Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 17

Introduction
We must remember that the division of Scripture into chapters and verses is a human arrangement, often convenient for reference; but frequently unwarranted, interfering with the connection. Thus, at a glance we can see that the closing verses of chapter 16 are much more connected with what follows than with what goes before.

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 17 (KJV)

"Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgement. Thou shalt not wrest judgement; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

These Words teach a twofold lesson; in the first place, they set forth the even-handed justice and perfect truth that always characterizes the government of God. Every case is dealt with according to its own merits, on the ground of its facts.

On the other hand, we learn from the lines just quoted above what man's judgment is worth – it cannot be trusted. Man is capable of "wresting judgment," "respecting persons," "taking a gift," and attaching importance to a person because of position and wealth. It is evident that man is capable of all this because he is told not to do it. We must never forget this. If God commands man not to steal, it is plain that man has theft in his nature.

Therefore, human judgment and human government are liable to gross corruption. If left to themselves, if not under the direct sway of divine principle, Judges and governors are capable of perverting justice for filthy lucre's sake, of favoring a wicked man because he is rich, condemning a righteous man because he is poor; of giving a judgment in flagrant opposition to plain facts because of some gained advantage, whether in the form of money, influence, popularity, or power.

To prove this it is not necessary to point to such men as Pilate and Herod or Felix and Festus; we have no need to go beyond the passage just quoted in order to see what man is, even when clothed in the robes of official dignity, seated on the throne of government, or on the bench of justice.

Some may feel disposed to say, in the language of Hazael, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" But let such reflect on this fact: the human heart is the seed plot of every sin; every vile, abominable and contemptible wickedness that was ever committed in this world. The unanswerable proof of this is found in the enactments, commandments, and prohibitions that appear on the sacred page of inspiration.

Herein we have an uncommonly fine reply to the often repeated question, "What have we to do with many of the laws and institutions set forth in the Mosaic economy? Why are such things set down in the Bible? Can they possibly be inspired?" Yes; they are inspired and appear on the page of inspiration in order that we may see, as reflected in a divinely perfect mirror, the moral material of which we ourselves are made, the thoughts we are capable of thinking, the words we are capable of speaking, and the deeds we are capable of doing.

This is truly something. It is good and wholesome to find, for example in some of the passages of this profound and beautiful book of Deuteronomy, that human nature is capable, and hence we are capable of doing things that put us morally below the level of a beast. It would be well for any who walk in Pharisaic pride and self-complacency, puffed up with false notions of personal dignity and high-toned morality, to learn this deeply humbling lesson.

The divine enactments for Israel were morally lovely, pure, refined and elevated. They were not to wrest judgment, but allow it to flow in its own straight and even channel, irrespective of persons. The poor man in vile raiment was to have the same impartial justice as the man with a gold ring and fine clothing. The decision of the judgment-seat was not to be warped by partiality or prejudice, or the robe of justice to be defiled by the stain of bribery.

What would it be for this oppressed and groaning earth to be governed by the admirable laws recorded in the inspired pages of the Pentateuch, a king reigning in righteousness, and princes decreeing justice.

"Give the king thy judgements, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment [no wresting, bribery, partial judgments then]. The mountains [or higher dignities] shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills [or lesser dignities], by righteousness. He shall judge [or defend] the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth . . . He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight" (Ps. 72; emphasis added).

Well may the heart long for the time – the bright and blessed time when all things as we know them will end, when all the earth will be aware of the reality of Jesus Christ and have knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea; when the Lord Jesus shall take to Himself His beloved people into eternal glory. A little while and all will be made good, according to the eternal counsels and immutable promise of God. Till then it is our happy privilege to live in constant, earnest, believing anticipation of the Lord's second coming. We are passing through this ungodly scene as strangers and pilgrims having no place or portion down here but always breathing the prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

In the closing lines of chapter 16, Israel is warned against the religious customs of the surrounding nations. "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image which the Lord thy God hateth." They were to carefully avoid everything that might lead them in the direction of the dark and abominable idolatries of the nations around. The altar of God was to stand out in distinct and unmistakable separation from those groves and shady places where false gods were worshipped, and things were done that are not to be named.¹ In other words, everything that in any way might draw the heart away from the one living and true God was to be carefully avoided.

However, it was not enough to maintain a correct outward form; images and groves might be abolished and the nation might profess the dogma of the unity of the Godhead, and all the while there might be a lack of heart and genuine devotedness in the worship rendered. Hence we read, "Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evil-favouredness; for that is an abomination unto the Lord."

Only that which was absolutely perfect could suit the altar and answer to the heart of God. Offering a blemished thing to God simply proved the absence of all true sense of what became Him; of all real heart for Him. To attempt to offer an imperfect sacrifice was tantamount to the blasphemy of saying that anything was good enough for Him.

Let us hearken to the indignant pleadings of the Spirit of God, by the mouth of the prophet Malachi: "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us; this hath been by your means; will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat is contemptible. Ye said also Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts: and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame and the sick; thus ye brought an offering; should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen" (1:7-14).

Does all this offer a voice to the Lord's church in this age? Does it offer a voice to us? In our 21st century private and public worship is there not a deplorable lack of heart, of real devotedness, deep-toned earnestness, holy energy, and integrity of purpose? Is there not much that answers to the offering of the lame and the sick, the blemished and the evil-favored? Is there not a deplorable amount of cold formality and dead routine in our seasons of worship both in the closet and assembly? Do we not need to judge ourselves for barrenness, distraction and wandering, even at the table of our Lord? Are our bodies at the table while our vagrant hearts and volatile minds wonder to the ends of the earth? How often do our lips utter words that are not the true expression of our moral being; expressing more than we feel; and singing beyond our experience?

Too many today have a heartless formality when favored with the opportunity of dropping an offering into the Lord's treasury. There seems to be an absence of loving, earnest, hearty devotedness – little reference to the apostolic rule, "as God hath prospered us." There is little of the poor widow’s whole-heartedness; having only two mites with the option of keeping at least one for her living, willingly cast in both – her all. Dollars may be spent on self, perhaps on superfluities during the week, but when the claims of the Lord's work, i.e., His poor and His cause in general are brought before us, how often the response is meager.

Let us consider these things by looking at the whole subject of worship and devotedness in God's presence, and in the presence of grace that has saved us from everlasting burnings. Let us calmly reflect on the precious and powerful claims of Christ on us. We are not our own; we are bought with a price. It is not merely our best, but it is our all that we owe to that blessed One Who gave Himself for us. If we fully accept it and if our hearts truly believe it, then may our lives express it. May we declare more distinctly Whose we are and Whom we serve. May the heart, head, hands, feet, the whole man be dedicated to Him in unreserved devotedness – in the power of the Holy Spirit and according to the direct teaching of Holy Scripture. God grant it may be so with us and with all His beloved people.

This seems a good place to mention that while our custom is to quote portions of passages; we strongly believe that it is far more profitable for the student to actually open up and search through the Holy Bible, the Holy Word of God. In other words, while quoting verses in a particular lesson may be convenient, saving the student from turning to the Bible in order to personally find the passages, still, we hope and pray that each Scripture quote used in these studies will be searched for and found in the Bible. Often we do not quote chapter and verse, assuming that the serious student of Scripture is aware of the verse.²

A weighty and practical subject now claims our attention. "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, behold, it be true and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you" (vv. 2-7).

We have already referred to the principle laid down in the foregoing passage, i.e., the absolute necessity of having competent testimony before forming a judgment in any case. This principle constantly meets us in Scripture. It is the invariable rule in God's government and therefore claims our attention. We may be sure it is a safe and wholesome rule, the neglect of which always leads us astray. We should never allow ourselves to form, much less to express and act on a judgment, without the testimony of two or three witnesses. No matter how trustworthy and morally reliable one witness may be it is not a sufficient basis on which to make a conclusion. In our minds, we may feel convinced that the thing is true because affirmed by one in whom we have confidence; but God is wiser than we. It may be that the one witness is thoroughly upright truthful, that he would not tell an untruth or bear false witness against anyone. This may be true, but we must adhere to God's rule, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

Would that this was more diligently attended to in the Lord's church. Its value in all cases of discipline and in all cases affecting the character or reputation of anyone is simply incalculable. In any given case, before an assembly reaches a conclusion or acts on a judgment, it should insist on adequate evidence. If this is not forthcoming then let all wait patiently and confidingly on God – He will surely supply what is needed.

For instance, if there is moral evil or doctrinal error in an assembly of Christians, but it is only known to one; that one is perfectly certain and thoroughly convinced of the fact. What is be done? Wait on God for further witness. To act without this infringes on a divine principle laid down again and again in the Word of God with all possible clearness. Is the one witness to feel aggrieved or insulted because his testimony is not acted on? Absolutely not; instead he should not expect such a thing – he should not come forward as a witness until he can corroborate his testimony by the evidence of one or two more. Is the assembly to be deemed indifferent or supine because it refuses to act on the testimony of a solitary witness? No, to do so would be flying in the face of God's command.

We need to also remember that the application of this practical principle is not confined to cases of discipline or questions connected with an assembly of the Lord's people; it is of universal application. We should never allow ourselves to form a judgment or come to a conclusion without God's appointed measure of evidence. If that is not forthcoming then it is our plain duty to wait. If it is needful for us judge in a case, then be assured that God will in due time furnish needed evidence. An old and wise teacher said: "I knew of a case in which a man was falsely accused because the accuser based his charge on the evidence of one of his senses; had he taken the trouble of getting evidence of one or two more regarding his senses, he would not have made the charge."

May the subject of evidence seriously claim our attention. We are all prone to rush to hasty conclusions, taking up impressions, giving place to baseless surmising, and allowing our minds to be warped and carried away by prejudice. All these have to be carefully guarded against. In forming and expressing our judgment about men and things we need more calmness, seriousness and cool deliberation. But especially about men, because we may inflict a grievous wrong on a friend, a brother, or neighbor, by giving utterance to a false impression or a baseless charge. We may allow ourselves to be the vehicle of a groundless accusation, whereby someone's character may be seriously damaged. This is very sinful in the sight of God, and should be jealously watched against in ourselves and, when it comes before us, sternly rebuked in others. When one brings a charge against another behind his back, we should insist on proof or withdrawing of the charge. Where this plan is adopted, we are delivered from a vast amount of evil speaking that is not only unprofitable, but also wicked and not to be tolerated.

Before turning from the subject of evidence, consider that inspired history supplies more than one instance in which a man has been condemned while appearing to give attention to Deuteronomy 17:6, 7. Witness the case of Naboth in 1 Kings 21; the case of Stephen in Acts 6, 7 and, above all, the case of the only perfect Man that ever trod this earth. At times, when it suits their own ungodly ends, men put on the appearance of wonderful attention to the letter of Scripture, quoting its sacred Words in defense of flagrant unrighteousness and shocking immorality. Two witnesses accused Naboth of blaspheming God and the king, and that faithful Israelite was deprived of his inheritance and his life on the testimony of two liars hired by the direction of a godless cruel woman. Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit, was stoned to death for blasphemy on the testimony of false witnesses received and acted on by religious leaders of the day who could no doubt quote Deuteronomy 17 as their authority.

But, while it sadly and forcibly illustrates what man is, and what mere human religiousness without conscience is, all this leaves untouched the moral rule laid down for our guidance, in the opening lines of this 17th chapter. Without conscience or the fear of God religion is the most degrading, demoralizing, hardening thing beneath the canopy of heaven. One of its most terrible features is when under its influence men are not ashamed or afraid to make use of Holy Scripture as a cloak to cover wickedness.

But, in all its heavenly purity, divine virtue, and holy morality, God's Word stands forth and flings back in the face of the enemy every attempt to draw from its sacred pages a plea for that which is not true, venerable, just, pure, lovely and of good report.

We now proceed to quote the second paragraph of the 17th chapter in which we find instruction of moral value so needed in this day of self-will and independence. "If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgement, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and thou shalt come unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgement. And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee; according to the sentence of the law which they teach thee, and according to the judgement they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt decline from the sentence which they shall show thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die; and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously" (vv. 8-13).

Here we have God's provision for the perfect settlement of all questions arising throughout the congregation of Israel. They were to be settled in His presence, at His appointed center, by His appointed authority. Thus self-will and presumption were effectually guarded against. All matters of controversy were to be settled by the judgment of God as expressed by the priest or judge God appointed for the purpose.

In other words, it was entirely a matter of God's authority. It was not for one man to set himself up in self-will and presumption against another. This would never do in the assembly of God. Each one had to submit his cause to God's tribunal and bow to its decision. There was no appeal because there was no higher court. God's appointed priest or judge spoke as His oracle and both plaintiff and defendant had to bow to the decision without a demur.

It must be evident that no member of the congregation of Israel would ever have thought of bringing his case before a Gentile tribunal for judgment. We may rest assured; this would have been utterly foreign to the thoughts and feelings of every true Israelite. It would have been an insult to Jehovah Who was in their midst to give judgment in every case that might arise. Surely He was sufficient. He knew the ins and outs, the pros and cons, the roots and issues of every controversy, no matter how involved or difficult. All were to look to Him and bring their causes to the place He had chosen, and nowhere else. The idea of two members of the assembly of God appearing before a tribunal of the uncircumcised for judgment would not have been tolerated. It would be the same as saying that there was a defect in God’s arrangement for the congregation.

Has this any voice for us? How are Christians to have questions and controversies settled? Are they to take them to the world for judgment? Is there no provision in the assembly of God for proper settlement of cases that may arise? Hear what the inspired apostle says on the point to the assembly at Corinth, and "to all that in every Place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours" – therefore to all true Christians in this and every age.

"Dare any of you, having a matter against another; go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgements of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather be defrauded? Nay ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived" (1 Cor. 6:1-9).

Here we have God's instruction for His church in all ages. We must never lose sight of the fact that the Bible is a Book for every stage of the church's earthly career. True, the present day "institutionalized church" is not like the Lord's church as it was when the inspired apostle penned the above lines; a vast change has taken place. In early days, there was no difficulty in distinguishing between the church and the world, between "the saints" and "unbelievers;" between "those within" and "those without." In those days, the line of demarcation was broad, distinct, and unmistakable. Anyone who looked at the face of society, in a religious point of view, would see three things: Paganism, Judaism and Christianity; the Gentile, the Jew and the Lord's church of God – the temple, the synagogue, and the assembly of God. The Christian assembly stood out in vivid contrast with everything else. Christianity was strongly and clearly pronounced in those primitive times. It was neither a national, provincial nor parochial affair, but a personal, practical, living reality. It was not a mere nominal, national, professional creed, but a divinely wrought faith, a living power in the heart that flowed out in life.

But things have changed and today it is different. Religious institutions and the world are so mixed up together that the vast majority of people connected with organized religious institutions could hardly understand the real force and proper application of the passage just quoted. Were we to speak to them about "the saints" going to law "before the unbelievers," it would seem like a foreign tongue. Indeed the term "saint" is hardly heard today except when used with a sneer, or as applied to one who has been canonized by a superstitious reverence.

But has any change come over the Word of God or over the grand truths that Word unfolds to our souls? Has any change come over the thoughts of God in reference to what His church is, what the world is, or the proper relation of one to the other? Does He not know who are "saints" and who are "unbelievers"? Has it ceased to be "a fault" for "brother to go to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers"? In other words, has Holy Scripture lost its power, its point, and its divine application? Is it no longer our guide, our authority, our one perfect rule and unerring standard? Has the marked change that has come over the church's moral condition deprived the Word of God of all power of application to us – "to all that in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"? Has our Father's precious Revelation become a dead letter, a piece of obsolete writing, and a document pertaining to days long gone by? Has our altered condition robbed the Word of God of a single one of its moral glories?

What answer does our heart return for these questions? Let us earnestly, honestly, humbly and prayerfully weigh them in the presence of our Lord. Our answer will be a wonderfully correct index of our real position and moral state. Do we clearly see and fully admit that Scripture can never lose its power? Can the principles of 1 Corinthians 6 ever cease to be binding on the Lord's church? It is fully admitted that sadly things have changed; but "scripture cannot be broken and therefore what was "a fault" in the first century cannot be right in the twenty-first. There may be more difficulty in carrying out God's principles, but we must never consent to surrender them, or to act on any lower ground. If we admit the idea that because religious organizations of men have gone wrong, it is impossible for us to do right, the whole principle of Christian obedience is surrendered. It is as wrong for "brother to go to law with brother, before the unbelievers" today, as it was when the apostle wrote his epistle to the assembly at Corinth.³ True, man's form of organized religious institutions have departed from the normal condition of the Lord's church; but the principles of the Word of God can no more lose their power than the blood of Christ can lose its virtue or His Priesthood its efficacy.

Further, for those who have faith to use them there are available resources of wisdom, grace, power and spiritual gift treasured up for the church in Christ her Head. Difficult as it may seem, we should never lose hope that the body of Christ can be restored to its true condition. In fact, through the Holy Word of God, it is our privilege to see what the true ground of the body is and, further, it is our personal duty to occupy that ground and no other.

The moment we plant our foot on the true ground of the Lord's church, a wonderful change that takes place in our whole condition, in our view of things, in our thoughts of self and surroundings – everything seems changed. The Bible seems to be a new book. We see everything in a new light. Portions of Scripture that we have for years read without interest or profit now sparkle with God's light, filling us with wonder, love and praise. We see things from a new standpoint; our whole range of vision is changed. We have made our escape from the murky atmosphere that enwraps man's religious institutions, and can now look round and see things clearly in the heavenly light of Scripture. In fact, it seems like a new conversion; and we find we can now read Scripture intelligently, because we have the divine key. We see Christ to be the center and object of all the thoughts, purposes and counsels of God from everlasting to everlasting. Hence, we are conducted into that marvelous sphere of grace and glory that the Holy Spirit delights to unfold in the precious Word of God.

May we be led into full understanding of all this by the direct and powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit. May we give ourselves to the study of Scripture, unreservedly surrendering ourselves to its teaching and authority. Let us not confer with flesh and blood, but like a little child cast ourselves on the Lord, and seek to be led in spiritual intelligence and practical conformity to the mind of Christ.

We now briefly look at the closing verses of this 17th chapter in which we have a remarkable look into Israel's future, anticipating the moment in which they should seek to set a king over them. "When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold."

How remarkable that the three things the king was not to do were the very things that were done by the greatest and wisest of Israel's monarchs. "King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents [over two millions], and brought it to king Solomon . . . And Hiram sent to the king six-score talents of gold . . . And the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred three-score and six talents of gold. Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country . . . And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones . . . And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt . . . But king Solomon loved many strange women . . . And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart" (1 Kings 10, 11).

What a tale this tells; what a commentary it furnishes on man in his best and highest estate. Here was a man endowed with wisdom beyond all others, surrounded by unexampled blessings, dignities, honors and privileges; his earthly cup was full to the brim; there was nothing lacking that this world could supply for his human happiness. And not only so, but his remarkable prayer at the dedication of the temple might lead us to cherish the brightest hopes regarding him, both personally and officially.

But, sad to say in every one of the particulars that the law of his God had spoken so definitely and so clearly, he deplorably broke down. He was told not to multiply silver and gold, and yet he multiplied them. He was told not to return to Egypt to multiply horses, and yet he went to Egypt for horses. He was told not to multiply wives, and yet he had a thousand of them, and they turned away his heart. Such is man – how little he can be counted on. "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away." "Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?"

But how are we to account for Solomon's signal, sorrowful and humiliating failure? What was the real secret of it? To find the answer to this, we must quote the closing verses of the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy: "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites; and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of His life; that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; that his. heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel" (vv. 18-20).

Had Solomon attended to these precious and weighty Words, his historian would have had a much different task to perform. But he did not. We hear nothing of him having made a copy of the law; and even if he did make a copy of it, he did not attend to it. In fact, he turned his back on it and did the very things he was told not to do. In other words, the cause of all the wreck and ruin that so rapidly followed the splendor of Solomon's reign was neglect of the plain Word of God.

This makes it very solemn for us. We feel the need of seeking to rouse the attention of the Lord's church to this great subject. Neglect of the Word of God is the source of all the failure, all the sin, all the error, all the mischief and confusion, the heresies, sects and schisms that have ever been and are now in this world. And with equal confidence we may add that the only real remedy for our present lamentable condition will be found in each of us returning to the simple but sadly neglected authority of the Word of God. May each of us see our own departure from the plain and positive teaching of the New Testament – the commandments of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because of our common sin, let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and turn to Him in true self-judgment, and He will graciously restore, heal, bless, and lead us in that most blessed path of obedience that lies open before every truly humble soul.

May God the Holy Spirit, in His own resistless power, bring home to the heart and conscience of every serious student of God's Holy Word the urgent need of an immediate and unreserved surrender to the authority of the Word of God.

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