ,he had spoken in the hearing of all ,israel4 ,god's law is as enduring as the stone on which it was written4 ,these two tables are called the tables of the covenant4 ,deuteronomy #i3aa4 ,the ten commandments are called ,god's covenant with ,his people4 ,and ,he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant1 the ten commandments4 ,exodus #cd3bh4 ,david said that ,his covenant1 or law1 was commanded to a thousand generations4 ,psalms #aje3h4 ,it will continue forever4 ,christ ,himself said1 ,till heaven and earth pass1 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law4 ,matthew #e3ag1 #ah4 ,again ,he said1 ,whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments1 and shall teach men so1 he shall be called the least 7or1 of no account7 in the kingdom of heaven4 ,matthew #e3ai4 ,the ,apostle ,james said1 ,for whosoever shall keep the whole law1 and yet offend in one point1 he is guilty of all4 ,james #b3aj4 ,keeping nine of the commandments will not save us4 ,if we break one commandment1 the law will condemn us as surely as if we broke all the ten4 ,man can not change one single commandment of ,god's law4 ,if he tries to do so1 it is then only a commandment of men4 ,the worship of those who make or keep such commandments is useless1 for ,god will not accept it4 ,christ said of those who do so1 ,but in vain do they worship ,me1 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men4 ,matthew #ae3i4 ,the only safe course is to take ,god's law just as ,he gave it on ,sinai1 and obey it as ,he gave it4 ,of those who will be alive when ,christ comes it is written1 ,here are they that keep the commandments of ,god4 ,revelation #ad3ab4 ,heaven will be filled with commandment-keeping people2 for it is written1 ,blessed are they that do ,his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in through the gates into the city4 ,revelation #bb3ad4 ,we can not keep these commandments ourselves any more than the children of ,israel could in the wilderness4 ,it is for this that ,christ died on ,calvary4 ,through ,him we can have forgiveness for our sins1 and receive help to overcome sin and obey the law of ,god4 ,while ,moses was in the mount ,god gave him instructions for building the sanctuary4 ,it was to be like the one in heaven4 ,in it the ,lord would meet ,his people and give them such instruction as they needed4 ,provision was also made in it for sacrifices and offerings1 all of which were to show their faith in the ,saviour to come4 ,moses was in the mountain one-ninth of a year4 ,the faith of the people was not strong enough to endure the long separation from their leader4 ,they did not think he would return to them4 ,they said1 ,as for this ,moses1 444 we wot not what has become of him4 ,they came to ,aaron and said to him1 ,up1 make us gods1 which shall go before us4 ,they would make to themselves a calf as their leader to take the place of ,moses1 and then go on to the promised land without him4 ,the old habits of idol worship in ,egypt had come back to them4 ,so ,israel brought their ornaments of gold to ,aaron1 and he made of them a golden calf4 ,the calf represented ,apis1 the god held most sacred by the ,egyptians4 ,when it was done the people gathered around it and cried1 ,these be thy gods1 ,o ,israel1 which brought thee up out of the land of ,egypt4 ,exodus #cb3d4 ,how could they so soon forget the wonders and plagues brought by the ,lord upon ,egypt6 ,how could they forget the terrible day when ,god spake to them ,his law from the top of ,mount ,sinai6 ,and the ,lord said to ,moses1 ,get thee down1 for thy people have corrupted themselves4 ,as ,moses came in sight of the camp of ,israel1 and saw their heathen worship1 he was filled with horror and anger4 ,in his hands he bore the tables of the sacred law which they were transgressing4 ,he threw them down1 and they were broken in pieces at the foot of the mount4 ,this was to remind the ,israelites that they had broken ,god's law which they had promised to obey4 ,in consequence of this they could not claim the promise ,he had made them4 ,through the pleading of ,moses1 ,god spared ,israel at this time1 but the rebellion and evil must be put away from among them4 ,moses called for a separation in the camp4 ,some had not joined in the idolatry1 but through it all had remained true to ,god4 ,these were asked to take their place at the right hand of ,moses4 ,many others saw how wicked they had been1 and repented4 ,these took their stand at the left4 ,others were stubborn and would not repent1 and would not come by the side of ,moses at all4 ,about three thousand of the leaders in wickedness perished at the command of the ,lord1 and the camp was cleansed4 ,illustration3 ,the ,ark of the ,covenant4 ,and thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold3 444 ,and thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark2 and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that ,i shall give thee4 ,ex4 #be3ag1 #ba4 ,and ,he gave unto ,moses 444 two tables of testimony1 written with the finger of ,god4 ,ex4 #ca3ah ,aaron confessed his sin in making the golden calf1 and was forgiven4 ,the calf was ground to powder and scattered in the waters of the brook from which they drank4 ,at the command of ,god1 ,moses hewed out two more tables of stone1 and took them up to ,sinai4 ,on these ,god again wrote ,his law4 ,when the sanctuary was completed1 these tables were placed in a beautiful ark1 overlaid with gold4 ,for this reason it was called ,the ,ark of the ,covenant4 ,this ark was the most sacred thing in all the earthly sanctuary4 ,it was sacred because it contained the tables on which ,god had written ,his law4 ,it was deposited in the most holy place1 into which none but the high priest ever entered4 ,on the top of the ark was the mercy seat1 and here was where the glory of ,god rested1 and from this place ,he spake to ,his people4 ,when the children of ,israel were taken captive by the ,babylonians1 the ark disappeared1 and the ,bible makes no mention of it since that time4 ,illustration3 ,moses ,breaking the ,tables of the ,law4 ,illustration3 ,the ,return of the ,spies4 ,illustration ,the ,twelve ,spies4 ,,after all the work on the tabernacle was done1 the ,israelites again took up their march toward the promised land4 ,in eleven days they reached ,kadesh1 near the borders of ,canaan4 ,here twelve spies--one from each tribe--were sent to view the land4 ,they were gone forty days1 and on their return brought samples of the fruit of ,canaan4 ,they brought one cluster of grapes1 so large that it was carried on a pole between two of the men4 ,in their report to ,moses they said1 ,we came unto the land whither thou sentest us1 and surely it floweth with milk and honey2 and this is the fruit of it4 ,numbers #ac3ag4 ,oh1 if they had only been willing to stop there in their report6 ,but they went on to tell that the land was filled with strong nations4 ,there were walled cities that could not be broken down1 and there were giants1 the sons of ,anak4 ,then ,israel lost all hope and courage1 ,and all the congregation 444 cried2 and the people wept that night4 ,and they murmured against ,moses and ,aaron1 and said1 ,would ,god we had died in ,egypt6 or 444 in the wilderness4444 ,let us return to ,egypt4 ,numbers #ad3b1 #d4 ,where now was their faith and trust in ,god8 ,they had forgotten the wonders and plagues and the deliverance from ,egypt4 ,they had forgotten the many times ,god had done wonderful things for them on their journey4 ,surely a ,god who could do such things could give them the victory over their enemies in ,canaan4 ,only two of the twelve spies kept their faith in ,god4 ,caleb and ,joshua told the people that ,god was able to give them the land4 ,and ,caleb said1 ,let us go up at once1 and possess it2 for we are well able to overcome it4 ,numbers #ac3cj4 ,but the people would not listen to them4 ,then ,god spake to ,moses1 and told him that ,israel had been so rebellious that those who came out of ,egypt should never enter the land of promise4 ,they should wander in the wilderness forty years until they died1 and when their children were grown ,he would bring them into the land4 ,but ,caleb and ,joshua had been faithful to ,god4 ,these two were excepted1 and of all the men that left ,egypt1 only these two should finally enter ,canaan4 ,the other ten spies1 who had caused ,israel to sin1 were smitten by the plague1 and died in the sight of all ,israel4 ,all the next night ,israel spent in mourning4 ,they now realized what they had lost4 ,but in the morning a new hope came to them4 ,they would make up for their lack of courage4 ,they would now go up and take the land4 ,the armies of ,israel gathered1 but ,moses said to them1 ,go not up1 for the ,lord is not among you4 ,they had lost their opportunity1 and if they went up ,god would not fight for them4 ,but the army of ,israel was a vast multitude of over half a million solders4 ,they now felt able to attack their enemies4 ,so against the command of ,god they went up to battle with the armies of the ,canaanites that had come out to meet them4 ,but the ark of ,god remained in camp1 and so did ,moses and ,aaron1 ,caleb and ,joshua4 ,without a leader1 and forsaken of ,god1 the army of ,israel was defeated with great slaughter4 ,then the ,israelites turned back to the wilderness4 ,illustration ,the ,brazen ,serpent4 ,,the ,israelites wandered in the wilderness nearly forty years4 ,then1 at the command of the ,lord1 they again turned their faces toward ,canaan4 ,on this journey they were permitted to meet many difficulties1 that their faith and trust in ,god might be tested4 ,they were sometimes short of food to eat and water to drink1 and as they neared the promised land great armies came out to destroy them4 ,but the ,lord helped them in every trouble1 and gave them the victory over their enemies4 ,part of their way lay through a hot1 sandy desert1 where they suffered from heat and thirst4 ,but1 instead of being patient1 they rebelled against ,god1 and found fault with ,moses4 ,then the ,lord let serpents come into the camp1 whose bite was like fire1 and brought sure death4 ,some in almost every tent were bitten4 ,this punishment showed them their sin1 and they came to ,moses and said1 ,we have sinned1 for we have spoken against the ,lord1 and against thee4 ,pray unto the ,lord that ,he take away the serpents from us4 ,numbers #ba3g-i4 ,in answer to the prayer of ,moses the ,lord told him to make a serpent of brass1 and raise it up on a pole1 so that all in the camp could see it4 ,those who were bitten were told to look at this ,serpent and they would be healed4 ,the serpent could not heal them1 but to look required faith1 and faith brought the healing power4 ,illustration3 ,the ,brazen ,serpent4 ,the ,lord could have healed them with a word1 but the lesson must be complete4 ,the lifting up of the serpent was to them a type of the lifting up of ,christ on the cross1 for through ,him only could they receive pardon and relief from the consequences of sin4 ,the brazen serpent was an object lesson to lead the children of ,israel to look to ,christ4 ,the ,hebrews had the same ,gospel1 or good news of pardon and salvation through ,christ1 that we have4 ,speaking of them in the wilderness1 the ,apostle ,paul says1 ,for unto us was the ,gospel preached as well as unto them4 ,hebrews #d3b4 ,every sacrifice they made for sin1 every lamb slain1 was to show their faith in the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,john #a3bi4 ,the blood of the offering was a type of the blood of ,christ4 ,jesus ,christ is the great central figure of the ,gospel4 ,it was ,christ who was with ,israel in all their journey from ,egypt to the promised land4 ,christ was the ,spiritual ,rock which followed them4 ,he was in the pillar of cloud by day1 and in the pillar of fire by night4 ,he was the ,angel that went before ,israel2 for ,jehovah said1 ,my name is in ,him4 7,see ,exodus #bc3ba1 #bb47 ,no being bears the name of ,god but ,his ,son4 ,so1 in the history of the world1 it has not been as some have supposed1 ,god the ,father in the ,old ,testament1 and ,christ the ,son in the ,new ,testament4 ,it has been ,christ with ,his people all the way4 ,in the ,old ,testament ,christ was their ,spiritual ,rock4 ,in the ,new ,testament1 ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself4 #b ,corinthians #e3ai4 ,both the ,father and the ,son have ever worked for the salvation of man2 but ,christ has been the active agent in this work4 ,it was ,god who so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son for our redemption4 ,it was ,christ who made the terrible sacrifice for our salvation4 ,illustration3 ,the ,israelites ,crossing the ,jordan4 ,illustration ,entering the ,promised ,land4 ,,as ,israel neared the promised land1 both ,moses and ,aaron died4 ,joshua was then made commander in the place of ,moses4 ,soon they came to the ,river ,jordan1 which they must cross4 ,here again the ,lord made a way for them4 ,he told ,israel to go forward1 and as the feet of the leaders touched the water1 the river stopped flowing from above1 and the bed of the stream was left dry4 ,then the people passed over on dry ground1 as their fathers had crossed the ,red ,sea forty years before4 ,the book of ,joshua tells of the battles that ,israel fought with the inhabitants of the land of ,canaan4 ,these were very wicked nations1 who were as bad as the people who lived before the flood4 ,so the ,lord used the armies of ,israel to destroy those wicked people4 ,the first city overthrown was ,jericho4 ,this city had very strong and high walls1 and the ,hebrews were not able to break them down4 ,but the ,lord could do what man could not4 ,one day ,joshua saw a man near the camp1 with a sword drawn in his hand4 ,and ,joshua went unto him and said1 ,art thou for us or for our adversaries8 ,and he said1 ,nay2 but as ,captain of the host of the ,lord am ,i come4 ,joshua #e3ac-ae4 ,then ,joshua knew that it was ,jesus ,christ1 for ,he is the ,captain of the ,lord's host4 ,illustration3 ,joshua ,commanding the ,sun to ,stand ,still4 ,the ,lord told ,joshua what to do4 ,each day1 for six days1 all the army of ,israel was to march around the city4 ,the soldiers were to go ahead1 the priests with the ark of ,god were to come next1 and all the rest of the people were to follow4 ,on the seventh day they marched around the city seven times4 ,and it came to pass at the seventh time1 when the priests blew with the trumpets1 ,joshua said unto the people1 ,shout2 for the ,lord hath given you the city4 ,joshua #f3af4 ,and when the people shouted1 the walls of ,jericho fell down flat1 and the soldiers went into the city and utterly destroyed it as the ,lord had told them to do4 ,this was to show to all nations that ,god was fighting for ,israel4 ,the tenth chapter of ,joshua also tells of a very wonderful battle between ,israel and five of the kings of ,canaan4 ,all day the battle lasted1 and ,god fought for ,israel1 sending down great hailstones upon their enemies4 ,more were killed by these hailstones than were slain by the ,israelites4 ,as the conflict raged1 ,joshua saw that the day would be too short to finish the battle4 ,then1 led by the ,spirit of ,god1 he commanded the sun and moon to stand still until the work should be fully done4 ,so the sun stood still in the midst of heaven1 and hasted not to go down about a whole day4 ,and there was no day like that before it or after it4 ,joshua #aj3ac1 #ad4 ,in this battle the armies of the wicked ,canaanites were utterly destroyed1 and their kings slain4 ,when the nations of ,canaan were fully conquered1 the land was divided up and given to the different tribes of ,israel1 as their home4 ,illustration3 ,gideon's ,three ,hundred4 ,illustration ,the ,judges of ,israel ,,after the death of ,joshua1 ,israel was governed by judges for many hundred years4 ,sometimes these judges were wicked men1 and led the people into the worship of idols4 ,then the ,lord1 although ,he still loved them1 allowed their enemies to afflict them1 that they might remember that ,he alone could save them from their foes and from sin4 ,then when they returned to ,him1 confessed their sins1 and put away their idols1 ,he would choose good and wise men to be their judges4 ,he would then go with their armies to battle1 defeat their enemies1 and deliver them4 ,at one time the armies of ,midian afflicted ,israel for seven years4 ,at harvest time they would come as grasshoppers for multitude1 and take from ,israel all the increase of the earth4 ,during these attacks the people fled to the dens1 and caves1 and strongholds of the mountains4 ,then ,israel cried to the ,lord for help1 and ,he raised up ,gideon to deliver them4 ,one day an angel appeared to him1 as he was threshing grain in secret for fear of the invaders4 ,and the angel told him that he was chosen to save ,israel from the hand of the ,midianites4 ,gideon then prepared food and brought it to the angel4 ,he also asked for a sign that he might know that the words spoken by the angel came from the ,lord4 ,so instead of eating the food1 the angel said to ,gideon1 ,take the flesh and the unleavened cakes1 and lay them upon this rock1 and pour out the broth4 ,when ,gideon had done as he was told1 the angel touched the food with the rod in his hand1 and fire came out of the rock and burned it4 ,then the angel disappeared1 and ,gideon knew that it was the ,lord who had spoken to him4 ,and the ,spirit of the ,lord came upon ,gideon1 and he made a call for soldiers4 ,but before he dared take command of the army that gathered1 he asked for other signs that he might be sure that ,god had really chosen him and would go with him4 ,so one night he spread a fleece of wool on the floor1 and asked the ,lord that if ,he had chosen him to lead ,israel1 to let dew fall on the fleece1 and the rest of the floor be dry4 ,and in the morning he found it so4 ,the next night he asked that the dew might fall on the floor and dampen it1 and the fleece remain dry4 ,this also was done4 ,then ,gideon knew that the ,lord had called him to lead the armies of ,israel4 ,gideon's army numbered only thirty-two thousand men1 but their enemies were like grasshoppers for multitude4 ,yet the ,lord told ,gideon that his army was too large4 ,the ,lord would show all ,israel that ,he would deliver them if they would trust him4 ,so ,gideon was told to let all who were fearful go back to their homes4 ,as a result1 twenty-two thousand men returned1 leaving only ten thousand4 ,yet these were too many4 ,the army must be so small that every one would know that it was ,god alone who gave the victory4 ,so at the command of the ,lord they were led to a brook to drink4 ,those who kneeled down and drank were sent home4 ,but there were three hundred men whose thoughts were only on the work before them4 ,they dipped up the water in their hands1 and drank as they went on1 with their faces toward the enemy4 ,these three hundred men were then armed for their work1 and in a strange manner4 ,each man was given a trumpet1 a pitcher1 and a blazing torch hidden in the pitcher4 ,this little army was then divided into three companies1 and1 in the darkness of night1 approached the hosts of ,midian from three sides4 ,at a signal from ,gideon1 all three companies gave a blast of their trumpets to awaken the sleeping enemy4 ,then they broke the pitchers and let their torches flame up1 and gave the battle cry1--,the sword of the ,lord1 and of ,gideon4 ,to the ,midianites it appeared that they were surrounded by a great army4 ,in their fear they fled for life4 ,they mistook their own companions for enemies1 and killed one another4 ,the news of the victory spread1 and thousands of ,israel joined in pursuit of their retreating foes1 and the great army of ,midianites was utterly destroyed4 ,the strongest and most wonderful ,judge of ,israel was ,samson4 ,according to instruction given his mother from the ,lord1 he was a ,nazarite from his birth4 ,this meant that he was to drink no wine1 and the hair of his head was never to be cut4 ,as he grew up1 the ,lord gave him wonderful strength4 ,one day as he was passing through a vineyard of the ,philistines1 a young lion met him4 ,he had no weapons with him1 but with his bare hands he tore the lion and killed him4 ,soon after this a great army of ,philistines came out against ,israel4 ,and the ,spirit of the ,lord came mightily upon ,samson4 ,his only weapon was the jaw bone of an ass2 but with this he defeated the whole army of the ,philistines1 and slew a thousand of them4 ,illustration3 ,samson ,carrying the ,gates of ,gaza4 ,here was another lesson of what the ,lord could do for ,his people4 ,gideon had three hundred men when he fought the hosts of ,midian2 but at this time one man alone won the battle against an army of the ,philistines4 ,at another time ,samson stayed part of a night in a city of the ,philistines1 called ,gaza4 ,and the dwellers in ,gaza shut the gates1 and set men to watch them1 so that when he should come out they might kill him4 ,but before morning ,samson arose1 tore down the great gate of the city1 carried it on his shoulders to a hill1 and left it there4 ,all the wonderful things that ,samson did1 and how he finally died1 a prisoner to the ,philistines1 are recorded in ,judges #ac-af4 ,about fifty years after ,samson's death1 ,samuel was born1 who was to be both a judge and a prophet4 ,his mother was a good woman4 ,the ,bible says1 she lent him to the ,lord as long as he liveth4 #a ,samuel #aa3bh4 ,eli was priest at this time in the temple of the ,lord1 and the child ,samuel ministered unto the ,lord before ,eli4 ,while ,samuel was a small boy1 it came to pass one night1 ere the lamp of ,god went out in the temple of the ,lord1 where the ark of ,god was1 and ,samuel was laid down to sleep1 that the ,lord called ,samuel1 and he answered1 ,here am ,i1 thinking ,eli had called him4 ,three times this occurred4 ,then ,samuel said1 ,speak1 ,lord2 for ,thy servant heareth4 ,let us answer the ,lord as did ,samuel4 ,he speaks to each of us in ,his word1 the ,bible4 ,illustration3 ,the ,child ,samuel4 ,illustration3 ,the ,parting of ,david and ,jonathan4 ,illustration ,the ,kings of ,israel4 ,,until the days of ,samuel1 ,israel was not governed by kings4 ,jehovah had promised to be their ,ruler and ,king4 ,had they been true to ,him they would have been prospered and given every needed blessing4 ,but the people wanted to be like the nations around them4 ,so the elders came to ,samuel and said1 ,make us a king to judge us like all the nations4 ,samuel was a prophet of the ,lord1 and had been the judge of ,israel for many years4 ,their demand for a king displeased him1 for he felt that the people had rejected him4 ,but the ,lord told ,samuel to do as they asked1 for they have not rejected thee1 but they have rejected ,me4 ,and the ,lord chose ,saul1 of the tribe of ,benjamin1 to be king4 ,at the command of the ,lord1 ,samuel anointed ,saul as king4 ,a little later he called the people together and presented their new-made king to them4 ,and they shouted1 ,god save the king6 ,but ,saul soon became proud1 and many times refused to obey the ,lord4 ,then the ,lord rejected ,saul and chose ,david1 a young shepherd boy1 to be king when ,saul should die4 ,and ,samuel anointed ,david to be king in the place of ,saul4 ,illustration3 ,david and ,saul at the ,cave4 ,when ,saul heard of this he was very angry1 and tried many times to kill ,david4 ,saul wanted his son ,jonathan to be king when he died4 ,how foolish it was for ,saul to try to kill ,david1 when ,god had said he should be king over ,israel6 ,so ,david fled from ,saul1 and for many years lived among strangers1 and in the dens and caves of the mountains4 ,but ,saul hunted him so many times that ,david had to change his hiding place very often4 ,one time ,saul lay down to sleep in the very cave where ,david was hidden1 not knowing he was there4 ,some of the men who were with ,david wanted him to kill ,saul1 but he would not do it4 ,he only crept up to the king and cut off a piece of the robe which he wore4 ,when the king had gone1 ,david called to him and showed him the piece he had cut from his garment4 ,saul saw at once that ,david could have killed him as easily as he cut a piece from his garment4 ,then ,saul promised ,david that he would not again try to destroy him4 ,but ,david did not trust his promises2 and it was well he did not1 for ,saul was soon hunting him as wickedly as before4 ,notwithstanding ,david was hated by ,saul1 his son ,jonathan loved ,david4 ,they were as brothers to each other4 ,jonathan was a true servant of ,god4 ,he was always true to ,david1 and whenever he could aid him in escaping from his father1 he did so1 notwithstanding he knew that ,david was to be made king instead of himself4 ,this shows that he was one of the most generous and lovable characters recorded in the ,bible4 ,finally there was a great battle between ,saul's army and the ,philistines4 ,in this battle ,jonathan was slain1 and ,saul fell on his own sword and killed himself4 ,soon after this ,david was made king4 ,in most things he was a good king1 and obeyed the ,lord and ruled ,israel well4 ,he was a great warrior1 and subdued the enemies of his people4 ,illustration3 ,solomon and the ,queen of ,sheba ,at the death of ,david1 his son ,solomon was made king4 ,he was a very wise man and a good king4 ,it was he who built at ,jerusalem the wonderful temple for the service of the ,lord4 ,the wisdom and riches of ,solomon were so wonderful that his fame was spread abroad in all the earth4 ,and the queen of ,sheba1 in ,arabia1 came to see if all the reports she had heard were true4 ,and the queen asked ,solomon hard questions2 but he was able to answer every one of them4 ,she was then shown the riches and wonderful works of ,solomon4 ,when ready to return to her own land she told ,solomon that she had heard wonderful reports about him and his kingdom1 but she had not believed them4 ,now1 she said1 ,mine eyes have seen it2 and1 behold1 the one-half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me4 #b ,chronicles #i4 ,after the days of ,solomon1 ,israel was ruled by many kings4 ,some of them were good1 and their rule brought the blessing of ,god to their people4 ,but many were wicked men who led ,israel into sin and idolatry4 ,then the ,lord could not protect them1 and their enemies would afflict them4 ,the history of ,israel is a sorrowful story4 ,god wanted to bless them and make them the light of the world4 ,he wanted to show the whole world what wonderful things ,he would do for those who were faithful to ,him4 ,but they preferred their own way1 and in consequence perished as a nation4 ,the apostle ,paul says that all these things happened unto them for ensamples2 and they are written for our admonition1 upon whom the ends of the world are come4 #a ,corinthians #aj3aa4 ,illustration3 ,daniel in the ,den of ,lions ,illustration ,the ,prophets of ,israel4 ,,after ,samuel1 the sixteen prophets whose writings bear their names in the ,bible1 may be classified as follows3-- 7#a7 ,those before ,israel's ,babylonian captivity1 namely3 ,jonah1 ,joel1 ,amos1 ,hosea1 ,isaiah1 ,micah4 7#b7 ,those near to1 and during the captivity3 ,nahum1 ,zephaniah1 ,habakkuk1 ,jeremiah1 ,daniel1 ,obadiah1 ,ezekiel4 7#c7 ,those after the return from the captivity in ,babylon3 ,haggai1 ,zachariah1 ,malachi4 ,the books which bear these names in our ,bible are not arranged in the order in which they were written2 but in the order of their supposed importance4 ,but man can not tell which part of ,god's word is most valuable4 ,all scripture is given by inspiration of ,god4 ,peter says that the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man2 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 #b ,peter #a3ba4 ,we will refer to a few prophecies which have been fulfilled3 ,isaiah mentions by name the ,persian prince1 ,cyrus1 #bjj years before he was born1 and tells what he should do4 ,compare ,isaiah #dd3bh with ,ezra #a3a1 and notice the dates in the margin of your ,bible4 ,isaiah also foretold and described the sufferings of ,jesus4 ,compare the fifty-third chapter of ,isaiah with ,luke #bb3cg2 ,john #a3aj1 #aa2 ,matthew #h3ag2 #a ,peter #b3bd1 #be2 ,acts #h3cb-ch2 ,luke #bb3cg2 ,matthew #bg3eg-fj4 ,forty-seven of the sixty-six chapters in ,isaiah are referred to in the ,new ,testament1 and ,jesus twice mentioned ,isaiah by name4 ,matthew #ac3ad2 ,matthew #ae3cg4 ,jeremiah prophesied that ,jerusalem should be destroyed1 and that during the siege the famine should be so great that the ,jews should eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters4 ,jeremiah #ai3i4 ,this prophecy was given six hundred and five years before ,christ1 and it was fulfilled when the ,roman army surrounded ,jerusalem1 ,a4 ,d4 #gj1 thirty-six years after the crucifixion of ,jesus4 ,some of the most wonderful of the prophecies are in the book of ,daniel4 ,the history of the world since his time is given plainly in chapters two1 seven and eight4 ,illustration3 ,daniel ,interpreting the ,king's ,dream4 ,in the second chapter the ,lord foretold1 by a dream1 what should come to pass from that time to the end of the world4 ,daniel1 a prophet of the ,lord1 was given wisdom to tell the king his dream1 which he had forgotten1 and also its meaning1 after the false prophets had confessed that they could not do so4 ,daniel said3 ,there is a ,god in heaven that revealeth secrets1 and maketh known to the king ,nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days4 ,daniel #b3bh4 ,so the interpretation is for us1 because the secret things belong unto the ,lord our ,god2 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children4 ,deuteronomy #bi3bi4 ,prophecy is history told in advance4 ,the ,lord is the only one who can do this without making a mistake4 ,turn to ,daniel #b3ca-cf1 and read the dream4 ,verses #cg to #de interpret it plainly1 showing that the four parts of the image mean four great kingdoms4 ,history tells us that the ,babylonian kingdom1 symbolized by the head of gold1 was conquered ,b4 ,c4 #ech 7five hundred and thirty-eight years before the time of ,christ71 by the ,medo-,persians1 represented by the breast and arms of silver4 ,cyrus was their general4 ,the ,medo-,persians were overcome by the ,grecians1 under ,alexander1 #cca ,b4 ,c4 ,the brass thighs of the image represent their kingdom4 ,the ,romans1 strong as iron1 signified by the legs of iron1 subdued the ,grecians in the year #afh ,b4 ,c4 ,the feet and toes of the image represent the ten parts into which the ,roman empire was divided between the years #cea and #dgf after the birth of ,christ4 ,these parts of ,rome exist in ,europe to-day1 under the names1 ,england1 ,germany1 ,france1 ,spain1 ,italy1 etc41 and will continue separate 7see verse #dc7 until the kingdom of ,christ is set up1 represented by the stone cut out of the mountain without hands1 which shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and shall stand for ever4 ,jesus said1 ,blessed are the meek1 for they shall inherit the earth4 ,illustration3 ,swords and ,plowshares1 ,spears and ,pruning ,hooks4 ,illustration3 ,they that take the ,sword shall ,perish with the ,sword4444 ,what the ,bible ,says ,about ,war4 ,,the great ,teacher said1 ,love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you1 and pray for them which despitefully use you4 ,matthew #e3i1 #ci-dd4 ,when everybody does this1 there will be no war4 ,all will be righteous2 for love is the fulfilling of the law1 ,god's standard of right-doing4 ,but no person can love everybody without a change of heart4 ,ye must be born again1 said ,jesus4 ,this change1 or new life1 comes by believing that ,god will change us4 ,it is only when we stop believing right that we stop doing right4 ,if the world would believe1 the world would be converted1 or changed2 but the parable of the tares and the wheat 7,matthew #ac3cf-dc71 and what ,jesus said about the many in the broad way and the few in the narrow way 7,matt4 #g3ac1 #ad71 show that many are called1 but few chosen4 ,yet thousands of people are prophesying peace and safety 7#a ,thessalonians #e3a-e71 forgetting that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse1 deceiving and being deceived 7#b ,timothy #c3ac71 and that the tares1 or sinners1 are finally to be destroyed instead of being changed over into wheat4 ,ye will not come unto ,me1 said ,jesus4 ,one of the prophecies of ,isaiah 7#b3b-e7 says that many people in the last days shall talk about peace as if it were coming soon by the conversion of the world4 ,the marginal reading of ,isaiah #b3af1 calls such talk pictures of desire1 and says they shall be brought low 7verse #ab74 ,verses three to five tell what the people are saying4 ,verses six to twenty-two are the prophet's declarations because of what the people have said4 ,he foretells destruction for those who do not repent1 the same as does the prophet ,joel4 ,it will be a time of general war4 ,here are the people's sayings and the ,lord's sayings1 side by side4 ,they are direct opposites2 yet both refer to the last days1 when the day of the ,lord is near3 ,it shall come to pass in ,,the ,,last ,,days that 444 ,,many ,,people shall say1 ,come ye1 and let us go up to the mountain of the ,lord1 to the house of the ,god of ,jacob2 and he will teach us of his ways1 and we will walk in his paths3444 ,and he shall judge among the nations1 and shall rebuke many people3 and they shall beat their swords into plowshares1 and their spears into pruninghooks3 nation shall not lift up sword against nation1 neither shall they learn war any more4 ,o house of ,jacob1 come ye and let us walk in the light of the ,lord4 ,isaiah #b3b-e4 ,proclaim ye this among the ,gentiles4 ,prepare war1 wake up the mighty men1 let all the men of war draw near2 let them come up3 ,beat your plowshares into swords1 and your pruninghooks into spears3 let the weak say ,i am strong4444 ,put ye in the sickle1 for the harvest is ripe3 come1 444 for their ,,wickedness is great4 ,multitudes1 multitudes in the valley of decision3 for the day of the ,lord is near in the valley of decision4 ,joel #c3i-af4 ,the ,,day ,,of ,,the ,,lord shall come as ,a ,,destruction from the ,almighty4 ,isaiah #ac3f-aa4 ,illustration3 ,john the ,baptist by the ,jordan4 ,illustration ,the ,birth of ,jesus4 ,,there was a man sent from ,god1 whose name was ,john4 ,the same came for a witness1 to bear witness of the ,light1 that all men through ,him might believe4 ,he was not that ,light1 but was sent to bear witness of that ,light4 ,john #a3f-h4 ,as it is written in the prophets1 ,behold1 ,i send ,my ,messenger before ,thy face1 which shall prepare ,thy way before ,thee4 ,the voice of one crying in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make ,his paths straight4 ,john did baptize in the wilderness1 and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4 ,and there went out unto him all the land of ,judea1 and they of ,jerusalem1 and were all baptized of him in the river of ,jordan1 confessing their sins4 ,and ,john was clothed with camel's hair1 and with a girdle of a skin about his loins2 and he did eat locusts and wild honey2 ,and preached1 saying1 ,there cometh ,one mightier than ,i after me1 the latchet of whose shoes ,i am not worthy to stoop down and unloose4 ,i indeed have baptized you with water2 but ,he shall baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,mark #a3b-h4 ,illustration3 ,the ,wise ,men ,following the ,star4 ,in ancient times1 when a king made a visit to another country1 he sent messengers before him4 ,these messengers would see that there was a good path for him to travel1 and that the people where he was going were ready to receive him4 ,john the ,baptist was ,god's messenger1 sent to arouse the people of this world1 and prepare them to receive ,jesus when ,he should come to visit them4 ,before ,jesus came to this earth ,he was a great ,king in heaven4 ,paul says ,he was equal with ,god4 ,philippians #b3f4 ,we can never understand how the ,son of ,god1 the great ,king of heaven1 could come to this earth as a babe4 ,this is one of ,god's great mysteries4 ,but he did come in just this way4 ,he was born in a manger in ,bethlehem4 ,coming in this humble manner1 the priests and rulers of ,israel were not ready to receive this ,babe as their ,saviour4 ,they were looking for ,him to come as a great ,king1 in pomp and splendor4 ,but there were on the plains of ,bethlehem some humble shepherds who were looking and waiting for the promised ,messiah4 ,to them angels were sent to tell of the birth of ,jesus4 ,and the angel said1 ,ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes1 lying in a manger4 ,and they went to ,bethlehem in haste1 and found the infant ,jesus as the angel had told them4 ,god meant that others1 as well as the ,jews1 should know that the ,saviour had come to begin ,his work on earth4 ,away off in the ,eastern country there were wise men who had read the prophecies about the ,messiah1 and believed that ,he would soon appear4 ,one night these men saw a wonderfully bright star in the sky1 moving toward the land of ,judea4 ,they believed this to be a sign that the ,messiah had come4 ,so they followed the star1 and it brought them to the manger in ,bethlehem4 ,and when they were come into the house1 they saw the young child with ,mary ,his mother1 and fell down and worshiped ,him2 and when they had opened their treasures1 they presented unto ,him gifts2 gold1 and frankincense1 and myrrh4 ,and being warned of ,god in a dream that they should not return to ,herod1 they departed into their own country another way4 ,and when they were departed1 behold1 the angel of the ,lord appeareth to ,joseph in a dream1 saying1 ,arise1 and take the young child and ,his mother1 and flee into ,egypt1 and be thou there until ,i bring thee word3 for ,herod will seek the young child to destroy ,him4 ,illustration3 ,the ,shepherds ,worship ,jesus4 ,find the second chapter of ,matthew1 and read about the flight into ,egypt1 and why they finally went to ,nazareth1 in ,galilee1 instead of to a city of ,judea4 ,verses #ae and #bc tell the reason4 ,illustration ,the ,childhood of ,jesus4 ,,the early life of ,jesus was spent in ,nazareth1 a small city in the northern part of ,palestine4 ,his parents were very poor1 and ,he had only what poor children have4 ,his father was a carpenter1 and ,christ learned the carpenter's trade and worked with him4 ,from ,his earliest days ,he was a pattern of obedience and industry4 ,he was used to a life of hardship and toil1 and can comfort all those who must work for a living4 ,of the childhood of ,jesus it is written1 ,the child grew1 and waxed strong in spirit1 filled with wisdom2 and the grace of ,god was upon ,him4 ,luke #b3dj4 ,the mother of ,jesus was ,his first earthly teacher4 ,from her lips1 and by reading the prophecies1 ,he was taught of heavenly things and of ,his mission to this world4 ,the wonderful truths which ,he ,himself had spoken to ,moses and the prophets1 ,he was now taught by ,his mother4 ,the ,holy ,spirit gave her wisdom to teach ,him aright4 ,all parents should teach their children as ,jesus was taught1 that every child may obtain knowledge as ,jesus did4 ,jesus left all ,his glory and power when ,he came to earth as a babe4 ,he took ,his place by the side of the fallen men of earth4 ,he came in the likeness of sinful flesh4 ,he was subject to all the temptations and weakness of our fallen race4 ,illustration3 ,jesus among the ,teachers of the ,law4 ,yet by the power of ,god ,he was kept from yielding to the temptations which surrounded ,him4 ,this power ,he gained by earnest prayer to ,his ,father in ,heaven4 ,this power every child and man can obtain in the same way4 ,in ,his humble life1 as the child of poor parents1 ,he faithfully did ,his part of the work4 ,ever obedient and cheerful1 ,he was as a pleasant sunbeam in the home circle4 ,once a year ,his parents went up to ,jerusalem to attend the passover4 ,when ,jesus was twelve years of age ,he went up with them4 ,when the feast was over1 ,joseph and ,mary started for home with a company of friends1 but ,jesus remained in ,jerusalem4 ,they supposed ,he was in the company1 and did not miss ,him until they had journeyed a whole day4 ,then they turned back to find ,him4 ,illustration3 ,jesus in the ,carpenter ,shop4 ,and it came to pass1 that after three days1 they found ,him in the temple1 sitting in the midst of the doctors1 both hearing them and asking them questions4 ,luke #b3df4 ,these doctors were learned men in the ,scriptures1 yet they were astonished at the questions and answers of ,jesus4 ,they soon saw that ,he had a deeper knowledge of the ,word of ,god than they had1 although ,he was so young4 ,jesus seemed to know the ,scriptures from beginning to end4 ,he repeated them in such a way that their true meaning shone out4 ,his knowledge of the ,scriptures made them ashamed4 ,though ,christ seemed like a child that was seeking help from those who knew a great deal more than ,he did1 yet ,he was bringing light to their minds in every word ,he spoke4 ,while appearing to instruct ,jesus1 these doctors were asking questions and learning ,bible truths which they did not understand4 ,and while ,jesus was thus teaching others1 ,he ,himself was receiving light and knowledge about ,his own work and mission in the world2 for it is plainly stated that ,christ 'grew in knowledge4' ,when ,mary found ,him she said1 ,son1 why hast ,thou thus dealt with us8 ,behold1 ,thy father and ,i have sought ,thee sorrowing4 ,and ,jesus answered1 ,how is it that ye sought me8 ,wist ye not that ,i must be about ,my ,father's business8 ,his parents could not understand ,him then1 but when ,he began ,his ministry it was plain to them4 ,and ,he went down with them1 and came to ,nazareth1 and was subject unto them2 but ,his mother kept all these sayings in her heart4 ,and ,jesus increased in wisdom and stature1 and in favor with ,god and man4 ,luke #b3da-ec4 ,illustration ,the ,early ,ministry of ,jesus4 ,,when ,jesus was about thirty years of age1 ,he went to be baptized by ,john in the ,river ,jordan4 ,he was not baptized because ,he was a sinner1 but to set an example for all to follow4 ,when ,he came out of the water the ,holy ,spirit1 in the form of a dove1 descended from ,heaven upon ,him4 ,then the voice of ,god was heard1 saying ,this is ,my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,the descent of the dove upon ,christ was ,his anointing for the work of the ministry that was before ,him4 ,from the ,jordan the ,spirit led ,him into the wilderness1 where ,he fasted forty days1 and where the devil tempted ,him in many ways1 as recorded in ,matthew #d3a-aa4 ,from the wilderness ,he returned to the ,jordan1 and began to choose ,his disciples4 ,we next hear of ,him at the marriage at ,cana of ,galilee1 where ,he performed the wonderful miracle of turning water into wine4 ,soon after this1 ,jesus went to ,jerusalem to attend the feast of the passover4 ,as ,he entered the temple where ,god was worshiped1 ,he found the court filled with cattle1 sheep1 and birds1 for sale to those who would buy sacrifices for their sins4 ,cheating and robbery were carried on in the very temple court4 ,even priests and rulers were engaged in this unholy traffic4 ,as ,jesus stands on the temple steps ,his eye views the whole scene4 ,his countenance changes1 and all seem compelled to look upon ,him4 ,illustration3 ,jesus ,drives the ,buyers and ,sellers from the ,temple4 ,all trading ceased1 and there was silence in the temple court4 ,then1 raising a whip of small cords1 ,he cried1 ,take these things hence2 make not ,my ,father's house an house of merchandise4 ,john #b3af4 ,priests1 and rulers1 and merchants fled in terror from the temple4 ,they could not endure the look on ,his face nor the power of ,his voice4 ,the divine power had flashed through the humanity of ,christ4 ,after a time the crowd that had fled at the words of ,jesus came slowly back2 but what a change had taken place6 ,instead of unholy trade1 they saw the ,saviour healing the sick who were pressing around ,him4 ,on every side was heard the urgent1 pitiful appeals1 ,master1 bless me4 ,all were healed who came to ,him4 ,the lame were made to walk1 the dumb to speak1 and the blind to see4 ,the mothers brought their children to be healed and blessed4 ,the little sufferers were returned to their mother's arms with the bloom of health and the smile of happiness on their faces4 ,jesus loved the children because they were so pure and innocent and simple in their ways4 ,he took them as an example of the purity and simplicity that should show in the lives of those who should follow ,him4 ,one day some mothers brought their children to ,jesus1 hoping that ,he would bless them4 ,but ,he had worked a long time1 and needed rest4 ,so ,his disciples rebuked the mothers1 and told them not to trouble the ,master4 ,but when ,jesus saw it1 ,he was much displeased1 and said unto them1 ,suffer the little children to come unto ,me1 and forbid them not2 for of such is the kingdom of ,god4 ,mark #aj3ad4 ,the pen of ,julia ,gill has given the following beautiful description of this scene3-- ,illustration3 ,jesus ,blessing the ,children4 ,christ and the ,little ,ones4 ,,the ,master has come over ,jordan1 ,said ,hannah1 the mother1 one day1 ,he is healing the people who throng ,him1 ,with a touch of ,his finger1 they say4 ,and now ,i shall carry the children-- ,little ,rachel1 and ,samuel1 and ,john1 ,i shall carry the baby1 ,esther1 ,for the ,lord to look upon4 ,the father looked at her kindly1 ,but he shook his head and smiled2 ,now1 who but a doting mother ,would think of a thing so wild8 ,if the children were tortured by demons1 ,or dying of fever1 'twere well1 ,or had they the taint of the leper1 ,like many in ,israel4 ,nay1 do not hinder me1 ,nathan-- ,i feel such a burden of care2 ,if ,i carry it to the ,master1 ,perhaps ,i shall leave it there4 ,if he lays ,his hand on the children1 ,my heart will be lighter1 ,i know1 ,for a blessing for ever and ever ,will follow them as they go4 ,so over the hills to ,judah1 ,along the vine-rows green1 ,with ,esther asleep on her bosom1 ,and ,rachel her brothers between1 ',mong the people who hung on ,his teaching1 ,or waited ,his touch and ,his word1 ,through the row of proud ,pharisees listening1 ,she pressed to the feet of the ,lord4 ,now1 why shouldst thou hinder the ,master1 ,said ,peter1 with children like these8 ,seest not how1 from morning till evening1 ,he teacheth1 and healeth disease8 ,then ,christ said1 ,forbid not the children-- ,permit them to come unto ,me4 ,and ,he took in ,his arms little ,esther1 ,and ,rachel ,he set on ,his knee2 ,and the heavy heart of the mother ,was lifted all earth-care above2 ,and ,he laid ,his hands on the brothers1 ,and blest them with tenderest love4 ,as ,he said of the babes in ,his bosom1 ,of such is the kingdom of heaven1 ,new strength for all duty and trial ,that hour to her spirit was given4 ,illustration3 ,at the ,home of ,mary and ,martha ,illustration ,jesus in the ,home4 ,,on earth ,jesus had no home of ,his own4 ,he said of ,himself1 ,the foxes have holes1 and the birds of the air have nests2 but the ,son of man hath not where to lay ,his head4 ,see ,matthew #h3bj4 ,he never remained long in one place4 ,we read of ,his beautiful teachings and wonderful miracles in all parts of ,palestine4 ,at one time ,he is on the shore of the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,at another time ,he is in ,jerusalem1 cleansing the temple and healing the sick4 ,then ,he is by ,jacob's well1 in ,samaria1 teaching the people of ,sychar the way to everlasting life4 ,he had no home of ,his own1 but many were glad to receive ,him as a loved and honored guest4 ,when in these homes ,he more than repaid them for their care1 by the beautiful lessons ,he taught1 and the sorrows ,he comforted4 ,and we can have ,jesus in our homes to-day just as truly as they had ,him when ,he was on earth4 ,if we invite ,him1 ,he will come into our homes and dwell with us1 and teach us1 and help us in all our trials1 and comfort us in all our sorrows4 ,in the little town of ,bethany1 near ,jerusalem1 was the home of ,lazarus and his sisters ,mary and ,martha4 ,at this pleasant home the ,saviour was always welcome4 ,this whole family believed in ,jesus and ,his mission1 and eagerly listened to the words which ,he spake4 ,in this peaceful home ,jesus often found rest4 ,when weary1 and feeling the need of human sympathy1 ,he was glad to escape from the throngs of people1 and the contentions of the wicked ,pharisees1 for the quiet and peace of this humble home4 ,at the time of ,his first visit to ,bethany1 ,his disciples came with ,him to the home of ,lazarus4 ,here ,he had no enemies to watch his words1 and ,he taught the great truths of the gospel plainly1 and not in parables4 ,prizing these lessons1 ,mary sat at the feet of ,jesus1 an eager listener to the wonderful words of life4 ,but ,martha was busy preparing food for the guests4 ,she was very anxious that they should be comfortably cared for4 ,martha felt that her sister was not helping in the work as she ought1 and came to ,christ1 and said1 ,lord1 dost ,thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone8 bid her therefore that she help me4 ,but ,jesus answered1 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou art careful and troubled about many things2 but one thing is needful2 and ,mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her4 ,luke #aj3dj1 #da4 ,the most important thing in this world is to learn the great lessons which ,jesus teaches4 ,there is need for the ,marthas with their zeal and carefulness for the work and servants of ,god4 ,but first they should1 like ,mary1 learn at the feet of ,jesus4 ,happy the home where ,jesus' name ,is sweet to ev'ry ear2 ,where children early lisp ,his fame1 ,and parents hold ,him dear4 ,lord1 may we in our homes agree1 ,this blessed peace to gain2 ,unite our hearts in love to ,thee1 ,and love to all will reign4 ,illustration ,the ,miracles of ,jesus4 ,,during ,his mission on earth1 ,jesus performed many wonderful miracles4 ,he healed the sick1 gave sight to the blind1 made the deaf to hear1 cleansed the lepers1 raised the dead1 stilled the storm1 and did many other wonderful works4 ,at one time ,jesus had been teaching all day in a desert place4 ,as the night came on the disciples asked ,him to send the people away that they might go into the villages and buy food to eat4 ,but ,jesus answered1 ,give ye them to eat4 ,they were astonished at this1 for there were five thousand people to be fed1 and they had only five loaves and two small fishes4 ,then ,jesus took the loaves and fishes and blessed them1 and divided them among the people4 ,and they did all eat1 and were filled4 ,and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments1 and of the fishes1 ,mark #f3ci-dd ,at another time four of the disciples fished all night on the ,lake of ,gennesaret1 or ,galilee1 and had caught nothing4 ,and ,jesus said to ,peter1 ,launch out into the deep1 and let down your net for a draught4 ,but ,peter was discouraged1 and said1 ,master1 we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing2 nevertheless at ,thy word ,i will let down the net4 ,and when they had this done1 they inclosed a great multitude of fishes2 and their net brake4 ,luke #e3a-g4 ,illustration3 ,the ,net ,full of ,fishes4 ,then ,peter and ,andrew called to ,james and ,john to come with their boat and help them4 ,and both boats were filled with the fish4 ,some time after this miracle1 ,jesus and the disciples were crossing this same lake1 and a terrible storm arose4 ,but ,jesus was lying asleep on one of the hard seats of the boat4 ,the disciples worked hard to save the boat2 but when it began to fill with water1 they awoke ,him1 and said1 ,master1 ,master1 we perish4 ,and the ,saviour rebuked the storm1 and it ceased1 and the waters became still4 ,every miracle performed by ,jesus had a lesson for us4 ,these miracles show that the ,lord can control every element for the good of ,his people and work4 ,they also show that ,he can provide for all our wants4 ,wherever ,jesus went1 the sick and the suffering were brought to ,him1 and ,he never turned them away4 ,by a touch the blind received their sight4 ,by a word the deaf were made to hear1 and the lame to walk4 ,to the appeal of the lepers ,he said1 ,i will1 be thou clean1 and they were cured of their loathsome disease4 ,at ,his command the devils were cast out1 and those having all manner of diseases were healed4 ,all sickness and suffering are the result of sin4 ,when the same dear hand that healed the sick on earth shall destroy sin1 all sickness and suffering shall be forever ended4 ,among the many miracles of ,jesus1 even the dead were raised to life4 ,the daughter of ,jairus1 a ruler in ,israel1 was sick1 and before ,jesus reached her she died4 ,yet ,he took her by the hand1 and said1 ,damsel1 ,i say unto thee1 arise4 ,and she was raised to life and perfect health4 ,see ,mark #e3bb-dc4 ,the son of the widow of ,nain was raised from the dead as he was being taken to the place of burial4 ,see ,luke #g3aa-ae4 ,but the greatest exhibition of divine power was in the raising of ,lazarus1 who had been dead four days4 ,he had been dead so long that no one even thought of his being raised4 ,but when the stone was rolled away1 ,jesus cried1 ,lazarus1 come forth6 ,at the call of the ,life-giver1 he that had been dead came to the door of the sepulcher4 ,and ,jesus said1 ,loose him1 and let him go4 ,these miracles show that ,jesus can break the power of death4 ,when ,he shall again come to this earth ,he will bring the final reward to ,his people4 ,see ,revelation #bb3ab4 ,illustration3 ,the ,mighty ,healer4 ,paul based his future hope on the resurrection4 ,for if the dead rise not1 then is not ,christ raised2 and if ,christ be not raised1 your faith is vain1 ye are yet in your sins4 ,then they also which have fallen asleep in ,christ are perished4 #a ,cor4 #ae3af-ah4 ,illustration ,the ,parables of ,jesus4 ,,much of the teaching of our ,saviour was made plain by the use of parables1 or object lessons4 ,he took the things of every-day life1 with which all were familiar1 to illustrate the truths of eternal life4 ,and ,he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous1 and despised others3 ,two men went up into the temple to pray2 the one a ,pharisee1 and the other a publican4 ,the ,pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself1 ,god1 ,i thank ,thee1 that ,i am not as other men are1 extortioners1 unjust1 adulterers1 or even as this publican4 ,i fast twice in the week1 ,i give tithes of all ,i possess4 ,and the publican1 standing afar off1 would not lift up so much as his eyes unto ,heaven1 but smote upon his breast1 saying1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner4 ,luke #ah3i-ac4 ,our own righteousness is nothing but filthy rags4 ,our own good deeds can never save us4 ,prayer is simply coming to ,god as our ,father4 ,it is telling ,him of our needs1 and thanking ,him for ,his blessings4 ,the ,pharisee felt no need1 and so received no blessing4 ,the publican knew he was a sinner1 and asked for the mercy of ,god4 ,hence he went from the temple forgiven1 justified1 made just before ,god4 ,his record was made clean on the books of ,heaven4 ,illustration3 ,the ,pharisee and the ,publican ,in another parable ,jesus said1 ,there was a certain rich man1 which was clothed in purple and fine linen1 and fared sumptuously every day4 ,and there was a certain beggar named ,lazarus1 which was laid at his gate1 full of sores1 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table4 ,see ,luke #af3ai-ca4 ,the rich man died and was punished1 because he had not made ,god his hope and trust4 ,but ,lazarus1 although poor and afflicted1 had been a servant of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,he also died1 but received the glorious reward which ,god has in store for all who obey ,him4 ,this parable teaches that riches are no sign of ,god's favor2 neither does poverty indicate that one is rejected of ,god4 ,at another time a lawyer asked ,jesus1 ,who is my neighbor8 ,illustration3 ,the ,rich ,man and ,lazarus4 ,jesus answered with a parable4 ,a man traveling from ,jerusalem to ,jericho was met by thieves1 who beat him1 and robbed him1 and left him1 supposing he was dead4 ,a priest came that way1 but passed by on the other side of the road4 ,a ,levite also came and looked at him1 and then went away without giving aid4 ,but at last1 one of the ,samaritans 7a people despised by the ,jews7 came along4 ,when he saw the wounded man1 he bound up his wounds1 lifted him onto his beast1 took him to an inn1 and cared for him4 ,then ,jesus asked1 which now of these three1 thinkest thou1 was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves8 ,and the lawyer could only answer1 ,he that showed mercy on him4 ,then ,jesus said1 ,go1 and do thou likewise4 ,see ,luke #aj3be-cg4 ,illustration3 ,the ,good ,samaritan4 ,our neighbor is any human being in need4 ,a man despised may be living out the principles taught by ,christ1 better than the ones who despise him4 ,illustration ,the ,death and ,resurrection of ,jesus4 ,,after three years and a half of ministry1 ,jesus came to ,jerusalem to eat the last passover4 ,from the supper room ,he went with ,his disciples to the ,garden of ,gethsemane4 ,jesus knew that the time for ,his suffering and death had now come1 and ,he went to the garden for one last season of prayer to ,his ,father4 ,we can never understand the terrible sufferings of ,christ in ,gethsemane4 ,he was to suffer for the sins of the world4 ,he must feel the displeasure which ,god has for sin4 ,so great was ,his mental agony that drops of blood1 like sweat1 stood upon ,his face4 ,three times ,he prayed to the ,father for strength and submission for the awful trial before ,him4 ,after each prayer ,he came to the disciples for sympathy2 but each time found them asleep4 ,had they watched and prayed with the ,master1 they1 too1 would have received strength for the trial and sorrow before them4 ,after the last prayer1 ,he said to the disciples1 ,rise1 let us be going2 behold he is at hand that doth betray ,me4 ,matthew #bf3de1 #df4 ,they were then met by the throng that had come to take ,jesus1 and ,judas betrayed ,his ,master with a kiss4 ,illustration3 ,in ,gethsemane4 ,that same night ,jesus was examined before the high priests and the ,sanhedrim1 and in the morning ,he was taken before ,pilate for condemnation4 ,pilate was a ,roman governor1 and no one could be put to death unless he commanded it4 ,when ,pilate saw ,jesus1 he did not believe he was a criminal4 ,he saw a man of noble1 dignified bearing1 with no appearance of crime about ,him4 ,but men had been hired by the priests to testify falsely against ,jesus4 ,pilate listened to them1 and then questioned the ,saviour4 ,he then gave his decision1 ,i find no fault in the ,man4 ,pilate wished to release ,him3 but the priests were determined that he should be put to death4 ,then ,pilate sent ,jesus bound to ,herod1 for ,herod was ruler of ,galilee1 and the home of ,jesus had been in that country4 ,the soldiers mocked and derided ,him1 and then ,herod sent ,him back to ,pilate4 ,pilate was angry when ,jesus was brought back to ,him for final trial4 ,so he said1 ,i will therefore chastise ,him and let ,him go4 ,but the priests would not consent1 and all cried out1 ,away with this man4 ,nothing less than the death of ,jesus would pacify them4 ,at this time ,god sent a warning to ,pilate4 ,an angel troubled the mind of ,pilate's wife1 and she sent word to her husband1 ,have thou nothing to do with that just ,man2 for ,i have suffered many things this day in a dream because of ,him4 ,matthew #bg3ai4 ,but ,pilate feared to displease the ,jews4 ,so he washed his hands before the people1 to show that he would not be responsible for the death of ,jesus4 ,and yet ,pilate condemned ,him to death1 and ,he was taken to ,calvary and crucified between two thieves4 ,tender1 loving hands took ,him down from the cruel cross1 and laid ,him away in ,joseph's new tomb4 ,but the tomb could not hold ,him4 ,illustration3 ,the ,dream of ,pilate's ,wife ,early on the morning of the first day of the week1 a powerful angel was sent from the courts of ,heaven4 ,the stone was rolled away from the tomb1 and the angel cried with a loud voice1 ,jesus1 ,thou ,son of ,god1 come forth1 ,thy ,father calls ,thee6 ,and ,christ came from the tomb1 a conquerer over sin1 ,satan1 death1 and the grave4 ,when the women came that morning1 to care for the body of ,jesus1 they found a shining angel at the tomb4 ,and he said to them1 ,fear not ye2 for ,i know that ye seek ,jesus1 which was crucified4 ,he is not here2 for ,he is risen1 as ,he said4 ,come and see the place where the ,lord lay4 ,and go quickly and tell ,his disciples that ,he is risen from the dead2 and1 behold1 ,he goeth before you into ,galilee2 there shall ye see ,him2 lo1 ,i have told you4 ,illustration3 ,he is not here2 for ,he is risen4 ,and they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy2 and did run to bring ,his disciples word4 ,matthew #bh3a-h4 ,illustration ,the ,dominion ,restored4 ,,after the resurrection ,jesus appeared to ,his disciples at different times and places4 ,they were thus strengthened for the work that was before them4 ,at ,his last visit1 forty days after the resurrection1 ,he walked with them from ,jerusalem to the ,mount of ,olives4 ,here ,he gave the blessed promise1 so dear to every child of ,god1 ,lo1 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world4 ,matthew #bh3bj4 ,and then1 with hands raised in blessing1 ,he rose from among them4 ,as they gazed upward1 a cloud of heavenly angels received ,him out of their sight4 ,had they lost their ,saviour forever8 ,oh1 no6 ,two shining angels had been sent to comfort them1 and said1 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into ,heaven8 this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into ,heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into ,heaven4 ,acts #a3i-aa4 ,jesus ,himself has said1 ,i will come again1 and receive you unto ,myself2 that where ,i am1 there ye may be also4 ,john #ad3a-c4 ,the angels told the disciples that ,he would so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into ,heaven4 ,he ascended bodily1 in plain sight of the disciples4 ,when ,he returns1 every eye shall see ,him4 ,revelation #a3g4 ,paul1 in describing ,christ's second coming1 says1 ,for the ,lord ,himself shall descend from ,heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the ,archangel1 and with the trump of ,god2 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first4 ,then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air2 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord4 #a ,thessalonians #d3af1 #ag4 ,paul calls the ,christian's hope that blessed hope1 and the glorious appearing of the great ,god and our ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,titus #b3ac4 ,the hope of the ,christian depends on the second coming of our ,lord1 for ,he says1 ,behold1 ,i come quickly2 and ,my reward is with ,me1 to give every man according as his work shall be4 ,revelation #bb3ab4 ,yes1 ,jesus is coming again4 ,and when ,he comes the righteous dead will be raised from their graves1 and all that have been faithful and true will be rewarded with everlasting life in the paradise of ,god4 ,illustration3 ,the ,ascension4 ,the reward is worth receiving4 ,a beautiful crown is waiting2 for ,paul says1 ,henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness1 which the ,lord1 the righteous ,judge1 shall give me at that day2 and not to me only1 but unto all them also that love ,his appearing4 #b ,timothy #d3f-h4 ,this is called a crown of life1 in ,james #a3ab1 and ,revelation #b3aj4 ,peter calls it a crown of glory1 and says it is to be given when the ,chief ,shepherd shall appear4 #a ,peter #e3d4 ,and this earth1 cleansed and purified from sin and the effects of the curse1 is to be our home4 ,peter says of it1 ,nevertheless we1 according to ,his promise1 look for new heavens and a new earth1 wherein dwelleth righteousness4 #b ,peter #c3aj1 #ac4 ,the ,new ,jerusalem1 which ,christ is preparing in heaven1 shall come down to earth and be its capital city4 ,the apostle-prophet ,john said he saw the holy city1 ,new ,jerusalem1 coming down from ,god out of heaven4 ,and ,i saw no temple therein2 for the ,lord ,god ,almighty and the ,lamb are the temple of it4444 ,the ,lamb is the light thereof4 ,and the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it4 ,and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes2 and there shall be no more death1 neither sorrow1 nor crying1 neither shall there be any more pain2 for the former things are passed away4 ,he that overcometh shall inherit all things2 and ,i will be his ,god1 and he shall be ,my son4 ,revelation #ba3g4 ,the earth and the dominion of it were given to man at creation4 ,these will be restored to him at redemption4 ,the prophet ,micah said to the daughter of ,zion1 unto thee shall it come1 even the first dominion4 ,micah #d3h4 ,then ,eden lost will be ,eden regained1 and the lost dominion will be ,the ,dominion ,restored4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,obvious punctuation errors repaired ,page #hd1 happines changed to happiness 7give true happiness7 ,page #ajg1 ,benjaman changed to ,benjamin 7,benjamin1 the two7 ,page #aai1 ,egyptains changed to ,egyptians 7to the ,egyptians7 ,page #aba1 recieved changed to received 7,what they received7 ,page #abc1 posessed changed to possessed 7all they possessed7 ,page #acj1 ,whosover changed to ,whosoever 7,whosoever therefore shall7 ,page #aeh1 chapthers changed to chapters 7plainly in chapters two7