It seems to me that we have somewhat to learn as to the scriptural way of looking at death from a practical stand point. It is quite true that God has brought out in these last days, the two sides, I may say, of the gospel,-that is the blood of the cross by which our sins are met and put away; and the resurrection of the blessed Lord by which we delivered from sin, so that we can now sing:

" Death and judgment are behind us."

All this is blessed and cannot be dwelt on too much. For it is in comprehending the full truth of this gospel as reasoned out in Romans by the apostle, where he says, " I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believeth etc," that we have full liberty and joy in the Holy Ghost.

But now let us look at death in a practical way. Scripture tells us that, "as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Here then we get unfolded to us in a most remarkable manner, the fall of man and its dreadful results, as given to us in the book of Genesis, thus solving the riddle of man’s existence. Dispensationally then, do we not see sin reigning in the power of death until Christ came? I would now call your attention to the incident so familiar to all who read Scripture, recorded in the first book of Kings ch. 13:* *The reader might refer to a paper in this magazine also upon this incident, but not touching the points here raised, entitled "Under the Oak," on page 85, of the current year.* It is the history of the "disobedient prophet." One cannot but feel that there is in this short history much to remind us of the fallen head of our race-Adam. The history of the disobedient prophet is short and simple. He was sent by Jehovah to reprove the wicked king of Israel-Jeroboam. And after delivering his message to the king, and curing him of the palsied hand, which had been stretched out against him, (thus showing the impotence of man on the one hand, as well as the grace of God on the other) he would have returned home, but the king invites him to stay and eat with him, which temptation the prophet promptly refused, saying, "I will neither eat bread nor drink water in this place, for so it was charged me by the word of Jehovah." Here was faithfulness like to Daniel in a later day, who, though under different circumstances refused the king’s meat.

But as going through this world we are never free from the tempter. Now we must view Satan coming as an angel of light. It seems there was an old prophet dwelling at Bethel, " and his sons came and told him all the works the man of God had done in Bethel, and the words he had spoken to the king." He thereupon ordered his ass saddled and started to find him, which he did, "sitting under an oak." He then said to him:"Art thou the man of God that came from Judah?" He said, "I am." And now he persuades him to return home with him, by saying that he also was a prophet, and that an angel had spoken unto him saying, " Bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat bread and drink water." " But he lied "unto him." The result of this disobedience brings God’s swift judgment upon him. For when he was on his return a lion met him and slew him. What a sad, sorrowful sight! The prophet who had as faithfully performed what Jehovah had given him to do, and then healed the king’s hand, is now seen lying by the roadside a lifeless corpse. The lion too and the ass stood by it. God, as in Daniel’s case had shut the lion’s mouth. But now listen to what follows. His carcase is brought back by the old prophet’‘ and laid in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, " Alas my brother."

How sepulchral these words sound. Not a ray of hope or joy do they bring to the soul, no comfort, no light, but consistent you might say with the day in which they were spoken. And, too, what a mournful occasion this was! and those too who stood by him, as his body was lowered into the grave, might well have been clothed in the darkest shade of mourning. How much this reminds one of the prophet Jonah, who when in the whale’s belly at the bottom of the ocean, said, " The weeds were wrapped about his head."

Let us now pass on many centuries in God’s history, to the time when He was displaying His glory in His own beloved Son. What we have set before us in His day, is not so much the power of the lion (Satan) bringing death into the world, but Christ the deliverer. He it was who brought life and incorruptibility to light, the One who came here and met the enemy, and by His own death upon the cross annulled his power.

Let us look now at the familiar incident recorded in the eleventh chapter of John’s Gospel. We see there the blessed Son of God, the two sisters and Lazarus. Death has again made its sting felt. But for what purpose? " That the Son of God might be glorified thereby." And how was the Son of God to be glorified? In bringing from the tomb one whom the lion had slain. How wondrous to hear Him saying in answer to Martha, who had said in an almost hopeless manner, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day,"-"I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in Me though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." Sweet and comforting words,, are they not? But again when Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone," his own sister would have put a hindrance in the way of the manifestation of the Lord’s glory, for she said as though it were useless:"Lord by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days," thus showing how natural affection can never rise to God’s thoughts, and often comes in to hinder the workings of God’s Spirit, even where it is for the blessing of those we may love so tenderly. Let us learn a lesson from this. But He whose ways are perfect cannot be hindered thus, and so we hear Him saying," Take ye away the stone." "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid."

Now comes the simple, but not the less beautiful expression of confidence in His Father. " Father I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me." "And when He had thus spoken He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth." What a contrast this cry, with the lament of the old prophet of whom we have spoken. Put them side by side, and see how they appear:-

" Alas my brother,"-sin reigning in the power of death.
" Lazarus come forth "-" Eternal life the gift of God."
Yes, for His dear people death is past. We are now bathed in the light of His own blessed presence. No more to wear the habiliments of death, but to rejoice in that one who has forever set us free, that we might walk with Him in newness of life. Oh that we might be more consistent as to the place which His grace has brought us into. No more to be occupied with that which speaks of sin and the grave,- "Alas, my brother "-but rather rejoicing in view of what that blessed One has accomplished in His own resurrection from the dead. And may the words of Him who said; "Lazarus come forth" ever resound in our ears. H. S.