The Sunday at Home (1035, February 28, 1874). Click to enlarge.

Both of the following Scripture Exercises are from The Sunday at Home: A Family Magazine for Sabbath Reading, (issue no. 1035—February 28, 1874). In the comments thread, give me a good, solid paragraph on why you don’t have time to look up the examples these exercises request. 😉 Or just click “Like” to let me know you’re reading these, and want to see more, comments or no comments. Thanks! The answers will be posted next week.

Scripture Exercise, No. 2

There is an emphatic way of speaking observable in Scripture, not altogether unknown to our own languages. When anything may be done from two motives, or when two effects are mentioned as proceeding from one cause, if one of them is of much less importance than the other, it is spoken of as though it did not exist. Thus when Jehoshaphat urges his magistrates to judge justly, he says, “For ye judge not for man, but for Jehovah” (2 Chron. 14:6); whereas, a righteous judge should be actuated by the desire of doing his duty towards both. When  there is a comparison between two degrees of liking or love, the lesser degree is sometimes called “hate.” Thus Jacob had two wives, one of whom is said in one place to be “hated,” but in another to be “loved less.” In Deut. 21 is found a similar case. Young students of Scripture may exercise their powers of observation in finding some examples of this usage in Scripture language. The word “hate” also often means, “act as though you hated.” There is occasionally a similar use of the word “love.” Give some examples.

Scripture Exercise, No. 3

The Scripture phrases, “the fear of the Lord,” to “fear the Lord,” “your fear,” etc., must not always be understood as implying “dread,” “terror.” They signify the service of God, practical religion, including fear, love, hope, and obedience. In the Hebrews it is called “reverence and godly fear.” David says, “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those who hope in his mercy,” where the last clause explains the first. Solomon says, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.”

David undertakes to explain what is the nature and the advantages of the fear of the Lord in Psalm 34:11, etc. Proverbs 13 also gives a shorter definition. Give some other examples.