Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1911 — OLD TESTAMENT TIMES BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBIE STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OLD TESTAMENT TIMES BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBIE STUDIES

“PRIDE GOETH BEFORE DESTRUCTION” II Chronicle* 26:8-21—May 7 "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.''— proverbs J6:18. H GREAT and prosperous king in Jerusalem was Uzziah. lie made a good begiunlng, was reverential toward God and put his '•apltal and the remainder of his Klugdom Into a good condition for defense against enemies. When thinking of the wars of Israel we are to remember that this nation for a time represented God's rule in the earth In a sense that no other nation ever did. j either before or after them. Israel’s kings were anointed by Dij vine commission and authority, as ! were no other kings, and they were said to “sit upon the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord," as no other kings before or since have held dominion. Theirs was not, however, the Kingdom of God for which we pray, “Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on earth,” but merely a preparatory arrangement with the typical Israelites. Ha Shall Reign For a Thousand Years God’s Kingdom will really come to earth after Messiah shall establish it.

For a thousand years He shall reign to uplift the humble and to bless all who seek righteousness and to punish and correct all others and finally to destroy the incorrigible in the Second Death. It was. therefore, quite in line with the arrangements of

that time that the kings of Israel and Judah should fortify and strengthen! themselves and defend the land which the Almighty had specially given to their nation. The truthfulness of our text was illustrated in King Uzziah when his fame had spread abroad and he began to feel his greatness. Pride came in; he forgot that he was merely the Lord’s representative in the kingdom. Having accomplished great things from a political and military standpoint, Uzziah essayed to a religious distinction. He evidently felt that God was proud of him and would be very pleased to have him enter the temple after the manner of the priests and offer incense at the Golden Altar. He knew of the rules governing the temple and its service, but considered himself above them. He would go direct to God and not recognize the priest. There Is but the One Way of Approach to God Many successful people fall into the same error of supposing that their success in business or in politics, their brilliancy of mind, or their polish of education are the only requisites in the sight of Jehovah. They feel that if they go to Church and acknowledge God, God should be very proud to have them and. of course, should give them the first place in everything. This is a mistake. The great King Eternal, “the Lofty One that inhabited Eternity.” has rules and regulations governing all attempts to approach Him. There is the one way of approach and no other. King Uzziah knew of the Divine arrangement, that his prayers as incense could be offered to the Almighty on the “Golden Altar” only by the priest, so

those who now have come to a realization of the fact that Jesus is the great antitypical Priest through whom communication with the Father has been opened up would come under condemnation should they intrude into the Divine pres-

ence in prayer, otherwise than as provided in the Divine arrangement, as King Uzziab was smitten with leprosy for his presumption and pride. A Lesson of Humility “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needetb not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth ” (2 Tim. 2:15.) The lesson seems to be one of humility, both for the Church and the world. Some are born humble-minded and others self-conceited. Humility is Important, not only on its own account, but also because the other graces of the Holy Spirit cannot be cultivated without it The Apostle begins the list of these spiritual graces with meekness. How could one be patient and submissive in the trials and difficulties of life if not meek? How could one be kind toward opponents and in all things if he were not meek ? How could on* be patient toward all if he were not meek? How could one be Godlike without meekness? How could one be loving in the Scriptural sense without meekness? Along these lines all who will be of the Church will be tested. Meekness and humility must be cultivated and must abound in the heart In order to enable the cultivation of the othei fruits of the Spirit. ~

Uzziah's leprosy .

Humility before honor.