We have now come, in our Old Testament readings, to the highest point of Israel's greatness as a nation (i Kings), and to that display of kingly power and glory which-outwardly at least-are a fitting type of the kingdom and glory of our Lord's millennial reign. We say outwardly, for a glance beneath the surface will disclose to us a moral state the exact opposite of that which will obtain during the reign of the " Prince of Peace."

The first book of Kings may be roughly divided into two parts. (i) The kingdom in its solidarity under Solomon, chapters 1:-11:(2) The division and separation of the ten tribes from the two, chapters 12:-22:

We see at the beginning David in the feebleness of old age, as the last act of kingly authority placing Solomon on the throne, chap. 1:

In chap. 2:we have divine judgment inflicted upon those who had long deserved it.

Chap. 3:shows us the granting of Solomon's prayer for wisdom; and

Chap. 4:the greatness and extent of his kingdom.

Chaps. 5:-8:give the account of the building and dedication of the temple-in all which Solomon is a type of Christ in the glory of that time when the house of the Lord shall be inhabited by divine glory.

Chaps. 9:and 10:give the sequel to the former narrative, God's promises and warnings, and the visit of " the Queen of the South." May we ever remember the "greater than Solomon" to whom we have come. In sad and solemn contrast with all this splendor we have in the eleventh chapter the record of the shameful apostasy of this wise man, and the premonition of the result in the rent kingdom.

The second part of the book narrates the account of the division, Jeroboam taking ten tribes and leaving to David's house but the two – Benjamin and Judah. It is especially during this period that prophetic ministry comes prominently into view, and chiefly in the independent kingdom of Israel. God's mercy lingered over that nation, and to it He devoted special attention through His " servants the prophets." But begun in self-will and apostasy, it never as a kingdom returned to God. There might be individually 7,000 who had not "bowed the knee to Baal," but corporately kings and people were increasingly alienated from the God of Israel. It is striking that not one of the kings of Israel was a godly man, while a number of the kings of Judah truly feared the Lord.

In Chaps. 17:-22:we have as the prominent character that remarkable man, Elijah, who bore such fearless f testimony in Israel. The narrative of his life never loses its charm, and yields fresh lessons to the careful reader.

Passing to the New Testament, we have that most delightful and interesting of histories, the book of Acts. We might say that the general theme of the book is the transition of God's testimony from Judaism to Christianity. The first part of the book is entirely Jewish, while the close leaves us ready for the epistles of Paul. Fittingly in the record of progress and emancipation the scene changes from Jerusalem to Samaria, thence to Gentile Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth and finally to Rome, entirely away from the influence of Judaism.

Chaps. i-7:give us the Jerusalem history, we might say, of the Church.

Chaps. viii-12:extend wider, taking in that wondrous epoch, the conversion of Paul.

From Chaps. xiii-19:we have the period of great apostolic activity among the Gentiles, and

Chaps. xx-28:gives the outward bondage but true widening of the truth even to Rome.

The Epistles to the Thessalonians are the first (probably) written by the apostle. They breathe a fresh and beautiful spirit, in which everything is controlled by the hope of the Lord's coming. Their relationship to the Father is also prominent. In the first Epistle we have the Lord's corning as the hope of the Church; in the second His appearing in judgment, and warnings.