Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 15

15. What does G.o.d (Jehovah) declare Himself to be?

"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the _first_, and I am the _last_; and beside Me there is no G.o.d." Isa. 44:6.

16. In what scripture does Christ adopt the same expression?

"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the _first_ and the _last_." Rev. 22:12, 13.

17. Having such a wonderful Saviour, what are we exhorted to do?

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is pa.s.sed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of G.o.d, _let us hold fast our profession_. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4:14, 15.

Before the heavens were spread abroad, From everlasting was the Word; With G.o.d He was, the Word was G.o.d, And must divinely be adored.

Ere sin was born, or Satan fell, He led the host of morning stars; His generation who can tell, Or count the number of His years?

But lo! He leaves those heavenly forms; The Word descends and dwells in clay, That He may converse hold with worms, Pressed in such feeble flesh as they.

ISAAC WATTS.

Prophecies Relating To Christ

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

The Star Of Bethlehem. "There shall come a Star out of Jacob." Num. 24:17.

1. Whom did Moses say the Lord would raise up?

"The Lord thy G.o.d will raise up unto thee _a Prophet_ from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto Him ye shall harken." Deut.

18:15. See also verse 18.

2. What use of this prophecy by the apostle Peter shows that it referred to Christ?

"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, _A prophet_ shall the Lord your G.o.d raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me.... Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of _these days_." Acts 3:22-24.

3. In what language did Isaiah foretell Christ's birth?

"Behold, _a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son_, and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa. 7:14.

4. In what event was this prophecy fulfilled?

"Now _all this was done_ [the birth of Jesus of the Virgin Mary], that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, G.o.d with us." Matt. 1:22, 23.

5. Where was the Messiah to be born?

"But thou, _Bethlehem Ephratah_, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel." Micah 5:2.

6. When was Jesus born?

"Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea _in the days of Herod the king_."

Matt. 2:1.

7. Under what striking emblem was He prophesied of by Balaam?

"There shall come _a Star_ out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel." Num. 24:17.

8. In what scripture does Christ apply the same emblem to Himself?

"I am the root and the offspring of David, and _the bright and morning star_." Rev. 22:16. See also 2 Peter 1:19; Rev. 2:28.

9. What prophecy was fulfilled in the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem?

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and _slew all the children that were in Bethlehem_, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled _that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet_, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Matt. 2:16-18.

10. How was Christ's first advent to be heralded?

"_The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness_, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our G.o.d." Isa. 40:3.

11. By whom was this fulfilled?

"And this is the record of _John_, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?... he said, _I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness_, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." John 1:19-23.

12. How was Christ to be received by His own people?

"He is _despised_ and _rejected_ of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was _despised_, and _we esteemed Him not_." Isa. 53:3.

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

Christ Before Pilate. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth." Isa. 53:7.

13. How is the fulfilment of this prophecy recorded?

"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. _He came unto His own, and His own received Him not._" John 1:10, 11.

14. What was predicted of Christ's preaching?

"The Spirit of the Lord G.o.d is upon Me; because _the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek_; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Isa. 61:1.

15. What application did Jesus make of this prophecy?

"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.... And He began to say unto them, _This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears_." Luke 4:16-21. See Luke 7:19-22.

16. How, according to prophecy, was Christ to conduct Himself when on trial?