September 6There shall no evil befall thee — Psa. 91:10.
Nothing shall by any means hurt us. Things may interfere with our fleshly interests or comfort or course of affairs; but when we remember that we are not in the flesh but in the spirit, that it is to the new heart, mind and will that the Lord has promised the Kingdom in His due time, we can realize that no outside influence can interfere with our real interests, our spiritual interests, nor hinder our attaining to the glories of the Kingdom which the Lord has promised to His faithful ones. Only our loss of confidence in the Lord and our unfaithfulness to Him could separate us from His love and His promises—Z '03, 331 (R 3231). The general Biblical teaching on consecration, as well as the experience of Jesus, Paul, Timothy, Epaphroditus and every other faithful child of God, proves that this verse does not refer to earthly evils. Manifestly, therefore, it refers to spiritual evils, against which God protects His Own. All things work together for good to the spiritual lives of the faithful. God's promises and our experiences abundantly prove this. And what saint has not repeatedly rejoiced in this fact? The security of the faithful is a Scriptural, comforting and experiential doctrine. It may well make us brave and joyful in every experience, be it toward or untoward—P '34, 128. Parallel passages: Job 17:9; Psa. 37:24; 138:8; Matt. 24:13; Mark 4:3-8; Luke 10:42; 22:31, 32; John 6:39; 10:28, 29; 15:4, 7, 9; Rom. 8:33-39; 1 Cor. 1:8, 9; Eph. 6:13; Col. 1:22, 23; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 12:11-13. Hymns: 120, 99, 63, 110, 293, 294, 328. Poems of Dawn, 218: The Bridegroom's Dove. Tower Reading: Z '11, 58 (R 4767). Questions: What were this week's experiences regarding this text? How were they met? In what did they result? |
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THE BRIDEGROOM'S DOVE
SONG 2:14
"MY DOVE!" The Bridegroom speaks to whom?
Whom think'st thou, meaneth He?
Say, O my soul! Canst thou presume
He thus addresseth thee?
Yes, 'tis the Bridegroom's voice of love,
Calling thee, O my soul! His dove!
The Dove is gentle, mild and meek:
Deserve I, then, the name?
I look within in vain to seek
Aught which can give a claim:
Yet, made so by redeeming love,
My soul, thou art the Bridegroom's Dove!
Methinks, my soul, that thou mayst see,
In this endearing word,
Reasons why Jesus likens thee
To this defenseless bird;
Reasons which show the Bridegroom's love
To His poor, helpless, timid Dove!
The Dove hath neither claw nor sting,
Nor weapon for the fight;
She owes her safety to her wing,
Her victory to flight.
A shelter hath the Bridegroom's love
Provided for His helpless Dove!
As the poor Dove, before the Hawk,
Quick to her refuge flies,
So need I, in my daily walk,
The wings which faith supplies
To bear me where the Bridegroom's love
Places beyond all harm His Dove!
My soul, of native power bereft,
To Calvary repairs:
Immanuel is the rocky cleft,
The secret of the stairs!
Since placed there by the Bridegroom's love,
What evil can befall His Dove?
My soul, now hid within a rock,
(The "Rock of Ages" called)
Amid the universal shock
Is fearless, unappalled.
A cleft therein, prepared by love,
In safety hides the Bridegroom's Dove!
O happy Dove! Thus weak thus safe;
Do I resemble her?
Then to my soul, O Lord! Vouchsafe
A dove-like character.
Pure, harmless, gentle, full of love,
Make me in spirit, Lord, a Dove!
SONG 2:14
"MY DOVE!" The Bridegroom speaks to whom?
Whom think'st thou, meaneth He?
Say, O my soul! Canst thou presume
He thus addresseth thee?
Yes, 'tis the Bridegroom's voice of love,
Calling thee, O my soul! His dove!
The Dove is gentle, mild and meek:
Deserve I, then, the name?
I look within in vain to seek
Aught which can give a claim:
Yet, made so by redeeming love,
My soul, thou art the Bridegroom's Dove!
Methinks, my soul, that thou mayst see,
In this endearing word,
Reasons why Jesus likens thee
To this defenseless bird;
Reasons which show the Bridegroom's love
To His poor, helpless, timid Dove!
The Dove hath neither claw nor sting,
Nor weapon for the fight;
She owes her safety to her wing,
Her victory to flight.
A shelter hath the Bridegroom's love
Provided for His helpless Dove!
As the poor Dove, before the Hawk,
Quick to her refuge flies,
So need I, in my daily walk,
The wings which faith supplies
To bear me where the Bridegroom's love
Places beyond all harm His Dove!
My soul, of native power bereft,
To Calvary repairs:
Immanuel is the rocky cleft,
The secret of the stairs!
Since placed there by the Bridegroom's love,
What evil can befall His Dove?
My soul, now hid within a rock,
(The "Rock of Ages" called)
Amid the universal shock
Is fearless, unappalled.
A cleft therein, prepared by love,
In safety hides the Bridegroom's Dove!
O happy Dove! Thus weak thus safe;
Do I resemble her?
Then to my soul, O Lord! Vouchsafe
A dove-like character.
Pure, harmless, gentle, full of love,
Make me in spirit, Lord, a Dove!
