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Wednesday
The First
Lesson
2 Samuel 15:1-12
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots
and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the
gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy
came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him,
and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is
of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right;
but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land,
that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me,
and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him
obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the
king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of
Israel.
7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto
the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have
vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria,
saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem,
then I will serve the LORD.
9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went
to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye
shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that
were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew
not any thing.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor,
from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.
And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually
with Absalom.
1st Lesson Questions -
What was Absalom's conspiracy? Have I ever known anyone like him? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
2 Corinthians 3
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some
others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation
from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of
all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of
Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit
of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables
of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not
that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth,
but the spirit giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones,
was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly
behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which
glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more
doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this
respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that
which remaineth is glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness
of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the
children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth
the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament;
which veil is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon
their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall
be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty.
18 But
we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the
Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even
as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Is my sufficiency of God? (V. 5) How so? Am I being changed into the likeness of God, from glory to glory? (V. 18) RESOLVE.