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And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your grandfathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15 Apparently Joshua speaks foolishly here. He bids the children of Israel to choose—between Jehovah and the gods of the Amorites. As if Israel would choose anyone but Jehovah. Israel was the Lord’s portion. He found him in a desert land,...

The Puritans had always insisted in a strict observance of the Sabbath. This strict Sabbatism was aided by the publication of a work bearing the title, Doctrine of the Sabbath. In this work a plea was made for the perpetuation of the fourth commandment in Jewish rigor. In opposition to Puritanism King James issued his famous Declaration Sports in which he advocated the ‘old popular games and dances on the Sabbath. This action of the king aroused Puritanism and from this time on it began to grow into a political force. The king’s Declaration of Sports seemed to the Puritans...

In view of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ministry of Rev. Hoeksema, the following resolution was adopted by the P.R.Y.P.F. at the business meeting of the Convention. “Resolved that the 1940 Convention of our Protestant Reformed Young People undertakes herewith to extend the most hearty congratulations of the Federation to the Reverend Herman Hoeksema upon the completion of his twenty-fifth year as a Minister of the Gospel, feeling confident that all of us will be ever grateful for the work he has done for us as Protestant Reformed people. Our prayer is, however, that our lives will so clearly testify...

“Thou shall not kill.” Ex. 20:13 It requires some careful thinking to gain a correct insight into the meaning of this command. The mistake can easily be made of seeing too much in this command, of making it cover acts which according to the mind of God it does not cover. The pacifist makes this mistake. The pacifist is one who is opposed to all war, who regards war as such, sin, a transgression of the command, “Thou shalt not kill.” For this command, so it is held, forbids all killing. The taking of life is thus wrong under any...

Not only is the collection or offering of the saints itself rich and meaningful, but in II Cor. 8 and 9 Paul also goes on to show what great and far-reaching effects of blessing these offerings have, both for them that give as well as for them that receive, and above all what glory to God it arouses. The Givers The Lord certainly does not want us to give liberally with the hope of a rich reward in return for our giving. Beautifully Calvin expresses this when he says: “It is indeed the saying of a heathen—‘what you have given...

We are redeemed! Redeemed we are, from all iniquity; redeemed, because Christ gave himself for us; redeemed, in order that He might purify unto Himself a people, zealous of good works! Such is the beautiful content of the fourteenth verse of the second chapter of Paul’s epistle to Titus, his own son after the common faith and fellow-laborer. Redeemed! What is, dear reader, redemption? It is the being bought, ransomed, delivered through the payment of a price. From that point of view our redemption is the most important single aspect of our salvation. For the very word redemption reaches down...

“Thou shall not kill. Ex. 20:13 It must not be supposed that the command, “Thou shalt not kill,” that is, “Kill thou not thy neighbor,” is being kept when we merely refrain from killing, hurting, hating the neighbor. The keeping of this command consists positively in loving our fellow man. And I now have reference to a definite man, neighbor. Love is the fulfilment of all the law thus also of the sixth command. It would seem that it is hardly necessary that we be told this. For the absence of hatred is respect of a definite individual spells the...

Holiness, as was brought out (in previous articles) was one of the properties of the Levitical priesthood—of Aaron in particular, of his family of priest, and, in the final instance of the tribe of Levi, selected by the Lord to perform the service at the tabernacle. However, a distinction must be made here between Aaron in his capacity of priest and Aaron’s person as such. The character of Aaron’s holiness as priest was solely ceremonial, symbolical-typical. It was this as the office of priest with which he was vested, was solely symbolical-typical. The truth of this statement is born out...

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified. The prophet here depicts the beauty, joy and consecration of the church of God. There will be beauty, oil of joy and a garment of praise given to them that mourn in Zion. The language employed is symbolic and points to the typical priest of the Old Covenant, to the robes in...

The subject as above expressed may at first sight seem somewhat ambiguous, yet the subject thus stated expresses a popular conception and it is of that popular conception that this article treats. Strictly speaking we would not speak of a social calling of the church for she as instituted is limited to the task of ministering the Word of God to her members and by that Word she labors to bring to manifestation herself as the body of Christ inculcating the principle by which this life is controlled. So that in respect to the broad social sphere the church as...