Calendar:June 16th to July 15th.

DAILY BIBLE READING:…….. June 16th, Deut. 15; June 30th, Deut. 29; July 15th, Josh. 10.

MEMORY WORK …………….. James 2:14-3:12.

GOOD READING:-"Can I be assured of salvation, and how?"A precious treatise on this subject for anxious souls. By W. Trotter. Paper covers, 8 cents.

MONTHLY QUESTION:-What is the difference between conflict with Amalek and conflict with the nations of Canaan?

Our Memory Work

There are only a few names to record for successful work in the recitation of our last memory portion-John 13-17.

We had hoped there would be many more, and trust there will be for successful work in the study of James' epistle.

Our Daily Bible Reading

Take as the key thought for Deut. 15:1-18, liberality -love to one another; for chaps. IS:19-16:-17, God's claim upon His people founded upon redemption:(1) He claims the first place and all authority (vers. 19-23); (2) redemption and separation from evil (vers. 1-8); (3) grace bestowed and grace ministered to one another (vers. 9-12); (4) rejoicing in the glory (vers. 13-17). This chapter gives us redemption, holiness, service, worship. Chaps. 17-19 give thoughts concerning God's government among His people, and the way in which His mind is made known to them. Chaps. 20-26 give instructions concerning various relationships and responsibilities, both toward God and man. Chaps. 27-30 present, in contrast, blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, with exhortations and warnings. In the closing chapters we find Moses and Joshua together, the departing leader and his successor, with the charge given to him in view of entering the land. Moses's song, and his prophetic blessing of the tribes fill chaps. 32 and 33. In them we find set before us the ways of God, in grace, mercy, power, and holiness, for the manifestation of Himself and the blessing of His people.

Commencing Joshua, we pass out of the wilderness into the land, where war must be carried on to practically secure and enjoy the inheritance given them according to Jehovah's promise.

The first eleven chapters bring us through various conflicts to rest from war. This does not mean, however, that there is not continued need for vigilance, that the watch-tower can be abandoned, and ease and laxity rule. No; it is a question of keeping in subjugation defeated enemies, of being persevering, diligent, watchful, obedient to and dependent upon God, else the enemy will soon rise up again. This is just what happened because Israel failed in these things, as to which Moses had so earnestly exhorted them before his departure. This sad failure of Israel brought in the conditions which the book of Judges so graphically describes. These things are written for warning and instruction to us.

First, the crossing of Jordan is typical of the cross on the one hand, and on the other of the Christian's identification through it with Christ, as accepted in Him according to the truth of resurrection-place and power. The knowledge of this, ministered by the Spirit, is the entering of our spiritual Canaan; our possession of which is opposed by the powers of spiritual wickedness.

Canaan, then, is not a type of our future entrance into heaven as a result of resurrection at the Lord's coming; but it is a type of our spiritual portion in Christ, of which we are now to take possession. It speaks of entering through faith the spiritual conflict according to Ephesians 6. It is really what engages us until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Then with the enemy cast out we shall hear of war no more. Till then we (like Israel), under the Holy Spirit's leadership (Joshua), and as obedient to the Word (the book of the law), are to be warriors and conquerors. (See Josh. 1.)

Note that Gilgal is the base of operations. There, the reproach of Egypt was rolled away-the world in its Egyptian aspect, and the flesh ever in alliance with it, judged and set aside. Then Jericho falls, another type of the world, but in a different aspect from Egypt. It is a picture of the world in its pride, power, and seeming pleasantness, which our great spiritual foes, "the universal lords- of this darkness," would use to bind us hand and foot, spiritually speaking -destroy separation to God in holiness and obedience through "artifices of the devil," causing our spiritual portion to lie unpossessed, and to be ruled over instead of ruling. Ecclesiastes exposes Jericho fully under spiritual light. The Jericho world-aspect is largely what John's first epistle has in view. Egypt is different, though found after all to be close companion to Jericho. Egypt is rather the world in its moral debasement, slavery in sin, under the sinister influence and control of Satan. Egypt is more the "filthiness" of flesh, while Jericho is that of spirit (2 Cor. 7:1). Read, for example, Romans, chaps. 1, 2, and 6. Yet, though giving different aspects, they are under one control, and are linked together.

A word, here, as to the passage of the Red Sea (so similar in character to that of Jordan), may be helpful. There are differences in these also. Moses and the rod of power are prominent at the former; the ark and the priests, with Joshua and Eleazar, at the latter. The Red Sea emphasizes our death with Christ for deliverance from the dominion of sin. Having died with Him to sin, in faith's reckoning, we are no longer under sin's dominion. Jordan emphasizes our resurrection out of death with Christ, with power to take possession of our heavenly portion while yet here on earth. This last leads into conflict with the enemy, of course, and a realization of association with Christ as our leader is necessary for this. The waters of the Sea and of Jordan remind us of the death of Christ, and our association with Him in both aspects. The 8th chapter of Romans gives one aspect of this Canaan blessing; the Cross is at the beginning, and the throne at the close. Ephesians chaps. 1-3 give us another aspect, but the Cross is there too as well as the throne.

At the Red Sea we look back at the old place out of which we are delivered, and rejoice in what God has done for us (Exod. 15). At Jordan we enter upon our new place, and go in to possess. At the former we look at overthrown and smitten enemies, at the latter we look at the glorious One typified in the ark, by whom the waters of judgment are rolled back, making a dry path for us to pass over, and lay hold of our inheritance-invested in the panoply of God and armed with the sword of the Spirit.
These are only general hints. By studying these types, you will find not only these main lines, but many side lines of truth with a great variety of instruction, with rich blessing and enjoyment for both heart and mind.

Joshua has been referred to as typical of the Spirit of Christ in us, in connection with the new place He has entered in glory; thus Eleazar is associated with Joshua in the leadership of the people.

While interpreting the type in this way, it must not be concluded that the Holy Spirit is not with and in the believer until he experimentally enters into truth represented by the Jordan and Canaan. The Spirit of God is with and in the believer from the very beginning of his path, which, like that of Israel, is linked with and begins under shelter of the blood (Rom. 3:20-25)-just as the pillar of cloud and fire accompanied, guided, and protected the redeemed people. (Rom. 5:1-5).

There are differences in the types, that in observing them we may better see the all-various wisdom of God, and better understand the many sided character of Christian truth. And while order and relation are to be diligently observed in both the typical and doctrinal presentation of the truth, we must not try to establish a time schedule as to when certain things or blessings become ours, for they are all ours the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus. Time, of long or short duration, does indeed come in between that moment and the practical enjoyment or appropriation of our blessings. Having, and the knowledge and enjoyment of what we have, are different. According to the fulness of divine grace and purpose, in having Christ we have all; but our knowledge and enjoyment are conditioned upon our spiritual growth in grace and obedience to the Word, and we are practically sanctified by it through the Spirit's work.