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February 3, 1909. THE PRESBYTERIA
Young People's Societies
LIFE LESSONS FROM JOB.
* Topic for Sunday, February 14: Life lessons for me from
the Book of Job. Job 42:1-6, 10-17.
Daily Readings: Monday, February 8: My testing. Job
1 19t- 1 Pelor 1 K 7
Tuesday, February 9: My adversary: Job 2:1-7; 1 Peter
6:8-11.
Wednesday, February 10: My perplexity. Job 21:7-13;*
Psalm 73:13-19.
Thursday, February 11. My critics. Job 19:1-8; 1 Peter
4:12-19.
Friday, February 12: My humility. Job 40:3-5; Matthew
5:5.
Saturday, February 13: My Redeemer. Job 19:21-29.
t
The Book of Job is by many of the most eminent scholars
regarded as the oldest in the Bible. The internal evidences
are especially strong in proof of its antiquity.
The great theme of the book, the mystery of suffering.
muHtjs it aKin 10 au ine ages ana Drings it into contact wun
every class of humanity in every part of the world.
Its study and solution of the question why the righteous
suffer puts It in close touch with God's people, and reveals
to them the practical meaning of the afflictions which he
sends.
The occasion of the book and its contents was Satan's
charge that men are pious while it pays, that they pray while
they prosper. This charge God allowed him to put to a practical
test.
A modern fancy, made very current and popular by Pro
feasor Moulton, is that Satan "was not as we understand the
levll, but "The Satan." one of God's provincial governors, as
it were, reporting to God on the conditions of the province
embracing this earth.
According to this theory, "The Satan" was a very fine
gentleman indeed, faithfully discharging his duty and honored
of God.
The distinguished author and advocates of this theory
would better see more of tbe spirit of the book, or else confine
themselves absolutely to the literary study of it.
t< u;r wc uguicuus Huiier is me pruuiem 01 me dook.
Three answers are given. Job's "comforters," as" they are
sometimes called, brought sorry comfort. They simply pointed
out Job s suffering and, as the saying goes, "rubbed it in," by
their answer that suffering always implies the guilt of the sufferer.
Tnat young Hotspur, Ellbu, confident and self-confident,
Bsured, contemptuous of his elders and of their judgment,
proposed the solution that the suffering of the righteous may
Imply God's judgment upon them for their sins. He was a
little nearer the truth perhaps than Eliphaz, Bildad, and
Zophar, but like theirs it was but a half truth that he uttered.
The third answer, God's reply, was the only true solu
tion. The suffering of the righteous is but a part of the wise
government of an ali-wise and beneficent Creator, who knows
the end from the beginning, whose wisdom none can search
out, but all whose power is exercised in grace and for the
good of those who humbly trust him, the very tribulation he
sends being a part of hia gracious plan.
The speeches of Job's friends and Ellhu must needs be
read with special care. They contain many gems of truth,
but their setting, in incorrect principles, demands caution In
applying them. As a whole they clearly illustrate the danger
\
N OF THE SOUTH. 15
and d.scomfort cf hasty conclusions. Half truths are sometimes
worse than whole errors. They deceive us more. They
mislead the judgment. They obscure the truth. The book
must be read as a whole, for a proper judgment of it.
God permits the righteous to be tested. It is for their
sakes and the world's, not for his.
Prayer Meeting
FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING FEBRUARY 7TH.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND KNOWLEDGE.
Prov. 2: 1-9.
Sound knowledge is t^at which is funided on truth. Jesus
said to Thomas: "I am the way and the truth and the
life." When we remember that Jesus is the Creator of the
Universe, all things were made by Him, and without Him was
not anything made that hath been made," we must under
stand that not only is He the Revealer of truth in the higher
realm of our spiritual relations to God; but He, our new life,
our way to loving relations wth our Heavenly Father, is also
the source and author of all sound knowledge.
It was the naturalist, Agassiz, who said he felt that he was
reading one of God's thoughts when in his study of nature he
made any new discovery. All knowledge is valuable, but in
the first chapter of Proverbs we get a statement of relative values:
"The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge,"
or as the margin has it, "chief part of knowledge."
Our divine Redeemer brings man back into a knowledge
of the lovine heart of fJnH Tho ovnianottnn
w "V/ VA|/>MUUb*VU VI ICUVUiptlUll 19
that, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
Son." So that we know love to be at the basis of our salvation.
So, in the death of Christ we get a knowledge of God as
infinitely holy, inasmuch as sin was atoned for and its removal
secured at that infinite cost. The life blood of the Son was
given to rescue us from sin. "How shall he not with him also
freely give us all things?" Such is sound knowledge of truth
about our Heavenly Father.
A true knowledge of ourselves involves a conception of
our high origin, the depth to which humanity has fallen and
the height to which faith in Christ lilts us. By sin, man
lost a true knowledge of God, and likewise a true knowledge of
himself.' In the revelation of Jesus Christ he regains this
knowledge of God, and also a knowledge of perfect manhood.
For in the God-man, Jesus Christ, we have perfect God and
perfect man. Sound knowledge of God and of man is secured
through redemption and is realized in knowing him whom to
know aright is life eternal.
It is necessary to a true knowledge of the laws and qualities
of the natural world that we accept his revelation.
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by
the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made
of things which do appear. Is it true that the undevout astronomer
is mad? And isn't It true that the best part of truth
is lost to him who fails to know that "all things were made
J * * -
iuiuu?u iimi, uiiu wuiiuui nim was noi anytning made that
hath been made"? If, then, we are to address ourselves to the
study of nature, It is of primary Importance that we know that
he who has made us Is the Creator and Governor of the natural
world. He knows exactly what every faculty of our being
Is suited to, and capable of doing, and receiving. He knows
perfectly the subject of our study, the properties and powers
with which that subject is endowed; and is capable of revealing
to us. It is a part of true wisdom to learn of him who is the
author of our being and the author of every law that may Invite
and reward our discovery.