Before you really understand the import of this question you probably would like to look at its setting in the Word of God. Job was a man marvelously blessed of God, blessed because he honored God, because he served God, because he testified about God, because he was a living, walking example of what God could do in a man’s life. Job had so walked before God, so obeyed God, so listened to the dictates of the voice of God that God could afford to bless him. He had many cattle, …
(Helpful to Sunday School Lesson of May 16, 1920, 1 Samuel 7:2–17)
“The time was long.” This has been the testimony of all the saints of God when the glory of the presence of God has dimmed, and when the heart has been far from His will. Here the ark was far from the heart of the people. One of the poets has said:
“The midsummer sun shines but dim, The fields strive in vain to look gay,”
Whenever the Lord is not near, and His presence real.
“Return unto the Lord with all your hearts.” This was Samuel’s first …
“Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” —John 12:1–3
Here is a beautiful home picture. In these verses God has opened the doors and let us look …
(Helpful to Sunday School Lesson of May 9, 1920, 1 Samuel 4:5–18)
“The ark of the Lord was come into the camp.” The Lord was revealing Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, where was the ark of the Lord. The sons of Eli had cut off the presence of God and the vision of God. Samuel had arisen as the known and accepted prophet of God, and manifestations of the presence of God were again taking place in Shiloh. The Philistines were arrayed against all Israel, the Israelites were losing, and, knowing of the power in the ark of God, and …
(Helpful to Sunday School Lesson of May 2, 1920, 1 Samuel 1:24–28; 3:1–21)
“The Lord called Samuel.” It is easy to understand that this was not a voice which others could hear or Eli could have heard it. The voice was very clear indeed to Samuel; Samuel was sure that someone had called him. This Scripture should show us that while others may be used of the Lord in clearing up our call and proving to us that it is the Lord and not man that is calling, yet the call must be heard by the one called and by …
“And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.” —Mark 15:24
The Roman soldiers at the foot of the cross of Calvary, shook dice to see which was the lucky man to win the different garments of the crucified Christ. You must remember that God has garments, that God has clothed Himself as with a garment. To God the sun is a sparkling gem upon His finger, the stars are wonderful pearls about his neck, the Earth covered with its vegetation and water is but the garment that God slips …
“The Lord called Samuel.” It is easy to understand that this was not a voice which others could hear or Eli could have heard it. The voice was very clear indeed to Samuel; Samuel was sure that some one had called him. This Scripture should show us that while others may be used of the Lord in clearing up our call and proving to us that it is the Lord and not man that is calling, yet the call must be heard by the one called and by him alone.
How foolish we are when we expect others to understand …
“And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.”—Mark 15:24
The Roman soldiers at the foot of the cross of Calvary, shook dice to see which was the lucky man to win the different garments of the crucified Christ. You must remember that God has garments, that God has clothed Himself as with a garment. To God the sun is a sparkling gem upon His finger, the stars are wonderful pearls about His neck, the Earth covered with its vegetation and water is but the garment that God slips over …
(Helpful to Sunday School Lesson of April 25, 1920, Ruth 1)
“There was a famine in the land.” When there is nothing left God does His mightiest work. So often in the hour of famine God gives a record of mighty work in the Bible. It was a famine that drove Naomi’s husband into this land of Moab, but no blessing could come upon him while there.
Abraham tried to get relief by leaving Canaan in a time of famine. We often try to get relief by turning to the world in a time of spiritual darkness, but there is …
“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.” —Luke 5:24
Here is a story of the helping of the helpless. This man was absolutely helpless, and the sinner is absolutely helpless. The great trouble with men today in dealing with God is that they feel that somehow they can help themselves, and there is no help for them.
