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Friday
The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 4:1b-11
1 Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and
pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel:
and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines:
and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of
Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us today before
the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the
LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it
may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence
the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth
between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the
camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth
rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they
said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp
of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD
was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come
into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not
been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these
mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with
all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines,
that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to
you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they
fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter;
for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were slain.
1st Lesson Questions -
What was the ark of the covenant? Is there a Christian parallel? What? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Luke 12:35-48
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord,
when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and
knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed
are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching:
verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them
to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third
watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known
what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not
have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an
hour when ye think not.
41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable
unto us, or even to all?
42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward,
whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them
their portion of meat in due season?
43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall
find so doing.
44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over
all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth
his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens,
and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh
not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut
him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared
not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten
with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes,
shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is
given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed
much, of him they will ask the more.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Am I ready for the Lord's arrival? Am I akin to one of those described in verse 37? What keeps me from being so, more fully? RESOLVE.