FIRST CHRONICLES contains genealogical records of God's earthly elect people from the days of Adam till the captivity in Babylon, so that all classes of the returned remnants of Judah from their 70 years' exile might be able to verify their claims in resuming their place in the nation; the reign of David is the other main subject of the book. Chapters 1-9, genealogies of the kings, priests, Levites, and people from Adam to the captivity; chapters 10-21, history of the kingdom of Judah from the death of Saul and accession of David till the purchase of the threshing-floor of Oman; chapters 22-29, David's preparations for building the temple and arrangements of its services.
SECOND CHRONICLES continues the kingdom history of Judah from Solomon to the Chaldean capture of Jerusalem. Chapters 1-9, life and reign of Solomon; chapters 10-36, royal Judean history from Rehoboam till the destruction of Jerusalem.
EZRA is occupied with the religious life and bright faith of the remnants who returned to Palestine from the Chaldean captivity. Chapters 1-6, return of a remnant under the leadership of Zerubbabel, and their temple work and worship: chapters 7-10, return of a company under the leadership of Ezra, and the energy of faith of the remnant.
NEHEMIAH is the last historical book of the Old Testament, and records the civil state and condition amongst the returned remnants to the land of their fathers. Chapters 1, 2., Nehemiah's spiritual exercise and his commission to rebuild the city; chapters 3-7. 4., the work proceeded in spite of all opposition without or within, for God was with the people: chapters 7. 5-8, genealogies verified and all duly regulated according to the written word.
ESTHER manifests the care of God over His people,
but secretly exercised because of their utter indifference to His glory and interests. The mass of the Jewish people preferred remaining in the land of their exile under the easy sway of the Persian rule, when they might have returned under the edicts of Cyrus. Chapters 1., 2., the Gentile and Jewish queens-the former degraded, the latter exalted; chapters 3.-7., the Lord frustrating the devices of the wicked against His people; chapters 8.-10., the Jew in the end exalted to power and the people blest.
JOB is a book upon the moral government of God with a godly, upright man, and apart from any revelation of the law or of the cross; in the end man and God are brought together-the former humbled and broken, and the latter proved to be righteous in all His dealings and ways, as also most pitiful and of tender mercy. Chapters 1., 2., Jehovah raises the question of the integrity of Job with Satan; chapters 3-37., a discussion in eighteen speeches between Job and his friends, on the great subject of God's earthly dealings and ways with man; chapters 38-42., here Jehovah reveals His holiness and power, and in presence of which Job abhors-himself and repents; the object is gained, man is broken, and God owned to be righteous.
BOOK OF PSALMS is a marvelous collection of 150 prophetic prayers, praises, and utterances, written during a period of about 1000 years, and probably compiled by Ezra on the return to Palestine from the Chaldean captivity. These sacred odes or compositions are divided by Jewish and Christian writers into five distinct books or divisions, ending respectively with Nos. 41; 72; 89; 106; 150.
THE PROVERBS contains a mine of wisdom. Whoever regulates his life and path through earth by these-wise and gracious maxims may count, under the government of God, upon a happy and prosperous life. Chapters 1-9, the great principles of God's moral government;. chapters 10.-24., application of these principles to the details of daily life; chapters 25.-29., a collection of
wise sayings truly expressed; chapters 30.,31. contain the words and instructions of Agur, very rich in moral truth, and of King Lemuel on the character of a virtuous woman.
ECCLESIASTES was probably written by Solomon at the close of his life, as the " Song" was composed at the commencement of his reign, and the " Proverbs " uttered during his years of royalty. This book records the experience of one who has fully tried the world, but in vain, for a heart-satisfying object-all beneath the sun is pronounced " vanity." Chapters i.-vi., everything beneath the sun pronounced " vanity and vexation of spirit chapters 7-12., the path of wisdom and of counsel through the world.
SONG OF SOLOMON, besides its prophetic application, has, as its moral themes, love and communion, as developed in the intercourse between the spouse and her bridegroom. Chapters 1-2, 16, " my beloved is mine," or " what a treasure I possess;" this is the first stage in Christian experience; chapters 2. 17-6. 3, " I am my beloved's," or " I am his object;" this is the second stage in Christian experience; chapters 6. 4-8. 14, " His desire is toward me," here self is done with, and the soul rests in the consciousness of His love and thoughts resting upon us; this is the third stage in our Christian experience.
The strictly prophetic section of the Old Testament consists of sixteen books, from Isaiah to Malachi-the Lamentations being regarded as a supplement to the prophecy and book of Jeremiah. The earthly glory of Christ is the special design of this important section of the holy scriptures. This glory will be publicly manifested in connection with Israel and subordinately the Gentiles, first in their judgment and then in millennial blessing.
ISAIAH in style, grandeur of language, comprehensiveness of treatment, and copiousness of subjects is unequaled amongst the prophetic books. Chapters 1-12., Christ's connection with Judah, and the character and doom of " The Assyrian "-Israel's latter-day political enemy; chapters13-27., the judgment of the nations and of the whole earth; the Lord will confound the pride and power of man and " break the arm of the wicked "- all needful for the re-establishment of Israel on the earth and her headship over the nations, as also that the glory of Jehovah through Israel should be published throughout the earth; chapters 28.-35., the historical circumstances connected with Israel in her latter days is here described; chapters 36 -39., this, the only strictly historical section of our prophet is most needful, as furnishing the main subjects on which the whole prophecy is based; chapters 40-48., here Jehovah discusses the relationship of Israel to Babylon and her idolatry; chapters 49.-57., Israel's rejection of Christ is the main question here; chapters 58.-66., Jehovah's last pleadings of love with guilty Israel, and the certainty of His intervention on their behalf.
24. JEREMIAH naturally follows his great predecessor Isaiah, and whose earnest and heart-broken remonstrances with Judah prior to and subsequent to the capture of the city of Jerusalem, are touching in the extreme. Jeremiah wore the prophetic mantle for about forty years; his services, sufferings, and personal circumstances are interwoven in the very texture of his prophecies, and in this and in other respects he closely resembles the great Gentile Apostle Paul. Chapters 1-24, a series of moral appeals addressed to the heart and conscience of Judah, in view of their national guilt and near approach of judgment to be executed by the Chaldeans; chapters 25.-52., Jerusalem besieged and captured after a stubborn defense of about eighteen months, with numerous interesting particulars prior to and subsequent to the destruction of the city and temple in the year 588 B.C„ as also judgments announced upon the near and distant nations, and prophetic blessing intimated for all Israel. The last chapter forms an appendix to the book. w, s.
(To be continued, the Lord willing.)
(Continued from page 69.)